The Judges' Jocks dispatch a swarm of imps, discover Paladin Fry's abandoned camp and journal, and enter a strange black-metal structure called the Quorum. Inside, they solve a three-gear monolith puzzle, win crankshafts from a riddle game with a chained fiend named Flintlock Toboggan, and descend into a fiendish mess hall where they engage in a brutal combat against Sigzilheight's forces — only for a new demonic threat to arrive mid-fight.
- The party finishes off the swarm of imps attacking them on the cliffside. Gregor lands a massive crit with his flail (originally miscalculated as 175 dmg) that wipes out nearly an entire imp swarm in one swing.
- After healing, the group approaches the strange black-metal structure covered in reddish-purple vines. They find Paladin Fry's abandoned camp and journal — the previous expedition reached the structure but couldn't enter, and notably never sent a message requesting backup despite the garbled distress signal the party received.
- A religion check reveals the Judge's divine influence is being squeezed out by two competing sources near the structure — possibly divine artifacts, a portal, or a powerful entity.
- A telepathic message asks each party member 'Would you save a soul tormented by captors?' Upon all four answering yes, the massive doors open. Inside: a platform, three staircases descending into a magma-filled interior, and a monolith with three gears (one crankshaft present).
- The party cranks the first gear, pulling up a metal stopper and draining some lava to reveal two side doors (both locked and hot). Cliff axe-strikes the left door's lock and the Reverend rips it off its hinges; inside is only a lava pool and vine-covered walls.
- The right door reveals a runic prison room containing a chained goat-like fiend calling himself 'Flintlock Toboggan,' a servant of the demon prince Sigzilheight. He offers a riddle: three boxes (one tells truth, one lies, one holds the prize). The party guesses the blue box — wrong. They return for 'double or nothing,' correctly pick the blue box on the second riddle, and win two additional crankshafts.
- All three crankshafts are used on the monolith gears, draining lava further and revealing a third door at the base of the front staircase. The party sneaks inside a mess hall filled with fiends — imp swarms, a Sigzilheight Mage, and a Sigzilheight Enforcer, with a blood waterfall at the far end.
- Combat erupts. The Mage opens with Lightning Bolt. Gregor obliterates an imp swarm with another devastating crit flail swing. The Enforcer strikes with scimitar and a paddle, inflicting slowed and enfeebled conditions.
- Zangrim delivers a colossal Spellstrike (Sure Strike + amped Imaginary Weapon) for ~140 damage plus critical effects, destroying the Mage in a single hit.
- As the fight against the Enforcer and remaining imps continues, a new demonic figure — the Fixer — strides through the blood waterfall, demanding to know 'What's happening here?' The session ends mid-combat.
CharactersSir Cliff VandertripReverend Warden Manuel de la CruzadaZangrim (Todd Bishop)Gregor TobinFlintlock TobogganSigzilheight's MageSigzilheight's EnforcerThe FixerPaladin Fry (mentioned, journal found)
LocationsThe Quorum (black-metal alien structure)Cliffside imp battlefieldPaladin Fry's abandoned campMonolith chamber (lava-filled interior)Left lava-pool roomFlintlock Toboggan's runic prison roomFiendish mess hall (with blood waterfall)
FactionsThe ScaleThe Judge (Outer God)Sigzilheight (demon prince)The Tribunal (mentioned)
ItemsPaladin Fry's mission journalThree crankshafts (two won from Flintlock's riddle, one originally in the monolith)Potions of QuicknessGregor's bloodseeker beak talismanGregor's decaying flailHoly steam ballBlack metal chains/runes
Cliffhanger As the party battles the Enforcer and remaining imp swarms in the mess hall, a new demonic figure — 'the Fixer' — walks through the blood waterfall, asks 'What's happening here?', and joins the initiative order.
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