Star Seed

"Will we need to fight this evil underwater?" Gavril asked inquiringly.

"More than likely, but we can use some spells to help us," Ciprian responded.

"I have Life Bubble, which allows normal breathing underwater for everyone," Paullus chimed up as a shock to everyone.

"I think I should scout the lake before we head out there.  Maybe there is something on the island," Ciprian said taking flight on his horse.

Ciprian flew high around the lake and then lower and inward in circles around the exterior. The crater lake sloped gently from the edge toward its center, descending to an interminable depth. Thanks to the water’s pristine clarity, Ciprian had little difficulty seeing to the bottom of the lake from the air. The island was not high but showed not signs of habitation or markings.  The only differentiation in the smooth bottom of the lake was an area with trails of disturbed sediment.

Returning to the party the group decided to inspect the lake bottom in the morning.  Water Breathing or Life Bubble was to be used on the party.  Freedom of movement was to be used on Erevel and Gavril.  Others would need to try swimming to move underwater.  Ciprian had a swim speed from Dance of a Hundred Cuts.  Armania would initially fly over the lake watching the party from above.  Ciprian would also bring along his Phantom Steed.

In the morning the party prepared for the adventure.  They decided to hide the Necromonicon at the altar in the Snarl.  As they approached the Star Stelae, Aeptolinu approached again.

"Welcome again to the honored humans," he repeated once again.  "And to their compatriots also.  What have you learned?"

Ciprian explained their present situation and plan to rid the lake of the great evil, which may be infecting the whole of Neruzavin.  At this Aeptolinu wished the group well and retreated.  The group cast its spells and headed into the lake.  Moving toward the island they emerged from under the rubble of the Snarl and headed to the northwest.  At some point Ciprian told Erevel to head further to the west.  As the party finally came within sight of the trails of disturbed sediment a hideous tangle of hair-like fungal filaments appeared.  Bones lay tangled in the wriggling mass arrayed around a central draconic skull.  Each party member felt their sanity fall as the monster just appeared on the floor of the lake.

Gavril and Ursina began walking along the lake bottom toward the creature. Ursina cast Bless on the party as the monster moved toward the leading edge of the group.  Paullus and Erevel began advancing and Erevel stopped around twenty feet from the horrid thing while Armania flew to above the creature and waited.  Kaklatath moved forward but was not in a hurry to get close to the monster.  Ciprian identified the mass as the Husk of Xhamen-Dor which had Damage Reduction from all but Epic, which he just shook his head at.  The monster seemed to be some Latent Great Old One that worried Ciprian to no end.  He then became visible and began his Performance.

Gavril continued forward until he stood in line with Erevel and Ursina, having been further behind just moved closer.  The creatures tentacles struck out, two each at Gavril and Erevel and Gavril felt his Wisdom and Constitution lower.  Then the creature bit Erevel with devastating effect.

Paullus continued his march toward the monster and stopped alongside Erevel and Gavril.  This looked strange to Ciprian who wondered why they didn't move closer and attack.  Kaklatath moved up herself but was unsure if her attacks would help.  Armania stepped down further in the water and let loose a lightning bolt at the horrid thing.  Erevel moved forward and was missed by another bite attack but she didn't attack and she was limping once again holding Teralindar's Honor with only her right hand.  Ciprian was becoming more concerned and tried Deafening Song Bolt which did significantly less damage than he would have liked.

Hurting, Gavril moved back from the monster and Ursina tried to swim but flailed and couldn't move.  At this point the Husk moved forward and trampled Erevel, Paullus, Gavril and Ciprian.  Erevel felt weaker as Dread Decay started to afflict her. Kaklatath then moved forward to attack the terrible monster and Paullus moved up also but was still staggered.  Armania stepped over and unleashed an empowered lightning bolt followed by Erevel limping forward to attack but she was also staggered.  Ciprian tried to get away as fast as he could and then caste haste.  Gavril was waiting for Ursina to move up and cast some healing on him but Ursina moved passed him and approached the Husk and became staggered.

The Husk slapped out with its tentacles and hit Erevel, Paullus, Ursina and Kaklatath, the skull then reached out to bite Ciprian.   Kaklatath again attacked with a full action but her hits did not inflict the full damage just as others were discovering and worse the creature was healing some damage as it attacked.  Paullus did no damage with his sword and Armania let loose another empowered Lightning Bolt.  Erevel did her full attack but again the damned thing seemed to reduce the damage.  Ciprian tried a Song Bolt once again but it was largely ineffective.  

Gavril waited for Ursina to cast some healing and then moved up and attacked the creature.  As Ciprian and Erevel felt weaker, the horrid tentacled monster again trampled over a number of the party.  At this point the party, one by one, began heading to the island, perhaps the monster could not fight as well out of the water, even if it could move out of the water.  Paullus began the retreat followed by Kaklatath and Armania, though Armania threw Starfall before she fled.  Erevel moving slowly followed while Ciprian moved as quickly as he could leaving even his Phantom Steed behind.  Ursina dropped her rock and began a rise to the surface of the water.  Gavril fled as fast as he could move reaching the edge of the island.  The Husk seeing his prey leaving headed toward the island also.

Now it was a race to get to dry land, Ursina was left behind as she was swimming slowly.  Gavril quaffed two potions of healing and awaited his chance to attack.  Paullus made it to shore and quaffed his own potion.  Erevel invoked her own healing on the way, she was slower than the others.  Armania rose out of the water and began flying to the shore.  Ciprian again feeling weaker from Dread Decay headed further inland on the island while the Phantom Steed got out of the way on the north end of the island.

Paullus was ready to fire at the thing as it breached the surface, Gavril was waiting for Armania to maybe cast fly, Erevel kept trudging along trying to keep up with the monster and Ursina was slowly swimming toward the shore.  The creature breached the water, took arrows from Paullus and then began Air walking toward Armania.   Shocked by this occurrence Armania again stepped away and then cast mass fly on the group, Gavril flew forward and attacked doing little damage.  Erevel moved up underneath the hulk and hit critically doing the most damage seen so far against this Latent Great Old One.  Ciprian began performing again, not singing but orating, which was odd given his most recent performances.  The creature cast a spell and Erevel, Paullus, Armania, Kaklatath and Erevel felt moisture being sucked from their bodies as the flesh began to wither and crack.  Kaklatath fell into the water unconscious.

Armania threw magic missiles at the creature and Gavril attacked mostly successful with both hands and the huge creature crashed into the water at the shore of the island.  The party let out a breath of relief from the attack and Erevel dragged Kaklatath from the water onto the island.  Gavril set about making sure that the terrible beast was dead. He also found no items magic or mundane on the creature.  When Ursina made it to the island she cast Rebuke Death to bring Kaklatath back to the living.  Ciprian gathered all around for healing and then had Ursina use the Wand of Restoration to recover the ability damage that he had taken.  Several others also lined up for the touch of the Wand to recover their abilities.  Erevel, Gavril and Ursina even noted that the Charisma damage that had taken was healed.

Paullus meanwhile was not answering any questions about his condition, or anything else for that matter. No worry the battle was long and difficult and when the group had recovered, they used Getaway to return to the Snarl.  Gavril uncovered the Necronomicon and the party then flew back to the camp site with Kaklatath carrying Ursina.

At the campsite Paullus was still mute no matter who asked him a question or how he was feeling.  Kaklatath queried Paullus telepathically but still received no response so she used Detect Thoughts and found that Paullus was convinced that he was dead.  This seems to be a view from beyond the grave to Paullus.  Meanwhile Ciprian stared wistfully into the distance.

DM's Notes: The party earned 17066 XP for the night.