Session Date: 03/22/2026
Rohan
Rohan sits with the soldiers and asks why they don’t interact more with the sailors. They explain they were given orders not to fraternize with the sailors. Additionally, they recognize the place they’re going doesn’t seem to be a nice place, so keeping a more negative mood is a strategy give they’re likely going to have to break something or someone at the place they’re going. Rohan asks where they’re going and the soldier says they’re going to the Nieveous Mound and they’re going there to switch with the people there.
Rohan asks why there’s going to be a fight if they’re going to swap places with who’s there and the soldier explains that they don’t own the Nieveous Mound - they only have a fort there, and other factions may not be so pleased to see them. He does comment that it’s pretty obvious he doesn’t really like the Trierarch given that Rohan has both ears and eyes. The Centurion explains that Rohan seems like the good sort and he could join up, you know. Rohan comments explains that he’s kind of in the middle of dealing with something that could be ending the world - when pressed, he explains that we are going to the Jagged Chain to stop a cult. We’re not sure what they’re up to, but he does have a personal stake in stopping them.
The Centurion asks if the reason is vengeance, and Rohan says he hopes not, he hopes that she’s still alive out there. Rohan asks how they know that they are doing the right thing without going too far. The Centurion explains they’re not in this to save people, but to dethrone Asmodeus and shift the balance of hell: that will save people in the end. He thinks of the mission and does what has to be done. It’s not nice or pretty but it brings results.
Rohan asks what to do if his friends don’t agree and the soldier suddenly looks old and explains that he doesn’t have friends, he works in a chain of command. This isn’t about heroism, it’s about a job. Rohan asks about it and the soldier reinforces this idea - it’s not about heroism, it’s about doing what needs to be done. Rohan takes this all in and considers it. The soldier says that he’ll figure it out, or he’ll die, so he should figure it out.
Rohan suggests that they need help with all of this and they should consider playing nice to the sailors but he’ll otherwise consider what he said.
Rdest
Rdest had stormed off and she goes to the deck and sits so that her feet hangs off the deck and she hangs onto the railing. She’s confused - she’s been told how to do things at the university and people don’t seem to be following those rules. She wonders if there’s some higher power that she should be aware of, if there is some divine intervention that needs to happen.
A voice enters her head and says that they’ve been trying to crack that for a long time. Rdest is confused and looks around and the voice apologizes for not being able to do a physical form right now. The voice explains they are not a ghost and that it wants to help her, but a celestial. Rdest looks up celestials in her book before Phoebe stops her and starts trying to explain.
This is Phoebe, who is disappointed Iskra did not mention her, but she understands. She explains she would come to Rdest when she sleeps and they can talk. Phoebe explains that she is a celestial and she will come and answer questions.
Dia and Arythas
Arythas finds Dia crashing out in the cargo hold about the alchemical fire. She’s looking at a vial of the fire.
Dia explains she tried to pray and she says that they’re gone - they left her and something else was there and we are in far more trouble than we thought. Arythas looks over the vial and notices that there’s a lot of alchemical fire here. Dia explains that she heard they’re going to be torching the entire Mound.
Arythas recognizes that they are inert at the moment, but there are magical runes and crystals within that have magical properties. These bottles will have an enormous explosion and would likely turn into magma to go into the ice. This will destroy the entire country if they have to. It could destroy the entire population or if placed right, it could break the glacier - either way, it’s a scorched earth approach.
Dia explains that it was the Centurion that mentioned it and she doesn’t think the captain knows. Arythas explains what he realized about the alchemical fire and then considers it. He comments that we should tell the rest of the party and then figure out what to do. She agrees.
They start to move to pick things up but Arythas grabs Dia gently (she flinches) and he says softly that the gods have not abandoned her, that something intercepted her prayer. It’s clear she doesn’t believe him.
They pack up and head upstairs to get everyone.
The Party
We get together and Arythas explains to the party about the alchemical fire and Dia explains that the Captain doesn’t know about it. Rohan begins to process his conversation with the soldier and starts to grow incredibly angry about the realization of doing what needs to be done.
Rdest asks Phoebe and Arythas ultimately gives a short explanation about what is going on with Phoebe and where she came from. The latest demon that we’ve made a deal with shows up and starts talking and Rdest starts asking about heaven and gods and devils and demons and everything in between and the two of them start talking. Dia eventually stands up and tells him to leave - he chuckles and then gets up and goes.
Misha comments that he’s noticed that it is quite easy for him to show up here, but he would have thought the demon has more projects going on right now. He doesn’t have much to say about that in particular but he does eventually leave.
Dia asks if we should tell the captain and Misha thinks if we are going to do anything, we need to start with that. Rohan offers to ask for more information. Rdest asks if that’s smart, and Dia and Arythas ultimately say that it’s what Rohan is good at, so we trust him to do that.
Rohan
Rohan leaves to go speak to the Centurion and he sees that the man is with others in the tent and the Centurion comments that Rohan can’t just walk in. Rohan stands up straight and says he’s thought over the Centurion’s deal and he will take it (lying). The Centurion asks what he can do and Rohan explains he’s great at gathering information and the more he knows, the more he can help. Some fucking how, the Centurion buys it and says he would like an outsider’s perspective.
He explains there’s a problem with Nieveous Mound and numerous ways to solve it. He explains that the fort maintained by the Crimson Legion is not a nice place to be sent to. He explains that if issues cannot be dealt with silently, then we will have to go in big and loud and he ultimately asks Rohan how comfortable he is doing what needs to be done. Rohan repeats the words from earlier: as long as it’s for the greater good.
The Centurion thinks it over and then thanks Rohan for helping him keep his fortitude. Rohan ultimately agrees to take the oath so that he can get more information and he struggles to come up with a god off the top of his head as he needs a god to become a paladin. The demon that has been memeing on us enters Rohan’s head and sounds like Taraaq and tells him he can just lie, and he should just pretend and kneel and pretend to pray.
He kneels and starts to fake pray, but a god actually responds during this. He descends down and sees a god sitting in a steel throne and there is the lord of the ninth: Asmodeus. He asks Rohan to repeat what he had to say and he says that he is willing to do what it takes to stop her. Asmodeus says it is done and the connection starts to break. Rohan says wait, no - (because he doesn’t want this) - and Asmodeus says he has the smell of him, Rohan’s scent, and he’ll find him.
Rohan snaps back to reality and the smell of sulphur is everywhere. The Centurion tells him to leave and do not come back, and so Rohan stands and asks what that was. The Centurion tells him to leave and Rohan refuses, asking to know what they’re doing here to pull Asmodeus here. The Centurion says Rohan is the one who prayed so it is his doing. Rohan asks what the hell is going on that Asmodeus could be here since it should be impossible, but the Centurion says he doesn’t know, but there are others, and Rohan really does have to leave now. Rohan goes this time.
The Rest
We go to the Trierarch and find her downstairs. There are rows and rows of spirits that are the rowers. These are the spirits of the Legionnaires that signed an agreement to help beyond life before they move on to the afterlife. The Trierarch is essentially “feeding” them - she is making an offering and it’s giving energy to the spirits. We tell her we need to talk somewhere private. She leads us to her office.
Dia opens with asking if she’s aware of the mission the Centurion has. The Captain explains the cover story and Dia says no, there’s more. Arythas lets her know the cargo hold is filled with alchemical fire (the Trierarch is understandably pissed about it) and she starts to go off the handle. Dia starts to explain that the fire is stored safely and is going to be used as a “nuclear” option to destroy the Mound if needed. The Trierarch calms down after Dia and Misha speak up asking her to wait, and we agree that Rohan will give his report directly to her once he has it and we will not lie to her.
Rohan shows up after his meeting and he looks Definitely Not Okay. Rohan explains that he convinced the Centurion to consider another plan. Rohan explains that it sounds like the alchemical fire was not his idea and he’s taking orders from someone else. Rohan then explains that Asmodeus has gained access to the ship, and the captain says that is not possible unless someone prayed to him. The smell of sulphur still clings to him and the captain asks if Asmodeus has access because of something Rohan did and Asmodeus has a connection to him. Rohan explains he was pretending to pray and Asmodeus picked him up.
Rdest asks what we do now and the captain says that for the safety of everyone on board we need to get off the ship as soon as possible. Dia asks if there’s any assistance she can give us and she’s trying to figure out a better option than giving us a lifeboat and telling us to row.
The entire party works hard to sanctify Rohan so that he is temporarily protected from Asmodeus for all of this. She ultimately prays to the Raven Queen and Pelor both asking for them to help and this also fails.
Rdest casts sleep on herself and then goes to visit Phoebe. She mentions that a friend made a deal with Asmodeus and asks how to make him invisible to fiends since he seems to be a magnet for them. Rdest poorly describes what happened and Phoebe explains that it’s not good what happened. Phoebe’s eyes flicker and she says that there is no active deal with Asmodeus but there is an eye on him, which can be cleansed. Phoebe gives her a spell to apply to Rohan to protect him.
A hand rests on each of Dia’s shoulders and the voices speak: sometimes it’s not about sacrificing for others, it’s about letting others do the work. Nobody has left her. Dia cries.
Rdest tells Rohan to come here and hug her because she had a nightmare and she pats him as magic energy soaks into him.
Things wind down and we leave to go to bed after all of this nonsense.