Session 78

General Summary

• The room labeled "Gifts of Possibility and Duality" contained a puzzle: a pedestal with six coffins evenly spaced around an alchemist's stand in the shape of a human body with various parts represented by paired potions.
• Pigeon, the captured cultist, had a clue: "All I know is, I drink the acid".
• The solution to the puzzle was that each of six people would need to lie down in a coffin and drink a harmful potion.
• Because there were more than six harmful potions to choose from, the party used clues about the Mirage to narrow it down.
• After drinking their respective potions and solving the puzzle, Grogery (who had been slowed down by his) went around curing the harmful effects on the others, but having been slowed down by the effects of the potion that he drank, he was not able to get to Pigeon in time to do anything to save him from death.
• The rewards for solving the puzzle were six powerful antidotes, the remaining potions, and one of the Fossilized Melodies that are needed to progress to the next level.
• The party then backtracked through the "Main Art Gallery", opening another security door into "The Difficulties of Soul Adaptation", which had more disturbing artwork and a pair of Vicra's experiments at doing something with an aboleth, marked as "Failed".
• Past a comparatively simple security door was a dark hallway called "The Silent Halls".
• A skeleton at the beginning was holding an ominous sign saying something related to breath, so the party members all wore masks that they had taken from dead cultists.
• Speaking seemed to trigger attacks from unseen enemies.
• Part of the way into "The Silent Halls", Grogery unexpectedly attacked the rest of the party, starting off with a confusing sequence of spells, some canceling each other out.
• After some attacks that targeted everybody, he started focusing on Kesmet.
• Dazki knocked Grogery out by throwing the Potion of Ether he got as a reward from the puzzle earlier, causing the ghost that had possessed Grogery to leave and start attacking the others directly.
• Dwardazik and Kesmet "killed" the ghost quickly, causing it to turn into a purple mist and float vaguely to the north.

Full Recap

Dwardazik: Dazki, are you still picking up any kind of magic?   Dazki: The alarm is gone, but there are still traces of Transmutation and others around that pedestal.   Dwardazik: This place gives me the creeps.

Potion Man, Take Me by the Hand

This is the room labeled "Gifts of Possibility and Duality". There is a glowing pedestal surrounded by six wooden coffins. Standing in the very center of this arrangement is a glass sculpture, which seems to be a complex alchemical stand, vaguely in the shape of a person. Various flasks and vials are lined up and affixed to represent parts of a person.

Dwardazik: Hey Dazki, can you check this path to the north to see if there's another tripwire? The last thing I want to do is set off some alarm.   Dazki: Sure.   Marvin: Speaking of that, Dwardazik, how much do I need to dare you to throw your axe at that glass thing?   Dwardazik: I'd be happy to do it, but you'd have to go upstairs to pick 'em up.   Marvin: Back upstairs?   Dwardazik: Do you see any axes on me?   Marvin: ...all right, your hammer?   Dwardazik: I'm not about to go do something like that after I already made one dumb mistake with that armor. If you're interested in getting cursed, or having your soul sucked into a potion bottle, be my guest.   Marvin: Point taken!

Dazki leaves to explore the path, spotting a false floor tile and marking it with a chalk outline before returning.

Marvin: So does anyone else notice... they said there are six of those bird head things. Six coffins here. Is that a coincidence?   Grogery: They like the number six. There were six of those things, too. Maybe this group, in general, just likes the number six?   Pigeon: Maybe it's six because there's, like, six High Cultists?   Marvin: Right, but each one has a... oh God, they've already prepared fucking coffins for themselves?   Pigeon: 'cause if there was seven, then there would be seven of them, right?   Grogery: Seven coffins?   Pigeon: No, no! Like, there's six High Cultists, and that's why there's six Fossilized Melodies, right?   Dwardazik: How should we proceed, guys?   Marvin: We can jump over the thing Dazki pointed out.   Dazki: I don't think we need to go that way.   Kesmet: Why don't we check inside of the coffins? They're containers, they could be mimics, they could have things in them.   Marvin: Everything could be a mimic. You go right ahead, I'm not opening any of them.   Dwardazik: To be fair, these are strange containers, and we are looking for strange items.   Pigeon: And this is definitely Crow's spot, so...

Dwardazik examines a coffin and looks for writing, which he finds. It reads:

To go without so that others can go with.
To suffer so that others may flourish.
One person's breath gone to save the lives of countless others.
By suffering willingly, we will reward the martyr with our understanding.
One chance for hope, six places at once.

Dwardazik reads it out to the group and walks around to the other coffins to confirm that they all say the same. They do.

Dwardazik: Grogery, we might need your knowledge on this one...   Marvin: That sounds hypocritical, from what we've experienced with these so-called "healers".   Dazki: It's definitely hypocritical when you look at the actions of these people, but it fits pretty well with some of the things I've learned in some of the books describing Turmoil that I've read.   Dwardazik: It's clear enough to me. "One person's breath gone"? Gotta be Vicra. "To save the lives of countless others"? That's clearly him just rambling on about his "perfections" and "saving" people.   Marvin: Grogery, what kind of religion prepares coffins for themselves so far in advance?   Marvin: Well, I guess with us around, it's not THAT far in advance! Hahaha!   Grogery: Ha. Ha. So, necromancy doesn't exactly "put the body in the coffin", if you catch my drift. These coffins aren't for people, I don't think. These people aren't going to bury and exalt a body. They only value the breath of people. Once you stop breathing, the body is just spare parts.   Dazki: Probably symbolic of something or another.   Grogery: They're symbolic of hailing a person's body and trying to keep it safe after it's dead. These may not be for people, then.   Marvin: Wait, don't liches regenerate at a common point?   Grogery: A vampire does, I think? Hmm, vampires go in coffins too...   Marvin: So could these be "respawn" points?   Grogery: I thought Vicra was downstairs.   Marvin: Yeah, but maybe the High Cultists?   Dazki: We've killed two of them already, and they certainly didn't seem skeleton-like.   Marvin: Well, the big spiky one, with the cursed armor. And the big spindly dude, with a bunch of arms?   Pigeon: No, he's just the surgeon guy.   Dwardazik: Does anyone object if I open one of these?   Grogery: I think we need to be ready if you do.   Dwardazik: OK, everyone in position.   Kesmet: Actually, let's let Dazki check the statue first, and then we can open up one of the coffins (possibly setting off this mousetrap thing) while he's not standing right in the middle of it? Because you know what's going to happen: it's going to fold upwards and encase around that statue thing, and then energy is going to run through it!   Dwardazik: ...your imagination's quite creative, but you have a point. Before we set off anything, what do you see, Dazki?

Dazki examines the alchemical stand and, on sight alone, completely understands the contents and layout of what's in here. Every potion is paired with another that opposes it, vaguely aligning with what their corresponding organ represents. He describes their contents and makes chalk markings on the beneficial one of each pair:

• Two small, round vials of milky, white liquid sit in an outlined skull like eyes.
• One gives truesight, one gives blindness.
• Also within the skull fixtures are two spiraling, snail-shell like flasks containing thick orange liquid.
• One gives deafness, one gives comprehend languages.
• The rest of the skull fixture is filled with two half-circle filigreed flasks containing a pale oil.
• One is Essence of Ether, one is a Potion of Mind Reading.
• A long tube connects the skull shape and a bean-shaped flask of yellowish, green liquid.  Attached to it with a condensing tube is an even larger oblong, triangular flask containing heavy brown sediment and dark liquid.
• One is acid, one is an elixir of health.
• Two large, triangular flasks sit within a metal-wired cage-chest, connected by a glass tube, one contains a white-smoke and the other a gray smoke.
• One is dust of sneezing and choking, one is Gust of Wind.
• A pear-shaped flask split down the middle contains dark red and light red liquid sprouts a variety of rubber tubing.
• One is a greater healing potion, one is a greater potion of harming.
• A smattering of glass condensers spiral complicatedly, holding aloft two bean-shaped vessels containing red and yellow liquid.
• One is poison, one is Holy Water.
• Two long-necked, thick flasks are positioned where femurs would be, containing clear oil and white, sand-like sediment at the bottom.
• One is a potion of speed, one is a potion of slow.
• Similar to the legs, complex metal wiring holds aloft two round-bottom flasks with five inlets each, containing syringe-like needles.
• One is potion of Fire Giant's Strength, one is a potion of paralysis.

Dazki moves out of the way, and Dwardazik opens a coffin, using his mace to shift the top of it out of the way. Nothing happens when he does: the coffin seems empty. He opens the next one: also empty. The party goes around opening all of them. All empty. Dazki investigates one of them: it appears empty, but despite being very lightweight, it doesn't jiggle or move around as he opens it. It's attached to the stone slab on the bottom. There's a bit of magic about: something would happen in the coffin that would affect the transmutation magic on the pedestal, given away by faint rune markings on the coffins that dust seems to cling to.

Dazki: These are definitely not nailed down, but secured to the pedestal. Dwardazik probably didn't notice it because he's used to lifting bigger and heavier things.   Dwardazik: It's subtle, if what you're saying is true. I can't even see it, and I'm lookin' for it!   Dazki: Apparently something would happen in this coffin that would change something on Potion Man, through some sort of transmutation magic.   Dwardazik: Ugh. Is this another puzzle?   Dazki: I'm sure it is.   Grogery: It's an attempted art piece.   Kesmet notices that Pigeon is standing very close to one of the coffins.   Kesmet: Hey, be careful! That's a coffin. That's not a good thing.   Dwardazik: How do we approach this? You say that these coffins are connected to this potion... skeleton. But what is the goal?   Dazki: Well, the room is "The Gifts of Possibility and Duality". The "duality" is obviously... oh, shit. I'm going to do something that sounds crazy —   Dwardazik: You better be careful here, Dazki.   Kesmet: At least tell us what you're about to attempt, so we can —   Dazki steps into a coffin and lays down. Pigeon does the same.   Dazki: I'm putting the lid on. If you see one of the potions that's not marked with chalk start to drain, open the lid and get me out.   Dazki puts the lid on.   Dwardazik: Pigeon, get out of there!   Pigeon: But you're supposed to be in the coffin.   Dazki: Do we all need to be in the coffins?   Dwardazik: Are you sure this is a good idea?   Kesmet: Fuck no it's not! Pigeon, get out of there.   Dazki: It's not a good idea, but do you have a different idea? A better idea?   Pigeon: No, I remember, I'm supposed to do the acid one. That's the worst one, I always do that one.   Kesmet: What do you mean "the acid one"?   Marvin: You've done this before?   Pigeon: Yeah.   Dwardazik: So what happens, does the acid burn you or something?   Pigeon: Well, yeah, you're not supposed to drink acid normally.   Dazki: OK. Could you explain what has to be done in here?   Pigeon: I don't know what the others do. I know what I do.   Dazki: What do you do specifically?   Pigeon: I drink the acid.   Dazki: Which one is the acid?   Pigeon: I don't remember...   Dwardazik: And is standing there important, for some reason?   Pigeon: Yeah, like the love interest from the pictures in the front!   Dazki: Do the others have to drink the bad potions as well?   Pigeon: I don't know what they drink. All I know is I get the acid one, because it's the worst one.   Dazki, looking over all the potions: ...acid is definitely not the worst one...   Pigeon: I mean, it says right on the coffin, "to go without so others go with", and stuff, right?   Kesmet: So we're all gonna get the bad effects.   Dazki: Yeah, looks like we're gonna have to.   Kesmet: So if all of us lay down in the coffins and get the bad effects, the next room will open?   Dazki: No, it's going to give us the Fossilized Melody that we need.   Kesmet: OK. So, other question. Why don't we just blow everything up and then find the piece we need from the rubble?   Marvin: That's not a bad idea...   Dazki: It's probably magically sealed underneath the pedestal.   Dwardazik: I've thought about it, but trying to dig through this stuff would take too long.   Pigeon: No, yeah, so just give me the acid one, 'cause that's the one that I know works.

They debate which potions to give to which party members, but then:

Pigeon: Wait, wait, wait, waitwaitwait! What about the other three pairs?   Grogery: Yeah... there were potions left over after you guys did this, weren't there?   Pigeon: Well, yeah, you're not supposed to touch some of 'em.   Kesmet: ...damnit! Which ones aren't you supposed to touch?   Grogery: Hang on, it might be... oh, it might be that Turmoil thing, right? One of them was the eyes, one of them was the arms, one of them was the feet?   Dazki: Ahh, let me check my book real quick.   Pigeon: See? Why can he use his journal, and I can't use my journal?!   Dwardazik: Pigeon, sometimes when you use that journal, you get more and more exhausted. I can see it in your face and your eyes.   Grogery: They cursed it.   Dwardazik: We need you sharp, in case we need extra information later.   Dazki: So here's what I've got in my book that tells us about the Turmoil, which I've been trying to study. There's a story here about a man who suffers all sorts of ailments. "Though he does not breathe, he does speak." Forsaken, becoming blinded, losing his legs, losing his arms, poison coursing through the blood destroying the liver and parts of the stomach, and cursed with deafness.   Pigeon: Wait, is this that Mirage shit again?   Dazki: Yeah, it is.   Pigeon: I never understood that bit.   Dazki: So these are the ones we have to suffer, "that others may flourish".

Armed with that knowledge, they assign six harmful potions.

Character	Potion
Grogery	Potion of Slow
Kesmet	Potion of Deafness
Pigeon	Acid
Marvin	Dust of Sneezing and Choking
Dazki	Potion of Paralysis
Dwardazik	Potion of Blindness

They all climb into the coffins and drink their respective potions, several saying a quip:

Dazki (in Elven): Over the lips, over the gums, look out stomach, here it comes!   Dwardazik: You know what they say about human ale: "Well, I guess I'm goin' blind."   Kesmet: I'm coming for you, Dennis.

The whole room becomes briefly aglow in a red light, with a loud thunder cracking noise. Something... happened.   Dwardazik is the only one who is able to withstand the effects of his assigned potion.

Dwardazik: I never felt so... uncomfortable... in my life. You know, it actually felt kinda watered down! Did I get the right potion? I don't feel blind.

Dwardazik runs over to check on Grogery, who is sitting up.

Grogery: This... is how... Dwardazik... acted... in Overlook... ... I think.   Dwardazik: Grogery, quickly! We don't know if other people are in danger! Cast that spell on yourself, and get that slowness over with!   Grogery: H A N G... O N...

Dwardazik runs over to Pigeon to check on him. Pigeon is pretty much dead. Then he runs over to Kesmet's coffin and removes the lid. He does the same for Marvin, who is just coughing, sneezing, and generally not having a good time with breathing ("Get some damn air!"). He goes over to Dazki's, opens the lid, and sits him up.   In order to speed things up, Dwardazik brings Grogery to Marvin so that he can cast Lesser Restoration, then to Dazki where Grogery does the same. Dwardazik then signals to Kesmet from across the chamber to come over, but the message doesn't get across. Marvin walks over to make hand gestures, which Kesmet responds to by using Minor Illusion to create words in the air. Kesmet takes his time getting up, and a frustrated Marvin threatens to hit him with the mandolin, physically turning Kesmet's head to face Grogery and the others beckoning him over. They all regroup.

Dwardazik, to Marvin: You all right? Can you breathe?   Marvin: I never thought air could taste so good!   Dazki: *sigh*. All right. Well. That was... not wonderful. Thank you.   Dazki goes to investigate the statue.   Dwardazik: Quickly, Grogery, try and cure Kesmet!   Grogery does, but not quickly.   Dwardazik: Help me move Grogery over to Pigeon! He swallowed the acid, remember?   Grogery: O H... R I G H T...   Dwardazik carries Grogery over to Pigeon, who definitely seems to be dead. Grogery starts speaking faster — still not normal speed, but he's clearly really trying to push through the effects of the slowness, because he has something really important to say.   Grogery: How... long... has... he... been... dead..., Dwardazik?   Dwardazik: Uhh...   Grogery: More... or less... than... a minute?   Marvin: Oh, congratulations, Dwardazik! The first new member of your clan is dead! How do you feel?   Grogery: There... are... ways... ... ...this is... a good... thing... that all of us... should know... now..., because I have... supplies... and magic... that can bring... people back... to life... but it becomes... almost... prohibitively... expensive... if they've been dead... longer than a minute. It takes... a lot of sacrifice... to shuffle... your mortal coil... back on... after it has been off... for that long.   Grogery (cont'd): So..., for safety purposes... if someone is down... you should get me there... immediately... and for not-safety purposes... I'm glad to know... that I can't have... a panic attack... while feeling like... I'm swimming through... molasses... all the time...   Dwardazik picks up Grogery to move him off the pedestal.   Grogery: ...so that's... pretty nifty... I... W O U L D... S A Y...

Dazki's investigation has revealed that the potions that were removed from the stand have all been replaced with something else, the gaps now containing six identical flasks of a silvery white liquid. They no longer fit well with the model, everything being uneven. There is also an amulet of a bird's skull.

Dwardazik: So, is that the second... thing... that we're here for?   Dazki: I imagine it is.   Dwardazik: What about those potions?   Dazki: ... ... ...Oh. These are antidotes. Essentially, they do the same thing that Grogery just did for everybody.   Kesmet: So we could just pick up all these.   Dazki: And we should also take those "good" potions, as well.   Dazki takes the amulet first, and then (when nothing bad happens) all the potions from the stand.   Dwardazik: Do you think that antidote would work on Grogery?   Grogery: I'M... G O I N G... T O... T R Y... O N E... ... ... I T... M I G H T... B E... U S E F U L...   Dwardazik grabs one and walks it over to Grogery, who chugs it. It works.   Grogery: OK. That was an experience I don't want to have to go through again.   Dwardazik: Wow, that potion must be incredible, then! You said that your "Lesser Restoration" wouldn't be able to solve that slowness? And yet, this one was able to? It must be stronger than even that!   Grogery: Maybe it's something that was concocted specifically to be able to heal any of the things we've observed here. It'll be nice to have them in reserve, in case I run out of magic and need to stop someone from being poisoned.   Dwardazik: Well. I can say that we did a good job here, but I'd like to say a few words for my lost clan guest. I only knew him briefly, and he wasn't even a dwarf, but as someone who was attempting to seek a path to redemption, I could at least respect that. I believe that his sacrifice allowed us to make this gain. I have even more reason to kill this Vicra now than ever before.   Marvin: May he forever swim in the rivers of ale!   Dwardazik: That would be nice.   Kesmet: I mean, drugs, you know. They're very powerful, and stuff. We should probably get his journal. Even though it's cursed, it still seems to have a lot of information.   Dwardazik: I agree.

Dazki lists out the remaining potions, and the party distributes them amongst themselves. Editor's note: recap isn't really for "who got what specific loot", since that's tracked in your inventory, so I'm just writing out the parts that relate to the story.

Kesmet: Speaking of mind-reading, could we transfer Baxton's Ring of Mind Shielding back to me? Or did someone else need it?   Dazki: I needed it, but it takes an hour to de-attune, so we're going to wait until we actually have time.   Kesmet: The next time we have time, then, can we do that? Or does someone else still need it, or does Dwardazik want it back?   Dazki: Well I definitely want to talk with him first.   Dwardazik: Yeah, Baxton hasn't been too helpful. He wants to talk to you more than anything.

---

Dwardazik: I can't help but notice that you've chosen all the dangerous things, Dazki.   Dazki pours the Greater Harming Potion into his scabbard.   Dazki: Yeah. I can use the magic scabbard to apply poisons, oils, or potions instantly to my sword. Then this is a ranged "get away real quick" or "knock someone out" potion.   Dwardazik: Very interesting. Well done! OK, so. The plan. We've got this second one, now where do we go next? Dazki: Our next thing should be to go check the door on the other side of the "Main Art Gallery" to see if we can find more installations to get more of these.   Dwardazik: OK. Before we leave, we should be sure that we've accounted for all loose ends. Sorry about this, Pigeon, but we need your gear.   Dwardazik opens the coffin and collects his book.   Marvin: Ahh shit, guys, do you think there's one of those tokens through that portal we saw?   Dazki: No, probably not.   Marvin: ...was that sarcasm, Dazki? I can't tell.   Dazki: No, that was genuine. I don't think so.   Dwardazik and Marvin: ...I hope not.   Dazki: Pigeon said that they're on art installations. You wouldn't put an important art installation in storage. You want it to be displayed for others to see.   Dwardazik, passing the journal to Dazki: OK, resident book expert, here's another thing for your library.   Marvin: Well, we should probably head to... "Art Requires Sacrifice"? More art, that's probably a good bet.   Dazki: So yeah, the door on the other side of "Main Art Gallery", that's a good bet. What do you think, Grogery?   Grogery: So we've done "Duality and Possibility", ...yeah, I think we should go west from the main entrance. We could also try going through the "Living Quarters". You guys said there were people on the other side, but maybe they're gone by now? It's been a few hours.   Dwardazik: Oh, I remember that.   Dazki: They tried to get in at one point.   Grogery: Well, then they definitely left. Or... maybe they definitely didn't leave?   Dwardazik: If that door's currently jammed, then we can't be attacked from the rear. Let us move to the west side of the gallery.   Dazki: Sounds good to me.   Dwardazik: Then we should make our way.

Lead Me to the Land That You Understand

Going through the Main Art Gallery, Dwardazik and Kesmet smash and burn some of the undead "exhibits" chained to the wall.

Dazki, under his breath: Please, just make more noise while you're at it.   Dwardazik, whispering to Kesmet: A bit touchy, isn't he? Must be the ears.   Dazki: You know what else these ears do, Dwardazik? They hear pretty damn good.

The door is labeled "The Difficulties of Soul Adaptation". There are two spike-covered holes in the door. Under the holes is inscribed, "Art takes Courage".

Grogery: Maybe one of the holes is good and the other is bad, and you just have to stick your hand in and hope you pick the right one?   Dazki: Well, I think I've probably got the steadiest hands of anyone here.   Dwardazik: All right, Grogery, stay right by him in case he gets wounded or maimed. Let's get ready to rock and roll.   Grogery: Dazki, just right upfront, I can't regenerate limbs.   Dwardazik: Before you begin, let's plan this out tactically. I don't want to lose another party member! Marvin, you had the ability to bless people in a way, correct?   Marvin: Hey, there's no gods involved with my gifts, man! I inspire, thank you very much!   Dwardazik: Go ahead and talk your words over to Dazki. Let's see if we can't give him a bit of an edge on this.

Dazki has already investigated the door. Within each hole, there seems to be a small T-shaped hand lever. The two holes don't seem different from one another; he's not sure what the spikes will do, but they look very sharp.   They discuss strategy for pulling both levers and, after a failed attempt by Dazki to manipulate a slightly oversized crowbar into one of the holes, come up with this:

• Kesmet will make a loop at the end of a string of twine that he has.
• Kesmet will then use Mage Hand to manipulate the loop around one of the levers.
• Dazki will pull the string at the same time that Kesmet uses Mage Hand to directly pull the lever.

This works, and the door opens.

Dazki: Good idea, Kesmet. That was very clever!   Kesmet: See! We don't need courage. We just need cleverness! ...and cowardice. The two C's!   Marvin: Those can get a person quite far.   Dwardazik: Sometimes being courageous is just foolish. It's not always best to just run into things headfirst.   Marvin: In some languages, those are the same word.

The Sequence of a Lifeform Braised in the Sand

Some artwork representative of the theme in here, for reference: link.   There is a large pillar in the middle, covered in strange anatomical art with drawings and sketches of hybrid beings and human anatomy, research-style. Besides that, the main features of the room are two large metal-and-glass tanks on platforms, each half-full of "weird liquid".   Dazki investigates the room for traps, finding none, so he calls the rest into the room.

Dwardazik: Ugh. More magic. Where's the puzzle where it's a drinkin' contest?   Kesmet: We were just in that one!   Dazki: Careful, guys, there's shit floating around in these tanks of goo. It's hard to see, but it's in there.   Dwardazik: Ugh, this is an utter abomination. This whole place should be torched.   Kesmet: I concur!   Marvin: Yeah, Kesmet could totally do that on our way out. Last one out, get the lights!

The tanks seem to be labeled. The north tank says: "Comparative Anatomy of an aboleth and an Attempted Suitable Body for a Misplaced Aboleth Soul (Failed)". There is, in fact, a preserved aboleth floating in the goo.

Dazki: It's some kind of aquatic monster, hence the clouds and the liquid in there. I don't know much else about it.   Dwardazik: There doesn't appear to be a riddle. Let's check the other tank, I suppose?

The other tank is labeled identically, including the "(Failed)" marker. As Dazki approaches, he is startled as a humanoid hand slaps against the glass: whatever is in this tank is still alive. You understand the context of "(Failed)" now: there is a terrible tentacled guy, a maw with a human face inside of it, one human hand and the other not fully formed. As if an aboleth choked on a human, but they are one singular piece... and it is not dead, just on display.

Marvin: Hey, Kesmet, I think we found your mom!   Dwardazik just gives Marvin a dead stare.   Dwardazik: Marvin, you are crazy.   Marvin: I've been called worse.   Dwardazik: I am going to have nightmares for the rest of my life. I feel so disturbed by this monstrosity that I can only imagine that the cultists would find it hilarious to hang a medallion off of it. Dazki, do you see anything?   Dazki: Nothing of valu — no material objects we need in there. But if you notice, there's no incision marks, no stitching. This was not something they were doing.   Grogery: This was the Flesh Artist. Well, it looks like he didn't just immediately get the ability to fix people.   Dwardazik, spitefully: Wow, I wonder how many test subjects he experimented on...   Marvin: You know what this means, guys: this means that the Flesh Artist is, in a way, Kesmet's grandfather! HAHAHAHA!   There's general disturbance among the other party members...   Dazki: What?!   Marvin: Did you not hear me, five minutes ago, when I yelled "Hey, Kesmet, I think we found your mom!"   Dazki: No, I heard it, I just chose to ignore it.   Marvin: I will not be ignored!   Dwardazik: Marvin... wanna keep this section out of your story?   Marvin: Hell no! So Kesmet, which teat do you think you preferred? The left one? The upper-left one? The bottom-right one?   Kesmet: Marvin. We just witnessed a man purposely drink acid and melt his own throat.   Marvin: Yeah, I KNOW!   Kesmet: What the fuck?   Marvin: Yeah!

Dazki returns to the north tank to examine it more. It contains a dead aboleth, and the liquid in the tank is different: it's a preservative.

Grogery: Oh, "Difficulties of Soul Adaptation". There are failures along the way. I get it.   Marvin: Just an average Tuesday! ...or is it Wednesday now?   Dwardazik, with a sigh: Do you think we should move on in this direction?   Dazki: Yeah. I don't think we're going to find what we're looking for here.   Dwardazik: Is it possible that, because these are Vicra's objects, this could be the path down to his domain?   Grogery: I thought that we would have needed the Fossilized Melodies for that, but if this is an area with some of Vicra's direct work nearby, there might be some other important areas.   Dazki: One of the doors upfront had slots for the six things?   Dwardazik: That's right. Then let's proceed.

The door leading further is simply labeled, "The Silent Halls". It's a simple vault door requiring a combination.

Dwardazik: You hear that, Marvin? "SILENT Halls". So no more jokes.   Marvin: I'll hold my tongue, if you can hold your belches.   Dwardazik: I'd feel a lot better if you gave me one of your inspiring speeches...   Dazki: Would you guys please, stop fighting!   Grogery: Please!   Dazki: This bickering isn't doing us any good. Please, just save it for once we're out of here.   Dwardazik, sarcastically: Yes, master!   Dazki: And don't you forget it, serf!   Dwardazik, under his breath: I know where you sleep.   Grogery: Guys, please, we're all tired, we're all disturbed by the stuff that's going on here. We are halfway towards getting to Vicra Lammergeyer's place, where we can finally put an end to this man. We need to not dwell on this negativity. Just keep a positive outlook, keep up the comradery for a little bit longer, and then we'll all feel a lot better.   Marvin: Yeah, that's what I'm tryin' to do!   Dwardazik: *sigh* Marvin, can you tell us something good?   Dazki: Yeah, as much as I appreciate that, Marvin, could the jokes be a little bit more friendly and positive, henceforth?   Marvin: I'll do my best.   Dazki: Thank you. Now, to check the door to see if it's even locked at all...

Dazki takes his time, but ultimately makes quick work of the surprisingly simple, actually unironically untrapped door.

The Crust is Elusive When it Casts Forth

Upon opening the door, the other side is unusually dark. There is a little skeleton standing still with a sign around his neck.

Dazki, taking out a bullet from his pouch: Hey, Grogery, could you do me a favor? Could you cast Light on this?   Grogery: Sure.

He does, and Dazki tosses the bullet into the hall. It bounces into the hall and makes the expected sounds. Dazki hears something else, though: the sound of footsteps shuffling very lightly.

Dazki: Shh. I hear something in there moving. Just some random shuffling, but there's some movement in there.

Dazki takes a step into the hallway to read the sign on the skeleton: "Let me take your breath away. I seem to have lost mine."

Dazki: Oh. This is uncomfortable.   Dwardazik: What does it say?   Dazki: "Let me take your breath away. I seem to have lost mine."   Dwardazik: *sigh*. More breath. Vicra has a theme, it seems. The way Vicra's magic worked was magical, but these masks... I don't know if they'll prevent any kind of suffocation, will they?   Dazki: No, but the rest of the cultists need to be able to get in here. So I assume that it wouldn't be able to go through the masks. Do we have enough for everyone?   Dwardazik: Yeah, everyone put one on.   Everyone who didn't already have a mask on puts one on now, and the group slowly proceeds down the hall, Dazki picking up the glowing bullet to light the way further.   Dwardazik: If you stay close to me, I can protect you with my shield.

As soon as Dwardazik says this, he feels a sharp set of claws silently attack his side, down a few of his ribs. He grasps his chest, holds a finger up to his mouth and looks back, seeing nothing. He waves his hand around trying to feel what attacked him, touching nothing. There are very faint footsteps around.   Dwardazik taps Dazki on the shoulder. Dazki looks back, sees him in his state, and hears the footsteps of something mingling among the group. He tries to give Dwardazik his journal and a writing implement so that he can write any messages as they walk, but Dwardazik signals that he doesn't need it. Dazki picks up the glowing bullet, not throwing it this time, and the group moves forward, when suddenly...

AMOGUS

Grogery casts Spirit Guardians, a spell that the party has seen many times now, but this is the first time that Grogery's guardians have been hostile towards the rest of the party.

Combat Summary

• Strangely, Grogery then immediately cast a high-level Hold Person on everyone, dropping the guardians immediately and successfully paralyzing Dazki, Kesmet, and Marvin.
• Grogery continued to be hostile towards the party for a few rounds, aiming specifically at Kesmet.
• Some of Grogery's spells that were cast with verbal components did actually trigger the same kinds of incoming attacks that Dwardazik experienced.
• Kesmet tried to use Dispel Magic to remove whatever effect was causing this, but it did nothing. Grogery's heart didn't really seem to be into it, though.
• Dazki threw the enhanced potion of Ether at Grogery, which knocked him out and convinced the Ghost that was possessing him to leave.
• The Ghost immediately used its Horrifying Visage, frightening Marvin and Dazki, aging the elf by a whole 20 years.
• Dwardazik laid into the Ghost as soon as it appeared, nearly killing it in a single round. Kesmet finished it off with a Scorching Ray.

The Ghost turned into purple mist and wafted away towards the north, not necessarily "dead" (whatever that would mean for a ghost).