Session 355 - The Bringer of Fever
General Summary
The Story So Far
Ash - An expert in the occult and a skilled monster hunter. Ash uses his talents and budding alchemical expertise to battle the things people fear most for a price.
Ryobi - A monk of the embattled Order of the Warriors of Mameka. Ryobi is given an important mission; retrieve the holy blades containing the souls of his brother knights, which were lost in the recent Rethemi civil war.
They are joined by Vinzent, a bard with a morbid demeanor and a haunted past.
This is the continuation of Session 353 - A Soul Is Liberated.
Location - City of Golotha in the Kingdom of Rethem.
10th Larane (Summer) 727TR
Part 1 – At the Pipeweed Shop
One of Golotha’s apothecaries, Spalir of Banderia, has a problem. Spalir is well known for his pipeweed and uses foragers to collect the various herbs he uses in his custom blends. One of his suppliers reported being chased by a small imp-like creature with a gem on its forehead. Forager Gogon said that merely looking at the imp made him feel sick, and he has been missing for over a month. Spalir believes this imp may be responsible for Gogon’s disappearance.
Spalir hires the heroes to investigate.
Part 2 – The Church of the Glory of Ilvir
Ash and Ryobi have broad experience with supernatural monsters and think this is not a demonic imp. The description matches a Kafhexis, the so-called bringer of fever. This is a small Ivashu created by the god Ilvir; however, the pair cannot agree as to the monsters’ attributes. So, they seek another opinion from the experts at the Temple of Ilvir.
The Church of the Glory of Ilvir is managed by the Order of Pia-Gardith. The Order is dedicated to showing the world the glory of Ilvir through his creations, and its clergy are a combination of hunters, scholars, and clerics. Most priests have demonstrated their devotion by writing study papers on Ivashu. These books are a wealth of information.
The High Priest, Father Binide of Gorth, is happy to give an accurate account of the standard Kafhexis magical abilities but asks in return that that heroes try to capture the creature or bring its dead body for dissection. They are most interested in the gem set in the monster’s forehead.
The Kafhexis's most dangerous power is its psionic talent to increase the body temperature of a nearby victim. Ash brews several alchemical elixirs that should mitigate such an ability. He gives one to Ryobi.
Part 3 – Tencen Bog
Gogon's small hut is in Tencen Bog, and the heroes must fight off several huge monitor lizards before locating it. Gogon and his wife are both lying dead nearby. As the heroes approach small air elementals, more tiny storms in vaguely bat-like forms flutter about, but they are easily dealt with and are scarcely a threat.
Part 4 – The Bringer of Fever
The bodies near the hut show evidence of internal combustion. The heroes hear movement in the hut, but looking in the open doorway reveals it is not occupied. The Kafhexis is hiding in the thatched roof, looking down at Ash. The monster hunter feels his body start to warm, but quickly, guzzling his elixir reduces the pain to bearable. Ryobi drinks his potion as the small purple-horned creature with a gem set on its forehead climbs onto the hut roof.
Ash and Ryobi clamber up onto the hut's roof, their boots slipping on the damp and slimy thatching. Initially, they try to subdue the monster, but it headbutts them, knocking the heroes back onto the ground. Only Ash’s elixirs stop them from overheating when the little monster looks at them. Ryobi scores some solid hits, but Ash is smashed to the ground needing Vinzent to apply healing. Ryobi gives up trying to subdue the monster, unleashing his strongest lethal attacks, but the unstable roof makes it hard to fight effectively. The little monster will not die.
Ryobi fights on while Vinzent's voice, filled with magical power, delivers Biting Words, tearing at the heart of the tenacious creature and slaying it. The enraged and frustrated Ryobi, his fists clenched, pulverizes the dead Ivashu's body, although he takes care not to smash the gem set in its forehead.
The heroes return to Golotha, inform Master Apothecary of the death of his foragers, and give the Kafhexis gem to the Church of Ilvir.
To be continued.NPC Interactions
Spalir of Banderia - Master Apothecary and Pipeweed seller.
Father Binide of Gorth - Of the Church of the Glory of Ilvir.
Related Articles
Order of Pia-Gardith - Updated.
Temple of Ilvir - Church of the Glory of Ilvir - Updated.
Player Characters
Ryobi - Human - L2 Monk
Background - Temple Guard.
Archetypes - Barbarian.
Ash - Human - L2 Thaumaturge
Background - Weaponcrafter.
Archetypes - Alchemist.
NPC Companion
Vinzent - Human - L2 Bard
Background - Cursed.
Archetypes - Blessed.
Next Session
NPC Companion
Vinzent
He is a skilled minstrel who is infamous for his depressing performances.
Order of Pia-Gardith
The Order of Pia-Gardith is dedicated to studying and exposing the world to the great works of God Ilvir and his Ivashu creations.
Kafhexis
The Kafhexis is a muscular, four-foot-tall, reptilian horned ape-like Ivashu with a large gem set in its skull. They have a unique psionic ability called Fever Beam, which can dramatically increase the body temperature of their animal prey. In some extreme cases, it can cause spontaneous combustion.
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