The Ingaran Adventures
Episode 36
“The Fall of Ilsensine's Temple”
The Ingaran Adventures
Episode 36
“The Fall of Ilsensine's Temple”
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Alexander: The Gauntlet of Athena
Zografos: An Ingaran painter going under the
name of Domnhall
Issic: Half Human, Half Gold Dragon Warrior
India: A gypsy Bard/Shadow Dancer
Phaidon: A local Tamer of the Beasts
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The Time: Summer, Nemed 26
The Place: Alisander – A very large city, the largest in
all of Inzeladun, Alisander has a population of 120,000 persons. Although Lamapacher
does not have a capital, this city is the definite hub of Lamapacher's commerce
and power. Situated on the shores of the Alisander River, this town has a history
that dates back to the Fourth Age. Founded by King Alisander, a hero of the
Fourth Age, it was the capital of the Kingdom of Alisander. Alisander existed
as a separate nation until it was conquered by Lord Komaaks and absorbed into
his fledging nation Lamapacher. The city is currently ruled by Baron Nadam,
Champion of Vale. The city is well known for its cheese. It also exports manufactured
goods, weapons, armor, ancient artifacts looted from the massive dungeons and
tunnels that crisscross beneath the city to untold depths. The city-state extends
out 50 miles from the city center in all directions, making Alisander one of
the largest states in Lamapacher. Like much of Lamapacher, slavery is illegal,
and many escaped slaves from Drychtnoth and Ingara make their way here.
Absterator healed itself in the main chapel area of the Temple. It sent
a mental summons out to its compatriots and waited. It didn't have to wait
long. Four powerful mind flayers, each with its favorite illithidkin worshipper.
Uropquasbossk with its greatsword, a weapon designed to kill half dragons, was
the first to arrive, decked out in grotesque full plate armor that allowed it
to walk abroad in the sun. With it came Pyntharrzyr, a human who backed
Uropquasbossk with bow and arrow.
Next came Alabsterhion the Crafter, who made the enchanted items used
by Absterator's party. The Crafter brought with it Pers, who was previously
well-regarded in Alisander as one of the best builders in the vast city. Pers,
who had recently undergone the Apotheosis, looked more illithid than
human now. The Crafter had trained Pers in the use of a powerful heavy mace.
Ilsenmalinhoon answered the summons next. Ilsenmalinhoon was a soul knife,
a rare type of psion that could create their own weapons. This illithid brought
the human known as Clad, who fought with a magic crossbow.
The last to appear was Maanzeordellarint, one of the assassins that worked
with Absterator and Xallithidmious. Trained by Nithtalitor, one of the clan's
most eminent assassins, Maanzeordellarint was feared by many. It brought Slan,
one of the warriors of Alisander, complete with an enchanted longsword.
Absterator nodded and told them that their skills were needed immediately.
"I hope to capture at least one of the intruders," said Absterator
in its telepathic speech. Illithids lacked vocal cords, so telepathy was its
only means of speech. Absterator continued, "I want to switch my mind
with one of the intruders so that I can get into the palace and close to Lord
Nadam. Preferably the female, but any would do." Absterator separated
the group into two smaller groups and sent them after the intruders.
In the dark temple of Ilsensine, the horrible mind flayer goddess, Alexander
faced the ectoplasmic wall that stood against his dispel magic. He began
to saw through it with his pilum, Athena's Wrath. Phaidon gathered up
his spent arrows while India, Jhillim, and Sunulth the Warlord kept watch.
On the other side, Issic was knocking out the handful of surviving archers that
had been caught in Absterator's mass cocoon manifestation and Zografos
bound them with their own bowstrings.
Seeing that Alexander was making little progress, Phaidon asked, "Can
you tell Issic to help you knock the wall down, Alexander?" Alexander
sent a missive to Issic, a manifestation that gave Alexander a brief
blue halo. <Can you knock this wall down?> he asked. But before Issic
could answer, both parties found themselves under attack.
India screamed when a pair of mind flayers and a pair of humans appeared
near to her in the fire-blackened hallway. Phaidon instinctively lifted up
his bow and started firing. The humans preceded the illithids in the group.
One human, dressed in scalemail, held a longsword that glowed with a vile mauve
radiance. The other human looked almost like an illithid, with purple skin,
white eyes, and four small tentacles surrounding his human mouth. This one
had no armor, but carried a heavy mace.
Behind the two humans stood the illithids. One had a pair of glowing
daggers, and behind that one stood the other, carrying a crossbow. Their tentacles
writhed and their pale eyes narrowed. Quickly all four slammed themselves to
the wall as Phaidon's arrows whizzed past them.
Simultaneously, a pair of illithids and a pair of humans had teleported
into the northern hallway where Issic, Anathek, Zografos and the Warlord Kadelth
were tying up the archers. One of the humans, dressed in leather armor, drew
back a powerful longbow, aiming at Issic. The other human held a crossbow,
leveled at Kadelth. In front of the humans were the illithids. The foremost
wore leather and held a glowing dagger, and the other wore full plate armor
and lifted a purplish greatsword.
Zografos was quick to rush to the attack. Lashing out with his enchanted
rapier, he harried Ilsenmalinhoon, the illithid with the glowing dagger.
Ilsenmalinhoon retreated from Zografos' blade, sending out a powerful mindblast,
which manifested as a green and purple wave, against everyone in front of him
in the hallway. Uropquasbossk, the illithid with the greatsword, swung the mighty
blade at Zografos, who ducked and rolled with it. The greatsword cracked the
wooden panels of the hallway as Uropquasbossk swung it, seeking Zografos.
Popping out from behind the illithids, the bowman and the crossbowman
fired their arrows. The bowman, a human named Pyntharrzyr, fired his electrically
charged arrows, and they pounded around Zografos and Issic, who was charging
up the hallway to attack Uropquasbossk, the illithid with the greatsword. One
of the arrows slammed into Zografos hard, and he collapsed to the floor of the
hallway. Issic leapt over the penumbral lord and twisted his body to avoid
a flaming bolt from the crossbowman. The flaming bolt found its home in Anathek's
arm. Issic growled, "This is how you swing a sword!" His two-handed
weapons crashed against the greatsword of the illithid with a horrific screech.
Uropquasbossk's sword sang with delight, wanting to seek out Issic.
Anathek ran down the hallway to help Zografos, but Uropquasbossk rammed
its greatsword into Anathek's armored chest, knocking the cleric to his knees,
winded and coughing.
Kadelth, having given himself bull's strength, charged down the
hall to defend his master with his magical warsword. He stood beside mighty
Issic and tried to fight Uropquasbossk, but the illithid proved adept at blocking
both weapons. The illithid pushed back Kadelth and pressed its attack against
Issic even as Pyntharrzyr shot the half-dragon with enchanted shafts. Issic
ignored the sting of the arrows as he parried and swung at Uropquasbossk. The
illithid proved an able swordsman, fighting with onsweeping hacks and blasting
rakes. Both Issic's and Uropquasbossk's swords were bloodied, and they trod
in pools of their own blood as they battled and raged.
Ilsenmalinhoon also pushed aside Kadelth and knelt next to Anathek, its
tentacles slapping down on Anathek's head, burrowing and burning through the
cleric's skull, seeking the cleric's brain. The warlord raised his warsword
to kill the illithid, but the crossbowman shot the warlord through the eye with
a blazing bolt, stapling the Drychtnothian to the wall.
Repeated blows and counterblows were tiring both Issic and Uropquasbossk.
Yet, both stood firm as their greatswords clanged together with inexorable power
and deadly intent. Finally, Issic dealt a ripping blow that both pushed aside
Uropquasbossk's deadly greatsword and cut through the illithid's thin, mauve
neck. Uropquasbossk's head flew in a bloodied arc, landing next to the screaming
Anathek, who writhed under the questing tentacles of Ilsenmalinhoon. Issic
heard a clap of thunder echo through the halls when he swung his mighty greatsword
at Ilsenmalinhoon, crunching through the illithid's ribs and into its gaunt
torso. The illithid, dead, released Anathek, who ducked into a fetal position,
his hands on the horrible wounds on his skull. Blood ran red down Anathek's
face, and he could feel the bone of his skull beneath his fingers. Pain blinded
him, and he rolled to the ground.
Issic, worn and tired, grabbed up Ilsenmalinhoon's body to use as a shield
as he retreated, dragging his greatsword on the floor in one hand. Pyntharrzyr
continued to fire his arrows faster than the eye could follow at the retreating
half dragon. His arrows pounded into the illithid's body, but some of the points
still found their way into Issic. The half dragon grunted and continued his
retreat, wanting to get around the corner of the hall. Finally, the combination
of fatigue, sword blows, and arrow stings took their toll, and the mighty half-dragon
tumbled to the floor.
Anathek, wounded and bleeding, reached out and touched Zografos, healing
him of his wounds. Zografos stood up quickly to renew the attack. His rapier
darted in and out, sending the bowman reeling back. Wham! Zografos felt himself
fall to the ground when something huge hurtled into him. His head smacked on
the wooden floor and he realized a tiger was upon him. It had been hiding invisibly
behind the bowmen. The tiger swapped at Zografos, nearly breaking his neck.
Dimly, Zografos heard the bowman yell, "Thanks Jar-bal-zha!"
Sjachrenthisj, the female shadow dragon, had been hiding in the shadows
of Zografos' cloak. She felt the tiger standing on her tail. She did not like
being thrown to the floor like that. She quickly pulled out the wolf pelt from
its place on Zografos' belt and wrapped it around him. She cuddled close as
Zografos' eyes opened wide and he began to transform into a werewolf.
As Zografos' bones shifted and crackled, growing larger and changing shape,
as hair sprouted all over his body, the tiger ran fearfully behind the bowman.
Zografos lashed out with a claw and raked the side of the tiger, sending it
reeling into the bowman. Sitting up, the bowman pulled back an arrow. "Damn
werewolf!" he screamed out in his panic as he fired his arrows as fast
as he could at Zografos. The front of his pants grew dark as he wet himself
in fear. Zografos fell back to the floor, losing consciousness as electricity
ripped across his fur.
Anathek struggled to get away. With Issic and Zografos down, he was alone.
Even his warlords were gone. One dead, the other at the other end of the building
guarding a damn door. He did not see the crossbowman step forward over Zografos'
body. The crossbowman aimed and shot Anathek in the stomach at point blank
range. "You will heal no one ever again," said the crossbowman.
He shot again.
At the other end of the building, Phaidon continued to fire his arrows
down the hall. His panthers ran down the hall toward the humans, running beneath
the almost constant barrage of arrows. The unarmored man with the mace, ducking
around the arrow fire, slammed one of the panthers with his heavy mace, and
the sound of thunder accompanied that blow. The panther was lifted up and slammed
into the wall, and slumped to the floor, out cold, dying from broken ribs and
a punctured lung. Phaidon yelled for Alexander, who was still trying to cut
through the wall of ectoplasm. "Alexander! We've got company!"
India rolled into the room next to Phaidon. She hummed a song and cast
Cat's Grace on the archer. Phaidon felt his reflexes coordinate more
strongly with his eye, and he continued to ply his arrows out. Sunulth the
Warlord, in his red armor, cast Magic Missile down the hallway, targeting
man who nailed the panther.
Alexander ran down the hall from the ectoplasmic wall and slid to the
floor next to Phaidon. "Athena heal this warrior so that he might drive
this evil back into the depths from which it came!"
Both mind flayers vanished from Alexander's view, as the other human battled
with the panther in the hall. Man and beast, they struggled together, claw
versus sword. With scratches and bloody wounds, the man managed to get in a
few good blows with the sword, hammering the blade on the panther. The panther,
badly wounded, turned tail and ran back to Phaidon, who was just awakening.
Phaidon set up, bow in hand, and started shooting arrows at the builder
with the mace. The mace-wielding builder, Pers, swung that deadly weapon at
Phaidon, and thunder sounded, echoing throughout the building, when the weapon
connected with Phaidon. Phaidon rolled across the floor of the hall and India
attacked with her shadow-rapier. Her dark blade created a circle of death around
her, but the builder just knocked aside her light blade with a well-timed swing
of his mace. He smiled, but he didn't see Alexander in time to block Athena's
Wrath. The short, stabbing spear slid through Pers' rib-cage, right into
his monstrous heart. The illithidkin once renowned as a builder died, amazed.
He had always harbored a suspicion that he was immortal. He was shocked to
realize he was much mistaken.
"Your filthy hand shall not be placed on one of Athena's chosen!"
said Alexander, jerking the pilum out of Pers' heart just in time to parry the
blow from Slan, who had come up behind Pers. Slan and Alexander battled back
and forth, Alexander's pilum just barely deflecting the enchanted longsword
from its deadly path more than once. Sunulth drew out his Rod of Withering
and tapped Slan with it on the back. Pain wracked through Slan, and he doubled
over with the agony. He pushed himself backward just in time to avoid being
skewered by Alexander's pilum. Jhillim slashed out with his rapier, and Slan
pushed himself against the wall of the room, trying to defend himself against
this sudden circle of enemies.
In the hallway, India reached down and healed Phaidon, giving him a small
kiss before she helped him up. Phaidon reeled dizzily against the wall. Alexander
disengaged and summoned up the magic to heal Phaidon further, but in doing so,
nearly didn't block a backhanded slash from Slan.
Alexander grunted with the effort, and managed to release the magical
energy into Phaidon. Slan blocked another attack from Jhillim, but Sunulth
the Warlord managed to tap Slan again with the Rod of Withering. Slan fell
to the ground, rolled and stood again, his joints aching, his muscles in agony.
Antaeus, the other panther, leapt to the attack and killed Slan, disemboweling
him with a powerful slash.
Phaidon ran out into the hallway to try and keep Axylus from dying. The
panther was laying against the wall where he fell, obviously suffering.
Although Phaidon and Alexander thought the two illithids had teleported
out, in actuality they were at the end of the hallway, watching. When Phaidon
ran up to help his panther, Maanzeordellarint, the assassin who trained under
Nithtalitor, walked calmly toward the panther, confident in his invisibility
and non-detection protection. Maanzeordellarint pulled out his human-bane
dagger. Phaidon, displaying an uncanny sense for danger akin to lower members
of the animal kingdom, threw himself aside at the last second, and was cut lightly
across the throat instead of deeply. Instead of an quick death, he crumpled
to the floor, dying a slow one. The flayer became visible at that second and
Alexander did not waste time. His nerves already were highly strung from the
combat, and his muscles reacted like coiled and tense springs. His pilum, Athena's
Wrath, plowed into the illithid, again and again. Maanzeordellarint threw himself
back, trying to ward off the darting spear, but Alexander pressed the attack
relentlessly, his arm moving back and forth like an automaton of war. India
ran out to help, and her shadowy blade found its mark in Maanzeordellarint's
black heart. Finally, his chest a complete ruin of blood and flesh, Maanzeordellarint
slid down the hall wall, dead.
Another illithid appeared at the end of the hall. Alabsterhion the Crafter
was holding a long white cloth. Alexander saw the illithid and wondered if
the monster was surrendering.
"India, can you heal Phaidon?" Alexander asked. He did not
want to let down his guard if he didn't have to.
"Yes, but it is my last spell." She knelt down next to Phaidon
and sang a song of power, filing her hands with musical energies summoned forth
from the ether. She healed his throat with a light touch of her magically charged
fingers. He stood up and said, "Thanks."
The mind flayer spoke in Alexander's mind and said, "I wish to converse
with terms."
"One moment, I need to heal my party members first," said Alexander.
"No, no moments. We have captured several of your party. We will
talk now, or they will die."
Alexander felt sure the illithid was not bluffing. "What are your
terms?"
"I will trade my captives for you. And those captives will be permitted
to leave."
"Who do you have captive?"
"Zografos, Issic, and Anathek are the designations their minds respond
to. Allow us to feast upon your mind, or else we will feast upon theirs before
you have a chance to reach them."
"I will go if I may have a second to with these people ."
"No, no seconds, no time. Now or not at all."
India said, "Don't do it, Alexander."
Alexander replied, "I have to, Issic has been to good a friend to
me. He will save me as I once saved him." He handed Phaidon his pack and
Athena's Wrath and walked toward the flayer.
In a far room, Absterator was pleased. It didn't have the female, but
it had three other captives. It gave powerstones to its retaining illithids.
"Go and exchange minds with the captives," ordered Absterator. They
nodded and left Absterator. The three illithids walked swiftly to the room
where the captives lay. They opened the door and walked in. Pyntharrzyr and
his tiger were in the room guarding the prisoners. The illithids ordered the
human out, but asked that the tiger remain. Pyntharrzyr left after giving instructions
to his tiger. The half-dragon was not in the best of shape, but was stable.
The other humans were dying. They set about to stabilize their wounds. They
did not want to come to in bodies that would die. One of the flayer's picked
up Anathek and walked out of the room with him. As the other two worked on Zografos'
wounds, they did not notice a shape forming out of the shadows behind them.
The shadow elongated into the dark shape of a small dragon. She did not
waste time or effort roaring. Nor could she use her breath weapon without affecting
Zografos or his friends. Still, she was not afraid. Silently, she got ready
to attack the mindflayers with tooth and claw, ripping them asunder in silence.
But the tiger, whose senses were more attuned to sensing danger than the illithids,
saw the dragon and attacked her, pouncing on her, raking her with his claws.
The illithids saw the dragon and the tiger and stood. As if they had one mind
that had reached a single conclusion, the pair of illithids fled the room.
"You must let them out of the temple before I will go with you,"
said Alexander.
"No. They are not conscious and cannot walk. They... wait..."
The illithid looked downright angry for a second, and then vanished suddenly.
Alexander was galvanized into action, reaching down and healing the wounded
panther. Phaidon asked, "Now, what?"
"We charge!"
"Where?" asked India.
"They could be anywhere," responded Phaidon. "Lead the
way, Alexander. We are with you." Jhillim and the warlord came out of
the room to follow Alexander, Phaidon, and India. Alexander summoned
five celestial black bears. They appeared immediately, and were beautiful, regal
creatures with silver eyes and silver highlights in their black fur. Even their
claws seemed silver in color. Alexander commanded the bears to take the lead,
and to open every door in the hall on their path.
Zografos woke up. The Shadow Dragon was sitting near him. Issic woke
up at about the same time. They did not recognize the room they were in, but
they could plainly see the little dragon skinning the tiger with its claws,
being very careful with the pelt. Issic wondered why there was a small shadow
dragon in here. He asked the dragon, "Why do you do that?"
"To give to Domnhall," said the dragon. "I fought the
illithids, and they fled. I killed the tiger."
Zografos said, "Mondhatom! Szép kis alak vagy!"
She answered in the same language, and said, "Nagyon köszönöm, hálásan
köszönöm."
"Where are we now?" asked Zografos. The dragon shrugged.
Issic asked Zografos, "So you know this dragon?"
"Yes. She is a work of art is she not?"
"She definitely is."
The bears knocked down the first set of doors they came to. Inside, next
to a long, wooden table, stood two illithids. They looked up in alarm as the
bears roared and charged them. One of the illithids backed up quickly, thrusting
its partner toward the bears. That illithid could do little to defend against
the violent bears. In seconds, it was torn apart. The other illithid screamed
a mental distress call, then blasted the bears with its mind blast, which did
nothing. The blast continued past the bears, and stunned India.
Phaidon fired his arrows around the bears, pinning it to the wall, one
arrow in its skull, and two others through its chest. Alexander rushed around
the bears and rammed his pilum into its heart and twisted it around. "Next
room!" he ordered, and the bears piled out of the room.
"Alexander, can you contact Issic or Domnhall?"
Alexander tried, but got no response. He shook his head as the bears
knocked down the next door, uncovering a study. Devoid of illithids or human
servants, Alexander ushered the bears to the next door, which, when broke down,
revealed an empty store room. The next door was a library. Also empty, Alexander
pushed them onward. They turned a corner in the hallway and broke down the
next door. Inside was a mechanical terror. A sheen.
The terrible construct resembled a monstrously swollen insect. Dozens
of metallic legs, feelers, and lethal projections especially efficient at cutting
and ripping completed the image. Luckily, this one did not seem active. Alexander
exerted mental domination over the construct, and it came to life.
"This is going to be good," said Alexander.
"What is that thing?" asked Phaidon. India was also in awe,
and a bit afraid of the metallic thing.
"It is a sheen; the flayers use them to sack cities," said Alexander.
He mentally commanded the thing to move through the wall. It tore through the
wooden wall as if it were nothing. Alexander added, "I use them to flay
flayers."
"Good," said Phaidon. Phaidon then had an idea. He ordered
the panthers to scent out Issic, Zografos, and Anathek Dar. The panthers took
off at a run, and the bears followed quickly. Alexander ordered the sheen to
parallel the bears, but on the other side of the wall, commanding them to break
through any walls and to kill any illithids it came across. Turning the next
corner, the animals encountered Pyntharrzyr, who stood ready with his bow.
Ignoring the panthers, the archer aimed at the larger bears and, faster than
the eye could follow, sent shafts of death winging down the hall. The shafts
slammed into the bears, shocking them with their electrical power. The bears
fell down to the floor, dead. Phaidon jumped on top of the pile of bears and
shot Pyntharrzyr through the heart with three well-aimed shots.
The panthers led the way to a tower at the corner of the building, and
up the stairs they went. Alexander sent the sheen up after the panthers, then
followed up after the sheen.
The door to the room with Zografos and Issic opened and Absterator stood
there. Before any of the three in the room could react, Absterator manifested
a mass cocoon on the room, trapping them in layers of writhing, tightening
ectoplasmic strands. The strands wrapped around Issic, Zografos, and the small
dragon, despite their struggles. Zografos took shadow form to escape the cocoon.
Absterator manifested his thrall power, and enslaved Zografos. It ordered
Zografos out into the hallway to wait. Issic struggled to break through the
cocoon, but it was to no avail. He used his third eye of assimilation and stole
Absterator's brain lock power. Absterator manifested schism and
stood defiantly. Issic tried to brain lock Absterator, but the illithid's
will was too strong. The dragon squalled and prepared to blast the mind flayer
with her shadowy, black breath, but Absterator quickly enslaved the dragon.
Absterator considered mind-switching with the female dragon. Absterator
decided against it. Perhaps after this half-dragon was enslaved.
Issic roared and realized he might well be next. He considered using
his powerstone, using microcosm to trap Absterator until he could get free.
No, Absterator was too strong. He breathed a blast of hellish fire at the unholy
illithid.
The sheen went into the hallway at that corner and follows the panthers
down toward the south. The panthers reached a set of closed doors, and could
not open them. The sheen, behind the panthers, ripped those doors apart.
"Keep moving everyone!" said Alexander.
In front of the next room stood another sheen and a trio of werewolves.
India drew her weapon when she saw the werewolves. "Damn flayers! Of course
they have werewolves!"
Alexander noticed the three werewolves were wearing Zografos's stuff,
and looked alike. "I think that is Zografos, India!" he said, restraining
her with a hand on her arm.
Fire erupted out of the door when Issic breathed his breath weapon at
Absterator. The hot flames wrapped around the illithid and it reeled out of
the door into the hallway. Absterator was on fire. Pain ripped through its
mind and the acrid smell of burnt flesh filled its nostrils. Turning its head,
Absterator saw two options. A gypsy girl and the shadow dragon. Which one?
With half of its unholy mind it blasted out with a powerful mind blast at Issic,
which did nothing. Issic lifted up the powerstone and concentrated. Absterator
decided and performed the mind switch.
The victim of the mind switch felt the pain of the burnt flesh
and saw Issic smile as he activated his powerstone. She tried desperately to
scream that she was not Absterator, but the illithid's body lacked vocal cords,
so all she could do was open and close the lamprey mouth beneath the tentacles.
Issic activated microcosm, and sent the poor girl into a world of her
own. Absterator, in its borrowed body, watched its illithid body slump uselessly
to the floor, drooling and helpless. Absterator watched as Phaidon pulled back
his powerful bow and sent an icy arrow into the head of the "illithid."
Absterator winced at seeing its body die, but otherwise gave no outward sign
of discomfort. At least she died not knowing her friends killed her, it thought.
Alexander took mental command of the second sheen. He moved both sheens
toward the door so that one stood on either side of the door, its flame-throwing
weapon aimed within. Inside, Issic was laughing. Gleefully, he chopped through
the ectoplasm that filled the room, freeing himself and the shadow dragon.
Absterator caused the ectoplasm to dissolve. Issic assumed it dissolved
because the illithid had died. Absterator received a missive from Xallithidmious
and responded, telling its partner to abandon the temple.
Zografos turned back to his human form, wondering why, but glad, India
was looking at him so calmly. Once in human form he ran into the room and threw
his cloak protectively around the little shadow dragon. Covered by the cloak,
the shadow dragon became as a shadow and coiled around Zografos.
When Issic and Zografos emerged from the room, Alexander was there. "Good
to see you, Issic. Is everyone okay?" Phaidon walked to the corpse of
the illithid and callously pulled out his arrow. From within its stolen body,
Absterator almost laughed.
"Are there any more, Alexander?" asked Phaidon. Alexander realized
that, suddenly, he could not sense any more flayers. He moved around on the
second floor trying to detect them as Phaidon looted the illithid's body. Alexander
returned briefly and ordered that the illithid's head be cut off to be presented
to Lord Nadam. Absterator didn't like watching that, so it turned away from
the sight.
Phaidon suggested, "Let's do a systematic search of this whole building."
He handed the illithid's head to Alexander, who put it into a sack.
"I guess they couldn't bear us anymore," said Alexander.
The group wandered around the temple, looting the corpses left behind,
but not finding any living persons or illithids. India followed the group around
silently, apparently lost in thought. Every now and then her eyes focused on
the sack that held the illithid's head.
They quickly found where Anathek was held. Anathek was awake, and still
bleeding. A dead illithid lay at his feet. Anathek, apparently, had awoken
while the illithid was tending his wounds. Anathek strangled the mind flayer.
After finding Anathek, Absterator wondered how Lugriulithid could have
found the intestinal fortitude to strangle its own former body. Although Absterator
did not confirm that Lugriulithid was now in Anathek's body (he didn't want
to manifest any more powers than he needed to), it didn't occur to him that
Lugriulithid could have failed. Absterator wondered how stupid these humans
were to believe that an illithid could be strangled to death. The human's brain
would have been extracted long before the illithid would have lost breath.
In Absterator's study, they found papers that documented how Absterator
was developing a compound that actually managed to darken various air molecules.
He further planned on summoning Tenebrion to the world to cover it in shadow,
so that the illithids could come up from the underworld. Zografos found that
Absterator had portions of a text known only as the "Re'shallix Tome",
which was so old that Zografos had a hard time imagining the time span. The
tome showed symbols for Tenebrion that he had never seen before, ancient symbols
of power.
Alexander sent a missive to the head cleric at the local temple of Athena
to come to the temple of Ilsensine with some people to help search the place.
As they gathered up the loot, Zografos said to Issic, "I think the
shadow dragon should also be allowed to have a share of the treasure."
"I want the half-dragon bane sword," said Issic. "Other
than that I don't care. Do you want the others to know about the dragon?"
Later, after the arrival of the search team from Athena's temple, Alexander
found several effigies and altars dedicated to Ilsensine. He got Issic to help
him break the unholy items and he consecrated the shrines to Athena.
"If we're going to make it a temple to Athena," said Phaidon,
"We might want to structurally reinforce those walls the sheen took out
until they can be repaired."
Alexander ordered the sheens to reinforce the damaged walls. He talked
briefly with the high priest of the Athenian temple and told him that the sheens
would be donated to his care to help with the defense of the city.
"Don't you already have one temple to Athena in Alisander?"
asked Issic.
"Yes, but the people of this area latched onto this evil god because
there was nothing else here to give them hope. Now there is. I intend to tell
the head cleric when he gets here to make sure the spiritual and mental needs
of this part of town is handled better in the future. This is a perfectly good
temple here and it also happens to be the site of one of Athena's victories.
What would make a better temple? The other option is to destroy it."
Zografos decided he would make a painting of Issic showing him defeating
Absterator. In it he would show Issic as big and powerful, but also almost
angelic. In his mind the picture took shape. He almost became impatient, wanting
to get back to the palace to start on it.
The group walked slowly back to the palace, and Absterator was among them.
13,000 exp.
Current Adventures in Inzeladun | Episode 35 - Sigil and Ilsensine's Temple | Inzeladun Updates
Sjachrenthisj, Young Female
Shadow Dragon: CR 5, small dragon; HD 10d12+10; hp 75; Initiative:
+4 (Imp. Init.); Spd 80 ft, fly 150 ft. (average); AC 24 (flatfooted 24, touch
11); Attack +12 (1d6+1 bite) and +7/+7 (1d4 claw/claw) or Breath Weapon (20
ft. Cone, 1 negative level, DC 18); SR 15; Special Qualities: Energy drain immunity,
Shadow Blend; AL CE; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +10; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 13, Int
16, Wis 16, Cha 17.
Skills: Listen +13, Spot +13, Search +13, Bluff +13, Appraise +13,
Knowledge (Arcana) +13, Concentration +11, Diplomacy +8, Escape Artist +5, Scry
+13
Feats: Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative
Kadelth, Male Human Sorcerer 5/Warlord 6: CR 11, medium humanoid; HD
5d4+6d8+11; hp 50; Initiative: +1 (Dex); Spd 20; AC 17 (flatfooted 16, Touch
11); Attack +13/+7 (1d10+5 warsword); Special Qualities: Defiling, Strategy
+2, Armor Casting; AL LN; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +10; Str 14, Dex 12, Con
12, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 18.
Skills: Alchemy +10, Concentration +9, Craft (weaponsmithing) +10,
Knowledge (Arcana) +10, Knowledge (Heraldry) +5, Spellcraft +7, Intimidation
+20, Sense Motive +8, Spot +6, Knowledge (History-battles) +8
Feats: Combat Casting, Concentration, Quick Draw, Iron Will, Leadership,
Skill Focus (Intimidation)
Equipment: +1 Breastplate of Light Fortification (25% arcane spell
failure), +3 warsword
Spells per day: 6/7/5 Knows the Following Spells: Flare, Light,
Daze, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Arcane Mark, Comprehend Languages, Magic
Missile, Cause Fear, Chill Touch, Flaming Sphere, Bull's Strength.
Sunulth, Male Human Sorcerer 3/Warlord 7: CR 10, medium humanoid; HD
3d4+7d8+20; hp 59; Initiative: +3 (Dex); Spd 20; AC 18 (flatfooted 16, Touch
13); Attack +10/+5 (1d10+2 warsword) or +11/+6 (1d4 temp Con + 1d4 temp Str
damage Rod of Withering {permanent damage on a crit}); Special Qualities:
Defiling, Strategy +2, Armor Casting; AL LN; SV Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +7; Str
14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 18.
Skills: Alchemy +9, Concentration +8, Knowledge (Arcana) +9, Knowledge
(Heraldry) +6, Spellcraft +12, Knowledge (History-battles) +9, Intimidation
+17, Sense Motive +15, Spot +15
Feats: Combat Casting, Concentration, Quick Draw, Leadership, Mounted
Combat, Combat Reflexes
Equipment: +1 Breastplate of Light Fortification (12% arcane spell
failure), Rod of Withering
Spells per day: 6/6 Knows the Following Spells: Dancing Lights,
Daze, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Arcane Mark, Charm Person, Magic Missile,
Hypnotism.
Ilsenmalinhoon, Illithid Soulknife 6: CR 14, medium abomination; HD 8d8+6d6+28;
hp 89; Initiative: +8 (Dex and Imp. Init); Spd 30 ft; AC 20 (flatfooted 16,
touch 14); Attack +14 x4 (1d4+3 tentacles) or +16/+11 (1d4+6 mindblade); SR
25; Special Qualities: Telepathy, Mind Blast, Psionics, improved grab, extract,
sneak attack +3d6, mind blade, imbed powers, throw mind blade, imbed psionic
attack, sever life, free draw; AL LE; SV Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +13; Str 16,
Dex 18, Con 15, Int 22, Wis 20, Cha 20.
Skills: Bluff +17, Concentration +12, Hide +17, Intimidate +10,
Knowledge (Arcana) +9, Knowledge (Religion) +9, Listen +17, Move Silently +17,
Spot +17, Tumble +12
Feats: Combat Manifestation, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon
Focus (tentacles), Power Attack, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Equipment: +1 leather armor of phasing
Psionics: 15 pp/day, 3rd level manifester, 6 combat
modes, finger of fire, lesser natural armor, daze, grease, spider climb,
stomp.
Uropquasbossk, Illithid Fighter 6: CR 14, medium abomination; HD 8d8+6d10+42;
hp 140; Initiative: +1 (Dex); Spd 20 ft; AC 23 (flatfooted 22, touch 11); Attack
+17 x4 (1d4+3 tentacles) or +19/+14/+9 (2d6+1d4+9 +1 keen half-dragon bane greatsword;
15-20 threat range); SR 25; Special Qualities: Telepathy, Mind Blast, Psionics,
improved grab, extract; AL LE; SV Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +13; Str 20, Dex 12,
Con 16, Int 21, Wis 21, Cha 20.
Skills: Bluff +8, Concentration +12, Hide +8, Intimidate +10, Knowledge
(Arcana) +9, Knowledge (Religion) +9, Listen +10, Move Silently +7, Spot +10
Feats: Combat Manifestation, Dodge, Improved Critical (greatsword),
Weapon Specialization (greatsword), Power Attack, Cleave, Weapon Focus (greatsword),
Expertise, Improved Disarm, Sunder, Dirty Fighting, Improved Sunder
Equipment: +1 keen half-dragon bane greatsword, +1 full plate of
reinforcement
Maanzeordellarint, Illithid Rogue/Assassin/Soulknife 1/5/1: CR 15, medium
abomination; HD 8d8+7d6+30; hp 83; Initiative: +8 (Dex and Imp. Init); Spd 30
ft; AC 17 (flatfooted 13, touch 14); Attack +13 x4 (1d4+2 tentacles) or +16/+11
(1d4+3d6+6 +2 icy human bane dagger); SR 25; Special Qualities: Telepathy, Mind
Blast, Psionics, improved grab, extract, death attack (DC 21), sneak attack
+5d6, Uncanny Dodge; AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +14, Will +11; Str 14, Dex 18, Con
15, Int 23, Wis 18, Cha 18.
Skills: Bluff +17, Concentration +12, Hide +17, Intimidate +10,
Knowledge (Arcana) +9, Knowledge (Religion) +9, Listen +17, Move Silently +17,
Spot +10, Tumble +17
Feats: Combat Manifestation, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon
Finesse (Tentacle), Weapon Focus (dagger), Weapon Finesse (dagger), Two Weapon
Attack, Ambidexterity
Equipment: +2 Icy Human Bane Dagger
Spells Prepared: Change Self, Spider Climb, Obscuring Mist, Darkness,
Alter Self, Pass without Trace, Invisibility
Alabsterhion the Crafter, Illithid Psion 15: CR 23, medium abomination;
HD 8d8+15d4+92; hp 167; Initiative: +7 (Dex and Imp.Init.); Spd 30 ft; AC 23
(flatfooted 22, touch 11); Attack +17 x4 (1d4+3 tentacles) or +19/+14/+9 (2d6+1d4+9
+1 keen half-dragon bane greatsword; 15-20 threat range); SR 25; Special Qualities:
Telepathy, Mind Blast, Psionics, improved grab, extract; AL LE; SV Fort +10,
Ref +10, Will +22; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 30, Wis 24, Cha 21.
Skills: Bluff +23, Concentration +36, Hide +18, Intimidate +23,
Knowledge (Arcana) +32, Knowledge (Religion) +19, Listen +18, Move Silently
+7, Spot +10
Feats: Combat Manifestation, Craft Psionic Arms and Armor, Craft
Universal Item, Quicken Power, Scribe Tattoo, Craft Dorje, Encode Stone, Dodge,
Improved Initiative, Craft Capacitor, Weapon Finesse (tentacle)
Equipment: 3rd Eye of Concentration, Torc of Psionic
Might, Power Stone (Astral Construct VII) x2, Dorje of Amplified Invisibility
(49 charges) Psionics: 180 pp/day, finger of fire, elfsight,
verve, missive, distract, daze, burst, far punch, grease, lesser body adjustment,
stomp, spider climb, expanded vision, ectoplasmic cocoon, invisibility, brain
lock, glide, metaphysical weapon, schism, displacement, time hop, wall of ectoplasm,
inertial armor, mind probe, greater domination, flaming shroud, disintegrate,
shield of prudence, astral construct VII, emulate power.
Pyntharrzyr, Male Human Rogue 5/Psychic Warrior 5/Illithidkin 2: CR 12,
medium humanoid; HD 7d6+5d8+12; hp 60; Initiative: +5 (Dex); Spd 30; AC 15 (flatfooted
10, Touch 15); Attack +16/+11/+16 (1d8+1d4+1d6+8 magic composite longbow); Special
Qualities: Sneak Attack +3d6, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Detached Mind, Telepathy;
AL LE; SV Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +5; Str 14, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10,
Cha 10.
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Psionic Shot, Rapid Shot, Return Shot,
Fell Shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run, Weapon Focus (longbow)
Equipment: +3 Charged Mighty (+3) Composite Longbow of Impacting,
50 +1 Shock Arrows, Ring of Animal Friendship (he has a tiger friend)
Psionics: 13 pp/day, 4 Combat Modes; Burst, Daze, Elf sight,
hustle, vigor, combat precognition, combat prescience
Pers, Male Human Commoner 20/ Illithidkin 5: CR 24, medium humanoid;
HD 20d4+5d6+50; hp 117; Initiative: +4 (Imp.Init.); Spd 30; AC 10 (flatfooted
10, Touch 10); Attack +24/+19 (2d8+2d6+1d4+10 magic heavy mace); Special Qualities:
Detached Mind, Telepathy, 3 combat modes, illithid apotheosis; AL LE; SV Fort
+14, Ref +8, Will +6; Str 16, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 7, Cha 20.
Skills: Concentration +13, Knowledge (Psionics) +14, Craft (construction)
+26, Profession (builder) +26, Spot +21, Jump +26, Hide +10, Move Silently +10
Feats: Skill Focus (Profession), Skill Focus (Craft), Great Fortitude,
Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Dirty Fighting, Leadership, Alertness,
Epic Reputation, Epic Fortitude
Equipment: +5 Thundering Human Bane Heavy Mace of Mighty Cleaving
Psionics: 7 pp/day, 3 Combat Modes; Burst, Daze
Clad, Male Human Expert 10/ Psion 1/Illithidkin 1: CR 11, medium humanoid;
HD 10d6+1d4+1d6+12; hp 53; Initiative: +1 (Dex); Spd 30; AC 11 (flatfooted 10,
Touch 11); Attack +9/+4 (1d10+2 magic Crossbow); Special Qualities: Detached
Mind; AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +12; Str 12, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 14, Wis
12, Cha 14.
Skills: Concentration +13, Knowledge (Psionics) +14, Craft (Weaponsmith)
+17, Craft (Armorer) +17, Craft (Blacksmith) +15, Profession (Smith) +17, Spot
+15, Listen +13
Feats: Skill Focus (Profession), Skill Focus (Craft-Weaponsmith),
Skill Focus (Craft-armorer), Skill Focus (Spot), Endurance, Lighting Reflexes
Equipment: +2 Flaming Burst Heavy Crossbow, 20 +2 bolts
Psionics: 3 pp/day, 5 Combat Modes; Burst, Daze, Missive, Charm
Person
Slan, Male Human Warrior 14/ Psychic Warrior 3/Illithidkin 1: CR
17, medium humanoid; HD 17d8+1d6+18; hp 98; Initiative: +1 (Dex); Spd 20; AC
23 (flatfooted 22, Touch 11); Attack +22/+17/+12/+7 (1d8+5 magic longsword);
Special Qualities: Detached Mind; AL LE; SV Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +7; Str 14,
Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12.
Skills: Intimidate +17, Ride +17, Handle Animal +17, Concentration
+13, Knowledge (Psionics) +8
Feats: Power Attack, Psionic Weapon, Deep Impact, Endurance, Cleave,
Sunder, Improved Bull Rush, Weapon Focus (Longsword), Improved Critical (Longsword),
Lightning Reflexes
Equipment: +3 Scale Mail, +3 Shield, +3 Human bane Longsword
Psionics: 4 pp/day, 4 Combat Modes; Bolt, Burst, Catfall, Combat
Precognition
Absterator, Illithid Psion 20: CR 28, medium abomination; HD 8d8+20d6+28;
hp 134; Initiative: +7 (Dex and Imp. Init); Spd 30 ft; AC 16 (flatfooted 13,
touch 13); Attack +18 x4 (1d4+3 tentacles) or +15/+10 (1d8 Crossbow); SR 25;
Special Qualities: Telepathy, Mind Blast, Psionics, improved grab, extract;
AL LE; SV Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +21; Str 12, Dex 14 (16), Con 12, Int 19, Wis
17, Cha 22.
Skills: Bluff +29, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (Arcana) +27, Knowledge (Religion)
+27, Listen +10, Move Silently +26, Spot +23, Psi-Craft +23, Concentration +24,
Sense Motive +24, Diplomacy +28
Feats: Combat Manifestation, Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon
Finesse (tentacle), Inertial Armor, Inner Strength, Talented, Trigger Power
(lesser domination), Craft Dorje, Power Penetration
Equipment: Masterwork Light Crossbow, 10 masterwork bolts, powerstone
(thrall), powerstone (astral construct VIII), powerstone (mind seed), psionic
tattoo (body adjustment), Third Eye (negate), Cloak of Displacement, Gloves
of Dexterity +2, Amulet of Catepsi
Psionics: 223 pp/day, Mind Blast (Cha, +6, 9 pts), Ego Whip (Dex,
+3, 3 pts), Id Insinuation (Str, +1, 3 pts), Mind Thrust (Int, +4, 1 pt), Psychic
Crush (Wis, +3, 5 pts). Often used with Inflict Pain
Innate Powers: At will, Astral projection, charm monster, detect
thoughts, levitate, plane shift, and suggestion (DC 15+spell level)
Powers Discovered: Detect Psionics, Inkling, Daze, Missive,
Telempathic Projection, Burst, Bolt, Catfall, Attraction, Lesser Mindlink, Sense
Link, Empathy, Charm Person, Inflict Pain, Brain Lock, Aversion, Ectoplasmic
Cocoon, Invisibility, Fate Link, Mindlink, Schism, Lesser Domination, Nondetection,
Tailor Memory, Mindwipe, Domination, Inertial Barrier (DR 10/+5), Fatal
Attraction, Greater Domination, Mind Probe, Baleful Teleport (9d6 damage),
Teleport, Mind Switch, Mass Suggestion, Trace Teleport, Remote View Trap (remote
viewers take 4d4 damage), Mass Domination, True Concussion (13d6 damage),
Mass Cocoon, Mind Seed, Recall Death, Shadow Body, Thrall, Microcosm