Waterdeep: Camel Heist (2020)

Dekhan and Incantis are standing, still in the same storeroom where you spent the night, perhaps discussing the possible options ahead of you. 

Scupper, you are sitting on a barrel nearby, just coming to the end of your search through the book.  It was quite hard to piece together what you wanted; the book doesn't describe anything that resembles the skull you have seen, but it does contain accounts of undead that were set to guard a specific room or item; one ghostly spirit blasted lightning at any intruder in its former home, and could only be placated by the toy rattle of his dead child.  Another monster guarded a door; the creature itself is described in only the vaguest of terms beyond the fact that when destroyed, it regenerated and attacked again within a few minutes.  The book tells of how a cleric of Lathander was able to 'end the curse' of the creature, though it is not specific about how that was accomplished.  Later in the book, there is a description of a large underground complex of unknown purpose which the author believes, apparently against the opinion of most other scholars, has a connection to Netheril.  In its recounting of the various traps he found within is a skull that was fixed in position and blasted any who approached with fire; the author describes how he hired a user of arcane magic to approach the skull, with many magical protections, and she was able to dispel the effect from the skull, leaving it permanently inert.  This is definitely not something you can do, but your new familiarity with arcane magic allows you at least to imagine that it might be possible.

As you complete your reading, you notice that Varinth has walked quietly, and alone, out of the storeroom.

Varinth, despite the pounding in your head, you make your way out of the room where you rested, and recalling your explorations from before you head south and west before turning east towards the fungus room.

Strix is in at the cavern with the floating skull - details below.

(Will the rest of the party follow?)

(Does this retcon mean Strix isn't having a conversation with the Skull?)

Quote from Nunberry >>

(Does this retcon mean Strix isn't having a conversation with the Skull?)

 Sorry, not intended as a retcon, just an oversight on my part.  Will update in a moment.

Strix, the skull rotates and glares at you in response to your question.  I am glad that you are remaining outside the cave.  Ensure that it remains that way. 

As long as you do not attempt to enter the furnace room, the skull does not appear to initiate hostilities.  However, it does not answer any of Strix's questions or respond to anything else he has said so far.  Will Strix stay and attempt to continue the conversation, or return to the rest of the party?

(Nope! Back to the group - both because talking to him is pointless and because seeing us leave the way we came will hopefully put us in his good graces :D )

Ah...feck. Where's Vaz gone off te? Anyone? 

Scupper start whistling 'What Shall we do with a Drunken Sailor' nervously and looks around for his wine skin or other signs of Vaz.

Strix sniffs the vomit in the corner to get Vaz's scent then tries to track him down. 

24 : perception

Varinth only left moments ago, and Strix has no trouble picking up the scent of cheap alcohol and confused purpose.  Even Scupper, engrossed in his book, only missed him by a few seconds.

You will be able to catch up to him before he reaches his destination - is that what you want to do?

Dekhan stands and prepares to follow Strix if he heads out after Vaz.

Scupper moves to join up.

"Can't have our favorite wizbang out on his lonesome with ghouls and jellies ambling about. Here's the skinny, as far as me research, a skull like that can be disconnected, if we knew the right trick...some kinda personal ting. Or we could find a sufficient man o' the cloth, like Dekhan to perform some kind o' purification. Otherwise he'll jest keep coming back. So I say we go around. I'm tinking the mold room or fungus room and maybe burn it out...failing that, freeze it out..."

Coming upon Vaz and Strix

"Vaz ye cheeky fecker! Don't you go starting fires without us bringing the mallows and cookies, lad."

A purification, ay? So a consecration, perhaps? Dekhan thinks for a moment. Given an hour or so I could create some holy water and I have some aromatic herbs I could burn while I entreat the Ancients to release the poor soul from its bond. 

I can't say fer sure it'd work and it'd be something te think about probably after we make sure the Spider didn't go around him and start that forge already...but i read that something like that worked elsewhere.

(Scupper shows Dekhan the passage as they catch up with Vaz... hopefully the paladin could make better sense of it)

"Would need beat skull again. Can do but... not want go swimmin! Mebbe see what friend Vaz found first?"

Strix advances to Vaz's position taking exaggeratedly high-kneed steps to avoid the vomit along the way.

Dekhan, you can roll a religion or Arcana check to reflect on what type of magic or ritual could meet the needs of this situation, yes.

While still discussing possible options for your skull friend, you track down Varinth and catch up just as he is nearing a cavern that you have not seen before.   The cavern is not so big as others you have found, perhaps sixty feet from side to side, and only forty feet from you is the exit that continues, you suspect towards the star-roofed cavern from earlier.  You are approaching from the west, and the exit is in the north.

Dense carpets of weird fungi cover large sections of the floor, and it would be impossible to walk across the cavern without treading on them, though you could avoid the thickest parts. The growth includes puffballs a foot across, weird shelf fungus growing on stalagmites, and large stalks and caps a good five feet tall. Some of the puffballs glow with an eerie green phosphorescence.  Varinth stands closest, perhaps fifteen feet from the nearest fungal patch.  Strix, Scupper, Dekhan and Incantis (with Zhudala) come up quietly behind him.  

There does not appear to be any creature in the cavern, that you can see, and you can see quite well; the weird green light would make it easy to see even without darkvision.

religion 4

Dekhan, you're uncertain of what will work in this case.  You have studied some basic spells while you were in training, in preparation for when they would be granted to you by the power you follow.  One of these might work, though you're not sure if you have the required 25 gold pieces of powdered silver.  There are more advanced magics specific to curses that might work, but you don't think you are strong enough yet.

Dekhan realizes he’s been holding his breath as he pours over the text. He blows it out in an exasperated breath. Scratch that, unless someone has a pouch of powdered silver I can’t even make the holy water. Dekhan shakes his head and slams a mailed fist into his palm. He takes another deep breath, let’s it out in a long sigh, and then looks towards the sky through the stone ceiling.  I’m afraid releasing the flame skull from this plane is beyond my capabilities. Shadows of doubt play across his face for a moment before being replaced by a determined smile. So avoidance is the best course as far as it’s concerned, I think. Unless we can use it to our advantage somehow?

Varinth stretches and then cracks his knuckles.

Okay let's get some light on the situation.

Vaz casts Create Bonfire in the middle of the cavern of moss. He then shades his eyes;

feckin feck

Varinth, as soon as you cast your spell, the magical flaming bonfire appears in the middle of one of the thicker areas of fungal growth.  The effect is instant.  Those mushrooms and growths close to the target burst into flames immediately, but all of the fungus responds to your attack by releasing a gas; you see the thick greenish vapor rising and spreading to fill the cavern, but as you are still outside you back up a little, and are able to avoid the fumes.  The group is able to watch as a minute passes while the thick gas fills the air, and then settles.  A five foot square of fungus has been burned completely away, leaving ash and blackened stalks.  The rest of the growth appears unharmed; the fire did not spread.

Map.  Also, the cavern is a little bigger than I originally stated - it's at least forty feet to cross to the other exit.