Aftermath

 

Aftermath:

•  Party returns to Terra Malatia.  Still in the possession of a ship that can travel the Astral Sea.S
• Samm had joined with Jedwin and Trilos in freeing the Thinker’s prison once the anti-magic field fell.  Samm is now with the party in Fort Aralan.
• Captain Hurst got his ship repaired, and is now back to his treasure hunting life.
• The ancient city remains, but no longer ruled by the Thinker.  The collection of underdark creatures who dwell there are working out a new arrangement to govern their city. 
• The party is in possession of the anti-magic lantern.
• Jedwin has decided to remain with Trilos, at least temporarily. 

What Sihirbaz learned:

·         During his time of imprisonment, Si spent many hours talking to the Thinker, and learned much.       

•       The Thinker rebelled against his Elder Brain master, and stole the anti-magic lantern from him. 
•       He came to Ares to begin building up a power-base from which he could challenge his old master.  He did this by undermining existing societies in the Ares Underdark, and luring those that he could radicalize to his side.
•       The Thinkers prisoners were mostly for food.  When he eats brains they give him sustenance, but he also gains knowledge and memories. Some key prisoners were not on the menu.  Instead the Thinker sent time trying to persuade them to join his cause against the Elder Brain.  This is why Si was kept alive.
•       The Thinker has begun to expand his influence to the party’s homeworld too, reaching out to the Bahumati there.  The implications of this are unclear.  But it might mean that Terra Malatia has come on to the radar of the Elder Brain and the Giths.
•      Si had known for a long time that the Bahumati have built a large city far to the west of Fort Aralan where they are mustering their forces.  Their goal is likely to drive all non-reptiloids off the continent.  The Thinker was beginning to try to weave his spell of influence over this city.

Loose ends and threads for the next phase.

• There is a kobold named Vig among the Bahumati who had an alliance with the party.  He guided them to the ancient city, and in return Perra returned him to his home.
• The Party might choose to investigate the rising Bahumati city in the west.
• The Party might choose to join Trilos (and Jedwin) on a mission to bring down the Elder Brain.
• There will be conflict between the Githzerai settlers on Ares and the Githyanki assassin Trilos Dath.

 

#75 Some Final Thoughts from the Thinker

• The monk and Mahlkier reunited with the party.  Trilos was able to teleport them to the parties location, because of the tracking gem that Tellum had given them.
• Jedwin remained with Trilos.
•  The plan was for Trilos, Jedwin, and Samm to await the deactivation of the anti-magic field, then assist as the prisoners were able to escape.  This all hinged on the ability of the party to reach the source of the anti-magic field and disable it.

The party continued on their journey through the underdark wilderness beneath the city, coming to a pile of bodies.  These bodies were a dumping ground for victims of the Thinker.  He would devour their brains, then toss the remains down a long cavernous shaft.

The party ascended this shaft.  Along the way they were attacked by two Behir.  The won this battle, but took significant damage.  They need to expend healing resources before continuing.

Finally, they ascended into The Thinker's chamber.  The fairy Arceaus scouted the room before they all entered, from the top of the shaft.  He located in the corner a bulls-eye lantern, containing the preserved eye of a beholder.  This was the device that emitted the anti-magic field.  

The device was guarded by a purple worm.  Unknown to the party, a magic force field confined the worm to the space directly around the lantern.

The party entered the chamber, and the Thinker quickly cast a confusion spell upon them.  This spell affected Whisper and Mahlkier, impeding there plans for several rounds.  Nevertheless, the rest of the party sprung into action.  Lenny took on a Drider, which was guarding a pen full of prisoners.  The Monk bounded across the room toward the anti-magic lantern, as did Arceaus, who did do in the form of a swarm of wasps.  Perry was confronted by a Thri-Kreen weapons master.  All of the party was subjected to pot shots from a group of dragonborn arcane archers.

Arceaus and the monk found themselves unable to reach the lantern, now detecting the force field that confined it and the purple worm.  As Lenny defeated the Drider and unlocked the cage, Arceaus found his way inside the force field.  He approached from the outside, as the anti-magic effect left one side of the corner uncovered by the forcefield.

Arceaus picked up the lantern, turning it disable the forcefield.  By now, the Thinker had emerged.  The Thinker's mind blast stunned Mahlkier for several rounds, effectively removing him from the fight.

With the forcefield disabled, the purple worm was free to roam out into the chamber.  Lenny found himself face to face with the gargantuan worm.

By now Whisper had recovered from his confusion, and he teleported into melee with the Thinker.

Lenny was swallowed by the worm.  The monk dealt severe damage to the worm, but he was unable to force it to regurgitate Lenny.

Arceaus, now in possession of the lantern, directed the anti-magic field to impede the Thinker.  But the Thinker didn't need spells to use its tentacles.  It grabbed Whisper, and was on the verge of devouring her brain.

Thinks looked bleak for the party, with Lenny ingested by the worm, and Whisper with her head caught in the jaws of the Illithid Thinker.

Whisper was able to muster the fortitude to hold of the brain-eating attack.  The monk and Perra stuck the worm again, doing enough damage to force it to give up Lenny from its acid stomach.

Perra joined Whisper in melee against the Thinker, striking the fatal blow that ended his reign of terror.

By now, Sihirbaz and the other prisoners had escaped, bringing this chapter of the campaign to a close.