She told the others about her dream.
Zeynap reported a similar experience - except that he was visited by an old woman with a hump and a missing leg. She hobbled about on a peg leg which went "thump-thump-thump!". He, too, reported that the old woman stole a reddish mist from his breath and that he felt tired and weak.
Bramble said that her dream featured an old woman wearing a burlap sack over head head. When she removed the sack, a rooster sat perched on the severed stump of her shoulders where her head would be. The rooster hopped down and drained the red mist from his mouth.
They knew they would get no rest until this new danger had been eliminated!
The party donned their equipment and made ready to descend to the next level.
Apparently descended the stairs slowly and with caution. A strange green light emanated from the room at the base of the stairs. The large room had a high vaulted ceiling and two elevated walkways on either side. The room was filled with a glowing green fog that rose from a bubbling iron cauldron to the left. Ahead of her on the right side of the room was a cage. A humanoid figure sat huddled under a blanket. Through the fog Apparently could only see a dark silhouette.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw three tiny shapes hide behind cover. She nocked an arrow in her bow and entered the room. No old women could be seen. The three small hiding figures were the size of cats. One was a humanoid doll made of straw. A second was a doll made of porcelain. The third appeared to be the head, arms, and torso of a macaque monkey strapped to a unicycle. She furrowed her brow in confusion and curled her lips in disgust.
Apparently cautiously approached the cage. The figure removed the thin dirty blanket, turned, and looked at her.
It was Argent!
CHAPTER 41
"THE SEWN SISTERS"
"THE SEWN SISTERS"
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.
- Orvex Ocrammas - archaeologist and historian; rescued from the Fane of the Night Serpent.
- Zorai - vyth (grey-skinned alien) explorer sent to Omu to investigate the massive seismic event that coincided with its destruction; trapped within a magic mirror soon after the destruction of Omu more than 150 years ago.
Argent Lives!
Apparently had seen Argent die. He had sacrificed himself in a bargain with devils to save the others. He had vanished in a flash of flame and smoke leaving only ash! Yet here he was!
Zeynap entered the room and they quickly broke the lock off the cage. Argent emerged. The dragon-man was gaunt and emaciated. He showed signs of having been starved and beaten. Curiously, he had lost six inches in height and over a hundred pounds in body mass.
Argent revealed that he had been held captive here for at least two days, though time was difficult to measure. The last thing he remembered before waking in the cage was resting in control room. He explained that he had been tortured and interrogated by three hags - Widow Groat, Peggy Deadbells, and Baggy Nanna, as well as their gaunt butler, Mister Threadneedle. They kept asking about the expedition, its capabilities, and its vulnerabilities.
When asked about the three small figures hiding in the corners, Argent explained that they were small toys created by the hags and imbued with life from the souls of dead children. He said they were friendly and helpful. Argent called to them. Their names were Strawbundle, Clay No-Face, and Mister Jojo. The figures emerged from their hiding places.
The Hag Dolls
Strawbundle was a doll made of bound straw. Clay No-Face was a porcelain doll with a large head but no mouth, nose, or eyes. Mister Jojo was the head, arms, and upper torso of a macaque monkey strapped to a unicycle wheel. Strawbundle spoke telepathically, warning the others that the hags, the "Sewn Sisters", would return soon and that they were in danger!
Argent donned his old armor and fastened his weapons while the others prepared for a fight. A minute passed with no apparent threat so the party decided to explore the rest of the room.
Apparently studied the room and opened her senses to detect the presence of the anti-life energy known as necros. She staggered backwards. An overwhelming source of necros was located behind the giant iron door on the far wall.
Zeynap put the lid back on the cauldron and the green mist began to settle. The party could now see a large iron door on the far wall. The door was made of iron and was decorated with the skeletons of young children. Across the door was a bar with five circles. Each circle contained a flat metal shape - a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, and an octagon. There were no visible keyholes.
Two elevated walkways, one on either side of the room, led to five doors. Each door was decorated with a shape similar to those on the door. Zeynap used a magic power to peer behind each door. Behind the door with a triangle was a tall cylinder. Behind the door with a square were flying pieces of paper. Behind the door with the pentagram was a long corridor that opened into a room that was beyond his range. Behind the door with the hexagon was a shelf and a mirror. On the wall was scrawled the words "PIGGY PIGGY PIGGY". Behind the door with the octagon was a small book on a lectern.
The party concluded that they had to solve each of the side rooms before opening the iron door. They prepared to leave.
Strawbundle objected and asked they not be left alone. Apparently put her hands on her knees and quietly asked Strawbundle, "Do- do you want us to put you out of your misery?"
"What? No! What kind of monster are you? No! I meant take us with you!"
Argent gathered up Strawbundle in his arms and shot Apparently a dirty look, "What's wrong with you?"
Apparently held up her hands, "What? Sorry! I- I just thought- Of course we'll take you!"
Argent placed Strawbundle on Apparently's back. Strawbundle gave her a hug, "Its okay. I forgive you." Strawbundle transferred to Apparently her magic power allowing Apparently to enter the ethereal plane.
Argent picked up Mister Jojo. He acquired the magic power to understand all languages that were not codes or ciphers.
Zeynap took Clay No-Face and found he was no longer hungry or thirsty.
Xoc-Wik took position on the opposite walkway and Bramble placed herself in the center of the large room. Apparently, Argent, and Zeynap opened the door with the triangle.
Trial of the Triangle
They found a small room. At the back of the room was a glass cylinder that reached from the floor to the ceiling. An iron lever was located on the floor within the cylinder. The only hole in the cylinder was a small one-inch hole near the top of the cylinder. No one could fit their arm in the hole or otherwise reach the lever. They called in Vythi-Zorai who used her telekinesis to pull the lever. Out in the main room, the metal covering on the triangle moved aside revealing a key-hole large enough for the skeleton key.
DM Note-
Technically she used Mage Hand. I just read that Mage Hand wouldn't work, only Telekinesis. Oh well. The players probably deserved this break given how much I accidentally screwed them over later on.
Trial of the Square
Apparently, Zeynap, and Argent crossed to the other side of the large room to the door marked with a square. Within was a small room filled with swirling pages from a book. Zeynap plucked one of the pages from mid-air. The page contained a wizard's spell. Zeynap shrugged, "Useless" and let the page go. They saw a lever on the far wall carved from bone. The lever was translucent and any hand that tried to touch it simply passed right through it. Apparently used Strawbundle's power to become ethereal. She walked through the flying papers and pulled the lever.
Bramble reported that the square slid aside and revealed a keyhole.
The Hags
Apparently, still on the Ethereal plane and still invisible and incorporeal to the rest of the party, moved out into the main room. She saw the three hags, two by the iron door and one standing nearby!
Apparently returned to the material plane and warned the others. She then re-entered the Ethereal plane, only to be attacked by one of the hags! The pair fought but Apparently was no match for the Widow Groat! Apparently escaped to the material plane so that she could be healed. The party prepared for battle but no hags made their presence known.
"They're watching us. They're waiting- for something" said Argent.
Trial of the Pentagon
The party decided to continue. They opened the door marked with a pentagon. Beyond was a corridor that led to a room. The smell of delicious food poured out to greet them.
Argent and Zeynap entered the room to find a dining hall with tables set with delicious boar, squash stew, iced cakes, and frothy beer! The gaunt butler Mister Threadneedle welcomed them and offered to serve each of them.
Argent, having been starved for days, drew up a seat and dove in, eating and drinking each thing offered him. Zeynap, however, politely refused. Zeynap instead explored the room. He examined the five hanging tapestries in the back of the room. As he looked back and forth, he noticed that when all five tapestries lined up in a certain way, it created the appearance of a green devil face. The black open mouth seemed to hover in front of him. He winced and held out his hand and reached into the mouth, expecting it to disintegrate. Instead he found a smooth lever. He pulled it.
Bramble announced that the pentagon was now a keyhole.
Argent, having eaten his fill, thanked Mister Threadneedle. The butler bowed politely. They pair left the room. As they did so, Zeynap was stricken with debilitating stomach cramps. Argent helped his friend outside.
Trial of the Hexagon
Zeynap, Apparently, and Argent entered the room marked by a hexagon. Within was a dark room. On the far wall was a wide shelf placed high enough that someone had to reach up to remove any of the five candles placed upon it. A six-sided mirror was attached to the wall below the shelf. The words "PIGGY PIGGY PIGGY" were scrawled in blood on the wall next to the mirror.
Apparently inspected the shelf, levitating slightly to get a better look. She found a sixth candle, hidden in the back and not visible to anyone standing on the floor. She lit all six candles and said "Piggy piggy piggy". She looked into the mirror and saw the reflection of a wooden lever on the wall to her right. She turned to look but saw no lever. She searched the wall but it was bare.
The lever was too far away to reach while looking into the mirror. Directing Argent and Zeynap proved useless, they found only bare wall. The trio were about to give up when Apparently remembered Vythi-Zorai. They called for the strange alien being. She looked into the mirror and used her telekinesis to move the lever.
Bramble reported that the hexagon was now a keyhole.
Trial of the Octagon
Zeynap, Apparently, and Argent once more crossed the main room to the door marked with an octagon. Within was a small room with a lectern on the far wall. Atop the lectern was a small booklet with only eight pages.
Zeynap looked at the book but could not read it. He called to Argent, "Hey, can't you read all languages now?"
Argent took a look at the book. He read it silently.
DM Note-
I wrote the lines of the book on a sheet of paper and gave it to Argent's player. As he read it silently, I thought, "Ha, he's reading it quietly first. He'll figure this out out!"
When he was done, he turned to the others, "Okay, Ready?"
DM Note-
Oh! Is he going to read it out loud? Here we go!
He read the book out loud.
Page 1: Backward, backward, eight to one.
Page 2: Speak the rhyme until it’s done.
Page 3: Keep the spider locked away.
Page 4: See the lever, clear as day.
Page 5: Spin, spin, iron spider.
Page 6: Turn their flesh and bones to cider.
Page 7: Speak the rhyme and meet your fate.
Page 8: Forward, forward, one to eight.
DM Note-
He read it forward! Oh man! I can't believe he actually read it forward!
The world turned upside down! Argent, Zeynap, and Apparently fell towards the ceiling! They crashed into the ceiling, shattering its thin brittle facade and fell into the large whirling death trap in the shape of a spider - each of the spider's legs a whirling razor-sharp blade of death!
They screamed as the spinning blades ripped into their flesh!
DM Note-
8d10 damage! Yikes!
Apparently grabbed Argent and levitated, taking her down and away from the blades!
Zeynap cast a spell of teleportation - and disappeared entirely!
Apparently and Argent managed to escape the room. After a minute, the blades stopped rotating and bits of broken plaster fell to the floor, indicating a return of normal gravity. They re-entered the room and looked around. They found a brass lever hidden within the lectern and pulled it.
Bramble announced that all five shapes now revealed keyholes.
Zeynap was missing.
The Oubliette
Zeynap was in a dark place that reeked of decaying flesh. He conjured a spell of illumination and nearly fainted from what he saw!
Zeynap was in a small room with a tall ceiling. The room was filled with dead bodies in various stages of decomposition. Indeed, Zeynap had no way of knowing how deep the bodies were piled or even if there was floor at all.
On the wall to his right was carved a massive green devil face with an gaping mouth. The mouth was large enough for two grown men to crawl inside.
Sitting on top of the bodies in the opposite corner was Chaad the grey Slaad, whom the party had encountered guarding Nangnang's tomb. The grey-skinned frog-thing was picking his shark-like teeth with a splinter of bone, "Hey baby! I knew you'd be back!"
DM Note-
Yay! Chaad the Slaad! He's always fun to roleplay and he's a favorite with the players. I wish I could recount the entire interaction between Zeynap and Chaad, but this post is already going to be long enough. Needless to say, Chaad was his usual obnoxious and offensive and hilarious self.
Suddenly, a thought popped into Zeynap's head, "Zeynap! This is Xoc-Wik. Are you still alive?"
Zeynap confirmed his status and admitted that he had no idea where he was. Xoc-Wik said the rest of the team would wait for him to escape and catch up, if he could.
Zeynap convinced Chaad to help him find a way out. Zeynap examined the devil face. He found levers hidden inside the nostrils. He asked Chaad to pull the lever inside the left nostril. Chaad did so and a black void appeared in the mouth of the devil face. The rotting meat piled within the room began draining into the mouth. Chaad was immediately drawn in and disappeared. Zeynap was able to grab hold of the wall.
As the bodies continued to fall away into the black void, Zeynap heard a voice. It was the golden skull, "Oh! Nice going, idiot! Now you're going to die in here alone!" Zeynap had a thought. He grabbed the cursed skull and threw it into the darkness. The skull protested, "What? Hey! You can't-" The voice was cut off as the skull disappeared into the void.
After a minute the void disappeared and the room was empty save a few remaining body parts and bones on the far side of the room.
DM Note-
I skipped the otyugh encounter because I wanted Zeynap to rejoin the rest of the party. Also, I was tired of forgetting about the skull. I actually thought of throwing the skull into the sphere of annihilation long after the fact and allowed Zeynap's player to retcon that part later on.
Zeynap then swallowed and took a deep breath before pulling the lever within the right nostril. The eyes on the devil's face began to glow bright red.
Zeynap disappeared, again.
There and Back Again
Zeynap stood in front of another green devil face, its mouth a black void. Small shafts of sunlight filtered through cracks in the ceiling. The walls were covered in vines and roots. He had been teleported all the way back to the entrance of the tomb!
"Xoc-Wik, are you still there?"
The jaguar-man replied that he was still listening. Zeynap told Xoc-Wik that he had escaped the oubliette and knew where he was. It was going to take about an hour to get back. Xoc-Wik acknowledged and told him to move away from the green devil face - within which a shadow demon resided.
Zeynap moved to the nearby floor grate, removed it, and dropped down into the stream below. He followed the stream until it emptied into the grotto of the hydra. Cave lizards were scavenging the remains of the butchered hydra carcass. Zeynap continued on. He carefully descended the shaft of the waterfall into the subterranean lake.
The warlock hugged the wall of the lake. He hoped that, should he meet the large fish monster that dwelled within the lake, that he would meet the monster's friendly personality and not its evil alter-ego.
DM Comment-
I rolled randomly.
He turned around to look at the cogs in the middle of the lake but was startled to see an eleven year old girl with dark wet hair. She was holding a red ball and standing on top of the water.
"Hi, would you like to play ball with me?"
"Uh, sure? What's your name, little girl?" Zeynap cautiously inquired.
"Ringu, silly!"
Zeynap breathed a sigh of relief. Zeynap asked the ghostly image of Ringu if they could play ball on top of the cog in the lake. The girl agreed. Zeynap asked if she could help him up. A moment later, tentacles from the giant fish monster at the bottom of the lake rose up and lifted Zeynap to the roof of the cog. Zeynap then played ball for a moment with Ringu. The little girl was happy for the company.
While Zeynap played ball, Xoc-Wik and Apparently made their way from the large room, back up the stairs, past the hall of destruction, across the giant chain, past the armillary sphere, through the secret tunnel, and into the control room. Apparently stayed in the secret tunnel while Xoc-Wik manipulated the controls to rotate the cogs.
The cogs started rotating and Zeynap bade his farewell to the spirit of the little girl. She smiled and waved. The rotation of the cogs momentarily opened the entrance to the control room to the lake grotto. Zeynap made it back into the control room and was reunited with Xoc-Wik. Xoc-Wik then notified Apparently who was able to open the exit to the secret tunnel, which could only be opened from her side. The trio made it back to the rest of the party.
DM Comment-
WHEW! That took forever and was way more complicated than even what I wrote above. The group kept falling into analysis paralysis, unable to make a decision or even agree on the right course of action. I have to admit, I was starting to get a little frustrated at them because they kept trying to plan Zeynap's route ten steps ahead, and all I wanted to know was their next immediate action.
For example, the group was debating and arguing for ten minutes about how to help Zeynap. In an effort to get things moving and maybe help the group visualize what was happening step-by-step instead of all at once, I stepped in and told Xoc-Wik's player, "Okay, forget them for a minute. I need to know what Xoc-Wik is doing, right now."
Xoc-Wik's player would then look at the other players and say, "Okay, what are we doing?"
I interrupted again, "I said forget them, what are YOU doing?"
Xoc-Wik's player got annoyed with me, "Right, got it. Okay." He paused to think, then he looked at the other players again, "Okay, what are we doing?" This made me MORE annoyed! I had to take a short break to keep from getting angry.
The Sewn Sisters
Bramble, Orvex, Argent, and Vythi-Zorai had been sitting around the room with the vaulted ceiling waiting for the others to return. They had examined the gruesome contents of the cubpoard and the cauldron. The green mist was now gone. There had been no sign of the Sewn Sisters.
Apparently, Xoc-Wik, and Zeynap descended the stairs and entered the room, "Okay, Zeynap's back. We have all five keys!"
Baggy Nana appeared from nowhere atop the raised walkway. Peggy Deadbells and Widow Groat appeared next to the skeleton gate. Baggy Nana and Peggy Deadbells hurled spells of paralysis at the trio as they entered the room. Zeynap was able to resist the effects of the spells but Apparently was held frozen in place! Widow Groat sent a magical bolt of lightning into Orvex, Argent, and Bramble.
Zeynap ran across the room and tried to climb the wall to the walkway but couldn't reach. Xoc-Wik stepped into the room and loosed a tangle-arrow at Baggy Nana. The arrow exploded, covering her with thorny vines that dug into the ground. Xoc-Wik immediately followed with three more magically-charged arrows. Baggy Nana fell beneath the onslaught of arrows.
Bramble transformed herself into a massive mace-tailed saurian, blocking the two remaining Sewn Sisters by the skeleton gate. Argent and Orvex moved in to prevent Peggy Deadbells from escaping. Argent quickly discovered that he had difficulty raising his weapons against the hags. He quickly realized that the food he ate earlier must have been cursed somehow!
Widow Groat became ethereal and disappeared. Peggy Deadbells likewise became invisible.
A moment later, Widow Groat reappeared next to Apparently - who was still paralyzed at the entrance to the room. Widow Groat rifled through Apparently's belongings and removed her skeleton key, "Sister! I have it!" Widow Groat disappeared again.
Peggy Deadbells reappeared next to Orvex, attacking him with her claws.
Apparently finally shook off her paralysis. She quickly used Strawbundle's charm and became ethereal. She saw Widow Groat standing in the middle of the room. Apparently closed and engaged with the old crone. Widow Groat fought back with her claws. Apparently screamed and fell to the floor, clutching her wound. Strawbundle jumped off Apparently and both returned to the physical world.
Bramble resumed humanoid form and rushed to assist Apparently. Zeynap cast a healing spell on Apparently while Bramble took up Strawbundle. Both hags had now retreated to the Ethereal Plane and without Apparently's skeleton key, they could never open the skeleton gate.
Bramble entered the Ethereal plane and transformed into a giant ape. She didn't see the hags anywhere in the room. She heard cackling laughter in the banquet hall. The corridor that led to the banquet hall was too narrow for Bramble's giant ape form, so she returned to humanoid shape, ran up the stair and down the corridor, and confronted the hags as they celebrated their perceived victory.
Bramble transformed herself into a giant scorpion the size of a lion. She grabbed Widow Groat with a massive claw and squeezed while she attacked Peggy Deadbells with her tail sting. Both crones fought back with their claws. Bramble squeezed harder and Widow Groat collapsed, dead.
Peggy Deadbells screamed and fell to the floor. The old crone begged for her life. She offered to provide information in exchange for being allowed to exit unharmed. Bramble resumed her humanoid form and agreed.
True to their agreement, Peggy Deadbells revealed three bits of information:
Bramble upheld the agreement and allowed Peggy Deadbells to go free. She reclaimed the stolen skeleton key and returned to the main room.
"We should probably rest before moving on." she said, exhausted.
The Hag Dolls
Strawbundle was a doll made of bound straw. Clay No-Face was a porcelain doll with a large head but no mouth, nose, or eyes. Mister Jojo was the head, arms, and upper torso of a macaque monkey strapped to a unicycle wheel. Strawbundle spoke telepathically, warning the others that the hags, the "Sewn Sisters", would return soon and that they were in danger!
Argent donned his old armor and fastened his weapons while the others prepared for a fight. A minute passed with no apparent threat so the party decided to explore the rest of the room.
Apparently studied the room and opened her senses to detect the presence of the anti-life energy known as necros. She staggered backwards. An overwhelming source of necros was located behind the giant iron door on the far wall.
Zeynap put the lid back on the cauldron and the green mist began to settle. The party could now see a large iron door on the far wall. The door was made of iron and was decorated with the skeletons of young children. Across the door was a bar with five circles. Each circle contained a flat metal shape - a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, and an octagon. There were no visible keyholes.
Two elevated walkways, one on either side of the room, led to five doors. Each door was decorated with a shape similar to those on the door. Zeynap used a magic power to peer behind each door. Behind the door with a triangle was a tall cylinder. Behind the door with a square were flying pieces of paper. Behind the door with the pentagram was a long corridor that opened into a room that was beyond his range. Behind the door with the hexagon was a shelf and a mirror. On the wall was scrawled the words "PIGGY PIGGY PIGGY". Behind the door with the octagon was a small book on a lectern.
The party concluded that they had to solve each of the side rooms before opening the iron door. They prepared to leave.
Strawbundle objected and asked they not be left alone. Apparently put her hands on her knees and quietly asked Strawbundle, "Do- do you want us to put you out of your misery?"
"What? No! What kind of monster are you? No! I meant take us with you!"
Argent gathered up Strawbundle in his arms and shot Apparently a dirty look, "What's wrong with you?"
Apparently held up her hands, "What? Sorry! I- I just thought- Of course we'll take you!"
Argent placed Strawbundle on Apparently's back. Strawbundle gave her a hug, "Its okay. I forgive you." Strawbundle transferred to Apparently her magic power allowing Apparently to enter the ethereal plane.
Argent picked up Mister Jojo. He acquired the magic power to understand all languages that were not codes or ciphers.
Zeynap took Clay No-Face and found he was no longer hungry or thirsty.
Xoc-Wik took position on the opposite walkway and Bramble placed herself in the center of the large room. Apparently, Argent, and Zeynap opened the door with the triangle.
Trial of the Triangle
They found a small room. At the back of the room was a glass cylinder that reached from the floor to the ceiling. An iron lever was located on the floor within the cylinder. The only hole in the cylinder was a small one-inch hole near the top of the cylinder. No one could fit their arm in the hole or otherwise reach the lever. They called in Vythi-Zorai who used her telekinesis to pull the lever. Out in the main room, the metal covering on the triangle moved aside revealing a key-hole large enough for the skeleton key.
DM Note-
Technically she used Mage Hand. I just read that Mage Hand wouldn't work, only Telekinesis. Oh well. The players probably deserved this break given how much I accidentally screwed them over later on.
Trial of the Square
Apparently, Zeynap, and Argent crossed to the other side of the large room to the door marked with a square. Within was a small room filled with swirling pages from a book. Zeynap plucked one of the pages from mid-air. The page contained a wizard's spell. Zeynap shrugged, "Useless" and let the page go. They saw a lever on the far wall carved from bone. The lever was translucent and any hand that tried to touch it simply passed right through it. Apparently used Strawbundle's power to become ethereal. She walked through the flying papers and pulled the lever.
Bramble reported that the square slid aside and revealed a keyhole.
The Hags
Apparently, still on the Ethereal plane and still invisible and incorporeal to the rest of the party, moved out into the main room. She saw the three hags, two by the iron door and one standing nearby!
Apparently returned to the material plane and warned the others. She then re-entered the Ethereal plane, only to be attacked by one of the hags! The pair fought but Apparently was no match for the Widow Groat! Apparently escaped to the material plane so that she could be healed. The party prepared for battle but no hags made their presence known.
"They're watching us. They're waiting- for something" said Argent.
Trial of the Pentagon
The party decided to continue. They opened the door marked with a pentagon. Beyond was a corridor that led to a room. The smell of delicious food poured out to greet them.
Argent and Zeynap entered the room to find a dining hall with tables set with delicious boar, squash stew, iced cakes, and frothy beer! The gaunt butler Mister Threadneedle welcomed them and offered to serve each of them.
Argent, having been starved for days, drew up a seat and dove in, eating and drinking each thing offered him. Zeynap, however, politely refused. Zeynap instead explored the room. He examined the five hanging tapestries in the back of the room. As he looked back and forth, he noticed that when all five tapestries lined up in a certain way, it created the appearance of a green devil face. The black open mouth seemed to hover in front of him. He winced and held out his hand and reached into the mouth, expecting it to disintegrate. Instead he found a smooth lever. He pulled it.
Bramble announced that the pentagon was now a keyhole.
Argent, having eaten his fill, thanked Mister Threadneedle. The butler bowed politely. They pair left the room. As they did so, Zeynap was stricken with debilitating stomach cramps. Argent helped his friend outside.
Trial of the Hexagon
Zeynap, Apparently, and Argent entered the room marked by a hexagon. Within was a dark room. On the far wall was a wide shelf placed high enough that someone had to reach up to remove any of the five candles placed upon it. A six-sided mirror was attached to the wall below the shelf. The words "PIGGY PIGGY PIGGY" were scrawled in blood on the wall next to the mirror.
Apparently inspected the shelf, levitating slightly to get a better look. She found a sixth candle, hidden in the back and not visible to anyone standing on the floor. She lit all six candles and said "Piggy piggy piggy". She looked into the mirror and saw the reflection of a wooden lever on the wall to her right. She turned to look but saw no lever. She searched the wall but it was bare.
The lever was too far away to reach while looking into the mirror. Directing Argent and Zeynap proved useless, they found only bare wall. The trio were about to give up when Apparently remembered Vythi-Zorai. They called for the strange alien being. She looked into the mirror and used her telekinesis to move the lever.
Bramble reported that the hexagon was now a keyhole.
Trial of the Octagon
Zeynap, Apparently, and Argent once more crossed the main room to the door marked with an octagon. Within was a small room with a lectern on the far wall. Atop the lectern was a small booklet with only eight pages.
Zeynap looked at the book but could not read it. He called to Argent, "Hey, can't you read all languages now?"
Argent took a look at the book. He read it silently.
DM Note-
I wrote the lines of the book on a sheet of paper and gave it to Argent's player. As he read it silently, I thought, "Ha, he's reading it quietly first. He'll figure this out out!"
When he was done, he turned to the others, "Okay, Ready?"
DM Note-
Oh! Is he going to read it out loud? Here we go!
He read the book out loud.
Page 1: Backward, backward, eight to one.
Page 2: Speak the rhyme until it’s done.
Page 3: Keep the spider locked away.
Page 4: See the lever, clear as day.
Page 5: Spin, spin, iron spider.
Page 6: Turn their flesh and bones to cider.
Page 7: Speak the rhyme and meet your fate.
Page 8: Forward, forward, one to eight.
DM Note-
He read it forward! Oh man! I can't believe he actually read it forward!
The world turned upside down! Argent, Zeynap, and Apparently fell towards the ceiling! They crashed into the ceiling, shattering its thin brittle facade and fell into the large whirling death trap in the shape of a spider - each of the spider's legs a whirling razor-sharp blade of death!
They screamed as the spinning blades ripped into their flesh!
DM Note-
8d10 damage! Yikes!
Apparently grabbed Argent and levitated, taking her down and away from the blades!
Zeynap cast a spell of teleportation - and disappeared entirely!
Apparently and Argent managed to escape the room. After a minute, the blades stopped rotating and bits of broken plaster fell to the floor, indicating a return of normal gravity. They re-entered the room and looked around. They found a brass lever hidden within the lectern and pulled it.
Bramble announced that all five shapes now revealed keyholes.
Zeynap was missing.
The Oubliette
Zeynap was in a dark place that reeked of decaying flesh. He conjured a spell of illumination and nearly fainted from what he saw!
Zeynap was in a small room with a tall ceiling. The room was filled with dead bodies in various stages of decomposition. Indeed, Zeynap had no way of knowing how deep the bodies were piled or even if there was floor at all.
On the wall to his right was carved a massive green devil face with an gaping mouth. The mouth was large enough for two grown men to crawl inside.
Sitting on top of the bodies in the opposite corner was Chaad the grey Slaad, whom the party had encountered guarding Nangnang's tomb. The grey-skinned frog-thing was picking his shark-like teeth with a splinter of bone, "Hey baby! I knew you'd be back!"
DM Note-
Yay! Chaad the Slaad! He's always fun to roleplay and he's a favorite with the players. I wish I could recount the entire interaction between Zeynap and Chaad, but this post is already going to be long enough. Needless to say, Chaad was his usual obnoxious and offensive and hilarious self.
Suddenly, a thought popped into Zeynap's head, "Zeynap! This is Xoc-Wik. Are you still alive?"
Zeynap confirmed his status and admitted that he had no idea where he was. Xoc-Wik said the rest of the team would wait for him to escape and catch up, if he could.
Zeynap convinced Chaad to help him find a way out. Zeynap examined the devil face. He found levers hidden inside the nostrils. He asked Chaad to pull the lever inside the left nostril. Chaad did so and a black void appeared in the mouth of the devil face. The rotting meat piled within the room began draining into the mouth. Chaad was immediately drawn in and disappeared. Zeynap was able to grab hold of the wall.
As the bodies continued to fall away into the black void, Zeynap heard a voice. It was the golden skull, "Oh! Nice going, idiot! Now you're going to die in here alone!" Zeynap had a thought. He grabbed the cursed skull and threw it into the darkness. The skull protested, "What? Hey! You can't-" The voice was cut off as the skull disappeared into the void.
After a minute the void disappeared and the room was empty save a few remaining body parts and bones on the far side of the room.
DM Note-
I skipped the otyugh encounter because I wanted Zeynap to rejoin the rest of the party. Also, I was tired of forgetting about the skull. I actually thought of throwing the skull into the sphere of annihilation long after the fact and allowed Zeynap's player to retcon that part later on.
Zeynap then swallowed and took a deep breath before pulling the lever within the right nostril. The eyes on the devil's face began to glow bright red.
Zeynap disappeared, again.
There and Back Again
Zeynap stood in front of another green devil face, its mouth a black void. Small shafts of sunlight filtered through cracks in the ceiling. The walls were covered in vines and roots. He had been teleported all the way back to the entrance of the tomb!
"Xoc-Wik, are you still there?"
The jaguar-man replied that he was still listening. Zeynap told Xoc-Wik that he had escaped the oubliette and knew where he was. It was going to take about an hour to get back. Xoc-Wik acknowledged and told him to move away from the green devil face - within which a shadow demon resided.
Zeynap moved to the nearby floor grate, removed it, and dropped down into the stream below. He followed the stream until it emptied into the grotto of the hydra. Cave lizards were scavenging the remains of the butchered hydra carcass. Zeynap continued on. He carefully descended the shaft of the waterfall into the subterranean lake.
The warlock hugged the wall of the lake. He hoped that, should he meet the large fish monster that dwelled within the lake, that he would meet the monster's friendly personality and not its evil alter-ego.
DM Comment-
I rolled randomly.
He turned around to look at the cogs in the middle of the lake but was startled to see an eleven year old girl with dark wet hair. She was holding a red ball and standing on top of the water.
"Hi, would you like to play ball with me?"
"Uh, sure? What's your name, little girl?" Zeynap cautiously inquired.
"Ringu, silly!"
Zeynap breathed a sigh of relief. Zeynap asked the ghostly image of Ringu if they could play ball on top of the cog in the lake. The girl agreed. Zeynap asked if she could help him up. A moment later, tentacles from the giant fish monster at the bottom of the lake rose up and lifted Zeynap to the roof of the cog. Zeynap then played ball for a moment with Ringu. The little girl was happy for the company.
While Zeynap played ball, Xoc-Wik and Apparently made their way from the large room, back up the stairs, past the hall of destruction, across the giant chain, past the armillary sphere, through the secret tunnel, and into the control room. Apparently stayed in the secret tunnel while Xoc-Wik manipulated the controls to rotate the cogs.
The cogs started rotating and Zeynap bade his farewell to the spirit of the little girl. She smiled and waved. The rotation of the cogs momentarily opened the entrance to the control room to the lake grotto. Zeynap made it back into the control room and was reunited with Xoc-Wik. Xoc-Wik then notified Apparently who was able to open the exit to the secret tunnel, which could only be opened from her side. The trio made it back to the rest of the party.
DM Comment-
WHEW! That took forever and was way more complicated than even what I wrote above. The group kept falling into analysis paralysis, unable to make a decision or even agree on the right course of action. I have to admit, I was starting to get a little frustrated at them because they kept trying to plan Zeynap's route ten steps ahead, and all I wanted to know was their next immediate action.
For example, the group was debating and arguing for ten minutes about how to help Zeynap. In an effort to get things moving and maybe help the group visualize what was happening step-by-step instead of all at once, I stepped in and told Xoc-Wik's player, "Okay, forget them for a minute. I need to know what Xoc-Wik is doing, right now."
Xoc-Wik's player would then look at the other players and say, "Okay, what are we doing?"
I interrupted again, "I said forget them, what are YOU doing?"
Xoc-Wik's player got annoyed with me, "Right, got it. Okay." He paused to think, then he looked at the other players again, "Okay, what are we doing?" This made me MORE annoyed! I had to take a short break to keep from getting angry.
The Sewn Sisters
Bramble, Orvex, Argent, and Vythi-Zorai had been sitting around the room with the vaulted ceiling waiting for the others to return. They had examined the gruesome contents of the cubpoard and the cauldron. The green mist was now gone. There had been no sign of the Sewn Sisters.
Apparently, Xoc-Wik, and Zeynap descended the stairs and entered the room, "Okay, Zeynap's back. We have all five keys!"
Baggy Nana appeared from nowhere atop the raised walkway. Peggy Deadbells and Widow Groat appeared next to the skeleton gate. Baggy Nana and Peggy Deadbells hurled spells of paralysis at the trio as they entered the room. Zeynap was able to resist the effects of the spells but Apparently was held frozen in place! Widow Groat sent a magical bolt of lightning into Orvex, Argent, and Bramble.
Zeynap ran across the room and tried to climb the wall to the walkway but couldn't reach. Xoc-Wik stepped into the room and loosed a tangle-arrow at Baggy Nana. The arrow exploded, covering her with thorny vines that dug into the ground. Xoc-Wik immediately followed with three more magically-charged arrows. Baggy Nana fell beneath the onslaught of arrows.
Bramble transformed herself into a massive mace-tailed saurian, blocking the two remaining Sewn Sisters by the skeleton gate. Argent and Orvex moved in to prevent Peggy Deadbells from escaping. Argent quickly discovered that he had difficulty raising his weapons against the hags. He quickly realized that the food he ate earlier must have been cursed somehow!
Widow Groat became ethereal and disappeared. Peggy Deadbells likewise became invisible.
A moment later, Widow Groat reappeared next to Apparently - who was still paralyzed at the entrance to the room. Widow Groat rifled through Apparently's belongings and removed her skeleton key, "Sister! I have it!" Widow Groat disappeared again.
Peggy Deadbells reappeared next to Orvex, attacking him with her claws.
Apparently finally shook off her paralysis. She quickly used Strawbundle's charm and became ethereal. She saw Widow Groat standing in the middle of the room. Apparently closed and engaged with the old crone. Widow Groat fought back with her claws. Apparently screamed and fell to the floor, clutching her wound. Strawbundle jumped off Apparently and both returned to the physical world.
Bramble resumed humanoid form and rushed to assist Apparently. Zeynap cast a healing spell on Apparently while Bramble took up Strawbundle. Both hags had now retreated to the Ethereal Plane and without Apparently's skeleton key, they could never open the skeleton gate.
Bramble entered the Ethereal plane and transformed into a giant ape. She didn't see the hags anywhere in the room. She heard cackling laughter in the banquet hall. The corridor that led to the banquet hall was too narrow for Bramble's giant ape form, so she returned to humanoid shape, ran up the stair and down the corridor, and confronted the hags as they celebrated their perceived victory.
Bramble transformed herself into a giant scorpion the size of a lion. She grabbed Widow Groat with a massive claw and squeezed while she attacked Peggy Deadbells with her tail sting. Both crones fought back with their claws. Bramble squeezed harder and Widow Groat collapsed, dead.
Peggy Deadbells screamed and fell to the floor. The old crone begged for her life. She offered to provide information in exchange for being allowed to exit unharmed. Bramble resumed her humanoid form and agreed.
True to their agreement, Peggy Deadbells revealed three bits of information:
- “Hidden on this level of the dungeon is a library of lost lore, guarded by an arcanaloth whose true name is Ygga Raxyg.”
- “The easiest way to leave the dungeon is the ebon pool. Charred bones point the way.”
- “The Red Trail leads to death.”
Bramble upheld the agreement and allowed Peggy Deadbells to go free. She reclaimed the stolen skeleton key and returned to the main room.
"We should probably rest before moving on." she said, exhausted.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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