Dine and Dash

   

The hunt started as soon as Vezzim heard and felt the music. Something primal stirred within the Illithid, his hunger awoke and he would absorb answers. Vezzim had found this elf on the Titan's plateau, a trained mind and truly delicious head apple.  All of the doomed elf's thoughts were on his lost professor, a  magician of even greater skill who had recently been sacrificed to a devil of great power. This tasty elf wasn't even nobel, a fact that frustrated Vezzim.  The elf's memories were approaching a point of uselessness leading Vezzim to the realization that his hunt was far from over.  Vezzim wanted to figure out the source of this ancient song, what its vibrations meant.  He must have his own answers before communing with the Eldar. The Mind Flayer released the elf's husk of a body. The meat sack of flesh falling and sinking into the lake waters Vezzim levitated above while the Illithid considered his options. The Flayer decided he would spend another day enjoying the delicacies of the plateau, hoping one of these apprentice wizards might provide him the information he needs. If he failed to acquire satisfactory answers, he would contact Bathanon! Surely that elf will have the answers. 

Bathanon

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Egyptian First World Problems

Gebel el-Arak

  Gebel el-Arak carefully reread the inventory list his scribe Kheti had presented him.  Kheti had been standing at his skymaster’s desk for over twenty minutes while Gebel reviewed the list.  To Kheti’s left, seated in front of the desk was the slave master Qualmer whose gaze hadn’t left Kheti since he arrived in his master’s new office, which only served to increase Kheti’s discomfort. Gebel seemed oblivious to either man’s presence while reviewing the list.

Qualmer

Kheti

Sighing in obvious annoyance, Gebel finally lifted his gaze from the long scroll, “The headband was the only item taken!  Kheti I need you to find Valexis Lightgem and tell him to come to his office…I mean my office, tell him its important.”  Once the door shut behind the departing Kheti the two remaining Egyptians erupted into hurried conversation.   

Valexis Lightgem

“These delays…We only can spare so many days!” Gebel exclaimed. “Valexis must be able to fly our ship back with the payment! If we are late the families will lose confidence in our ability to  supply them enough talents!” Qualmer stating the obvious replied, “and we could lose our opportunity here!  We need to approach this as a failure in their security.” The two Egyptians fell into plotting their strategy in the forthcoming discussion with Valexis.

Gebel knew if he failed to deliver on either end of this risky proposition not only would his family’s wealth and heritage be lost but the Babylonian Bitch Queen’s Scale Guard would hunt down his lineage and end his bloodline.  Qualmer’s thoughts drifted as he was already pursuing alternate plans should the el-Arak family’s plans prove fruitless.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

The Strangers of Naper's Dawn

 

Gentlemen Tiefling Thieves

From Left to Right: Kilor, Beck, Jerison, Kimhar (female) Chain, and Totathian 

Kimhar's Real Appearance

Totathian was found guilty by Judge Aghu in a sham trial.

Delmortia Turwarld

Delmortia Turwarld had held an art showing at the Naper's Dawn estate of Bangsley Participle an eccentric gnome merchant from the duchy of Verik Ny. The estate itself was regularly occupied by one of Bangsley's ex wives, a gnome noblewoman Farrah Lymeleaf originally hailing from Gibraltar. 

Of course the real Farrah Lymeleaf was away, visiting a friend in Lockshire. The Strangers had set up the estate and art show, stealing the art and almost getting away. Unfortunately for Totathian, Bangsley Participle arrived in town to evict his ex wife, only to discover the gentleman rogue living the high life.

The trial was short and predetermined...

Boon of the Witchwyrd

Witchwyrd

 Alien merchants that travel between planets and planes, witchwyrds stand 7 feet tall, weigh 300 pounds, and are covered in hairless blue-gray skin.

The witchwyrd had arrived at Midnight Manor with another Tome that the Lich Ghaust seeks. The arrival of the Scions of Stradivarius interrupted the transaction and lead to a meeting between the wyrd and Aubrey Stradivarius. After some negotiations a deal was met allowing Aubrey to lay claim to a strange black grimoire. Immediately on taking possession of the book Aubrey's mythic nature reveals this item to be mythic in nature, a Mythic Geas being placed upon Aubrey whose alignment immediately changes to Neutral Good. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

THE BOOK OF NIGHT WITHOUT MOON 

Book of Night without Moon  Aura moderate illusion; CL 8th

Slot none; Price 15,000 gp; Weight 4 lbs.

DESCRIPTION

This black grimoire’s pages are mostly blank appearring to be made of a dark vellium only to be revealed as being inscribed upon a chitinous flesh, some pages contain rough watercolor silhouettes. The Book of Night without Moon is a repository for trapped shadows. To sever a shadow from its owner and add it to the book, the user must speak a command word (True Name) and snap the book shut on the shadow. The shadow must be very still when it is severed, so the victim must be either willing or helpless. The book has 40 pages; a shadow takes up a number of pages equal to the Hit Dice of the creature that cast it. A creature whose shadow is stolen must succeed at a DC 18 Will save or be sickened by a nameless melancholy until its shadow is returned (in the meantime, the creature casts no shadow). Losing its shadow has no adverse effect on a creature that cannot be sickened. 

Prior to the books mythic awakening, the items lore was that a remove curse spell cast on the creature ends the effect and retrieves the shadow from the book. As a standard action, the book’s bearer may release a shadow from the book, conjuring an illusory duplicate of the shadow’s owner as if with the spell shadow conjuration (DC 18 Will save to recognize that the conjuration is an illusion). The shadow is intelligent and can follow complex commands, but cannot speak and lacks the memories or personality of the creature that cast it. The shadow serves the character who released it for 1 hour or until destroyed, whichever comes first. The shadow then returns instantly and permanently to its original owner, wherever he or she may be. It cannot be commanded to return to the book and cannot be stolen again. The book’s magic can sustain up to five active shadows at a time. 

Upon possession of the book Aubrey immediately frees three shadows that return to three half elf students of Labiatar's Hope that were rescued in the assult on Midnight Manor. 

Binhat Welker

Whohang Edelman

                       
                   

Rothoma Amendola

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      These half elven students report being drawn into the "secret" Reanimators fraternity by Professor Morlordyn.  At the Professor's urging and guidance they began research on a number of rare and rumored tomes, eventually being invited to Midnight Manor to go over their findings with the rest of the fraternity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Soon after the release of the half elves shadows, several hidden pages in the grimoire are revealed to Audrey, the restoration of ancient lost souls a burden the witch must undertake.  Surely such an acheivement would be worthy of the newly restored nobility of the Stradivarius elven lineage. 

The Souls of the Fallen

Fraz-Urb'luu

He comes in the winter, compassion and trust

He dances in spring with your love and your lust.

He calls in the summer and serve him you must

He withers in autumn, you save him from dust.

Your father, your mother, your lover, your child

His son, his daughter, his minion beguiled.

And now that you've offered your life and your soul

He'll drag you to ruin and swallow you whole.

Fraz-Urb’luu’s typical follower honors him voluntarily. It’s not enough to just be able to change shape or lie; a true follower of Fraz-Urb’luu actively works against the structures of law and good, and any such actions can fall in line with his plans.Fraz-Urb’luu is the patron of illusionists and tricksters. His cultists specialize in deceiving others into worshiping the demon lord and (ultimately) into sacrificing themselves to him.

Any creature could secretly be a follower of Fraz’Urb’luu—that’s the point. His worshippers disguise themselves as something else, pretending to be ordinary paladins or barbarians or shopkeepers so they can work out of the spotlight. Typically “smart” creatures like mind flayers, beholders or Rakshasa are often found to be members of Cults of Deception   

Fraz-Urb’luu prefers minions that play to his strengths of deception, seduction, and treachery. Succubi are one of his favourite tools, as are the sinister lilitu. He also commands a large number of chaotic evil rakshasas known as the Hollow Rajahs. 

Fraz-Urb’luu’s cults are known as the Cults of Deception. A typical cult consists of a dozen of so members, most of which have at least a few levels of cleric. Posing as benign sects of obscure deities, these cultists seduce and trick people into joining their ranks and offering their unknown worship to Fraz-Urb’luu. These poor folk are doomed the moment they join a cult, for eventually they are sacrificed or goaded into sacrificing themselves. These poor deluded souls inevitably find themselves the eternal prisoners of Fraz-Urb’luu in his mighty city of Zoragmelok on Hollow’s Heart. 

    

Ghaust

Two Books found in the library:

Call of the Void': A strange tome written in an unknown language. Attempting to read it causes headaches and dizziness. 

Sojourner in the Sunless Waste, an account of journeys into the Shadow Plane.

Ghaust List of Books: 

Alchemy of the Flesh': A dark green tome describing how to use a plethora of humanoid viscera and organs to enhance your potions.

Rules of Death': Written by Goxor the Soulkeeper, the book instructs readers on the basics of Necromancy. While it was originally used as a textbook for Labiatar’s Hope, it was swifty banned after a student had killed several people using an experiment from the book.

Orders of the Underworld': This book was written by Craushis the Nightmare, a wizard priest of an ancient cult known as Creed of the Night. 

The Tome of Fiends': an ancient tome written by the now dead god Creator of the fiends. It contains the real name of every Demon Lord and Archdevil that exists, allowing its owner to summon them. All of them are bound to obey by the power of the tome. Thus making its owner the Lord of Fiends. Its language can only be understood by archfeys, celestial, demon lords and archdevils, and each faction has been fighting over it for centuries as gaining control of all fiends, even for fiends themselves, is a huge power. Fortunately it has stayed on the Material Plane and has always belonged to a mortal guardian.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Midnight Manor

 

Boztin

Professor Morlordyn

                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Witchwyrd 

                                                                                                                                                                             

Archo Stein

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Mosquund Death Chanter

Dancing in the dark and other things

 Sorcha walked down the street to the park by St. Cecilia's. It was clear and warm. Dawn just over an hour away. Reaching the park she drew her blade. Light from the cresset by the doorway of St. Cecilia's across the street gleamed on the silken steel blade. "She should have a name" Sorcha mused twirling the blade faster, the Music just out of reach at the periphery of her consciousness. 

She stopped suddenly. Dipping into her magik pool she sharpened her blade beyond razor. Then she started to dance. Smooth and fluid, blade keeping time. Inspiration hit and she cast one of the new spells. Gesturing with her left hand and whispering "festinare" as she danced, suddenly she was moving faster than she had ever done before. Swifter than a deer she moved. The movements swifter than a river at flood.

Half a minute later, maybe more it was gone leaving her with a thin sheen of sweat on her face. All the while the Music, that beautiful Music was just out of reach. She could FEEL it, just not touch it like Aubrey. 

"I'm just not in the right family" she said musingly.  Family. That word brought a jumble of thoughts. All wibbly wobbly and interconnected. Her mom in a castle on another plane. Her dad off doing.... things. It was going to be impossible to reunite them. "Maybe I'll start my own" she smiled into the air.

Her smile faded as she looked at St. Cecilia's. Where they had Alizar's funeral. "Alizar" she sobbed. "I'm so sorry". Tears were coming. Alizar was gone because of her. "Poor Percy" she stopped suddenly and smiled. "Percival Von Somenheim. Sorry you're alone now."

The winds, her winds, were whipping up. She slowed her breathing and they calmed. So many things happened. The mine, Alizar dying, Davis captured, people massacred in front of her, plague shadows.... and the Kyton.

Shivers ran down her spine. Tibar freed her from the mental slavery the Kyton had shackled her with, but it still haunted her. It would always be in her head she feared. Like cobwebs in the dark corners of an attic. 

Things are changing rapidly: Tibar. Another member of the Stativarious family. "He's definitely loved by his god. I shall have to look into that more. Lots of anger there, though."

"And I'm back to family" she thought with a wry smile. Looking to the sky she noticed that telltale lightening in the east that heralded daybreak. Sheathing her sword Sorcha turned her steps towards Mama June's Bakery. "I'll surprise everyone with fresh croissants for breakfast" she smiled.