Session Date: 03/15/2026
Last Time
The demon that had gotten us out of the falling apart compound and offers three more deals, the only one of which is that he will not immediately kill anyone in the party if offended.
We are headed to a group of islands called the Jagged Chain where Rohan’s mother has a compound there. We will be going south to get there - it is much closer to the area where hobgoblins. On the way there might be an iceberg country called Nieveous Mound on the way - it does move. We are on a boat at this time headed that way, Rdest’s dad Oset helped us get set up to get here.
The boat itself is a real fishing boat that has a hook for larger fish. It’s definitely sized for harengon and most of the holding area is for fish.
Session Begins
Half or so of the crew has been around for quite some time and are crowding Rdest to show her pictures of their kids and such. She listens and takes it all in. Eventually she winds up with her dad, chatting, and they do a little check in to make sure she’s okay. He mentions that Wrzos, the youngest sibling, has gotten in with an interesting group and so all the kids are adventurer’s name. Rdest asks for more information and Oset comments that he’s with a guy named Ace, to which Dia asks if it’s Ace Freeman, and Oset says yes, and asks if he’s a friend. Arythas huffs while Misha says yes. Oset asks if friendly, and Misha says no.
Rdest comments that Wrzos should perhaps worry some because he’s sweet, but he tends to get himself into trouble (Oset comments that he has an ego on him). Rdest says that it will be a hard lesson when it catches up with him. Oset says that Wrzos doesn’t go out with them, he does some sort of crafting. There is some more chat back and forth as they determine that Ace Freeman is a scoundrel but it’s hard to articulate how nefarious he might be due to differing opinions on how evil someone might be.
Before long, we see a ship of the Crimson Legion not far off. Oset had fished a guy who had fallen overboard at one point and so he lets Oset know whenever he’s nearby. This gentleman isn’t particularly high on the food chain for them, but it’s still nice to know they’re around.
The Red Promise is on the ship. We are not invited on the ship, but a tiefling with green tinted skin and fangs and three fingers approaches. She leans in and asks who we are supposed to be. Dia explains that’s a hard thing to explain, but we are friends - we’d met Valtar in the past. She clarifies that we’ve met Centurion Valtar, and then she asks why we are here. Dia explains that we require a little bit of assistance. We learn that this woman’s name is Malira, title Trierarch.
Rohan comments that we might have similar goals: there’s a cult on The Jagged Chain that is in working with his father (but he gives the name) and dealing with that might be in line with each other. Triearch is not so sure that our missions align despite what Rohan says, but she does recognize that Rohan’s father is not one of the demon lords they pact with. She does need help crewing the ship because they are short-staffed and we agree to help. She allows it because it’ll annoy the Centurion she’s with, so sure, but she wants us to remember it’s her ship.
The Red Promise
We get up on the ship and we see that everyone are tieflings: there’s the Legion, and then there’s the sailors - nobody’s talking to each other.
The Centurion approaches. He has a lizard-like tail and six fingers with black fingernails. He’s Centurion Arrai. He demands to know why we are in his military operation and Dia explains what we are doing. He’s less than impressed but he leaves.
Misha grows sea sick and Rdest casts sleep on him so he can sleep for an hour. Arythas gets bored of the conversation and goes to start working, already working hard. Rohan goes to ask some of the soldiers who are playing cards what Arrai’s deal is, and the sailors tell him that there’s a deployment of the Crimson Legion on Nieveous Mound (propelled via magic, of course) and some other mission that he isn’t telling anyone. The Trierarch is upset that Arrai’s been disrespecting her. He comments that he can’t blame her and gives the guys a drink. They say that it’s probably for the better that we are here because now we are in the middle of the Centurion and the Triearch.
On Nieveous Mound there’s a lot of people there - they can’t really blame the soldiers for being in a sour mood for having to go there. Trade would also be rather difficult given the mound moves around. Rohan comments that perhaps it won’t be so bad given that we are all working toward the same thing, right? And it’d be a good thing to get some of the other demon lords down, right? They shrug and say that Asmodeus is the worst there is, and Rohan comments he has some personal beef with some of them, to which the soldiers say Amen. Rohan suggests that they stay away from the Fullheart Inn, and one of the soldiers is upset because he likes their sandwiches.
Misha wakes up a while later and the Trierarch asks if he’s an assassin, and he says no - he’s a military man who’s been a bit out of a job. The Trierarch comments that if shit hits the fan then she might have a job for him. Misha offers to try to talk to the Centurion and his men and be a go between to make things more annoying for him, and she says that he can try if he would like.
We all eventually convene in our quarters and Dia gives Misha the tonic to help with his stomach. Dia ultimately asks if anyone wishes to do any shenanigans to let her know beforehand, and Rohan says that he’s been talking to people (Rdest chimes in about demons) and Rohan means the actual people around the ship.
At some point in the conversation about what Rohan has uncovered, the dealings with demons comes up and Rdest comments that she had the situation under control. Arythas ultimately points out that one (1) person made the decision to make the deal for all of us, and the conversation begins to spiral. Arythas eventually gets up to leave the conversation, not quite angry yet but not wanting to let himself get there. Dia tries to stop him and Arythas ultimately asks how far we must let our principles slip to accommodate this journey. Dia explains that we are playing the hand we dealt and that we are making the best with what we have. Arythas then asks if she no longer trusts in her gods, which clearly hurts her.
Arythas moves past Dia and turns to walk to where the deities are and he prays to Bahamut. He mostly is just praying for strength and reassurance that he’s on the right path, that he can find the strength to persevere through this. The feeling of a very strong paternal hand reaches out and takes his shoulder and gives him a gentle squeeze.
Dia in the Cargo Hold
When Dia prays she is afraid that she is selfish for wanting the attention of her deities and for wanting Arythas to notice her, something speaks at her as if with a mouth full of water:
Selfish. Nothing wrong with that. You will all die anyway, and if you die here I will claim you.
Foul smelling water surges forward and pushes her into some boxes in the cargo hold and she registers the water was full of bloated corpses. It disappears and she’s not even wet. Someone comes downstairs and she is hidden.
It’s Arrai: he’s asking why Trierarch is asking questions, it’s too much work, she doesn’t need to know. Over her head a box is being opened. There’s bottles of something akin to alchemical fire in there. Arrai says that nobody can know. They notice Dia’s altar still set up and he looks it over and decides not to steal the statue of Pelor.
To the other person with him, he says to remember that we are going into a trap: we don’t know who is there, but they will get whoever did this, and then they will stay there unless they have to destroy the whole thing. He tells the other person to make sure nobody knows and then they leave.
Dia remains frozen, then starts crying. She stays there for quite some time.
The “Chaos” Squad
Rohan tries to leave and Rdest asks where he’s going. Rohan says that he’s going to talk to Centurion and she asks if they’re a demon too. He has to explain that tieflings aren’t directly demons and Rohan explains that he took the deal because Dia was going to sacrifice herself and the deal to fix it would have made everything worse. Rdest asks if that’s true and Rohan says he’s pretty sure that she was going to, and Rohan apologizes and says that it’s not about trusting Rdest but it’s about Dia’s choices.
Rdest says that she understands - Rohan doesn’t know her and Iskra is more reliable, and we know him better, so maybe you can’t trust her. Rohan says that he trusts her but he’s done a lot of stupid stuff and sometimes the team doesn’t trust him to do things, but they don’t trust him. Rdest feels the but means he doesn’t trust her. Rohan clarifies: he trusts everyone on the team, but he doesn’t necessarily trust their abilities. Rdest says she needs to leave and research something.
Rdest
She leaves and tries to get ahold of Inky. She asks Inky how to make sure Dia will never make a pact with a demon? Inky responds with therapy. That requires a degree. She asks if there’s a spell to download that information into her brain and Inky says maybe.
She further explains that she had a plan that would have worked very well and they made a deal with a demon. Inky asked if it worked and she says yes, but ultimately Inky drills down to realize that she’s upset that they didn’t trust her. He comments that they can undervalue, yes. She gives more details about it and the two talk about it.
Rohan
Rohan leaves after Rdest does and goes to speak to Arrai, finding him coming back from the cargo hold. Rohan asks if he would like to share a drink and Arrai says that he better make sure that the rest of the group not become problems. Rohan says we won’t, but our goals are somewhat aligned (Arrai scoffs) and Rohan says that he would like to be on friendly terms. Rohan eventually gets back to asking if a demon can become something else - a demon becoming not a demon. Arrai says that it’s theoretically possible (Rohan looks relieved).
Rohan explains he has a friend he wants to help, then confirms that the demon is a friend. Arrai reassures Rohan that the Crimson Legion works with devils and demons and there is no shame in being friends with a fiend of some kind, necessarily - the goal is to dethrone Asmodeus, change the rules. Arrai says it’s technically possible, he’s heard of it, but it’s very, very difficult. Rohan says that nothing has been easy. Arrai comments that perhaps we can make a Legion man out of him yet.
Arrai agrees to go for a drink.