Raid Target/Defense: Ebon Moonstone Cerebrelith
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((pending, for me. I know there's going to be a birthday party, but the day is not yet set))
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((How does Sunday look for everyone as an alternative? I've just been invited over to family on Saturday))
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Laura pins further notes to the board:
"Certain Cerebreliths are able to fully devour brains, rather than merely study them, in order to better absorb the abilities, skills, intellect and knowledge of the brain. They can do this only once per week or so, as they slowly absorb and digest the brain to add it to their spinal gray matter." [extracted from the mostly ruined Beastiary]
"Mind Blank attained! Lucky in stumbling over a page in my research into the Lesser Key of Sullivan - once activated, it should protect the entire party, but only temporarily. Cruelly I cannot yet learn the spell myself and after use, it will once more be a non-option."
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Lokelani shares that in her research she's learned an astrological arcane variant of Power Word: Stun that has an both has increased chance of success against demons and temporarily restricts the use of any mind-sourced abilities (e.g. telekinesis, domination, etc.). She will need to blessed moonstones to cast it and invoke the words and light of the constellation of the Preacher.
Her research suggests it can only be used once, and the caster must wait a full day before using it again, for the demon/target in question will resist subsequent casts.
Lokelani takes her collection of moonstones to the Moongazing Grounds and prays to Sehanine Moonbow, the Lady of Dreams to bless them.
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A letter is left attached to Laura's door in the middle of the night. No sound was heard, nor anyone seen when it was placed there. Though there is little doubt who left the letter when Laura reads it.
"My friends have found the food source for the Cerebrelith. Five people, deep underground, hidden in a cavern somewhere below the Moongazing Grounds. An elf, three humans, and an orc. They appear to be unconscious, possibly in some type of stasis. Awaiting their fate, as food for this monstrosity. Research is not my forte, however, the dark places of the world is where my new friends and I belong. If I can help more, do let me know."
The letter is signed..
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Next to the map is a larger piece of paper, containing a list in Laura's small, scribbly hand, with ample room for others to add theirs alongside hers:
"Mental Defence:
- Togetherness
- Serenity and focus - meditation practice with Jax recommended pre-showdown. Calming songs by Florian & Patrik while engaged.
- Spells - Empowered Owl's Wisdom, Empowered Fox's Cunning, Protection Vs Evil (circle and individual both), Clarity, Mind Blank (Lesser will likely be the best we can manage). Duration is an issue - possible to charge crystals with repeat uses, enchant items or otherwise extend duration? Circle casting?
- The missing element - fey magic, as of yet undetermined in nature. Could it be the glue that grants the other spells a temporary permanence? I'm certain it is a vital component for our defences. Hoping Loke finds a clue in Silverymoon.
To-Do's:
- Wake and interview Knight Mills (he may know more than his notes included)
- Check on Moongazing Pool and nearby chapel - fresh sightings there, repeatedly at pool
- Caldera / Kzagoth & Co / Mycelium - likely to be continuing with their parallell investigations, all collaboration advantageous. Their sightings to be added to map.
Questions yet unanswered:
- Vunerabilities (if any)? Bright light, divine damage?
- Is there a way to liberate the souls within the Cerebrelith's "living library"?
- Will slaying it send it back to the Abyss? If so, is there a workaround?
- Should we prepare for the eventuality of binding it? Risky with the lessons of the past, but we should admit the possibility that it may be too powerful to fight head on.
- What does it really want?
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Laura's decidedly happy to accept help in her research - enthused by Loke's offer, she decides to open her room up to the use of all of the Locus Operandi - pinning a large map to the wall for all to mark their sightings of interest upon, along with spaces for smaller notes to be fastened next to it. The second desk and the round table can also be used by the group, the piles of material no doubt growing larger by the day. Whomever wishes to spend their research and planning time in the comforts of L3 is welcomed, at the mild risk of becoming Nox's next cushion for a nap of course.
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Lokelani decides the best way to help her sister is to learn as much as she can a out the Catalyst of the Tarnished Fane as she can. Loke still feels so mew to this book learning thing though. Ever since she was forced to change the way she focused on the touch of the Weave, her mind has opened to so many new intellectual possibilities. Still, she was far more used to learning by doing than sitting down and pouring through dusty tomes.
No one she Loke knew was better at that than Laura, so rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, Loke volunteered to be Laura's research assistant on the Lesser Key of Sullivan. She helps take notes and organize research materials, though perhaps the biggest benefit she brings is access to Silverymoon's Vault of the Sages. Lokelani makes a couple trips back to Silverymoon to use her standing as a full Knight in Silver to gather additional materials for Laura on the Lesser Key of Sullivan and she just so happens to bring back materials on the Catalyst of the Tarnished Fane to expand research to include both.
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As much as Nerrez would like to hit the books, or research some ancient tomes to try to help his friends find some way to defeat the Cerebrelith. Those aren't his strengths, unfortunately. Nerrez does what Nerrez does best, he puts his feet on the ground, soft padded steps making no sound and leaving no trace as he searches the areas around and below Moonreach. In all the far lost corners, including the Mycelium, he walks and watches. Kneeling by his new rat friends, he finds. The diseased, the forgotten, the foul rodents that everyone dismisses or kills. He spends hours with them, trying to get into their minds, to get across the simplest message of "Find me this creature." or "Find me more of these blackened Moonstones" He makes the attempt, whether his message gets through to the rats, or anything comes of it. He is using what minor abilities he has to try and help.
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Aenhever had gone in circles trying to find the tracks of it for three nights through the high northern Rawlinswood where the trees grew thin and sparse. Found a mage, hole in his head just like the others. The book he kept held some gathered lore on the Kuo-Toa and mentioned a recent report on finding them not quite dead, but broken, hollow. Minds carved out like ripe fruit, left to rot with eyes wide in silent screams. The man and the fishmen alike. He took a Selunite amulet from the man and left. He would return to the keep to report his findings to the others; the dead man, a wizard with a hole in his head - he'd deliver the tome with its notes, and show off the Selunite trinket he'd found.
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Laura's been in the process of restoring the so called "blank paged" beastiary recovered by Lt Rixx, ever since he so casually surrendered it to her. On her cluttered desk, there's also the rotten original of the book from the temple, two ichorous samples presumably from the fiend itself (which might theoretically be helpful in locating it), as well as several star charts and maps of gem deposits around Moonreach.
For all that her projects are literally piling up, there's one she keeps circling back to - the myth-shrouded grimoire known as the Lesser Key of Sullivan. This, she's decided, is the most worthy use of her newly aquired Legend Lore spell. For her instincts tell her that the book's past is tangled with that of the Cerebrelith's. And it most definitely ought to fit the requirements of 'legendary'.
Player availability: should be good, barring the unforeseen
Clarification: the restoration of the beastiary's been ongoing and roleplayed as such in game, and thus a given first action. But if it should be considered complete already, Laura's chosen action will be attempting Legend Lore on the book. She suspects it might be better to try and work around the Cerebrelith with her studies, given its psionic and other manipulations.
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Watchful eyes will know that a certain imp has been industrious of late and frequently reports to his master, the arcanist Jhaelryna. It isn't long after that the half-drow can be seen exercising her librarian talents to restore the binding a particularly ravaged book, one that smells heavily of smoke. She's seen thereafter to engage in long hours of study with the tome.
