Raid Target/Defense: Ebon Moonstone Cerebrelith
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Raid Target/Defense: Ebon Moonstone Cerebrelith
Tentative Time - Subject to change:
Saturday September 27, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Background:
While Col Geroldine and his Zhentarim forces continue their invasion of the north, with the Cleimant Council bannermen sent West, along with the Lunar Knights led by May Celine, to defend the region -- you, as well as your allies in Mara Stockley, the Durothil Elven Mage, the Astrologer Farian, the Lunar Knight Satella, and others, have been dealing with a more minor matter in Moonreach Keep.
During the raid against Elias Houl, the foregoing high priest of Selune was slain & his brain matter extracted by a creature you have since identified as a demonic Cerebrelith. You then delved deeper into the ruins of a hidden & sealed chapel underground, and there you found the crumbling skeletons of a dark sect, each with an injury to the skull reminiscent of the wound on Houl's, suggesting the same fate, i.e. extracted brain matter. Within those ruins you first found a rotten leather book that detailed the sect's encounter with the Cerebrelith, as well as a ritual that appeared able to bind the demon. You then found the original source of the blackened moonstone deposits, a form of corruption of the blue moonstones found throughout the province of moonreach and out of which which was carved Moonreach Keep. The corrupted, black moonstones had the effect of diminishing the will and memory of those nearby, as you now know. You also now know the Cerebrelith is the cause of such corruption. You used circle magic to expunge the profaned blue moonstones, restoring their blue colour and clearing them of the demonic influence.
Since the foregoing events, you have been hunting (and hunted by) the Cerebrelith. It has continued to corrupt the blue moonstones, rendering them an ebon hue. You do not, as of yet, know where it is. Nor do you have a true grasp of its intentions or objectives. But it knows or seems to know yours, who you are, and where you are, and it has not been idle. Wizards, arcane students, spellcasters, and sneaks, have each gone missing; what's more, you are once again finding blackened moonstones, and dark ichor in the waterways around and about the Mycelium.
By fair means or foul, this chapter soon comes to its end.
Please Note:
Due to the rapid pace at which the Cerebrelith is now operating (in abductions and corruptions of moonstone), you estimate you have precious little time left to stop it. Whether you act or don't, whether you are idle or productive, whether you believe it or not: this chapter will come to a close very soon, with consequences one way or another for you and for the Province of Moonreach. Whatever actions you take, plan, or intend to coordinate, please document them in this thread. Each individual member of the Locus Operandi has time enough for one individual meaningful (and reasonable) action, as an effort to prepare for, research, or take actions against the Cerebrelith. If you work together with multiple PCs to on one action, or coordinate individual actions, the likelihood of success may increase. If you take no actions, this thread will be indication of that inaction and it will also be noted. Both action and inaction will alter the course of the final event, including it location, circumstances, and in all likelihood its aftermath.
Consideration:
This is a scheduled plot event. Party decisions in this thread and during the event will affect plot and character outcomes.
Scheduling, Planning & Actions:
Participants, please post your availability and actions below, both for the above date and for any actions, efforts, coordination, or any in game meeting plans you intend to make between now and then.
[DM Xanatos Gambit]
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Aenhever's questionnaire is marked with option 'A', and an 'X' marks the option to bind if necessary. He had taken the time to double underscore the word 'need' in that option.
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Lokelani sat amidst the grandeur of Silverymoon's Vault of the Sages. After handing off her research request detailing exactly what she was researching and why to her one of the scribes, Lokelani was lead to a private alcove. She also handed over a waiver for fees as ordered by High Mage Alustriel Silverhand, sighting that as long as Silverymoon Knights in Silver are in active duty in the region, that anything, however minor, that might ameliorate the the threat a demon like the Cerebrelith poses to Silverymoon's knights will be rendered to Lokelani, the Knight in Silver working most directly on the Cerebrelith problem.
She now sit at a table the alcove she was lead to, waiting for whatever books on fey magic that works to ward, soothe the mind, or that might work to lengthen the longevity of other spells. This is research Loke is doing to complement Laura's defensive plan.
When scribe brings the books they think most likely to help and Loke makes notes on what she wants copied to bring back to Laura.
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OK, pushing it back to 1:00 PM Eastern then (one hour after noon) to make it easier. The main event will begin at 1:00 PM, Eastern time, tomorrow, i.e. it will begin 16 hours 30 minutes from the time of this message.
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Eastern? That'll be uhh... 9am or something for West Coast folks.
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Time has been updated to noon tomorrow.
I will be on at 11:00 AM in case anyone wants to log in early to discuss and/or plan further.
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Increasingly frazzled, and frustrated by the inability to sit down with everyone to plan things out ahead of time, Laura cracks and slides the following page in under everyone's door, in her usual chicken-scratch scrawl:
"Plan A: spring captives from underneath Moongazing grounds. I doubt it knows we know, but also doubt that it left them without defences (probably contingencies galore). It'll react swiftly, but at least we'll have taken initiative in a way it likely didn't expect.
Plan B: stake-out at the Moongazing grounds and attempt to get the jump on it. Might have to wait for some time, might be discovered first.
Plan C : Legend Lore casting at Moongazing grounds, seemingly alone, with hidden back-up. Not my favourite as I'd have to be actually casting and actually vunerable. And we don't know if it would be that bothered with the bait, either.
Plan D : Insert brilliant idea here.
Mark your favourite and return to Laura's room. Also mark the following question below:
Should we prepare to bind the demon if need be:
Yes:
No:
-Laura"
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Laura, despite being obviously distracted by her many unfinished research projects, does still make time for Jax's breathing exercizes. She'll often flop down on the bedroll to linger there a while after, but it's evident that her mind's rarely still for very long and she'll soon scramble back to her feet and return to her room with this thought or that to add to the board.
Among those are points such as:
- Legend Lore: to be cast at the Moongazing Pool, utilizing the creature's own ichor for a focus. Might shed insight as to it's seemingly long-standing interest in this same spot. Need party back-up to be safe while casting.
- The five souls under the Moongazing Ground: is it advisable to attempt rescue before our arcane defence is completed? Might throw a spanner in the Cerebrelith's progress if it was robbed of them, but dangerous if we're not ready. No doubt there's contingencies set in place even in its absence.
- Legend Lore: to be cast on the Lesser Key of Sullivan. Do we have enough intel gathered on that to sort the more vague and fantastical legends from the solid ones though?
- Can the few fragments of bright gleaming moonstone we salvaged be used for anything concrete?
Most recently, and underlined several times, is the following:
"We need a PLAN. The next chapter must not be on the Cerebrelith's terms."
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Learning of the demon's vicinity to the Moongazing Grounds, 206 begins to avoid the place, as opposed to practicing his form in the bounds of the circle. Until recently an act of worship, a form of meditation and training all at once.
Instead, he spends a time he knows has been stressful for all his companions by offering them moments of respite.
Anyone willing to come, he teaches a routine to control their breathing. Sitting cross-legged, using various movements of their arms that open and close their lungs. Teaching them to breathe with their diaphragm, but also purposely against their diaphragm. The exercises are long, slow and purposeful, often comfortable, sometimes bordering on painful, designed to take their mind off everything but their breath. He even goes so far as to put out bedrolls for those of lower constitution that might get light headed from the forced breathing.Other times, when no one wishes to go through the breath training, he installs a small table on the walls that allows him to set tea, with a chair on each side.
Always limited to two people, the chairs are placed sideways from the table so that he and the participant do not sit face to face, but rather are allowed to stare off into the distance. He never starts the conversation. When the other wishes to talk, he talks. When they have questions, he considers their questions and answers. When they just want to sit and enjoy a moment of silence or shared solitude, he is just as pleased to remain silent with them.When alone, he can be observed finding a place in the Keep and sitting with his eyes closed for hours on end. When asked why he simply states he is "enjoying the sound of reality".
He does wander from the Keep occasionally, always down, and those who are inclined to find learn that he is attempting to explore the Abbey and below.
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Envelopes are slid under the doors of Patrik, Lokelani, Laura, Ashla, Jhael', Jaxon and Octavia.
Also Nerrez and Florian
((not sure when the next reset will be, I'll hand them out in game.))
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The current target date, subject to further coordination, is the 27th.
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I'm fairly flexible on Saturday vs Sunday so long as I know in advance and it isn't before 1 EDT. If something came up, you'd have my blessing to wrap up the Cerebrelith story without me because I've only been present for maybe two half-sessions.
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27th is like a day when all the stars align for me, I'll definitely be around.
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The 27th should be good for me!
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@flom Unknown. I already reserved the 20th with family
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Would Saturday the 27th work?
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((Sundays never work for me, unfortunately. Early Sunday mornings sometimes semi-work, but I always have to leave for the train for work around 11:30AM Pacific/2:30PM Eastern. ))
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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.
