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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There are many skilled craftsmen working at the Citadel. Starker easily finds one willing to adorn the illithid skull.
The “collection of cords and wires” is a coded repository of some kind. Like a book, but ‘written’ in knots and threads. It will take focused study to decode this.
Starker:”Quipu!!!! Something to study while I wait to receive my Staff!”
studies the bejeesus out of it.
The monks are happy to spar with Chadwick. The novices are sent to work with him on basic unarmed techniques, stances and katas. They spend an inordinate amount time talking about how to breathe.
He sits to read Illiandil’s journal. It is written in Draconic and other languages. Between ‘rejuvenation’ treatments Serethia translates the journal for Chadwick.
She tries to explain to Chadwick the Great Wheel Cosmology. But, eventually loses interest in the struggle.
*To himself* I know how to breath! Why do we keep practicing this and not OW!...did not see that one coming.
Chadwick is grateful for the translation and notices how pleasant she's smells, but in a rare showing of self control keeps it to himself
For the first time in what seems like a long time, Trolkarl is letting himself relax.
He moves unarmored and unhurried, accepting warm baths, clean robes, and unguarded sleep with disbelieving gratitude. He wanders the halls and terraces simply to spend time watching the residents of the citadel, perhaps finding a chess opponent, and a nice meal.
For a few days, he is quietly thankful.
Kragen spends his first few days in reflection and prayer, he engages a priest he sees to inquire about the Justice Bringer and any followers. His thoughts are still scattered and in disbelief at the events fleeing the Lich,s abyssal abode.
The Demi plane and his current location has him extremely confused on his cosmic location. He spends some time discussing this realm with other priests, attempting to get his bearings. All of this is very confusing to this humble dwarf.
Kragen, being extremely concerned about Illiandials phylaxtery, attempts to inquire about its condition and requests support to destroy the evil repository.
Tythe's 100gp to a diety seen as aligned with The Justice Bringer.
Kragen eventually joins the others for sup and libations after satisfying his soul.
"Bard, your lilt was quit stirring, your ability of story telling through song rivals the great dwarven bards of my homeland!" Slaps him heartily on the back.
In his downtime, Xymox balances his time between relaxing days and sleepless nights. He can never rest from his bardic instincts, observing his environment and those in it. Making mental notes and writing about what he sees and hears. Then formulating the music and playing it for the local patrons of nearby establishments. He also spends time listening and asking for any information that may be relevant to his personal struggles regarding his family.
He does visit shops looking for useful items for his next adventure: A healing potion for one. But, he also looks for a potential magic weapon, namely magical scimitars. He wanders the local shops looking for anything else that might catch his interest.
He spends his evenings entertaining, drinking, romancing (with a bit of an eye for a certain tiefling conjuror), but always looking for anything that may further his pursuits. Any signs of The Deep Rose Faction, its surface ally The Gilded Veil, or he and The Company's mutual antagonist are immediately investigated with vigor. Xymox feels himself a bit restless, even frustrated at times with his lack of progress. He knows that in order to find the answers that he is looking for, he must leave the comfort of this place very soon.
Sometime when The Company is gathered together Starker says to Yartol:”It seems that our next task when we return home is to murder a certain dragon and take its accumulated riches. Can you tell us about this dragon, how it earned your animosity, where it might be found, or anything else that would help us to prepare for its inhumation?
<turning to the company> ”Has anyone heard when my Staff is to be returned to me”
Hands Cyrus a long strip of apple peel sealed back on itself with a half twist, muttering: ”I wonder if this will cause his intestines to become a Klein Bottle?”
Cyrus looks up to Starker with wide eyes after his musing. He then takes the apple peel and munches contentedly.
Yartol answers Starker's questions over ale in the dining hall. "Gryndreneur was the target of my previous associates. She is an old white dragon living in the Spine of the World mountains. Her breath can freeze and entire lake solid in one blast. We thought we would be able to overwhelm the beast in its lair. Claiming its riches was our goal," he begins and then pauses. Taking a large gulp of ale he continues, "Things did not work out that way. Things went against us from the start. Nothing bounced our way and the dragon overwhelmed us. I was unconscious, having fallen down a cleft. I escaped its rampage following the attack. After I came to, I was able to slip out of the mountain lair while it slept off it feast. She ate all of my companions." He then looks Starker in the eye, "I will see that beast dead. The treasures are yours. I seek revenge."
Listening to Yartol's retelling of his history with Gryndreneur.
You have been a loyal companion, Yartol. I look forward to our next journey to slay this evil creature and hopefully bring you some peace.
Turning to Starker
As to the divisions of treasure, we should do what is best for the Company. I have no issue with you taking this staff. Xygag asked us to retrieve that staff for him. We were charged to bring it to him in Waterdeep. But...Why should he have a greater claim to it than you?
You make a compelling case.
However, you alone were warned that the staff was beyond your capabilities. You are more capable now than when we heard this warning. Fair enough.
You were warned it would consume you. However, I can't argue with your reasoning and confidence that all will be safe.
I also recall Xygag petitioning Tymora to bless our efforts. I feel thankful to have been so lucky in all our endeavors. Perhaps, we do owe Xygag a bit of respect.
We could look within the Citadel for worshipers of Tymora. Ask for support with a few messages of Sending to let Xygag know you are now powerful enough, there is no risk, that you will begin using it, and he has no reason to worry. I should expect he wouldn't need all of these charts and graphs, he seemed like a reasonable fellow.
This seems like a gentlemanly way to handle this matter, especially with someone that we would not like to offend.
I would feel more comfortable knowing that he is at ease with this matter.
Kragen responds to Trolkarl "As much as i want our Mage to continue to enhance his capabilities, i would rather us all know the Staff's capability. This will not be a shocking statement to anyone, however if that Staff has capabilities which naturally would be ill in nature, i would rather destroy it. Consulting Xygag seems a prudent and wise decision given who had possession of the artifact. That does not mean we should wholly trust this Xygag, just gage his desire and rationale for gaining possession."
"I can send to Xygag and let him know we have gained possession of the Staff."
"By the way, where in the Material Plane are we??"
Starker:”There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so, Father.”
Kragen ponders Starkers comment "if that were so, then you continue to fool yourself my son. Values define who we are, you demonstrate them continuously."
Xymox will identify and legend lore the annoying talking sword.
When Chadwick hears of Xymox attempts with the sword he will attempt to intervene.
"That sword needs to be destroyed! It should have been handed over with the rest of the artifacts."
He pauses to take out notes? Chadwick has notes? He doesn't notice the looks.
"Serethia helped me with the translation of the journal, and I have something here about it (Starker is aghast at his barely legible scribbles).
found the sword Soulrend. It is powerful and dangerous. Careful who I allow to wield it. (You feel his notes might not be an exact translation).
"First off with a name like Soulrend you know it's bad news. Second, if Illiandil is wary of it, it must be bad news. I tried to posses me, it needs to be destroyed."
He stands firm and grim, like he's been practicing Kragen's glare at Starker.
Starker sighing as he makes a plea he finds unanswerable but which astonishingly never convinces his friends and colleagues :”We must not destroy Soulrend, we must study it.
”While there are artifacts which can control the body or possess the mind of those who grasp them, it is often the case that that control or possession only instantiates after a battle of wills. And in any battle of will testing adherence to the esthetic of Tyr I know I would wager on Sir Chadwick’s prevailing. But, if I should lose that wager, I am confident that the remaining members of The Company can, united, prevent our young paladin from causing harm before he is cured.
”What would Illiandal fear but a man reckoned good wielding a powerful weapon?
”Perhaps our host will know more about this collection of powerful items or its former owner?
”Our first order of business, though, should be dictated by my cowardice and the prudence of others: we must see the phylactery destroyed lest Illiandal return and kill me.”
Xymox: "My friends, with all of the excruciatingly unproductive down time that we have had, I took it upon myself to dig in a little deeper regarding the loud-mouth sword that we discovered." He looks at Chadwick. "I know that many of you are concerned about having this sword in our possession, so I took time Identify and Legend Lore it. Here is what happened and what I learned..."
When I completed the casting of Legend Lore, the smoke did not disperse.
It gathered.
It tightened into script that burned in the air — letters of dim crimson and bruised violet, layered atop one another. The words were spoken in a voice that is not wholly singular:
Hear now the chronicle of severance,
of edge unmaking edge.
Born not for slaughter but for prison,
a sheath for the unspeakable,
a line drawn against the formless tide.
Yet pride laid hand upon it,
and Illiandil, architect of defiance,
fed it tyrant-thought and saintly flame inverted.
Thus was containment made hunger.
Thus was purpose refined to appetite.
It hath supped upon the radiant,
drunk deep of the cunning,
and learned the taste of titans’ marrow.
Five souls sing within its hollow choir,
and none are free.
It serveth not.
It chooseth.
It aligneth with ambition and devoureth hesitation.
Break it not by hammer,
nor drown it in dragon’s breath,
for iron and flame are but courtiers to its will.
Only when the bound light riseth unbound,
or when thought consumeth thought in paradox,
or when willing spirits overfill the chalice,
shall the edge unwrite itself.
Yet mark this, seeker of stories—
whosoever lifteth the blade to end it
must first be measured by it.
For Soulrend seeketh ever a hand
steady enough to hold dominion,
and cold enough to keep it.
In futures branching like fractured glass,
one shadow standeth central—
thy shadow, Xymox.
Whether thou art wielder, breaker,
or feast,
remaineth unwrit.
Choose with care, O mind that peers too deeply.
For the blade now peereth back.
As the final words fade, the incense gutters out.
For a moment, Xymox feels as though something vast has blinked — and taken note.
After relaying the incident, Xymox continues. "There is no question that the sword is evil in nature. The question is, what to do with it."
Starker:”Is there a place nearby where people with suicidal tendencies congregate and fabricate stools and weave ropes? Or a poorly funded orphanage? I am intrigued by the phrase ‘when willing spirits overfill the chalice, shall the edge unwrite itself.’
Xymox shrugs at Starker.
"Did I mention that the sword can turn into a scimitar if i ask it to? Quite amazing, really."
Kragen frowns at Starker, then shakes his head and walks away.