Session 19: Mind Flayed Report

The party had just had a brush with a brain on four legs. Azid explained to the group that the creature was called an intellect devourer and served as a pet for mind flayers. This made Kouvian uncomfortable with proceeding without backup. The group discussed possibly finding the Gith that were hunting mind flayers, but Glebnor told them there was an Illithid embassy on Bral and that it wasn't illegal to be a mind flayer. With that, they agreed to explore for another half hour before turning back.

The Hunters

Azid heard a message in his brain as they walked deeper into the tunnel. It greeted him, and it was trying to sound friendly. Azid stopped the party to inform them of this. From the shadows stepped two mind flayers that introduced themselves as Qudar and Vrak'zur, two hunters in search of a fugitive that cut itself off from the Elder Brain.
The two Illithids offered to reward the group with 100 GP and a potion of fire resistance if they would hunt down the mind flayer named Zerask. The party found them very rude, but the Illithids thought they were being polite by their own standards. Glabnor asked them to sweeten the deal by giving them a pet intellect devourer. They refused but countered that they would give them a space hamster. With the cherry on top, the group agreed to do the job. The mind flayers projected a psychic image of Zerask into their brain and said they would wait there for their return.

Big Poppa

Glebnor led the way through the tunnels with an almost eerie familiarity. They reached the ruins of some long-forgotten Illithid building, and Glebnor opened the doors and was shocked by what was revealed: a half dozen gray plasmoids that looked just like them. They shut the door quickly and tried to prepare the party for what they would see. Opening the door again... nobody seemed to care but them.
Glebnor tried talking to one of the plasmoids, but it was extremely simple-minded and kept to its task of sweeping. That's when a voice boomed welcome to the party. Zerask walked down some stairs and asked them why they had come to his abode. They didn't take long to reveal that hunters had sent them to kill him. However, Glabnor was curious about the oozes and was hesitant to kill him now.
Zerask hinted that he knew about the plasmoid's origins but would say nothing for now. He asked the party if they were going to try and kill him. He warned them that while he was uninterested in fighting anyone, he would destroy them if they tried. There was no boasting in his tone, and the party quickly realized that Zerask greatly outmatched them.
The arcanist made them a counteroffer. He would give them three potions of psychic resistance if they returned and killed the hunters. He told them they were likely nobody if the Elder Brain sent them, and it would be far easier to fight them than face off against himself. The party agreed to these terms and left Zerask in peace.

Calamari

On returning to the hunters, Kouvian expressed disdain for the situation. Azid expressed that, at this point, they didn't have a choice in the matter--the mind flayers had played them. Kouvian understood this but wanted to make clear that they were getting themselves into trouble with more mind flayers down the line. No one doubted what he said.
Vrak'zur was the first to notice that the party came back without the head of Zerask. Azid didn't hesitate and cast fireball on the two mind flayers. The rest of the party quickly followed suit as they ambushed the unsuspecting Illithids. Qudar desperately attacked but could not do much before being cut down. Badly burned, Vrak'zur attempted to cast a spell to escape but was cut down by Kouvian. Geasle feasted on Qudar's flesh but didn't like the gamey flavor.

Daddy Issues

The Rat Pack returned victorious to Zerask, who was pleased to hear of their success. However, Zerask wondered what more they wanted since their arrangement had been met. Glebnor wanted answers, but the mind flayer said he would keep those answers to himself unless they completed a task. He wanted them to travel to the planet Glyth and retrieve the Tome of Emirkol for him.
While the job intrigued Azid, they insisted that he answer at least one question for them. Zerask agreed. Glebnor asked him why he didn't keep them like the others. Zerask responded matter of factly that Glebnor did not function correctly, that a mistake had been made. That answer angered the plasmoid, and they refused to do any job for the mind flayer. Azid, seeing that the decision had been made for him, reluctantly left without learning more about the Tome of Emirkol.

Research Montage

Azid went to the following day to the library to research Glyth and the Tome of Emirkol. He learned that Glyth was believed to be the homeworld of the Illithid. He also learned that Emirkol was once a powerful arcanist that supposedly learned the secret to eternal life. However, he was killed in a slave rebellion. It is said that the secret to never dying was written in the Tome of Emirkol, which is said to be buried with him.
The wizard Azid told the rest of the group this exciting news back at the manor. Kouviuan expressed that he did not agree with finding the Tome. He clarified that if Azid sought this book out and used it for said purpose, he would make the paladin his personal enemy. Azid was disappointed by the answer but agreed not to pursue it for now. Instead, they all agreed that the ghosts in their manor were of greater concern.