Session 60 (4,000 xp)

Heroes: Sigurd, Storm, Machteld, Malik

Year 653 MR (1st Quarter)

The Heroes enter the Cathedral, making their way through empty halls covered in ice. In the main temple, at the center of the compound, awaits a Death Knight, the former general of the Hogunmark Dragon Guard, now an undead monster wearing the magical Armor of the Frost Giant King. He sends forth his legion of zombies, which the Heroes must cut through before finally engaging the undead knight. After a long and strenous fight, Storm decapitates the knight.

The Heroes find a secret passage leading to the underground chambers of the temple. After descending several levels, they emerge in a vast cavern. One side of the cavern is bathed in sickly white light emerging from a lake of oily water. Waiting by a small pier, a frozen boat and a boatman can be spotted silhouetted against the light. When they approach, the Heroes glean from the boatman that he can bring them through the wall of light, and then to Stygia, by way of the river Styx. Having already discovered that the power of the White Witch originates from the Lower Planes, they pay a coin and jump on board.

Baator - Stygia (5th layer) - Steadfast Chill

The infernal boat brings them to Steadfast Chill, the realm of the goddess Kriesha in the 5th layer of Hell. It is an endless expanse of ice and glaciers, jagged frozen cliffs and devoid of colors. Pale whites and sickly greys rule the sky, with the floating citadel of the goddess herself taking the place of the sun in the eternal greyness.

Yet, the forlorn landscape is inhabited by the souls of the faithful, Vos and Rjuven who tend to the millions of larvae filling the pits of the night hags. The Heroes attract the attention of a patrol of minotaurs, servants of the fallen arch-devil Geryon, former ruler of this layer. After an adequate show of power, they convince the minotaurs to inform Geryon of their presence. The minotaurs bring them to the homestad of Tormora the hag, to await an official summon from Geryon.

While they're guests of the old crone, they glean a few important details about Geryon and his alliance with the White Witch. Most importantly, they strike some sort of a deal with Tormora, who sees an opportunity to be exploited in the Heroes' arrival.