The Black Crystal’s Pull

Type: Side Quest
Region/Scope: Unknown origin; currently centered at the Haunted Manor

Overview

During the party’s encounter with the merchant Twill, he suddenly entered a trance-like state. His eyes glazed over, and without speaking or seeming aware of his own actions, he retrieved a smooth black crystal and placed it into Harlekk’s hands.

Back at the Bastion, Harlekk began investigating the crystal. He quickly discovered that the object exerts a subtle but constant pull on its surroundings — a magnetic or gravitational attraction — but it affects Harlekk far more strongly than anything else nearby.

The nature, purpose, and origin of the stone remain completely unknown.

Objectives

• Determine what the black crystal is and what force powers it.
• Learn why it pulled Harlekk more strongly than the environment around it.
• Understand the meaning of Twill’s trance and whether the stone was given intentionally.
• Discover whether the stone is a danger, a message, or part of something larger.
• Identify anyone (or anything) that may recognize, resonate with, or react to the crystal.

Role in the Story

• A side quest tied directly to Harlekk’s personal arc and the party’s growing exposure to strange magical forces.
• May intersect with other mysteries involving the city, the menagerie creatures, and unusual magical artifacts.
• Twill’s unpredictable behavior makes the crystal a potential link between the party and forces beyond their current understanding.

Source

• Twill – Delivered the crystal while in a trance, showing no awareness of doing so afterward.
• Harlekk – Began examining the crystal during downtime at the Bastion and discovered its strange pull.

Notable Moments

Session 12 - Acquired

• Twill enters a sudden, unexplained trance and hands Harlekk a smooth black stone.
• Harlekk researches the object at the Bastion, identifying that it pulls on nearby objects but seems to pull on him more intensely than anything else in the room.
• No additional markings, reactions, or magical signatures are discovered.
• The crystal’s purpose, connection to Twill, and effect on Harlekk remain unknown.

Current Theories

• The crystal is reacting specifically to Harlekk, suggesting a resonance with his magic, ancestry, or personal energy.
• Twill may not have acted by choice when giving the stone — the trance could indicate outside control or a magical compulsion.
• The pull may indicate the crystal is seeking something through Harlekk — alignment, attunement, or proximity to something he possesses.
• The object could be part of a larger artifact, shard, or magical network responding to Harlekk alone.
• The “pull” might not be physical but arcane, representing influence, temptation, or a dormant effect waiting to activate.
• The stone may serve as a tracking device or beacon, either for Twill, whoever controls him, or some unrelated force.
• The crystal could react differently in other environments or when exposed to other sources of magic, meaning its current behavior may not represent its full capabilities.