June 13, 2024

Hook

Scholars of Sin and Flame (Beneath)

Plot Synopsis

Summary of Play by Post. game started May 25th and ended on June 13th.

the party all gathered in Midnight's Rest and met with their hirer who went by the name Zetra Ashallow. Zetra was sending the party on an expedition to find the fabled 8th layer of the Beneath. the 8th layer being a myth to many demons but also the supposed birth place of the Beneath and ground zero for a lot of it's odd magical tendencies. after a couple of questions the party all gathered up their gear and soon descended to the first layer. given a map by Zetra to where the tower of sin may be.

for a week the party traveled and came across many strange sightings. the party was able to briefly tame and infernal beast that took the form of a crab like monster and used it as a pack mule. during their travels they encountered acidic rain that forced them to hide within an abandoned mine that was once owned by Mammon, the Fallen of Neptune. the mines they found to be originally used to harvest crystalized sins. the party was able to find at least one larger crystal that seemed to have regrown after being left alone for so long. the party were able to resume their travels and soon came across a peculiar sight. one of the great spawning pits where some demons are born. the party had to fight of a wave of ashspawn but were able to do so. some of the ashspawn were left alive and those that were. they came to the party and begged to be named. the party gave each ashspawn a name and caused each of the ashspawn to evolve.

during the second week of travel the party encountered and did battle with the White Cloaks. a group of individuals that wielded strange fire powers and the flames of Adolla. as the party fought them and won. they soon learned they were being hunted by the white cloaks. the party continued onward and eventually reached the tower of sin. Kelp with Badigadi's urgings gave up 10 gold and by doing so was dragged into the void and met with Lamashtu. the original Void mother before passing down the mantel to her daughter Lilith. Kelp was given a quest by Lamashtu and became the Hollowed Knight (the quest spell was used on Kelp from the 2016 manual). Kelp was returned to party and soon all of them ascended the tower of sin and learned that the sun of the Beneath is also a gateway into the 8th layer.

Badigadi was the first to go through and due to Final death. Badigadi was killed and needed to be rezed. the party then entered and were soon met with some of the flames of the Beneath. the flames of War (the War flames), the flames of Moriningstar (the Morningstar flames), the flames of Void (the Void Flames), the flames of Fel (the Fel Flames), the flames of Monarchy (the Monarch Flames), the flames of Final Death (the Final Death Flames), the flames of Stagnation (the Stagnation Flames), the flames of Rebirth (the Rebirth Flames). these flames told them why the 8th layer was hidden away and that it was the flame of stagnation that froze both time and space within the 8th layer to hide it away and to prevent fates intervention. the party then journeyed to the House of Murmur, one of the original demon kings of the Beneath and the scholar of demons. the party was able to learn much and soon found in one of the books, Murmur had left a request to perform a ritual to return his soul and mind back to their original state before Paimon had killed him.

the party did so but were soon under siege from the white cloaks. after a fierce battle where their new demonic companions had finished evolving and aided them. Murmur was restored and banished the intruders from the 8th layer. he explained to the party that the Beneath was alive, the flames acted as a defense for the Beneath and to allow it to grow and expand. now that the Beneath was under attack by the realm of Adolla, the flames are now expanding out to seek champions in the battles to come. as thanks for their services, Murmur gave them several tomes that would satisfy their hirer and sent them all back to the material plane.

exp for game: 8,300 (200 bonus ontop of 3 week lump sum)
gold: 900

Notable events: the 8th layer has been discovered and is still frozen in time and space for the moment.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14WMBJVSpA5pfgV3sKXrpSjLRFQNMQqO1dCDREUYfvAE/edit?usp=sharing

Noteworthy Postgame Events