β | Back on Smearth, a mighty war was being raged at the gates of Darkenon by Mephistopheles forces. The Devils had even resurrected the Mobile Fortress and equipped it the legendary Soul Cannon, and enough gnomish technology to allow it to burrow deep underground. The Mole-ble Fortress opened the assault with a massive blast from the cannon, tearing open a hole in the cities walls and weakening it's defenses severely, then disappeared underground. The party quickly took to fighting off the higher tier threats in the army, while Samuels and his forces dealt with the paragon threats. Initially, the waves consisted of undead, and eventually, Wilhelmina, Daughter of the Emperor of Spines, discovered that Jack was among the cities inhabitants, and ordered her forces off. She had been hired by Mephistopheles, and now even boasted infernal pact warlock powers, but could not bring herself to fight Jack. She even ordered he forces to fight the devils, giving Darkenon's defenders a chance to regroup and rest. After reconnoitering, the party defended the city against several more threats, including an incursion by Asmodeus into the very vault the staff was being stored in. The attackers were pushed back, and looking to press the advantage, the defenders took the fight to the attackers, destroying Mephistopheles' flagship siege engine and dismantling his leadership. With the army in full retreat, the party was not met with rejoicing, but anger. The reason Mephistopheles had attacked was that citizens of Castletown had taken refuge in Darkenon, and they were outraged because they believed it was the party that brought the attack upon them. Apparently, in the parties absence, Asmodeus had been spreading propaganda that they had helped pave the way for his invasion. Suddenly, Thomas showed his face in the crowd, and now he appeared to be turning into a devil. He confessed his plan all along had been to trick the party into killing of Mephistopheles forces so he could take control of Hell for himself. He attacked the party, who soon saw trough his devilish disguise and knocked him unconscious. They took him prisoner and the citizens who now believed that Thomas was the villain, demanded he be executed. With his execution set for dawn, the Baby broke him out of jail and with the help of Beardy, swapped him with another prisoner. Thomas was resistant, however, as he claimed that the only way for the plan to work was for him to die, eventually confessing that he wanted to die becasue of what he had done on Earth. It is yet to be seen if he means killnig so many evil people and fueling hells army, or if there are more sinister deeds in his past that he wishes to atone for.
| + | Defending Darkenon |