Kressa Bonedaughter

Kressa Bonedaughter is a member of the Followers of the Absolute that may be found in the sanctum north of the Barracks in the Mind Flayer Colony.

“	Kressa the Myrkulite necromancer patched you together... You were a tadpoled wreck down in this fleshpit. Nearly dead, head half-caved in. She said you were the first ever tadpoling victim. You're either one-in-a-million unlucky, or someone hated those stinking guts of yours to do such filthy work. Bloody vengeance seems appropriate.	„
	— Quest journal entry after speaking with Kressa

Overview

Background

Kressa is a Myrkulite necromancer working under Balthazar, performing research and experiments on tadpolled victims in the Mind Flayer Colony. When met, she is rallying her fellow cultists, Hairy Henry, Ironfinger and Maghtew Budj. She provides a buff called Myrkul's Gift.

Involvement

When approached at the Barracks, Kressa will guess that, because the party is wandering around despite there being an active evacuation order from Ketheric Thorm, they must be the attackers they were warned against. Unless a Deception dialogue option is chosen, combat will initiate. Otherwise, Kressa and her fellow cultists will disperse towards their rooms in the Barracks. When talked to again, she can give characters the  Myrkul's Gift buff as well.

If The Dark Urge is chosen as Origin, Kressa will instead recognize the player character and reminisce about how The Dark Urge used to be a captive at the colony before they were shipped away. She had found The Dark Urge close to death at that very sanctum after they had been infected with a tadpole and opened them up endlessly for her research on the mindflayer parasites, implying that they were the very first tadpole victim. She displays an attachment to The Dark Urge because of their resilience that no other victims in the colony had, but will inevitably attack the party once dialogue is concluded.

A Performance dialogue option can be taken to pretend The Dark Urge is still docile, but continuing the charade will still end in combat with the added detriment of not getting any of the exposition above.

After battle, The Dark Urge will remember that they were in the colony on their own business before Orin the Red ambushed them and left them to their fate.

It seems that Kressa knows the truth behind the tadpoles. Unlike the Zealots, Adepts, and other members of the Cult of the Absolute, the Mistress of Souls seems to be fully aware of what the Absolute is and the religious hoax they're doing.

Combat

Attacks and abilities

 Main Hand Attack ()   –  Myrkulite Scourge

Normal weapon damage

Make a melee attack with your equipped weapon.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5  ft

 Bone Chill ()

1d8 (1~8) Necrotic

Prevent the target from healing until your next turn. An undead target receives Disadvantage on Attack rolls.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Fireball ()

8d6 (8~48) Fire

Shoot a bright flame from your fingers that explodes upon contact, torching everything in the vicinity for 8d6Fire damage.

DEX Save

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

AoE: 4 m / 13 ft (Radius)

 Incubate Death ()

3d8 + 3 (6~27) Necrotic

Spawn a skeletal involucre. After 1 turn, the involucre explodes, dealing 3d8Necrotic damage and birthing a necromite.

DEX Save

 Range: 24 m /  ft

 Misty Step ()

Surrounded by silver mist, you teleport to an unoccupied space you can see.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

Tactician

 Shield ()

When you are about to be hit by an enemy, use your Reaction to increase your  Armour Class by 5. You also take no damage from  Magic Missile. These effects last until the start of your next turn.

 Range: Self

Notable loot

• Myrkulite Scourge

Related literature

• Clasped Book (Moonrise Towers)
• Journal of Magthew Budj
• Kressa's Notes
• Letter from Ironfinger
• Mistress of Souls' Research Log

Related quests

•  Open Your Scars

External links

• Kressa Bonedaughter on the Forgotten Realms Wiki