The Labyrinth of Lost Souls (and Questionable Life Choices)
The Labyrinth of Lost Souls (and Questionable Life Choices)
In Baldur's Gate, a weeping man named Aldric Fenwick begs the party to find his missing wife — but as the investigation deepens, it becomes clear that an alarming number of women, men, and beasts from the Outer City slums have vanished without a trace. Following the trail leads the party straight into a goblin ambush, and they wake up inside a devil-realm hedge maze full of riddles, teleporting tiles, hungry monsters, and — eventually — a surprisingly wholesome whorehouse run by a surprisingly principled succubus. Things escalate when a furious nobleman and his goon squad crash the party. Literally.
Read Aloud
The cobblestones of Baldur's Gate gleam with the particular sheen of a city that has never once been fully cleaned. The air smells of fish, ambition, and someone's lunch. Your companions Cricket and Crouton — bless their unreliable hearts — spot a sliding wooden panel in the wall of a laundry shop, exchange a glance that needs no words, and disappear behind it with a cheerful wave. A half-eaten meat skewer clatters to the ground where Crouton was standing. You are alone on the cobblestones of the Outer City, and a man in a patched wool coat is staring at you from a stoop across the street with the desperate, red-rimmed eyes of someone who has not slept in three days.
Description
The party has just been abandoned by their two NPC companions, Cricket and Crouton, who have slipped into a speakeasy hidden behind a laundry-front on Stinking Lane in the Outer City district of Baldur's Gate. The party stands in the lower slums, a neighbourhood of cramped tenements, questionable smells, and washing lines strung between crumbling balconies. Aldric Fenwick, the man on the stoop, immediately lurches toward the party, his coat clutched around him. He explains, in increasingly emotional and disorganised detail, that his wife Marta Fenwick went out three days ago to buy bread and never came back. He has been to the Flaming Fist, who laughed at him. He has put up notices, which were used by neighbourhood children as targets for mud. He is at his absolute end. As the party investigates the street, they can speak to locals who confirm that at least six other people have gone missing from this district in the past fortnight: a seamstress, two dockworkers, a goat, a halfling baker, and one very large cat named Buttons. All vanished without witnesses.
DM Notes
DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) to get Aldric to calm down enough to give coherent information. DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) to notice a faint trail of glittering green dust near the last known location of the missing seamstress — a dead-end alley called Pinch Lane. DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) when interviewing locals reveals a pattern: all disappearances happened between midnight and dawn, always in Pinch Lane or the adjacent yard. Aldric is genuinely distraught and extremely easy to manipulate emotionally — the Bard can use Cutting Words on him accidentally mid-sentence for comedic effect. The goat and the cat being on the missing list should get a laugh. Lean into the Flaming Fist's utter indifference for satire. The glittering green dust is goblin alchemical knockout powder, a clue to plant for later.
Read Aloud
Pinch Lane earns its name — the alley is so narrow that two of you must turn sideways to walk it at all, and the walls on either side are streaked with moss that has given up pretending to be anything other than moss. At the far end, a wooden fence leans at an angle that suggests it has deeply personal problems. The glittering green dust you noticed earlier runs in a thin line straight to a rusted iron drain cover in the ground. Someone has scratched a small arrow into the cobblestone beside it, pointing down, and someone else — apparently — has written the word SORRY in the same green dust just beside the arrow. You have perhaps one full second to appreciate this detail before the drain cover flies open and something small, green, and smelling powerfully of onions lands on your head.
Description
The party has followed the trail to Pinch Lane and located the ambush site. Hidden in the drain tunnel below the cover and on the rooftops above are eight goblins armed with blowpipes loaded with knockout darts coated in a refined version of the green dust — a goblin-brewed soporific called Snooze Salt. The goblins are working as hired kidnappers for Madame Vexxara, the succubus who runs the Velvet Labyrinth. They have standing orders to snatch anyone nosing around the disappearances. The SORRY scratched in the dust was written by a goblin named Nibbles who felt genuinely bad about it. The fight should feel chaotic and farcical — goblins falling off the roof, one getting stuck in a downspout, one that keeps apologising mid-combat. Eventually, whether the party fights valiantly or not, the darts overwhelm them — each player hit by a dart must make a DC 13 Constitution save or fall asleep. After three hits on the party collectively, all lights go out.
DM Notes
This encounter is designed to be lost narratively — the party can fight well and be funny about it, but the knockout is inevitable for story purposes. Give players a round or two of genuine combat before the numbers catch up. DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the first dart. If the Ranger uses Hunter's Mark, let them pick off one goblin gloriously before being darted. The Fighter can shrug off one dart with their high Con. The Artificer might try to Detect Magic on the dust — confirm it's alchemical, not arcane. The Bard can attempt Cutting Words against a goblin, causing it to fall off the roof. Award inspiration for the player who roleplays waking up most dramatically in Scene 3. Nibbles the goblin can be found again inside the maze later as a potential comedic ally.
Read Aloud
You wake up. This is, you immediately decide, a mixed blessing. The sky above you is the colour of a bruise — deep violet shot through with veins of amber that pulse very slowly, like something enormous is breathing. The air smells of sulphur and, faintly, of lavender, which is somehow worse. You are lying on flagstones at the entrance to an enormous hedge maze, the walls of which are twenty feet high and trimmed with an unsettling precision. An iron archway stands before you, and on it, in elegant script, someone has bolted a brass plaque that reads: THE VELVET LABYRINTH — GUESTS WELCOME, TRESPASSERS DIGESTED. Your equipment is still with you. Your companions are stirring. Pinned to one of your cloaks with a tiny crossbow bolt is a note that reads, in handwriting so small it is clearly goblin: Sorry again. Please don't die. — N.
Description
The party wakes up at the entrance to the Velvet Labyrinth, a devil-realm hedge maze maintained by Madame Vexxara. The entrance plaza has several important details baked into its environment: a cracked stone basin holds stagnant water with green residue — evidence that many people have passed through here. Several sets of bootprints in the dark soil lead inward. A discarded woman's shawl with a Gate City laundry mark lies near the arch. A carved stone face above the arch winks slowly at whoever looks at it last. Let the party process the situation, loot their surroundings, and decide how to proceed. They have all their gear. They have the note from Nibbles. The DIGESTED part of the sign is visibly newer lettering than the WELCOME part. This is a good moment for the Bard to attempt to flirt with the winking stone face. It does not work but the face seems to enjoy the attention.
DM Notes
DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) to read the bootprints: multiple people, various shoe sizes, moving inward — none moving outward. DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) to notice faint music coming from deep inside the maze, something jazzy and wrong. DC 10 Arcana to identify the sky as consistent with the Nine Hells' outer fringe — this is a demiplanic pocket, not full Avernus. The Artificer can use Detect Magic to find that the hedges are magically reinforced — they cannot be burnt or cut through; brute force of the maze itself is impossible. Give the party a moment of genuine comedic helplessness before they commit to going in. The lavender smell is because Madame Vexxara has opinions about ambiance.
Read Aloud
The hedge corridors twist and fork with cheerful malice. The flagstones underfoot are a patchwork of ordinary grey stone and tiles that gleam with a faint iridescent sheen — like oil on water, or a pigeon with delusions of grandeur. In the eastern corridor, a stone door stands sealed across the path, and carved into its face is the image of a grinning mouth with a riddling inscription beneath it. To the west, a sound reaches you — something between a roar and a very upset sneeze — and a deeper, more organic smell joins the sulphur. Then, around a corner ahead, a figure appears: roughly eight feet long, undulating with polite authority, wearing a tiny pair of pince-nez spectacles on what is generously referred to as his face. He stops. He peers at you. He says, in a voice like gravel being poured into a velvet bag: Oh. Guests. Splendid. My wife just put the kettle on.
Description
This scene covers the early interior of the maze and the introduction of Gerald the Worm, a giant intellect-worm creature who has taken up residence in a cozy alcove off the main corridor. He serves as the party's primary information source and comic relief sage. His alcove contains mismatched armchairs, a tea service, framed embroidery that reads HOME IS WHERE THE TUNNEL IS, and seventeen throw cushions. His wife, Bernadette, is even larger than Gerald and works as a seamstress and costume consultant for the Velvet Labyrinth's whorehouse establishment at the maze's center — the Crimson Parlour. Gerald and Bernadette are delightful. They bicker constantly and adorably. Bernadette confirms that the missing people from Baldur's Gate are indeed at the Crimson Parlour — working there by choice, having been offered jobs by Madame Vexxara's recruiters (the goblins). The pay is exceptional, the hours negotiable, and the benefits include protection from whomever they were fleeing. She notes with complete sincerity that everyone there has a type, darling, and then looks at each party member for just slightly too long. Gerald and Bernadette offer healing potions and staff-issue Crimson Parlour uniforms (deep red, vaguely glamorous, surprisingly comfortable) if the party wants to enter through the front door. They also warn about the maze's hazards: the Riddle Doors, the Teleportation Tiles (iridescent flagstones), the Guardian Constructs in the north wing, the swamp in the southwest quadrant, and the fact that the maze tends to separate large groups. It has opinions.
DM Notes
Gerald and Bernadette are the heart of this scene. Play Gerald as a gentle, well-read, fussy academic who is absolutely delighted by company. Bernadette is warmer, more worldly, and has a habit of finishing other people's sentences — usually incorrectly but confidently. DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) to get full information from Gerald about the maze layout. DC 10 Insight to realise Gerald genuinely has no malicious intent. DC 14 Charisma (Performance or Deception) to convince Bernadette you are legitimate Crimson Parlour staff without the uniforms. The healing potions are standard (2d4+2). The uniforms count as elegant clothing and grant advantage on Charisma checks inside the Crimson Parlour. The jokes about everyone having a fetish should flow naturally — Bernadette will glance at the Fighter's armour, the Ranger's animal companions, the Artificer's gadgets, and the Bard's lute, and make an observation about each that is just barely too on-the-nose. The swamp warning: if the party falls into the southwest swamp, they gain the Swamp-Stench condition (see Encounter 3 notes) — foul enough that enemies in the final battle will avoid attacking them. The swamp water, if bottled, works as a thrown improvised weapon: targets hit must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution save or be Incapacitated for 1 round from gagging.
Read Aloud
You step off the iridescent tile in the exact same moment that three of your companions step onto theirs, and the world does something that should not be physically possible — it folds. There is a sound like a librarian shushing an earthquake, a flash of amber light, and then silence. You are alone. Somewhere in the maze, you can hear — very faintly — someone swearing your name. A second corridor stretches before you, and carved into the hedgewall at eye level, in what appears to be someone's lipstick, is an arrow and the words THIS WAY, SWEETPEA.
Description
The Teleportation Tiles scatter the party to four different sections of the maze simultaneously. Each player is now navigating alone (or in pairs, depending on how many tiles there are). This is the comedic centrepiece of the session — each character has a distinct solo experience before reconvening at the Crimson Parlour. Run each player's segment briefly and let the others observe or react. Fighter: ends up in the north wing, hears roaring, finds a Guardian Construct (animated stone gargoyle-type, based on Animated Armor stat block) attacking a small griffin-like creature called a Fizgig. If they save the Fizgig, it bonds instantly with the Fighter and will carry them to the Crimson Parlour and assist in the final battle. Ranger: ends up near a Riddle Door. The riddle is on the door. They must solve it or try to brute-force it. Bard: ends up in the southwest quadrant near the swamp. A sign reads MIND THE SWAMP. The Bard must decide whether to be sensible (they will not be sensible). Artificer: ends up near a second Riddle Door or a puzzle lock on a gate — mechanical in nature, giving them advantage. The lipstick arrow clues are left by Marta Fenwick, who has been navigating the maze freely for two days and has developed strong opinions about interior design. First person to reach the Crimson Parlour gets to start drinking on the house while they wait for the others to catch up. This should absolutely be the Bard.
DM Notes
Run each player's solo section for 5-10 minutes of real table time. Keep the tone light. Fighter saving the Fizgig: the roaring and screaming can be heard from a distance, DC 12 Perception. The Guardian Construct uses the Animated Armor stat block (AC 18, HP 33, two Slam attacks, +4 to hit, 1d6+2 bludgeoning). The Fizgig is grateful and will follow the Fighter loyally, able to fly over hedge walls (very useful). Ranger Riddle Door: see Encounter 2 for the riddle mechanics. Bard in the swamp: DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling in. On a fail, they gain the Swamp-Stench condition — disadvantage on Charisma checks but immunity to being targeted in the final fight (enemies flee from the smell). The Bard almost certainly fails this save on purpose. Artificer puzzle gate: DC 13 Intelligence (Thieves' Tools or Tinker's Tools) to crack the mechanical lock in one action, or DC 16 with anything else. The lipstick arrows from Marta are a recurring environmental storytelling detail — clever players can follow them all the way to the Parlour without needing to solve anything else, if they notice the pattern (DC 15 Investigation across two separate corridors).
Read Aloud
The Crimson Parlour announces itself before you see it: the warm amber glow spilling around the final hedge corner, the sound of a string quartet playing something inappropriate in a delightfully competent way, the smell of good food replacing the sulphur entirely. The building itself is a grand manor house dropped into the centre of the maze like someone's fever dream of what a respectable establishment looks like — red lacquered doors, brass fittings, window boxes full of flowers that are definitely not native to any plane you have ever visited. A sign above the door reads THE CRIMSON PARLOUR — ALL ARE WELCOME, BEHAVE YOURSELF. A bouncer the size of a wardrobe, who is also a wardrobe — literally, an ambulatory piece of furniture in a red waistcoat — gives you a slow, considering look and opens the door.
Description
The Crimson Parlour is the centre of the Velvet Labyrinth and Madame Vexxara's crown jewel. It is, genuinely, a well-run establishment. The interior is warm, lavishly decorated, and staffed by people who are clearly content — laughing, well-fed, wearing good clothes, and not at all imprisoned. The missing people from Baldur's Gate are here: the seamstress, the dockworkers, the halfling baker (who is now head pastry chef), and Marta Fenwick herself, who is working the front bar with an expression of someone who has discovered what her life was missing. (The goat is in the garden. The large cat Buttons is asleep on a velvet chaise longue and has been given a small staff uniform.) Marta is alive, well, and absolutely not returning to Aldric. She explains that Vexxara's goblins approached her quietly two weeks ago and offered her a job. She took it. The pay is triple what she made in Gate City, she has her own room, and nobody has ever once asked her to darn socks. If the party arrived in the uniforms, they are seated and served drinks immediately. If they did not, it takes a DC 14 Charisma check to get past the wardrobe bouncer without a fuss. The first party member to arrive has been here long enough to have had two drinks and made friends with the halfling baker. Let the party enjoy the scene, gather information from the staff, and eventually seek out Madame Vexxara herself to understand the full picture.
DM Notes
This is the session's major social and information scene. Lean into the comedy of the party expecting something sinister and finding a thriving, cheerful operation. The staff will freely explain that Vexxara recruits specifically from people who are desperate, abused, or destitute, and offers them genuine employment and safety — in exchange for working in the maze's hospitality industry. It is, by any measure, the most ethical employer in Baldur's Gate. DC 13 Insight to confirm that Marta is genuinely happy. DC 14 Persuasion to get staff to bring the party to Vexxara without a fuss. DC 12 Investigation of the establishment to find evidence of Aldric Fenwick being a controlling, cruel husband — letters from Marta in the staff common room, a bruised wrist mentioned in passing. The Bard can perform here for advantage on all social checks for the next hour. The Artificer can examine the Parlour's security systems (remarkably sophisticated). The Ranger's animal companion, if present, is immediately adopted by the cat Buttons, who becomes territorial.
Monsters
Tactics
Goblins open by dropping from rooftops and emerging from the drain — Nimble Escape into advantageous positions immediately. Four attack with standard shortswords as distraction. The remaining four use blowpipes: ranged attack +4 to hit, range 30 ft., dealing no damage but forcing a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or inflicting the Poisoned condition, followed by unconsciousness at the start of the target's next turn if already Poisoned. Goblins are cowardly: if three are downed, the remaining standard goblins route and flee into the drain. Nibbles does not attack. He runs around saying sorry and handing out apology notes. If interacted with, he can be persuaded DC 10 Charisma to tell the party exactly what the goblins are doing and for whom, if anyone is kind to him. He will appear again inside the maze as a helpful recurring character if the party treats him decently.
Terrain
Pinch Lane: narrow alley, two combatants per rank maximum. Rooftops 15 ft. up (DC 12 Athletics to climb wall). Drain opening 3 ft. diameter — goblins can Dash through it freely. Wooden fence at alley end can be knocked down with DC 14 Strength check, creating difficult terrain. Washing lines overhead can be cut to drop laundry on enemies — treat as improvised terrain attack, DC 13 Dexterity save or restrained until an action frees them. The iridescent green dust on the ground is flammable — if ignited, 5 ft. radius of green fire dealing 1d6 fire damage (comedic, not lethal).
Monsters
Tactics
Each Riddle Door poses a single riddle. The party (or solo character in the split sequence) must answer correctly. On a wrong answer, the door deals 2d8 thunder damage to the nearest creature as a sonic pulse (DC 14 Constitution save for half) and the riddle resets. Brute force option: a character may attempt to force the door with a DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check, succeeding on a pass but taking 3d6 force damage regardless. RIDDLE ONE (Ranger's Door): I have teeth but cannot bite. I have a spine but cannot fight. I hold the voices of the dead, yet never once have I been fed. What am I? ANSWER: A book (or a library). Partial answers acceptable at DM discretion. RIDDLE TWO (Artificer's Door): A mechanical puzzle lock — not a riddle but a combination mechanism. Three spinning dials with arcane symbols. DC 13 Intelligence with Thieves' Tools or Tinker's Tools solves it in one action. DC 16 with anything else. On a failure, a small compartment opens and a tiny mechanical hand emerges to flick the character on the nose (no damage, deeply undignified). The Ranger can attempt DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) to listen for click patterns instead of forcing it.
Terrain
Narrow stone corridor. Single door blocking full passage — no way around, hedge walls are impenetrable. Faint glowing inscription pulses on the door face. A small bowl at the base of each door contains parchment scraps suggesting many people before have tried and written down wrong guesses. Some of the guesses are deeply incorrect. One says cheeese??? in what is clearly the Halfling baker's handwriting. The Artificer's door has tool marks around the lock from someone who tried to pick it and gave up.
Monsters
Tactics
The Guardian Construct (AC 18, HP 33, Multiattack: two Slam attacks, +4 to hit, 1d6+2 bludgeoning, Antimagic Susceptibility) is attacking a small griffin-adjacent creature — the Fizgig — which is pinned under a collapsed hedge-stone. The Fizgig is alive but trapped: treat as a friendly creature with AC 12, HP 8 remaining, that cannot act until freed (DC 14 Strength check to lift the stone). The Construct attacks whoever draws its attention first. It has no tactics beyond attacking the nearest moving target. If the Fizgig is freed and the party member is clearly fighting the Construct, the Fizgig cheers (squeaking loudly) and, once the Construct is destroyed, immediately bonds with the party member. The Fizgig can fly 40 ft., has AC 12, HP 18, bite +4 to hit 1d8+2 piercing, and will assist in the final battle. It is the size of a large dog, has eagle wings, and is covered in iridescent feathers. It bites the Artificer first if they get too close with gadgets — it finds gadgets suspicious. It is immediately best friends with the Fighter regardless of what the Fighter does.
Terrain
North wing of the maze: a wider junction where a collapsed decorative arch has scattered large stones. The Fizgig is pinned behind a stone pillar fragment. The Construct patrols a 30 ft. radius around the arch. Difficult terrain from the rubble in the eastern half of the area — movement costs doubled. A functioning Teleportation Tile sits in the northwest corner, gleaming faintly. Stepping on it sends the character to the Crimson Parlour entrance (a useful shortcut if noticed, DC 13 Investigation, DC 16 Arcana to identify safely before stepping on it).
Monsters
Tactics
Aldric's forces breach the front door of the Crimson Parlour at the start of the encounter, having navigated the maze with a hired guide. The Bruiser leads the charge through the double doors, overturning the furniture. Mercenaries fan out using Cunning Action and Sneak Attack where possible, targeting anyone who looks important. Aldric himself stands outside the door bellowing about love and property rights, not entering combat. If the party sides with Vexxara (most likely): Vexxara uses Charm on the highest-threat mercenary first (DC 15 Wisdom save or Charmed), then engages the Bruiser directly with Claws. Staff NPCs use bottles, trays, and the bar itself as weapons. Marta throws things. The Fizgig provides aerial harassment on mercenaries. If any party member is Swamp-Stench afflicted: mercenaries and the Bruiser will prioritise other targets, giving that character free movement and free attacks. Swamp water thrown as improvised weapon forces DC 13 Con save or Incapacitated 1 round from gagging — extraordinary value in this fight. Victory condition: Bruiser unconscious and three or more mercenaries downed or fled triggers a morale check (DC 12 Wisdom save or the remaining mercenaries route). Aldric can then be confronted directly.
Terrain
The Crimson Parlour main hall: 60 ft. by 40 ft. grand room with a bar on the north wall, small performance stage to the east, dining tables creating cover (half cover when overturned), a grand staircase to the upper floor (difficult terrain mid-fight as staff flee up it), and three large chandeliers (Dexterity DC 14 to swing from, dealing 2d6 bludgeoning on landing on a target, or just looking extremely cool). Two large windows on the south wall are smashed open by mercenaries as alternative entry points. The bar itself is stocked — the Bard can spend a bonus action to grab a bottle for an improvised weapon (1d4+2 bludgeoning, bonus: anyone hit must make DC 12 Con save or have disadvantage on their next attack as the whiskey gets in their eyes). If the party captured swamp water, this is where it shines.
Four standard healing potions (2d4+2 each), presented on a small tea tray with a handwritten note reading: Do try not to need these. Warmly, Gerald. P.S. Bernadette says mind the swamp.
Four tailored deep-red outfits of exceptional quality, fitted by Bernadette personally to each party member with unnerving accuracy. Grant advantage on Charisma (Persuasion and Deception) checks in any establishment that respects presentation. Gerald notes that Bernadette has hidden a tiny embroidered worm on each one somewhere obscure.
Recovered from Aldric's person after the battle (looted, found, or given by Marta who took it while he was shouting). Contains coin and a folded letter from a law firm indicating Aldric has substantial debt — giving the party leverage if they choose to use it rather than expose him.
If Vexxara is defeated or convinced to ally with the party, she provides each member with a small dark-red token embossed with a labyrinth seal. Possessing it allows safe passage through the Velvet Labyrinth at any time. Goblins, Constructs, and Riddle Doors all stand aside. Also functions as a calling card in certain infernal social circles — advantage on Charisma checks with devils who recognise the Crimson Parlour's reputation.
If rescued in Scene 5, the Fizgig accompanies the Fighter as a bonded companion. It is AC 12, HP 18, flies 40 ft., bite +4 to hit 1d8+2 piercing. It regards the Artificer with deep personal suspicion. It has stolen one of the Bard's gloves and has no intention of returning it.
A small bundle of tiny pre-written apology notes found in Nibbles' pocket if the party befriends him. They are personalised, remarkably well-observed, and extremely sweet. One says: Sorry for the dart. You have very nice hair. Another says: Sorry about the maze. It was not my idea. The last one says: Sorry in advance for whatever happens next. They are written on the backs of Crimson Parlour menus.
Story Hooks
Vexxara's Token of Passage opens doors — literally and socially — in future adventures involving infernal politics or planar travel. Aldric's debt letter could be used to blackmail him into leaving Marta alone, or sold to his creditors for further coin. Nibbles, if befriended, knows goblin contacts across Baldur's Gate who are willing to share information for kindness and snacks. The Fizgig is a loyal companion but has a tendency to steal small shiny objects, which may become plot-relevant when it swallows something it should not have.
Conclusion
Wrap Up
The mercenaries are routed or unconscious, the Bruiser is sitting on the floor looking confused, and Aldric Fenwick is standing in the doorway of the Crimson Parlour looking at his wife, who is looking back at him over the rim of a cocktail glass with the calm, specific expression of a woman who has already made her decision. Marta tells him, clearly and kindly, that she is not coming home. Aldric splutters. The party can intervene, let it play out, or begin looting the unconscious mercenaries immediately (all valid). Vexxara, if she survived and allied with the party, straightens her robes, surveys the damage to her establishment, and sighs the sigh of someone who is going to have to re-tile the floor again. She offers the party passage home through a private portal. A goblin — very small, wearing a tiny bandage from the earlier fight — peeks around the door frame, makes eye contact with whoever treated him best, and gives a small thumbs up. Cricket and Crouton are waiting at the portal exit, extremely drunk and holding an accordion between them that neither of them owns. They want to hear everything.
Cliffhanger
As the party steps through Vexxara's portal back to Baldur's Gate, the succubus pauses them with one word. She shows them the silver ring on her left hand — the one engraved with a hundred names. She has just noticed a name she did not add. It has appeared in a handwriting she recognises: someone else has been using a portal like hers to recruit from the city. Someone with less scruples about the word voluntary. She looks at the party with those amber eyes and says: I do not ask favours of mortals often. But I find myself needing to ask one now. Do you understand, love? She waits for the answer.
Next Session Hooks
- Vexxara's ring bears the name of someone connected to a rival infernal operation in Baldur's Gate — a second, far less ethical disappearance network that has been using the Crimson Parlour as unwitting cover. The party has been made complicit by proximity.
- Aldric Fenwick, humiliated and publicly defeated, has retreated to his expensive townhouse and is writing letters to people with the power to make the party's lives difficult. His creditors, meanwhile, have received an anonymous tip about the debt letter.
- Nibbles the goblin appears on the party's doorstep at dawn with a tiny suitcase, a large amount of useful information about the city's underground networks, and the words: I quit. They were going to make me kidnap a dog. I have limits. He would like a job.
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