I'm planning to help Aunt Luba with some chores. I'll also take Aishe and Luca with me when I accompany Jessa on our quest to find out how to shut down the magic monster pool.
I'll do my best to give the kids a version of our adventures that doesn't induce nightmares.
Kenzo continues to drink and make conversation, and for the most part, is lost in making merry.
Quink expresses an interest in seeing the ruins and the pool and will go whenever Jessa wishes to take him.
Quink expresses an interest in seeing the ruins and the pool and will go whenever Jessa wishes to take him.
Jessa makes arrangements to take him there as soon as reasonably possible. She's still concerned that others might find the pool and cause further mischief. Or that more goblins or allies of the quasit could return to the shrine. She asks for the group to accompany them, if possible, but urges Gyorgy to leave the kids at home for this trip.
I hope to spend the day pricing out cheap swords or trying to get a donation or loan of one. also maybe visiting with ameiko and trying to figure out what's been going on since we've been gone.
Quink expresses an interest in seeing the ruins and the pool and will go whenever Jessa wishes to take him.Jessa makes arrangements to take him there as soon as reasonably possible. She's still concerned that others might find the pool and cause further mischief. Or that more goblins or allies of the quasit could return to the shrine. She asks for the group to accompany them, if possible, but urges Gyorgy to leave the kids at home for this trip.
"What?! Oh, okay... I thought we were just going over to Brodert's house."
I'll play some games with the young 'uns in the evening instead.
Mitnal is happy to go with Jeslara and the group. It beats looking for work down at the docks or selling baskets in the markets.
Later the next day, after a morning of visiting and shopping the group finds themselves once more under the town in front of the glowing well atop the platform in the quasit's lair.
Eugen has another long-sword, it cost him his full 13 gp, but he managed to get it slightly on the cheap.
On a slightly different note, several in the group noticed that Ameiko was in the Rusty Dragon this morning, looking slightly more resolved.
.
.
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"So," says Quink as he looks into the bubbling pool with fascination, "you say the quasit dropped her blood in the pool and it activated the magic. I wonder if blood is enough or if there are magical words that must be said as well?"
"So," says Quink as he looks into the bubbling pool with fascination, "you say the quasit dropped her blood in the pool and it activated the magic. I wonder if blood is enough or if there are magical words that must be said as well?"
"I'd hate to think just anyone's blood could activate it," Jessa frowns, "Perhaps it takes the blood of a fiend like the quasit? You know, something not of this world?"
She examines the rest of the pool, including any stonework or glyphs inscribed along the rock. "Surely there's a clue about its operation left behind by the Thassilonians somewhere. Have you ever heard of such a thing in all the myths and legends you've studied?"
In the lower pool, where the body of the quasit had been left, there remains only a small skeleton and a pile of muddy and ash beneath it. Disturbing the water causes the ash to swirl and faint odors of sulphur are released into the air above the pool. The skeleton looks to be almost a hundred years old.
Apparently demon bodies do not long survive their death.
"Perhaps it takes the blood of a fiend like the quasit? You know, something not of this world?"
I peer into the pool containing the quasit's corpse; "I don't think we need to worry about fiendish blood at the moment."
That done I turn to Quink; "Any ideas?"
That done I turn to Quink; "Any ideas?"
"I'm a scholar, not a mage," says Quink, "If you do not have the ability to discern magically how it works or what it is, then there is only experimentation. Or of course, we could just leave it alone..."
Jessa, what was your idea for getting rid of this pool?
Jessa, what was your idea for getting rid of this pool?
"Depleting it," she explains, "Like a wand of its charges. But to do that, we would have to activate it again. And, I assume, that would summon more of those horrid creatures. I'm not even sure if we can do that, though. The only means of activation we've witnessed used the quasit's blood, dropped into the pool. I suppose we could use someone else's blood...but I'll be honest...I don't like the idea of letting any of my own drop into that fiendish pool."
She looks around uncertainly at everyone. "Would one of you be willing to try?" she asks, "And, if so, we'd all better be ready in case more of those monsters appear..."
I don't relish the idea of more time spent fighting those beasts, but i'd be willing to try if nobody has a better plan. maybe we should recruit more help if we do it?
I don't relish the idea of more time spent fighting those beasts, but i'd be willing to try if nobody has a better plan. maybe we should recruit more help if we do it?
"Personally, I think it's best if no one else from Sandpoint ever has to see these things," Jessa replies, "I know they'll haunt my dreams for awhile. And better that we keep their presence a secret lest word spread around town and magnify their horror beyond proportion."
"No," she shakes her head, "I see this as our problem to solve. We discovered this place. We already have the experience of fighting those creatures...and surviving. And it's better to risk ourselves than the innocent citizens of Sandpoint...many of whom probably have families. I'd hate to risk one of them being slain down here while trying to help us."
"But I think you're also right, Eugen," Jessa continues, "I don't relish the idea of fighting more of these beasts either. But if that's what it takes to deactivate this pool, then it's for the best. That doesn't mean we can't put the odds more in our favor though. As I recall, none of those monsters had any means to attack from a distance. So, if we do manage to summon any of them, we should all stand far back and prepare our ranged weapons or spells. That way, we should significantly weaken them well before they can reach us with their claws."
"Does that sound feasible?"
I shrug and head to the back of the room.
So who gets to bell the cat, or in this case, attempt to activate the pool with their blood?
So who gets to bell the cat, or in this case, attempt to activate the pool with their blood?
"well, hmm. prick away i guess. do you have to stand up here with me? either way..." i pull out my sword and get ready for surprises.
Mitnal winces and looks away. 'Blood ... uggh.'
"Oh, no! Stop!" I cry.
I've just got to cast some spells.
"Sorry about that Eugen, do your thing."
A pinprick of blood causes the pool to begin bubbling rapidly but it ends up taking slightly more blood than that to cause the magic to work.
Before the eyes of those next to the pool, a now all too familiar monstrosity begins to take form.
A monster rises from the water, strange jaws clacking and its eyes glowing red.
I blast rather wildly at the beast.
"gah, hey!" disgusted at my progeny, I swing viciously:
Kenzo throws one of his daggers at the beast, following Jessa's advice to attack it from a distance before it can close on them.
Mitnal, wanting to get in on the action, attacks with his hammer and klar.1d20+3=23, 1d20+1=2, 1d8+2=4, 1d6+1=2 \
Kenzo scowls with disguist as his dagger misses the mark.
Quink cries out, from his vantage point near the door when the monster rises bodily from the water.
Jessa' arrow flies high. The dagger, thrown by Kenzo, bounces harmlessly off the floor and into the pool. Gyorgy's energy attack misses.
But Mitnal and Eugen, both standing near the pool are focused and ready. A powerful blow to the head from the hammer and a sword through the chest insure that this monster experiences only a few brief seconds of life before being slain.
It's body falls into the water, now stilled and dark, and Eugen and Mitnal finish it off before its wounds can even begin healing.
The water in the pool appears perfectly normal now, albeit slightly ichor filled from the slain monstrosity.
Jessa calmly nocks another arrow, just in case.
"Is that it?" she calls out from near the doorway. Then she notices Quink still staring at the slain beast. "Oh, Brodert. You shouldn't be over there. Stand by me lest one of those things get its claws on you."
"Eugen? Mitnal?" she loudly asks, "Does the pool still seem active? Can you drag that thing out of there so we can see if it activates again?"
Even as Jessa speaks, Blackwing leaves his perch on Jessa's shoulder and flies over the pool so he can peer within its depths. The bird issues a short caw and a warble as he passes by and then circles back to rejoin his mistress.
I walk over to Quink and pat him on the shoulder; "We should have warned you, it's always horrendous the first time. Let's get you out of here."
I steer Quink toward the door and lead him back to the glassworks.
"I'll be back in a moment, not that you need me." I call to my friends brightly.
Jessa calmly nocks another arrow, just in case.
"Is that it?" she calls out from near the doorway. Then she notices Quink still staring at the slain beast. "Oh, Brodert. You shouldn't be over there. Stand by me lest one of those things get its claws on you."
"Eugen? Mitnal?" she loudly asks, "Does the pool still seem active? Can you drag that thing out of there so we can see if it activates again?"
Mitnal hears Jeslara's request and then looks at the horrific creature in the well. "Eugen, can you drag that thing out of there so we can see if it lactates again?"
"hmmm, lactates? yes, that does sound undesirable."
i try to hook onto to something and drag the carcass out without getting into the water.
"Eugen, can you drag that thing out of there so we can see if it lactates again?"
"Hmmm, lactates? Yes, that does sound undesirable."
Across the room, Jessa rolls her eyes and glances at Blackwing. Even the bird vigorously shakes its head in confusion or comic dismay. It's hard to tell which.
Quink resist being dragged away.
"Just startled is all, young man," he admonishes Gyorgy, "That thing was horrific, but I must examine it more closely."
Eugen, meanwhile drags the body out of the now mundane pool of water, noticing it's rubbery, hairless skin and twisted limbs anew.
"So, that's it?" Kenzo asks of no one in particular as he retrieves his dagger. "It just deactivates when a corpse is dropped into it? How do we know it won't start again?"
Quink resist being dragged away.
"Just startled is all, young man," he admonishes Gyorgy, "That thing was horrific, but I must examine it more closely."
Eugen, meanwhile drags the body out of the now mundane pool of water, noticing it's rubbery, hairless skin and twisted limbs anew.
"Eugen, ... It was your blood and ...and now I think he kind of looks like you. What vile magic."
Mitnal smiles to himself.
Quink resist being dragged away.
"Just startled is all, young man," he admonishes Gyorgy, "That thing was horrific, but I must examine it more closely."
Eugen, meanwhile drags the body out of the now mundane pool of water, noticing it's rubbery, hairless skin and twisted limbs anew.
"Eugen, ... It was your blood and ...and now I think he kind of looks like you. What vile magic."
Mitnal smiles to himself.
I snort with barely restrained mirth at Mitnal's aside.
"Sorry, Brodert. I'm just concerned that we might have to do that again."
Quink resist being dragged away. "Just startled is all, young man," he admonishes Gyorgy, "That thing was horrific, but I must examine it more closely."
"Be careful, Brodert," Jessa admonishes, finally releasing the draw on her bow and putting away the arrow as she rejoins the others.
Eugen, meanwhile drags the body out of the now mundane pool of water, noticing it's rubbery, hairless skin and twisted limbs anew.
As the lifeless monster tumbles to the stone floor with a wet slap, Jessa grimaces and looks away.
"Ughh..." she complains, "I've seen enough of those things to last a lifetime already." Her gaze moves to the pool as Quink starts to examine the body. Meanwhile, Blackwing hops down from her shoulder to join him.
"So, that's it?" Kenzo asks of no one in particular as he retrieves his dagger. "It just deactivates when a corpse is dropped into it? How do we know it won't start again?"
"We don't..." Jessa replies, "Not yet at least. But...with our experimentation, it seems obvious now that any amount of blood...from whatever source...can activate it. So, if we follow that premise to its natural conclusion, we should be able to determine if the pool's become inert by dropping more blood into it until no more creatures form."
She gives Kenzo a wry smile. "Are you ready to lend some blood to the cause as well?"
But...with our experimentation, it seems obvious now that any amount of blood...from whatever source...can activate it. So, if we follow that premise to its natural conclusion, we should be able to determine if the pool's become inert by dropping more blood into it until no more creatures form."
She gives Kenzo a wry smile. "Are you ready to lend some blood to the cause as well?"
Kenzo looks a little startled as he replies to Jessa, "Do you really think there's any limit to how many creatures that . . . pool . . . can . . . well, spawn? We could be here for weeks dropping in blood and hacking things to pieces. Why don't we just get the sheriff or the mayor to just seal the whole place up? Or better yet, lay some traps of our own for the goblins that will be coming?"
Kenzo looks a little startled as he replies to Jessa, "Do you really think there's any limit to how many creatures that . . . pool . . . can . . . well, spawn? We could be here for weeks dropping in blood and hacking things to pieces. Why don't we just get the sheriff or the mayor to just seal the whole place up? Or better yet, lay some traps of our own for the goblins that will be coming?"
Jessa looks equally startled by Kenzo's suggestion. "Seal the whole place up? Are you crazy?!" she responds, "This is the archaeological find of the century!"
"Heavens, no!" she exclaims, "I intend for Brodert and I to study this place as thoroughly as possible to better understand Ancient Thassilon. This...site...is the whole reason I came to Sandpoint! To find just such a ruin so I could document it and submit a report to the Pathfinder chapter back in Magnimar."
She blinks and stares back at the pool. "Don't you understand?" her voice grows softer, "This is my chance to get published...to make a name for myself in the circles of academia. To go down in legend as the one person who finally unraveled the mysteries of Thassilon and the cultural effect they had on all of Varisia."
"Now, Brodert and I have a lot of work to do," she goes on, "But to do it, we need to make sure this place remains open...and safe. Thus, we have to find a way to deactivate this pool. I'll consult with Ilsoari Gandethus if I have to...but it's magical...and knowing what I do about the arcane arts, there's always a way to undo magic. We just have to find out what it is first..."
"Brodert?" she asks the sage, "Can you lend me some support here?"
"It certainly looks like the pool has been drained of energy," says the scholar supportively, "It was glowing before and now it is not. One more test is in order. If another monster is spawned then we know the glow has little to do with the energy, but if not, then we know the pools is drained and safe unless recharged in some fashion."