A Cunning Plan
Ubaron reports the discovery of the metal canister (That Which Lies Beneath – G30 ) to his boss, High Priestess Cassandra at the Temple of Isis in Chittagong. She is perplexed and makes contact with the Temple of Mitra. Although they worship a different pantheon, they are aligned on important matters like demons and have a reputation as problem-solvers. They come up with a cunning plan to remove the evil influence of Morbius from Middle Earth without attracting the ire of Asmodeus (as Yspadadden says “there are no good guys in this picture”).
The Mitrans provide the party with two spell scrolls: a Protection from Possession and a powerful spell called Gate. The purpose of the former is obvious. Yspadadden and Ubaron learn it and the dwarf carves rune amulets from everyone in the party along with spares. These will activate in the case of any attempt by Morbius to exert influence or control over the wearer. The latter is a spell that summons a Named Entity from another plane and opens a Gate by which they may enter the Plane of the caster. Although the spell may be cast from the scroll, the party magicians insist that it is sensible for them to learn it by heart in case something goes wrong with the first casting. There is some sucking of teeth at the Temple of Mitra, since the spell allows an evil or just stupid magician to summon any demon they happen to know the name of without offering the slightest guarantee of control. However, they acknowledge the pragmatism of the argument.
The Mitrans offer up their paladin, Wilfred Stefson, well known to the others in the party, as their agent in this matter and a significant enough Named Entity for the Gate spell to summon. He is equipped by them with: a helmet that gives its wearer the visage and general appearance of a demon; a Protection against Demons; an amulet which when invoked banishes the wearer to the Fifth Plane of Hell; a set of chains to wrap around the cylinder so that it can be moved without anyone having touch its malign surface directly.
The plan is this: the party goes to the locale of the metal cylinder; they wrap it in the chains; when all is in place Wilf banishes himself to the Fifth Plane of Hell (wearing the helmet to disguise his nature from any locals, and the amulet of protection); Ubaron reads the Gate scroll to summon him back, creating a portal between the two planes that will last as long as he maintains concentration; Wilf drags the canister back through the portal to the Fifth Plane of Hell, removes the chains (the Mitrans want them back), and returns through the portal to the Prime Plane; Ubaron closes the portal. What could possibly go wrong?
The First Attempt
The execution of the plan gets as far as the chamber of the cylinder. Several wards against Possessions go off but they all hold. However, as Wilf attempts to apply the chains he lays aside his flaming sword, which he has been using for illumination. It suddenly animates and stabs him in the back, wounding him severely. The rest of the party then fight the sword until it is knocked to the ground where Ranulf stamps on it. Once quiescent it is returned to its sheath and everyone is careful not to leaveany other unattended weapons around. It is plain that Wilf is in no fit state to continue so they abort the mission.
On their way out they are attacked by watery tentacles from the pool in the adjoining chamber. Yspadadden and Ubaron cast wards to protect the party. Girindor responds by purifying the water. He is a powerful druid and puts a great deal of his power into it. The elemental force in the pool has no answer to this. When they leave the foetid pool is now full of clean water with no trace of demonic taint.
They return to Dingradur where Yspadadden sets about magically healing Wilf of his wound.
The Second Attempt
The next day they return, bearing some magical light sources from Dingradur so that there will be no need for Wilf’s Muspell Sword to be unsheathed, and a couple of large pry bars, for they could already see that it was going to be challenging to get the chains under the cylinder. They return to the chamber. There is no movement from the pool as they pass – it remains clear and limpid.
This time the two dwarves prise the canister up from the ground with their wreckers bars so that Wilf can get the chains underneath. The chains once in place it is surprisingly easy to move. Wilf drags it to the wall on which Ubaron plans to place the portal. He invokes his amulet of banishment and disappears. Ubaron waits the stipulated time (the Mitrans had warned him that it would take several minutes for Wilf to cross the Void and be in position). He casts successfully and a shimmering portal springs into existence.
The first thing to come through the portal is not Wilf, but a large demon. It is followed shortly after by two more. The party fight desperately to slay them while protecting Ubaron who is concentrating on maintaining the portal. Fortunately, they recognise the fourth demon as Wilf in his demon disguise before they attack. He picks up the chains and begins pulling the canister through the portal. Yspadadden goes with him.
More demons arrive in the cavern to be repulsed and slain by Ranulf, Trevillion and Girindor. Two more appear in the portal, but this time they are quicker to realise that the new arrivals are Wilf and Yspadadden. Wilf has the chains – apparently they had had to fight three more demons while retrieving them – there is no cylinder.
Ubaron relaxes his control and the portal winks out, but not before one last entity slips through. This demon is incredibly swift. She has two swords and can run up walls. She is not the largest demon they have fought but is the most troublesome. Ubaron returns to the fray. He casts a glyph at the entrance to the cave to prevent her escape and slays her.
“Time for tea and medals”, says Ranulf.
Mission Accomplished!
G-31
OE Date: Spring 697
Characters: Yspadadden, Ranulf, Ubaron, Trevillion, Girindor, Wilf NPCs:
Real World: March 2014; Where: Surbiton
See also Ubaron’s Diaries