Tadpoles
The task seemed simple enough, fetch some tadpoles... little brain eating... mind defiling....illithid larvae... tadpoles...
Nawiel and Sussuri had brought along a third, Forsun, a strong warrior to aid them. But in the end his aid nearly cost them their lives, twice, recklessly rushing headlong into a hive of mindflayers. It cost them time and resources, though the illithid were temporarily distracted trying to feast of Forsun's brain, allowing the two the chance to regroup and plan. They painfully dispatched of the illithid that remained and decided to leave him for dead and retrieve his corpse when their mission was complete. They were tired, frustrated and running out of options.
Onward the two went, deeper into the cave, trying to find their way through the maze filled with terrifying mind defiling abominations to harvest their young, to ensure their continued survival within Sshamath. The presence of these... monstrosities from the Far Realm permeated the very air they breathed... their presence ever with the two as they came to a peculiar portal. Then they heard something odd from behind them as Forsun joined them again, somehow alive. He was acting quite bewildered and hearing and seeing phantoms and ghosts of things that did not manifest themselves. How or why he was alive and how he had returned to them, he could not fathom.
Danger again came upon the drow as an ilithid entered the chamber. This time though it was different, the ilithid approached Forsun and screamed out in terror, it's four menacing tentacles whirling madly as it gazed upon him. It bellowed that Forsun was tainted and soon spun around to flee, running wildly from the room. The other ilithid in the hive seemed to detect the difference now as none dared come near the group. It was only then that something more powerful awoke within the hive to their presence. There was a sudden charge in the air as it started to thicken, forming a thick dense fog all around the group.
When the fog finally dissipated, there they stood before elder brain, tentacles flailing madly at the presence of Forsun, brain golems approaching the three from the side. Repeatedly, the brain golems instructed Forsun and in proxy the others to leave the hive. Not heeding their warning, the Elder Brain eventually itself made it's presence known, stripping the three of their wards and cloaking them with a sudden, debilitating fear. It again told them to leave the hive, that the marked one disrupts the harmony of the hive. Quickly, Sussari scooped out some of the tadpoles, pouring them into a container before the Elder Brain again brought the terrifying fog to surround them.
They were within the fog for what seemed like an eternity, though truly it was only a few moments. Nightmare after nightmare manifested in the fog, assaulting their minds. When the fog finally lifted, they found themselves at the edge of Sshamath's wards protecting the city. One of the Master's messengers came then soon after, instructing them to come to the School, that their presence was beckoned and to bring Forsun.
At the school in Sshamath, the Master meet them in his study. The tadpoles were turned over to him when he noticed a curious thing, that even within the container they would move away from Forsun. Slowly but methodically, the master stalked around Forsun examining this phenomenon. Intrigued and quite fortunate for Forsun, he thought he could still be yet useful.
The Master explained their next task as he took out one rather large illithid larvae, putting it into a vial filled with brain matter. They were instructed to follow a patrol and insert it into the marked one. Nawiel asked for clarification, so the Master withdrew the illithid, holding it dangerously close to her, the head of the larvae tracing the outline of her ear. Instinctively but mistakenly, Nawiel swats the illithid and the Master's hand from her ear. The Master's eyes open wide but fortunately for her... though not so fortunate for Forsun... Forsun came forward to grab the Master's arm. Forsun quickly learned the error in his ways as two longswords pierced through his torso as the Master slowly peeled Forsun's hand from his arm. More guards rushed into the room and with a look at the other two, the Master nods to the guards who proceed to beat Forsun to an inch of his life. Considering it a warning and a show of his mercy, he allows Forsun to live and dismisses the three to leave, Forsun being dragged out of the School.
The group carry forward to finish their task for the Master, tracking the patrol who was only minutes ahead of them through Varalla's until they come across the peculiar sight. The patrol lay dead asleep in the caverns, with the intended victim sprawled face down with a large "X" marked on the cloak. With much heartache and hesitation, the illithid larvae was inserted.
