Fraz-Urb'luu

For just a moment, as she stared into the depths of the black gemstone, Aleina thought she saw the flicker of a shadowy figure in the afterglow of a pulse of pale light. The faceted surface of the jewel distorted the image, but she glimpsed something horned and winged, with oversized arms and a hunched posture. When the light pulsed again, however, the dark shape was gone. A trick of imagination? Her mind trying to give form to Sky's warning of a trapped demon lord? Perhaps. Yet some part of her, some arcane sense, told her she'd just seen a hint of the imprisoned abyssal presence within the gem.

"Do you think the magic circle can contain whatever or whoever is inside?" Kuhl asked, breaking her reverie. "In case destroying it releases it?"

The aasimar had crouched down to study the gem in consideration of just this question. She stared a few moments more before responding. Soft, unnatural, pale light continued to pulse from the black gemstone and drips from ceiling stalactites continued to ripple the puddle where it lay partially submerged, but no new insight came despite her staring. Sighing, she stood, shaking her head as she came fully to her feet.

She hesitated before speaking, knowing the assembled audience - her companions, the Zhentarim they traveled down to Mantol-Derith with, the leaders of the drow and duergar trade enclaves, and a svirfneblin deep gnome - would be disappointed in her assessment.

"Maybe," she said. "There is no way to be certain."

"Maybe?" the drow leader, Sirak, said. "Perhaps I am not as fluent in your surface tongue as I thought. This word means you don't know?"

A scowl marred her dark elven features when Aleina nodded, and her red-eyed gaze found to Kuhl.

"We waited for this celestial-touched one and this wayward drow to hear 'maybe'?" Sirak growled. "There cannot be 'maybe' where demon lords are concerned. Either she can contain what the cat woman claims is trapped inside the gem, or she cannot. A 'maybe' is the same as 'cannot'.

"I do appreciate cat woman over cat girl," Sky said, with a lash of her tail. "But that still isn't right. I'm a tabaxi."

"And I'm not a 'wayward drow'," the half-drow said, rolling her eyes. "I have a name, Jhelnae."

Sirak ignored them, her attention fixed on Kuhl. He returned her baleful gaze with one of equanimity.

"You've a better way of dealing with the gem?" he asked. "Let's hear it."

"Put it in a strong box," Sirak said. "Out of sight, out of mind, and soon out of memory."

"Oh, aye," Ghuldur, the duergar enclave leader grunted. "Simple enough. So, who keeps it hidden away?"

"We drow…" the dark-elf began, but the duergar cut her off with a scoffing snort and a shake of his head.

"Ye drow are known cavorters with demon kind," he laughed. "So, trust ye with an imprisoned demon lord? Methinks, not."

Sirak's eyes narrowed to sharp slits.

"I suppose you think the gem should be housed in your enclave?" she said. "Well, I think not to that."

Surprisingly, Ghuldur again shook his head.

"Ye think I want that thing in our enclave?" he asked. "After seeing the madness it inflicts? I've more sense than a drow. But nor will I trust such to ye, or to the Zhents, nor to svirfneblin who likely bear grudge enough, given recent events, to use a demon lord against us, damn the consequences."

"It would be what you deserve," the deep gnome, who had been introduced as Flink, said. "Tell me, how many svirfneblin did you duergar kill in your attacks?"

"Ye attacked us first," Ghuldur countered.

"Trying to free Yanthra," Flink nearly yelled while pointing an accusing finger. "Who you kidnapped."

"Because she stole from one of our own," the duergar growled back.

"That was the fault of the gem," the svirfneblin said, shaking his head. "She was under its influence. You can't blame her for that."

"I believe this discussion has made Ghuldur's point for him," Aligor cut in. "The gem can't be trusted to be hidden away by any group. It must be destroyed."

With the chief negotiator Ghazrim suffocated by a poison gas spell and the beholder Lorhuun also dead, the former knight was now the ranking Zhentarim in Mantol-Derith.

"And so we return to how?" Sirak said. "I am likely the most skilled mage among the enclaves of Mantol-Derith. But moments when my master, the Spider Mage, was both lucid and willing to teach were few. Binding circles and banishment magic were not among the spells he deigned to share. And while these two purportedly know the spells, they seem to lack enough experience to cast them with confidence."

"We wouldn't be casting them," Jhelnae said, holding up a hand and drawing attention to a golden band that entwined two of her fingers. "They're stored in our rings. But Laeral said more powerful demons might resist the spells."

"Rings of Spell Storing?" Sirak said, eyebrows knitting. "Who cast the spells into these?"

"Laeral Silverhand," Aleina said.

"Who is?" the drow asked.

"The Open Lord of Waterdeep," the aasimar answered.

"Are they a powerful practitioner of the art?" Sirak asked.

"She is the daughter of the goddess of magic," Sky said, chiming in. "Mystra."

The drow mage seemed taken aback. Her gaze grew unfocused as if she were lost in thought and staring inward.

"One of the Seven Sisters," she finally said, almost as if speaking to herself though she still spoke surface Common. "Could she be the same as the echo he encountered in Gravenhollow?"

Aleina wondered who 'he' was and how someone 'encountered' an echo. But she mainly keyed in on the name Gravenhollow. They'd come to Mantol-Derith to get a ring which would lead them to the stone giant library. Aligor had now retrieved that ring off the corpse of the deceased Zhentarim leader, Ghazrim Duloc. So, Gravenhollow was their next destination - after they dealt with this madness inducing black gem, which likely contained a demon lord.

Thinking that made the aasimar sigh and shake her head in exasperation, an action which seemed to bring Sirak out of her own thoughts.

"One of the Seven Sisters cast those spells into your rings?" she asked.

"Yes," the aasimar answered.

The drow mage laughed, then smiled. Under the enchanted lamplight of Mantol-Derith her teeth shone a brilliant white in contrast with her dark features.

"One of the Seven," she repeated to herself, slowly nodding. "Perhaps if my master, the Spider Mage or Archmage Gromph Baenre himself cast the spells into those rings we could have more certainty, but even then, only perhaps. I say this with confidence, the binding circle and banishment spells in those rings are unlikely to fail."

"But she warned us the more powerful the demon," Jhelnae said. "The greater chance they might fail."

"She warned of risk," Sirak said with a shrug of elven shoulders. "Which is ever present. Chaos can never be fully conquered. It is woven into the very fabric of the Dark Mother's divine design."

"Bah," Ghuldur said. "I spit on the divine design of yer Spider Goddess."

And the gray dwarf did spit on the cavern floor.

"I will not tolerate such blasphemy with regards to my goddess, Ghuldur," the drow mage warned. "Say and do such again and I'll make you kneel down and lick that spittle off the cavern floor in atonement."

"Ye'll do nothing," the duergar scoffed. "Yer enclave profits too much from trade with mine as mine does with yers. As we did with trade with the svirfneblin before that damned gem spurred us all into rash actions."

He sighed, shook his head, and cast a regretful look at Flink. Aleina thought that was likely the nearest thing the deep gnomes would get to an apology for the fighting and killing over the black gem.

"We want the same thing," Ghuldur continued. "The re-opening of all the enclaves and for trade to re-start. Why else are we all here in Mantol-Derith? But ye don't get to bore me to death with talk of yer spider kissing goddess while my beard gets sodden from standing under dripping stalactites. So, state it plainly, do ye think the magic in those rings is strong enough to protect us? Yay or nay?

The drow mage glowered at the duergar then threw up her hands.

"Yes," she growled. "That's what I said!"

"Not as clearly as that," Ghuldur said. "Then let's be on with it and destroy the damnable thing,"

The duergar directed a nod at Aleina. Sirak, after a thoughtful cant of her head, followed with another.

"If the breaking of the gem does not immediately send the demon lord back to the Abyss," the drow mage said, looking at Jhelnae. "Do not cast the banishment right away."

"Why not?" the half-drow asked.

"Demon lords have knowledge," Sirak said. "We should see what it can tell us."

"They do have knowledge," Rhianne said. "But there is usually a price for it. Or so the stories say."

"If we don't like the price," Ghuldur said, gesturing at Jhelnae. "She banishes it. And we might glean something even from asking. I, for one, want to know what it and its kind are doing in the Underdark. Now, let's get this done."

The group signaled their readiness by all backing away from the pulsing black gemstone, wetting their boots in the shallow puddles of the cavern floor as they did. The aasimar lifted her hand and triggered the spell stored in the ring on her fingers with a gesture and a thought. In response a wide ring of fiery silver runes blazed to life around the black gemstone.

The darklings, Rhianne and Dairnghan, scuttled backwards, away from the bright, ethereal illumination and huddled deeper into their cowled cloaks. Others followed their lead, Aleina herself taking a step back to give herself more distance from the unleashed magic. Only Sirak drew closer, the silver light reflecting off red-pupiled eyes squinted with intense study.

"It's beautiful," she breathed. "So, this is the magic of a demi-goddess."

She raised her hand, then hesitated.

"The Dark Mother cherishes those who embrace the chance of chaos," the drow mage intoned.

That statement set off warning bells in Aleina's mind and hinted Sirak was not as sure of the binding spell as she'd led the rest of them to believe. But before the aasimar could even speak, the drow mage's uplifted hand glowed and sent darts of magic streaking into the pulsing black gemstone. There was a resounding crack as the gem shattered and a wave of darkness and pale light exploded outward, then rebounded off a shimmering barrier of silver illumination which sprang to life to block its release from confines demarcated by the fiery circle of runes glowing on the cavern floor.

Everyone took another collective step back and Sirak, the closest, took several until she stood abreast with Kuhl. They all could feel it, the aasimar was sure, the growing presence of something malevolent pressing against their senses. Breathing became suddenly difficult, and energy seemed to sap out of Aleina's limbs with each moisture laden breath. Inside the glowing sphere of silver illumination, the mix of pale light and darkness swirled and thickened, coalescing into a hunched, monstrous form that still towered over all of them despite its posture.

The demon's shape was similar to what Aleina's had glimpsed when it was imprisoned within the depths of the black gem, but now she could see it in greater detail. She judged it to be male based on its hulking form and the scraggly beard of pale blue hair hanging off its chin. His body blended the simian and reptilian with scaly gray skin sparsely covered by fur the same shade as his beard. Long muscular arms nearly reached the ground and ended in hands tipped with great talons which looked strong and sharp enough to rend stone, let alone flesh and bone. Presently, he unfurled great ebony wings and lashed a long tail, setting the silver glowing sphere sparking and flashing brilliantly as it worked to keep its captive inside contained.

"Free," the demon rasped in a deep voice that echoed into the aasimar's mind as well as her ears. "Or nearly so."

His head swiveled as he peered at its new, larger prison with luminous golden eyes. What Aleina took for horns in her previous glimpse were actually long ears, pointing up and to the side.

"Banish it!" Lenora cried out, shouldering her crossbow and taking aim. "Now! That circle is not going to hold that thing!"

Her fellow Chessentan next to her, Saliyra, followed her lead, raising her own crossbow. The infernal runes of Aligor's dark iron sword burned with fiery intensity as it was drawn from its sheath with a rasp and the other Zhentarim readied weapons as well - Gorath his glaive, Primwin his scimitar, Kelvane his sword, and Iandro and Lhytris throwing knives. Then came the radiance of Dawnbringer in Kuhl's hand and the pressure afflicting Aleina's chest and lungs partially released. Breaths came easier and as she started to recover, she pulled her moonstone orb free from its belt pouch, holding it aloft for casting.

"What have we here," the demon said, words again echoing telepathically as he spoke. His scaly lips twisted into a smirk above his scraggly beard. "Little morsels arrayed against me? Fitting snacks as a reward for the effort I will expend breaking through this binding I SAY!"

The roar of the last word was ear-splitting and headache inducing. The aasimar nearly dropped her moonstone orb, wanting to both cover her hurt ears and to press fingers into temples to relieve the pain inside her head. The glowing sphere again flared and sparked as monstrous, taloned hands were pressed against the barrier. A grimace of pain spasmed across the demon's face and the muscles along his shoulders and arms bunched with the beginnings of effort as the shape of the silver prison warped and twisted outward and already looked ready to burst asunder.

"Fraz-Urb'luu!" Jhelnae yelled, brandishing the golden ring entwined on her fingers. "I name you. I name you and tell you to stop! Stop trying to break free or I banish you back to the Abyss."

The demon did suddenly relax, retracting his great taloned hands from pushing and smiling at the half-drow. Aliena remembered Jhelnae had read books about demons while a hostage in Thay, the land of the Red Wizards. Had she learned the true name of this demon lord there?

"A bit of knowledge is a perilous thing, little dark-elf," the demon said. "The part of you not succubus thrice removed is dark-elf anyway. You name me? I accept that name and call it my own, but it isn't a name which holds sway over me like you seem to hope. And you threaten to banish me to the Abyss? I intend to return thither myself - after I gather a few souls. Which of you should I take back with me for harvesting?"

Fraz-Urb'luu's luminous golden eyes glittered as they glanced at each occupant in the cavern, the demon contorting his tail and keeping his wings tightly folded while he turned within the tight confines of the sphere to do so.

"Some promising candidates to be sure," the demon then said in his doublespeak which both fell on ears and penetrated into thoughts. "Not the least of which are a paladin and an aasimar. But your soul is so interestingly tangled."

His taloned finger pointed at Jhelnae. "The Spider Bitch and her daughter both vie for it. Oh, how satisfying it would be to swoop in and snatch it away from both."

Then the finger moved to Aligor.

"But stealing a soul already bound to the Archduchess of Avernus," Fraz-Urb'luu said, laughing an unnerving rasping laugh. "Now that would be a coup. She gave you an out. One execution. One act of revenge. And you are free. Why not take it? Then promise your soul to another, like me. Such subtlety from her surprises me. She usually is as blunt and unimaginative as the war mattock and flail she wields. Perhaps she was inspired by your former patron goddess in this instance? The Red Knight is full of guile, is she not? Alas her poor paladin did not match her cunning and was outwitted by a devil. And not even a clever devil at that. But fair is fair, I applaud the Archduchess for her work."

Scaly, taloned tipped hands mimed clapping. The former knight clad in crimson plate flinched and cast his eyes downward in shame at the demon's words and mockery.

"Banish it!" Lenora cried out again, still leveling her crossbow at the monstrous demon. Then her expression changed to one of realization. "Wait, there's a way for Aligor to free his soul? How?"

Fraz-Urb'luu spun to fix the Chessentan crossbow woman with his glittering gaze.

"He hasn't told you?" the demon said. "I could share his secret. For a price. You could help prod him along with his difficult decision. What do you have to barter?"

"No!" Aligor said, gaze snapping upward and black iron sword rising in a tightened grip. "Leave her alone. Lenora is right. Banish him! We'll get no information out of him. Not without paying too high a cost."

"Ah, it's information you seek," Fraz-Urb'luu said. "Ask away and I will tell you my price and we will haggle over it. Are we not in a place of trade well suited for such bargaining?"

"All we want to know," Ghuldur growled. "Is what are ye and yer kind doing in the Underdark and what can we do to be rid of ye?"

"We can't trust anything he says," Sky called out. "Fraz-Urb'luu is also known as the Prince of Deception."

"Another with a bit of knowledge," the demon said, looking at the tabaxi. "Or at least a stone's worth of it. Do you know what you carry, little kitten? Would you like to?"

"The questions we want the answers to," Sirak said, voice only holding a slight quaver of nervousness. "Have already been asked. Why are demons in the Underdark and how can we get rid of them?"

"And the price for any answers you give have already been paid," Rhianne said from the depths of her cowl. "In services rendered."

Fraz-Urb'luu swiveled his gaze toward the darkling bard and his luminous golden-eyes focused on her.

"Already paid?" the demon asked. "How so?"

"You were trapped in the black gemstone," Rhianne said. "And now you are free. By ancient rite and custom, favors are repaid in kind."

Fraz-Urb'luu laughed.

"Are you suggesting fey rules apply to me?" he asked. "A demon lord of the Abyss? They don't. And let us not pretend fey rules are not rooted in cruelty. Wasn't your entire line cursed? For a transgression by your ancestor no fey even remembers?"

The darkling bard did not miss where the demon put his emphasis.

"What do you mean no fey remembers?" she asked. "What do you know of our curse?"

"You are asking the wrong questions," Fraz-Urb'luu said. "The real questions are what do you want to know and what are you willing to pay for it."

"Do not listen to him, Rhi," Diarnghan said. "He is like the fey at their worst. He pretends to have knowledge and power so he can prey on desires. Making promises he can never deliver. He only deserves one kind of payment."

The darkling ranger had an arrow nocked and aimed. His bow bent and creaked as he drew the fletching back to the side of his cowled head.

"Very well cursed fey," the demon said. "We shall play by your rules. I will repay you for services rendered and despite my epithet as the Prince of Deception my answers will be nothing but truth. We demons are here in the Underdark through the machinations of one of our own, reason unknown. Rest assured as no favor to those of us sent here. And to rid my kind from the Underdark you will need to banish us. One by one or en masse. By sword, spell, or whatever else you can manage. Now we are even and I tire of being IMPRISONED!"

Once again, when the demon yelled, both vocally and telepathically, Aleina winced in pain. She recovered quickly and brought her moonstone up to bear. Fraz-Urb'luu was already escaping. His spherical silver prison burst asunder in a brilliant flash of life as he forced his arms outward with monstrous strength. His wings unfurled and stretched, seeming to luxuriate from being no longer confined and a thumping lash of his tail dissipated a puddle on the cavern floor with a splash.

"FREE!" the demon screamed. "No gem or binding spell."

This time the aasimar steeled herself and found she could bear both the ear-splitting volume of the yell and the psychic assault. She was just about to send rays scorching into the demon lord when Jhelnae gestured with her ring, sending a ball of purple radiance arcing out to plow into her hulking target, enveloping and irradiating it in a swirl of amethyst light.

"I go," Fraz-Urb'luu rumbled, his smirk visible through the haze of purple illumination. "I'd be a fool to leave my realm undefended from the one who sent us all here."

Then there was a resounding pop and rush of air as his irradiated form exploded inward, disappearing and leaving nothing but empty space behind.

Okay, did anyone even miss this story, ha ha? I know it has been a long time since I posted. Part of it was because my life became very busy and I couldn't seem to find time to write. Before anyone feels sorry for me they were mostly good things including the bi-annual DnD weekend trip. The last two times I have not played Kuhl Nightstar but Onyx Moon - tabaxi private detective. If you are wondering if I play her with a similar personality to Red Sky in the Morning the answer is... OF COURSE! However, you might be surprised to learn that I didn't create Onyx Moon. My DM created a bunch of characters and then gave us a list of names to choose from and I was like, "I'll play that Onyx Moon one. Sounds interesting..." When I found out she was a tabaxi rogue I was like, "Well, I have some experience with this..." (Not that my DM would know that since he hasn't read this story, lol). But I digress. I struggled with this. You don't know how many times I deleted whole sections of it. In rules as written in the module "Shattering the gem releases Fraz-Urb'luu's life force, which instantly returns to the demon lord's body in the Abyss." Its a bit anti-climatic. So, I read up on what most DMs did instead. Most DMs let their party fight Fraz-Urb'luu and they say their party defeats him. I can't help but wonder how. Fraz-Urb'luu is challenge rating 23 versus a party level of 9! How? My DM let us level up to 20 and we fought an ancient red dragon (CR 24) and it wiped the floor with us. We had to run. Its damn lair actions were fricken deadly and it was just flying over lava and using the terrain to its advantage. But again I digress. I didn't want them to fight Fraz-Urb'luu, but nor did I want the 'he just disappears'. So, I decided on a conversation. But that proved really challenging for me and I struggled and struggled. Hope the end result is okay.