Enola Yarn – blogpost 17

We succeed in getting Farryn through the barrier and into the Wizard Academy. However, Grond cannot go through. We try to open the barrier with a mage hand, but it does not work because I cannot see the door – and the spell cannot locate the door handle. Zeph tries to push Grond towards us, but that is unsuccessful as well. We give up, and leave Grond in the waiting area. We walk through the halls of the academy and see many carvings of different wizards of different schools of magic in the rock. Immediately, I look for my own school – evocation. As I’m still caught up in examining the portrait carving, I hear Zeph startle. As I turn my head, I see a green-lit arrow shoot towards us. It hits Zeph in his wing. Okay… Apparently, we need to be vigilant ALL THE TIME in here. I sigh in exasperation. Zeph got the message as well and lets Brightwing scout the area for us. He tells us Brightwing saw a Medusa statue further down the hall. To avoid it, Zeph shrinks himself to a tiny form and can fly past the statue. Farryn grabs his shield and I try to crouch behind him. Nevertheless, we are hit by a green arrow. Near the statue, I can see it properly. I cast mage hand to investigate without touching the statue. It seems stone. However, it is enchanted granite that will come to life when someone is in sight. She looks disapprovingly down the hall we just came from. I know that if we try to move the statue from its place, it will lose its powers. I decide not to do that, but we’ll need to figure out a way to disarm it.

Behind me, I hear Zeph muttering: “I see something big….” 

Around a corner, we see a Half-Ogre next to a child working on a desk. I walk up to them and introduce Zeph and myself. The child is around twelve years old. “I’m Spite, and this is Dumara!” He is holding a lit wand, reading a book. “Are you guys the new students?” 

“Yes, we just came in today, and this is Valentine,” Zeph tells the two. Actually, Zeph introduces Farryn as Valentine, as the REAL Valentine stayed behind to freshen up in the showers – again. Furthermore, as Farryn is officially not allowed in this academy, it seems more secure introducing him as a student that was allowed to take the ‘entrance exam’. 

“How come you’re so young?” Farryn asks. 

“I’m very keen to learn. I’m top of the class!” Spite says proudly. 

“Do you know about the bone devil?” 

“Oh yes…. that is Yareks’ project that went horribly wrong.”

“Aren’t you going to kill it? You’re the best, right?” Farryn asks hesitantly.

“Oh no… I or Dumara are not going to do that. We’re friends, you see.”

Spite tells us about the headmaster and headmistress and that they’re very gifted and nice. Spite wants something from us though… “Hallaster has a book in his office with suspected interesting stuff. Can you distract him so I can get it? It is very interesting!”

We look at each other. Are we going to defy Hallaster? Just to help a student? We take the sending stone Spite offers us so we can warn him when we distract Hallaster – IF we distract Hallaster. Before we leave, we ask for directions to the library. Furthermore, he tells us how to disarm the Medusa statue: “It is conjuration magic, so you need to push the button on the carving of the wizard showing conjuration magic. That’s not THAT hard, right?”

“Do you have more tips to avoid dangers in hallways?”

“Yeah, stay out of others’ rooms, and don’t go into the garbage room. Behind this room, there is a beautiful portrait of Hallaster; it really is a must-see!”

The next room we enter is a large space with a giant roped curtain. Farryn walks away, but I want to see the portrait behind it, so open the curtain. The portrait is an image of Hallasters’ face like Spite told us, but creatures eat each other and have multiple demonic drawings surrounding his face. It is horrific. We feel overpowered and overwhelmed by the sight of this horrible scene. I’m able to keep my cool but Zeph totally loses his shit. I close the curtain again, but Zeph is so scared, he grabs onto me and doesn’t want to let go. Outside, Farryn is waiting for us. I tell him what we’ve seen inside. I’m thinking what this could mean… I feel that the true meaning of this portrait is to show Hallaster is the architect of Undermountain and this place. He feels powerful and proud of creating this place and that the creatures inhabiting and visiting Undermountain are restoring balance by themselves – e.g. killing each other. We confront Spite with the news that the portrait is very intimidating. He responds: “But it is beautiful! Many things are very magical, and if you don’t possess that kind of magic, it could mean the death of you…”

We walk further, but Zeph is still clinging onto me and tightening his grip with every move I make. We pass the working room and dormitories. Farryn walks into the working room and sees a Mind Flayer. We also enter the room. It seems the Mind Flayer is a student here too. “You’re new here, aren’t you?” he asks. 

“Valentine, this is my sister Enola, and Zeph,” says Farryn, introducing all of us.

“Cephalossk is my name.”

“Okay, let’s go, let Cephalossk work,” I say – eager to get out of the room. Mind Flayers are often evil and dangerous. 

“You can do something for me, actually. The protector of Spite – Dumara – is not an Ogre. I’ll take Spite – it has been a while since I’ve eaten. You have to kill that ‘Ogre’, she is eviler than you think.”

“I’m all for live and let die, but I’m not going to deliver a child to you on a silver platter,” I say.

Silently, Zeph is trying to get away but is held back by Cephalossk. “You have to think about what your options are.”

“Yeah, we need to kill the bone devil and get our schedule. It will not be my first act to deliver you a student to eat.” I reply. 

“Yarek is killed by his own bone devil.” on saying that, Zeph is drawn back into the room and the door closes. “It’s good to have your priorities straight. If you do it, I’ll tell you three secrets you should know about Undermountain.”

“I know it already. I’ve been here long enough.” I say, trying to throw him off. 

“You know nothing; you’re a naive little girl!” I get drawn further into the room. 

“We need to all be friends!!!” Zeph shouts. 

“This is a friend’s favor. Please do this for me. I’m the best, it is only Hal that is not realizing this!” Cephalossk replies. During a monologue that takes a while, I try to contact Spite via the sending stone (“Help! Cephalossk is trying to get us to distract or kill Dumara so he can eat you. He is forcing us!”). Cephalossk is not noticing me and is still talking about himself. What an ego. However, I do not dare interrupt him – afraid of the consequences. 

“What?! What is happening?” Spite replies. I hear his voice inside my head. I sigh mentally and explain again. After that, I send “are you going to help us?”.

“Yes. Coming. Don’t get eaten.” is the last thing I hear.

Suddenly, Cephallosk stops talking. However, his mouth is still moving. I know what happened: Zeph has cast silence on this area. As I can see from the look on Cephallosks face, he knows as well. “So….. THAT IS YOUR CHOICE?!” I hear Cephalossks’ voice inside my head. “It seems I’m not going to feast on Spites’ brain, but on YOURS!”

He grabs me by the head with his tentacles. I try to resist and keep breathing. Luckily, I’m able to resist. Farryn attacks with his trident. I try to cut off his tentacles that are now sucking my face but cannot reach. In my head, I hear a healing word in Zephs’ voice and feel somewhat stronger. In the corner of my eye, I see Spite casting magic missiles and as they hit Cephalossk, I’m able to breathe again. I feel the tentacles drip from my face as Cephalossk falls to the ground.

Suddenly, Hallaster appears. “Bravo, bravo! Good job! What a tactic, nice! Spite, good job. Zeph, you’ve done well – what a tactic. Your admission to this school is well deserved. You’ll get Cephalossks’ room!” I am totally gobsmacked. Should we kill other students to get a room in here?! What kind of school is this?! Secretly, I’m very jealous of Zeph – but am also a bit angry at him: casting silence made sure Cephalossk could not attack us, but also caused me to be unable to cast spells myself! Still salty, I follow the others to Cephallosks’ room, which is now Zeph’s.

The room is purple and filled with jars containing body parts on alcohol. I see some brains. Ew. We inspect all Cephalossks’ belongings and open all drawers. In one, Farryn finds multiple copper plates bound together and gives them to me. It is a spellbook! It is weird – there are little dots in them. Probably for him to read with his tentacles because it is slimy. I put the spellbook in my bag, and follow Farryn and Zeph to the library.

To get to the library, we need to go through the Illusion classroom of Professor Figment. The classroom looks like an open space: it is all grassy in here, and in the middle, there are some pillars covered with green ivy. It is very pretty and serene. We see a small man. The moment he sees us too, he beckons: “Come in, come in! Take a seat!” The teacher is a tiefling and tells us about all sorts of illusions. He is wearing a golden robe and is one of the best lecturers I’ve ever come across. He is really enchanting and charismatic. Farryn interrupts him, but before he can ask anything Figment says: “You can ask questions when you raise your hand.” Farryn raises his hand and shows him the deck of illusions he carries. Figment knows every card and its purpose. He explains and tells us: “It is not very strong, but it is very nice.” We tell him we’re off to the library and will come back later. “Yes, of course. Don’t forget to rest, new students!”

The next hall is all covered with iron except the floor. That is odd. We open a door and see a room with a creature in it. It is a Nothic, chained to a pole in the middle of the room. The Nothic wears a helmet with some crystals on it. As he sees the door open, he tries to run at us but chokes himself on the chain. Man… What to do with this creature…