Transition from SMD to Sigil

The Giff, these enormous hippo-headed creatures wearing plate mail with a symbol of a sword within a shield emblazoned on it, shepherded you from the alleyway you appeared in to an enormous compound of cold granite. As you walked through the city, you were astonished by what you saw: Angelic figures playing dragonchess with mephits. A mind flayer serving up some sort of creature leg on a spit. Two trolls carrying an enormous sedan chair with several high-dressed humanoids reclining inside. Your mind reeled as you tried to take it all in.

Inside the large compound, you were marched past a parade ground where dozens of armored figures ran through drills - hefting blades, shooting bows, casting spells. They ignored you as you passed, and you were led into a series of holding cells inside the building. You barely had time to sit down before two different creatures, both human, in similar armor, with the same sword within a shield symbol opened the first cell and clasped manacles onto Draco. Draco attempted an escape, and was given a swift kick to the knee for his attempt. More soldiers came, and they dragged him down the hall into an interrogation room.

The rest of you began to plot an escape, but were warned against it by another prisoner. “Even if you get out of here, there’s nowhere to go in Sigil unless you have a key.” Draco was returned after a few minutes; only when he was returned to the group, he was returned sane, and terrified. Harry was taken next, was gone only a few minutes as well, and returned with his mind whole, and equally terrified. The rest of you were interrogated one by one by the hooded figures, who identified themselves as the Harmonium, specifically Anelrond and Melthalrian. Once they realized you were telling the truth, that you were dropped in the middle of a murder scene instead of actually being the murderers, they sent for one of the armored soldiers outside. The soldier, who they addressed as Captain Broglub, was sent to examine the scene. He returned, stating that he was able to detect a portal using his Warp Sense. The Harmonium seemed to accept this odd statement as validation of your innocence. They warned you against committing any crimes while in Sigil, and then escorted you out the front of the compound into the street.

As you stopped to plan your next move, Messer vanished, and found himself being held by the ears by a human male, who just pulled him out of a hat. The crowd was applauding politely, and the man took Messer and placed him on the table, and commanded, “Make the flames dance, fey creature!” Messer, always one to oblige a request to burn things, put on a small show to much applause. The man began passing out small stones to the crowd members in the front as they enjoyed watching Messer’s performance. Finally, the show ended, and the man dismissed the summons, and Messer reappeared back where the group had been. Alone, he hopped around the city, and followed a large man carrying a burning hammer down an alley. The man walked through an archway propped up against the back of the wall, and Messer followed, finding himself on a plane of seemingly infinite forest. “Oh,” he thought, “There’s so much to burn here.”

Harry and Draco, having been reverted to their original selves, left the group almost immediately. They staggered down the winding cobbled roads, trying to find some way out of the chaos. Finally, they ducked into a cozy-looking three-story tavern. The proprietor, upon hearing their story, took pity on them, and after insisting they buy a drink, pushed them through a door. They found themselves back on the material plane, standing in the back room of a seedy speakeasy in Waterdeep. They began making their way home, trying to sort out what vague floating memories they had were real, and which were hallucinations.

Bones, hoping to find Messer after he disappeared, began rolling the bones, seeking their wisdom. He decided that the best path to locating their missing party member amidst the chaos and haze of the city was to stop at each intersection and roll the bones to find the best option. He and the remaining group, JSE and Hankin, followed this winding path through the city for several blocks. Finally, they took a left turn and found themselves standing at the edge of an enormous market square, that seemed to stretch on for a mile. They wandered the stalls, looking for anything familiar, and finally, stopped in front of a stall with the largest and oddest skulls and bones that Bones had ever seen. The proprietor, a gnoll in a vest and a crocodile dundee hat, grimaced a smile at the group, and offered to sell his wares. After some discussion, the Gnoll, Mick Mangehide, offered to take Bones to where he hunted these creatures. Bones, after the bones gave an extremely positive response, decided to accompany him. Hankin and JSE remained behind, waiting for him to return through the portal. After several hours, they went looking for him, but to no avail. They were told by another proprietor that Mick got those skulls poaching in Faunel, and warned them to stay away. Bones, meanwhile, was engaged in a conversation with Ebonclaw, the saber-toothed tiger guardian of Faunel, who invited him to stay and help him take control of Faunel, as nature intended. Bones, lost after Mick intentionally gave him the slip, and unsure of how to return to his friends, agreed.

Gobbie and JSE stood in the center of the enormous bazaar, watching untold and unknown creatures stream around them, having lost all their companions in only a few hours. Unsure of what to do, they decided to go hunt for a place to stay for the night. The city was darkening, though there was no sun to be seen. As they were walking looking for a tavern or an inn, JSE spotted the ponytail-wearing Elf weaving his way through the crowd. He chased him down and, at gunpoint, demanded an explanation. The elf, unphased by the weapon, invited JSE and Gobbie back to his place to meet his partner and hear a business proposition. With nowhere else to go, they accepted.

The Elf, introducing himself as “Coats”, apologized for their introduction to the city. He claimed they did not intentionally drop them through a portal onto a pile of bodies. The portal was a shifting one, and happened to land on the recent handwork of a few members of the more unhinged members of the Hands of Havoc. They only pulled the group to Sigil because they needed their weapons back; having them come along was a necessary but unwanted side effect. He also introduced them to his counterpart, “Small”, a gnome with a metal arm.

Coats offered to put JSE and Gobbie up in a nearby inn, and offered them a job retrieving materials and making deliveries for them. They explained that they were manufacturers of new and unique weapons and magic items for buyers all over the planes. JSE and Gobbie argued for a return to the Material plane, to the Hidden Oasis, but Small and Coats claimed they didn’t have a portal available. They offered to take them to the Outlands, where they could potentially find their way back, but warned them it would be incredibly dangerous.

Gobbie realized that he could mete out Tyr’s justice in any form, and on any plane, and decided to take the offer. JSE, still trying to sort out his freed mind, also agreed.

Coats informed them that he had hired on a few more adventurers, and the group went on their first retrieval mission. Coats put them up in the Chirper’s Inn, down the road from their warehouse. They were soon to be called for their first mission…

Song of the Session

Kaleidoscope by A Great Big World

#sigil/recap

Next Session: Sigil - 2025-06-05