We had a shorter meeting this time, between coming home late and some joking and conversation at the table so we lost about 2 hours. It worked out fine since the group was sort of focused on finding and wiping out the last "leechlings" if at all possible - eventually fighting and finishing off the Quasi-Leech.
There is one left and with each successive one, I ramp up their ability and tactics until the final one has all the skills and capabilities to use at its beck and call. It's smarter, faster, more cunning, and by this time, knows the party and their skills and abilities after watching its brothers get taken down.
So to my count, there is 1 Leechling (I've dubbed the Para-Leech in my head) and 3 spellforms loose in the tower. Once they are done and taken care of, the party can then complete the ritual (should they decide to go that way) and the adventure will be wrapped up.
Write up follows:
We took stock of the library after the fight with the Quasi-Leech, everyone taking the time to heal up, bandage if need be, and check weapons. The floor and shelves were unscarred from the Quasi-Leech’s fire and we suspected that the Library was proof against such conflagrations.
There were thousands of books and scrolls littering the room in different places and ages. However in every place there were books neatly on the shelves – except on one smaller free standing shelf system near the armoire. There were three books on top and one scroll there. After a short check we deduced it was safe to approach and looked them over.
Spell book of the Tower Master, Purchase Log for Redbrick Tower, Income Log for Redbrick Tower, and a scroll that was identified as “Empowering Olympian Crystals”.
Jackpot.
The two log books would have to be looked at in depth at another time when we had the ability to do so, but they did list the sort of supplies the tower required, who Cornelius had gotten them from and what he paid for them, as well as some services he had done and what he had gotten paid for it.
The spell book (after a fast Read Magic spell by Marcus), contained all the spells as identified as needed in the Scroll of the Tower Wizard we had found earlier. Most importantly, one of the spells was Continual Light which the party suggested to Marcus to take the time at some point today and scribe to his book.
The scroll explained how to make the Heartstone as needed in the ritual, as well as two other rituals – one to make a clerical beacon, and another to make an all-purpose mana-stone. We read the passages and shared our thoughts – assuming that somewhere above us (2 other floors?) we would find the Olympian Crystals somewhere.
We were keeping a ready eye out for the Quasi-Leech, and had attempted to clean the oil off the stairs with a bedsheet – so when we heard noises on the steps from the 6th floor and around the corner up in that direction, we made as if we were leaving and pretended to cycle through the armoire – instead hiding around the chamber and lying in wait.
The Quasi-Leech had returned and was carefully looking over the room, listening, exploring. He picked up the oil soaked sheet and wore it like a cape. He summoned a fat rat and sent it into the room and then called it back, eating it slowly and with thought. Finally it made a decision and walked into the room making his way towards the armoire when we attacked.
We hit the Quasi-Leech on every side, anyone with a magical weapon was at the forefront and those without stayed back and observed. The struggle went all about the room for a little bit but then there was a thickening in the air and the mana-wraith looking thing appeared – once again fucking up the magical items in the area, causing them to glow and grow painfully hot.
Viridia was sent around with a packet of salt, whipped about the corner, and let it fly – dispelling the wraith around the same time we took the Quasi-Leech down at long last. Some healing was parceled out, a look was made up to the 6th floor but the steps were covered with what we assumed was the Quasi-Leech’s crap – so we stayed clear and went back to the 2nd level and the meeting room to sit with Horace and Fermius, share some lunch, and talk about what our next steps were.
No matter what, we wanted to get the Tower Master Spell book so Avidius, Marcus, and a few others went back to the 4th floor and our scout grabbed the book. There was a flash and Avidius felt a little odd, but he handed the book over. Once back in the room before Marcus started writing, Avidius was acting a bit strange, stripping off his clothes as the group was looking him over. He had some sort of mania, but once he was assured everything was ok, he returned to normal and the spell passed. We were going to watch this.
Marcus studied continual light and then we cast it upon a rock and placed it inside Avidius’ lantern – giving us excellent light and no longer a drain on our oil stores. We travelled our way up to the 4th floor and the Master Bedroom, Fermius and Horace now along with us and with the understanding they had to listen to us and our directions.
We were in the Master Bedroom, talking about going through the armoire and up to the 5th floor to hunt for the last “Leech” and take him down. It was around 4:15 on Earthmonth the 22nd.
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