You accompany the two thriae through a very narrow but surprisingly well-maintained road. It makes you wonder why the thriae would bother, considering their species' ability to fly. Your own guides prefer to hover a few feet above the ground than actually walk.
As you approach the city, you see more and more of the bee-like women, all of whom look incredibly busy and equally dutiful, but even so, more than a few of them stop for a second to take a look at the group of outsiders, though never for long enough to delay their tasks. You soon realize Jarken told you the truth. Bracelets, earring, necklaces, rings, tiaras and other adornments can be seen on nearly all of them.
The two ladies leading you don't speak at all, other than occasionally greeting a fellow thriae in their native tongue. One of them hums a calming tune, though.
After a while, you reach a tall oval building near the edges of the city, it has four floors, all with many "windows" through which the bee-ladies enter and exit the place. Your guides suddenly stop and finally let their feet touch the ground.
"This is the Ivory Conservatory. Normally, outsiders wouldn't be welcome here, but Lady Qirra personally requested your presence. However, that change the fact that our kin is not used to visits, so I ask and advise you to be in your best behavior." says one of them serenely. "Please, follow us."
The inside of the conservatory is very wide and open-spaced. It has a spiraling stair following the wall, but most of the thriae move from one level to another through a series of wide holes located at the center of each and every floor.
This is obviously a place devoted to arts and knowledge, as many thriae can be seen carrying books and scrolls, while just as many others practice dancing, painting and singing. A few even demonstrate minor spell casting. Once again, you attract the looks of many of them, though they too soon return their attention to their original tasks, if not of their own volition, then by the reprimand of a tutor or colleague.
You follow your guides through the stairs, and eventually reach the topmost floor. There you find a single room... The two thriae gesture you to go in, but stay outside.
Inside, you find a room filled to the brink with books and alchemical tools. A strong smell of incense, honey and... lemon pie (?!) assaults your senses. Behind a golden table on which rests a variety of sweets and desserts, you see a tall, lithe woman. She's beautiful even for the standards of her race. She speaks, but her voice is barely more than a whisper...
"Hail, travelers... I'm Qirra. Headmistress of the Ivory Conservatory and Counselor of the Great Queen Bel-ha, may her life be long and full of blessings."
"Hello, miss. I'm Frederick Forsythe. We're just here to find someone."
Eitylen gets easily distracted several times by the marvels in the conservatory. He stops to hear the thriae singing and see them dancing. When the newcama lady and Frederick start t talk the elf is still too distracted to pay attention.
"Greetings, Headmistress. We seek a traveler who came here not too long ago. His family name is Pillowstone. His appearance was likely something indicative of more wealth than most human folk." Cyrus bows.
"I know of whom you talk, Frederick Forsythe..." she says before turning to Brother Cyrus. "Though Pillowstone was not his name, but that of whom he serves."
She gracefully hovers around her table, then softly lands and glances at the sweets on her table. Even with her feet on the ground, she's still almost a whole foot taller than you.
When she speaks again, she addresses the whole group.
"Would you care for a snack?" Says Qirra as she stretches her arms away from her torso, as if to invite you to join her meal. "I'm told these delicacies are very popular back in your community." She isn't completely wrong. Most of the sugary food in front of you can be found in blue shell, though some of them are too costly to be considered "popular".
"The man you look introduced himself as Boddam." Qirra grabs a piece a dagger from a nearby shelf and places it on Frederick's hand, on its handle you can see the carving of a mountain with a gate-like hole in it, where a black rock lies. "Weeks ago, a messenger came to us from the city you call Blue Shell. He made an offering in gold and silver, and promised more if I were to concede an audience to his master. After some negotiations, we made a deal. His master was to send a new envoy, one who is strong and trustworthy. A few days later, Boddam was here with his men. He was accompanied by eight soldiers and they all bore the symbol I've learned to be the Pillowstone crest."
Lady Qirra eats a spoonful of lemon pie before speaking again...
"We were told they needed a skilled healer and herbalist, so I offered my services... But Boddam wanted more. He wanted a miracle. One that could cure the illness that befell his betrothed. An illness like he had never seen. No priest or mage could do anything about it, though they were capable of determining it was attacking the patient's mind... That's when someone told him of our merope... And so, he came to us. I told him merope only displays its mystical effects of thriae, and was barely more than an strong narcotic for members of other races..."
Her eyes fill up with great sadness as she recalls these events.
"He was shocked. And then mad. He threatened me, accused me of lying so that I could extort his family for more gold and delicacies... His hand went to his sword but my guards were faster and disarmed and immobilized him. I was about to sentence him to death for daring to insult and threaten me and my kin... But then I saw tears in his eyes. This strong, proud man... Was crying like a child. I knew his pain too well... As do all those who ever lost someone they loved. So I let him go, but told him he was no longer welcome in this community..."
Her sadness is now accompanied by shame, and her eyes wonder back to delicacy on her plate.
"However, for a moment, my compassion clouded my judgement, and so I told him... There may be a way... Merope by itself is useless on non-thriae... But, if he could find a moon rose, I could make a rare potion... Known to cure and illness and dispel any curse. His eyes instantly brightened. He fell to his knees and thanked me. He told me he'd find the rose and bring it to me... And then he left, following my directions to the one place where those roses are known to bud. Days later... Two of his men returned... But they were extremely wounded and could barely talk. One of them succumbed before we could administer more potent spells, the other is still alive, under our care... Though that won't last much longer..."
She raises her eyes from her slice of lemon pie and speaks again...
"Two days ago I dreamed of your coming... Three shadows following a shadow following a flower... And the forest itself trying to devour them all... When I heard three humanoids had arrived, I knew you were here for Boddam."
Frederick looks up from enjoying a slice of lemon meringue himself when she mentions that 6 men died.
"Do you know what they could have run into that killed them? I'm guessing since you can't cure him, whatever it was was poisonous or cursed somehow? Given how easy cuts and bruises are to fix."
Lady Qirra's face displays more perplexity than pity when she think about the dying man.
"They... should have been." she says, scratching her chin. "But no spell or potion was capable of healing his wounds. I can take you to him, if you want... But I don't know if that will be of any help. He is unconscious more often than not and his strength dwindles more and more as the days pass... We gave him a little merope to numb the pain."
"That may be for the best, if you would. We can't turn back now, maybe he can prepare us for what's ahead."
"Besides, it could be good for him to know he didn't die in vain. If they're all as loyal as you say, he should be pleased we're continuing his mission."
"Very well... Though I'm uncertain if he'll be able to understand you. He... No longer has a very solid grasp of reality..." she says, before hovering a few feet above the floor and towards the door. "Follow me."
And so you do.
Lady Qirra leads you all the way downstairs, back to ground level... Her movement is so smooth that the silver chains and rings on her wrists and neck barely make any sound. She enters a well-lit room where a pale, thin human rests on a white bed, under constant watch of a thriae priestess, who addresses Lady Quirra with profound respect and reverence
"Welcome back, Lady Qirra!" says the priestess. "I fear our patient doesn't show any progress... Not that I expected him to, but..." she then notices the group. "Ah! More outsiders! Are they here for him? Will they take him back to their people?"
"I do not think so, Lady Bya. And he is be incapable to survive the journey, anyway... They want to know about what happened to him. What he saw."
"Are you sure..." says the priestess.
"It is their right to know. This man is part of their hive, after all." Lady Qirra interrupts the priestess.
"Of course." the priestess concedes. "I will wake the patient."
After their brief conversation, the priestess gently wakes the human man. He seems lost and afraid, though. His eyes barely focus on the thriae speaking to him.
"Easy, my friend..." says the priestess in the Common tongue, though with a very thick accent. "You have guests today... From your homeland. They want to see you."
The man opens his eyes as wide as he can, looking at your group...
"A... Are you... Pillowstone?" he asks... His voices barely a whisper.
Frederick waffles for a moment.
"Not...quite. But we are here to get the cure for Mr. Pillowstone. We came looking for Boddam first, hoping you guys had found it already."
"We...did not expect this."
"We try treating his wounds... But they invariably reopen. Spells are ineffective... Mundane treatment works, but not fast enough." says the thriae priestess.
The man speaks, though with great effort, as if each word put a great strain on him.
"There... is no cure... Lord Boddam... deluded. We tried to save him... We swore we would... B-But... We couldn't stop him. He went into the D-Dark... ness..."
The man takes a deep breath... He seems unable to go on.
"I'm sorry, but he must rest... Maybe another tim-"
She is interrupted by the man, who speaks as loudly as he can... Which isn't much.
"No! I'm dead already!" he says, his words surprisingly clear. "Our... Friends tried to follow, but... It caught us... B-black tentacles... and yellow... eyes... We tried... We couldn't... Me and Stinky... We ran. We came back... The creature... N-Not... Natural... Not right... It co-corrupts... with every touch... But... L-Lord Boddam survived... He escaped, somehow... S-Save... him... Please... Save... Lord... Bod..."
The man loses consciousnesses once again...
The priestess speaks reluctantly...
"I don't think you'll be able to learn anything else from him today... Maybe tomorrow. He's strong. He still has a few days among us..."
Frederick inclines his head fro a moment, and then stands.
"It seems that even if there is no cure, this creature should be put down before it kills anyone else. Please, tell me, where did they go?"
Well, I just wait to see what the trhiae say.
"I must advise you against it." says Lady Qirra. "That creature.... Whatever it may be, it is not something that can be defeated so easily. Many sisters have perished why exploring the area it inhabits..." the seer is apprehensive to talk about the subject. "It is unfortunate, but I do not think it is possible to save, or even reach, Boddam."
"We have to see what we can do...for our friend's sake. The creature...is there any knowledge or weaknesses your sisters have uncovered?"
"We have to see what we can do...for our friend's sake. The creature...is there any knowledge or weaknesses your sisters have uncovered?"
"Not much, sadly..." she says, solemnly. "We know it only strikes at night... Though it never displayed any fear of sunlight. It is vaguely humanoid, but remarkably large and surprisingly fast and its hide is rather thick and resistant to magic. It always attacks from ambushes but never gives chase beyond its territory. Some of our scouts suffered severed burns when approaching the region, but I had never seen anything like what was done to this poor man."
"That's discouraging, but Cyrus is right. I don't know about friends, but we have the same mission as this man, which makes us allies."
"You are no thriae, I have no right to tell you what to do..." says Lady Qirra. "But I can try to provide some help... Even if it is only by sharing knowledge..."
The headmistress leaves the room. You follow her upstairs, back to her office. The few plates, glasses and tableware used in your short snack time were all cleaned or replaced. Lady Qirra searches her bookcases and shelves for a moment and takes a few scrolls, which she places on the table. One of them is revealed to be a map of the valley, where she quickly draws a large red circle on a mostly uncharted region northeast from here.
"The creature is always seen in this area, the Boling Swamp... Sadly, this is where Boddam went, for that is the only place where moon roses are sure to bud. This is what I know..."
Besides what was already said, Lady Qirra remarks that the creature always has its body covered in leaves, vines, rocks and other natural materials. Its camouflage was different every encounter, suggesting it's not something innate to the creature itself, but a tool or disguise created and used by it.
It never showed any sign of pain, even when arrows got lucky enough to hit softer spot. It does let out short sizzles and hisses sometimes, but the thriae are uncertain of what causes it. Sometimes it seems to be trying to communicate with someone else... Sometimes it seems to be thinking... There never is enough time to make sure, as the creature will invariably assault anyone close enough to observe it.
It's capable of attacking at long range. Its usual ranged weapon is a jet of boiling oil, but it's also capable of throwing improvised javelins. On at least one occasion, it's shown itself capable of shooting acid.
It moves surprisingly silently for a creature its size, even underwater, and fog and mist don't seem to bother it. The creature uses this to its advantage, ambushing intruders and killing them before they can counterattack or escape.
Moon Roses occasionally appear on random location on the island. The Boiling Swamp is the one place they are known to bud every time. They look much like a normal rose, but their petals are transparent like glass. The roses themselves seem to survive anywhere, no matter the climate, but they never reproduce. The thriae have no idea why.
They have a sweet fragrance, but their petals are fragile and their thorns mildly poisonous, so they should be handled with care. IMPORTANT: If they are to be of any use, they shouldn't be plucked, but brought back alive and well, preferably in a vase of some kind.
Despite the usefulness of the roses, the thriae shun the region, as too many sisters die every time an incursion is attempted. Even in the few times when they succeeded in bringing one of the roses, there were far more casualties than survivors.
The region is mostly uncharted, due to the presence of the mysterious creature. The trees are very full and close to one another, so even flying over it didn't help much with the mapping process.
Despite its name, there is no evidence of the swamp water being hotter than anywhere else in the valley... In fact, no one knows why the swamp has its name.
There are no signs of sentient creatures living in the swamp, but that hasn't always been the case... There are a few ruins in the swamp... columns, statues, walls... even a bell tower. The thriae know these ruins are very, very old, but further research is impossible.
After the explanations, Lady Qirra adds...
"There is not much else I can do, other than offer our hospitality for the night. I might be able to gather a few things that might be of use to you, but there are limits to how many resources may be spent on outsiders. I hope you understand."
"I understand perfectly. Is there any way you could spare a vase or something similar to transport the Moon Rose in?"
Lady Qirra smiles.
"Yes. That is among the resources I can share. My hive is not that miserly."
You're given a comfortable room in a small inn near the edges of the thriae settlement, where you find a hot meal and uninterrupted rest.
The next morning, as soon as the sun is up, you can already hear the whole town moving and working. And not much longer thant that, Lady Qirra and her two apprentices to show up at your door.
"Good morning, Frederick Forsythe and friends." she says... causing Brother Cyrus and Eitylen to realize they never properly introduced themselves. Though she doesn't seem upset about it. "I hope you rested well. You will need all of your strength and wits."
The headmistress claps her hands, prompting her apprentices to lay two small bags on the nearest bed.
"My sisters and I are not allowed to travel towards your destination... But I share the blame for your need to journey, and so, I brought you something else I could share..."
Inside the rolls, you find rations for 3 days, a variety of exploring tools, including ropes, pitons, torches, etc and a few magic items... As well as your weapons.
1 Book of Natural Studies (Works as Masterwork tool for Handle Animals, Kn(Nature) and Survival).
3 Dungeoneering Kits (Deluxe)
3 Small vases with fitting bell jar
3 Potions of Neutralize Poison (CL 10)
1 Wand of Purify Food and Drink (CL 1) (50 charges)
1 Wand of Air Bubble (CL 6) (20 charges)
1 Wand of Calm Animals (CL 6) (25 charges)
1 Wand of Lesser Restoration (CL 10) (50 charges)
1 Wand of Speak With Animals (CL 6) (30 charges)
1 Wayfinder.
After you finish packing your things, the thriae accompany you to the edges of their town. Lady Qirra speaks one last time.
"I bid you farewell and wish you good luck, travelers... Hopefully, you will find Boddam and his rose still alive. If you return, you shall be considered a friend of the thriae"
After that, she makes a subtle reverence to you and gracefully flies away, back to her conservatory.
I guess we start walking.
With help of Lady Qirra's map and the Wayfinder, Frederick manages to guide find the trail that leads to the swamp. It's farther than the thriae made it sound, but perhaps that's due to they being used to fly, rather than walk.
On the bright side, there's no sign of rain this time. The sky is clear and the sun is out... It would be a great day for a picnic, were you not on your way to a swamp haunted by a homicidal monster.
As you move on, the forest grows denser and darker, since the foliage starts blocking the sun... Though it's still much clearer than it was during the rain. More and more webs start appearing on tree brunches and they get bigger and bigger.
Frederick almost stumbles on a particularly well-hidden web trap with deer bones hanging from it, but he sees it at the last second and evades it. When he does, he hears cackling and giggling coming from somewhere ahead.
"Thees ees my home... You'se have to pay treebutee to pass... Yess?" says a creepy voice with a thick accent similar to the one displayed by thriae and the yellow-eyed spirit who attacked you. "My babiess need meat... But I's good, ssooo two may pass... Only one must stay, yesss?"
You look up, a grey-skinned creature with androgynous features and black hair sits on a tree branch about 30 ft ahead of you. Its face has black hair, bright white teeth and curly horns... But its the malicious-looking yellow eyes that make it look so disturbing.
Around the creature, two spiders large enough to to devour a horse hide among the trees... Both have a yellow mark on their abdomens. One of them drops the dry carcass of an oversized fly from its mandibles.
"I'm afraid I can't let you have any of my friends. Perhaps we can make another deal?"
(a +6 if arcana or religion)
What matter of horrid creature is this? Cyrus waits for the creature's answer to Frederick's question.
Eitylen does remember tales about similar creatures...
This leads the overwheming majority of Forrlaren to lead lives of solitude and bitterness, though very few manage to live much longer than the surprisingly short time necessary for them to reach adulthood. Despite this, it's said that they often show remorse after killing living creatures, though that feeling is quick to disappear.
They are known to have a weakness to cold-forged iron and some minor mastery over fire and metal, though some specimen do inherit greater magical prowess.
The creature grins maliciously...
"Outsssiders selfish, yess?" it says as it moves one claw over its own neck... "Never want pay... Alwayss want free pass... But selfish ees not good... Selfish must be punisheed... So we take it all, to teach them..." its grin widens.... "Yes... Children?"
As it speaks, two previously unseen spiders jump from nearby trees and over the travelling trio. One of them attacks Frederick, the other attacks Eitylen.
Caught by surprise, Frederick tries to block the creature's fangs but he's just a moment too late, and the creatures fangs pierce his flesh.
Eitylen is quicker, and manages to avoid the monster's pincers at the last moment.
Forlarren
Spider 4
Eitylen
Frederick
Spider 3
Spider 2
Spider 1
Brother Cyrus
The forlarren cackles from the top of the tree... It points at Frederick and whispers unholy words... The orc feels metal burning his flesh.
The spider to the orc's left strikes at him once again.
And just barely hits him...
Begone foul creatures!
Eitylen strikes swiftly and deadly, piercing through the creature's carapace and digging into its brain.
The screeches loudly and twists in pain, then falls inert on the ground... Causing the Forlarren to cackle even louder, almost falling from the branch where it sits.
Frederick feels his strength being sapped by the creature's poison.
Frederick slices a spider thing in half.
Frederick drops his falcata as it starts heating up, and quickly kicks it back to his hand once it cools down. He does it fast enough to block the pincers of the spider next to him.
One moment later, he uses his sword to strike at the beast, leaving a grievous wound in it.
The spiders next to the Forlarren jump forward and attacks. The first one spits a web-net over Frederick and Eitylen... The second one goes for a more direct approach and just rushes at the half-orc warrior...
..But it's not fast enough to hit its target.
Brother Cyrus brings his holy symbol to bear, a silver chain clinking softly as destructive energy bursts forth.
"I don't believe we implied free passage...but I suppose there is no going back now."
Eitylen and Frederick avoid the quickly spinning web created by the spider. Brother Cyrus' wave of negative energy hits the spiders, finishing off the one that was struck by Frederick.
The grey-skinned fey summons three fiery wasps to his side. "Sting." he whispers with an evil grin. And the elemental critters fly towards your group. Each one of them aims at a different target, but the path to Brother Cyrus is blocked by the half-orc warrior in front of him, so that's who the wasp goes for.
They all find their target, and burst into flames as soon as they make contact.
5 ft south
- (Splash damage 7, ref DC 16)
The creature seems unphased by Eitylen's trickery... But the elf hits it anyway, scorching the creature dead.