Bashiel’s pain begins to subside before disappearing entirely after Kalem casts his spell. It seems the bloodrager was able to dispel the effect.
Kalem opens the next door to reveal yet another small room. Three large wooden chests, their lids decorated with carvings of cavorting tigers, sit against one wall of this room. Some sort of message seems to be carved on each lid. Colorful frescoes on the wall opposite the chests depict hundreds of tigers marching in widening circles around a single green gem the size of a fist, set in the wall and carved to resemble a tiger’s head.
You recognize the language on the three chests to be Vudrani, but you’re not able to understand what the words mean.
Zamanda doesn't recognize the language, but she detects magic and checks for traps anyway.
Yeah, looks that way to me too. I feel like the whole labyrinth is meant to be a trap, you know?
I guess we could just walk away, but that's hard. My imagination gets the better of me and I always imagine that what I never knew I always needed is right there, in the chest... what say the rest of you? Shall we try to open these, or just leave them alone?
”Open it. Can we do it with anything that has reach? So if it is a trap we won’t be standing in front of it.”
Bashiel shakes himself out and takes a deep breath. "Thanks Kalem. I didn't know you had magic like that. You just saved me an hour of agony... I hope I'll be able to repay the favor."
With the chests, Bashiel peers inside the room before suggesting "Zamanda, think that spell you used on the doors to open them will do the same for these chests? That way we don't even have to stand next to them." While Zamanda tries to detect magic, Bashiel focuses his ability to detect evil on each of the chests, on the slim chance that one contains some evil creature lying in wait or an evil artifact.
Normally, Malen would caution against opening the chests in this maze, but considering their only other option was the lever, it was probably best to thoroughly explore things before possibly shifting to another more hostile location. If the rest of the party determined that the chests contained no mundane or magical traps, the priest would retreat with the others while Zamanda attempted to open the things remotely with her handy cantrip.
Yeah, it will work if they aren't locked, from up to 50 feet away... but still checking to see if there are traps.
Zamanda doesn’t spot any traps on the chests, but she does detect several magical auras within the central chest.
Opening the chests from a distance, Zamanda starts with the one closest to the door. It opens without issue. At a glance, there doesn’t appear to be anything inside.
The second chest also opens without issue and out crawls a venomous cobra. Since you’re standing outside the room, you see it coming in plenty of time to dispatch it easily.
The third chest opens and a purple mist fills the room with the chests. It dissipates completely a few seconds later.
Once you reenter the room, you still don’t see anything within the left chest and the right chest appears to be empty as well. However, the middle chest contains six potions. Three appear to be one kind and three another.
You recognize that the gem embedded in the wall is worth 750 gp if you can pry it loose.
Zamanda attempts to identify the potions.
Zamanda calls to the next room.
Err, Ilsa? I seem to be having trouble identifying anything in here... could you help me out?
Bashiel looks relieved when all the chests are handled safely. "Glad we don't have to find out what that mist did..." Once the potions have been handled, he heads back to the room with the lever.
"Are we ready to give this another go?" He stands at the ready near the western end of the little room, weapon drawn, heart hammering in his chest as he anticipates another unpleasant trap.
Once the potions are identified or not and the chests are determined to be void of contents, Malen breathed a sigh of relief. He had expected nothing but serious trouble from opening the containers, though two of the chests had had hazards the group had avoided.
When the paladin asked his question, the priest gave a wary nod, certain that this part of the Labyrinth would likely be his favorite.
Ilsa identifies the first three potions as potions of cure serious wounds. Zamanda identifies the other three as potions of lesser restoration.
Malen's fingers begin to tingle as he examines the first chest. While he's able to resist any possible negative effects, he's fairly confident the left chest is coated in something toxic. The other two have no negative side effects when touched and none of the three have false bottoms.
Before Bashiel has a chance to pull the lever, everyone hears a gear shift and the floor begins to move. It seems to rotate yet again, cutting off your access to the first lever and opening a new path forward.
The walls of this new oddly shaped hallway are decorated in a complex mural depicting a hot, steaming jungle brimming with hungry life. Predators of every sort stalk and maim and feed on dozens of hapless people. In the canopy above, monkeys, snakes, and birds seem to chatter and mock the victims below.
As you study the murals, you’re shocked to notice your own face and the faces of your companions among the victims portrayed in the paintings. You’re among the dozens being brutally slain by jungle wildlife, your faces contorted in pain as your life is taken from you.
The hallway curves to the northeast before disappearing around a corner.
Zamanda casts detect magic and tries to determine whether it is an illusion.
”Well isn’t that lovely? I’m of half a mind to share a few choice...words...with our host. Show him how much we have enjoyed his hospitality.”
Zamanda detects illusion magic from the walls, but doesn't detect any other magical auras or spot any traps.
I don't see any traps. I'm going to see what's ahead.
Zamanda walks slowly down the corridor, checking ahead for threats.
If nothing happens sooner, she walks until she can see what is around the corner.
While Zamanda begins scouting ahead, Bashiel moves far enough forwards to poke at the walls with his rapier, checking if the walls themselves are illusions. "Illusions? Someone really put in extra effort to make this place welcoming for us, didn't they."
He also scans the hallway for anything Zamanda missed and listens in to any sounds coming from the eastern corridor.
Zamanda creeps quietly down the corridor. She peeks around the corner to see another room. The walls, floor, and ceiling of this chamber are decorated with a complex mosaic depicting an immense swarm of angry wasps. The archer recognizes the mosaic to be an elaborate trap, one sprung by anyone who sets foot inside the room. With some effort, she’s able to disable the trigger mechanism, rendering the room safe to traverse.
Two doors lead out of the room, one to the north and one to the south.
Detect Magic
Malen and Zamanda are equally confident that the northern door is safe to open and non-magical. Malen is confident that the southern door is safe to open and non-magical.
Bashiel pokes the walls and finds them to be quite solid. The illusory mural shimmers as his rapier pokes it. He also doesn’t spot anything more than Zamanda and doesn’t hear any sounds in the corridor or in the eastern room.
Holy cats. Someone really, really wants to kill us. ... Well, nothing to be done. On to the next trap I suppose. Everyone stand well back... but not too far. We need to all be in the same section of the labyrinth, or we could get separated.
After everyone has grouped up so they are in less danger of being separated, Zamanda casts Open on the north door.
Malen was taken a bit by surprise as the room began to rotate before they could take any actions with the lever, glad he was able to escape the ravages of whatever poison the chest had been coated in. The priest hurried forward to join the others in examining the duo of doors, letting the others know he found nothing out of the ordinary with the portals. The cleric waited for the others to gather up before Zamanda could open the door, glad to have so many keen eyes around.
"Just the mural, huh?" Bashiel shrugs uncomfortably as he follows after Zamanda. "Can you keep an eye out for more illusions covering other things? I'm worried that the Arkonas will have hidden doors, or maybe even traps, and then used an illusion over them so we never find them no matter how sharp we are."
He stands to the side of the northern door.
~'Boy, you're nervous about more traps? HA! Chin up and take it. Osiris'll keep ya safe, ain't that right?'~
Old man Samir's voice rattles in his head. His ancestors had been subdued for a while now, a vague sense of approval the only thing Bashiel had been getting from them. But Old man Samir was not one to miss an opportunity to tease.
Zamanda opens the door without issue to reveal a short hallway and… another door.
Detect Magic
Malen's confident that this door is safe and it is also non-magical. Once you’ve ascertained the safety of the next door, Zamanda opens it as well.
A six-inch-tall bronze dais on the floor in the middle of this room supports a polished column of black marble. The black stone seems to be vibrating softly, filling the air with a faint hum.
You recognize the pillar of black stone as a Vudrani import: a slab of magical rock known as a sonorous stone. Such a stone requires a year to attune itself to its surroundings, at which point the stone begins to vibrate and hum softly. This stone appears to have already attuned itself to its environment.
This vibration is soothing and relaxing, and any creature that spends 1 minute within 5 ft of an active sonorous stone receives the benefit of a calm emotions spell. In addition, a creature that touches an active sonorous stone is targeted by a restoration spell that also allows it to recall up to 3 levels of spells it had prepared or three expended spell slots - the spells are prepared again or spell slots are once again available, just as if they had not been used.
A sonorous stone can be activated in this manner up to four times per month, after which it becomes dormant for 1 month while it rebuilds its charge. Removing the sonorous stone from this room would result in its destruction.
On the other side of the dais stands a man in bedraggled clothes with tangled hair and a dirty face. He turns to face you as the door to the room opens, a javelin in each hand. His look of confusion turns to one of relief as he sees who you are.
From behind Zamanda, Neolandus shouts, “Vencarlo! You’re alive after all. Thank goodness!”
The man Neolandus addressed lowers his spears and moves over to embrace Neolandus with a smile. The two share a brotherly hug. While Vencarlo looks quite different than when you last saw him, it’s clear he’s seen better days.
Vencarlo turns to each of you and says, “Thank you for coming. I’ve been stuck in this horrible place ever since the Arkonas threw me in here. I’m not even sure how long it’s been at this point.”
“Too long,” Neolandus replies.
Addressing the group, Vencarlo says, “So what’s the plan to get out of this miserable place?”
Zamanda reaches out to touch the stone, refilling her spell slots, and explains the use of the stone to the rest of the party.
Hey Vencarlo, we found your lockbox when we were at your house, and we have that stuff with us. Would you like to change, or have your rapier back before we make our way out of here?
As for a plan, we found a room below with some giant undead elephants, so we think that the maze is just a rotation of four different pillars (at least that is what was in the room below). Perhaps you could tell us when you run across room configurations that look familiar, and that will help us figure out how to get back.
Kalem gladly went over to the stone, ignoring the joyful reuinion of the two men. He certainly had no idea how they were going to get out...
Having never met the swordmaster, Malen kept his guard up longer than the others, most likely, finally relaxing when the seneschal went forth to greet Vencarlo and the two embraced. The priest waited for the two men to catch up before asking, "What reason did the Arkonas give for your foray into the maze? I just have trouble coming to grips with someone thinking that anyone who survived something like this would become an ally."
The aasimar's question was also prudent, so Malen withheld any further inquiry until Neolandus and Vencarlo had time to chew on the questions so far and offer any input or answers.
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Bashiel grins with relief, in part because it looks like Vencarlo is still hale and whole, but also in part because finding him so soon means that they can all start heading out. He doesn't have to think too hard to imagine all the traps still waiting if they were to try to push deeper. But Bashiel's relief cuts off at a quiet reminder from his ancestors.
This had been too easy.
He focuses his attention on Vencarlo while the two men are embracing, trying to sense the man's aura.
Once Vencarlo and Neolandus are separated once more, Bashiel waves at the swordmaster. "Glad we found you so quickly, Vencarlo. Querlan would not have forgiven us if we'd let something happen to you. Your cousin dotes on you, you know."
At Zamanda’s questions, Vencarlo says, “Oh, thank you. I’m fine for now. We can sort all that once we’re out of this place. As for the rooms, I’ll certainly keep an eye out for anything that I recognize.”
Bashiel doesn’t detect any evil from Vencarlo.
At the paladin’s statement, Vencarlo nods and says, “Yes, of course. Well, he’ll be happy to know that I’m just fine. Shall we get out of this place now?”
Vencarlo doesn’t appear to notice Bashiel’s error. It doesn’t seem like he missed Bashiel’s words just that he didn’t recognize that a mistake was made.
Completely oblivious, Kalem sighed. ”Yes, yes. This can wait. We need to get out of here as soon as possible.”
Zamanda is confused why Vencarlo wouldn't want his rapier, but brushing off the whole lockbox probably meant that he didn't want Neolandus to know that he was Blackjack, so she says
Understood.
She moves back into the southern room, and when everyone is together and ready, she casts Open on the south door.
While Zamanda checks over the southern door before opening it, Bashiel frowns and adds "Oh, seeing you reminded me. Last time we met, you'd entrusted us with escorting a girl out of the city. You'll be happy to know we managed to get Chiara to Harse without incident. Except for some wild hippogriffs on the road." He pauses, thinking back to that time. "We were a little suspicious of your contact. What was his name... Jaggan? The fellow with the big axe."
Once might be explained by the stress of the situation. Maybe. But with another error...
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Ilsa takes a moment to replenish her own spells at Zamanda's suggestion.
Ilsa raises an eyebrow at Bashiel as he asks about 'Querlan,' and frowns at Vencarlo's response.
She certainly knew Quinlan, but how could Vencarlo not catch the error? Having been with this group from the start, she could see where Bashiel was going.
Her claws involuntarily extend and retract as she awaits a response from 'Vencarlo.'
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Not understanding what Bashiel was up to at first, the priest was quick to realize the paladin was throwing out names to try to get an impostor to stumble. Or rather, carry on as if something was not amiss. There was only one way to be sure. Malen gripped his holy symbol tightly, then spoke clearly before touching Bashiel's shoulder, "Pharasma, give this man the ability to see things clearly."
Before Zamanda can open the southern door, Bashiel asks his question and Vencarlo says, “ I’m glad she’s okay. And yes, well, he’s a fine fellow.”
Bashiel’s eyes are opened to the truth of situation with Malen’s spell. While the person everyone’s been addressing as Vencarlo still bears a remarkable resemblance with the help of a mundane disguise, Bashiel is now able to see through the being’s shape-changing magic to see that the person isn’t Vencarlo at all. Rather, this is another rakshasa. Based on Bashiel’s true sight, he can see that the rakshasa is a lithe female with the head of a fox.
As for Neolandus, Bashiel’s vision of the man doesn’t change. He seems to actually be Neolandus, just one who had been as fooled by the rakshasa’s disguise as everyone else.
”Come on Bash, stop staring. You haven’t been down here so long that he’s looking good to you.” Kalem teased. ”We need to find a way out of this hole.”
Bashiel goes rigid as Malen's magic lets him see the truth. He moves to interpose himself between 'Vencarlo' and Neolandus, then turns to face the impostor.
"Kalem, be ready." He murmurs before addressing the rakshasa. "You know Vencarlo poorly, rakshasa. He wouldn't forget the name of his cousin Quinlan, nor those of his close allies and people he's saved." He points the rapier at 'Vencarlo'. "And thanks to Malen, I see you for what you truly are." He readies to strike.
The rakshasa throws her hands up in the air and lets her guise fall, revealing her true nature to everyone, that of a lithe woman with a fox's head. Neolandus looks appalled.
She shouts before Bashiel has a chance to attack, "Wait, wait! Congratulations, you caught me. This needn't turn to violence. I was just evaluating you. Or rather, evaluating your potential usefulness. If you'll let me explain, we might be able to help each other."
The rakshasa waits for the group's response before saying more.
Kalem held his War-Scythe at the ready, making it clear that he was ready to use it.