Just to be on the safe side, Bell will use a bit of Prestidigitation to make certain the Avowed Priestess is all nice and clean from her toes to her nose.
"From what I recall, it was a... what was that name... "
A gingwatzim is a peculiar form of life created by a spell or a ritual. The magic that brings it into being draws on spirit energy from the Ethereal Plane to give the gingwatzim its true form— what we saw as that blue orb of goo. A newly formed gingwatzim appears as near to its creator as possible and follows its creator’s commands without question, using telepathy to communicate.
A gingwatzim can assume two other forms that are determined by its creator at the time the gingwatzim comes into being. One is an exact duplicate of a Tiny nonmagical object that its creator is wearing or carrying -- in this case, that book - and the gingwatzim’s other form is that of a specific Tiny beast - again, this one became a cockroach.
"This kind of magic is beyond me. And you all saw how it did not 'detect' as magical at all before it changed before our eyes! Plus, can you imagine if some poor soul was in the Library and got attacked with no one else around? They might not be as fortunate as Little One was."
Bell turned to the priestess, "Mistress, you must inform those in charge. If someone is sneaking gingwatzim into Candlekeep, they may have an infestation. And it may not LOOK like a book but any small object. Since my 'Detect Magic' ritual did not 'detect' anything, I do not even know how to find them..." she wrings her hands nervously.
A thought occurs to Erudisia, who has never heard of a gingwatzim. “Is it some type of fungus, Bell?” she asks.
Just to be on the safe side, Bell will use a bit of Prestidigitation to make certain the Avowed Priestess is all nice and clean from her toes to her nose.
"From what I recall, it was a... what was that name... "
A gingwatzim is a peculiar form of life created by a spell or a ritual. The magic that brings it into being draws on spirit energy from the Ethereal Plane to give the gingwatzim its true form— what we saw as that blue orb of goo. A newly formed gingwatzim appears as near to its creator as possible and follows its creator’s commands without question, using telepathy to communicate.
A gingwatzim can assume two other forms that are determined by its creator at the time the gingwatzim comes into being. One is an exact duplicate of a Tiny nonmagical object that its creator is wearing or carrying -- in this case, that book - and the gingwatzim’s other form is that of a specific Tiny beast - again, this one became a cockroach.
"This kind of magic is beyond me. And you all saw how it did not 'detect' as magical at all before it changed before our eyes! Plus, can you imagine if some poor soul was in the Library and got attacked with no one else around? They might not be as fortunate as Little One was."
Bell turned to the priestess, "Mistress, you must inform those in charge. If someone is sneaking gingwatzim into Candlekeep, they may have an infestation. And it may not LOOK like a book but any small object. Since my 'Detect Magic' ritual did not 'detect' anything, I do not even know how to find them..." she wrings her hands nervously.
Meredith was flummoxed, she'd never heard of such a thing before.
" So theres no real way to know if there aren't hundreds of them here already? Hiding among the stacks?"
The Avowed Priestess' shoes are cleansed in an instant. She flashes a look of thanks to Bell.
"Yes, I will report it to the Keeper of the Emerald Doors!," she says, turning to dash off. But she stops and turns back, one brow quirked so high the eyeball bugs out. "Where did it come from? There are no books in the peach tree chamber other than those you have brought in yourself."
Little One looks abashed, but also, curious. "Yes," he pants, still recovering. "You right. I get book from front gate, bring in. Seeker arrive with it as their donation earlier today..."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
Erudisia asks Little One who the seeker was, and why it was given to one of the Scholar’s Shields this morning, did Little One ask for it or was he sought out and offered it?
Satisfied for the moment with the response to her question, the Avowed Priestess hurries off downstairs to alert Valna Oxalonthrinn, the Keeper of the Emerald Gate.
“I don’t know,” Little One answers Erudisia, thoughtfully, when she asks her question. “We have standing request at gate for any donate books which Adjudicators notice fall in our subject areas… I am notify. Can ask adjudicant who brought book. Since was accepted, that person must be in Candlekeep.”
Suddenly, you all hear a screech of terror echoing up from somewhere below, from the opposite direction to where the priestess went.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
You (all) run downstairs and into one of the libraries, following the sound. It’s Shadi’s voice! You burst into a wide room, and see them – Shadi, the herengon – on the floor, back against the end of one of the long lines of bookshelves that fill the room, a blue blob hovering over them, black necrotic energy swirling!
"Keep away from me!," Shadi shouts at the thing, eyes bulging in fear, and, "HELP!," when they see you.
(OOC: We are back in initiative. Players may act in any order.)
(Can Erudisia make an investigative or Arcana check as her action? Based on what she knows from the last fight, or the environment here, are there any obvious things in the room that are bludgeoning? Was her force based magic effective as bludgeoning or was anything less effective? If they feed on magic are there any common antimagical things in a room like this where secrecy is valuable that the magic eating blob may abhor?)
(Can Erudisia make an investigative or Arcana check as her action? Based on what she knows from the last fight, or the environment here, are there any obvious things in the room that are bludgeoning? Was her force based magic effective as bludgeoning or was anything less effective? If they feed on magic are there any common antimagical things in a room like this where secrecy is valuable that the magic eating blob may abhor?)
(I think you’re asking because the Avowed priestess was able to stomp on the bug and kill it. However, to be clear, all attacks did normal damage to it: Little One smashed it, and Bell magic-missiled it twice. It had only 1HP remaining when the priestess stepped on it. They feed on life force. It really seems to Erudisia that unleashing her powers on it is the best way to discourage/stop it.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
(Can Erudisia make an investigative or Arcana check as her action? Based on what she knows from the last fight, or the environment here, are there any obvious things in the room that are bludgeoning? Was her force based magic effective as bludgeoning or was anything less effective? If they feed on magic are there any common antimagical things in a room like this where secrecy is valuable that the magic eating blob may abhor?)
(I think you’re asking because the Avowed priestess was able to stomp on the bug and kill it. However, to be clear, all attacks did normal damage to it: Little One smashed it, and Bell magic-missiled it twice. It had only 1HP remaining when the priestess stepped on it. They feed on life force. It really seems to Erudisia that unleashing her powers on it is the best way to discourage/stop it.)
(Ah ok, understood. I didn’t want to ‘feed’ it if it was the opposite of ‘immune to non-magical X’)
Erudisia speaks her most potent phrase of power, firing an Eldritch Blast holding all the lingering wrath of her thunderous patron, now an indelible stain on her soul and on the form of this magic.
Erudisia’s blast booms and crackles, smashing into the orb, and Bell’s arcane darts unerringly strike it, but Meredith’s dagger is batted out of the air by a lightning branching of the creature’s necrotic energy.
Little One picks up a study desk and hurls it at the orb, but more necrotic energy shatters the makeshift missile into pieces.
Shadi crosses their arms in front of their face and tightens into a ball, certain their end has come. But with sudden ferocity, the gingwazim launches across the chamber until it hovers directly above Erudisia (whose attack seemed to do the most damage).“Huuunnnngerrr!! Feeeeddd!!,” the Moonshae maiden hears in her mind as the blue orb's dark lightning tendrils probe downwards.
Gingwazim vs Erudisia: 16 to hit / 12 necrotic damage and on a hit, target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
Where the tendrils linger her pale skin blackens and bruises. She grows wan and yellow and her skin seems almost to wither before your eyes. As she stumbles back from the creature’s psionic voice, she teeters, like a dead tree in a gale, only moments from collapse, suddenly ruinously tired.
With a trembling hand, Erudisia points her luminous dragon chess piece at her foe as she staggers back to make space. A gust of wind, the rumble of distant thunder…
Bell’s Mind Sliver easily pierces the unintelligent creature’s non-existent mental defenses and it shudders in pain. Erudisia’s spell, though weak, blasts into it as well.
Little One now leaps up and tackles the flying orb, ectoplasm glopping over his arms and chest as he pulls it further into the chamber, away from Erudisia and Bell.
Shadi regains their wits and scrambles for cover behind Meredith.
The orb, now visibly weakened, seems to vanish — but no! It has transformed into a mouse and is on the tile floor under the ogre’s feet as said ogre wheels left and right searching for it. The mouse dashes straight behind him, along the shelf bottoms through the stacks.
(To keep it in view you’ll have to move 30’ into the stacks.)
A thought occurs to Erudisia, who has never heard of a gingwatzim. “Is it some type of fungus, Bell?” she asks.
The Avowed Priestess' shoes are cleansed in an instant. She flashes a look of thanks to Bell.
"Yes, I will report it to the Keeper of the Emerald Doors!," she says, turning to dash off. But she stops and turns back, one brow quirked so high the eyeball bugs out. "Where did it come from? There are no books in the peach tree chamber other than those you have brought in yourself."
Little One looks abashed, but also, curious. "Yes," he pants, still recovering. "You right. I get book from front gate, bring in. Seeker arrive with it as their donation earlier today..."
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Erudisia asks Little One who the seeker was, and why it was given to one of the Scholar’s Shields this morning, did Little One ask for it or was he sought out and offered it?
Satisfied for the moment with the response to her question, the Avowed Priestess hurries off downstairs to alert Valna Oxalonthrinn, the Keeper of the Emerald Gate.
“I don’t know,” Little One answers Erudisia, thoughtfully, when she asks her question. “We have standing request at gate for any donate books which Adjudicators notice fall in our subject areas… I am notify. Can ask adjudicant who brought book. Since was accepted, that person must be in Candlekeep.”
Suddenly, you all hear a screech of terror echoing up from somewhere below, from the opposite direction to where the priestess went.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Meredith didn't hesitate, much to her own surprise, and legged it downstairs towards the source of the scream....
Erudisia runs after Meredith, towards the sound of the scream, only a footstep behind.
You (all) run downstairs and into one of the libraries, following the sound. It’s Shadi’s voice! You burst into a wide room, and see them – Shadi, the herengon – on the floor, back against the end of one of the long lines of bookshelves that fill the room, a blue blob hovering over them, black necrotic energy swirling!
"Keep away from me!," Shadi shouts at the thing, eyes bulging in fear, and, "HELP!," when they see you.
(OOC: We are back in initiative. Players may act in any order.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
(Can Erudisia make an investigative or Arcana check as her action? Based on what she knows from the last fight, or the environment here, are there any obvious things in the room that are bludgeoning? Was her force based magic effective as bludgeoning or was anything less effective? If they feed on magic are there any common antimagical things in a room like this where secrecy is valuable that the magic eating blob may abhor?)
(I think you’re asking because the Avowed priestess was able to stomp on the bug and kill it. However, to be clear, all attacks did normal damage to it: Little One smashed it, and Bell magic-missiled it twice. It had only 1HP remaining when the priestess stepped on it. They feed on life force. It really seems to Erudisia that unleashing her powers on it is the best way to discourage/stop it.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
(Ah ok, understood. I didn’t want to ‘feed’ it if it was the opposite of ‘immune to non-magical X’)
Erudisia speaks her most potent phrase of power, firing an Eldritch Blast holding all the lingering wrath of her thunderous patron, now an indelible stain on her soul and on the form of this magic.
Attack: 17. Damage: 13 force, 2 Thunder
Meredith cascaded into the room and took in the scene and the panicked haregon.
" Erudisia! That was savage, well done!!"
She threw her dagger at the thing trying to avoid hitting anything else....
Attack: 11 Damage: 4
BA- Bardic Inspiration to Erudisia ( 1d6)
Bell stumbles forward as Meredith and Erudisia let loose their spells and weapons.
Seeing that Shadi is not in the line of sight, she gestures, producing three darts of energy which fly forward to strike the orb.
<<< 2 + 5 + 4 = 11 pts of force damage from Magic Missile
"Shadi, get behind us!"
Erudisia’s blast booms and crackles, smashing into the orb, and Bell’s arcane darts unerringly strike it, but Meredith’s dagger is batted out of the air by a lightning branching of the creature’s necrotic energy.
Little One picks up a study desk and hurls it at the orb, but more necrotic energy shatters the makeshift missile into pieces.
Shadi crosses their arms in front of their face and tightens into a ball, certain their end has come. But with sudden ferocity, the gingwazim launches across the chamber until it hovers directly above Erudisia (whose attack seemed to do the most damage). “Huuunnnngerrr!! Feeeeddd!!,” the Moonshae maiden hears in her mind as the blue orb's dark lightning tendrils probe downwards.
Gingwazim vs Erudisia: 16 to hit / 12 necrotic damage and on a hit, target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Erudisia screams!
Where the tendrils linger her pale skin blackens and bruises. She grows wan and yellow and her skin seems almost to wither before your eyes. As she stumbles back from the creature’s psionic voice, she teeters, like a dead tree in a gale, only moments from collapse, suddenly ruinously tired.
"ERUDISIA!!", Meredith screams.
Not having anything else to hand she attempted to grab hold of the tendrils and pull the thing down to a more manageable height.
Attack: 5 Damage: 1
Athletics ( to try and yank it down)- 4
Bell watches as Erudisia is drained by the orb and Meredith leaps to grapple it...
No more mana to throw force darts, she is forced to attempt a different form of attack - Mind Sliver
Bell drives a disorienting spike of psychic energy into the mind of the orb. 4 pts psychic damage {game log}
(( INT 13 for orb to save ))
(OOC: @NycrolB, Erudisia can still take a turn if you want to.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
With a trembling hand, Erudisia points her luminous dragon chess piece at her foe as she staggers back to make space. A gust of wind, the rumble of distant thunder…
Attack Roll: 17. Damage: 4 force, 2 thunder.
Bell’s Mind Sliver easily pierces the unintelligent creature’s non-existent mental defenses and it shudders in pain. Erudisia’s spell, though weak, blasts into it as well.
Little One now leaps up and tackles the flying orb, ectoplasm glopping over his arms and chest as he pulls it further into the chamber, away from Erudisia and Bell.
Shadi regains their wits and scrambles for cover behind Meredith.
The orb, now visibly weakened, seems to vanish — but no! It has transformed into a mouse and is on the tile floor under the ogre’s feet as said ogre wheels left and right searching for it. The mouse dashes straight behind him, along the shelf bottoms through the stacks.
(To keep it in view you’ll have to move 30’ into the stacks.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Meredith chased after the creature hoping to act as spotter for the others.
Move 30' stackward.
Perception- 20