From the Annals of Habib Al Taib

Entry IV

We managed to overcome incredible fatigue, pushing our bodies to the limits of their endurance both physically and with the aid of magics. Thankfully it bought us the precious time we needed in order to save the Formian Miramar. We arrived just in the knick of time as the Sladdi were mounting their final assault. Our intelligence was correct in that the Sladdi were indeed masquerading as humans. So effective was their deception that I myself was almost fooled as the commander issued orders to his men to, “kill the Sladdi,” when he spotted our approach. Fortunately my companions were not fooled, although in my defense many of their number did indeed retain a human form after having been dealt death. I suspect that these peoples were unknowing pawns in an elaborate game conjured by the Sladdi. However since we did not have time to determine potentially confused persons from bloodthirsty assassins, we chose the easier path of general eradication. I must state that even despite this seemingly easier course of action, we barely made it out with our lives, and it was in the arms of my friends, the greater air elementals that we managed to acquire our target and escape, leaving his brethren behind. In an unusual display of charity, Miss Amber Sessions covered our escape with her life. I did not manage to summon another ally in time to rescue her from her predicament, but her sacrifice did indeed buy us the precious seconds we needed to make our escape. Justina also left her life behind, but not without having given our enemies a taste of steel and strings.

We returned to the Formian hive without incident, our charge having shown us a shortcut to the lair of her queen. We were indeed much thanked, and rewarded with the knowledge that Shadownthrone’s ritual was doomed to fail if one wielding another rod piece claimed the Seerdomain as his home. Shadowthrone's ritual will fail, and as such it will take him yet another week to complete a new one. The queen was good enough to provide us with magical transportation to and back from the Temple of the Old Man, whereupon we resurrected our fallen companions.

And so it was after a quick ritual of devouring something which tasted much like ant feces, that we became native to the Seerdomain. The queen had warned us of potential side effects causing us to perhaps take on some Formian traits. Hoping to acquire one of these powers I did not fight the nausea which overcame me as I ate. The result is that I became sick and unchanged. Kay and Justina were the only ones to acquire traits. It appears that Kay is immune to poison, small price to pay for the mandibles at his jaw. Justina’s eyes took on a completely black coloration. It doesn’t affect her eyesight however, her wounds heal almost instantly. Larger wounds do take longer for sure, but minor knicks and cuts disappear in a matter of seconds. It also appears that they have developed a lesser telepathic link with each other permitting them to warn one another from danger should they be close by. The next assassin who tries and rip them up from behind will be met with a nasty surprise indeed.

I took the opportunity to attempt a link with my familiar Duke Devil, but it appears that the connection doesn’t work across planes. This is something worth remembering for my escape from the bowels of hell.

We have just been called to an audience with the Queen again. It appears she has new intelligence to share with us. I shall return shortly to relate the details of our next expedition.