Return to The Paragon Protocol
Overview: The Party enters the desolate wastes of the First Layer of the Hells, Duumal in search of information that could lead them to The Last Demon. After a saloon scuffle at an infernal saloon, the party travels to The Bronze Citadel, learning along the way that the styxian boatman, Charon, had been murdered. At the Bronze Citadel, they meet many faces, including an avatar of the greedy Archduke Mammon and the ambitious Pit Fiend Bel. The party must now contend with Bel's schemes as his plans for hellish domination could halt their quest in its tracks.
Dust Up in the Dunes
The party arrives in Duumal and make their way to the nearest settlement, a small town known as Brimstone Gulch. Here the party find many celebrating devils who are rejoicing in their perceived victory over the chaotic demons. In a small saloon known as the Devil's Duster, the runs afoul of a group of Abishai during a game of gambling. The Abishai, loyal members of The Fingers of Barroth attack the party, hoping to make an example out of them to gain the respect of their fellow devils. Joining the fight is a fiendish airship devil, Captain Grinlocke Vorn, a member of The Sinner's League. The party manage to slay the Abishai and parlay with Captain Vorn, gaining a token of his respect in an emblem of the Sinner's League.
After this fight the party went to a nearby devil war camp in hopes of learning more information. There they had a meeting with the Bone Devil General Ortus who was doing his best to maintain his legions. Ortus informed them that there may be someone who knew of the Last Demon's location at The Bronze Citadel, a massive bronze dome that was the closet thing that Duumal had to a city. The party made a deal with him that in return for them delivering a large box to a devil named Solme, Ortus would give them transportation to the citadel. Ortus also shared his knowledge of a strange ship that had washed up on the dry banks of The River Styx.
On the Road
The party travel through the barren wastes of Duumal with their strange cargo in tow. The party choose to take a quick detour to check out the banked ship and find a massive barge made of bones. The party sneak aboard the ship, avoiding some scavenger Yugoloths and the scene of a fight and a skeletal corpse. Through some investigation the party determines the corpse to be of the ferryman of the Styx, Charon, and discover his his Book of the Damned as well as a chest full of gold coins. The party take the book as well as the key to the chest and leave the ship.
As the party continues on the desert road to the Bronze Citadel, as they reach the final stretch they find they are being pursued by a dark figure on horseback. They quickly discover that this dark rider is in fact Elytria, the ruler and sheriff of Duumal who is pursuing them for their theft of the book. Elytria summons massive Ashworms to attack the party, who manage to escape Elytria by successfully reaching the Bronze Citadel.
The Bronze Citadel
Upon arriving at the Bronze Citadel, the party come across a strange out of place store amongst the worn down city, a bright and shiny store called Mammart. Inside they find shelves full of tools and supplies with a vast stock of goods all tended to by what appear to be clones of the same looking devil. The devil introduces themselves to be Mammon, the Lord of Greed and ruler of the third layer of the Hells Minauros. Mammon shares that he stole the secret to create vestiges of himself to manage his stores, since the only person he would trust with his money is himself.
After buying some supplies from Mammart, the party stays at the Ember Rest, an infernal inn run by an Erinyes named Arava. Afterwards, they travel to find the devil Solme, learning that he is in fact the governor of the citadel. The party travels to a tower known as the Belhold and meet with Solme in his office. It is revealed that the box the party was to deliver contained an Aasimar woman named Bella Dawn who Solme takes into his custody.
Continuing their search for the last demon, the party learns a lot of valuable information. They learn that a Pit Fiend named Bel had been making moves to take control of large swaths of territory in Duumal and had begun converting legions from the Blood War to his side. He had begun a turf war with the Sinners League who were also using this time of chaos to claim power. To power his efforts, Bel had been trading valuable souls to the lord of the second layer of the Hells, Dispater, in return for powerful war machines. By making a deal with a Rakshasha named Kharima, the party learned that Bel had captured the last demon and sold it to Dispater for a massive walking fortress in the shape of a bull called the Soulnaught. During this time the party also breaks out a small draconic fiend named the Beast of the Badlands from Bel's clutches. The party learns that the Beast is a member of the Sinners League along with Kharima and the Beast invites them to join him at a summit that the league is having at a secret location.
To gain some funds, the party also competes in the dangerous Infernal Rodeo, a show and competition where mortals and devils try to tame and slay fiendish monsters. Among the competitors, the party meets a Hill Giant woman named Angrboda, a powerful warrior and follower of the heretical giant faith, The Shattered Mountain. During the rodeo, it is revealed that the party must contend with Cerberus, the three headed guard dog of the Hells who was there by contractual obligation. During the fight the party manages to pin Cerberus' three heads and survive the rodeo, gaining recognition from many devils in Duumal, including Bel who calls the party to his office.
