Post by Delilah Daybreaker on Oct 4, 2022 22:36:39 GMT
Rolled into a palm sized tube is a piece of nondescript parchment written in a mix of common, symbols, elvish, and draconic.
ASSIGNMENT REPORT #34
People/Organisations of Note:
Oziah Daybreaker – divine warrior, aasimar (fallen), female; mount: Deimos (skeletal, fiend)
Jaezred Vandree – mage (pact magic, patron: the Moonweaver), noble, drow, male; Velve (black widow spider familiar)
Wren Lunabolt – scout/divine warrior, aasimar (scourge), non-binary; pets: Stripes (badger), Beans (white fox), Percival (awakened hyena), Peppy (pigeon), Booker (otter)
Kelné Greenleaf – divine warrior, halfling, non-binary
Henkel Krumm – scholar of the occult at Daring Academy, human, male
Aurellia Archselon – archmage, Daring Heights Councilwoman & leader, aasimar, female
Lillibut – The Thief of Forms, fiend, female(?)
Locations & Organisations:
Daring Heights – Dawnlands city
Avernus – First Layer of the Nine Hells
Lillibut’s Realm (not official name) – liminal place between the Abyss and Nine Hells
Body:
If by receiving this report it has not been made abundantly clear then I shall simplify it for those reading: I have broken my curse. I am, once more, in my own body — and it is great to be back.
It has been nearly fifteen tendays since the final effects of the curse took hold. Many things have happened in the Dawnlands — reports were given in person when myself and Daybreaker sojourned in Court — but since returning I have been unable to hold a pen. However, I am sure anything that I would write here the Queen already knows at this point.
So I shall stick to the most recent events, as in how I took back my body from the fiend who calls herself/themselves Lillbut, also known as the Thief of Forms.
Henkel Krumm, the scholar on fiendish and occult topics that had helped me first identify exactly who and what had cursed me, had disappeared from Daring Heights when the githyanki invasion happened. His reasoning as put in his words were, “My abilities lie better from a rear guard perspective rather than on the front lines.” Needless to say his absence meant my ability to get the information needed to get to Lillibut’s realm was hindered immensely. It was only within the last tenday or so that I had finally heard hide nor hair of his return.
Krumm is the kind of person one does not wish to deal with unless absolutely necessary. Unfortunately and much to my chagrin, I had to. He was after one of Lillibut’s Books of Keeping. (NB: None of the party knew what these were or what purpose such tomes served except we could all surmise it would be nothing “good”.) These books are, as Krumm described, a grimoire bound in skin that contains lists of names. Beyond that bare minimum of information Krumm was not forthcoming with anything else until I gave my word that I would bring back one of these books for him. (NB: Spoiler alert, I was lying but I’ll come back to that.)
My word given, albeit reluctantly, Krumm proceeded to tell us about Lillibut’s realm: It is somewhere between the Abyss and the Nine Hells though it is protected by strong wards meant to hide her from other demons and devils who would wish her ill. Clearly wanting to conceal herself meant that if we were able to break those wards we would have an easier time getting out.
With the moniker ‘Thief of Forms’ it is heavily implied Lillibut is a shape changer, a moulder of forms, and deals in flesh. Krumm could not confirm if she is either a demon or a devil but he did say he has not dealt with her directly. Still begs the question of why he would want one of her Books.
We were also warned that we would not be able to destroy Lillibut in her own realm. The most we’d be able to do would be to disable her long enough to get out of there once we got what we came for — yours truly back in flesh and blood.
Given the choice of two places we could find Lillibut’s lair — Avernus or Malbolge — we decided to with the lesser of two evils. Describing the specific location to archmage Archselon revealed an interesting and unexpected connection to the Dawnlands: The place was once occupied by a devil who went by the name the Sanguine Rose. She apparently had a personal connection to one Varis Nailo, the Commander of the Order of the Crimson Fist. I have not had the pleasure of meeting him personally, but from the stories I have heard of him it does make me wonder what kind of person he is.
But I digress…
“Another little visitor… glory glory… soon soon… a sacrifice first though…”
The mouth that formed on the bone white rose shudders and goes still but the air is expectant.
It’s Oziah that steps forward.
“Hold this for me, Jaezred,” she says. “Just in case.”
“Of course,” the drow lord says.
Delilah’s hand balls into a fist. She doesn’t like this but neither does she stop her lady love. Does that make her a coward?
The rose’s thorns pass straight through Oziah’s gauntlet and into her hand. She shudders and it takes everything in Delilah not to pull her back — as if she could ever stop her. Oziah’s whole body stiffens and then there’s a sigh as from the rose a worm-like serpent coils down into the ground, creating a pitch black hole that’s barely large enough for each of them to pass through…
Lillibut was a sight to behold — and not one any of us want to see again. She tried to meld my allies’ flesh into one, which could have been disastrous had some of them not had the fortitude to resist. Daybreaker took the worst of it…
Lillibut’s many eyes turn to look at Oziah before she just smiles.
Then Oziah begins to scream.
She looks on in horror as the power the fiend has forces Oziah’s skeleton to become a cage for her flesh. She hears Beastie shouting across their bond, trying to make her stay, to hold her in the present but it’s too late.
Delilah no longer knows if it’s Ankaa screaming or her. The pain she feels is both physical and emotional. There’s no way for her to know where it started. It’s just always been.
“Look, little flower. Look. See how beautiful she is?”
She dives forward, daggers finding flesh, her not-flesh, the flesh of the puppet that looks like her and sounds like her but is not her. Lillibut screams.
“See how magnificent I am making her.”
Delilah feels a tug, her spectral form wanting to find purchase in the flesh that fits her perfectly. She follows it, but is suddenly pushed back.
Oziah continues to scream.
“Just for you… It’s all for you… Only the best for my little flower.”
This time it’s her whole arm that finds purchase in the body that is not her body, yet is. It is this time when she feels herself become whole. She feels the weight of her bones, hears the air passing between her lungs, and tastes the blood in her veins.
And the world fucking stank.
…but in the end, we pushed her back long enough so we could get out.
We were not able to retrieve any Books of Keeping, though there had been some effort in trying to find one. It does beg the question if there ever was something of the sort there. Guess it does not matter since even if we found one, none of us would have given such a book to Krumm.
With the return to flesh it’s time I reacquaint myself with the sensation of touch and taste. Once that has been done, it will be time to plan a dungeon rescue.
Report passed on 28 day of the Fading.
Neh diis lus’a, lus diis’a.
ASSIGNMENT REPORT #34
People/Organisations of Note:
Oziah Daybreaker – divine warrior, aasimar (fallen), female; mount: Deimos (skeletal, fiend)
Jaezred Vandree – mage (pact magic, patron: the Moonweaver), noble, drow, male; Velve (black widow spider familiar)
Wren Lunabolt – scout/divine warrior, aasimar (scourge), non-binary; pets: Stripes (badger), Beans (white fox), Percival (awakened hyena), Peppy (pigeon), Booker (otter)
Kelné Greenleaf – divine warrior, halfling, non-binary
Henkel Krumm – scholar of the occult at Daring Academy, human, male
Aurellia Archselon – archmage, Daring Heights Councilwoman & leader, aasimar, female
Lillibut – The Thief of Forms, fiend, female(?)
Locations & Organisations:
Daring Heights – Dawnlands city
Avernus – First Layer of the Nine Hells
Lillibut’s Realm (not official name) – liminal place between the Abyss and Nine Hells
Body:
If by receiving this report it has not been made abundantly clear then I shall simplify it for those reading: I have broken my curse. I am, once more, in my own body — and it is great to be back.
It has been nearly fifteen tendays since the final effects of the curse took hold. Many things have happened in the Dawnlands — reports were given in person when myself and Daybreaker sojourned in Court — but since returning I have been unable to hold a pen. However, I am sure anything that I would write here the Queen already knows at this point.
So I shall stick to the most recent events, as in how I took back my body from the fiend who calls herself/themselves Lillbut, also known as the Thief of Forms.
Henkel Krumm, the scholar on fiendish and occult topics that had helped me first identify exactly who and what had cursed me, had disappeared from Daring Heights when the githyanki invasion happened. His reasoning as put in his words were, “My abilities lie better from a rear guard perspective rather than on the front lines.” Needless to say his absence meant my ability to get the information needed to get to Lillibut’s realm was hindered immensely. It was only within the last tenday or so that I had finally heard hide nor hair of his return.
Krumm is the kind of person one does not wish to deal with unless absolutely necessary. Unfortunately and much to my chagrin, I had to. He was after one of Lillibut’s Books of Keeping. (NB: None of the party knew what these were or what purpose such tomes served except we could all surmise it would be nothing “good”.) These books are, as Krumm described, a grimoire bound in skin that contains lists of names. Beyond that bare minimum of information Krumm was not forthcoming with anything else until I gave my word that I would bring back one of these books for him. (NB: Spoiler alert, I was lying but I’ll come back to that.)
My word given, albeit reluctantly, Krumm proceeded to tell us about Lillibut’s realm: It is somewhere between the Abyss and the Nine Hells though it is protected by strong wards meant to hide her from other demons and devils who would wish her ill. Clearly wanting to conceal herself meant that if we were able to break those wards we would have an easier time getting out.
With the moniker ‘Thief of Forms’ it is heavily implied Lillibut is a shape changer, a moulder of forms, and deals in flesh. Krumm could not confirm if she is either a demon or a devil but he did say he has not dealt with her directly. Still begs the question of why he would want one of her Books.
We were also warned that we would not be able to destroy Lillibut in her own realm. The most we’d be able to do would be to disable her long enough to get out of there once we got what we came for — yours truly back in flesh and blood.
Given the choice of two places we could find Lillibut’s lair — Avernus or Malbolge — we decided to with the lesser of two evils. Describing the specific location to archmage Archselon revealed an interesting and unexpected connection to the Dawnlands: The place was once occupied by a devil who went by the name the Sanguine Rose. She apparently had a personal connection to one Varis Nailo, the Commander of the Order of the Crimson Fist. I have not had the pleasure of meeting him personally, but from the stories I have heard of him it does make me wonder what kind of person he is.
But I digress…
“Another little visitor… glory glory… soon soon… a sacrifice first though…”
The mouth that formed on the bone white rose shudders and goes still but the air is expectant.
It’s Oziah that steps forward.
“Hold this for me, Jaezred,” she says. “Just in case.”
“Of course,” the drow lord says.
Delilah’s hand balls into a fist. She doesn’t like this but neither does she stop her lady love. Does that make her a coward?
The rose’s thorns pass straight through Oziah’s gauntlet and into her hand. She shudders and it takes everything in Delilah not to pull her back — as if she could ever stop her. Oziah’s whole body stiffens and then there’s a sigh as from the rose a worm-like serpent coils down into the ground, creating a pitch black hole that’s barely large enough for each of them to pass through…
Lillibut was a sight to behold — and not one any of us want to see again. She tried to meld my allies’ flesh into one, which could have been disastrous had some of them not had the fortitude to resist. Daybreaker took the worst of it…
Lillibut’s many eyes turn to look at Oziah before she just smiles.
Then Oziah begins to scream.
She looks on in horror as the power the fiend has forces Oziah’s skeleton to become a cage for her flesh. She hears Beastie shouting across their bond, trying to make her stay, to hold her in the present but it’s too late.
Delilah no longer knows if it’s Ankaa screaming or her. The pain she feels is both physical and emotional. There’s no way for her to know where it started. It’s just always been.
“Look, little flower. Look. See how beautiful she is?”
She dives forward, daggers finding flesh, her not-flesh, the flesh of the puppet that looks like her and sounds like her but is not her. Lillibut screams.
“See how magnificent I am making her.”
Delilah feels a tug, her spectral form wanting to find purchase in the flesh that fits her perfectly. She follows it, but is suddenly pushed back.
Oziah continues to scream.
“Just for you… It’s all for you… Only the best for my little flower.”
This time it’s her whole arm that finds purchase in the body that is not her body, yet is. It is this time when she feels herself become whole. She feels the weight of her bones, hears the air passing between her lungs, and tastes the blood in her veins.
And the world fucking stank.
…but in the end, we pushed her back long enough so we could get out.
We were not able to retrieve any Books of Keeping, though there had been some effort in trying to find one. It does beg the question if there ever was something of the sort there. Guess it does not matter since even if we found one, none of us would have given such a book to Krumm.
With the return to flesh it’s time I reacquaint myself with the sensation of touch and taste. Once that has been done, it will be time to plan a dungeon rescue.
Report passed on 28 day of the Fading.
Neh diis lus’a, lus diis’a.