#97 - Treasures and Tendrils

Excerpt from the Cypher's Codex: The Scrawlings of a Warforged Scholar

The Brelish wizard Elidac presented us with a fine leather-bound wooden chest of Lukar’s belongings. There were some very useful magical items inside and Elidac was amenable to identifying each of them, as well as the several items Simel had found on Lukar’s disabled body.
Below is a detailed inventory of the items acquired from our adventure in the upper keep.

Items acquired from the various phantasms we visited:

• Bag of Bones (borne by Cypher) - From the phantasmal event of Lurinet of Aundair. There are nine small bones in the bag. Planting a single bone in the ground will produce an unknown effect approximately one minute later. This effect sounds very similar to Aleae’s Wand of Wonder; therefore, it is not subject to further, qualitative analysis. Dumping the entire bag’s contents on on the ground will cause a great explosion, damaging all creatures within the vicinity, including the aggressor. A most fascinating set of items, I look forward to seeing them in use.  I have decided to keep these in my supplies for the time being.
• Elixir of Health (borne by Cypher) - From the phantasmal event of Lukar of Thrane. A decanter of frothy blue liquid with tiny bubbles of light inside. Contains enough for two doses. Drinking a dose of the potion can cure disease and a number of other ailments.
• Goggles of Night (borne by Simel) - From the phantasmal event of Lukar of Thrane. Wearing these goggles grants the wearer exception darkvision.
• Immovable Rod (borne by Cypher) - From the phantasmal event of Charise of Cyre. A silver but otherwise unremarkable cylinder. Pressing the small button on one side causes the rod to activate, becoming fixed in space. It can bear exception amounts of weight. Pressing the button again de-activates it.

Items taken from the corpse of Lukar of Thrane:

• Lukar’s Cane (borne by Cypher) - A finely crafted magical staff with the head of a goat carved in the top. Upon striking a creature, the wielder may choose to unleash a spell of Polymorph from within the cane.  This power can only be unleashed once each day. Currently only Lukar could activate the power of the cane. Anyone else who attempts to use the cane’s magical powers, or identify its properties as I found out with the most difficulty, will become the target of the Polymorph spell. I don’t think this cane will prove functionally useful to our group.  The only person who could have wielded it is Aleae and she does not seem interested in fighting with such a weapon. I do think that House Cannith would make use of this tool, once they readjust its matrix to allow another to use it. I will hold it in order to sell at a Cannith enclave.
• Bracelet of Feather Fall (borne by Aleae) - Fine silver bracelet with inscribed feathers around the band. Allows the wearer to cast a localized effect similar to the Feather Fall spell.
• Gem of the Earth Elemental (borne by Cypher and hidden from Aleae) - When cast upon the ground, an earth elemental is summoned in the place where the gem lands. The elemental will be friendly to the thrower and his companions and will obey verbal commands. The elemental remains on this plane for an hour or until it is destroyed. Simel and I were very careful to keep this item from Aleae’s awareness. I had strong suspicions that it was elemental conjuration magic and I did not want her to throw a fit like the last time we encountered such magic. Elemental magic is a powerful tool to be wielded deftly.



A sample of
rubellite tourmaline. 

• Lukar’s Dagger (borne by Simel) - A magical dagger with accoutrement of the Silver Flame

Former possessions of Lukar of Thrane:

• Two mundane gems (borne by Aleae): a fire opal and a star ruby, each estimated to be worth about 1,000 galifars.
• Quiver (mundane) with 15 arrows (born by Simel)
• 10 death arrows - magical arrows capable of sing the archer's own life force to exact greater punishment upon the target.
• 5 guardian arrows - strong magical arrows that increase the bearer's awareness of his surroundings.
• Staff of Clairvoyance (borne by Aleae) - Curled staff of ivory topped with a rubellite tourmaline. This magical staff grants its wield access to the Clairvoyance spell, and heightens one's magical defenses when grasped with both hands. 
• “Faith Bolt” (borne by Magnus) A javelin made of enchanted silver and wrapped in silk, this Javelin of Lightning was blessed by the Church of the Silver Flame. Lukar called it a Faithbolt. When activated while thrown and the command words spoken ("For the Silver Flame"), the Bolt will trail a massive lightning bolt, hitting each target, friend or foe, along its path. This magic is tied to the Silver Flame, so some measure of faith must be exerted to continue using the Faith Bolt’s powers. Much studying must be performed to understand this divine magic.
• Ring of Jumping (borne by Clarion) - A silver ring printed with the impression of an animal's print around the band. Allows the wearer to cast the Jump spell several times each day.
• Potion of Stone Giant Strength (borne by Simel) - Imbiber becomes as strong as a stone giant for an hour.
• Potion of Heroism (borne by Magnus) - A red seething liquid, gives the imbiber extra energy and the effects of a Blessing for an entire hour.
• Potions of Greater Healing (2 borne by Aleae and Clarion) - Potent potions of healing.
• 2 Scrolls of Protection (Protection from Plants, borne by Cypher, and Protection from Fiends, borne by Clarion) - Reading the scroll will create a 5-foot radius, 10-foot-high cylinder centered around the reader for 5 minutes. The barrier prevents creatures of the type specified from entering the cylinder and from affecting anything in the cylinder. Unlike scrolls created by an arcanist, these can be activated by any creature who can read.
• Draught of Impending Death (borne by Cypher) - A milky white liquid, the drinker will be repaired magically after being disabled within 24 hours of drinking the Draught.
• Philter of Sacrifice (borne by Cypher) - Two creatures drink from the potion, alchemically linking them for 24 hours. The first time one of the drinkers is disabled, they are repaired instantly but the other person loses a measure of life energy to balance the effects.

While we examined and equipped ourselves with these new devices, Elidac and the remaining wizards—Garrek of Karrnath, Charise of Cyre, and Lurinet of Aundair—looked on. I have noticed that only Elidac speaks to us. The other wizards always seem half-present.

After presented with several choices of where the wizards were willing to transport us, we decided rather quickly to visit the halls far beneath Glyphstone Keep where the alleged angel named Talor resided. Aleae questioned Elidac about what he knew of the Mournland—for her own errand, though unclear to me, is relates to the Mourning—and he suggested that if were truly insistent on that topic that we might find Talor more knowledgeable. He believed Talor may have been directly involved somehow, although he didn't appear to assign blame to the angel.

Elidac referred to Talor as a justicator of his kind. This was not a title with which we were familiar but the root word—justice—was immediately apparent. Elidac also warned us that while Talor may be considered "good" he is also dangerous and that we may be judged in his presence.

Elidac said that we would be welcome to return to this place if we wished, though we would have to return by conventional means. Then with a few arcane words Elidac cast a spell of teleportation.

We arrived moments later in a dark cavern. Given the sizable stalagmites and stalactites, we knew we must far underground indeed. A single passage wound up and out of sight and smelled of decay. Additionally a ledge was discovered 40 feet overhead by Simel, whose darkvision goggles allowed him to spy the aperture. I sent Rungo to climb the wall and investigate and she discovered the passage led to to another room, this one perfectly hewn from the rock in a way that makes it distinct from the goblin-carved passages of Glyphkeep proper. She also reported the air to be significantly warmer up in the passage above.

We fashioned two 50-foot lengths of rope and had Rungo bring one end up and then over the outcropping, allowing Clarion and myself to hold anchor while the others climbed up safely.  When several of the party members were safely along the outcropping, they were attacked by an unknown assailant. At the same time Simel and Clarion are attacked from below, ensnared by the stony yet flexible tendrils of an animate stalagmite, as we could see with Clarion’s dancing lights. Rungo informed me that there was a similar moving stalactite attacking the group from above, but they, like myself, were unable to see it in the dark. I infuse Rungo with magical light and sent her to climb and illuminate the creature on the cavern ceiling.

Over the past several weeks I have been honing the skills I learned in the creation forge and the Brelish army. They taught me to be swift and steady, the better to handle dangerous traps quickly, to get in and get out quickly without any trace. The consistent practice came to fruition and my speed in combat is now greatly increased. It will provide our party with a great tactical advantage.  I clambered up the wall with ease and got in position to attack with my armbow once Rungo lit up the target.

Magnus fought free from the adhesive tendrils of the stalactite and heaved the "Faithbolt" at the creature, activating the lightning power. Unfortunately Magnus was not very proficient in using magical items and he didn’t realize the risk that he was putting Rungo through, as she was between Magnus and the stalactite. Rungo took a massive hit of lightning, while the javelin and its energy completely missed its target. A bite from the stalactite and Rungo was nearly disabled but thankfully Aleae’s Wand of Wonder put the creature to sleep. Rungo bit the stalactite once more and then ran full-speed back towards me. A mundane javelin from Magnus finished off the stalactite on the
ceiling.

Meanwhile the stalagmite on the ground was hounding Clarion and Simel, but they fought back. Sahlessh, in a burst of speed I cannot properly understand, jumped down the 40-foot drop and performed a magnificent flying kick to the creature. He repeatedly struck the stone-like creature with various parts of his body before being savagely bitten by it. Simel, at last, disabled it with his rapier.

We are far from beaten, but had not expected to be attacked so suddenly. I am left wondering whether these creatures were independent subterranean predators, or whether they were sentries placed here to surprised intruders. And if so, whose are they? Avashad's or the angel's?

"What, is it my breath?"