Through clenched teeth, Kenzo mutters, "Shup up and die, foul beast of the abyss!" as he struggles to hold the slippery demon.
I use my starknife and prestidigitation to try and distract the fiend a little
But the pre-occupied Quasit barely registers my movements.
Kenzo grabs the quasit before she can turn invisible and fly away (grappled but not yet pinned). Jessa, from her vantage point behind the warriors, cast truestrike on herself. Eugen, confused, misses the quasit. Gyorgy tries to aid Mitnal but goes unnoticed. through all of it the quasit is shrieking and cursing.
The world, it seems to Mitnal, waits on his action.
The quasit, not wanting to be pinned again, does not bother attacking Kenzo. As Mitnal's dagger blade glides harmlessly past her neck, she puts all her energies into slipping through the monks fingers. which she does easily.
A wet, angry bleeding quasit- Round 15
Kenzo: Initiative - 26 ...{}
Eugen: Initiative - 25
Jessa: Initiative - 19
Gyorgy: Initiative - 18
Mitnal: Initiative - 17
Erylium: Initiative - 7 ...{}
The quasit, not wanting to be pinned again, does not bother attacking Kenzo. As Mitnal's dagger blade glides harmlessly past her neck, she puts all her energies into slipping through the monk's fingers...which she does easily.
"NO!!!" Jessa shouts, "Grab her again before she turns invisible!"
Then she hefts the tanglefoot bag in her hand. "Fly swift and true," she seemingly begs the gods, "So evil dies and good endures!" Jessa hurls the bag at the tiny quasit, hoping to pin her once more.
"Hit her, Jessa!" Kenzo yells as he stands back to give her room with the tanglefoot bag.
Seeing Kenzo step back I postpone my action until after Jessa's.
afterwards I look for an opening to attack again:
attacking (1d20 +7=17)
The tanglefoot bag strikes the quasit as she begins to fly and she falls back down into the water.
Mitnal drops the dagger and lunges at the whatzit, attempting to grapple her as ordered.
Kenzo shakes his head in astonishment, and picks up the dagger Mitnal has dropped.
daze again.
At last Gyorgy's spell manages to daze the demon. Just Gyorgy dazes her, Eugen slices in from behind (but misses). Mitnal grapples the little demon, grabbing her small body in his large hands.
A wet, angry bleeding dazed quasit- Round 16
Jessa: Initiative - 19
Gyorgy: Initiative - 18
Eugen: Initiative - 18
Mitnal: Initiative - 17
Kenzo: Initiative - 16 ...{}
Erylium: Initiative - 7 ...{}
Mitnal manages to pin the dazed quasit, holding it immobile.
Seeing the quasit temporarily dazed by Gyorgy's timely enchantment, Jessa tries to follow up with a blast of icy, cold energy.
"Damn it!" Jessa curses in a most unladylike fashion as the shot goes astray. Blackwing flaps his wings in similar frustration.
"See, you little madam, I knew you couldn't resist me!"
I throw yet another daze-ing kiss toward the Quasit.
Eugen draws blood on the quasit as its begins to struggle against Mitnal.
But it is still too dazed and as it is hit by another daze spell, Kenzo plunges the cold iron dagger he is holding into the small body.
Though it is not dead, the second daze spell hits it and Eugen uses the stump of the cold iron sword to slit its throat almost the whole way through.
At the end, the tiny, lifeless body of the demonic entity lies bleeding at the feet of the brave adventurers.
At the end, the tiny, lifeless body of the demonic entity lies bleeding at the feet of the brave adventurers.
Jessa steps down out of the pool and then slumps to the floor to lean against the side. Her face looks more haggard and drawn than ever before.
"Is it dead?" she asks in the ensuing silence, "Is it truly and finally dead? Thank, Nethys! What a horrible, horrid little thing! I can't imagine such fiends serving in Cheliax...or willingly summoned by students of Korvosa's Acadamae. Who could possibly stand against them?"
I kick it halfheartedly to see if it moves, trying to remember what there was to life before we started battling this thing. I look around to try to figure out where we actually are and what we may have missed.
also i keep an eye out for a better weapon than my little shard.
Mitnal continues to squeeze the whatzit until he hears Jesslara declare it dead. He hesitates to release it but as it has yet to move, he does. "So, are we done hear then? Anything else we need to kill?"
"Well, at least we won... And just look what we've won!"
I throw out my arm to indicate the strange chamber we have stopped in and give a thin smile to match my rather sleight attempt at humour.
also i keep an eye out for a better weapon than my little shard.
The dead quasit is sporting a fancy little dagger. Unfortunately it is sized for a creature smaller than Eugen.
Other potential loot includes the miniature tiara the quasit is wearing, the stained and sliced silk dress she wears and a small obsidian symbol on a cord around her neck. The symbol is in the shape of the head of a three eyed jackal.
There doesn't seem to be a lot else of value in the mostly empty room. The dead goblins are carrying their weapons and some fish bones. The pools are empty of coins, though the one atop the platform continues to boil with a dull red light.
"any idea what that light is, Jessa?"
At the end, the tiny, lifeless body of the demonic entity lies bleeding at the feet of the [bold]brave[/bold] adventurers.
Kenzo slumps to the floor. The reality of where they are and what the group has been doing comes crashing back in, and is a bit of a shock after the young monk was completely absorbed in the struggle with the little demon.
After a few minutes, Kenzo picks himself up. He considers washing his hands in the pool, but quickly decides against it. Looking around at the others, he says, "What now?"
I hop from foot to foot, uncomfortable about resting in such a strange, creepy place.
For something to do: I start casting Detect Magic across the room, focusing on anything I find.
"Any idea what that light is, Jessa?"
"Something...evil," Jessa quietly answers, "The last time we were here, the quasit summoned one of those monstrosities out of the lighted pool. So it can't be good."
She sullenly looks at the dead creature's corpse. "And with it's death, the little demon probably took whatever knowledge about it with her to the Abyss."
After a few minutes, Kenzo picks himself up. He considers washing his hands in the pool, but quickly decides against it. Looking around at the others, he says, "What now?"
"For now, we rest..." Jessa says, "Let's catch our breath from that...debacle...and then we can search this place. Maybe there's still a clue from ancient Thassilon lying around here somewhere?"
After a minute or so, Jessa too climbs to her feet. She casts a quick cantrip to dry her robe and then joins Gyorgy in assessing the ancient chamber. "What do you sense about this place?" she asks the sorcerer.
Gyorgy:
I take up the little dagger; "This is magical. Perhaps we can sell it on?"
"The summoning pool is magical too, and creepy as hell. Did everyone see the look of fear on the quasit's face when she summoned that beast with her blood and the pool faded? Even she was afraid of the pool!"
I look around at my companions; "I'm not going to pretend that I know how to turn it off though. Maybe a scholar in Magnimar or Korvosa could tell us? When the time comes."
"I'm not going to pretend that I know how to turn it off though. Maybe a scholar in Magnimar or Korvosa could tell us? When the time comes."
"We can't wait around for someone to come all the way from Magnimar or Korvosa," Jessa scoffs, "Besides...I'm a scholar from Magnimar...and I'm here already!" She playfully punches Gyorgy's arm. "C'mon...let's go have a look at that glowing pool. There's a sage in Sandpoint who's studied a lot about Ancient Thassilon, too. We can probably consult with him, as well...if necessary."
With the potential for new discovery, Jessa's spirits have noticeably lifted. She walks past the dead quasit and nimbly starts up the stairs so she can reach the pool's landing.
Mitnal thinks the little nail trimmer the Quasit used as a dagger is cute. He isn't interesting in learning any arcane lore but, having inferred that the pool posed some danger in the past, remains attentive to his inquisitive friends.
The pool continues to bubble as the group contemplates it.
After the struggle with the quasit, Kenzo feels different, as if life itself was suddenly more vibrant and . . . colorful.
The pool continues to bubble as the group contemplates it.
"Whatever magic that quasit commanded from this pool is still active, I think," Jessa announces as she watches the bubbling water. She drops low to look for any Thassilonian runes or other symbols that might help explain its purpose...or more importantly a manner by which to undo its evil.
"We can't have any more of those creatures climbing out of this thing and wandering into Sandpoint," she says, "Gyorgy? You say the quasit was worried when she used it the last time? Why? How so? Could its magic be fading? If so, maybe it's too weak to pose a further threat? I remember she sliced her own hand to drop blood into it. Is that how the ritual is completed?"
Jessa shudders as she contemplates the kind of magic that requires a blood sacrifice. She prefers less gruesome spellcasting. "I wish I could divine an answer to this mystery. Maybe I could sketch this place and show it to Brodert Quink? That old sage knows a lot about Thassilon. He might shed a little more light on things. I need to record this anyway if I'm going to include it in my report back to the chapterhouse in Magnimar."
"Hey, I know you're a scholar, but it's a question of finding the right one. I've always wanted to visit a city; just to see what it's like."
I follow Jessa over to the pool; "let's see what we can see."
I cast Detect Magic again on the pool and concentrate to learn how strong the aura is and what schools of magic are in use (ie. trying to figure out if the pool summons or creates).
Listening to Jessa and Gyorgy discuss the fountain, Kenzo looks from it to Mitnal, and back. "Why don't we just have Mitnal smash a hole in the side, and drain out the water?"
Listening to Jessa and Gyorgy discuss the fountain, Kenzo looks from it to Mitnal, and back. "Why don't we just have Mitnal smash a hole in the side, and drain out the water?"
"Heavens, no!" Jessa exclaims with some alarm.
"There's no telling what those waters might do if they're left uncontained," she explains, "Even if they drained away, their taint might find a way into the town's well-water! And who knows what kind of evil influence it would have on the townsfolk after that?"
"No," she shakes her head, "It's best if we leave the waters alone. Instead, it's the magic of the well we need to unravel. Just give me some time to think..."
Jessa pulls away and wanders around the ancient chamber for several moments. At times she talks to herself or pauses to stare at an unusual bit of stonework. Finally, she comes back to the pool, drawing forth the iron wand they found earlier.
"This is an ancient weapon of Thassilon," she tells everyone, tapping it against her palm as if she were an instructor on ancient civilizations, "Even as old as it may be, it holds a powerful enchantment. But its magic won't last forever. It only holds a certain number of charges before it will become depleted."
She then points at the well. "I'm curious if maybe this well acts on the same principle," Jessa says, glancing at Gyorgy, "If you saw the quasit become worried when she activated it that last time, maybe it's because she realized the well's power is starting to wane? Maybe it's close to running out of charges? And, when that happens, much like this wand, it'll become useless until someone recharges it."
"Now, I don't know how to recharge this wand. There might be some more powerful wizards who could do it, but I suspect none of them live around here," she continues, "This well, though...it's unique. I've studied a lot of journals and I've never heard of such a thing. Not in any myths or legends. Brodert Quink may have. I want to ask him about it. He's got more knowledge about Ancient Thassilon than anyone probably still living. And if he doesn't know how this kind of well could be recharged...well, maybe we should make sure it uses up all its charges and then it'll just stop working...and nobody will be able to make it work again, because no one will know how."
"That's my theory, at least..." she finishes, "And it's the best I can offer. Regardless, I say we leave this thing alone until I can talk to Quink. Would you come with me, Gyorgy? Maybe you can explain the aura you read on it. And, if Brodert thinks it's wise, we could check with Gandethus and ask his opinion, too. What do you think?"
For DM:
blah ... blah ... blah ... Mitnal smash blah ... blah ... blah ... ?"blah ... blah ... blah ... blah ... blah ... blah ... evil influence blah ... blah ... blah ... blah ... blah ... blah ... ancient weapon blah ... blah ... blah ... powerful ... blah ... blah ... magic blah ... blah ... power .... blah ... blah ... powerful wizards blah ... blah ... blah ... myths or legends ... blah ... blah ... blah ...
Mitnal listens attentively to the discussion and believes he's caught the key points. "So? I should smash it, right?"