AC27 - The Soul Auction

 Nastvan surprised, confused, where are the others? Help them exit without being noticed, somehow. Aggma looks local, no problem. Rest is... problematic. Giant coat?

Exiting isn't difficult, but getting any magical items they have out is. Make it a heist à la Lupin?

On way out, security, checked for not bringing out any unauthorised items or weapons.

People get gathered from other planes and taken to General Deliquescence's arena for amusement.

Tells the party to go rest at his place where he'll inform his brother Norlik of their arrival. He'll join them after his shift.

get out of the tower

describe the general atmosphere of the city of Dis. The heat, the dust, the screaming, the repression. Bump into some city guards? A harengon-tiefling mix named KillerRabit that talks like a new york mafiosi?

Nastvan (southern, guttural, battered)

• If you can't beat em, join em. Got a job as a guard at the Sorting Spire. Living inside Dis or outside and being raided is about the same life experience, but this is a tiny bit safer.
• The tower is connected to various portals throughout the planes of existence, that are set up to lure adventurers. They then capture them and bring them to the arena. Fighting will earn your freedom to go back, but first you must entertain the General and other lords of Dis.
• Asks them what they are doing here.
  
• Smuggled out a logbook with info about Ratyn's parents
  • Taken a few decades ago, 4 of them. Had them fight together against others, then against demons, then against each other for freedom. The dad and mother were on opposing teams, but the mother killed everyone but her parents refused to fight each other, so Lord Deli commanded the father to kill the mother. The father earned his freedom, and could go back to the material plane, but with the corpse of the mother.
  • Ratyn's sister and the rabbit, similar story. Taken in, and they refused to fight in the arena, so a hordr of demons were released on them. They fought for a good 20 minutes, before the harengon held back the horde while the sister cast a spell that the devils couldn't successfully counter, and teleported both of them. The scent of the teleportation was tracked south towards the screeching mountains, and everyone figured they'd be dead there anyway.
• Aggma prepares food with her feat?
  

• As the players formulate a plan, an archdevil talkes telepathically to the whole people, flamboyant/overconfident  "Well well well, what do we have here? A smuggler of people and of items belonging to the general? He won't be pleased, not one bit. How ever will you make it up to him? Oh I have an idea, I could bring you back, in small bits, all together! Yeah, I'm sure he'll be happy with that."
• Nastvan tells them to run, he'll slow him down while they escape and find their family members. Activates a button which opens up a deep hole going down to a lava river below them
• "Can you fly? Or swim in lava?"
• Norlik will stay with Nastvan to buy them some time
• As they go down the hatch, Norlik's head overtakes them to fall in the lava before they do?
  

Norlik (elf, french accent)

• Wasn't part of the place, isn't really Nastvan's brother but more like "brother in suffering". Nastvan helped Norlik escape too.
• Paranoid, waiting for his chance to get a portal back to the elven kingdoms
  

Sorting Spire

• Crudly built unsable high rise tower
• High temperature
• Cage like on every floor
• Sounds of screams and brunting
• Dusty atmosphere

Infernal Market

• Soul auction
• Trial of Ambition: win favours by competing
• Devilish Thieve's Guild: can get them info if stuck

Nastvan's house

• Brother Norlik waiting, paranoid of them not being followed by guards
• Lets them rest. They are rested, but exhausted by the time Nastvan get back?