Cratol moves with the others checking side passages once the way is clear again. Where these Frummphs are and what they are is just something he wonders.
The main group slowly picks its way along while the rest quickly explore passages to the sides. Several times the latter group are forced to retreat due to the presence of mindflayers or their servants. Overall it makes for slow going.
Hours later, the scouting group spots a single eyeball on a stalk protruding from a tiny vent in the ceiling of the passage they were in. It quickly retreats. The vent is too small for any of the group to pass through, so they move on and try to find another way.
Shortly afterwards, a strange thumping noise betrays the presence of something behind the scouting party. As they look, a strange disclike body floats around a corner. Its flesh is pale and partly translucent, and a number of tentacles protrude from its form, some dangling below and covered in spiky protrusions, two emerging from the top of the disc and holding eyes. The creature floats in the air without any apparent effort. As you watch, you observe it maneuvering by aiming a tentacle and expelling air from the tip with a 'flumph' sound.
The creature glows a faint blue as it stops and regards the scouting party. They can all hear a voice in their heads saying, "We do not sense the mindtaint upon you. Might we converse in sacred peace?"
Velon watches Zz'Pzora like a hawk while the others are away, although tries to be casual about it and not glare at her such as to raise her ire. He also tries to stay between her and Lia without being too obvious, asking his favorite cleric to listen ahead for any more patrols.
Cratol looks at this creature as it moves slightly and understands how they got their name. When he hears the voice in his head he nods his head and answers "Yes we can speak in peace. May we converse back away from the mind tainters?"
Jumping a bit as the mental voice reaches him, Lawrance realizes that it's not the Elder Brain 'talking' to them through their protections and he calms down before grinning wide at yet another new creation of the universe in his life. He nods as well as Cratol accepts the invite, eager to learn more about these curious creatures.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Can you tell me the difference between a witch and a wizard?" "Sure, a wizard is what they call you when they want to hire you, and a witch is what they call you when they're getting ready to run you out of town.” SunWolf replied ― Barbara Hambly, The Witches of Wenshar
"Of course we would be honored to converse with such wonderful beings! My name is Perry Pennington, how can we help, sir and or madam flumph? We come in peace," Perry says to the flumph.
The strange creature continues "This news gladdens me. This one has chosen a name for airspeakers to use. Mint is this one's name. I come with warning. You near a terrible place with terrible creatures. They would seek to enslave your minds or worse."
Velon finds that although the group has been gone for mere minutes, each effort that splits the party seems to take forever when he ponders what he might do if Zz'Pzora were to attack.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Perry casts a quick spell on himself. Then, Perry replies to the cute creature, "Why it's sooo nice to meet you Mint, my flumphy friend! We are actually aware of the evil tentacled menace you speak of. Listen, we need information on these things. Do you know how we could quickly reach their central location discretely? Or any other information about them? Have you seen a giant brain? Have the hurt you or your kind? We are here to help root them out. Will you help us?"
Perry Persuasion /w adv from Enhance Ability: 18, 19
The creature lazily waves a tentacle. "We do not present a threat to them, and cannot be controlled, eaten, or converted. Therefore as far as they're concerned, we simply do not exist. But we grieve for every soul the mind tainters take."
"You risk much by coming even this close, let alone seeking out the center of their collective. I have not seen much of their city, but there are those amongst my cloister who have. If you care to follow me, we may be able to provide the information you seek."
“Can you tell me the difference between a witch and a wizard?" "Sure, a wizard is what they call you when they want to hire you, and a witch is what they call you when they're getting ready to run you out of town.” SunWolf replied ― Barbara Hambly, The Witches of Wenshar
The scouts backtrack to collect the main group, and then a few of them follow Mint. The entry to the cloister proves to be a relatively narrow crevice nestled in a high portion of the tunnel. The group had walked right past it. Even knowing it was there, it was difficult to see and even harder to climb to without assistance.
It was simple enough for Mint of course, they just floated up and through, dragging a knotted rope to dangle down for your benefit. It took a bit of doing, but everyone going eventually climbed up. You find yourself in an airy cavern with a number of side pockets that appear to have been hollowed out. There are perhaps a dozen creatures like Mint here, several of which are keeping their distance. Motes of light in various colors trace a slow pattern around the area, keeping it lit. Dimly lit by surface standards, but it is likely quite pleasant for the denizens of these lands.
One creature unlike the others stands out. It has large nearly black spherical body with numerous tentacles, most of them tipped with eyes, a single large eye on the main body, and a lampreylike mouth. It has a distinctly menacing appearance, and seems to glare at you as you enter.
One especially wrinkled flumph approaches shortly after you come in. "I greet the travelers. This one is known to airspeakers as Abbot Fel. Mint has communicated to me that you seek to know of the mind tainters. What might we assist you with?"
I'll leave it up to you guys exactly who does and does not go to the cloister, but the flumphs would object to either Zz'Pzora or Balaena entering, and I assume some would stay with them.
To Lawrence and anyone else that can pass a DC 15 arcana check, they would know that the new creature is a mindwitness, the result of a beholder becoming infected with an illithid parasite.
Velon will stay behind to keep an eye on Zz'Pzora, as he promised to their escorts. He wouldn't mind some company, but would ask Perry to do his thing with his new friends.
Upon seeing the floating eyed creature, Lawrance exclaims "Ohhh, a Mindwitness! I've read about these in the details about the breeding and spreading of the Illithid race! It's a former beholder, if you can imagine, that got infested by the Illithid larvae. The combination of the reality-altering existence of the beholder and the domination mentality of the Illithid-spawn breaks the intelligence of both. This result is nearly mindless - little better than a trained hound - and can be controlled and made loyal to any sufficiently powerful psychic. They apparently are only used as guardians by the Illithid Elder brain. This one, being so far from the Brain, was probably taken over by the Flumphs. Quite the coup against their enemies! Effective, too, since it supposedly has all the beholder's abilities and well as the Illithids. A deadly guardian, for sure."
Studying the aberration, he makes mental notes of it's appearance and strange, distorted existence.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“Can you tell me the difference between a witch and a wizard?" "Sure, a wizard is what they call you when they want to hire you, and a witch is what they call you when they're getting ready to run you out of town.” SunWolf replied ― Barbara Hambly, The Witches of Wenshar
Morgaine will volunteer to stay behind to keep Velon company and also keep an eye on the escorts as well as ZzPzora. She will whisper to Poljen to be carful and to come back to her. if he is still there beside her and not gone with the others on the scouting trip with the flumph.
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Cratol moves with the others checking side passages once the way is clear again. Where these Frummphs are and what they are is just something he wonders.
Mari heads out with the other stealthy ones to search out the side passage. She has blades drawn in each hand and walks on her toes.
Stealth: 22
Perception: 27
Poljen goes down the passages, trying to be quiet.
Stealth w/Adv 10 12
The main group slowly picks its way along while the rest quickly explore passages to the sides. Several times the latter group are forced to retreat due to the presence of mindflayers or their servants. Overall it makes for slow going.
Hours later, the scouting group spots a single eyeball on a stalk protruding from a tiny vent in the ceiling of the passage they were in. It quickly retreats. The vent is too small for any of the group to pass through, so they move on and try to find another way.
Shortly afterwards, a strange thumping noise betrays the presence of something behind the scouting party. As they look, a strange disclike body floats around a corner. Its flesh is pale and partly translucent, and a number of tentacles protrude from its form, some dangling below and covered in spiky protrusions, two emerging from the top of the disc and holding eyes. The creature floats in the air without any apparent effort. As you watch, you observe it maneuvering by aiming a tentacle and expelling air from the tip with a 'flumph' sound.
The creature glows a faint blue as it stops and regards the scouting party. They can all hear a voice in their heads saying, "We do not sense the mindtaint upon you. Might we converse in sacred peace?"
Velon watches Zz'Pzora like a hawk while the others are away, although tries to be casual about it and not glare at her such as to raise her ire. He also tries to stay between her and Lia without being too obvious, asking his favorite cleric to listen ahead for any more patrols.
Cratol looks at this creature as it moves slightly and understands how they got their name. When he hears the voice in his head he nods his head and answers "Yes we can speak in peace. May we converse back away from the mind tainters?"
Jumping a bit as the mental voice reaches him, Lawrance realizes that it's not the Elder Brain 'talking' to them through their protections and he calms down before grinning wide at yet another new creation of the universe in his life. He nods as well as Cratol accepts the invite, eager to learn more about these curious creatures.
“Can you tell me the difference between a witch and a wizard?"
"Sure, a wizard is what they call you when they want to hire you, and a witch is what they call you when they're getting ready to run you out of town.” SunWolf replied
― Barbara Hambly, The Witches of Wenshar
"Of course we would be honored to converse with such wonderful beings! My name is Perry Pennington, how can we help, sir and or madam flumph? We come in peace," Perry says to the flumph.
The strange creature continues "This news gladdens me. This one has chosen a name for airspeakers to use. Mint is this one's name. I come with warning. You near a terrible place with terrible creatures. They would seek to enslave your minds or worse."
Velon finds that although the group has been gone for mere minutes, each effort that splits the party seems to take forever when he ponders what he might do if Zz'Pzora were to attack.
Perry casts a quick spell on himself. Then, Perry replies to the cute creature, "Why it's sooo nice to meet you Mint, my flumphy friend! We are actually aware of the evil tentacled menace you speak of. Listen, we need information on these things. Do you know how we could quickly reach their central location discretely? Or any other information about them? Have you seen a giant brain? Have the hurt you or your kind? We are here to help root them out. Will you help us?"
Perry Persuasion /w adv from Enhance Ability: 18, 19
The creature lazily waves a tentacle. "We do not present a threat to them, and cannot be controlled, eaten, or converted. Therefore as far as they're concerned, we simply do not exist. But we grieve for every soul the mind tainters take."
"You risk much by coming even this close, let alone seeking out the center of their collective. I have not seen much of their city, but there are those amongst my cloister who have. If you care to follow me, we may be able to provide the information you seek."
Perry looks over to Velon, "What do you say, boss? Personally I really like flumphs and think this could be a great, jellyful opportunity."
Lawrance aKeeps a sharp eye out for any trouble, his Rope's powers at their fullest extent.
“Can you tell me the difference between a witch and a wizard?"
"Sure, a wizard is what they call you when they want to hire you, and a witch is what they call you when they're getting ready to run you out of town.” SunWolf replied
― Barbara Hambly, The Witches of Wenshar
Cratol makes ready to follow the floomph to know they can provide us with much better info on the mind flayers home will prove invaluable
The scouts backtrack to collect the main group, and then a few of them follow Mint. The entry to the cloister proves to be a relatively narrow crevice nestled in a high portion of the tunnel. The group had walked right past it. Even knowing it was there, it was difficult to see and even harder to climb to without assistance.
It was simple enough for Mint of course, they just floated up and through, dragging a knotted rope to dangle down for your benefit. It took a bit of doing, but everyone going eventually climbed up. You find yourself in an airy cavern with a number of side pockets that appear to have been hollowed out. There are perhaps a dozen creatures like Mint here, several of which are keeping their distance. Motes of light in various colors trace a slow pattern around the area, keeping it lit. Dimly lit by surface standards, but it is likely quite pleasant for the denizens of these lands.
One creature unlike the others stands out. It has large nearly black spherical body with numerous tentacles, most of them tipped with eyes, a single large eye on the main body, and a lampreylike mouth. It has a distinctly menacing appearance, and seems to glare at you as you enter.
One especially wrinkled flumph approaches shortly after you come in. "I greet the travelers. This one is known to airspeakers as Abbot Fel. Mint has communicated to me that you seek to know of the mind tainters. What might we assist you with?"
I'll leave it up to you guys exactly who does and does not go to the cloister, but the flumphs would object to either Zz'Pzora or Balaena entering, and I assume some would stay with them.
To Lawrence and anyone else that can pass a DC 15 arcana check, they would know that the new creature is a mindwitness, the result of a beholder becoming infected with an illithid parasite.
Velon will stay behind to keep an eye on Zz'Pzora, as he promised to their escorts. He wouldn't mind some company, but would ask Perry to do his thing with his new friends.
Upon seeing the floating eyed creature, Lawrance exclaims "Ohhh, a Mindwitness! I've read about these in the details about the breeding and spreading of the Illithid race! It's a former beholder, if you can imagine, that got infested by the Illithid larvae. The combination of the reality-altering existence of the beholder and the domination mentality of the Illithid-spawn breaks the intelligence of both. This result is nearly mindless - little better than a trained hound - and can be controlled and made loyal to any sufficiently powerful psychic. They apparently are only used as guardians by the Illithid Elder brain. This one, being so far from the Brain, was probably taken over by the Flumphs. Quite the coup against their enemies! Effective, too, since it supposedly has all the beholder's abilities and well as the Illithids. A deadly guardian, for sure."
Studying the aberration, he makes mental notes of it's appearance and strange, distorted existence.
“Can you tell me the difference between a witch and a wizard?"
"Sure, a wizard is what they call you when they want to hire you, and a witch is what they call you when they're getting ready to run you out of town.” SunWolf replied
― Barbara Hambly, The Witches of Wenshar
Cratol will climb up and go with those who are preparing to talk to the flumphs.
Morgaine will volunteer to stay behind to keep Velon company and also keep an eye on the escorts as well as ZzPzora. She will whisper to Poljen to be carful and to come back to her. if he is still there beside her and not gone with the others on the scouting trip with the flumph.