Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
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The writings seem to indicate that all the houses have started to coalesce together possible, in the wake of the recent events. But the most notable news is that the entire city is on lockdown and shielded. Attempts to divine anything inside the city will fail as the populace is on the defensive.
Slightly frustrated with the lack of information on his house, Traydark would turn his research to the events at Velkynvelve and particularly if Mistress Ilvara is still searching for her escaped prisoners.
Lulu puts a reassuring hand on Horkas’ shoulder. “I can help with that, ye wee codger,” she smiles, and offers to enhance the group’s abilities so they can better find whatever they’re looking for. (Will recast Enhance Ability at 4th level to cover Katryl, Horkas, and Khessa, giving them all adv on WIS checks.)
Records indicate a group of adventuring mercenaries slaughtered the Mistress and her entourage several months ago. The adventurers were the only survivors.
(Heh, that was poorly phrased of me. Is there any records of a still ongoing search for the escaped prisoners/adventuring mercenaries?)
( :) no worries! But no, there is no record of a continuing search.)
"Thanks Lulu!" Khessa pats the benevolent Firbolg on her shoulder, feeling her friend's spell bring her more in tune with the enchanted reality of Gravenhollow. She then tries, out of mere curiosity and for study reasons, to find accounts of magical rituals performed in the Underdark - starting from the future and, if she has time, also in the present and in the past. If she finds information about such rituals, she tries to write down everything she finds useful in her armored spellbook.
"Do you want to try this quest with me, Horkas?" the blonde arcane warrior offers the gnome, after having explained her intentions "I know that magical knowledge exerts a certain attraction on you too... Perhaps, if two of us search for the same thing, we will find more information!"
After which, alone or in company, the tall adventurer immerses herself once again in the meanders of the magical and unusual library... While she searches, however, she enjoys the feeling of peace and serenity that permeates that place! 'Outside here, the Underdark is becoming a new layer of the Abyss... Yet here everything seems so immutable... eternal... It's as if it were another dimension, a peaceful dimension of pure knowledge, completely separate from the Underdark - perhaps even from the mortal dimension? Perhaps this is why it is also partly separated from time and reality... and echoes of visitors, unreal and out of time, continue to wander here... Perhaps visitors from the future might come across an echo of me? If this is the case, I hope that my echo is helpful and kind... And who knows if someone might even meet their own echo? I wonder what it would be like, talking to a me from the future... or the past! I would be myself... but at the same time I wouldn't be. I wonder if I could learn something from myself?'
Khessa's Wisdom check: 10
Looks like Khessa is getting lost again.
(I am going to just put it here though, the future is unwritten, so not likely to find answers there.)
Horkas wanders about aimlessly, hoping to find some recent or future news about Lolth. (Wis: 14)
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
[[ OOC: Well, it might make sense, but if the future is unwritten... And for this reason it's not likely to find answers there... what use does the 'future' section of the library have? It seems strange that it was built, if it is not particularly useful... Anyway, OK... ]]
Khessa is used to getting lost in Gravenhollow, so it's no surprise to her when this happens to her again. 'It's obvious..' she thinks 'It happened because the future is unwritten - I can't find answers here. So, I can't help but get lost. Better to try with the past. What was I thinking?'
The blonde arcane warrior then attempts the same feat with the past...
Khessa's Wisdom check: 18
Oh, great! At least the past is written... Does Khessa manage to witness some interesting magical rituals or at least find fragments of arcane knowledge? [[ OOC: Obviously, what Khessa finds may very well have no particular impact in game terms... I'm just role-playing her wizardly 'lure of knowledge' ]]
There is no mention of Lolth currently, and future visionary writings are cryptic at best but seem to focus on the giant-kind. The future archives may not be of particular use or interest to you, but they are to the stone giants who keep the library.
The only major note she finds is from years past when the svirfniblen tried summoning some earth elementals but all they got were hordes of pebble sized elementals. Took them 3 ten-days to eradicate them all.
Katryl listened to the plans Traydark, Khessa, and Horkas had. And watched as they wander off. She then looks over at the firbolg. "Did you want to just head off on your own to look for your own thing? I'd be more than happy to tag along with you Lunaria. We can focus on what you were interested in. But did you want to start with a search for what happens when we cross the Veil? Or try and find the best pancake recipe?" She gives her a bit of a smile, ready to follow her.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric
Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Khessa can't help but giggle as she learns of the accidental pebble-sized-elemental invasion! However, she takes notes in her spellbook, both regarding the phenomenon and regarding rituals, gestures, magical formulas or material components that have been used.
If Horkas came with her, she will let him know (more to entertain him than anything else) - regardless, however, the blonde arcane warrior comments to herself as she takes notes: "It's a phenomenon that might be interesting study and make reproducible... A normal earth elemental is undoubtedly effective in battle, as Traydark regularly demonstrates to us; but there may be circumstances in which a pebble-sized version of it could be more useful... Espionage tasks, for example. With the ability to melt into earth and rock that earth elementals have... who would notice a pebble, fused to the floor, eavesdropping or peeking?"
At the end of the research (and of the day), the tall adventuress returns to the base. The next day, as per routine, she studies magic a little, reflecting on all the notes taken in the spellbook since the day she acquired it... then she directs the (non-violent!) physical training of the infantry, taking the opportunity to introduce them to what was discovered... then, she rejoins the other party members, to decide together what the Crystals should focus on that day.
At Katryl's question, Lulu's attention is pulled from far away. She smiles back at the genasi, and says of the pancake recipe, "I reckon that would be the most valuable secret in all the archives." With a laugh more breath than sound, she shakes her head. "But I've found all I need here, love. Why don't we go to the Past and see if we can find any account of your parents?" She meets Katryl's eyes and amends, "If that's what ye want. Or if ye'd prefer to go alone, I will take no offense."
Whatever they decide to do, Lulu
asks Katryl what she makes of Khessa's deceptions. And wonders if, perhaps, they needed to all sit together that evening and clear the air. About more things than just black dragons. They'd be leaving their safe haven soon enough and she'd rather return to the fight with all their cards on the table.
"Well... we could see if can find any account of my parents. And I'd be very glad to have your company," Katryl responds with just a bit of hesitancy. "I guess the pancake recipe can wait for a bit," she adds with a smile. She then sets her mind on trying to find out any accounts of fire genasi amongst the drow captives here in the Underdark. (Wisdom Check: 14)
As they walk, Katryl gives Lulu a questioning look. "Khessa's deceptions? I know you two have seemed to bump heads a bit, but I'm not entirely sure what the issue is Lunaria." She pauses a moment, giving a shrug, "Maybe it's more that I've not really been focused on her much. You are worried about a black dragon? Ah, the ghost that she saw?"
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric
Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
There is no current mention of fire genasi captives anywhere in the Underdark of note.
"Aye, the echo," Lulu replies with a heavy sigh. "T'was no' a dragon. But her denial of dishonesty was quite adamant. And... to what end?" Traydark she can understand. Lies seem a means of survival to the drow, just as they can be with the Feyfolk. And whatever truth he omits about what he's bound to--his magic with its familiar aura, so similar to the demons invading this plane--there was some expectation of secrecy. But Khessa had always seemed an honest and earnest sort to her.
"I'm concerned for her. After touching that gem, which we ken nothing about, and the Madness..." Lulu runs a hand up through her bangs, carding it over her white locks. "Perhaps it would no' be a wasted effort to look for information about it. What magic it contained. Where it came from?"