This is a recap of my ongoing solo game of D&D. You shouldn’t need to read a boatload of prior material to enjoy this, as it’s fairly easy to pick up what’s going on. I’ve been focusing on a lot of non-RPG stuff lately, so it’s been slow going. Worth the wait though.

The story so far: A couple of months ago, Melody helped liberate her fellow slaves from the clutches of the Valkeesh. Now, the entire infinite city is in disarray as the slaves come to term with their newfound freedom. Lenien, one of Melody’s old bandmates, cut short Mel’s vacation with a plan to help the refugees escape properly.

Melody heads back to Rahm Oru to meet up with her old troupe from the infinite city. Kahlun makes a big show apologising to her for not believing escape from the Valkeesh was possible, which she awkwardly dismisses: There are plenty more important matters to attend to.

Lenien lays out the situation: The refugees are currently gathering to evacuations points on the infinite city, slowly being released into the other planes by the Tsethem. But it’s becoming more apparent that they aren’t prepared for life out of the clutches of the Valkeesh – Most of them are still children, accustomed to a life of strict regime. Giving them sudden freedom could bring about chaos, not just for the refugees but for the natives.

Melody: You said there was a plan.

There is: The elemental planes are vast, with countless settlements dotted around their centres. With the help of each plane’s rulers, they can safely disperse smaller groups to cities across the realms without upsetting the status quo.

Which is where they run into a problem – the elemental planes have just finished their first major inter-planar conflict in centuries. Tensions are high, but Lenien believes with the right appeal they can convince them to work together for the sake of their planelost kin.

Which is where Mel comes in. As the one who fought hardest to escape the infinite city, she could be a pivotal factor in the negotiations – a living example that the refugees are still children of the elements.

Melody feels a little hesitant at first. Standing up before the rulers of entire planes is a big asking, even if the fate of an entire people didn’t hang in the balance. But she relents with a little encouragement.

Lenien: C’mon, Mel! If anyone’s got the head for this, it’s you. That dragon guy didn’t give ya that mask for ya looks, get me?

Mel: *Facepalms* Way to turn a compliment into an insult.

The rulers are holding a summit in two days at the site of Orthraze, a once grand city now in ruins upon the north side of Mt. Tirkosu. The trip is only a couple of hours by airship, so the three decide to spend the days touring the many stores and sights of Rahm Oru – although Mel makes sure to give a wide berth to the Brotherhood of Arcane Tinkerers’ tower.

The nights, however, is when they really start to enjoy themselves. Crowded taverns offer the perfect spots to display their musical talent to the unsuspecting denizens of the city – and while not all the feedback they receive is positive, the alien aesthetic doesn’t seem too off-putting to the general public. And the light shows displayed from the arcanalutes and thunderdrums draw a sizeable crowd.

While they’re chilling in a booth after their second night playing, the barmaid slips them a piece of parchment with their drinks: scrawled on the note are fifty tally marks and a crude image of a dagger. Melody can sense Kahlun’s glare as he casts a look about for the sender.

Mel: What the hells is that?

Kahlun: Shard gang. They’ve been tryna dust me since I hid out in their territory. After… He left.

Mel bites her lip. She knows who “he” refers to, but now isn’t the time to dwell.

Mel: That’s fifty rations, right? I can pay that off, easy.

Kahlun: You shouldn’t have to. I owe them nothing. How the stars did they find me..?

Lenien: Brawler’s luck, I guess. ‘Sides, we ain’t exactly kept our heads down.

Kahlun: Come on. We should scatter.

They head to another tavern, a beach-themed pub run by a Waitanga. He indulges their curiosity with descriptions of the ocean, which none of the three have seen up close yet. It’s only when they’re headed back to their lodgings that the shard gang shows up.

Kahlun: They’re close.

Mel: Hey sackheads! Come outta the shadows. We can talk this out.

A voice calls from the darkness, demanding their tribute. Mel draws a few pearls from her pouch and tosses them in its direction.

Mel: I dunno if that’s a direct conversion, but it’s all you’re getting. Now scatter, before I change my mind.

Shard member: More.

Mel: *Reaches to sake off her backpack* Excuse me? Do you want me to get mad?

Silence for a second before the patter of boots indicates the would-be assailants have fled.

Kahlun: You shouldn’t have done that.

Mel: A small price to pay for tranquility.

* * *

Crunch Turning Point

Plotline: Attend the summit at Orthraze

Plot points (characters invokes):

1. Evidence (Melody)

2. An Observer

3. Conclusion

4. At night

5. None

The following evening they set off on an airship bound for the ruins where Orthraze once stood. They arrive a little early, the gloom of the night still dark enough to mask the sprawling remains of long-destroyed edifices. Their pilot makes a comment about how crazy it is to hang around at night with all the Mirlings.

Melody: Mirlings are the shadowfolk, correct?

Pilot: Aye, that’s right. Time was, these ruins were crawling with the little fezzes; and spirits, too! Couldn’t get close without being swarmed. ’T’ain’t as dangerous these days, not nay more than the rest o’ the grasslands. But still, yeh got to have stamina to venture in after dark.

They land at the meeting spot, one of the larger earthen mounds among the many. No sign of any Tsethem or Primordials so far.

Lenien: I’m thinkin’ we maybe shoulda timed our arrival a little better.

Mel: It’s just a few Mirlings. We’ve handled worse.

Just in case, she sends out a flock of psionically propelled drones to scout the area. They zoom off into the night – and after a few minutes, confirm that there’s no sign of life within a one mile radius. To be double safe, she does a psionic scan for magical effect.

Mel: This… can’t be right.

Lenien: Wassup?

Mel: Someone’s watching.

There’s a powerful aura of divination over the entire area. With no visible source, the aura seems to just hang in place.

Kahlun: I sense an ambush.

Mel: Maybe.. *Dons the Tsethem mask of ice*

They wait. Nothing stirs in the ancient ruins for several minutes – then one of Melody’s scouting drones projects a flash of vision into her mind, before the connection is severed.

Mel: Drone’s down! One of them just got shot down!

Khalun: How? Who?

Mel: I don’t know, I didn’t see!

A second flash of visual that disappears as quickly as it comes shows a vague outline of the attacker: It looks like a small humanoid with bat wings.

Mel: What in the stars?..

The final drone projects its last seconds before it’s destroyed. Mel draws her battleaxe.

Mel: Get to the airship.

A handful of manes and lemure sprawl into view, screeching as they rush towards the clearing. Mel activates her mask and freezes the oncoming fiends, while a flying devil swoops down and paralyses those onboard the airship with a sonic scream. The demons push forward but are quickly dispatched by her spiked battleaxe, followed by the devils.

Kahlun: You alright?

Lenien: What the fez were they??

Pilot: *White as a sheet* I cannae be certain for sure, but I think tha were demons! I’ve seen pictures, and they look jus’ like that!

Lenien: Mel, get onboard, we dunno how many of them are out there!

Melody doesn’t answer, scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. So, demons exist. That’s a revelation. There were stories of them on the infinite city, of course – but only people who still clung to religion truly believed in them. She expects her fellow offworlders’ heart beats are racing as fast as hers at the turn of events.

The scouts didn’t pick them up when she sent them out. No, these creatures were sent here after she’d discovered the magical observer. Which means there’s probably more on the way.

Mel: Coming.

Before she can swarm up the rope ladder to safety, a fork of lightning strikes less than a hundred feet from them. Ocean spray patters onto the surrounding earth, settling to reveal a blue cloaked elf wielding a golden trident: Inalak Onakea, the prince of water.

The other rulers swiftly follow, right on the hour. The beating of wings heralds the arrival of the wind dukes, as a pillar of flames descends from the sky to deposit the colossi of fire nearby. A frost-rimmed portal materialises, through which steps the archomental Ceulinox, prince of ice, while in front of him a cloud of sand is whisked up in the wake of the dust genie Okessar. Blinding light announces the arrival of Empyrus, colossi of light, casting shadows across the ruins from which rises the colossi of smoke.

Finally, prince Lundal emerges through a curtain of steam, while a number of rocks magically gather together to form an archway through which marches Turf Megan Bridgewater, princess of earth.

Each ruler is accompanied by an entourage of a half dozen or so, turning the spookily silent ruins into quite the convention. Melody hops down from the airship, feeling a little safer with the crowd and the hundred foot tall primordials standing over them.

Turf: Okessar. I expected Kairemossin. Would it have been too troublesome to pass on my message to the true prince of dust?

Okessar: *Bows with many flourishes* My dearest Turf, what you see before you is the true prince. Kairemossin may have his fist around the planar boundaries, but his people bow to me.

Turf: You-

Lundal: Pardon me if I’m in the wrong here, but ain’t we all gathered for reasons other than our own quarrels? *Inclines his head toward Melody* Seems to me like we should focus on gittin’ these people some help. ‘m I right, blue?

Mel: *Nods, but points back at the airship* Yeah, but… There’s something wrong. We’re being watched, and some demons just attacked us.

Turf: Fear not, child. They are no demons, merely shadow creatures.

Mel: No I’m… pretty sure they weren’t Mirlings. And it’s not a physical kind of watching, it’s magical. Someone’s scrying on this entire area.

Turf: *Exchanges a look with Lundal* Could it be..?

Lund: Naw. Doubt they even aware o’ anythin’, let alone able to spellcast. ’Sides, demons ain’t they thing. Gimme a minute…

Lundal draws a wand and begins attempting to tap into the arcana, while Turf assures a few doubting remarks from the gathered parties. Not surprisingly, the only ruler who hasn’t shown up is Erorangi, the merchant prince from the plane of life. A known coward and pawn of the Ancient Tsethem during the recent planar conflict, he’d be bound to refuse any summons from Turf or her allies.

Lundal: Ah, dammit. She weren’t wrong, there’as someone watchin’. But they made off soon as I got a hold o’ their trace.

They decide to go ahead with the meeting – Lund tells one of his gnomes to alert them of any divination magic in the area. Turf steps up to address the other rulers.

Turf: Friends, enemies, and… *hesitates a fraction of a second while glancing at the colossi of smoke* …others. We gather here tonight under a united cause: compassion. The Valkeesh empire, a force that threatened the domains of every one of us, is vanquished. They took many soldiers’ lives in battle. But before we faced them, they took something else of us: our brightest minds. *gestures to Mel and her friends* For decades, they have tormented these people. Your people. But now you have a chance, not only to reclaim the offspring of the greatest scholars in all the planes; but to show compassion for your lost kin.

Crunch Intervention: Character entity positive (Kahlun)

Interpreting this as his elemental ruler (Okessar) being automatically onboard with the plan.

Inalak steps forward to raise some concerns about funding. His military might was all but destroyed in the battle against the Ancient Tsethem, and he’s already pushing his tax limits to hold back the republicans. Rehabilitation will be costly on such a large scale. Turf recognises the exceptional financial strain the plane of water is under, but promises the gold recovered from the infinite city will be put towards covering the cost issue.

Kazaior, the colossi of fire, kneels to bring his titanic face closer to the group. His voice rumbles like a volcano in the process of eruption:

Kazaior: I HELP REFUGEES, BUT ONLY FIREFOLK. ONE WHO CLAIMS TO STAND WITH ME BUT DOES NOT SHARE THE BLOOD OF THE SNAKEMEN IS ONE NOT TRULY OF FIRE.

Turf: Blood is no measure of one’s elemental affinity. Who would say Flamer was not truly of fire?

Kazaior: HMMM. THERE IS WISDOM IN YOUR WORDS. HOWEVER, THE SNAKEMEN MUST BE KEPT PURE. THEY WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BREED ONCE MORE. I NOT WANT TO SEE THEM FAIL BY CROSSING WITH SOMETHING WORTHLESS.

Turf: Understood. The Lamia situation is unique, thus I feel it justified for an exception to be made: none but snakefolk and fireborn shall be evacuated to your plane.

The rulers are all agreed: They will aid the refugees. While their financial aids converge to discuss the specifics, a gnome in a full plate mechsuit approaches Melody.

Soldier: Nice work catching the snoop, earlier. That’s normally my job. *extends a hand* Jagart, I’m with security.

Mel: Hey. *awkwardly shakes* Thanks.

Jagart: So, ah… Rumour is they gave a Tsethem mask to one o’ the offworlders. That wouldn’t be you, by any chance?

Mel: Uh, yeah. Yeah, it… saved my life.

Jagart: Uh-huh. You, ah… Know what it is, right? It’s not your average magical trinket. That thing was crafted on the worldforge, by his majesty himself. *nods over al Lundal*

Mel: Oh.. I didn’t know.

Jagart: Uh-huh. That thing contains the essence of the planes, of the elements. *gives her a meaningful look* What I’m gettin’ at is; it might be better safely locked away. Or at least in the hands of someone who can deal with the shad that comes after that kinda power.

Mel: *a twinge of annoyance enters her gaze* I can handle myself.

Jagart: *pauses for a few seconds, before sighing at the realisation he’s not gonna get through to her* Look, ah… At least get it tagged with an instant summons. Just in the event it falls into the wrong hands. Ok? Ok.

As Jagart leaves, Turf excuses herself from the crowd and confronts Mel. She’s concerned about the unseen observer – not because of the spying attempt, that’s nothing new. What worries her is the sudden appearance of demons. The nine hells has been in upheaval after an attack from Della Yue shattered the shaky alliance of demons and devils. But that was three years ago, and if the internal conflict has died down then a powerful fiend or uvathun (fiend-worshiper) might be turning their attention towards the affairs of the mortal realm.

Turf suggests that, as Tsethem of ice, Melody is somewhat obligated to investigate such matters now. But seeing the alarm on the newbie’s face, she softens and offers to write up a few leads that may help. Mel accepts, after a short hesitation and on the condition that her mask is cast with an instant summon spell – whatever that is.

Turf: Ahh, so you’re the one he gave it to? *She manages a chuckle* Believe it or not, had he kept the mask to himself, Pekeski would most likely have fallen to the Valkeesh Overseer; and I along with him. He made the right choice for successor, but I will see to it that the mask is tagged for safekeeping.

Mel hands over the mask in return for the promise to have it sent back by the time she’s looked into the leads. Then she and the boys gets asked a lot of questions by a lot of different official-looking personages: How many of [x] race are on the infinite city? Did it take them long for her eyes to adjust to the sun? How many of the refugees have body modifications?

Finally, their answers seem to satisfy the officials, and they’re allowed to leave in peace. Mel sleeps on the way back, swaying gently in a hammock below deck; and dreaming of demons.

Nerding out Can I just rhapsody over how perfect this is?? I’ve been planning to play descent into avernus (or at least the latter half of the adventure), and then the Kobold Fight Club serves up a delicious fiend-based encounter to set up the hook! Damn, I just love it when the game comes together like this.