Session 83

General Summary

• The party decided to have someone wear The Mask of the Wasted Breath to prove that they are protected against "deadly oxygen fluctuations", the last of the criteria that they needed in order to see the "Head of Heads". Marvin volunteered.
• While Marvin attuned to that, Dazki cobbled together some balloons filled with oxygen, to get the rest of them through the door as well (and to provide actual protection, in an emergency). He was able to create four of them with the materials in the Garbage room.
• This was enough to convince the Head Assistant to the Head of Heads to let them pass, though the Head Assistant did not seem confident that it would actually be enough.
• The Head of Heads was a Beholder, attached to the other Heads throughout this office.
• There was another door on the other side, with "all the good stuff" behind it.
• The Beholder wasn't convinced by the flimsy justifications that the party made up in order to see him, but he also didn't seem to care much. He asked to be cut free from the other Heads so that he could do what he wanted.
• Dwardazik did so, and the Beholder let them pass through his door, which was unlocked, that led deeper into Vicra's lair.
• The next room was the Halls of Reconstruction, where Vicra performed his "art".
• The party was attacked by a group of ghost-like creatures that gave the party their painful memories of what had happened in this room.
• One of these was Margaret "Magpie" Rookfeather-Lammergeyer. When she was defeated, her other remaining ally fled, but she did not dissipate like the others did.
• Margaret refused to help the party move against Vicra, claiming that she owed him her loyalty because of what he did and sacrificed for her. She still hopes that he might be able to go back to being the man he was before.
• Margaret was yanked away during that conversation, and the party gave chase after her, ignoring the rooms labeled "Stasis and Recovery" and "Ventilation" to go through "Laboratory and Rehabilitation Chamber".
• The next room had an unusual creature, three slates that had been written on with chalk before being erased, and a large purple orb. The party spent just enough time here to see that there were no obvious clues to where Margaret went, and then they proceeded further, triggering an alarm that activated the "metabolic cleansing procedures".

Full Recap

The party has hit a little bit of a dead end through the construction site. They decide to re-evaluate what they still need in order to speak with the "Head of Heads"; all that they need to figure out, at this point, is how to prove that they are "fully protected from deadly oxygen fluctuations", as it was put to them.

Dazki: So, do we go ask the heads to see if they know of a way?   Marvin: Something tells me they're busy.   Dwardazik: Well, these damn things won't listen to me to remove this rubble, so what now? We could certainly see the Head of Heads, but we would need to figure out a way to get past his requirements.   Marvin: You sure? He turns to address a masterpiece. Hey, you, you're a cool guy, right?   The masterpiece just continues building the altar.   Marvin: We'd really appreciate if you could clear that rubble over there, as soon as possible!   The masterpiece just continues building the altar.

Dwardazik investigates the altar. It's solid stone and metal, and there doesn't seem to be a way into it. It's not very tall, only rising a couple of feet off the ground.

Dazki: The way I see it, we have a few choices. We could go back to the "Garbage" room to see if there's something we can find there that would help. There's the one room that we chose not to look into; we could search down there and see if there's something. Or we can ask the Heads. Or, I guess, last option, someone can put on The Mask of the Wasted Breath and see the Head of Heads?   Marvin: You mean... THE mask?   Dazki: Yeah. And have it taken off the next day, or something.   Marvin: I thought you couldn't take the mask off?   Grogery: You need to have the curse removed, which I should be able to do.   Dazki: If we're all alive, it gets removed. If we're all dead, it doesn't matter anyway. If no one else wants to, then I will.   Grogery: We could check out Recycling.   Dazki: OK, I guess, back to Recycling.   Dwardazik: Are you sure that's really what we want to do?   Dazki: Well, we need to see the Head of Heads so we can figure out how to get access to where the Doctor is or will be.   Dwardazik: But how do we even get to the Doctor? If he's past here, then, well, it's blocked.   Dazki: We don't know that that's where he is, but the Head of Heads will. I guess, that's what we're assuming. I can't imagine he's through Recycling, so I imagine that he's probably through the office of the Head of Heads.   Dwardazik: Let's take a look.   Dazki: And if no one else wants the mask, I'll need a couple of hours because I'll need to de-attune from something to attune to that.

They discuss a bit about how the mask works, coming to the conclusion that it will protect the wearer from suffocating.

Dazki: It sounds like Marvin is volunteering to put it on?   Marvin: Yeah.   Dwardazik: Before we put it on, maybe we should go away from here? Especially the Rumor one?   Dazki: And we can still look through other things. I have a feeling that multiple of us will need to have protection from that, if at all possible.   Marvin: Hopefully I can find something on the other end that can help you guys get through.

The party returns to the Garbage room to spend the short rest needed for Marvin to attune to the mask. During this time, Dazki searches the ledger for any helpful items. He first looks specifically for Bottled Breath, but when he fails to find that, he scrounges together some balloons that he fills with oxygen that might help in case of an emergency.

Dwardazik: Hey, Dazki, what are you doin' with those balloons?   Dazki: Well, if there's going to be any fluctuations in air, these balloons might be able to at least give us a short breath.   Grogery: We have Gust of Wind from the potion man?   Dazki: That doesn't help us breathe, it just blows stuff away. But it could disperse vapors, so that's a possibility too.

The short rest completed, Dwardazik checks in on Marvin:

Dwardazik: Hey Marvin, you got that thing attached yet?   Marvin: Can you still hear me?   Grogery: We can still hear you.   Dwardazik: You sound pretty muffled, though.   Marvin: It's not comfortable, I'll say that.   Dazki: Hopefully it'll be on and off, quicker than you know!   Dwardazik: All right. All our eggs into your basket. Let's do it!   Marvin: I didn't know we were makin' omelettes today!   Dazki: You'll have to ask Kesmet, he's the one who's good at cooking.   Kesmet: Baking.

Up Ahead: The Head Head

The party returns down the tunnel and addresses the Head Assistant to the Head of Heads.

Marvin: We're ready to see the Head of Heads now.   Assistant: In order to see the Head of Heads, there are four requirements that you must fulfill. Can you fulfill these four requirements for me now, please?   Marvin: Could you repeat them, just to be sure?

It does. Dazki produces the paperwork that he had filled out earlier.

Assistant: This paperwork seems sufficient. Do you fulfill the other three criteria?   Marvin: Yes. We were invited here by Vicra Lammergeyer. We have to speak to the Head of Heads about our business with Vicra.   Assistant: This is not the meeting location for Doctor Vicra Lammergeyer. This is the location for meeting with the Head of Heads.   Marvin: Right, we need to talk with the Head of Heads about our business with Vicra.   Assistant: And what is your business with Vicra, in relation to your identification?   Dazki: We have information regarding the construction of the altar and the tunnels that are being dug out just north of here, as well as reports of a person who just recently resigned. That is why we need to see the Head of Heads, being safety inspectors, the HR manager, welder, and the tunnel structural support engineer. It's all related to the construction zone.   Kesmet: Yeah, I gotta get a hot work permit. Two doors up there have been damaged, we need to get an iron one in there and weld it in place.   Dwardazik: I have information to report regarding the unsafe installation of a door, and now the removal of said door and the installation of a new door.   Kesmet: Also, don't forget that blocked-off tunnel. That's super dangerous. Gonna need the safety guy in there. Maybe two of 'em!   Marvin: Does that sound reasonable, Head Assistant to the Head of Heads?   Assistant: This does seem sufficient. I am correct in assuming that you are metabolic individuals?   Dazki: Yes.   Kesmet: We do sometimes eat meatballs, yes.   Marvin: Goddamnit, Kesmet.   Marvin: We have taken measures to make sure we'll be fine in the area beyond.   Assistant, addressing Marvin directly: How are your other four protected in case of a metabolic cleansing procedure?   Marvin: They have breathing apparatuses to protect them from harmful vapors and other non-metabolic situations.   Assistant: And you vouch for the efficacy of these devices?   Marvin: Yes, I saw my associate here craft them personally.   Assistant: Well, everything seems all fine and good, then, right? Yeah, I don't see any problems! With any of this! For some reason! Eyeroll.

Insight check: the Head Assistant is incredibly skeptical, but it's also not really his job to stop the tragedy that might befall the party. It just doesn't want to get blamed for the mess that's going to happen later. Marvin leads the way into the room.

In the Eyes of the Beholder

OK, no, that's too easy. Too obvious. WotC probably gave it this name, and/or all the eyes, specifically because of the obvious pun about "eye" and "beholder". We're better than that. Above low-hanging fruit given to us on a silver platter. We are pun artists, and we don't need charity from multimillion-dollar corporations! OK, let's see, we made a Max Headroom reference last time, so we can't just... wait a second...

"Maximum Head" Room

As Marvin enters the room, his heart practically skips a beat. He is startled by the sight of a Beholder, sitting in front of an ornate desk. This fear is allayed, somewhat, by the presence of many fleshy cords that protrude from its back, disappearing into portholes of the sort that the other heads would often pop into and out of, which "probably tethers it into place, probably".   Marvin motions the others into the room.

Marvin: Is this the Head of Heads?   Head²: I am the Head of Heads. What purpose do you have here in my office, strange trespassers?   Marvin: ...we were permitted in! We had the paperwork!   Dwardazik: I've got some reports about the construction site, over by the altar. Some doors were replaced, because they were structurally unsafe, and the tunnels weren't safe. I had the masterpieces go ahead and swap out a heavy door for a lighter door, now it's structurally much better.   Head²: We both know you have no interest in the safety or construction of this... shaft... that we find ourselves in.   Marvin: Well, you don't want it collapsing in on yourself, do you?   Head²: What is the real reason why you are down here?   Marvin: We were invited by "a certain someone" to come here. I was told I could be "fixed".   Head²: "Fixed"?   Marvin: That's right.   Head²: And you're wandering down here in the employees area.   Marvin: We figured we'd go right to, you know, the big boss. You're the big boss.   Head²: I am the big boss.   Marvin: So, from what I understand, your employer is not yet "up". Is that correct?   Head²: I don't know what he does, but we usually won't see him for another... half-day? Day?   Marvin: And when he does, where can we go to see him? Beyond this other door here?   Head²: Oh, all the good stuff is behind my door, yes.   Marvin: "Good stuff"? Are you holdin' out on us???   Head²: All the cool things! Right behind that door!

Insight check: it's interesting that you say that this Beholder is "employed" by a boss. He doesn't have an emotional connection either way to the Doctor, and yet, for some reason, he's still working down here. So he could give two shits about you going through his door, except that it's his job to watch this door.

Dazki, approaching the desk: Here's my suggestion, then. How would you like a promotion?   Head²: What do you mean, "a promotion"?   Dazki: You work for the Doctor, right?   Head²: I like to think we are co-conspirators in this situation that we jointly find ourselves in.   Dazki: How would you like to be a mono-conspirator?   Dwardazik: That can be arranged.   Head²: What do you mean, "mono-conspirator"?   Dazki: I mean, how would you like to be the one in charge, all by yourself? Not having to consult with Mr. Lammergeyer?   Marvin: Let's be real, this mask I'm wearing wasn't taken from Vicra willingly.   Head²: Well, hmm. And then I could run the office how I want to run the office.   Dazki: You would have complete ability to run the office, as your heart seems fit.   Head²: As much as I would like this to happen, there's a bit of an issue here.   Dazki: We're troubleshooters, we can help with that issue too.   Dwardazik: Nothing a form can't solve!   Head²: No doubt, you've seen the other Heads about?   Dwardazik: Couldn't miss 'em.   Head²: Smaller, inferior, half-baked.   Dazki: What about them?   Head²: Difficult for me to explain, but... I may also be the head of a greater entity.   Kesmet: Literally speaking, or figuratively?   Head²: Like, if a person lost a finger, and you put someone else's finger on there, that person still has five fingers. One of those fingers might want to be the boss of all the other fingers, but they can't.   Kesmet: My question stands. Do you have, like, a giant neck or something?   Dwardazik: Wait, are there nine more Beholders in here?!   Head²: ... ... ... I'm going to ask that the dumber members of the party stay quiet for now.   Dazki: I believe that what he's saying is that those other intelligent creatures are attached where certain — forgive me if this terminology is rude — "eyestalks" used to be? Is that a correct assumption?   Head²: Close. Obviously, even a Beholder as great as myself couldn't have had that many eyestalks. But the other Heads need a direct connection to a superior brain.   Dazki: So there are others similar to yourself?   Head²: No, I am the best and biggest one.   Marvin: We did establish this.   Dazki: There are other smaller, inferior ones that have ambition you would like to curtail?   Kesmet: Opportunities you may not wish for them to have?   Head²: I would like all the stupider ones to be removed from me so I can go do what I want.   Dwardazik: Let us through that door, and you can do what you're going to do.   Head²: Why don't you use that pretty little axe of yours and free me from this wall? Sure, the bureaucracy might slump a bit without a superior brain trying to detangle all this terrible coating.   Grogery: The mark of a strong bureaucracy is that it will largely run on its own, without anyone to direct it. It won't ever improve — that's why you need someone in charge — but if this isn't your place to be, then it's not your place to be.   Dazki: Do we have your promise that you'll let us in there and you'll leave us be, after we remove you from the other Heads?   Head²: I could slay you now, and you don't go through the door, or you could just trust that I'll do the right thing.   Dazki: You make a very good point.   Dwardazik: I don't really care, as long as we can go through the door. If we don't have to fight you, I think that's a plus.   Head²: Then unleash me onto this world. Do it!   Dwardazik: What do you guys think? I say it doesn't really matter, let's free him and just keep going.   Kesmet: I'm unsure about this guy. Seemed a bit unnecessarily hostile.   Dwardazik: Seems pretty reasonable to me.   Marvin: Wouldn't you be, as well, if you were chained up in here?   Grogery: This is obviously a toxic workplace. Who wouldn't be hostile, having to work here every day? We witnessed someone quit on the spot. That's not something you do when morale is good.   Kesmet: I dunno, the way he said "unleash me on this world" was kinda weird.   Dazki: Not to mention, we've tried to do the same thing for Morn'Tharur. This is very much identical to that situation.   Dwardazik: I say we just release him.   Kesmet: The difference is, we know Morn'Tharur! We kinda like him! I don't know this guy.   Dazki: So, people we don't know and don't like, they don't deserve their freedom?   Kesmet: Correct. Wait... no, yeah, that's correct.   Dwardazik: My vote is, let's free 'im. Then, you let us go through the door, and as a nice tidbit, you give us any information about your co-employer. Sound like a deal?   Head²: Or... you know the other option, right?   Dazki: We don't want the other option.   Dwardazik: Yeah, but that would be inconvenient for everyone involved.   Marvin: Yeah, think about how much more paperwork it would be!   Head²: I still feel like I could go about my day, really caring hardly any, if you guys were to just fall down, right here, dead.   Dwardazik: Think of it more like an exit report. You're free to do what you want, and you're just giving a summary of your work experience, as kind-of like, "I'm done with this"!   Head²: No, I don't think I will. I think you should release me, and then I can let you go through the door. Or, you could leave. Or, the third one — and, once again, all pretty much equal to me — I slay you all with my superior powers, and I just have someone else clean up the mess.   Dazki: So, let's say we let you go. That's my vote, what I think would be the best option for everybody.   Dwardazik: Eh. Fine. Just don't turn on us.   Head²: I don't think you understand just how little I care whether you are alive or dead. It's so small. It's so, infinitesimally small.   Dazki, to the party: If this gentleman wanted to be hostile with us, I'm sure he would have already.   Dwardazik: Oh, let's be done with it already!

Dwardazik walks over and uses his axe to chop off the fleshy bits that tether the Beholder.

Dazki, whispering just to Grogery: Hey, Grogery, maybe you should see if you can bandage those up a little bit?   Grogery, whispering back: Oh yes, absolutely!

Grogery offers to bandage up the Beholder's wounds. He accepts, nonchalantly, again as if he really doesn't pay much mind to this entire experience.

Dwardazik: Well, that's it. That's the last one, done. You're free.   Head²: OK. You can go through the door, then.   Dwardazik: All right. Let's go.

The door, though not locked, is labeled: "The Halls of Reconstruction". The surgery suite.

Kesmet: This layout makes no sense. Why is this down here?!   Grogery: Defense.   Dazki: Well, it's in the doctor's office. You wouldn't do surgery in an art gallery, would you?   Kesmet: But so close to the trash bin?!   Dwardazik: What do you think happens when you fail the surgery?   Kesmet: ...that's so morbid.

Where the REAL Magic Happens

Through the hallway, all you hear is a quiet hum. It smells of evaporating alcohols.

Dwardazik: Hey, Grogery, can I see the ring real fast?   Grogery: For what reason?   Dwardazik: I have a suspicion about what that Beholder was doing, I want to confirm it with Baxton.   Grogery: Dazki, can I give —   Dazki: Yep, go ahead.   Grogery: All right, here you go.

  This chamber is dominated by three large altars of stone and metal, atop of which is a flat table. Quicksilver runic carvings on top of a granite slab, in the middle of each of these altars. Hard to see specifically what is happening in each one, because there seems to be a shimmering, mirage-like bubble effect around it. Those familiar with spellcasting or arcana suspect that it is a protective magical shield. There is one ragman scrubbing one of the granite slabs, inside of one of the bubbles. This whole room has a warm light and a constant low humming noise.

Dwardazik: We should be careful in this room. These look very similar to the other altar, why does there need to be more than one?   Marvin: Redundancy?   Grogery: Does he want to be able to work on multiple people at once?   Dwardazik: Or they're backups for himself.   Kesmet: I say we blow this place up.   Dazki: I kind-of agree... on the way out, at least. Let's take a look at these altars first and see what we can figure out.

Dazki and Grogery investigate.   The bubbles are definitely abjuration, similar to a Private Sanctum. The nearby altar has already been cleaned. This is where the doctor would perform his "art". And it is certainly more "art" than surgery, unlike what the cultists do. Yet, still, there are methods to affix a person to the central table, and there is still a spot to place tools, if one were to be working in this area. The runic symbols show anatomy, but are also fractalesque like the basin that Baxton had used to grow his simulacra. These symbols are profane.

Dazki: This is definitely where Vicra performs his """art""". Wherever he is, he's going to be close.   Dwardazik: Well, there are a few pathways. Which way should we investigate?   Dazki: Which way feels lucky?

Apparating next to Marvin, starting first as a grayish-purple smoke, then with wails and cries for help, is a terribly distorted ghostly figure. It is aggressive towards Marvin. Other apparitions also appear at the same time.

Combat Summary

• Despite all of the ghosts looking identical (or, at least, indistinguishable from one another), there was a "main" one that could use legendary actions: one action could force one individual to move immediately, another action gave Haste to an ally, and a third caused it to target an ally and split the damage that the ally would take.
• Their go-to attack of choice was Suffering Echoes, which would cause their target (and, to a lesser extent, others nearby) to relive painful memories that they swear was their own, but which actually belonged to the person who that ghost used to be.
• You're startled awake. It's dark; you can't see; where are you? Panicked, you try to sit up, from cold stone. You hear the sound first, before you feel it: a snap and a rip.   You get suddenly light-headed, as something thrusts you back to the stone, now warm from your blood.
• Suddenly, you can no longer hear your screams. You were screaming with air, and you still feel like you are screaming, but a searing hot pain shoots through the side of your head. Reflexively, you thrust hard against your bindings, the sudden actions sending waves of lightning-hot pain through your nerves as you begin to seize violently.
• Why can't you feel your legs?! Why can't you scream for help?! Oh God, it hurts so much! The coldness! The coldness within you, it may eat you alive! It may eat you alive, and no one will ever even know what happened!
• The memory from the "main" ghost is quite different from the memories of all the rest:
• You know it's technically not true, but as you heave desperately for any breath, it feels as though your chest is full of sharp, rattling gravel instead of air. This is it; the long struggle for survival is finally going to be ripped from you.   Your fear, your agony, the crippling fatigue, are all slightly relieved, briefly, through a familiar warm palm, coming to rest on your lower breastbone. A voice, which you associate with pleasant things: "If I could give my breath to you, I would".   A cold, hissing, otherworldly, deep echoing voice from behind: "Oh, would you?"
• As the main ghost got more and more injured, it started to get faint wings. It retreated slightly, shouting "Go away! Leave us in peace! They only give you pain to relieve theirs. There's no reason to slay them! Slay me instead!".
• When Dazki made his final attack against the main ghost, it did not dissipate like the others had been doing. Rather, it solidified into the form of a lady, floating down onto her knees, and the other remaining ghost stopped being hostile towards the party, leaving through the floor.

Dwardazik: What the hell is this?! Isn't this a ghost?!   The rest of the party is mostly just chatting among themselves about healing up, while Grogery's Beacon of Hope is still active.   Dwardazik: Are we gonna talk about the ghost in the room??   Dazki: Margaret? Yeah, we should see what we can do about her.   Marvin: Why do we know that this is Margaret?   Dazki: Oh, you guys didn't see that with Grogery and me?   Grogery: Oh yeah, I think I was living through one of her memories. It was incredibly bizarre. He relays it to the rest of the party.   Dwardazik: So, this is the one whose memories we were experiencing? Is that what you're saying?   Grogery: One of them, I think.

Infodump, courtesy of Grogery: It's always a problem when ghosts form. Usually a tortured soul, or something that doesn't want to leave once it's gone. Some souls have gone through so much torment that they almost seem to meld into terrible memories of the tortures that they have gone through. They pass on their terrible memories to try to make themselves feel better, so that they do not have to keep reliving those painful memories over and over again.

Grogery: The real question is, why is she here?   Dwardazik: I dunno. Are you able to put her to rest? That's your thing, right?   Grogery: Usually, when you hurt a ghost, it gets weaker until it can't hold onto this plane anymore, and then it leaves. She became more solid. So I'm not 100% sure what's going on.   Dwardazik tries to poke her with his finger. It passes right through.   Dwardazik: Hmm. We've spoken to the dead before, right? Perhaps we can gather some information from this?   Dazki: We need a physical body to use those coins, if that's what you're referring to.   Dwardazik: No, not that, I'm just sayin', this ain't somethin' new for us. I'm just rollin' with the punches, now.   Kesmet: Are you going to ask if it's OK?   Dwardazik: Well, how do we wake up an unconscious ghost?   Grogery: Ghosts aren't supposed to be unconscious...   Kesmet: I dunno, pour holy water on her or something?   Dwardazik: Oh, yeah, if you want to kill her!   Kesmet: Just a little bit...   Dazki: Margaret, can you hear us?   Margaret slightly glances over, at the mention of her name.   Dazki: Margaret. We're here to stop Vicra. We're here to stop all of this. Can you help us?   Marvin: Yeah, I know I have his mask on and everything, but we're here to get him, all right?   Margaret: I won't help you.   Dazki: Why?   Margaret: He was always there for me, and I will always be there for him.   Dwardazik: You seem... you're not exactly in the best state. Are you aware of what you are right now? You're kind of like a... spirit. Not lookin' too great.   Margaret: It's no less painful than how life was. (is?)   Dazki: Have you seen what he's done? Is your life, is any life, worth all of that?   Dwardazik: Eh. Why even bother? She's just going to be another accomplice to Vicra, making her just as bad. He folds his arms.   Dazki: Because everyone deserves a second chance, Dwardazik.   Dwardazik, pointing at the ghost: I'm just saying you're a coward!   Margaret: He's just ill.   Marvin: Oh, he's sick, all right. But it's not a sickness that anyone can get better from.   Margaret: And I will be there for him.   Marvin: Will you be there for all of his victims, too?   Kesmet: As we all know, the best cure for everything is cauterization. So let us cure him!   Marvin: I like the way you're thinking, Kesmet.   Kesmet: My friend Grogery, here, will attest to this. Each and every time I've attempted to cauterize a wound, it has come out OK.   Dwardazik: I have to agree with Kesmet's plan.   Grogery: Vicra is attempting to cauterize a wound that's best left to heal on its own, dealing more damage in the process. He was always there for you, until that moment, I think you know what I'm talking about. But afterwards, after he made his deal with that thing, is he still here for you? Or has he become consumed with all of this?   Margaret: He's just ill. And if left alone, imagine what would fester?   Dwardazik: She's delusional.   Marvin: Yeah.   Margaret: I try to help the spirits here, while he is gone.   Dwardazik: Grogery, put this mourning ghost to rest or something. This is pitiful to watch.   Grogery: Let her talk, please.   Margaret: Why would I abandon him in his time of need? Clearly, this is the work of somebody ill.   Dazki: But has his illness lessened? Has he been granted any relief at all? Maybe sometimes the best relief is moving on. Don't you think it's time for the two of you to do that, together?   Margaret: He won't leave, and so I will stay with him. I don't think I have the choice, but even if I did, I think I would still stay.   Dazki: What if you could leave with him, together?   Margaret: I think he should remain here. Perhaps, when the illness has passed, he can undo his evil deeds.   Dazki: How long has it been? Do you know? Have you been able to count the years?   Margaret: Going in and out of life makes time a little... difficult.   Marvin: You know it's been over a hundred years, right?   Grogery: 231, last I checked.   Marvin: He doesn't want to get better.   Margaret: He does want better. I can feel it in there still. He's still in there!   Grogery: He's still in there, but what we want is to break that thing's hold on him, first and foremost. That thing is what we're here to get rid of. I have no quarrel with the man Vicra was before all of this happened, but he can't be allowed to keep doing that thing's work. It's hurting too many people. You've seen all of the people here who have suffered — think of all the people outside this place who have had to suffer and die just for this work to continue.   Margaret: I can't let you hurt the man he was. The man he could be later.   Dazki: We can never take away the man he was, but we can stop what he has turned into. That's what we're trying to do: to stop what he has become.   Margaret: I don't believe you.   Dazki: Why?   Margaret: You speak kind and noble, yes, but at the end of the day, you're going in there to kill a man.   Kesmet: Bitch, he's gone off his rocker! He's no longer a man! He's a thing!   Dazki: He is still a man, Kesmet. And yes, we are going in there to kill him.   Dwardazik: I'M going in there to kill a monster,   Dazki: We're going to kill a man who lost his way for love. We're not killing a monster. We're not killing a beast. We're not going to do anything like that. We're going to stop a man who lost his way. Yes. I don't deny that.   Kesmet: If we kill him, you guys can be reunited as ghosts!   Margaret: I don't know if I can full die. I am bound here... well... I'm not dead all of the time, you see.   Grogery: ...does he make you new bodies?   Margaret: He traded his life for mine, essentially. His breath, I breathe. And... he can't hold his breath forever. Not when he's dead.   Kesmet: Well, there you go! That problem fixes itself! We send him on his merry way to the afterlife, and you follow along with him! Because, you know, ...   Kesmet: ...reasons!   Margaret: If he dies, I will be a ghost forever.   Dwardazik: So, what's your thoughts here, Grogery?

Infodump, courtesy of Grogery: you're not sure what the heck is going on here. This "ghost" — and, we're going to call it a "ghost" for now — might not even be an undead at all. It's definitely a soul. As you think about it, you see, just barely, coming out of her back between the wings, is an ethereal gossamer chain that goes right through the back of the room into her, before disappearing through the wall, linking the spirit somewhere else to the north. This soul is destined to live on this plane. It almost reminds you of a lich's phylactery, the way that it might be bound.

Dwardazik: Do you think that maybe Vicra is using this soul in any malicious way?   Margaret: ...why would you think that?   Grogery: I don't think it's malice. Absolutely misguided. But there are ways to bind souls to objects, or things, or places, or people, in the mortal plane. It's terrible dark magic, but it seems her soul is bound to something — or someone — here.   Margaret: He may have made the deal, but his intentions were good. Noble, even.   Dazki: We're not denying that his intentions were noble. What we're saying is that maybe there comes a point where actions speak louder than intentions. And, yes, the two of you were ripped apart unfairly, unjustly. Absolutely. But he has ripped apart so many more people to try to fix that injustice. It's not fair to all of the others that are suffering, is it?   Margaret: It wouldn't be fair to abandon him. All of this has happened because of his love of me. And if we leave it unresolved, it's like all of this happened for nothing...   Dazki: Don't give into the sunk-cost fallacy. How much more suffering could happen? He may never discover a solution. He may never be able to do what he needs to do. And then people will go on suffering forever. Are you willing to risk that?   Dwardazik: Seems like she is to me.   Margaret: I will risk everything for love. And he would do the same for me.   Dwardazik: You know what, I'm going to take what I said back. Having this kind of conviction, for a singular purpose, that is pretty damn brave. Stupid, but brave.   Marvin: You can't be brave if you're not afraid of anything.   Margaret: ...no, wait!

Suddenly, Margaret is thrust northward through the wall.

Chasing Ghosts

Frantically, the party gives chase to the north, arriving at a dead end: this is the other side of that pile of rubble at the construction site. They quickly evaluate the other paths out of this room:

• Dwardazik looks west. A sign hanging on a chain says "Stasis and Recovery". There's definitely something moving around in there.
• Kesmet looks east. The door says it leads to "Ventilation".
• Dazki runs down to the south. That door says "Laboratory and Rehabilitation Chamber".

Marvin: "Laboratory and Rehabilitation Chamber", that sounds about right.   Dazki: Do we want to take a few seconds to look in "Stasis and Recovery"? I would say no.   Dwardazik: I agree.

Dazki investigates the door. Not finding any traps, he opens it, and the party rushes through to the next room.   This entire room is full of a calm light, another quiet hum, similar to the other. Surrounded by a complicated-looking magical aura, in the center of the room, is a terrible mutated creature that floats in space. It has extra arms. Like a centaur, but all of its legs are hands. It's floating there limp, its whole body slumped over, obviously unconscious. In the northwest part of this room, there are a couple of ragmen and an installment that seems similar to the Soul Beacon on the previous floor, except it's a massive purple glowing orb, swirling with blackish glitter and gray smoke. Dazki dashes to the orb to figure out what it is.   There's something interesting about — not the orb, "the orb is the classic, souls-of-the-dead river, hellish faces swirling about, an endless maelstrom of despair" — the pedestal holding the orb. It has a little black slate. There's residue of chalk on this slate, of a word or something that's been rubbed off of it since then. Looking further into the slate, there seems to be some slight magical sheen on the back: writing on the slate might do something.   Two more of this same type of slate are in this room: one by the terrible monstrosity, and another on the northeasternmost wall. All have been wiped clean of whatever they last said.

Dazki: They're all clean. We'll deal with it later. Come on, north we go. When we come back, we can see about things. If we come back.

As they enter the next hallway, an alarm starts blaring. A voice, coming out of seemingly nowhere, begins to speak:

WARNING. METABOLIC CLEANSING PROCEDURES ACTIVATED. PERMITTED METABOLIC INDIVIDUALS ARE ADVISED TO STOP WORK AND TRAVEL TO DESIGNATED AIRLOCK AREAS.