Signs

The party continues through the wastes of Avernus. Finding it hard to orient themselves with the twisting landscape. Throughout the journey, Strum repeatedly catches glimpses of a building, a structure, something that doesn’t fit this barren land. No sooner as he notices that it’s there, it’s gone in the blink of an eye. The more he sees it, the more he, and his partner, feel that it’s calling to them. Surely this was the Wandering Emporium that was taunting them.

No matter how they try to see it, no matter how they get the aid of their other companions, nothing appears to make it stay present enough to approach.

A Lead

One frustrating day, another day in the dry, hot plains, the party was travelling on, following a lead that Elisio had in the direction to travel. Strum was passing the time by resting on the back of the vehicle. Whilst he was dozing, out of the blue, an object drops onto his head. Recovering from the shock, he spots the treesym settling nearby and looking at him pointedly. He picks up the object, realising it is a book.

Curious what the treesym has brought him, he begins reading. Leafing through, it appears to be the diary of a Hellrider. More accurately, a deserter, Zelvin. Strum consumed the story, the struggles, and the experiences that were written in the book.

The last section stood out for Strum. An item described exactly as Strum would need. With enough of a location that Elisio could navigate to with his abilities.

Zelvin’s Story

Zelvin was looking to escape from this plane back to the plane of his origin. He scoured the plane for any way to achieve his aim. He found rumours of a magical item that could teleport the users to a location of their wish. Excited by this discovery, Strum looks deeper into the book.

The diary wrote about a fortress laden with all manner of objects to what was the plane’s south. This fortress fell down from the sky one day, with no warning. Falling to the ground with a thud one day, the objects continued to fall for the next month. Demons infested the new abode that appeared, but adventurers ventured in none-the-less. Zelvin was one of those who entered with his companions.

The diary’s words get more hurried as the end of the writing approached. Zelvin’s party managed to enter the fortress and escape with their targeted bounty. A small unassuming cooking pot, crudely drawn in the midst of the words.

The text becomes rushed as Zelvin appeared to rush through his thoughts. He had deciphered the runes on the pot. In his excitement, he understood that the pot would achieve his goal. The ability to return home.

One just had to cook a meal with the pot over a fire. One that was full, one that was filling to the consumers. Once full, one stayed a night around the camp. With everyone asleep the magic does its work. Moving everyone to the location that they earnestly desire.

However, whilst the magic was undoubtably powerful to achieve this, there were limitations. The magic moved just the dreamers. No items, no possessions, not even clothing. Only the one or two items that have become part of that individual that they could not be without anymore. And the pot itself? That stayed where it was, left behind by the users.

Zelvin realised that this diary, the one he wrote in, the one Strum was reading, wasn’t one of these items. It was a representation of him, but it was not him. It represented past him, not him now. It would be left behind. As the waves of sleep were starting to claim him, he was trying to write down all that was needed for all those that might have use of this knowledge. For all those who stumble upon his writings, to gain benefit as he did.

Today

The scrawl of the author abruptly stops. With a sharp line that shoots off the page. Ink smudges on the last page.

Strum is excited, this might just be the thing that they need to get to the Wandering Emporium. A way to get Rayna’s body back. He just needs to hope Elisio can make sense of the directions in the diary.