Mariner 12 and the Troglodyte Exodus

The group frees Marnier 12 and the troglodytes find a new home.

The group healed and rested up on Level 3, and headed back down to Level 4 the next morning, intent on taking on each room more slowly and delibrately, intending to make the troglodytes come to them. Upon their return, the troglodyte leader cast a spell on Jimmy the Thief, and Jimmy nearly stabbed Hans Muhlfeld to death as the leader fled further into the level. The group tried to sneak around, avoiding the room that contained the large metal box. They found a feeding room with a refilling pink slush pool and baby troglodytes, Ermentrude Crisparkle took some of these babies for hostages, an idea that disgusted Christie Fastbender so much that she left to explore on her own. Hans and Guiliman De’ Eblin elected to go direct at the box, tossing a bomb into the room, killing several of the troglodytes who were praying to the box. A battle ensued, and the troglodytes accused the party of being the real monsters, pointing out that they were peacefully living in The Spire until the party's arrival, and that they were the real victims. Eventually, the metal box spoke, magically transporting Christie into the room and sealing it away from the rest of the party.   The box explained that his name was "Marnier 12" and that he came from a place far away, through the darkness of the space and stars, and that he had crash landed here, the magic of The Spire turning the wreckage of his being into this box form. He did not remember why he was sent into space, but knew that his mission was to protect sentient life and gather information about the universe. He had been doing his best to help the troglodytes, convincing them to live peacefully here under the ruise of being a god. He was able to open portals, bringing in more troglodytes, and food and water for the creatures, but that he could not change his own form or leave this place. He expressed a desire to leave this place, before "The ones who came before the Gods" came to destroy the world.   Christie agreed to help him, and he summoned Trudy in, and gave her plans to create a construct body for him to transfer himself into. Trudy was able to build it, and Mariner 12 transfered themselves into the body, sending the troglodytes away to a nice swamp somewhere else to live in peace. He allowed them to take whatever they wished from the level, and left The Spire.