Short

Stranded in the Bronze Citadel of Avernus following Korrilla's betrayal, the party devised a plan to escape by summoning Velessa's imp familiar, Quillbit, and sending her back to the Material Plane with a message for Russora Eomane. Based on Séantal's recollection of Russora's diary, the group identified Mizora — the shadowy advisor to Grand Duke Ravengard — as a potential contact with the knowledge and connections to help them get home. Their wait was short-lived, as Mizora herself appeared in a burst of infernal fire, entirely unbothered and already well-informed about the party's situation, including the Calamus Pactum. She struck a deal with the group, offering them passage home in exchange for their continued mentorship of Russora, and also promised to expedite Velessa's adoption paperwork for the girl. Before stepping through the portal Mizora opened, Velessa confessed that a woman named Nerezza had tasked her with planting something in Mizora's office. Mizora responded by extracting a foot-and-a-half-long millipede covered in the symbols of Asmodeus from Velessa's gut, crushing it to ash, and offering a quiet word of praise for Velessa's honesty. Back at Eomane House, Mizora expressed serious concern over the presence of the Calamus Pactum in Baldur's Gate and the activities of a Red Wizard named Maelra, an agent of the Regent of Thay operating in the city under various disguises.

After regrouping with a comforting meal prepared by Vagnfríður, the party reviewed available contracts and selected one titled "Grave of the Witness," drawn by a symbol of Selûne and a favor owed to Tumbledown's cemetery workers. At the Elfsong Tavern, they met their contact: Seraphine Moonscale, an enthusiastic and slightly chaotic Dragonborn paladin of Selûne who explained that for four consecutive nights, three lantern-bearing figures had been seen entering the Tumbledown cemetery around two in the morning. Three graves belonging to women of the Szarr family had been disturbed, with each body bearing a small prick on the fingertip, and two workers who had gone to investigate had since vanished. Séantal recalled that the Szarr family had once been one of Baldur's Gate's most powerful dynasties, with a reclusive patriarch named Cazador Szarr having disappeared around the time of the Absolute Crisis. At the cemetery, the party found that the intruders had walked in a direct line to the Szarr family plot, and Shane discovered a boot print with a crescent-shaped chunk missing near the toe — strongly suggesting an animated skeleton. With the clock approaching two in the morning, the party settled into position among the graves to wait.

Classic

Last we left off, our party found themselves stranded deep within Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells, reeling from the betrayal of their employer Korrilla. With no clear path home and few allies left to call upon, Velessa devised a desperate gambit — summoning her imp familiar Quillbit directly into the Hells and dismissing her back to Baldur's Gate to carry word to Russora Eomane. The message was meant to reach Mizora, a shadowy and powerful devil with deep ties to the city, whom Séantal had identified as someone who might be able to pull them out of their predicament. What they did not expect was for Mizora to answer quite so personally — stepping through a wall of infernal fire, flopping onto the couch, and propping her legs on Vagnfríður's back as though she owned the place. She already knew everything, offered them a way home in exchange for their continued mentorship of Russora, and opened a crackling portal back to the Material Plane before the party had time to fully process what they had agreed to.

Back in Baldur's Gate, reunions were warm and the food was mercifully real — Vagnfríður cooked, Seris produced a dessert so good it nearly erased the memory of infernal cuisine, and Mizora stayed for the meal. But the evening was not without its horrors. Velessa confessed that a woman named Nerezza had tasked her with planting something in Mizora's office, and Mizora's response was to press a single finger to Velessa's stomach and coax a foot-and-a-half long millipede — covered in the symbols of Asmodeus — up through her throat and out of her mouth. Mizora crushed it to ash, stroked Velessa's hair, and called her a good girl. Meanwhile, Quillbit returned from her errand riding an abyssal chicken she had apparently decided to keep.

With the worst of it behind them, the party turned their attention to a new contract — "Grave of the Witness" — and made their way to the Elfsong Tavern to meet their employer. What awaited them was Seraphine Moonscale, a Dragonborn paladin of Selûne who tripped over two patrons on her way to the bar, drank three cocktails before anyone else had finished their first, and immediately declared Velessa and Seris "twinsies" for their matching blue color schemes. Beneath the enthusiasm, however, was a genuine and troubling case: three graves in the Tumbledown cemetery — all belonging to women of the Szarr family — had been disturbed over four consecutive nights, the bodies bearing small pricks on their fingertips, and two workers who had gone to investigate had since vanished. The party made their way through the fog to the cemetery, uncovered boot prints suggesting an animated skeleton among the intruders, and now wait in silence among the crooked stones and leaning mausoleums as the clock ticks toward two in the morning...

Mizora presses a fingertip to Velessa's stomach to summon and draw out a foot-and-a-half long millipede "bug" covered in symbols of Asmodeus from her throat to destroy it, then crushes it to ash — all while gently petting Velessa's head and saying 'good girl.'

Velessa had just confessed to being tasked with planting the "bug" in Mizora's office to spy on her, not knowing the Cambion's creature had already taken root inside her

"You fucking did it."
— Quillbit

Startled and furious after being summoned directly into Avernus, the last place she ever wanted to be

Vagnfríður grabs Velessa by the scruff of the neck and drags her out of the Elfsong Tavern after Velessa suggests Vagnfríður carry her to the graveyard, citing the meaning of her name as 'wagon.'

Velessa had used Comprehend Languages to learn Vagnfríður's name means 'carriage' and tried to use it as leverage for a piggyback ride

Mizora steps through a portal of infernal fire and smoke into the party's room in the Ashen Cup, casually kicks her legs up onto Vagnfríður's back as a footrest, and announces she is there to hear all their woes.

The party had been desperately brainstorming escape plans when the most powerful person they could hope for simply walked through the wall

Stranded in the Bronze Citadel

The party finds themselves stuck in Avernus after a betrayal and a violent confrontation with their employer, Korrilla.

• The party discusses their predicament in a room at the Ashen Cup within the Bronze Citadel.
• Vagnfríður is recounted as having been banished to a vision of the soul coin mint in Dis before throwing Korrilla out a window.
• The group debates how to escape the Nine Hells, noting they have no way home and have lost Cicerox to the Arcanoloth Nhalzura.
• Velessa suggests Mizora might be able to help them escape, and Séantal identifies her as a powerful advisor to Grand Duke Ravengard.
• Velessa proposes a plan to summon her familiar, Quillbit, and send her back to Baldur's Gate with a message for Russora Eomane to contact Mizora.
• Velessa reveals she was tasked by someone to plant something on Mizora.
• Velessa summons Quillbit, who appears in a puff of infernal smoke and expresses her displeasure at being back in Hell.
• Quillbit agrees to deliver the message to Russora in exchange for a future reward.
• The party considers alternative plans, including reaching out to Raphael or finding portals, while acknowledging the dangers of the River Styx and the Abyss.

Debating the Escape from Avernus

The party discusses their precarious situation in the Nine Hells and brainstorms potential ways to return to Baldur's Gate.

• The party debates whether they are still obligated to Raphael after Korrilla's betrayal.
• Velessa identifies Avernus as a front line in the Blood War, noting that portals are likely rare and heavily guarded.
• The group discusses the possibility of using the River Styx to travel, though Velessa warns of its mind-erasing properties.
• Seris recalls knowledge of the Merrenoloths, the ferrymen of the Styx, and their typical fees for passage.
• The party briefly considers the Abyss or the City of Brass as alternatives, though both are deemed extremely dangerous or inaccessible.

A Moment of Despair in the Bronze Citadel

The party regroups in the Ashen Cup, dealing with the aftermath of their confrontation with Korrilla while Vagnfríður remains catatonic.

• Vagnfríður remains catatonic on the floor, haunted by visions of a hellish forge and the soul coin mint.
• Velessa and Seris attempt to snap Vagnfríður out of her moping, with Velessa throwing pillows at the tabaxi.
• Vagnfríður eventually reveals that what she witnessed was worse than simple torture — it was a forge.
• The group briefly considers their options for escaping the Hells, including looking for other non-devils or high-ranking officials.

The Arrival of Mizora

The cambion Mizora makes a dramatic entrance and offers the party a way out of Avernus.

• Mizora appears in a flash of infernal fire and smoke, making herself comfortable in the room.
• Mizora reveals she is aware of the party's situation and their connection to Russora Eomane.
• The party identifies Korrilla as the one responsible for their predicament, noting her ties to Raphael.
• Mizora offers to return the party to Baldur's Gate in exchange for their continued care and education of Russora.
• Mizora questions the party about the Calamus Pactum, revealing she knows they possess the artifact.
• Vagnfríður reacts with hostility when Mizora uses her as a footrest, but the party ultimately agrees to the deal.
• Mizora promises to expedite Velessa's adoption paperwork for Russora as part of their arrangement.
• Mizora dismisses Raphael as a mere collector who is too busy with his toys to be a real threat.
• The party clarifies that their contract was to escort Korrilla to Baldur's Gate, not to deliver an imp to Raphael.
• Mizora opens a portal sparking with the flames of Avernus to return the party to the Material Plane.
• The party secures permission to bring several imps back with them after Mizora reviews their paperwork.

Return to Eomane House

The party arrives back in Baldur's Gate through Mizora's portal and begins to settle in while Mizora questions them about local threats.

• The party steps through the portal and finds themselves back in the library of Eomane House.
• Russora and Nysene Eomane greet the returning party, with Nysene immediately latching onto Vagnfríður's leg.
• Mizora expresses concern over the Calamus Pactum being in the city and the interest shown by the Red Wizards and the Regent of Thay.
• Séantal informs Mizora about the presence of Maelra, a Red Wizard and former lover of Saresha Imravel.
• The party discusses a previous delve into the sewers and the potential threat of the children of Karsus.
• Velessa confesses to Mizora that she was tasked by the Cambion Nerezza to plant a "bug" in Mizora's office to spy on her.

The Parasite and the Pact

Mizora extracts a hidden infernal parasite from Velessa and discusses the party's future obligations regarding Russora and the Calamus Pactum.

• Mizora reveals that the Cambion Nerezza had Velessa knowingly carry a "bug" intended to spy on Mizora, which Velessa revealed to Mizora.
• Mizora touches Velessa's belly to summon and extract a foot-and-a-half long millipede "bug" covered in symbols of Asmodeus from Velessa's throat, causing Velessa to retch violently.
• Mizora crushes the parasite, turning it to ash, and commends Velessa for her honesty by gently petting her head.
• Quillbit introduces eight imps she brought back from Hell, claiming them as her subordinates in a chain of command under Velessa.
• Vagnfríður prepares a meal of chicken and bread for the group while Nysene clings to her leg.
• Seris prepares a fruit and alcohol-based dessert that successfully masks the lingering taste of the infernal parasite.
• Quillbit attempts to ride an abyssal chicken like a rodeo mount, causing a chaotic scene in the room.

Planning the Next Move

The party discusses their next steps with Mizora at the Eomane House before heading to the Elfsong Tavern.

• The party reviews available contracts, deciding between 'The River's Rot' and 'Grave of the Witness' for their next task.
• The party decides to take on the 'Grave of the Witness' quest due to the Selûne symbol and a favor owed to cemetery workers.
• Mizora offers to turn information about the Red Wizard Maelra into profit for the party if they find her.
• Mizora explains the history of Elturel's fall, revealing that Zariel tricked the citizens into signing a contract disguised as a book of names for the city's protection.
• Mizora mentions that Mad Maggie, the night hag, chooses to stay in Avernus despite being able to leave.
• The party cleans up and changes clothes at the Eomane House before heading out to the Elfsong Tavern.

Meeting Seraphine at the Elfsong Tavern

The party arrives at the Elfsong Tavern to meet their new employer, a clumsy Dragonborn paladin of Selûne.

• The party enters the Elfsong Tavern and meets the bartender, Alan Alyth.
• Velessa and Seris order 'Astral Plane' cocktails — gin with violet and elderflower liqueur — while Shane orders mead.
• Seraphine Moonscale, a Dragonborn paladin of Selûne, clumsily introduces herself after tripping over patrons and knocking over drinks.
• Seraphine describes the job she posted on the board: lantern-bearing figures have been seen entering Tumbledown through the Cliffgate at around 2:00 AM for the past four nights.
• Seraphine reveals that three graves were disturbed, but no valuables were taken; instead, the bodies were medically examined and pricked on the fingertip.
• The party learns that a cemetery laborer and a night watchman have vanished since the disturbances began.
• Seraphine notes her connection to Tina Woods at the Brampton Outpost, who helped her get the job posted to the board.
• Vagnfríður pays for the drinks, leading to an enthusiastic and awkward hug from Seraphine.
• Seraphine downs three cocktails in rapid succession before the group prepares to head out.
• Velessa and Seraphine discuss the height advantages of being tall, and Velessa explains the heavy metal composition of her mechanical limbs.
• Seraphine performs a restoration prayer to sober herself up before the party reaches the graveyard.
• Seraphine draws her sword and mutters a prayer to Selûne, causing the blade to glow and light their path through the foggy streets.
• The group marches toward Cliffgate while Seraphine and Seris sing a sea shanty about Shadowdale.
• Velessa and Seraphine discuss past traumas, including Velessa's story about losing her leg to a druid in bear form as a coming-of-age ritual.
• The party members introduce themselves and their backgrounds to Seraphine as they approach Tumbledown.

Investigation at Tumbledown Cemetery

The party arrives at the Tumbledown cemetery to investigate reports of grave disturbances and missing persons.

• The party reaches the Cliffgate and enters the foggy Tumbledown district near the River Chionthar, with a cliff descending thirty feet to the river below.
• The party encounters a stern gravekeeper at a mausoleum who confirms that three graves were disturbed and the bodies inspected but not robbed.
• The group identifies the disturbed graves as belonging to Amelia Szarr, Francesca Szarr, and a servant named Theophanu.
• Shane and Velessa investigate the sites, noting that the intruders seem specifically interested in the graves of women from the Szarr family.
• Séantal recalls historical records regarding the Szarr family, their reclusive patriarch Cazador, and the current retainer named Violet who inherited the Szarr Mansion after Cazador's disappearance around the time of the Absolute Crisis.
• Shane discovers consistent boot prints near one of the disturbed sites, with one boot appearing to be missing a chunk near the toe, leaving a bone-like imprint.
• The party deduces the tracks may belong to an animated skeleton whose boot had partially rotted away.
• Velessa, perched on Vagnfríður's shoulders, tracks the prints back to the cemetery entrance, confirming the intruders walked in a direct line to the Szarr family plot.
• The party decides to set up a stakeout near the Szarr graves to intercept the lantern-bearing figures when they return.

Korrilla

The party's former employer who betrayed them by handing Cicerox to the Arcanoloth Nhalzura. She was subsequently thrown out a window by Vagnfríður and is identified as a minion of the cambion Raphael.

Quillbit

Velessa's imp familiar who was summoned to Avernus to act as a messenger back to Baldur's Gate. She expressed strong displeasure at being in Hell and agreed to deliver a message to Russora in exchange for a future reward. She returned with eight subordinate imps and an abyssal chicken she intended to use as a mount.

Mizora

A powerful cambion and advisor to Grand Duke Ravengard. She appeared in the Ashen Cup in a flash of infernal fire to offer the party a way home in exchange for their continued mentorship of Russora Eomane. She extracted a dangerous infernal parasite from Velessa, dismissed Raphael as a minor threat, and expressed concern about the Calamus Pactum and the presence of Red Wizards in Baldur's Gate.

Russora Eomane

The youngest Eomane daughter and an aspiring infernalist. She was delighted by the party's return and ran to hug Mizora and Velessa. Mizora demanded the party continue to mentor and protect her as part of their bargain.

Nysene Eomane

The eldest Eomane daughter who playfully latched onto Vagnfríður's leg upon the party's return, riding along as Vagnfríður walked to the kitchen.

Raphael

A powerful cambion collector mentioned as Korrilla's boss. Mizora dismisses him as a simple collector too busy with his toys to be a real threat, though the party remains concerned about his potential retaliation.

Maelra Szandru

A Red Wizard mentioned as a significant threat currently operating in Baldur's Gate under various disguises. Identified as a former lover of Saresha Imravel. Mizora expressed distress at her presence in the city.

Saresha Imravel

The proprietor of the Imravel Exchange, described by Mizora as someone she adores and helped establish in the city. Mizora intends to consult her regarding Maelra's activities.

Nerezza Ashmark

A Cambion and owner of a hellish menagerie who tasked Velessa with planting a "bug" in Mizora's office to spy on her. The bug was a foot-and-a-half long millipede covered in symbols of Asmodeus.

Alan Alyth

The bartender at the Elfsong Tavern who served the party their drinks and called out for Seraphine when asked.

Seraphine Moonscale

A tall Dragonborn paladin of Selûne and member of the Order of the Gauntlet. She is well-meaning but clumsy, tripping over patrons and spilling drinks upon her introduction. She hired the party to investigate grave disturbances in the Tumbledown cemetery and possesses the ability to light her sword with a soft moonbeam. She sobered herself with a restoration prayer before the stakeout.

The Gravekeeper

A hard-eyed woman in work-worn gear who manages the Tumbledown cemetery. She confirmed that three graves belonging to the Szarr family were disturbed and the bodies examined but not robbed.

Mad Maggie

A night hag warlord in Avernus mentioned by Mizora as someone who is able to leave the Hells but chooses to stay there.

The Ashen Cup

A tavern and flophouse in the Bronze Citadel where the party was staying after their confrontation with Korrilla. Mizora made her dramatic entrance here.

The Bronze Citadel

A massive military fortress-city in Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells, where the party found themselves stranded.

Dis

The second layer of the Nine Hells, where Vagnfríður was briefly banished to witness a soul coin mint in a vision.

Avernus

The first layer of the Nine Hells, described as a beachhead and the front lines of the Blood War where devils clash with demonic hordes. The party escaped from here via Mizora's portal.

River Styx

A metaphysical river flowing through the lower planes whose waters erase the memories and identity of any who touch them. Discussed as a potential escape route via Merrenoloth ferrymen.

Eomane House

The noble estate of the Eomane family in Baldur's Gate where the party arrived via Mizora's portal. Russora and Nysene greeted the returning party here, and Mizora discussed the Calamus Pactum and local threats.

Elfsong Tavern

A popular tavern in Baldur's Gate where the party met Seraphine Moonscale, enjoyed cocktails, and learned about the grave disturbances in Tumbledown.

Cliffgate

A gate in Baldur's Gate leading toward the Tumbledown district, through which the mysterious lantern-bearing figures have been seen passing late at night.

Tumbledown Cemetery

An old, fog-shrouded graveyard situated on a cliff thirty feet above the River Chionthar, containing the ancient plots of the Szarr family. The site of mysterious grave disturbances and the party's stakeout.

Szarr Mausoleum

A leaning stone structure within the Tumbledown cemetery where members and servants of the prominent Szarr family are interred. A stern gravekeeper operates out of it.

Calamus Pactum

A powerful hellish quill artifact in the party's possession. Mizora questioned the party about it, noting that many in the Hells would sacrifice everything to possess it, and warned that the Red Wizards and the Regent of Thay may be seeking it. Mizora asked only that it remain safe.

Infernal Parasite

A foot-and-a-half long millipede covered in symbols of Asmodeus. It was planted inside Velessa by the Cambion Nerezza Ashmark as a "bug" to spy on Mizora. Mizora summoned it out of Velessa's throat to destroy it by pressing a fingertip to her stomach, causing Velessa violent illness, before crushing and disintegrating it into ash.

Abyssal Chicken

A foul-tasting, shrieking creature from the lower planes that Quillbit brought back from Hell. Quillbit intended to use it as a mount, riding it like a rodeo animal around the Eomane House library.

Astral Plane Cocktail

A drink consisting of gin, violet liqueur, and elderflower liqueur, ordered by Velessa and Seris at the Elfsong Tavern. Seraphine found it lovely and proceeded to drink three of them in rapid succession.

Seraphine's Sword

A blade belonging to Seraphine Moonscale that glows with a soft moonbeam light when she mutters a prayer to Selûne, used to light the party's path through the foggy streets of Baldur's Gate toward the Tumbledown cemetery.

Find Familiar

Used by Velessa to summon Quillbit to her location in Avernus despite the familiar being in Baldur's Gate, exploiting the reversed nature of their situation to send Quillbit back as a messenger.

Prestidigitation

Used by Velessa to clean the floor of the Eomane House library after the extraction of the infernal parasite left her retching.

Comprehend Languages

Mentioned by Velessa as a spell she had previously used to determine the literal meaning of Vagnfríður's name, translating it as 'carriage' or 'wagon,' which she used to tease Vagnfríður at the Elfsong Tavern.

Lesser Restoration

A restoration prayer performed by Seraphine Moonscale, kneeling in the street with her sword planted between cobblestones, to instantly sober herself up before the party's stakeout at the Tumbledown cemetery.