Lost Lab of Kwalish

After chewing at the squid Sam will clime out of its body with some squid in his mouth “this ones slaty” and then try’s to get any meat of the squid for food “you said sparkle things with this one yes” looking at his quote ally/food if needs be/ company 

Sam will chug his health potion 

8

Quote from Tesservett >>

(OOC yes we all have water breathing up still, it lasts a long time.  NIce battle.  Let's search this lake for loot). 

 Good shout I would like to do a rest here just because I would image a lot of us are tapped on spell slots 

(OOC: No resting in the temple please. Almost tpk a number of times because of that if you remember. If rest is needed then retreat to town please.)

 Water breathing is still up for everyone.  Tetrevess telepathically says to the group ", let's go check to see if this creature had a hoard of treasure down there?"  He sends the manifest mind into the lake, searching.    He himself starts heading to the lake to seek out one of those tempting gems

<earlier I mentioned in an ooc comment that Thesselar went down the other stairs.  I considered him appearing before you could deal with Dory, but that seemed unsatisfying.  So, instead he's here now.  You sound like you're not in the mood for a fight, which is just as well, neither is he.  But contrary to popular belief, all player actions have consequences.  So, here we go... from Thesselar's perspective, this is a negotiation. >

From the far stairs, a torchlight burns brighter as the figure bearing it descends deeper into the subterranean grotto.  If you couldn't tell from his face at the present distance, then surely the homonculus on his head would divulge to you the identity of the alchemist Thesellar.  His face is always severe, but the expression into which the homunculus presently contorts it is one of admiration.  Handing the torch to an unseen force that continues to bear it, he begins a slow clap as he draws near.

"Well done.  I didn't think you'd be foolish enough to wander down here, but when I heard that roaring and trembling, I knew you'd found Dory.  Poor Dory, she was just too much work.  Sad ro see her gone though.  She was among my greatest achievements." His face rapidly shifts ro an angry furrowed brow as the homunculus twists Thesselar's loose skin.   "I should kill you where you stand for robbing the world of.my glorious creation." Raising an eyebrow, he digresses, "but... you have proven yourselves quite capable in rhe arts.of murder and subterfuge. Thanks for dealing with that meddlesome Ard-Sagart.  I carry alot of water around here but the optics of killing Molochs high priest myself might lose me more sculptors and supplicanta than Moghadam.has taken..  Yes, I know you've been sent here by Moghadam, and have picked up several powerful artifacts throughout my temple.  Losing these would slow my work considerably.  So, here's my proposal.  Return the gems to me, and you may go freely.  But I expect your cooperation with another matter.  I want you to return to Moghadam and search the tomb he's been building for my lost book.  With it again on my possession, I will he unstoppable."

"I'll also pay you whatever that cheapskate Moghadam offered.  I'd offer to double it, but considering he's never paid anyone as he promised, Youre.likely getting more than double the pay you would receive from him if I merely meet his offer."

At this point, the Demogorgon interrupts.  "You pay these guys, but where is my Stewars?  You promised me new steward when slippy go squish.  Say before dinner time.  Where now.my new steward?  When is dinner?  Who will bring it to me?"  Turning to Etrigan, he demands of the other Thesselar: "where is my dinner?!"

Thesselar continues his offer, "... or, you could deal with this fellow if you'd rather." At this, a smile creeps across his face, assisted as always by the homunculus, tugging at his bearded cheek with a foot as his hands busily push and pull his forehead and eyebrows.

<Now you can leave the room, or chat, or fight.  Whatever you want.>

<Quick reminder: there was also a gemsmith you were supposed to rescue.  She's about the only thing left in the temple you haven't seen yet.>

(OOC: Are we to understand that Ard-Sagart is dead, or what does Thessalar mean?)

Ooc is this the one Sam made a deal with to kill/gets his plans?

Yes.  Thesselar is saying the priest is dead, but he's just using deductive reasoning.  He knows you went that way if you took the other stairs and he's not here now, I don't see how he has any direct evidence, but it was certainly his hope that you'd get rid of him so he can have full control of the Temple's affairs and he's under the impression you've managed to do so.  There's not really any more in the module about the character.  They barely bother to name him: ('Ard-Sagart' just literally means "high priest" in Irish.)

And yes, Thesselar.  The famous on many worlds (by the time your PCs were born) alchemist turned demilich dealt with Sam earlier.  He asked about owlbears assuming someone from the future would (as a ranger of Sam's Era should) be familiar with the successful proliferation of the race Thesselar just created (With Barbaros' help) with the intent to have them spread across the world.  Now, Sam being from Faerûn would be a possible reason he didn't know about owlbears, as Thesselar might or might not even know about the Realms (but probably does). That fact didn't come up in conversation, if I recall. Had Sam acknowledged that he'd at least heard of owl bears when he completely divulged his mission [an unexpected turn, since he easily could have passed as an ordinary guard and Thesselar's response to this could have reasonably been to imprison and interrogate him] Thesselar would have shown him some stuff and you'd have a preview of some of the things you saw as a group which ultimately didn't really do much since the stealth tactic was employed- cages of bears and owls, a two headed owl bear (made with ettin's blood); cool stuff.

That all reminds me of another underutilized element of this module, namely the time manipulation.  There's something it does in almost every room to make the thing more interesting, but it barely comes up.  I think it would be more interesting by far if there were several kind of malfunction that just triggered it randomly- as with dice rolls - rather than letting justifiably cautious players determine when and where to use it.  How do you guys feel about that?

"Unless anyone has any immediate objections I will try to reach some kind of agreement with Thessalar" Etrigan/Thessalar messages the others, ready to negotiate.

(OOC: Well I think the adventure is chaotic enough as it is but since we are about to leave soon I don´t mind some time manipulation.)

Tetrevess mentally says "i dont see we have much choice,  we are in no condition to fight.  although i don't want to give him his gems".

“Right.” Thinks Barril. “We keep the gems as collateral until after we’re paid. Gives him an incentive to not sacrifice us. He would be losing more than a book he’s already lost.”

"Yes- good idea.  perhaps later we will be able to re-negotiate the terms" thinks tetrevess, a smile on his lizardfolk face

Sam looks at him “a deals a deal, yess my people are no longer under your work and follow me” showing the heads of the shamans that were in the bag  “or do you wish to join them as trophies” then a small crawls across his face “or do you wish to know your future” 

<So, what's the party's response?>

“I trust Thessalar only as far as I can throw him. But, unless we can defeat him (possibly being dependent on infinite redo’s ala Groundhog Day), I think we’d better work out a deal.”  Barril thinks to the group.

After a few moments of telepathic discussion Etrigan/Thessalar resumes the form of Etrigan and bows to Thessalar with a wide smile.
"Yes good Sir, I will admit
we are here the gems to steal,
if you´ll compromise a bit
we can strike with you a deal"
Etrigan says to Thessalar.
"First, good Sir, you must I fear
get your servant out of here."
Etrigan continues motioning at the hungry Demogorgon.

"Servant? Where?  He bring donner?" Demoforgon responds, searching around, probably for another boggle.

"Whats he on about now?" Thesselar bemoans,

What's wrong with the boggles I'm keeping on the payroll for your service? " he asks the ettin.

The Demogorgon replies "You tell me smash Ass Agard, then you burn me and my Slippy!  No more Slippy.  You say I get new steward.  Where my new steward?"

The homunculus sticks his fingers in Thesselar's eyes to make them roll exaggeratedly: "Fine,  Fine.  We'll get you a new steward, just go wait in your office." 

"You always say go wait in office.  You never do what you say you will.  The last time you said I could have a pattot, then Bobatose take him away.  And he say you decided he made top much noise.  I'm not leaving til I get Hextor back!" The ettin pouts, stamping his foot.

"Fine. You can have Hector back when I finish with them. Now just get out of here!"

Thesselar persuasion: 13  (DC13)

 Demogorgon folds his arms and grumbles, "Fine."  As he turns to ascend the stairs, he adds "But Hector better have my dinner ready soon!" (At this point one head still thinks he has a steward back at the office."

Returning his attention to the party. Thesselar asks, "Now, where were we?"

"Now good Sir we can go on.
We´ll take the quest to find your book
but to make sure you don´t us con
we´ll hold on to the gems we took."
Etrigan says with a bow.

Persuasion adviced by Grygaxx to convince Thessalar to let us keep the gems for now as a security:14
Use luck to roll again:18 + Dark one´s own luck for good measure:5 for a total of 35

Do you think me as naive as those sculptors who left to work for that petty Moghadam?  You shan't leave this temple with those sacred relics.  I will give you one more chance to align with me and find yourself on the right side of history or vast your lot with that swindler and find yourself in a cell, the subject of my experiments.  Truly an honor, either way, to serve my greatness, though only one affords the possibility that your heirs will venerate their ancestors who served the great Thesselar.  The choice is yours."

In case of disagreement, roll for initiative 15

(OOC: Well did my best. I think we can forget Thessalar letting us leave with the buttons/gems. I suggest we take his offer, he seems very powerful and I don´t think this is a fight we were meant to be able to win. Any thoughts?)