"Lawrence the Lizard" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 37

"'Allo!" said the lizard in perfect Avallonian, "Pleased to meet you! Name's Lawrence!"

Argent jumped back and hit his head on the ceiling of the confined space.

"What happened? Who said that?" inquired Bramble, worried.

Argent bent over and looked out of the devil's mouth, "It's a talking lizard! His name is Lawrence."

Argent returned his attention to the lizard, "Um, I'm sorry about that. I wasn't expecting you to talk. Have you always talked?"

"Oh no," said Lawrence, "I was given the ability to speak by a ranger named Seward!"

Argent extended his hand to Lawrence. Lawrence crawled onto Argent's hand and scurried up his arm to perch on his shoulder. Argent emerged from the niche behind the devil face and introduced Lawrence to the rest of the party.

CHAPTER 37
"LAWRENCE THE LIZARD"

THE EXPEDITION

• Bramble Wolf - a theran barbarian wise-man (Wildhunt Shifter Druid) searching for the legendary origin of his tribe, recently transformed into a woman by a magic fountain, slowly becoming a goat due to a curse from a bronze staff. Current bearer of the spirit of the trustworthy god Moa.
• Apparently Jones - a blue-skinned demijin caravan guide and animal trainer (Air Genasi Ranger) from Akasa, the land of sky mountains. Having failed to find work in Port Nyanzaru as an animal handler, she has joined the expedition to the interior as a scout. Current bearer of the spirit of the foolhardy god of froghemoths named Kubazan.
• Xoc-Wik - a b'alam warrior (Tabaxi Fighter) from the jungles of Bres, searching for those responsible for the destruction of his tribe.
• Zeynap Shiravadakar - a Eusebean smuggler (Human Warlock) bearing the spirit of a celestial unicorn. Current bearer of the spirit of the nimble god I'Jin.
• Argent Truth-Sayer - a golden azi knight errant of Bhamut (Dragonborn Paladin) in the service of Bhamut, sent on a holy mission to join the expedition to destroy the Soul Monger. Current bearer of the spirit of the selfish god of wealth Nangnang.

NPCs

• Orvex Ocrammas - translator and guide for hire; rescued from the Fane of the Night Serpent.
• Lukanu - Omuan champion and former personal bodyguard of Queen Napaka; trapped within a magic mirror soon after the destruction of Omu more than 150 years ago.
• Zaal - goshi (humanoid water buffalo) warrior and best friend of Lukanu; trapped within a magic mirror soon after the destruction of Omu more than 150 years ago.
• Zorai - vyth (grey-skinned alien) explorer sent to Omu to investigate the massive seismic event that coincided with its destruciton; trapped within a magic mirror soon after the destruction of Omu more than 150 years ago.

The Company of the Yellow Banner
Lawrence explained that he once traveled with a group known as the Company of the Yellow Banner. The company had come to Chult to find the fabled Eye of Zaltec, a magic item that could restore life to the long dead. They hoped to use it to free the elioud known as Starfallen from the ghost lantern in which she was trapped. They were separated by a teleport spell and that was the last he heard of them. That was nearly two months ago. Lawrence had survived on spiders ever since.

"How big was the Company?" asked Bramble.

"The company consisted of six adventurers. Let's see- there was Lord Brixton, knight of Avallonis and leader of the company."

Bramble and Argent nodded, sagely.

"Devlin Bashir," the lizard continued, "Uttaran wizard who looked like a goat and carried a goat staff."

"Yep," said Bramble, "We found his dead body. I have his staff."

"Ah, that's too bad," said Lawrence, "Let's see, there was Bravus, a terro cleric from Tsolin. He was known for his magnificent yellow turban."

"I'm sorry, but we found his remains in the tomb of I'jin. He was devoured by locusts." said Argent.

"I see. There was also Sephirius, better known as "Seph". He was an azi paladin of Bhamut from Plaksha like yourself."

Argent nodded, "Yes, we found his remains in the Chamber of Respite. He had starved to death."

"There was also the ranger named Seward."

"Haven't seen him," mused Bramble.

"And finally there was the fighter, Biff Longsteel. Oh! Be careful! Biff Longsteel is a doppelganger!"

The party dropped into combat positions and looked for Biff.

"Where's Biff?" shouted Argent.

Everyone looked around. There was no sign of Biff.

Zaal spoke up, "Do you mean the guy from the mirror? When the stone slab dropped upstairs and separated us, the merchant ran away screaming. Biff said he's go find him. Neither one of them has come back yet." 

Argent asked, "What do we do?"

Bramble replied, "Well, if I remember correctly, a doppelganger can't hold their shape if they're knocked unconscious. So, just in case one of us is the doppelganger, I'll have to turn into a giant ape and smash everyone until they're unconscious. Just to be sure."

Xoc-Wik tilted his head with scorn, "What ELSE can we do?"

Bramble set abut painting small X-marks on everyone's arms using Apparently's (formerly Devlin's) magical ink pot, "Okay, everyone be on the lookout for Biff. If you see any of us, look for this X. If they don't have an X, it's a doppelganger. Kill it."

Pay the Toll

The party exited the hall and returned to the atrium. They were at the very bottom. Four large statues of monstrous four-armed gargoyles were perched atop four square pillars. A small coin-sized slot was located at the base of each pillar.

"Coins? These things are coin-operated?" wondered Argent.

Bramble shrugged, "Feed them some coins."

"Wait!" Zeynap interjected, "Don't forget that the top of each pillar had a different color- copper, silver, gold, and platinum."

The party inserted coins of the appropriate type into each pillar and climbed the stairs to the next higher mezzanine.

They looked down the long corridor facing west. The corridor was at least sixty feet long. A skeletal silhouette staggered just at the edge of the magical illumination of Argent's shield.

The dark shape turned and charged the party. It was a skeleton with a large key-shaped growth emerging from the back it the skull. Xoc-Wik put an arrow into the skeleton which disassembled it. The bones fell lifeless to the floor. The b'alam picked up the skull. The key was shaped like a hexagon.

The Ghastly Door

At the end of the hallway was a large stone slab. On both walls next to the slab were bronze funnels shaped like snakes, mouths wide. The inner surface of both statues were stained with blood and emanated the stench of death.

Argent made a small cut on his hand and dripped a few beads of blood into the mouth of the snake on the right. The sound of chains rattling and frantic shuffling emerged from the bronze funnel, but nothing happened. He shrugged and suggested they instead explore the side corridor to the right immediately behind them.

Rolling Doom

Stairs led down from the main corridor. A closed chest sat at the bottom of the stairs.

DM Comment-
Bramble's player and Xoc-Wik's player simultaneously said, "Mimic!"

Xoc-Wik stepped forward and put a few arrows into the chest, just in case it was a trap.

DM Comment-
As a joke, I replaced the chest with a mimic miniature and said the mimic got up, walked back into the room, and returned carrying the real chest. It put the chest down and retreated into the room, nursing its wounds. That got a laugh.

Argent took Orvex down the stairs. The dragon-man asked Orvex to check the chest for traps. Behind him Argent saw a large room supported by four pillars with a raised area on the far wall. \

Orvex investigated and saw that a wire led from the lid down a small metal tube into the floor. Argent thanked Orvex and sent him back up the stairs to wait with the others. Once he was alone, Argent magically attached himself to the ceiling so that he hung down and opened the lid of the chest.

The ceiling at the top of the stairs unexpected dropped down like a ramp and down it rolled a large stone sphere. Argent withdrew quickly into the room behind him, using his magical gravity-defying  power to stay attached to the wall. The sphere crushed the chest and rolled past. The sphere crashed through the floor just inside the chamber, revealing a thin false floor concealing an acid-filled pit.

Argent looked back into the corridor and up the stairs. Bramble and Xoc-Wik pushed the ceiling back up until it clicked into place. Argent gave them a thumbs up.

Bramble examined the remains of the chest. He found a silk pillow which he proudly procured for his use. Doing so he heard an invisible clink of something metal fall to the floor. He searched around and found an invisible object in the shape of a key.

The party avoided the false floor pit trap thanks to Argent who carried them one by one along the wall. Argent, Bramble, Xoc-Wik, Lukanu, Zorai, and Orvex entered the room. Zaal was too big to fit down the stairs comfortably so he waited  in the hall with Apparently and Zeynap who were suffering from brain fever.

The Tomb of Unkh

Argent dropped everyone along the wall to the right of the entrance and the party began exploring the tomb counter-clockwise. The three walls adjacent to the entrance were made of ten foot panels decorated with scenes of goshi at work building the city of Omu and paying homage to a massive snail with ten eye-stalks. Each eye-stalk terminated in a spiked ball like a mace head.

"This is the tomb of Unkh the flail snail," explained Orvex, pointing towards the giant snail.

The back wall of the chamber was elevated above the rest of the chamber by a raised stage. The wall was adorned with an intricate maze-like pattern. As they looked closer they could see that the maze was a small model with two-inch walls. Closer examination revealed that the passages between the walls were filled with fog and that the walls of the maze were constantly and slowly shifting. Every few seconds, Argent could see a tiny colored dot appear and disappear in the maze.

Bramble pondered out loud, "Maybe we need to use that potion of diminution we found in the beholder vault?"

Xoc-Wik and Argent agreed that the idea sounded plausible bout wondered if there was a different way.

In the center of the room was a large sarcophagus made of opaque crystal. Every six seconds the sarcophagus would change color - blue, gold, purple, green, red, and black. There was a keyhole on the side of the sarcophagus. The invisible key was tried but did not fit.

Argent said, "Got it! I'm going into the maze!"

Xoc-Wik looked puzzled, "What?"

Argent climbed the stairs to the maze on the back wall and touched it. He disappeared in a flash!

Xoc-Wik ran after him and saw a tiny Argent in the maze. Argent likewise looked up and saw a giant Xoc-Wik peering down at him from above. Despite Xoc-Wik's attempts to communicate, Argent could hear no sound. Argent held his hands up to his ears and shook his head to communicate this to Xoc-Wik.

Suddenly, the panels along the other three walls of the room slid open to reveal piles of massive bones and water buffalo skulls. The bones began to magically assemble into large skeletal goshi wielding Chultan axes.

The goshi skeletons charged the party. Zorai was struck down. Orvex took a near fatal hit and was knocked into an empty cell vacated by one of the goshi skeletons. He hid under the bones to avoid further attention.

Lukana drew her yklwas and became a whirlwind of death, charging into the midst of the massive skeletons. She cleared a large enough path for Bramble to transform into a giant fifty-foot ape. Ape-Bramble waded into the room destroying skeletons, smashing them under her massive fists. Meanwhile Orvex was attacking from cover with his crossbow.

Xoc-Wik loosed arrows at the goshi skeletons. Some arrows arced around corners while others exploded, sending debris and bone fragments flying. Two goshi climbed the platform and bore down on Xoc-Wik. The nimble jaguar-man leaped off the platform onto Ape-Bramble's muscular back and continued attacking. Soon all the skeletal goshi were defeated and the room was secure. Xoc-Wik ran to Zorai and saved her from the brink of death.

DM Comment-
I normally don't worry about death saves for NPCs unless the players call for them. Players sometimes grow attached to NPCs they like so I'll allow them to roll death saves for them if they want. In the heat of battle we all forgot about the meatgrinder mode. Oh well, maybe she'll suddenly die mysteriously next week.

Edit- Argent's player just notified me that he did, indeed, roll death saves vs. 15. My mistake! 

Meanwhile Argent wandered the fog-shrouded maze. He eventually found a gold key. He took it and disappeared from the maze. He reappeared next to the sarcophagus. He waited for the sarcophagus to turn gold before inserting the key. The lid opened to reveal a box filled with salt.

Bramble ran her hands through the salt and found ten bracelets made of iridescent snail shell. She also withdrew a robe. The robe was made of a shiny iridescent fabric that gleamed in the light of Argent's shield. The collar of the robe contained ten tassels ending in soft spiked balls.

"Nice!" she said as she donned the robe.

Slime began to emanate from the inner lining of the robe. A voice spoke inside Bramble's mind, "Do you accept me?"

"No!" cried Moa, "This vessel is mine!"

The two trickster gods battled for occupancy of Bramble but Unkh won out. Moa was forced out and disappeared.

Bramble felt suddenly healthier, more robust, like she could take on the world.

Meanhile, the gold key in Argent's hand disappeared. A strange sigil magically appeared on the inside of his right arm. He found that he could suddenly smell the gold, silver, and other precious metals around him, along with all previous stones and gems.

Argent could feel the spirit of Nangnang dancing with joy at this newfound ability!

Grandfather Clock

Bramble was the first to notice the small passage at the back of one of the cells. Argent led the way. The party was soon looking at a tall grandfather clock sitting in an empty room. The pendulum of the clock terminated in a fist-sized pearl.

DM Note-
I normally play background music through a blue-tooth speaker. I replaced the music with a ticking clock channel on YouTube.

Argent carefully opened the door but was blocked from grabbing the pearl by an invisible barrier.

Argent concluded that the time on the clock face removed the barrier so he turned the minute hand to the next hour. The clock chimed. The sound was deafening and everyone but Argent was forced to cover their ears. When the chiming was done Argent found he had aged ten years!

The barrier was still there so Argent tried again! The clock chimed. This time, however, everyone covered their ears and was spared the premature aging.

The chimes had no effect on the barrier. Argent turned the minute hand one hour back. The clock chimed. The other members of the party shouted at him and pleaded with him to stop! They left the room, carrying poor Lawrence the lizard who had aged twenty years!

Eventually, Argent ran his hand along the invisible barrier. He found an invisible keyhole. He called Bramble back. Using the invisible key they opened the invisible door and took the large pearl.

Upon seeing the pearl, Orvex exclaimed, "It's the Navel of the Moon! It's a fabulous treasure rumored to reunite loved ones long lost! I believe that b'alam hunter was looking for this."

The Throne Room

The party returned to the end of the hall. Argent tried dripping some more blood into the funnels. Xoc-Wik and Bramble became impatient and shoved Argent aside, "Get out of the way! We've got this!"

They each held their arms out over one of the funnels. They cut their arms and a stream of blood flowed into the yawning mouth of the bronze snake. After a minute of steady bloodletting they heard the sound of chains rattling and vicious frenzy behind the walls. The heavy stone slab began to rise haltingly. It eventually opened wide enough for the party to enter the chamber beyond.

Within they found a large throne room with a vaulted ceiling supported by gothic arches and four heavy pillars. A narrow ledge ran around the perimeter of the chamber. The center of the chamber was sunken fifteen feet below the level of the entrance. The walls of the sunken section were decorated with painted scenes of adventurers dying from the traps of the Tomb of Nine Gods. 

Three humanoid figures stood near the walls holding brushes and palettes of paint. They were busy adding new scenes to the murals depicting the exploits of the party. One was painting a scene of Argent entering the very room in which they were standing!

The figures paused in their work and turned to the intruders. The party could now see that their skin was dry and leathery as if preserved by tanning and their eyes and mouths were crudely sewn shut using hemp string. The gruesome painters returned to their work.

Three niches on each side wall contained statues of Omuan warrior women wearing masks resembling the heads of hornets. Lukanu said, "They are the handmaidens of my queen, Napaka! What is this place?"

Directly opposite the entrance, on a ledge overlooking the sunken mural, was a large throne made of bone lashed together with leather thongs. The skull of a water buffalo was affixed atop the throne.

"That is the skull of a goshi!" exclaimed Zaal.

Argent made his way around the left ledge towards the throne, carefully passing each statue in case of attack.

A sign hung from the back of the goshi skull, "It says 'Karagos'!"

Zaal fell to his knees and began to weep. "Who was he?" asked Bramble.

"He was the leader of Zaal's people, he was a great engineer and architect, it was he that designed the defenses of Omu," explained Lukanu as he gave comfort to her friend.

There was a metal scepter on the seat of the throne. Its spherical head was made of adamantine. Argent picked up the scepter and began smashing the throne. He smashed the skull, sending it flying across the room. For a brief moment a flash of rage and revenge overtook him, but he quickly regained his composure.

Tomb of the Sun Queen

The rest of the party examined the statues. They were able to locate two concealed doors hiding secret passages. They chose the one behind the throne on the right to explore first.

Argent entered alone. He soon entered a secret crypt containing a fabulous sarcophagus made of gold. The word "NAPAKA" was inscribed onto the coffin in Atlantean.

A large golden sphere hung by a chain over the sarcophagus. The sphere was decorated with a friendly smiling face.  A box shaped like a jeweled scarab sat atop the sarcophagus. Argus opened the box and found a necklace of rubies.

DM Comment-
Everyone simultaneously said, "Necklace of Fireballs!" I sighed and rolled my eyes.

He also found a jade key shaped like a crocodile. Argent looked around but could find no keyhole.

Argent then walked up the wall and onto the ceiling so that he could better inspect the sphere. Again, he found no keyhole.

He walked back down and tried to lift the lid of the sarcophagus. It was too heavy for him. Argent went back to the throne room and asked Orvex privately about "Napaka". Orvex said that she was "the Sun Queen of Omu" and was likely the last queen of the city when it fell. Argent nodded.

Argent turned to the others and explained that he found a tomb and needed help lifting the lid. Lukanu volunteered but Argent held her back, "No, you better stay out here."

Xoc-Wik and Bramble entered into the small room and rendered assistance. They removed the lid to reveal the mummified remains of Queen Napaka wearing a golden hornet mask and a tattered black dress. An iron scepter identical the one on the throne lay clutched in her left hand.

Xoc-Wik took the mask from the remains. The smiling face on the golden sphere immediately changed to an angry grimace. The sphere began to glow as if building up to some kind of discharge. Xoc-Wik, Bramble, and Argent were able to quickly find cover as the sphere flashed. The intensity of the burst singed the edges of their clothing. The sphere was now glowing bright orange and radiating an uncomfortable heat, forcing everyone to flee the room.

Once outside, Bramble said, "Wait, I'll be right back!" She ran back in and grabbed the scepter out of the sarcophagus, then ran out as fast as she could.

DM  Comment- 
Dang it! I totally missed the gas trap in the sarcophagus! I'll make up for it later, I guess. 

The Service Corridors of Annihilation

The party then opened the hidden door on the opposite diagonal corner of the room. It revealed a utilitarian corridor of plain concrete. It connected to a spiral staircase that led up and down. The party followed Argent as he descended the stairs.

TO BE CONTINUED...

"The Maze of Death" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 36

Having obtained the spirit of I'Jin, the party decided to retreat to the first level to replenish their water supplies from the magic fountain.

"Wait," said Bramble, "The custodians may have re-set the iron statue. Zeynap, you and I carry no metal, so let's go alone just in case."

The pair left the others in the atrium and did, indeed, encounter the iron statue, repaired and rest. They re-filled their water skins and containers from the magic fountain. Zeynap took a drink. Suddenly, she fell to the floor in a convulsing seizure.

The seizure subsided and Bramble saw that Zeynap had transformed back into a man.

"Huh". Bramble took a drink. Nothing happened.

CHAPTER 36
"THE MAZE OF DEATH"

THE EXPEDITION

• Bramble Wolf - a theran barbarian wise-man (Wildhunt Shifter Druid) searching for the legendary origin of his tribe, recently transformed into a woman by a magic fountain, slowly becoming a goat due to a curse from a bronze staff. Current bearer of the spirit of the trustworthy god Moa.
• Apparently Jones - a blue-skinned demijin caravan guide and animal trainer (Air Genasi Ranger) from Akasa, the land of sky mountains. Having failed to find work in Port Nyanzaru as an animal handler, she has joined the expedition to the interior as a scout. Current bearer of the spirit of the foolhardy god of froghemoths named Kubazan.
• Xoc-Wik - a b'alam warrior (Tabaxi Fighter) from the jungles of Bres, searching for those responsible for the destruction of his tribe.
• Zeynap Shiravadakar - a Eusebean smuggler (Human Warlock) bearing the spirit of a celestial unicorn. Current bearer of the spirit of the nimble god I'Jin.
• Argent Truth-Sayer - a golden azi knight errant of Bhamut (Dragonborn Paladin) in the service of Bhamut, sent on a holy mission to join the expedition to destroy the Soul Monger. Current bearer of the spirit of the selfish god of wealth Nangnang.

NPCs

• Orvex Ocrammas - translator and guide for hire; rescued from the Fane of the Night Serpent.

The Mirror of Stolen Lives
The party regrouped and descended the flights of stairs in the atrium towards the fourth level mezzanine. It was getting darker, as if the light dimmed with each descent of stairs. The fourth level mezzanine was covered in dust and the bones of the long-dead lay scattered about. There was a narrow passage to the left immediately at the bottom of the stairs. Argent held his glowing shield before him and ventured into the passage.

Argent reached a T-shaped intersection. The passage to the left disappeared into darkness. When he looked to the right, he saw what appeared to be dim moving light eighty feet away. He took the passage to right to investigate. As he proceeded down the corridor he noticed the light was getting closer. He realized the light was his own and that he was looking at his own reflection in a mirror at the end of the hall.

He got close enough to see that the mirror was affixed to a wall in a small room, fifteen feet square. As he examined the mirror, he could see, in addition to his own reflection, the shadows of other beings trapped within. Argent felt a tug at his mind, like his soul was being drawn forward into the mirror. He immediately shut his eyes and shouted, "Don't look at the mirror!"

Zeynap, walking behind him, looked over his shoulder and said, "Don't look at the what?"

Zeynap's body began to stretch and extend towards the mirror like a silvery liquid. He was quickly sucked into the mirror. 

Zeynap was gone.

DM Note- 
Argent made his saving throw. Zeynap, having been warned, rolled his saving throw with advantage - and lost. 

Argent called the others, "Zeynap looked at the mirror and he got trapped inside it. What do we do?"

Bramble shrugged.

Zeynap was standing in a foggy featureless void. A small window high above him provided a blurred view of the outside world. Sounds were muffled and remote. He tried teleporting through the window. He only managed to teleport ten feet within the featureless void. He tried destroying the window with an eldritch blast. His blasts had no effect.

Xoc-Wik moved forward with his eyes closed. He felt around the mirror. It was affixed to the wall. He called out, "Zeynap Shiravadakr!"

Within the featureless void,  the window became closer - or larger, it was difficult to tell. He could see and talk with Xoc-Wik as if looking through a pane of glass.

Zeynap exchanged ideas with the party but nothing worked.

Argent finally said, "I think I know what to do!" He withdrew the magical mace of Wongo and smashed it into the mirror. The mirror shattered into a million pieces!

Suddenly several silvery figures poured out of the mirror into the room. As each figure took form it shoved those that proceeded it farther away from the mirror. The room was soon packed with people and monsters of various sizes! Argent and Xoc-Wik were pushed out of the room and into the corridor. Indeed the figures emerging from the mirror were likewise forced into the hall by the press of bodies behind them.

The room was jam-packed shoulder-to-shoulder! There was a hulking muscular humanoid with the head and hooves of a water buffalo. There was a large humanoid figure with a long nose covered in green warty skin. A massive four-armed gargoyle was shoved into narrow confines of the hallway. In between was a male Avallonian wearing a yellow tabard, a female Omuan warrior in bulbous plate armor made from the shell of a giant scorpion, there was a male Omuan merchant huddled in the corner, there was a mysterious humanoid with dolphin-smooth grey skin, a large almond-shaped head with large orb-like eyes and long slender appendages, and there was Zeynap - pressed into a corner. Finally, a small creature resembling an echidna with a long proboscis and several legs flitted around the room on four bat-wings.

There was a brief moment of confusion as the pressed mass got their bearings. Bramble called out, "Stay calm! We're not your enemy!"

The humanoid water-buffalo called out in Old Omuan, "Lukanu! What is happening? Where are we?"

The armored Omuan warrior, "I am here, Zaal! I am pressed between one of Acererak's gargoyles and an angry jungle troll!"

The Avallonian was pushed out into the hallway with Argent. He offered a handshake to Argent and said, "Greetings! I am Biff Longsteel! I seem to be standing next to some kind of large gargoyle-ish creature! Would you mind lending a hand?" Argent grabbed Biff and shoved him to the rear.

The grey-skinned creature simply spoke in its strange language of clicks and clucks.

The Omuan merchant, standing near the back corner, looked nervously at the bat-winged creature hovering near his face.

The large green warty creature - the jungle troll - began pushing against the others with its claws.

Xoc-Wik said, "Right, first things first!" He loosed an arrow through the throng, passing through small gaps and under arms and legs, to pin the bat-winged creature to the wall.

The merchant screamed in terror and slumped to the floor.

A melee ensued! The fighting was difficult in the enclosed space of the small room. Claws into faces, elbows into chests, knees into backs. Zaal the water-buffalo attacked the troll with a battle-axe while Zeynap zapped it with eldritch blasts. The strange grey creature huddled in the corner and watched nervously.

Zeynap and Zaal were soon able to subdue the jungle troll but the hideous monstrosity kept getting back up. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to defeat the creature as its wounds simply healed after each attack!

Lukanu engaged the gargoyle with her twin yklwas. Argent  backed away from the gargoyle, making enough room for Bramble to summon a flaming sphere into existence. The sphere rolled into the gargoyle from behind, enraging it further.

Lukanu was able to quickly dispatch the gargoyle. She faced the flaming sphere rolling towards her. Argent shouted, "Jump over the sphere! I'll catch you!" The dragon-man crouched down under his shield. Lukanu leaped over the fire and landed on Argent's shield, rolling off into a crouch directly behind him.

Once the corridor was clear Bramble was able to send the sphere into the jungle troll. The wretched monster caught fire. Unable to regenerate its burning flesh, the jungle troll perished under Bramble's magical spirit flames.

Prisoners of the Mirror
Having vanquished the jungle troll, the party introduced themselves to the people freed from the broken mirror.

They met Lukanu, champion of Omu and personal bodyguard of Queen Napaka. The man-buffalo, which the party learned was called a "goshi", was named Zaal. Zaal was Lukanu's loyal companion. He was a hulking brute but friendly and polite nonetheless. The pair had been trapped in the mirror defending the royal family from Acererak's minions in the aftermath of the destruction of Omu, an event that had transpired nearly two hundred years ago. She was desperate to learn the fate of the royal family. When she learned of princess Mwaxanaré, she pledged her life to restoring the skull chalice of Ch’gakare to the rightful heir.

The Avallonian was named Biff Longsteel, the lone survivor of the Company of the Yellow Banner. Biff was a friendly lout, long on charisma but short on critical thinking skills. He seemed little perturbed to learn the fate of his companions. He had been trapped for little more than two months.

The Omuan merchant was insane. A look of permanent terror molded to his ashen features. He rocked back and forth babbling incoherently.

The grey-skinned humanoid with the almond-shaped head spoke no known language. It was known that she was one of the mysterious beings known as vyth. Xoc-Wik donned the ancient Omuan helmet he found under the arena and made telepathic contact with the creature.

Xoc-Wik learned that the vyth's name was Zorai. Through a series of mental images, he was able to learn that Zorai hailed from one of the vyth bases located deep underground. There was a great seismic disturbance near the surface and Zorai was assigned to investigate what had happened. Zorai took a magical flying saucer-shaped vehicle to the over-world and arrived at the aftermath of the destruction of Omu. She saw the snake-things known as nagini capturing slaves and putting them to work constructing the Tomb of Nine Gods. She became invisible in order to explore and investigate. She unfortunately encountered the mirror and had become trapped within ever since. He could sense that she was grateful to have been freed and sensed no ill intent from her.

DM Comment-
My setting does not have traditional Tolkein elves. The closest thing are elioud, which are mysterious alien beings from a parallel universe called Aeon. In their home plane they are beings of pure energy and thought that take physical form when they visit our plane. Their descendants are the silvans, which are your traditional forest elves but with green skin and photosynthesis. Therefore, up until now I didn't really have a drow analog in my setting. So I at first described her as a pale-skinned silvan. 

However, I have my best ideas when I go to the bathroom. I took a quick break and while I was doing my business I had a great idea! 

My setting is heavily inspired by:

1. Blavatskian Theosophy
2. Hollow World stories
3. The Shaver Mystery
4. Various ufologisms and Erich Von Danikenisms. 

According to the Shaver Mystery, aliens come from deep within the Earth. In a flash it dawned  on me! The drow-analogs would be grey aliens! 

Thus I created the "vyth", which were subterranean descendants of elioud who came to Antara long ago. They are technologically advanced, as in- magic, a fly around in saucers kidnapping people and taking them back to their underground bases for research and to be slaves. 

The Maze of Death

The mirror chamber was a dead end so the party reversed itself and explored the other end of the corridor. The corridor ended in a stone slab decorated with a life-sized painting of a robed and hooded humanoid figure holding its right hand up palm out. The face of the figure was a featureless void of stars.

The reversal of the normal marching order put Xoc-Wik in front. He studied the painting on the door for a moment, smiled, and said, "High five!" He slapped the palm of the painting with his own palm.

The stone slab raised into the ceiling revealing a T-shaped intersection beyond.

Xoc-Wik looked over his shoulder with a smug sense of satisfaction.

"Seriously?" complained Bramble.

Xoc-Wik moved in and off to the right to let Argent and Bramble lead the way. The corridors created a complex pattern that bent outward and turned back inward towards a central hall, creating a butterfly shape. The walls of the corridors were decorated with bas relief carvings of a mighty black star destroying entire cities and turning all who looked upon it to dust.

On the left end of the central hall was another stone slab adorned with a similar painting of a hooded and robed figure. This figure, however, held up a right arm severed at the elbow. The figure held its dismembered right arm in its left hand.

Argent and Bramble winced at the implication.

In the center of the hall was a short pillar. A crown adorned with a large black opal sat atop the pillar.

Bramble thought for a moment. He had seen this crown before. He thought back to the hall in the Fane of the Night Serpent, "The Black Opal Crown! That's the crown the snake-people were looking for!"

In case the pillar was trapped, Zeynap used a minor spell to levitate the crown off the pillar and over to Argent's hands. No sooner had the crown risen into the air that a foul gust of wind blew from the unexplored corridors  on the far side of the hall. Argent stashed the crown in his backpack and the party moved into formation.

"Um, Hello!" called Zaal, "The door is closi-" Zaal was cut off with a heavy thud as the stone slab through which they entered slammed shut once more. Zaal, Xoc-Wik, Apparently, Biff, and the merchant were trapped outside.

Two dark vaguely humanoid forms glided into view from around the near corner and the far corner. Each wore long dark robes with hoods drawn. Under the hoods, their faces were starry voids.

Everyone felt a wave of sickening pain wash over them as the creatures entered.

"Bodaks!" choked Bramble.

Zeynap happened to look at the near one in the face. He could feel his soul being drawn out. He clamped his eyes shut and looked away, "Don't look at them!" he shouted.

"That's not all!" called Lukanu from the corridor behind them, "Something just attacked me! Something invisible!" Bramble, Argent, and Zeynap could hear Lukanu swing and thrust her yklwas at an invisible foe.

Bramble called on the spirits of nature to erect a flaming wall around the far bodak. The creature was forced to retreat back down the corridor from which it came.

"It's circling around! Get ready!" shouted Bramble.

The other bodak glared at Argent. Argent gritted his triangular draconic teeth and withstood the pain generated by the being's nightmarish gaze.

Zeynap reacted quickly, waving his arms about and creating a zone of sickly green light that permeated the area around the remaining bodak.

The bodak wailed in pain as the energy from the green light burned away its cloak, revealing a strange smooth-skinned humanoid being beneath. Its face now a chaotic tangle of dancing red and orange and white lights.  

The bodak continued its advanced towards the party even as they slowly withdrew into the corridor behind them. The second bodak, slowed by the burning green light, appeared in the corridor behind the first one. Despite their inevitable advance, the bodaks never came closer than fifteen feet from Argent. They simply continued to stare him down with their malevolent death gaze. Argent, for his part, kept his eyes averted and his shield held up.

Zeynap, Bramble, and Argent withstood the painful aura of the bodaks long enough for the green radiation to complete its work. The green light continued to burn away the bodaks - their body slowly disintegrating away and turning into large flakes like burned paper  - until all that remained of the bodaks dissipated into crispy ash!

Stalking the Invisible Stalker

"Could still use some help here!" called Lukanu. 

Argent moved to assist the Omuan champion. She was fighting an invisible opponent. Argent could deduce roughly where the assailant stood and blindly attacked that area. Argent and Lukanu finally heard a raspy screeching sound like broken glass pulled across violin strings. They were no longer being attacked. 

"Did we kill it?" asked Lukanu.

"I don't think so," replied Argent.

Bramble made a suggestion, "It retreated! Keep pushing forward. These corridors are narrow enough that you have to run into eventually! Zeynap, tell them what that green light does."

Zeynap smiled, "The green light will illuminate anything invisible within it!"

Bramble patted Zeynap on the back and pointed to Argent and Lukanu, "So keep going! Force it into the light or into a corner!"

Argent and Lukanu made their way down the corridor, weapons ready. They reached the great hall. Most of the hall was bathed in the iridescent radiance. The pair spread out to try to push  ]the invisible attacker into the radiance and keep it from escaping past them. The invisible creature was not in the hall. They pushed on down the rear corridor. They turned the corner and saw an alcove halfway down the hall on the right. A large green devil face was carved into the back of the alcove. Similar to the one at the entrance, its mouth was a dark void and large enough to crawl into. 

The coruscating radiance bathed the corridor up to the alcove. Argent pushed forward towards the alcove. As he approached, he was struck by an invisible attacker. He counterattacked and once more heard the thing scream in pain. He could feel the force drive the mass of the creature to the ground. He could feel its invisible solid form become soft and quickly evaporate into air. 

"Nice!" declared Bramble, "We stalked the invisible stalker!"

Vithi-Zorai
The area appeared to be free of opposition. They rested and took stock of their surroundings.

They examined the painting of the robed figure with a severed stump holding its dismembered right fore-arm.

They tried to high-five the severed hand. Nothing happened.
They put the equivalent weight of the crown back on the pedestal. Nothing happened.
They called for assistance from those outside. They heard no response.

DM Comment-
Realistically, if a PC was outside the door when it closed, they could just high five the painting again to re-open it. And I had two PCs and two NPCs outside. However, Apparently's player was out this week so Apparently had brain fever and Xoc-Wik's player had to leave just before the party entered the Maze of Death, so he too had brain fever. 

I justified it to myself by ruling that no one can open the door from the outside while there were people inside. 

Bramble wondered aloud if the void inside the mouth connected with the void inside the devil mouth near the entrance

DM Comment-

Given what was actually inside the devil's mouth, I almost choked when Bramble's player suggested that.

This fruitless experimentation went on for some time. It became increasingly clear that the only way out was for one of them to sever their arm. No one seemed willing to volunteer. Bramble, Argent, and Zeynap stood around the stone slab, pondering their options. Zorai quietly slipped away. Lukanu, suspicious, got up and followed her.

Argent stood up and took a deep breath, "I will-"

He was interrupted by an eerie scream of pain from the devil face.

The trio ran to investigate. They found Zorai on her knees before the devil's mouth, clutching her severed right arm. The hand and forearm had been cleanly removed and cauterized.

Lukanu stood looking impassively at Zorai, her arms folded.

No words were said. It was clear that the devil's mouth had taken Zorai's arm. It was also clear that Lukanu watched and made no attempt to stop her. Indeed, it appeared that Lukanu approved of the decision as the most logical choice. The look on Lukanu's face almost said, "It's what she deserved."

Zorai sobbed. Zeynap helped her up and carried her back to the center hall.

"Why didn't you try to stop her?" Bramble asked.

"Why would I? I didn't know it would sever her arm!" replied Lukanu, indignantly, "I thought she was just trying to find another way out."

Zorai held her stump up to the painting. The stone slab raised.

"That being said, I don't mind how it turned out. She's a vyth. The vyth kidnap Omuans as slaves. She probably deserved this. Besides, now we can escape."

"But I was about to voluntarily sever my arm! It should have been me!" said Argent.

"No, we need all the warriors with all their limbs right now." said Lukanu, "We don't need- THAT." she nodded her head towards Zorai. Zeynap wrapped a blanket around the frail grey-skinned creature.

Lawrence the Lizard
Once the party was reunited with those trapped outside the first stone slab, Zorai opened the second stone slab in the center hall. A narrow corridor descended a long flight of stairs.

Argent led the way down the stairs and down the remaining corridor. They emerged near the end of a wide hall that connected to the atrium far to the left. Immediately to the right, at the end of the hall, was another green devil face. The mouth of this face was not cloaked in darkness. One could easily see the space beyond. It appeared to be just large enough for a man to craw inside and stand up, which Argent did.

Argent looked around.

He saw a small colorful lizard of a type common to the jungles of Chult.

"Hello there," said Argent.

"'Allo!" replied the lizard in perfect Avallonian, "Pleased to meet you! Name's Lawrence!"

Argent jumped back and hit his head on the ceiling of the confined space.

TO BE CONTINUED...

"The Vault of the Unseen Watchman" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 35

While the rest of the party slept, Zeynap stood watch. At least he had the spirit of Popozotl to keep him company while he sat up, alone.

A sound caught Zeynap's attention. He could hear someone whispering down the squat access tunnel that led to the Chamber of Reflection. He crawled on his hands and knees to the hard bend to the left. He carefully listened around the corner. He heard a whispering voice giving commands.

"There’s no time, just leave it. Wait! Did you hear something just now?”

Zeynap held his breath.

CHAPTER 35
"THE VAULT OF THE UNSEEN WATCHMAN"

THE EXPEDITION

• Bramble Wolf - a theran barbarian wise-man (Wildhunt Shifter Druid) searching for the legendary origin of his tribe, recently transformed into a woman by a magic fountain. Current bearer of the spirit of the trustworthy god Moa.
• Apparently Jones - a blue-skinned demijin caravan guide and animal trainer (Air Genasi Ranger) from Akasa, the land of sky mountains. Having failed to find work in Port Nyanzaru as an animal handler, she has joined the expedition to the interior as a scout. Current bearer of the spirit of the foolhardy god of froghemoths named Kubazan.
• Xoc-Wik - a b'alam warrior (Tabaxi Fighter) from the jungles of Bres, searching for those responsible for the destruction of his tribe.
• Zeynap Shiravadakar - a Eusebean smuggler (Human Warlock) bearing the spirit of a celestial unicorn. Current bearer of the spirit of the proud warrior god Popazotl.
• Argent Truth-Sayer - a golden azi knight errant of Bhamut (Dragonborn Paladin) in the service of Bhamut, sent on a holy mission to join the expedition to destroy the Soul Monger. Current bearer of the spirit of the selfish god of wealth Nangnang.

NPCs

• Orvex Ocrammas - translator and guide for hire; rescued from the Fane of the Night Serpent.

The Caretakers
The voice whispered, "Where does that access corridor go? What do you mean you don't know?"

Zeynap froze.

"I believe that we're being observed. Quickly. Back to the forge. You can reset the tomb later."

Zeynap heard movement and shuffling. He decided to inch forward to take a look. He made his way close enough so he could see into the Hall of Reflection.

He saw a tall figure clad in tattered robes, draped in chains. The figure concealed its face behind a bronze mask. What Zeynap could see of the figure's skin was dry and desiccated with an ashen complexion and loose stringy hair. He was directing the evacuation of several waist-tall caretakers. After they had cleared out in the direction of the atrium, the tall figure paused and surveyed the room. Zeynap ducked back and hoped he hadn't been seen.

When he dared once more peek, he saw that the hall had been abandoned save for a lone skeleton staggering around confused. The skeleton had a long key-shaped growth emerging from the back of its head.

Zeynap retreated into the access corridor and returned to the chamber of respite.

Zeynap woke up the sleeping Bramble to tell her what he'd seen. Bramble dismissed Zeynap's account as a dream and told him to go back to sleep.

Zeynap looked around at the sleeping assemblage and sighed.

Life with Archie
Hours passed and members of the party eventually roused from sleep one by one. The party made time for Apparently to summon another animal companion from the spirit world. She decided to forego the large Chak'sa in favor of a smaller more portable specimen. Upon completion of the ritual there appeared from the ether a feathered reptile. The creature was the size of a large chicken with bright blue plumage and a reptilian head filled with hundreds of tiny needle-sharp teeth.

She named him "Archie".

Zeynap, looking on, took a long drink out of the water skin. He suddenly fell to the ground and began to convulse as if in a seizure. Xoc-Wik stood to attention, "Is he okay?"

Bramble could barely be bothered to look. Argent simply nodded, "It's happening to him now."

"What is it?" inquired Xoc-Wik worriedly.

Argent replied, "He drank some tainted water from the fountain."

"Did I look like that?" asked Bramble.

"Yes," said Argent, "Unfortunately all our water is tainted. This could happen to you to."

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?" demanded the b'alam.

Zeynap stopped convulsing. The celestial warlock sat up, dazed. She was now a woman.

"Welcome to the club," said Bramble, who raised the water skin in salute before taking her own swig.

Under Repairs
Suitably rested and refreshed, the party returned to the Hall of Reflection. The skeleton key was gone.

Bramble took a trident off the wall and passed through the curtain of magical water. Argent took down a trident and prepared to do the same.

"Wait," said Zeynap, "Could we all hold on to the same trident and cross over together?"

Argent paused and shrugged. He held out the trident and Zeynap and Apparently took hold. They attempted to pass through the curtain. The curtain released a torrent of water that slammed them up against the far wall along with Xoc-Wik who was still on that side of the room. The four regained their lost breath and picked themselves up.

"I guess the answer is no." muttered Zeynap.

"Hey! Quit messing around!" shouted Bramble.

The party continued through the curtain by passing the trident back through to those behind them.

They found the passage to the tomb of I'Jin to be blocked by two armored golems connected by a spiked chain.

"Guess its still closed," complained Argent, "Where to now?"

"Back to the windy room!" declared Zeynap.

The Golem Pit
Crawling through the access tunnels, they passed through the chamber of respite and returned to the long hall with the floating wooden disks. Argent used his newfound ability to defy gravity and magically walk along walls to carry the others across one by one.

They quickly located the secret door at the top of the stairs behind the far balcony.

The door opened into a room dominated by a pit, fifteen foot long, wide, and deep. Two large statues stood atop plinths on either side of the pit. The near statue depicted the god Amun Tor, god of riddles and mysteries. The far statue depicted Lorimes, Lord of Ravens, god of magic. To the left was an empty plinth.

At the bottom of the pit was a clay statue of a humanoid figure with smooth unfinished features. The statue loomed over a large lock box.

Argent stood atop the empty plinth. He offered greetings and deference to the statues of the gods. Zeynap walked up and ordered him off the plinth.

Zeynap climbed onto the plinth and looked around. Apparently walked up to the near statue and examined it. She determined that it rotated to the left. She turned it as far as it would go, which happened to be looking directly at Zeynap.

Zeynap disappeared with a strange "BOOMP!" noise and reappeared at the bottom of the pit.

The clay statue became animated and attacked Zeynap!

"Hey now!"

Apparently sent Archie into the pit to help Zeynap. The reptile-bird skittered off an invisible force field that prevented anything from entering or leaving the pit.

Argent climbed back up onto the plinth, "Send me in!"

Xoc-Wik, meanwhile, turned the far statue to the right until it pointed at Argent on the plinth. There was another "BOOMP!" as the clay statue disappeared from the pit, reappearing on the plinth and displacing Argent. The dragon-man fell off the plinth to the floor but quickly stood back up.

Bramble shouted to Zeynap, "Will your eldritch blasts go through the force field?"

"Let's find out!" replied the Eusebean. She hurled magical blasts at the clay statue which passed through and damaged the animated statue.

After a brief but intense battle, the clay statue was destroyed.

Zeynap opened the chest and found two more glass eyeballs, one green and the other pink, resting on a silk pillow.

Argent called down, "Hey! Dibs on the pillow!"

Beat the Drum
To the right of the pit was a round metal hatch. Argent deduced that the hatch led to the drum-shaped room they looked into earlier. Argent opened the hatch, looked in, and confirmed his suspicions.

"Anyone want to go in there?" he asked.

"Why? It's empty. What's the point?" asked Bramble.

Argent shrugged, "Maybe you've got to activate something?"

"I've got an idea!" exclaimed Bramble. Bramble summoned four translucent glowing wolves from the spirit world. He sent two of the wolves through the hatch and into the room.

The hatch closed of its own accord and would not reopen. The two remaining wolves exchanged a nervous glance.

About two minutes passed with no sound and no indication that anything was happening. The door eventually opened.

The drum was empty. The spirit wolves were gone. Bramble detected the faint smell of noxious gas.

Bramble turned around, "Apparently, maybe you can go in and hover in the middle. You don't need to breathe right? You'll be immune to the gas."

Apparently shrugged and hovered off the floor. She maneuvered herself into the drum, floating in the center.

The hatched closed behind her.

DM Note-
I took Apparently's player into a separate room so that her experience would be a secret from the others.

Apparently hovered in the center of the drum. The drum began to spin around her. After a few seconds six inch spikes emerged from the walls of the drum. The spiked drum continued to spin for several minutes.

DM Note- 
I honestly didn't know what to do here. The trap was activated and deactivated by a clay golem operating a lever. What would the golem do? She was immune to the trap!  

After spinning for about ten minutes the spikes retracted, the drum came to a stop, and the hatch opened.  She pulled herself out of the drum and recounted her experience.

"So the room didn't do anything? Its purpose was just to kill us?" inquired Bramble incredulously.

"Yep!" she said.

"This dungeon SUCKS!" exclaimed Bramble.

Nanny Bramble
The party decided to rest for an hour.

Zeynap looked closely at Bramble. As a theran, Bramble already possessed somewhat bestial features and a short coat of reddish brown fur. However, Zeynap noticed that Bramble's ears had grown longer and more floppy and were hanging perpendicular to her head, her eyes now possessed horizontal slits for pupils, and small horns were growing from the back of her head.

"Wha-a-a-a-a-t is it?" bleated Bramble.

Zeynap recoiled, "Uh, were you aware you were turning into a goat?"

"I a-a-a-am?" said Bramble, absentmindedly, She felt her ears and horns. "Huh."

"That doesn't bother you?" inquired Zeynap incredulously.

Bramble shrugged. "Na-a-a-a-ah. I'm a theran wise woman. I change shape a-a-all the time. I've turned into sha-a-a-a-arks and giant a-a-a-apes." She used her hands to illustrate her body, "Just two days ago I became a woman! Possibly permanently! Becoming a goat is no big deal."

"What's causing it?"

Bramble examined the staff she obtained from the dead body of the goat-man. "If I had to guess, I'd say this staff is probably cursed. Still, its no-o-o-o-ot a big deal."

The Skeleton Key Returns
The party now had eight glass eyeballs, each a different color. They didn't know for what the eyeballs were needed. They assumed they would unlock something later. Given that there were nine trickster gods, they assumed there were nine eyeballs. Therefore they still needed one.

They once more crossed the long hall one at a time. They crawled through the access corridor through the chamber of respite and returned to the hall of reflection.

The skeleton with the key growing out of its skull had returned. The skeleton was pulling weapons out of each statue on the wall. It tried to push against the unarmed statue with the head of a hawk. As it did so its skeletal fingers appeared to pass through the statue.

The skeleton noticed Zeynap crawling out of the access passage. It grabbed a mace from one of the statues and attacked! Zeynap made short world of the skeleton with a few eldritch blasts. He picked up the skull. This key was shaped like a pentagram.

Zeynap told the others about what she saw and searched the hawk-statue. She found a ninth glass eye!

She decided to check the other statues but found nothing. She then crossed through the water curtain.

"Zeynap! Wait! You forgot the-" was all Argent could get out as the water collapsed and a massive torrent crushed everyone against the far wall.

"Dammit, Zeynap!" shouted Bramble.

Zeynap apologized and picked a trident off the wall. She passed through the water curtain and searched the remaining statues, finding a tenth crystal eyeball.

"Ten eyes?" wondered Argent.

"Oh. Cra-a-a-a-ap." exhaled Bramble, "Think about it. What has ten eyes?"

Argent groaned.

Zeynap said, "The Tomb Guardians are still there. What now?"

Bramble replied, "Well, I think we have all the eyes we need. Let's go back. I have an idea."


Belchorz the Unseen
Having found ten eyes, the party retraced their steps once more back to the room of the golem pit. They proceeded to explore the narrow passage on the far end of the room.

The passage turned right and ended at a large iron door. Set in the center of the door, about head-height, was a round mirror. Ten empty sockets were located in a circle around the mirror. Each socket large enough to hold one of the glass eyes.

Apparently carefully placed an eye in the socket. Nothing happened. She continued placing eyes in the sockets. She noticed that her reflection in the mirror began to change. She became older, weaker, diseased.

She turned around and asked Argent, "Amd I getting older?"

"No?" said Argent, quizzically, "Is there a problem?"

"Nope. No problem. Thanks." She continued placing the eyes in all ten sockets. The heavy door clicked and swung open towards the room within.

DM Commentary-
The players said "Is that it? Nothing happens? It just looks creepy?"

I replied, "Yep. That's it."

"That's cool, I guess. Nice touch."

The door opened to reveal what appeared to be a spherical room made of marble. The room was sixty feet in diameter. The door was located at the sphere's equator. A hundred tiny glowing motes hovered in mid-air like tiny stars, illuminating the room. The perimeter of the room contained ten niches filled with glittering treasures.

It was soon discovered that the room was not, in fact, spherical but that the floor was polished to a mirror finish and was highly reflective.

Hovering twenty feet above the floor was a round object covered by a silk cloth.

Bramble exchanged a worried glance with Argent and nodded.

Apparently moved into the room first with Archie. The floor was very slippery and Apparently had difficulty holding her footing without falling or sliding. Archie flew up to the hovering orb and removed the silk covering. The covering fell to the floor below revealing a featureless iron ball.

All of Apparently's steel-tipped arrows suddenly flew out of her quiver, along with her short swords and her magic long-sword. All her metal weapons were magically drawn to the metal sphere where they stuck and held fast. All she had left was her bow and a single arrow that she was holding in her hand.

A deep evil voice laughed, "You poor deluded fools! You have entered the vault of Belchorzh the Unseen! You are about to die! It's just too bad you'll never see it coming!"

Apparently was struck by a sudden paralysis. Her body was then lifted off the floor and raised into the air as if held by a giant unseen hand. She was subsequently attacked by an invisible assailant biting her head as if chewing on a rag-doll.

Bramble, who neither wore nor carried metal, transformed into a fifty-foot tall ape and moved into the room, sliding until she hit the far wall. Zeynap moved into the room, albeit more carefully. Seeing the attack on Apparently, Zeynap sent some eldritch blasts into the general direction, but he had no idea if his attacks hit or missed.

The invisible attacker dropped Apparently who fell, paralyzed, to the floor with a thud. Bramble suddenly transformed back into her natural form as all magic in her vicinity was negated. Even her goat-like features were momentarily suppressed!

Bramble and Zeynap could feel their minds and bodies assaulted. Zeynap felt waves of sleep wash over her but was able to shrug it off and stay awake. Bramble was seized by multiple spasms of pain as her body began to disintegrate from within! She quickly dodged away from the effect but was severely injured each time.

Argent, clad in metal armor and carrying multiple metallic weapons, was standing in the entrance. He could feel the pull of the magical sphere. He was able to resist the pull and moved backwards into the hall, away from the entrance. Xoc-Wik, too, managed to keep well away from the entrance.

Archie picked the drape up off the floor and took flight, dropping the covering over the sphere once more. All of Apparently's weapons and arrows clattered to the floor.

Xoc-Wik and Argent moved immediately into the room. Argent drew his axe and said a prayer of blessing for his companions. Xoc-Wik estimated the position of their enemy and loosed an tangle-arrow. The arrow exploded into thorny vines and disappeared!

"I think I got him!"

The invisible voice laughed and mocked them as each member of the party was able to shrug off the effects of some unseen magical attack.

Bramble and Zeynap separated and kept moving around the room to avoid the areas of magic-suppression. While Zeynap found himself in the anti-magic, Bramble was able to call upon the spirits of nature to surround everything in one quarter of the room with magical glitter dust. The glitter dust outlined the form of an invisible beholder entangled in vines and thorns!

The laughing mockery came to a sudden end!

Xoc-Wik moved into position and launched a blinding volley of explosive arrows, each finding its target with spectacular results! Even Archie managed to fly up and get a few bites in!

The last act of Belchorz the invisible beholder was to telekinetically remove the drape covering the sphere, once more drawing all of Apparently's loose weapons as well as the armored dragon-man, Argent and all of Xoc-Wik's arrows.

Xoc-Wik held his last harrow in his paws. He drew his bow and let fly. The arrow pierced Belchorz and exploded in a shower of sparks and glitter!

Archie returned the covering to the orb and Argent fell crashing to the floor with Apparently's weapons.

DM Commentary-
I made a few minor mistakes in this fight. 

1. The invisible beholder should never have bitten Apparently. I should have just lifted her and dropped her for falling damage. Biting her gave away his general position and allowed the party to attack with disadvantage.

2. Everyone, including myself, quickly forgot about the slippery floor. That would have made the fight more interesting.

3. The beholder's anti-magic field should have dispelled Bramble's faerie fire.  But that's okay because there were a few times where I used an eye-beam and anti-magic field against Zeynap on the same round. 

4. I ran the beholder attacks old-school, rolling randomly. I should have been more tactical and just chosen the attacks. 

Still, despite my few mistakes, the players felt challenged and were worried about their chances. They commented after the battle that they really enjoyed the encounter and thought both the opponent and the setting were very interesting.

After the battle the team rested and recovered. They searched the ten treasure vaults. In all they found:

• Thousands of coins of various types, more than they could carry.
• A clay chameleon statuette covered in crystal beads that changed colors.
• Three painted gold masks sized for children and shaped like the faces of a bat, a monkey, and a parrot, respectively.
• A gold coronet shaped like an octopus with mother-of- pearl eyes (2,500 gp)
• A potion
• A small black bead
• A bronze shield shaped like a green devil’s face which was dismissed out of hand for its association with Acererak.
• A note that read-

CONGRATULATIONS! ENJOY YOUR VICTORY
FOR IT WILL BE SHORT LIVED!
I AM CERTAIN YOU GAVE OUR ETERNAL
MASTER MUCH ENTERTAINMENT.
YOU MAY HAVE DEFEATED THE
MIGHTY BELCHORZH BUT MY
FELLOW GUARDIANS WILL SOON
DESTROY YOU AND WHILE WITHERS WILL
RESTORE ME YOU WILL BE REDUCED
TO SHAMBLING AUTOMATONS
AND YOUR PRECIOUS VICTORY WILL
HAVE BEEN IN VAIN!
THINK ABOUT THAT AS YOU CELEBRATE!

The Tomb of I'Jin
Having defeated Belchorzh, the party returned to the tomb of I'Jin. The guardians were gone and the entrance to the tomb had been restored to its original condition. Zeynap looked through the peephole and saw the image of the crocodile. Argent pressed the secret button and the wall descended into the floor.

The sarcophagus was once more resting atop the funerary barge in the center of the room! The hole in the ceiling was cloaked in inky blackness. The bones of a long-dead body had been restored to its original location atop the tile representing a foot.

"Interesting!" said Bramble, "I guess they found where we left the sarcophagus."

Argent stepped onto the vulture tile. Nothing happened.

Zeynap saw that the vulture in the peephole changed to an image of serpent. Argent took a step. The image changed to a door, step, a reed, step, a scarab, step, a scepter, step, a foot, step, an urn, step. The image became a vulture again. By this time Argent could simply step on to the dais. As he did so the lid to the sarcophagus magically opened. He picked up the sarcophagus and the column of force returned. He put it down and told Zeynap to enter.

Zeynap followed the same path across the tiles and eventually stood over the sarcophagus of I'Jin, the trickster god of the unicorn-rabbits known as al-miraj.

"It's all yours, sir," said Argent with a flourish.

Zeynap lifted the lid. Within was a small straight spiral horn. He lifted it up and the rainbow-hued iridescent spirit of I'Jin leapt into him.

Papozotl refused to let go! The two spirit gods did battle. The stork-like iblis fought against the rabbit-like al-miraj. Eventually I'Jin won out and Papozotl was banished.

Zeynap glowed with rainbow hued power! He was a new man! -er, woman.

DM Commentary-
Zeynap's player was not happy with Papozotl and was DYING to get I'Jin. Zeynap is a Celestial Pact Warlock. Zeynap is already bonded to a unicorn. He really wanted to add a bunnicorn to his repertoire. Mechanically, Papozotl just gave Zeynap the ability to never be surprised - a power he already possessed thanks to a feat. The +2 to Wisdom skill checks was useless. Zeynap was able to swap that out for a Dexterity of 23! Zeynap's player was a happy man! 

On top of that, when I first read I'Jin's flaw, I couldn't stop laughing! 

"I never stick to a plan!" is about as close as one can get to describing Zeynap's player! It's fate! Kismet! Karma! 

TO BE CONTINUED... 

"The Chamber of Opposition" - Tomb of Annihilation, Chapter 34

The party continued down a side corridor at the end of the hall of reflection. The passage turned right. There was an alcove ahead  on the right in the middle of the corridor. Argent stepped into and found a door which he opened.

Within he found a large stone cauldron filled with what appeared to be piping hot soup. There was another open doorway on the opposite wall that opened into another room of identical size but with no cauldron. The iridescent light cast by Zeynap's magic revealed a dark figure standing in front of a doorway on the far opposite wall of the other room. The dark figure was a silhouette of Argent, black as shadow but with form. It was a dark reflection of Argent, mirroring his every minor movement.

CHAPTER 34
"THE CHAMBER OF OPPOSITION"

THE EXPEDITION

• Bramble Wolf - a theran barbarian wise-man (Wildhunt Shifter Druid) searching for the legendary origin of his tribe, recently transformed into a woman by a magic fountain. Current bearer of the spirit of the trustworthy god Moa.
• Apparently Jones - a blue-skinned demijin caravan guide and animal trainer (Air Genasi Ranger) from Akasa, the land of sky mountains. Having failed to find work in Port Nyanzaru as an animal handler, she has joined the expedition to the interior as a scout.
• Xoc-Wik - a b'alam warrior (Tabaxi Fighter) from the jungles of Bres, searching for those responsible for the destruction of his tribe.
• Zeynap Shiravadakar - a Eusebean smuggler (Human Warlock) bearing the spirit of a celestial unicorn. Current bearer of the spirit of the proud warrior god Popazotl.
• Argent Truth-Sayer - a golden azi knight errant of Bhamut (Dragonborn Paladin) in the service of Bhamut, sent on a holy mission to join the expedition to destroy the Soul Monger. Current bearer of the spirit of the selfish god of wealth Nangnang.

NPCs

• Orvex Ocrammas - translator and guide for hire; rescued from the Fane of the Night Serpent.

The Chamber of Opposition

Argent recited the phrase from the plaque, "Slake your shadow at the font". The dragon-man took a ladle from the wall and dipped it into the cauldron. The ladle passed through the steaming soup as if it were air.  He looked up and saw that his shadow-duplicate was mirroring his exact movements in the opposite room with a shadow ladle. As he examined the shadow so to did his shadow examine him.

He approached the doorway connecting the two rooms. The shadow approached him. They faced each other bearing empty ladles. He went back and forth, trying in vain to dip the ladle into the illusory soup, even plunging his head into the soup to no avail. Argent eventually gave up and left the room. His shadow likewise walked into the bare alcove in the far room and disappeared.

Zeynap entered the room. A shadow reflection of Zeynap appeared in the far alcove. Zeynap said "Zappow!" and hurled an eldritch blast at his shadow. The shadow evaporated and Zeynap doubled over in pain. After a moment, he got up and hobbled out of the room.

Apparently said, "My turn." She took the ladle off the wall, walked around the cauldron towards the open doorway. She and her shadow both turned sideways and passed each other through the doorway. She walked into the empty room while her shadow approached the cauldron. She mimed dipping her ladle into mid-air. Her shadow, meanwhile, dipped its black ladle into the cauldron.

Bramble rolled her eyes and exclaimed, "Finally! It took you people long enough!"

Apparently mimed drinking from the ladle. Her shadow sipped the illusory soup. Apparently felt invigorated by the action. She continued miming the action of drinking the soup. Eventually all the soup was gone.

Argent inspected the now empty cauldron and saw that an eye made of bright orange crystal remained in the bottom. He picked it up and examined it before storing it in a belt pouch.

DM Commentary- I re-wrote the Chamber of Opposition. In mine, I added the empty room and made it so miming the act of drinking the soup gave you one temporary hit point per liter consumed - so eight temporary hit points total. I also changed the trap part so that if you killed your shadow, you rolled a Wisdom save or dropped to 0 hit points. Zeynap obviously made his save. Were I to do it again, I'd have him lose half his hit points on a failed save. 

The Peephole

The party left the room with the now-empty cauldron and turned a corner to the left. Xoc-Wik noticed a a peep hole in the stone about shoulder high. He looked through it and saw the hieroglyph of a vulture. Argent looked around the corner and saw the painting of man with the head of a jackal on the wall that the peephole should have been looking at. The painting was surrounded by a painted swarm of thousands of locusts emerging from the mouths of painted sphinxes. Set in the chest of the jackal, about shoulder height, was a gold medallion. There was a hole the size of man's finger in the center of the medallion. He looked into it and saw a tiny vulture hieroglyph. He waved his hand in front of the amulet and blocked its line of sight but Xoc-Wik could always see the vulture.

Argent saw that the amulet was set into the stone. He took out Wongo's hammer and began smashing it in an attempt to gain access to the mechanism behind it. The amulet  was destroyed and so too was the image in Xoc-Wik's peep hole.

Xoc-Wik shouted, "Hey! What are you doing?"

Once Argent removed the remains of the amulet, he found mechanical gears and a disk with twelve hieroglyphs.

Xoc-Wik came around the bend and saw the mechanism. He also immediately noticed that one of the locusts concealed a hidden button. He pressed it and the entire wall sank slowly into the floor, revealing the tomb of I'Jin beyond, its floor covered in hieroglyphs and the force column surrounding the funerary barge still intact.

"Way to go, Argent! The vulture is the first step, see?" The jaguar-man pointed at the first tile in the room, "I bet once you stepped on that the dial spun and showed you the next step through that peephole!"

Argent sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"What does this peephole do?" boomed the voice of Bramble through the  mouths of the sphinxes in the tomb. Bramble looked around the corner in surprise.

Xoc-Wik threw up his hands in frustration, "-AND I could have told you what to do from the peephole! Great! Just Great! Hey, everybody, give me those crystal eyeballs for a second."

"What for?" said Bramble as Xoc-Wik gathered the two crystal eyeballs.

"I think somebody is using these to scry on us," he held them up to his face and looked into the eyes, "Hello! Could you maybe send some of your little creepy caretakers down here to fix this room? Something happened to it and it got broken! We have no idea how it happened, it was this way when we got here!"

Xoc-Wik threw the crystal eyeballs back to Argent in disgust as he walked away.

The Rotating Corridor

Zeynap looked down at an access duct to the right of the entrance to I'Jin's tomb, "Where does this go?"

Argent shrugged.

Zeynap, emboldened by the strident spirit of Popozotl, began delivering orders, "Argent, I'm going to need you to explore that access duct and report."

Argent shrugged again, got down on all fours, and began crawling into the passage.

Zeynap looked at Apparently, "You go with him."

She reacted with horror at the idea of crawling into small tight passage. Being underground was bad enough, "Hell no! You go! You're so keen to be the leader now, how about you lead from the front? Besides, isn't Argent your wing-man? Aren't you a little vulnerable now that he's gone?"

Zeynap considered this and said, "You're right. Good thinking. Argent! Wait up!"

Zeynap caught up with Argent as the passage took its second right turn. It proceeded fifteen feet and stopped at a dead end.

"Go forward and investigate!" said the Eusebean.

The pair continued crawling until they reached the dead end. Suddenly the fifteen foot section of passage began rotating like a giant screw, cutting them off from the rest of the access duct.

"Well, that can't be good!" said Zeynap.

Escape from the Rotating Corridor
Ten minutes passed with no sound or signal from Argent or Zeynap. Bramble and Xoc-Wik decided to follow and investigate, leaving Apparently with Orvex.

They entered the access duct, took a right, and took another right. The passage ahead continued for forty feet and turned right again. There was no sign of Argent or Zeynap. Bramble's keen senses noticed a thin line in the floor, wall, and ceiling of the passage ahead. He stopped Xoc-Wik and the pair discussed their options.

Unwilling to continue past the line, Bramble transformed herself into a small flying reptile-bird and flew down the corridor, emerging into the long hall separated by the watery membrane. She flew up to Apparently and Orvex from behind and resumed her theran form. After filling them in on what happened, she returned to the Xoc-Wik's position in the access duct.

After several minutes of brainstorming, Bramble proclaimed, "Ah! Of course!" She summoned two wolves into being from the spirit world. The wolves advanced into the tunnel ahead. After a few feet, the entire tunnel rotated, trapping the wolves but revealing a fifteen foot dead end.

"Huh, well, what now?" inquired Xoc-Wik.

"I don't know. now I'm stumped." she said.

A moment later, Apparently called down the access duct, "Found them! They just crawled out of the tunnel behind us!"

Bramble figured it out, "Ah! I got it! Our tunnel went all the way through, but there were two dead-end tunnels at right angles, get it?" She crossed her arms and tried to demonstrate to Xoc-Wik.

"No, but it doesn't matter now. Let's go." They rejoined the party and returned to the atrium.

The Tomb Guardians

They circumnavigated the atrium and returned to the wide corridor at the bottom of the stairs. The corridor was ten feet wide and over fifty feet long. Two large figures wearing heavy spiked armor stood motionless in alcoves near the entrance. A heavy spiked chain draped across the corridor between them as if to say access to this corridor was off-limits.

Argent strode up and smote the chain with his axe. It sparked but his blow failed to sever the chain.

The two guardians came alive and attacked Argent in turn. Argent bore the onslaught under his sturdy shield while Xoc-Wik, Apparently, and Zeynap attacked the guardians at range. The two guardians were soon destroyed, revealing their true nature - animated puppets made of dead flesh clad in heavy armor!

A quick search of the corridor revealed a side passage on the right, double doors at the end, and a hidden door on the left.

Kubazan's Tomb
Zeynap commanded Argent to enter the hidden door to the left. Argent replied by turning around and entering the corridor to the right.

Within they found a kind of temple. The entire wall to the right was carved to resemble a massive tentacled frog-like god, the froghemoth  known as Kubazan. Within the carving were four smaller carvings depicting rituals performed to Kubazan. The first showed a devotee casting coins over an altar. The second showed a devotee consuming an insect over an altar. The third displayed a devotee holding the severed head of a reptile-bird sacrifice. The fourth displayed the ritual burning of a candle.

Beneath the carvings was a small altar. Scattered around the altar were several coins, some dead insects, a bowl containing the long-dead remains of a rat, and a half-burned candle.

On the far wall was a large sarcophagus resting on a wide plinth. On the left wall was a collection of bones and old weapons. Four masks resembling frogs with tentacles wriggling from the sides hung on the wall.

Argent said, "I think we must reenact the scenes in the carvings.

They each took and donned a mask from the far wall.

Apparently took the coins and scattered them over the altar.

Bramble gathered up the dead insects and ate one before the altar.

Zeynap picked up the bowl with the dead rat and scattered the bones over the altar.

Argent exhaled a tiny bit of flame onto the candle to light it.

They waited for some kind of response. Suddenly, all four celebrants were magically transformed into frogs!

Xoc-Wik, standing in the doorway with Orvex, had only a moment to register the event as the bones on the wall behind them gathered together into coherent bipedal shapes with glowing ethereal ectoplasmic bodies. The screaming creatures lunged for Xoc-Wik in the doorway.

The frog that transformed into Bramble shot its tongue at one of the ghost-creatures with no effect. The frog that was Argent moved to block their advance towards Xoc-Wik.

Xoc-Wik loosed a magical exploding arrow into the midst of the frogs. The arrow exploded, vaporizing the frogs and causing his companions to return with four audible BLOPs.

Xoc-Wik maintained his position in the doorway while his reformed companions came to his aid. The ghostly guardians were soon dispatched.

"What happened?" asked Xoc-Wik.

Bramble glowered at Zeynap, "SOMEBODY didn't perform the correct ritual!"

"What?" replied Zeynap, "What was I supposed to do?"

"The picture clearly shows someone offering a blood sacrifice!" said Bramble.

"Where am I supposed to get that?" said the warlock.

"Use your own blood!" growled Argent.

"Look, I didn't know! It's not like there were any instructions!"

"What- What do you mean there weren't any instructions?" Sputtered Bramble. She pointed stiffly at the bas relief carvings on the wall, "They! Drew! You! A! Picture!"

Zeynap threw up his hands in defeat, "Alright alright! Let's do it again!"

They repeated the ritual. This time, Zeynap drew his own blood which he captured in the bowl. Upon completion, the lid to the large sarcophagus in the back of the room slowly raised.

"Your turn," said Bramble to Apparently.

Apparently slowly approached the open sarcophagus. Inside she found a collection of flakes and ashes, an ancient and decaying quiver of arrows, and two bracers decorated with froghemoths.

The light from Zeynap's spell dimmed as the massive shadow of a tentacled froghemoth rose against the wall and ceiling, enveloping Apparently. Apparently welcomed the spirit of Kubazan without reservation. She felt a wave of strength and confidence wash over her. She felt like she could take on the world!

The party decided to rest for two hours. They had gathered a number of artifacts that needed to be examined to determine if they were magical and, if so, what sorts of properties they might possess.

Xoc-Wik took possession of the bracers. He found that the accuracy of his archery attacks improved. He also felt moist and uncomfortable.

Bramble took the staff of the ram's head recovered from the body of the goat-man in the ring-shaped tunnel.

Argent gifted Apparently with the flaming sword of Ras Nsi. Argent, meanwhile, studied the colorful glass eyeballs they had so far recovered.

While they were resting, Bramble spotted one of the hunch-backed tomb custodians in the hallway. The custodian saw that it was spotted and quickly turned and fled. Bramble told the others but gave no chase. Xoc-Wik called out, "Don't forget to reset the peep-hole!"

Curse of the Golden Skull

Apparently, invigorated by her newfound confidence, went to enter the hidden door. Argent stopped her and reminded her that it was his job to go first. She reluctantly obliged.

Argent opened the door and found a short set of steps leading to a very small closet-like room. At the bottom of the stairs was a pillar, atop which sat a small gold skull with gemstone eyes.

He walked down the stairs and picked up the skull.

Everyone jumped as a loud voice shouted, "Finally! It took you idiots long enough! What took you so long to find me? Are you incompetent or just stupid?"

They soon learned that the skull belonged to Yaka, the most famous and acerbic jester from Omu. After the destruction of Omu, Acererak kept Yaka alive for a while to serve as entertainment before eventually killing him and binding his spirit to his gold-plated skull. He explained that he was cursed to accompany the first group of mortals that found him.

"So, now since it was you stinking morons have found me, I'm stuck with you! Forever! This is a complete nightmare! Why couldn't I have been found by a group of COMPETENT adventurers? Such is my misfortune!"

Argent rolled his eyes, placed the skull on the ground, and smashed it with Wongo's hammer. The skull re-materialized a few moments later and continued its denigrating commentary.

DM Commentary- 
I played Yaka kind of like "Bad Janet" from the Good Place. In retrospect, I should have made him either more of a goof-ball that told nothing but bad jokes ala Fozzy Bear. 

The Veils of Fear
Apparently, still emboldened by the spirit of Kubazan, threw wide the double doors at the end of the hall. The doors were carved with leering and laughing skulls. Argent was forced to catch up. Within she found a tapestry hanging from wall to wall. The tapestry was decorated with a scene of revelry and merriment as nobles feasted upon a roasted boar with an apple in its mouth.

Argent stayed Apparently's hand and pulled the tapestry open himself. Beyond was another tapestry depicting a descent into madness. The nobles were attacking and raping each other. A third tapestry behind that portrayed a nightmare scene of cannibalism, immolation, and bestiality. The boar was now alive and laughing at their depravity.

Apparently pulled aside the final tapestry and found a table set with the rotting remains of the party. The boar was nothing more than dried rotting flesh covered in maggots. Its mouth wide open as if screaming. Its eyes covered in milky cataracts.

She looked at Argent with a mad gleam in her eye. He was puzzled and concerned. Before he could act she ran forward and shoved her entire head into the gaping mouth of the rotting boar's head.

Argent shouted, "Apparently, stop!"

The boar's head came alive and chomped down on her skull. She screamed in pain. She recovered her senses and stumbled backwards from the attack.

Argent caught her, "What the hell?"

"I- I don't know what just happened!" she stammered, "Hey! Look! There's stuff in the mouth!"

"Wha-?" said Argent, confused, but it was too late. She reached into the mouth to snatch the objects within. The boar's head snapped down, badly lacerating her arm.

"Got it!" she said proudly as she held up the various trinkets belonging to previous victims.

"Let's get out of here," said Argent as he led her out of the room to rejoin the others.

The Iron Barrier
Having explored all the known passages, the party decided to return to the tomb of I'Jin. On the way Argent decided to explore a access duct he noticed earlier. He told the others he'd be right back, got down on his hands and knees, and disappeared down the enclosed passage. Apparently called after him and followed him in.

Argent had barely made it fifteen feet before he encountered a closed partition blocking the access duct ahead. The partition was made of iron and was painted to look like a bull's head. The eyes of the bull's head were cut out and he could see the corridor beyond. The partition would not easily open but  with great effort he was able to push it open. The partition resisted as if pushed by a powerful spring. He got it open and it clicked into place.

Argent and Apparently passed through and emerged into a high-ceilinged corridor. The walls of the corridor tapered towards the ceiling. The corridor to the left was a dead end save for another access duct. The corridor to the right was likewise a dead end but light poured out of a large hole in the floor.

They investigated the hole in the floor. Looking down they saw that the hole opened into a room shaped like a truncated cone turned on its side.

"Want to go in?" asked Argent.

"Hell no!" replied Apparently indignantly.

They instead decided to explore the access duct at the other end. The access duct opened near one corner of a long hall, one hundred twenty feet from side to side and a hundred feet from ceiling to floor. The duct was located about seventy feet above the floor and ten feet from the nearest end of the hall. There were two balconies on either end of the hall. The near balcony had a large lever built into the wall as well as a set of stairs leading to an exit. The far balcony held the statue of a large winged demonic shang grasping something small in each of its tightly closed hands. Five disks hovered in mid-air at an altitude of sixty feet.

They retraced their steps and returned to the others to tell them what they found.

Winds of Pandemonium

Zeynap and Bramble followed Argent and Apparently through the many access ducts to the long hall. Orvex stayed behind with Xoc-Wik as the b'alam had succumbed to brain fever.

Argent emerged from the duct and, invoking the power granted him by Nangnang, simply walked along the wall towards the near balcony with the lever. Apparently crouched on the edge of the duct and threw herself through the air towards a floating disk, on which she landed adroitly. Zeynap made and effort to climb out of the duct and along the wall towards the balcony but was unable to find adequate footing. Instead, he blocked Bramble from exiting the duct.

"Ready?" called Argent.

"Ready!" replied Apparently with confidence.

"No, wait!" cried Bramble but it was too late. Argent pulled the lever.

The room was buffeted by howling magical winds with a sound like a million screaming souls! Zeynap was stunned and had to be pulled farther back into the duct by Bramble. Argent was momentarily overcome with madness and was unable to move or think.

Suprisingly, despite standing on a hovering disk, Apparently was unaffected by the winds. She saw that the hands of the statue opened, revealing two small gems in its hands. She leaped from disk to disk and made it to Argent's balcony where they turned off the lever.

She snapped Argent out of his state and told him what happened. Zeynap, however, was still stunned.

Argent said that he had a better idea. He told her to man the lever but not to pull it until he said so. He then, in defiance of gravity, casually walked along the wall towards the balcony with the statue. Once on the far balcony he could see another access duct behind the statue.

He told Apparently to flip the switch. She did so and both were assaulted by the winds of madness. With great effort they were able to resist the effects of the winds. The hands of the statue were open. Argent saw that the demonic shang held two crystal eyeballs, each a different color. He took the eyes and told Apparently to return the lever to normal.

Once the winds stopped Argent said he'd return in a moment. He crawled into the access duct, leaving the others behind. The duct made a hard left and opened into a small twenty foot by twenty foot room. The only other exit was another access duct. The floor of the room was covered in soft dirt and looked unfinished. Indeed, no one had been in this room for a very long time. He returned to the others to report his finding.

Room of Respite
The party decided to hole up in the small room. They soon found that the other duct opened into the hall of reflection. They used that entrance to find Orvex and Xoc-Wik and bring them to their secluded space.

This small room felt safe and secure. This was the first time in many days that they didn't feel as if their every move was being observed. They felt at peace. There they slept. No nightmares interrupted their slumber. For the first time in days they could really fully rest.

TO BE CONTINUED...

DM Commentary-

The players are doing a fantastic job of roleplaying the flaws inherited by the trickster gods. They are entertaining each other and myself and I'm happy to see them having a lot of fun with them. They're even roleplaying little one-sided conversations they have with their gods. 

There was a moment when Zeynap and Argent were trapped in the rotating corridor where the two characters started talking to each other in character, just passing the time while they waited to be rescued. It wish I could do a better job of capturing little moments like that in this blog, but I am constrained by the medium. As much as this reads like a coherent story, it is not a 100 percent word-for-word transcript of the session. 

I played up the idea of the tomb dwarves as IT staff going around fixing things and resetting traps. I'm going to use the chained tomb guardians as caution ropes from now on - as if to convey "Dungeon closed for repairs".  I wished I had thought of that in time to have a room in that section be in mid-reset. Maybe I'll add a bonus room in that hall to reflect that it was hidden by an illusion.