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| * Personality: Jo seems to be a balance of extremes. She talks to herself sometimes and seems to have an internal dialogue going on. | | * Personality: Jo seems to be a balance of extremes. She talks to herself sometimes and seems to have an internal dialogue going on. |
| * Risk Assessment: (Moderate) I have not interacted with them enough to be certain, but it seems that they have an infernal and celestial parent. This makes them a potential complication. Their parentage may also be worth investigating to ensure loyalty remains in the infernal parent and to see whether the celestial can be swayed to serve more useful interests. | | * Risk Assessment: (Moderate) I have not interacted with them enough to be certain, but it seems that they have an infernal and celestial parent. This makes them a potential complication. Their parentage may also be worth investigating to ensure loyalty remains in the infernal parent and to see whether the celestial can be swayed to serve more useful interests. |
| * Personal Notes: Reedy has described them as... interesting and a lot to take in. This was an accurate assessment, albeit far from helpful. She seems to have a complex relationship with both parents and also perhaps children of her own which she takes care of. Likewise, she seems to have claimed to be on some kind of holy mission that directs her wherever she is needed. | | * Personal Notes: Reedy has described them as... interesting and a lot |
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| ===== 7.2.4 [[Dragonett]] ===== | | ===== 7.2.4 [[Dragonett]] ===== |
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| ==== 7.3 Sight Rot and Resolution ==== | | ==== 7.3 Sight Rot and Resolution ==== |
| <div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">In the aftermath of the demonic encounter we escaped via airskiff and made the return to camp. During the travel, several of us, myself included began to develop further symptoms of some kind of malady in the eyes. Therrin attempted to cure it through use of a Lesser Restoration spell, but it did little, and it was clear whatever disease had been inflicted upon us would not be so easily removed. Upon returning to the camp, I made two announcements: first that Jim Stacy had joined demonic forces and was a threat, and second, that some kind of disease had affected a number of us. The latter announcement I made in the medical tent, where Felix attempted to convince me to undergo a quarantine in order to ensure this illness could not spread. He backed down when I told him that it would take a use of force in order to prevent me from leaving, and that I was merely informing the camp of the matter, not subjecting myself to his imagined authority. There was no indication of the taint being a contagion and any quarantine had already been broken as the party split up upon disembarking from the airskiff. Although we were able to discover that regular application casting of lesser restoration magic could at least prevent the disease from getting worse than it already was, a certain amount of damage had already been done. | | <div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">[TBW: Sabbatical's struggles with sight rot, and its eventual resolution.] |
| Back at my tent the real symptoms truly began to appear for the first time, as instead of mere blurring of vision in places, I had my first visual hallucination, that of a dark patch of mold on the wall of the tent. Reedy assured me nothing was there, and my other senses didn't notice anything amiss, but this was the first indication that my eyes were truly compromised. This... was not a feeling I was prepared for. In the Hells, I had never considered how a demonic taint could infect a person to such a degree that it would resist my efforts to remove it. While I feel confident the fires of Phlegethos would prove sufficient, I was stuck in a place where my only access is the little trickle of energy I can call upon. My senses could not be fully trusted, which, while I know I could be subjected to illusions at any time, felt vastly different to have the deception with its root inside me.
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| I did not sleep well that night, despite Reedy's assurances that she would help and that she would protect me during this time of weakness. My dreams that night emphasized the taint's seeming permanence and left me feeling wholly unrested. It became clear by the next time I fell asleep that these dreams were not merely my mind reacting to the reasonable fear of what this disease could do, but were a direct symptom of it. The fiendishly insidious disease also carried a psychic attack with it, preying on deep-seated insecurities and fears and drawing on anything of import to the person affected. Those first dreams left me shaken, as they carried a risk I knew could be real: that my infection would prove too resilient for my body, and that I would have to be destroyed in order to be rid of it. The greater fear was that whatever it was doing would be pervasive enough to stain my soul and cause me to be rejected by the Hells.
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| I took as many steps to cleanse myself as I could think of short of actually burning my eyes out, a step I was unwilling to take unless and until proven necessary. This included ablutions with water and ash as well as meditation and rituals. None had sufficient effect to rid myself of the disease even if they did slightly ameliorate some of the symptoms. I was left feeling ''tainted'' and unclean still, and I strongly considered removing my own eyes in order to prevent any trace of this thing from staying in me. However, because I couldn't even be certain that violent removal of my eyes would succeed in removing all trace of demonic corruption within me, the cost seemed too high to take on an uncertain gamble. I was left terrified and ashamed of my state, but I did my best to keep it hidden.
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| This all came at an incredibly poor time for me as well because I was still struggling with the infernal contract I was crafting for Reedy. It made all my efforts trying to craft proper language and writing carefully just wasted effort as I could not see clearly enough to write it all down. The hallucinations also appeared to come at calculated moments to evoke a reaction or to prompt some kind of ill-fated response. Attempting to rely both on Reedy and my other senses, I avoided making any truly dangerous errors, although I am certain that was only possible because I was able to spend the time mostly in seclusion. Shadows and filth composed a large part of the images, although some of the images were instead of seemingly random things, like Reedy's skin turning a bright shade of blue.
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| As you no doubt are aware, this is also when I decided to contact Grandmother directly about the contract. Although I had trouble with ''seeing'' clearly, I could still think, and I knew I needed to address things properly before either Reedy or I were placed in another life-threatening position on a mission for the Tempest Brother's Company. As Reedy prepared to embark on her assignment to discover what happened to the company livestock, I carefully transcribed the contract text onto the fresh pages I had been sent, even through the blurred vision. It was now that we signed the contract (a new addendum to my own deal sealed long ago) and were wed. Of course, Reedy's mission left us no time to properly celebrate either the union or the beginning of our long time together as consorts.
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| While she was out on this mission, I recruited Lambda to assist me with cooking up a custom meal for Reedy using the knowledge I could borrow from my power. Lambda was able to ensure these efforts were not defeated by any untimely hallucinations, and I promised a minor favor in the form of an attempted Sending spell to an ally of Nassir's in exchange for a supply of his clan's special spices to season things. I prepared a meal as grand as I could under the circumstances with fresh greens, potatoes and the best meat available. My plans for a special evening meal sort of fell apart though because when Reedy returned she had already eaten at a feast. She also came with news of a rare flower in the area called Eyebright that would hopefully help, and a druidic concoction to overcome bad dreams.
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| This last thing I was hesitant to welcome. Even if not a poison, it could be mind-affecting in its own way, and willingly taking in such a substance can grant it more power over one's mind, so it was a risk in and of itself. As we discussed the potential I revealed my fears to Reedy: that this demonic taint was potentially far worse and beyond the ability of even spells enhanced by a magic flower to resolve. This... moment of vulnerability and emotional intimacy was very difficult for me. Showing genuine weakness and vulnerability to another being always seemed like it would only be likely to have me exploited. In the Hells, this may even be correct (and is a good lesson to keep in mind if I wish to feign a weakness and exploit a predictable response in the future), but with Reedy, it didn't feel like a real risk. On the contrary, my sharing those moments with her seemed more effective than anything else in demonstrating trust in her, and it brought us closer together in a way that physical intimacy and closeness alone could not accomplish. This, likewise, seems like a weapon I will find opportunity to make use of should I find myself in the position to tempt other mortal souls into the Hells: show them a genuine emotionally vulnerable moment to build closeness and trust.
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| After being briefly haunted by the spirit of a dragonborn whose body I had questioned earlier and then attending his funeral, Reedy raised the idea of rings for the two of us, which, while sweet and sentimental was unnecessary for me. It may be helpful for her though to both have and to know that I have a physical symbol of our union. Our discussion drifted to druids and growing things, and the lack thereof in Phlegethos before eventually turning back to the demons and the all-too-noticeable conflict of the war with them becoming a significant part of my life. The Fourth circle is far from the front lines of the conflict, as had my previous work, so I did not expect to really confront the demonic threat first-hand until after I had been transfigured. My first-hand experience has only proved the reports accurate, and perhaps even understating the need that exists to protect reality from these creatures. They would ruin corrupt and destroy all of it if left unchecked, and it seems that only the hells have both the strength and resolve to do so. I would be more than willing to take the fight to them in the abyss and deal some lasting damage to the demonic forces once I am transformed into a proper fiend myself and can undertake such a mission. Likewise, if there is any need for a fiendish commander in driving this "Mother" from Quelmar and back into her own domain where she can be properly destroyed, I would find the opportunity quite satisfying.
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| In all, it was a full week of dealing with this corruption before a party was dispatched to a location thought to have eyebright flowers we could harvest. This left me with a week's worth of sleep debt to begin catching up on as well as everything else. The return party was short one in number when it returned, as Tassa Brightfox seemed to have been lost after the conflict, but the mission of primary concern to me was successful: the flowers were acquired, and sufficient quantity of a paste was crafted in the medical tent. By weaving restoration spells in combination with its application directly onto my eyes (quite uncomfortable, but no more so than than the discomfort of the spores in the first place) it appeared to be wholly successful in ridding my body of the disease. This was a relief I do not think I can possibly overstate and an experience I hope never to repeat, but finally I was whole once more and capable of facing any threat once more. When I have to leave I hope that I do so having caused sufficient disruption to this demonic "mother" and any plans she has here.
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| === Entry 8: Draconic Disasters === | | === Entry 8: Draconic Disasters === |
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| Narrative Account: | | Narrative Account: |
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| Lucinda Grimfold called this group together to investigate the cause of several dinosaur deaths to the North of the base camp. The scouting parties had discovered several fresh kills of the enormous lizards, both magically mutated and the mundane variety, and she is concerned that whatever is killing these creatures may head in our direction once it's hunted its territory clear. We set out aboard an air skiff piloted by a halfling named Skippy who pointed us in the right direction. From the air we spotted evidence of a few bodies in the distance before we spotted a dark shape approaching from the distance in the sky. As it approached, it resolved into an enormous winged figure: a bird with a wingspan greater than the entire skiff at over fifty feet. The bird (a roc) swept at the vehicle in an attack and nearly knocked Wiggler out of the ship before coming around for another pass and tearing into the vessel, causing us to quickly lose altitude. | | Lucinda Grimfold called this group together to investigate the cause of several dinosaur deaths to the North of the base camp. The scouting parties had discovered several fresh kills of the enormous lizards, both magically mutated and the mundane variety, and she is concerned that whatever is killing these creatures may head in our direction once it's hunted its territory clear. [Continued] |
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| Skippy directed our descent into a clearing in the forest, whereupon the ground immediately gave out under us, dropping us an additional sixty feet into a large underground chamber. The chamber appeared to be the antechamber for some kind of draconic temple dedicated to Tiamat, as it bore her symbol of a set of massive doors and contained five dragon statues placed around the room. Wiggler began to panic, curled up in a ball and useless when it became clear that we would not be escaping anytime soon. He did volunteer to transform into some kind of animal that could climb, but since the roc was still circling the area above us, we all thought it best to explore alternative exits first. Even in a worst-case scenario, I could have sent a message back to camp in order to notify them of our general location and our status, so I was relatively unworried.
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| We examined the room. I focused on the statues while Amaris and Jo looked over the wreckage and Frankie and Dragonett checked the collapsed tunnels for items of interest or possible exits. We determined that it was likely a five-part lock associated with each dragon's element in order to open the large door, and the two dexterous members of the party located a magical dagger we later identified as a dagger of venom. We began the process of unlocking the great door my providing a match to each of the chromatic dragon elements: fire, a torch; ice, chill water from a cave wall; lightning, a static charge; acid, wiggler's feral strike; and poison, the dagger. Upon providing each of these to the basins set in front of each dragon statue, the door unlocked and opened, revealing an even larger chamber filled with statues of stone beings of all kinds, mostly humanoids, a combination tomb/altar to Tiamat. The walls were decorated with large murals of three special dragons: Kavanmort, the Twin Doom; Xevriss, the Devourer of Gourds; and Alkinimic, the ancient. There was also a defaced image of some dragon known only as "The one taken underground" which was seemingly corrupted or something.
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| As we cautiously explored the statue room, it seemed that several statues were subtly shifting position, putting us all on guard for some kind of attack until a medusa came at us from behind. The medusa was seemingly controlling the statues' movement, and they joined the fight, making things far more difficult for us. Half of our group had started turning into stone before we killed the creature and its partial transformations no longer had any effect on us. The death of the creature also caused all the previously mobile statues to revert to stationary form. Despite them all almost certainly being the bodies of previous explorers, I smashed one of the statues, reasoning that I would rather die than be trapped in an indefinite stasis like these people, and that no one had reason to come back here and restore them, as such a spell would have been expensive for each one, let alone for the numbers there were (easily over thirty).
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| We searched the area for valuables, discovering some coin and gems decorating the tomb as well as seven marks in an arc around it, indicating some kind of magical seal in place over it. However, one thing we also discovered was a valuable pearl, which is a necessary component of the Identify spell, something I had been hoping to find for some time. We retrieved the gems and pearl as well as a circlet, which I identified, and which was claimed by Dragonett. Thinking there could be more of worth available, and hoping to find a way out behind the tomb, I asked Amaris to dispel a layer of the protections so we could examine things more closely in safety. Unfortunately, this led to the awakening of the tomb's inhabitant, an undead dragonborn who thirsted for blood (vampire) and who we had just released. He called himself Galidant, and was clearly a creature not in his own time, with vastly outdated information about his part in the earlier conflict of the War of Many Names.
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| We found a passage behind the tomb that led outside, and the whole group thought it best to leave sooner rather than later since this Galidant had strongly implied he would be attempting to eat us despite being the ones to free him from imprisonment. Outside, we found another entrance to this temple, and the other half of our airskiff, containing the communication apparatus. We signaled for rescue and were about to simply wait for rescue when the roc reappeared, this time with the Green Knight riding its back. The creature crashed into the ground, subdued, and the knight slapped some kind of magic collar around its neck, causing it to disappear (likely teleportation or other dimensional magic at work). He then told us that he would be killing us all because we knew too much having spoken to Galidant.
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| As we were already exhausted from the battle earlier, we opted to fight a retreat rather than a pitched battle, and our rescue skiff was nearly arrived. The party scattered, remaining close enough to still offer some support, but far enough that the Knight could not attack too many of us at once. During the battle he spoke, focused almost entirely on Frankie, who he called "Franklin" with seeming recognition that Frankie claims to lack. He also clearly had some sort of regeneration capability. The Green Knight also appeared to be vulnerable to fire, which, as my weapon of choice, meant he targeted me for his first execution. I barely had a moment to cast a spell trying to command him to grovel, which he shook off, before he jammed his sword straight through my armor and my chest and out my back. Suffering from shock, I passed out for a moment before one of the others was able to offer me some healing so I could activate my stride and escape the immediate danger. We actually seemed to be making progress in the battle, and I think we could have simply killed the Green Knight had the rest of the group felt the same and committed to an attack instead of a retreat at the end. Still, I could not press the issue, and we all boarded the airskiff. I do think there was potential for one or more of us to be knocked unconscious again had we pressed for more battle, but even so, I believe it would have proven useful to kill or capture this figure while he fought us alone. Time will tell whether his continued actions in the Wilds are a net benefit or detriment, and I will endeavor to be more persuasive when I tell others to risk their lives for outcomes they do not fully understand, but ''I'' can see.
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| ==== 8.3 Dangers in the Dark and Disruptions of Deities (Reedy) ==== | | ==== 8.3 Dangers in the Dark and Disruptions of Deities (Reedy) ==== |
| <div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">Reedy returned from a mission today that took her back to the Temple of Lolth we uncovered on our very first mission for the Tempest Brothers Company. Although I haven't yet written up a complete report, some things have been very clear based on her state when she returned to camp and our discussions over the next nights. The mission she was on left a lasting impression on her, and has led to consequences both personal and material. First, for material, Reedy returned with multiple Cloaker hides used to craft into Displacement cloaks and an increased fascination with obtaining monster parts and materials. She has made an arrangement with Bulio to exchange such items for credit against the cost of a Cloak, which he has agreed to craft over the next few months. | | <div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">Reedy returned from a mission today that took her back to the Temple of Lolth we uncovered on our very first mission for the Tempest Brothers Company. Although I haven't yet written up a complete report, some things have been very clear based on her state when she returned to camp and our discussions over the next nights. [continued] |
| The personal and emotional consequences of the mission are more pervasive. One of the members of the missionwas killed, and all of the party were knocked unconscious at at least one point. This came close after the death of two other members of the company and clearly took a toll on many of the people planning to undertake missions for this company. Reedy's reaction, however, was more... disconnected than I expected. I know she is beginning to change, both in response to me and our contract, and I welcome the changes as a whole, but the pace seems, faster than I expected, or I didn't realize quite how near she was to thinking of others as disposable already. The attitude just seemed at odds with what she had displayed before, especially regarding a desire not to kill bounties, but turn them over to "proper authorities," including how she handled the Jim Stacy situation. Yet she somehow was able to be callous when it was the lives of her allies on the line rather than someone under ''her'' power. This will be something to keep an eye on for developments, but so long as she makes correct judgment calls, I am not concerned as of yet. In fact, this could simply be a positive development in response to her accepting of her path with me.
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| Several days later, Reedy was among those asked to join the nearby druidic conclave of Thistlebrook in a celebration of some kind. As part of this celebration apparently the representatives were brought before two gods: the timeless and the nameless. Somehow this event turned from a celebration into some sort of test or trial by these entities involving forces far beyond my understanding. Supposedly those with Reedy were sent into the distant future, to a time when the entire world was ending. During this time, my bond with her soul was just... absent, like it didn't even exist. This was both unexpected, and, as far as I know, it should be impossible. I was under the impression that not even deities could tamper with a soul in that way without the permission of the soul's owner, and it was clear from Reedy's description of events that no such consent had been given.
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| Firm answers about the incident remain sketchy, as the druids have not been particularly communicative, despite an attempt by me to reach out to their leader for more information. I am especially concerned about this seeming capacity for one god to affect the flow of time so significantly, not just to slow or speed it as the fey often do, but to jump whole groups of people around through it. A small consolation is that these two gods seem to have a limited sphere of influence connected to the druidic conclave. This may mean they are not a direct threat to any of our goals or plans, but I still believe they were worth reporting on to infernal eyes and agents, and not just to the company. In any case, Reedy left the encounter stronger and with a new draconic bow infused with the energy of a radiant dragon. This is somewhat ironic given her new affiliations, but should prove useful should she ever end up taking on the role of tracking down fugitive devils attempting to avoid their trials.
| | Several days later, Reedy was among those asked to join the nearby druidic conclave of Thistlebrook in a celebration of some kind. As part of this celebration apparently the representatives were brought before two gods: the timeless and the nameless. [continued] |
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| ==== 8.4 Mission Report: Deceptive Dragon's Demise ==== | | ==== 8.4 Mission Report: Deceptive Dragon's Demise ==== |
