Cassiok the Cockroach Wizard

Session 16 June 2024

The dark mage, Jaf’ar Magnus, shares a theory: Melissara’s amulet might be the dracolich’s phylactery, suggesting she wants to control it. He writes this down for Morph, who is still deaf.

Morph wishes to summon Patience, but Farryn can’t bring him forth. Frustrated, Farryn mutters about punishing Patience when he gets back.

We decide to visit the weird cockroach wizard. The dark mage knocks on the door.

“WHAT?” comes a sharp reply.

“Good day,” Jaf’ar begins.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” the wizard snaps. “What are your names?”

“Jaf’ar Magnus.”

“Are you real?” the wizard asks, poking Jaf’ar.

“What is your name?”

“Cassiok,” he replies curtly.

“What are you doing here?” Jaf’ar asks.

“I practice magic,” Cassiok says nonchalantly.

“Why here?”

“Why not?”

“Well, Waterdeep is a nice place,” Jaf’ar suggests.

“No, that’s way too far.”

“How do you practice magic?”

“With my wand.”

“Can I see it?”

At this point, a grick slithers closer, its tendrils stroking Cassiok. “This is Ellie,” Cassiok introduces the grick.

Cassiok lives here. He is a Shadowdusk. He isn’t aware that he’s a bug apparently. He thinks he is human. Morph gives him a mirror—Corvax. Cassiok only comments on the fine condition of Corvax.

“Can I hold the wand? Can I feel it? I asked earlier,” says Jaf’ar.

“Oh, did Cassiok say that?” Cassiok responds. “Wait, but who are you then?”

“I’m Cassiok.”

He then says, “I can get him.”

I don’t understand. He is himself and another. Cassiok walks off and comes back, now wearing a pointy wizard hat. I’m having trouble keeping my laugh in. My eyes meet Farryn’s, and we both let out a small laugh.

Morph takes the human shape of Cassiok, pretending to be a third brother or something.

“Can I take it?” asks Morph.

“Yes,” Cassiok says, and he breaks the staff in two, giving Morph the upper half.

We all jump out of the room—Farryn pulls me onto Grond, and we get out of there. The staff begins to glow. I have no idea what’s happening, but I think the staff is exploding.

Morph says, “Well, that’s an explosive little stick, isn’t it?”

The grick and Cassiok the wizard are both blackened from the explosion.

“Okay, you can explain it to Cassiok, right?” Morph says. He turns back into the room and returns without the hat.

“What happened here? Where is my wand?” he asks. “Oh no, did the staff explode?! I have to punish Cassiok,” he says. Then a weird self-fight starts.

Morph asks Cassiok if he knows the exit here. Introducing himself as Cazzok, Morph has me on the floor laughing because Cassiok believes everything.

Cassiok gives Morph (Cazzok) an amulet. Morph says he has to go with his new party—us. He asks Cassiok to join. Cassiok calls for Biro, a slaad. The creature approaches.

“Biro! It’s Cazzok! Look!” Cassiok exclaims.

“I’m the greatest Cazzok! Come closer,” Morph says.

The slaad, Biro, comes closer and kneels before Morph.

“Great Cazzok,” Biro says reverently.

Cassiok starts talking to a statue, seemingly lost in conversation, allowing me to sneak past unnoticed. As I whisper, “The fish swims at midnight,” Cassiok suddenly says to Jaf’ar, “It IS a good day.”

Cassiok continues, “I need more info about the Far Realm. Desmir got my black tablet.”

“Who?” asks Jaf’ar.

“Desmir.”

“Where? Who? What is Desmir?” Jaf’ar presses.

“Let’s start with the question WHERE,” says Jaf’ar.

“Desmir is in the Far Realm,” Cassiok replies.

“Let’s go,” I suggest.

Farryn asks Cassiok if he has any tips for staying sane in the Far Realm. “Stay yourself for long enough,” Cassiok advises. He then shares, “There was a prophecy—a friend will be on your doorstep.”

Cassiok thinks it’s the dragon. He poses one last riddle: “Is the water deep in Waterdeep?”

I hop onto Grond’s back as we prepare to leave, Biro the slaad joining us.

We head to the bigger hall, aiming to confront the death knights.

“Jaf’ar, first check the amulet Cassiok just gave you,” I say. Jaf’ar begins the ritual, which takes 11 minutes.

Five minutes in, a wraith emerges from the wall. I immediately spring into action, taking three shots and swiftly disposing of it.

Farryn rushes over. “Wow, Gwen, are you alright? You don’t look so good.”

“I’m alright,” I respond quickly. “Just had to get rid of it. I’m okay.”

“Okay, okay, do you need anything?” Farryn asks, concerned.

“No, no, I’m okay,” I assure him.

Jaf’ar concludes his ritual, revealing that the amulet is a control gem for a slaad. Biro confirms this, his loyalty evident.

We decide to head north. As we walk down the corridor, we spot a grave surrounded by statues of Shadowdusks. This place is likely their mausoleum. Names are etched on every statue, but none are familiar to any of us.

Farryn activates his ring near the altar, but there are no gems here. We check for traps near one of the statues while Jaf’ar moves to the doors at the end of the hallway. Meanwhile, Grond and Biro help him open a crypt. The lid is heavy, and when they finally lift it, a nauseating smell wafts out.

“Hey, you are robbing a grave right now…” I say to Farryn, wrinkling my nose.

“Yeah, well, I don’t have anything to show for right now, so I want to take something from this level,” he replies, unbothered.

“There is NOTHING to obtain here of value… jeezzzzz,” Farryn complains. We walk through the door to join Jaf’ar and Morph.

“Watch out,” Jaf’ar warns us. “There are probably star spawn here.”

“Oh, those are the things that did that to Darion’s face,” I remark.

We proceed stealthily, and I step off Grond to blend into the shadows better. We open a door to an empty room filled with rubble.

To our right, there’s a door with two handles. It looks luxurious, with eyes carved into it. The map marks it with a skull, making it seem even more ominous.

“What do you think?” I whisper to the group.

Morph suggests impersonating Halaster to open the ominous door, believing it might lead to the portal to Halaster’s castle. Jaf’ar is hesitant at first, but eventually relents. Morph transforms into Halaster and boldly approaches the door with eyes carved into it.

“Open this door in the name of Halaster Blackcloak!” Morph commands, his voice echoing in the corridor. The eyes blink in unison, and a deep rumbling fills the air as the door swings open.

We step into the next room and see a large stone arch with an eye at its peak. Nearby stands a petrified beholder, its many eyes frozen in terror.

Morph, still in his Halaster guise, strides up to the arch. “OPEN SESAME!” he declares, touching the eye.

A voice, eerily similar to Halaster’s, booms: “GIVE MAGIC FOR SAFE PASSAGE!” A stone hand emerges from the arch, palm up. Morph places an orb in the hand. Nothing happens. Frustrated, he reaches to retrieve it, but the hand closes and pulverizes the orb. The eye bulges, and in an instant, Morph is turned to stone.

“Jaf’ar, this is your chance to show that magic doesn’t come from artifacts but real spells,” Farryn says, urgency in his voice.

Jaf’ar approaches the arch and touches it. “I want passage,” he says confidently.

“GIVE MAGIC FOR SAFE PASSAGE!” the voice repeats. Jaf’ar places the broken staff of power into the stone hand, but still nothing happens.

We need to save Morph. Time is running out, and we have no idea how long this petrification will last. Jaf’ar takes Morph’s sword, Corvax, and speaks to it. “Corvax, can you hear me? Morph is now made of stone. You’re the only one who can help him. I’ll put you in his hands. Please help.” The sword glows black but fails to penetrate the stone that is Morph.

We brainstorm furiously. Farryn suggests offering the amulet of health. I can’t help but worry for him as he steps forward. As he places the amulet in the stone hand, the hand closes slowly, and the portal opens.

“Holy smokes! It’s totally blue!” I exclaim. The portal is like a shimmering wall of water, obscuring what lies beyond.

We have to act fast. We push Morph through the portal and follow, each of us taking a deep breath before stepping into the unknown. I think of Saffron, my dragon to be, as I plunge through.

On the other side, we find ourselves in a stark white room. The stone arch stands behind us, but the exit has vanished. Before us is a statue of Halaster, looming like a vulture. The walls are adorned with animated frescoes of Halaster performing various exercises: lunges, push-ups, sweeping, boxing, and more.

There are two passages, one to the right and one to the left. Suddenly, a rune on the floor activates, and I’m hit by a jolt of lightning.

“WELCOME, ADVENTURERS!” a voice booms.

I feel drained and vulnerable, my body still exhausted and afflicted by the tick.

“Stay close,” Farryn says, his voice steady. “We need to stay together and move carefully.”

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