Chapter 4: O' Knight, Mine Son

GM You are standing in the attic room in front of the now empty painting. It is still dark outside the attic window and Tiss sits quietly nearby; her face expressionless as she watches you. There is a new weight in your robe pocket.
Marcel I acknowledge Tiss with a glance as I feel around in my pocket
GM You find three, full glass vials.
Marcel I take the glass vials and hand them to Tiss
GM “Oh,” She interjects as she stands from her chair, “Are these what the Master requested.” She takes the vials from you and raises them to her candle for a closer look. The fluid inside is a foul color in the illumination and contains a few chucks of solidified bile. “Eww, what is this?” Tiss asks in disgust as she pushes it out from her body yet still clasping them carefully.
Marcel "Something the master asked for. See that it gets to him, if you would. It looks like I have to go back in"
GM “Lovely. Very well,” She puts the vials away, “See that you do.”
Marcel I nod approvingly and walk back towards the painting. I then sign and jump back in
GM You are standing in an octagonal, crimson room. Black ornaments are mounted on the walls, in the center near where you stand hang long dark chains that end in empty manacles. The iron doors are partially open revealing Crucem pacing in the room of shadows.
(What is your plan?)
Marcel (It looks like I gotta explore the maze for a reason for Chronia to leave. She doesn't have Fracture, so I don't have to contend with that at least)
GM (Where do you plan on exploring first?)
Marcel (I'll probably go ahead and go off to the left)
GM You walk through the shadowed room towards the door on the left. Crucem sees you passing and gives you a nod. Into the next door you enter the circular room with the floating mote of light. The light moves in a circular pattern at a steady pace.
Marcel I examine the room for doors
GM There is a northern door similar to where you entered from (east) and a smaller door directly across the room (West).
Wherever you decide to move, you remember from before that you must be careful, as shadows cast in this room become deep pits.
The room has an approximate diameter of 20 feet.
Marcel I move carefully across the room towards the northern door, making sure the light is in front of me whenever I move forward, to make sure I don't fall into the pits
GM The room is square and of the same approximate size as the last. The area is mostly empty save for one old man standing along the eastern wall between you and the northern exit. There are also two remains, piles of clothing filled with ashes. The man is supporting himself with his hands against the wall; three large swords are stuck through his back. He is coughing up gases and is breathing heavily.
There is another exit to your left on the western wall in the corner (your side of the room). The room is extremely dark. Only one lamp is lit, directly above the stabbed man.
Marcel "Excuse me, sir. You having a bit of an issue there?" I say as I approach the man.
GM He coughs a bit into his hand, fluorescent gases leaking out of the corners of his mouth. “Oh, um yes. If you wouldn’t mind,” he gestures lightly to the swords sticking out of his back, “could you relive me of these? I would certainly appreciate the assistance.”
Marcel I approach the swords, examining them and the wounds through the man, “If you don't mind me asking, who put those there?"
GM The swords are each comparable to a bastard sword. The first’s blade appears to be a dark, rose colored metal. The second is of a very intricate design, but you are unsure if it has any significance. The third’s hilt resembles twisted roots.
“My brothers,” he answers with his head down, still facing the wall. “Don’t worry, I asked them to.” You realize at this point that the man’s clothing is similar to the ash filled clothing near the center of the room. “Careful now, we won’t have long after they are removed.”
Marcel I put my hand on the hilt of the rose-colored blade to remove it, but pause before I do. "We won't have long for what? Don't be afraid to tell me. I'm fairly well equipped to handle whatever is coming after you."
GM “The swords are pinning three demonic vapors inside my body,” he coughs again this time spewing a bright blue gas. “Whenever you’re ready.” He braces on the wall, “Also, I’ll die.”
“I understand that you might be hesitant. Ah, you must desire compensation. I see,” He coughs a thin plume of neon. “I’ve not much to offer but information if you seek it.”
Marcel I nod my head "Alright. Information for these swords out of your body sounds like a great trade. I'll go ahead and remove this one..." I say as I point to the rose-colored blade,"... As a gesture of good faith."
GM You begin to remove the first blade and discover that the sword’s fuller is barbed; the thorns tearing away at the man as it is pulled.
He muffles his screams, “Mmf... thank you. Now what is you would like to know.” Blood is beginning to run freely down the man’s back.
Marcel I try to sling off the excess blood on the blade and then looking at it to try to get an idea of how effective this thing is
GM It is a very sharp blade, and you can sense a slight magical aura. It is not as powerful as your current weapon, but is more deadly than a standard bastard sword.
The man appears to be growing weak.
Marcel I gently grab his shoulder. "You'll have release soon. Now tell me, where can I find the "Torn" sisters?"
GM “So, you seek them.” He sighs, “I had hoped to protect them, but I am in need of you. So, I will comply. Nearest is the oldest Torn sister, Chronia Torn; my mother.” He coughs again, yellow gas now seeps from the sword wound. “You can find her through the northern door and follow the path. The middle sister, Zamia, is missing in the maze, but I have witnessed her likeness within the gardens to the west. The youngest, Charity, has locked herself away in the Almery to the north-east.”
Marcel "That will be very helpful information." I say as I toss the sword off to the side and prepare to grab another blade.
GM “Please, I wish to join my brothers.”
GM (It’s your turn. What sword do you remove?)
Marcel I firmly grip the blade with the intricate design. Right before I pull it out, I say "If you wish this next one out, tell me, does Psyteramona exist in this maze? If so, where?"
GM “Psyter-” he blurts before his coughs cut him off. “You see the Medusa herself as well‽” He struggles to turn to see your face, but you can tell he is incredulous. “If you seek your own ruin, you may find it deep within the maze’s Cells. That I can assure you. She contains herself there; never leaves.” The effort put forth by the man has caused his wound to exsanguinate even further.
Marcel "That's fair." I coldly say as I rip the next blade from his flesh
GM You release the ornate from its fleshy clasp. Blood runs off of the blade cleanly until it appears completely untouched. Holding the sword makes you feel good, like someone important. It gives off a faint golden gleam in the dim lantern light.
Two vibrant, but separate streams of fluorescent gases pour out of the new hole. The tip of the green gas touches you hand momentarily and you reflexively pull it back as your knuckles begin to singe.
One sword left.
Marcel "That gas is some nasty stuff..." I mutter under my breath. "One more... Can you tell me who is and where might be, the Sphinx of the Black Waters?" I brace myself to heft the blade out
GM "The Black Sphinx contemplates in her exhibit in the Gallery," tears are forming in the man's eyes. "Please, I can no longer bear it."
Marcel "Be free." I say yanking out the last blade.
GM His death is immediate. The lifeless body of Chronia’s son falls to the floor and you could swear that he is deflating as the amount of gas expelling from his form as increased.
You hear raspy voices coming from above. “Release at last,” says the first. “Free of that wretched soul,” sparks another.
You look up at the sounds and see that three specters have formed out the gases; green, yellow, and blue respectively. Their vibrant fluorescence light the room. The shape of the blue gaseous spirit starts to solidify into a ghoulish skull-like face. “Bow and receive our gift for releasing us.”
Marcel I place my hand on the end of the hilt of the Sunblade "I bow for none, specters. What authority do you hold in this cursed place?"
GM The green specter speaks, “Authority? We three Thanes shall claim authority over your soul.” The ghosts dive down to strike you.
The umbra neon vapor strobes and unleashed a bolt of electrical energy.
The veiny, green specter lowers to you and spreads its poisonous form across the room as the golden ghost begins to illuminate like the sun causing the gases to shine.
Marcel I take a couple of steps backwards my sapphire taken from the skull. I activate it in the direction of the ghosts.
GM A blast of dharmic light thrusts forth from your sapphire. As it fills the room, the three gaseous thanes grow still and silent. The nirvana the sapphire eye has placed upon them causes them to become at peace. One by one they each realize they are content with themselves and fade away as they pass on to the next world, wherever that may be.
Next, you begin to feel a tingle on the back of your neck grow out to the tips of your toes. It feels good.
The old man and previous vessel of the ghosts now lies wrinkled and deflated. You notice a few lumps on his form that can assume are his possessions.
Marcel I look through the possessions
GM You find: three plain crowns, one for each of the brothers; a mostly faded letter written in a language you don’t understand, stained with tears; and a thick, exotic root vegetable that’s been heavily chewed on one side.
Marcel Are the words on the crowns the same?
GM The crowns don’t have any writing, but have similar characteristics to the swords you removed.
Marcel I take the letter and tuck it away
GM (Do you do anything with the swords?)
(There are three exits: south to the shadows-are-holes room, north to the rope bridges, west to an unknown room.)
Marcel I leave the swords and go to the west
GM The doors to the next room are propped open slightly with a jagged rock. Inside you can see a nearly empty room with three thrones lined in a row on a short platform. Parts of the walls and ceiling are crumbling, and there are no other exits to the room.
Marcel I nod my head in understanding. I go back to the previous room, bundle up the three swords and the three crowns and bring them back into the room with the three thrones
GM You collect the items without fail. What do you with each?
Marcel I set them down on the floor, and begin trying to observe differences in the crowns and the thrones
GM First you notice the middle throne is larger than the others, and one of the crowns is larger too.
One throne has a wooden relief of a Yew tree.
One throne has wine colored padding in the seat.
Marcel Any sort of reflection of each crown with the designs on the crowns?
GM Closer inspection reveals a faint chain-like pattern on a smaller crown.
No other details.
Marcel I begin trying different combinations of swords, crowns, and thrones.
(I think there are 27 different combinations?)
GM (I got 504 combinations; I think. Sorry, no you’re going to have to work it out if you want the prize.)
I got the book back, here are the writings on the swords:
The rose-colored sword with barbs reads “You’d like to spend the night with me But if you spend all day with me, We’ll sleep together.”
The ornate gold-tinted sword reads “I am a heavy burden But anyone will take me from you.”
The sword with the hilt like roots reads “My clock keeps years Not minutes.”
Marcel I'm going to pair the rose-colored sword with a smaller crown and the wine-colored throne.
I'm going to pair the yew throne with the root sword and a smaller crown
And then the larger crown and the larger throne together with the remaining sword
GM Which small crown goes to which throne? One is plain and the other has the chain pattern.
Marcel The chain crown goes with the rose-colored sword
GM As you place the final crown and sword on their matching throne, each burst into piles of gold that spill over the now empty thrones. (21,000 gold and in all). Over the clinking of coins, you can hear a deep grinding of machinery ending with a loud “clunk” that echoes through the maze. Something, somewhere, has opened.
Inspection of the coins will show you an unusual design of a man’s profile with a long nose that spirals out along the edge of the coin. The obverse is covered by a splotchy design. You could guess that it depicts a border or landmass, but you can’t be sure.