The Obsidian Quill was a sleek, feather-shaped writing instrument carved from deep black stone, faintly glowing with a purple aura. Though beautiful in design and capable of amplifying creative expression and persuasive influence, it bore a sinister sentience that gradually warped the mind and soul of its wielder. The quill was once owned by
Horace Quillwright, patriarch of
House Quillwright, and is deeply tied to the infernal forces that corrupted his family. Its influence twisted the personality of any who used it, slowly eroding their moral compass and darkening their ambitions.
History
The Death of Horace Quillwright
The Obsidian Quill was in Horace Quillwright’s hand when he died at his writing desk in
Quillwright Manor. His final article trailed off mid-sentence, the writing growing erratic and uneven before ceasing entirely. His fingers were marked by unnatural black veins, a symptom of the quill’s corruption. Though the
City Watch recommended an arcane inquiry, the investigation was swiftly closed after being transferred to
Harper jurisdiction. To the outside world, the death was ruled as natural. But signs of magical influence were never fully explained.
The Call to Jonnie
The Obsidian Quill called out to Jonnie Rames Dio when the party investigated the Quillwright massacre. Convinced it was a gift from
Murray, Jonnie accepted the quill and began using it in his creative pursuits. At first, the effects were intoxicating—his music improved, his confidence surged, and his persuasive abilities sharpened. But soon, darker traits emerged. His sleep became restless, his patience thinned, and his art grew obsessive and melancholic. The party, disturbed by Jonnie’s behavior and the object’s aura, began to investigate its origins.
Revelations and the Truth Unveiled
While visiting
Umbren to investigate a mysterious key, the psychometrist, warned him that one of an object on Jonnie's person was whispering dark things to him. The party, along with
Sabine Hildepast, became increasingly uneasy about Jonnie's shift in personality, and went to the
City Watch headquarters to get a copy of report on Horace Quillwright’s death. The report confirmed that Horace had died mid-sentence at his writing desk, the Obsidian Quill still clutched in his hand, the veins in his fingers turned black. Between Jonnie's part of their shared vision in the Nightmare Bulb, warnings from powerful allies, and the mounting evidence of danger, the party convinced Jonnie to relinquish the Quill.
The Quill Bug and Its Destruction
With
Gwylla’s aid, Jonnie undertook the ritual to sever his connection to the Obsidian Quill. The moment the bond was broken, the Quill manifested an ethereal, mosquito-like creature, lunging at Jonnie in a frenzy of hunger and violence. The party fought and destroyed the entity, which dissolved into nothing as the Obsidian Quill cracked and crumbled in its wake. In the aftermath, the group concluded that the Quill had been trying to absorb or feed on Jonnie's soul. Gwylla warned that the Quill had still been connected to it's creator, and that whoever made it may have been able to observe Jonnie.
