The One Who None Come Out: Campaign Thread

Quote from Gaiou >>

Quote from Gaiou >>

Once they arrive at the tavern and gather more details, Ashlass will begin to analyze the dungeon and its inhabitants.

Let’s see how much she knows about illithids—and the Elder Brain.

Arcana: 31 

OOC: Arcana check 31!? Does this mean Ashlass has a special interest in mind flayers?

 (OOC: Ashlass has fought, and killed mind flayers before, knowing there weaknesses well)

Quote from JSenecal >>

 

(OOC: Don't know if the hellhound will react. They are smart enough to understand speech, but don't normally understand common. It would definitely help in communicating if this one did 🙂)

 (OOC: The dog doesn't react, but I might let you learn abyssal after a while (And maybe a side quest))

(OOC: Or maybe Gail will find a magic item that will let her talk with her new pet.)

Once they arrive at the tavern, Gail will ask for a large chunk of raw meat for Ignus. She figures it will be easier to keep him(her?) from  attacking townsfolk if he(she?) is not hungry.

Musashi's inner monologue: The Tiefling knows of the Archipelago...she has seen the banners of the clans.  Her soul is scorched, much like the land she was found in, but her knowledge of the mind-eaters is a weapon more valuable than a hundred swords.  The Druid, too, carries the weight of a lost friend...a debt of blood that only the death of the Brain can settle.  We are no longer a band of survivors...we are a disciplined strike force!

Musashi pauses at the threshold of the tavern, the light of the setting sun catching the gold filigree on his Ō-yoroi.  He gives Ashlass a sharp, single nod...a silent confirmation of his "Bushi" roots...before looking toward Dunen and the fox.

"Gail has her hound, and the Druid has his fox" Musashi rumbles, his voice carrying clearly over the tavern's din.  "If we are to hunt a god-brain, we will need every tooth and every spell.  I will take this evening to meditate to sharpen my own spirit.  The 'One Who None Come Out' will not find us so easy to swallow a second time!"

He turns to the group, his expression as unyielding as his iron maul.  "Drink your fill tonight.  Tomorrow, the real work begins."

Gail raises her mug, "Here! Here!"

As promised, Ashlass buys drinks for the party. She cradles a small glass of sherry, quietly listening as the adventurers tell their story.

When they finish, she sets the glass down and speaks.

“The creatures at the bottom of the chasm are most likely illithids. Aberrations—from some distant, unpleasant corner of the universe. Physically fragile… but don’t be fooled. These squid-headed bastards hit hard.”

She taps her temple.

“They read thoughts. They resist magic. Natural predators of wizards—because their favorite food is…intelligent brains.”

Ashlass leans back slightly, taking a sip from her glass.

“But we’re not helpless prey. My order especially. We’ve developed ways to kill them. Given what you’ve described, we should strike immediately. Those Big Brains you saw? They are Elder Brains—the queens of the hive. They don’t just read minds. They can sense sentient creatures for miles.”

A brief pause to let her words sink in.

“If we delay, it learns. Our tactics. Our spells. Our strengths—and our weaknesses. It prepares. But right now? We’re unpredictable. New members. New methods. New magic.”

Her fingers lightly touch against the table.

“A perfect moment for a surprise attack.”

"I'm good at hunting, esteemed companions on the journey, in adventure - and in battle, it seems. I can approach my prey silently and unseen..." Etriel Darastrix concedes, while her independent floating hand unhurriedly stirs the herbal tea that has been brought to her. "And I'm ready to go whenever everybody is. But it won't be easy to surprise creatures that can sense sentient creatures for miles. How precise is their perception?" her green eyes meet those of the tiefling "If it's accurate enough to reveal our position to them, stealth won't be an option."

"Of course, we'll prevail anyway" the Eladrin Huntress seems undeterred. "Stealth isn't our only asset. If I can get within a hundred feet of one of those creatures, I can unleash a hail of steel and fire upon it that it won't be able to withstand for long. But since we have your invaluable knowledge of the enemy at our disposal, Lady Ashlass, we should think in detail about what works and what doesn't."

'The features of a devil...' the Foreign Traveler privately ponders Ashlass's appearance. 'Perhaps a life that has resembled hell... Far different from my peaceful and fulfilling childhood on the Hill of Living Stars in the Feywild. Yet, the trials she has endured have given her the knowledge that will make it easier for us to win—and her appearance does not define her; in fact, she is putting that knowledge to work for us. She is unquestionably a valuable traveling companion; perhaps the Lunar Lady herself, in her infinite and cryptic wisdom, has caused our paths to cross here.'

Quote from JSenecal >>

(OOC: Or maybe Gail will find a magic item that will let her talk with her new pet.)

Once they arrive at the tavern, Gail will ask for a large chunk of raw meat for Ignus. She figures it will be easier to keep him(her?) from  attacking townsfolk if he(she?) is not hungry.

 (OOC: Lets say that the dog uses they/them pronouns. idk)

Gale says, "I'm just good with hitting things with weapons. But the first thing is to figure out how we're going to approach and prepare for that. Going 50 feet down in the chasm gets you directly to the chamber with the big brain. But going down ropes leaves you vulnerable during the descent, and I don't think Ignus here can climb ropes. I learned the original path to the brain, but that involves going though most of the colony. Any advice as to the best approach and how we can prepare?"

"If it's simply a matter of descending, Lady Gale," Etriel Darastrix reveals "I know a simple spell that can allow up to five falling creatures to land harmlessly in a matter of seconds. And there's no need to include me in that number, for I have the means to fly."

Gail nods, "That will work, there was a ledge we could land on."

"Then we'll glide down, like dragons to their prey" Etriel Darastrix smiles. "And now, with an effective engagement tactic already established, perhaps we can focus on preparing for the battle. You'd returned to town to recuperate, I imagine... perhaps also to acquire new equipment."

Gail says, "I could use some time to train with Ignus so that we can coordinate in  a fight. I think Ignus is smart, so a day or two should be enough."

Doc JoJo looks over to Ashlass, "While Gail trains the pup, let's make some potions."

"The Tiefling speaks of predators that feast on the mind.  In my homeland, we were taught that a warrior’s spirit must be a fortress: unbreakable, silent, and windowless.  If this Elder Brain seeks to read my thoughts, it will find only the cold edge of a blade and the weight of a mountain."

Musashi stands by the window, his silhouette a jagged line of crimson iron against the dimming light.  He doesn't touch the drinks, but he listens to the plan of descent with a tactical eye.

"One to two days" Musashi rumbles, his voice steady.  "Gail will sharpen the hound...Doc will brew his potions...and I will take that time to push my own vessel to its limit.  If we are to fall like dragons into a hive of mind-eaters, I intend to be the heaviest blow that lands."

He turns his head slightly toward Etriel.  "Your feathered fall will get us to the ledge.  From there, I will take the lead.  If the Brain senses us coming, let it sense only its own end."

“I’ve killed a handful of squid-heads… but I’ve never faced an Elder Brain.” She shrugs lightly. “So my knowledge is limited. From the notes left by my brethren who *have* encountered one—their psychic sense works much like sight. They can ‘see’ us. They know our numbers, our races… but not our equipment or spells. Not unless we reveal them.”

Ashlass pulls a small notebook from her bag and flips it open.

“Their greatest weakness is arrogance. Illithids don’t see us as a threat—only as livestock ...Food.”

Her eyes drift across Gail, Musashi, and Jojo.

“Have any of you had… a strange daydream? Being attacked. Overwhelmed. Your brain devoured while you’re still alive? That’s how they soften their prey. The Brain tries to break your will—make your mind… tender.”

She closes the notebook with a soft snap.

“The good news? They don’t feast until the prey is ready. So… we still have time to prepare.”

“*Feather Fall* is a good spell.”

Ashlass nods at Etriel.

“But I have a better option. A spell that could make one of you…”

She pauses, eyes settling on Dunen.

“You’re a druid, right? Do you have *Polymorph*? If so…then we make TWO of you—bigger, tougher, and stronger. You’ll still be able to use your weapons, climb rock like it’s flat ground. The downside is…”

She tilts her head, like a little bird.

“You’ll be very fluffy.”

"I offered my simplest spell because it seemed to me to guarantee the greatest results with the least effort," the floating hand offers the tea, now thoroughly stirred, to Etriel Darastrix, and she begins to sip it, smiling at the tifeling "but of course, any improvement is welcome, Lady Ashlass. if Lord Dunen agress," and the green eyes of the dragon-elf focus on the Druid, who for now seems to be pondering in silence rather than actively participating in the conversation "having two of us bigger, tougher, and stronger will certainly be an advantage."

"Personally, I have no preparations to make" the Foreign Traveler declares. "I will familiarize myself a little with the culture of this village, which will surely have been influenced significantly by having a Dunegon of such a sinister reputation nearby... The inhabitants are in a unique situation in the world and must, consequently, have developed an equally unique and rich tradition. But I will be ready to leave as soon as you all are."

Her eyes drift across Gail, Musashi, and Jojo.

“Have any of you had… a strange daydream? Being attacked...

Doc answers, "yes just before you arrived, I was grabbed and paralyzed or stunned and could not save my team and my brain became mush, oozing out my nose and ears...such a horrible nightmare..."

Gail answers, "It wasn't a day dream, but I found my body moving against my will to attack Musashi. Fortunately I missed."