---

The following ‘morning’ Madam Portencia lay in a stupor on the ground, pipe by her side, the tent having slowly glitched away around her.

When Bili woke, he felt some unusual abdominal twinges, like his stomach muscles were being pulled and stretched. It was slightly uncomfortable, but once he realised what was happening he smiled softly.

Morad roused and saw Bili rolling his hands over his belly. He quickly rolled over and faced the other way, eyes wide.

After eating and prep, everyone gathered at the Holy Terror II.

“Where to?” Morad asked.

“We need to hit the road. But we need to get more soul coins from somewhere, as we’re all out. Ichor won’t cut it.”

“Not to get too cocky,” Mak said, “But if we were to go back to Mr Contract Rod Man, and just dealt with him the way we deal with everyone we ever meet-”

“Kill him,” Torgrun nodded.

“That’s what I meant.”

“The only difference is, remember, is he was never on the same side of the ice as we were. He was on the other side of the mirror.”

“That is true,” Mak conceded.

“The other thing is we could go talk to the guy. We don’t know what he needed the rods for - in fact we might be doing his work for him.”

“I assumed we were,” Torgrun nodded.

“Right,” Mak said. “We don’t know that we don’t want to give him the rods? Or that he might want…who knows? I’m not wise in these things.”

“We can assume a devil would only want the rods for good,” Madam Portencia said sardonically.

“He might not be happy with Zariel going through with these plans either,” Spider added.

“We need to work this out,” Morad said. “Our next step is either go back, or-”

“Or try and find another way. Or try and find the crypt - at least if we can find the crypt we’ll know if we only have half a key or not. We don’t know what we’ve got, or what we don’t have.”

“Where am I going to drive next?” Morad asked simply.

After studying the map, and reading Spider’s scribbled notes, it was decided to head toward the ‘crypt’ that Spider had noted on the way South after visting Red Ruth. But instead of a direct route, detouring past the monument bearing the legend ‘Uldrak’s Grave’ was deemed wise.

“As for fuel,” Madam Portencia said settling into her chair atop the Holy Terror II, “If there’s one thing I know about demons and devils is that we’re bound to find someone to fuel our tanks if we get to anywhere that’s marked on the map.”

“That’s true - we just need to hunt some devils for soul coins,” Spider agreed. “If we encounter another convoy we’ll just take ‘em.”

“But it’s a catch-22: we need the coin speed to be able to take out the convoy,” Morad complained.

“Not if we’re smarter than them,” Madam Portencia predicted. Morad nodded. Madam Portencia was right, as usual.

The engines were fired up, and Morad plotted a careful course toward Uldrak’s massive sword.

---

Hours of uncomfortable travel later, sweaty and tired, the vehicles slowed as the hints of a large metal stake in the ground shimmered in the near distance.

Morad and Mak slowed until the shape resolved into what the map hinted: a twenty-foot sword driven into the red-earth of Avernus. The vehicles were stopped and everyone jumped down. The map started mumbling in Spider’s bag, and he pulled it forth.

“A fallen titan? Or an imp with delusions of grandeur? I’ll leave that for you to decide.”

“So whatever wielded that sword would be, what, thirty feet tall?” Spider said with trepidation. “But I think a ‘titan’ is a large fish, so that makes no sense?”

Morad groaned. “A titan is from the old stories. A giant - but bigger. They fought with gods sometimes. Al’Akbar? He wiped them out - they no longer here,” he said with satisfaction.

Drawing closer revealed there was also a massive helmet lying on its side next to the sword, open face toward the sword.

Morad peered ahead and noticed there seemed to be a circular track worn into the earth around the sword and shield. He knelt down and studied it closer, noting that it had been used recently - by something with cloven hooves.

“Is there something to be said for the fact that this is Uldrak’s grave?” Torgrun asked. “Whatever creature it is, it has discarded it’s helm.”

“It may not be Uldrak’s helm?” Madam Portencia suggested.

“It probably is though,” Spider said, looking ahead. He couldn’t see any other signs of the remains of a giant - no bones, no burial mound. The sword and helm looked ancient, but not damaged, and a gem shone in the pommel of the sword.

“I’m going to climb the sword and check that out,” Spider announced. As he approached, a voice echoed out from the helmet.

“Go away! Leave me to my misery!”

Spider looked back to make sure everyone had heard this, then continued his ascent. Torgrun motioned for everyone to form a semi-circle around the helm.

“I’ve been here too long. I’m not interested in visitors,” the voice continued, this time in Giant, that only Mak understood.

“How can we help you? Mak responded.

There was rustling inside the helmet as a Spined Devil emerged, rubbing its eyes. “Who said that? You speak like me!”

“I did,” Mak replied.

“Pah. But you are no giant.”

“Indeed. I know giants, I know them well, but you do not seem like a giant.”

The devil responded, in common this time. “I am a giant! It is clear as day if you know how to see.”

He noticed Spider climbing the sword. “That’s not yours, come down,” it spoke in Goblin. Spider didn’t understand a word, but Madam Portencia and Torgrun did.

“What can you give us in return if we do not take this gem?” Torgrun asked.

“I have been here a millennia. I cannot leave,” the devil grumbled in common, suddenly despondent. “You can take it if you can free me.”

Madam Portencia was confused. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. We’re talking to a devil now people, why aren’t we on our normal game?”

“It’s speaking giant, that’s unusual for a devil,” Mak suggested.

Bili noted it hadn’t spoken any infernal yet, so he had a try. “Why would we release you?”

“Because then you can have the gem,” it answered in kind.

“We just kill you - let’s just kill him?” Madam Portencia said. It seemed obvious to her.

“Would you kill a titan?” the devil asked Mak.

“Not if it didn’t threaten me,” Mak said. “I don’t know why you speak giant when you don’t look like one.”

The devil switched to common. “I was sent here to fight Tiamat. I almost won, almost. But I lost, and was cursed. And now here I am, living in my helmet. Wandering around my sword,” it sighed.

“If we release you, and you take your true form, what then?” Torgrun asked.

“A boon for you!”

“Demon,” Bili said in abyssal, “or devil?” he continued in infernal.

“No,” it responded in abyssal, “and no,” in infernal.

“You know both,” Bili said with surprise.

“I am a titan! Is it not clear? I fought Tiamat, here, so long ago.”

“Give us your word then, devil,” Bili said.

“I am no devil!” it sword in infernal.

Madam Portencia was tired of this. “We have killed a dozen of these guys.”

“You will give us a boon?” Torgrun confirmed.

“If you free me.”

“And how do we free you?” Morad asked.

“Dragon’s blood. Tiamat’s blood will do!” it said in infernal.

“Oh, well that will be difficult,” Torgrun grunted. “Do you have any?”

“Of course I don’t! I am cursed, stuck!”

“What is your name, titan?” Bili interrupted.

“My name is Uldrak! And I am cursed by Tiamat to live in my own helmet,” it spat.

“I can remove your curse,” Morad announced.

Ulrak looked surprised. “Do it! Make it so!” It walked forward.

Morad put his hand on the devil’s forehead. “By the power of Al’Akbar, I release you!”

The devil remained in place. “Do it! Release me!”

Morad slumped. It hadn’t worked. “You are nothing. You do nothing for me - none of you do. It stomped back inside the helmet.”

Spider had reached the top of the sword and studied the gem. It glowed with a gentle ruby light, pulsing slowly. It looked too large to easily remove. He looked down and yelled out. “What’s the boon?!”

“Whatever you wish!” it replied in goblin.

“Well if we see a dragon, we will bring you that boon. And you will be able to help us in our quest for redemption.”

“No-one has ever been able to help me.”

“How tall are you when you’re not a devil?” Spider asked.

“Tall enough to wield that sword!”

“If you would wield that sword, oh mighty titan, would you join that on our quest?” Togrun pressed.

“Yes I am a mighty titan, you are quite right. And yes I would join you if that is the boon you seek.”

“Our is a quest from another plane, ours is a holy quest.”

“I don’t care what quest it is if you can free me.”

He did a quick mental calculation, comparing the sword to the size of the chain links holding Elturel down. It was a good match. “Does the sword have great power?” Spider yelled.

“When I wield it it certain does.”

“On weight of evidence,” Torgrun pondered, “This guy gives me no reason to distrust him, apart from his external appearance. Everything he is saying is not intended to deceive.”

“Why do they call this your ‘grave’?” Spider called.

“Because I am interred here. Can’t you see?!”

“Oh so you are Uldrak’s soul - now I understand.”

“I am no soul! But this is my grave!”

“Well we will keep our eye out for your dragon blood,” Togrun said wearily, and everyone prepared to wander back to the vehicles.

Spider walked slid down and walked to Madam Portencia. “If we can get some blood, I reckon that sword, and that gem, could cut through those chains holding Elturel down.”

“I’m all in favour if we can find some dragon’s blood easily,” Madam Portencia stressed.

“Well we’re going to find some up around Tiatmat’s Temple,” Spider suggested.

“We are not going to fight Tiamat?!” Mak blustered.

“No! Not Tiamat, but you know, a smaller dragon.”

“Unless I’m mistaken, we passed some flying around north of the pit of Shummrath,” Madam Portencia recalled. Spider grinned, and pointed toward the harpoon launcher on the Holy Terror II. Mak groaned softly - taking on a dragon of any size seemed like a serious error.

As everyone turned to leave, Bili called: “Wait!”

Sighing, everyone turned around. Bili spoke a few words and disappeared in a puff of swirling purple smoke.

And when the smoke cleared, a tiny dragon sat perched where Bili had stood.

---

---

Spider cocked a surprised eye, then whipped out a dagger and spun it to face dragon-Bili. “Call Uldrak out and we’ll see if this works.”

Madam Portencia wasn’t so sure. “Seems a bit easy?”

“Well it’s either going to be easy or not.”

“Bili if it’s you, blink twice,” Madam Portencia suggested.

The tiny dragon obediently blinked twice.

“How much blood did he say he needs?”

“A drop,” Morad recalled.

“Uldrak!” Spider called.

“I thought I told you to leave,” Uldrak’s voice echoed from inside the helmet.

“Just come outside and take a look.”

“Is the giant still there?” Uldrak asked in giant.

“Come outside,” Mak confirmed.

Uldrak groaned, kicked a few things inside his tiny house, and emerged into the light. It glared at Mak, then at Spider who drew its attention with the glint of his blade. “You’re going to attack me??”

Then Uldrak noticed that Spider was pointing to the ground. It lowered its gaze and froze. Its eyes went wide. “Is that…?” Uldrak said in giant, stunned.

“Not laughing now are we, Mr Grumpy-pants,” Spider grinned.

Uldrak started sprinting toward Bili, spined claws outstretched, yelling incoherently. Bili hissed and tried to back away.

“Hold your horses!” Spider cried. Uldrak wasn’t letting anything stop it from getting to Bili, until Mak blindsided it and shoved him to the ground.

“You have to calm down,” Morad ordered, “This Bili!”

“What’s a Bili? If that is a dragon, a real dragon, spill its blood!” Uldrak cried, scrambling to his feet.

Bili held his front claw up to Spider, who knelt down and ran his knife blade along the tendon, giving it a squeeze to ensure a nice juicy dollop.

Time slowed as the drop of blood fell toward the Avernian soil, Uldrak’s eyes wide with anticipation.

The tiny droplet hit the ground, and there was a ripple as if it had landed in a pool of water. The ripple grew rapidly, the ground rumbling and shuddering, alive. Everyone scrambled out of its radius, Spider scooping up Bili who was furiously waddling away.

Uldrak closed its eyes and turned its face to the sky. The ground exploded in a wall of flame, fifty feet high and scorching hot, forcing everyone to shield themselves from the heat.

Inside, a figure grew, five feet, ten, twenty, thirty. Through the wall of fire, the giant figure hauled the sword out of the ground and a thunderous laugh rolled over the land. “I LIVE!” it cried, spreading a pair of enormous wings and shooting up into the sky like a meteor, trailing flame.

---

Uldrak wheeled in the sky above and plummeted back the ground with a ground-rocking thump, landing in a three point kneel and driving the sword back into the parched ground.

Kneeling before the group, she raised her head and beamed, eyes ablaze. “You have freed me. A millennia I have been here, and you have freed me! I am in your debt.” Her massive voice sounded like the words of a god.

Everyone stood, mouth open, not quite believing this was happening. Bili transformed back into his handsome self.

“You shall have my boon. Never given lightly, and rarely to mortals such as you. You have my sword, I shall fight for you, with you, whensoever and against whosoever you wish. We will fight the enemy with fire, pure and strong!”

Uldrak reached up to her glorious wings and plucked a large feather. She turned to Mak. “I return to my liege, mighty Surtur. Should you need me, burn this, and I will heed your call.” She dropped the feather into Mak’s hand.

“Oh mighty Uldrak-” Torgrun started.

“Yes! MIGHTY ULDRAK! I AM BACK!!” the words were like a strong wind such was the force of her voice.

“-we stand in your awe,” Torgrun continued, “And stand ready to cleanse this plane-”

“Everything! Anything!! We will scour and purge!” Uldrak cried with ferocity. She gripped the sword hilt hard in her hand and raised it to the sky. The gem in the hilt pulsed with barely-contained energy.

“I return to Jortunheim, and there I will be reunited with my god, and this time when we come for Tiamat, we will destroy her!”

Those that were better versed in religion recalled Jortunheim to be the realm of the Northern giants, and Surtur the god of the fire giants. Conquerors. Not particularly nice, Madam Portencia pondered, but when your only tool is a hammer… “Before you go, oh mighty Uldrak - are you sure you can just leave this plane of Hell so easily?”

“Of course I can - for I am a Titan! Nothing can hold me here now,” Uldrak grinned.

“How many passengers would you say you can take with you?”

“Just asking for a friend,” Mak said under his breath, seeing her plan.

“As many as should wish! Is that the boon you would have?”

“No, no no!” Torgrun, Bili, and Spider spat out quickly.

“I can take you to Jortunheim! I will bring you before my father, the great heroes who freed his daughter!”

“I think he will be excited enough,” Torgrun smiled weakly. “No need for us to get in the way of that. But we may take up that opportunity - but this is not the time.”

“Very well, small one - remember, you call me when you need me,” Uldrak smiled. She turned to Mak and nodded. “I look forward to my summons, and to fighting by your side, but now - I return.”

Uldrak reached over and plonked the helmet over her head. She nodded to everyone, pointed her sword to the heavens, and shot up into the sky. A flaming portal opened before her and she vanished as a sound-shattering crack rang out over Avernus.

“Well that was pretty mighty,” Spider observed with characteristic understatement.

---

Session played: 29 June, 6 July 2021