“Fun fact. Purple is a fruit.”
Kildo tilted his head as he and the rest of the party turned to Kai in curiosity. The dwarven cleric went through the key chain with the seven colored keys to the purple one. Inserting it into a keyhole and turning, the portal hummed to life. The doorway radiated a dark purple. It activated. The hairs on his arms stood erect from the electric energy coming off the entryway. Holding his breath, he followed the rest of the party through. Emerging on the other side unharmed, Kildo exhaled. They materialized in a small jail cell. It was crowded with everyone. He was glad they decided not to bring 9 of 5, leaving the massive flesh golem on the Sea Ghost. He was about to start cursing that they had fallen into a trap when Kai opened the cell door. It was unlocked. Exiting south, a corridor continued eastwards to a slightly larger room lit by sconces. There were two long tables with a south door. Kai reached for the handle.
“Wait, we might need a friend,” Guo Gan said. He reached into his Gray Bag of Tricks tied to his belt. Pulling out a handful of lint, he carefully placed it on the ground. It instantly transformed into a black-furred jungle panther. It had a shiny coat with a small head but strong jaws and emerald green eyes. Its hind legs were powerful and more significant than the front, but all four limbs were adorned with incredibly sharp claws. The monk then nodded to the paladin.
Throwing the door open, it led to a much larger room. There were several odd creatures inside. They were similar to giant earthworms with long pink tubular bodies with two arms and two legs that were also long and tubular in shape, ending in sharp claws. Their entire bodies were marked with faint rings. In the place of a head, the creature's body ended in a circular maw filled with sharp teeth. Rising to human height, they writhed towards the party.
If that wasn’t unusual enough, a couple wore purple garments. Then in a raspy voice, one of them called out. “Devour! Devour! Devour them all!”
Slamming the entry shut, Kai pulled back into the jailer area and called out, “Hold them at the door!”
Guo Gan held the right side, with Kai on the left. Kildo held the middle raising his shield to keep the worm-like monstrosities from pushing through. The monk’s summoned panther jumped onto one of the tables and began licking itself.
“Here they come!” Kai shouted as the door flew open. One of the worms moved in. Wave thrust deep into the creature. It squirmed in agony.
Lashing out wildly, Kildo blocked its frantic blows.
More claw-like appendages twisted around from within the room and lashed out blindly at Kai and Guo Gan, missing.
The monk, used to punching rocks into pebbles, into sand for hours on end, unleashed a flurry of blows. His strengthened fist punched into the worm’s flesh, killing it.
Another creature took its place. Kai thrust with Wave. All three points of his trident pierced it. Like a worm on a hook, it squirmed and died.
“Let’s find out what happens when earthworms are lit on fire,” Scomatch said as a bright streak flashed from the halfling’s fingertips. A roar of flame ignited in the creature’s room. There were squeals of agony as several of the worms withered and burnt up. “It seems they die like everything else.”
“Good job taking them out. It be saving me from wasting a Bless spell,” Kildo commented.
“Oh, don’t worry, there’s more,” Scomatch said and pointed.
Kildo followed, and he saw two of the worm-like creatures slithered in to take the place of the fallen. One appeared gravely injured. He cast, Toll the Dead. Dolorous bells filled the room as the creature’s head erupted in gore.
A door from the earthworm room opened, and more squiggled out, filling the entranceway. Kildo threw up his shield, but there were too many appendages. Pain erupted from his side as one of its claws slashed his midsection, but his chainmail held.
Kai lunged with Wave, stabbed one, and retracted. Slaying it, its guts spilled on the floor. However, he too was slashed by a claw. Guo Gan faired a little worse, as he was struck twice.
In the back of the room, one of the earthworms dressed in purple garments stepped into view. A psychic crushing pain entered their heads. It was like their brain was being crushed from within. Besides himself, Kildo saw Kai and Guo Gan grab their heads feeling its effects.
Angered, Guo Gan lashed out with full fury at the nearest worm. Causing devastating damage, it stayed up. It didn’t last much longer as Kai finished it off with a thrust of Wave. Retracting his trident, he lunged its barbs into another worm. The creature writhed from the blow but remained standing.
“You haven’t killed these things yet?” Scomatch bemoaned. Casting, another fireball arched into the earthworm room. There was additional squealing as at least one more of the creatures died.
One of those still standing was a robed one. Kildo cast, Toll the Dead. More dolorous bells rang around it, but it remained upright.
In retaliation, additional psychic crushing pain entered their heads, affecting himself, Kai, and Guo Gan. There was practically no defense against it. The creature pushed its way through the doorway. Its head turned towards Scomatch.
Kai reacted and thrust Wave hitting it. Radiant damage blasted its body. Guo Gan also lashed out, striking it multiple times.
Fearing physical harm was coming his way, Scomatch formed a chromatic orb in his hands. It bubbled and churned with greenish liquid. He threw it. The orb struck the robed earthworm. Sizzling acid melted various sections of the creature. It dissolved into a green goo.
Another robed worm came in right behind it. Kai reacted. Wave pierced it, but the creature kept moving. Both ends of the robed worm turned towards Scomatch. A second, smaller head emerged from its tail. The horror screeched out both ends but was a fraction of a second off from each other. “You will be devoured! Your world will be devoured. We will devour you all!”
“Eep!” Scomatch called out.
Frantic to protect the halfling, Kai lunged with Wave, but only one of the prongs slashed its fleshy body. Guo Gan lashed out with fists and feet, striking the creature twice. It pushed its way through the fighters toward the mage. Its two mounts continued to scream in rage. There was nothing between it and the mage.
Kildo thought, Scomatch’s only hope was Guo Gan’s massive summoned panther. Its powerful body, muscles, and raking claws could save the halfling from a horrible fate from the abomination. Any moment, its blurred form would leap over them all to save their mage. Turning back, he saw the silk, black panther on the table. It was licking its butt.
Flames erupted on the worm leader’s entire length. It wreathed in agony as Scomatch cast, Immolation. A bright light blinded the group as the creature burned. The flames were so hot after a moment, there was nothing remaining but ash.
No other creatures emerged from the room. Dusting his hands free of the earthworms. Scomatch proceeded in. The rest of the party followed into a large room. Taking up the middle was a massive statue of a worm with an enormous open maw. It was much fiercer than any of the creatures they had just fought. To the west was a bedroom, but any furniture was long decayed and was filled with dirt and leaves. A set of steps led upwards to the south, and another led down to the northern part of the room.
“Any thoughts on which way to go-” Kai began before he was cut off. Scomatch started to descend the stairs.
Kildo chased after the halfling. At the bottom was a medium-sized room with double doors to the north. Also, to the west, what appeared to be a human slumped but incredibly wrinkled, almost like a skin suit in a purple robe. One of these worm-like creatures must have been disguising itself as the Purple cult leader. He moved over to the costume to confirm his suspicions. Touching the regalia, it felt warm. Its head snapped up, its eyes burst wide open, and it stared hard into the dwarf’s eyes.
“Hello Kildo, I’m the human Qhaarlex.
Stumbling back, Kildo readied his war hammer. Seeing Qhaarlex continue to watch him and not make any threatening moves, he asked, “What be this place?”
“This is my little escape where I spend my time waiting.”
“What ye be waiting fer?”
“I’m waiting for the next meeting.”
“How will you know when the next meeting be?”
“When I go.”
Narrowing his eyes at Qhaarlex’s circular answers, Kildo asked, “Why ye be trying to kill Aerisi Kalinoth?”
“I did not try. I succeeded.”
“What did she be doing to be killed?”
“Aerisi Kalinoth was not my friend. She was doing things she was not supposed to do.”
“What that be?”
“As a council member, she was not supposed to share information with outsiders. She wishes to bring pestilence to this world—a minor plague demon to serve as the god of evil. However, she failed to understand that a minor plague demon has masters. Powerful masters that would be allowed to come to our reality,” Qhaarlex explained.
Guo Gan then asked, “Are you a worm construct?”
“No, I’m the human Qhaarlex”
“The way you say it makes me think you are not human. You don’t go about saying, I’m the elf Guo Gan.”
“It would clarify who you are.”
Nodding at the logic, Guo Gan asked,” Where are we?”
“You are in my place of rest. This is where the human Qhaarlex rests.”
“I like him,” Guo Gan said to the group.
“I’m pleased that you are happy.”
Turning back to Qhaarlex, Guo Gan asked, “What happens when you win?”
“Winning to me is when everyone else loses.”
“And the world will look like…what when you win?”
“When I win, I would not change anything. I stumbled upon this while I was exploring and found the cult. I set myself up as one of them, working to help oppose them. Oh, I see your mistake. You think I’m one of the earthworms. I am not a psurion. They intend to devour everything that they encounter. I am the human Qhaarlex.”
Scomatch said, “We killed a bunch of psurion’s upstairs. Does that upset you?”
“I’d only be mad if I cared about them. They are easily replaced in the far realm.”
“Why don’t they devour you?”
“It would be against their self-interest to devour me. I’d destroy them.”
Kildo then questioned, “Do you represent the Rhed Loheb? The beholders?”
“No. Rhed Loheb were powerful masters of all they surveyed, but they were removed.”
“Have you seen the cult leader that comes from the white portal? Is it the Gardner?”
“I have never seen anyone come from the white portal. I do not know the Gardner.”
“Who is the Black-robed leader?”
“Akinoth. An extremely old person, and by extremely old, I mean exceeding a normal, natural lifespan.”
Kai then asked, “Where is Captain Vanifer’s base of operations?”
“Vanifer works off of her ship, the Fire Prophet.”
Scomatch questioned, “Do you want to be a god of evil?”
“I don’t think anyone should be a god. I don’t think you need a god of evil.”
“The cultist are trying to install their own replacement for Nusen, the Dark One.”
Kildo asked, “How do we be stopping them cultists?”
“Easy, keep them from obtaining the blue gem,” Qhaarlex explained. He then rose and walked over to the large set of double doors to the north. Opening them, on the other side, was a gargantuan dragonfly bug. However, upon closer examination, the main body was made of enameled metal and a covered deck. Due to the size, it seemed a small crew could pilot the vessel.
“It’s called a Damselfly. I have a proposition for you. I’ll let you borrow my ship so that you can take the blue gem far away from them,” Qhaarlex explained.
Scomatch’s eyes grew as big as saucers, like a halfling in front of a massive feast. A little drool came from the corner of his mouth. A wide smile of delight etched across his chubby face. “I’m renaming my ship to Space Ghost.”
“I’m lending it to you,” Qhaarlex clarified.
“Space Ghost!”
Treasure:
· The spelljammer faring vessel Space Ghost.
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