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Realisation dawns.
“Oh! *This* isn't the Maze - It’s an ancient device made of the skymetal noqual, a powerful magical insulating material. It’s fairly difficult to operate while it’s actively collecting magical samples, requiring complete care and focus, so you’ll need to guard my back while I collect the samples.”
She then gives a wry smile.
“Once inside, I will be able to spare the concentration to move, but any more and the field that stabilizes the samples eould collapse. And with such strong samples, a collapse could be disastrous for the device. In the unlikely event that the mission proves too dangerous, I can evacuate us all to the Grand Lodge, but there may not be another chance to save the maze if I do.”
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A single step somehow stretches across the length of timeless moments until a strange sky snaps into place above you. Eliza winces a bit and gives the stabilization sphere a look of concern. Blue sky has been replaced by pale lavender with a fringe of starry indigo. The orderly emerald walls of the maze are spotted with irregularities as ragged branches tear at the open air like talons and sections of new growth swell like verdant tumors.
“It’s worse than I feared,” Eliza continues, “Take some earth and clippings next to the portal threshold as a baseline. Keep your eyes out for other deviations.” She frowns and looks to the sphere as it obediently hovers to her side and eldritch bands of energy begin stretching from its protrusions to follow her commands.
As Eliza finishes her instructions, a cheerful if somewhat road-worn halfling crawls from between wild and unruly plant growth. He spends a second brushing stray twigs from his curly hair before giving up on appearing presentable. Picking up his satchel and an unusually large, chittering squirrel, he addresses Eliza. “You aren’t monsters! Could it be? Eliza, your picture does not do you credit! I am so glad I found you. The way to the Woodsedge Portal is particularly plagued by planar anomalies. We considered the Edme cavern portal instead, but as you know overland travel in Galt is nearly as troublesome. That device is fascinating! But since time is of essence, you can explain how it works as we travel.” He offers a letter marked with the seal of the Woodsedge Lodge, “My credentials.”
Rindle then scratches a squirrel riding on his shoulder behind the ear.
“This is Mr. Chitters, my trusted companion!”
Both Bair and Thorax realise that there is something decidedly... off... about the squirrel; you both believe that it is something else, *pretending* to be a squirrel...
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The dwarf wasn't far away when the goblins were in discussion.
I'm here, Thorax. I'm here. I heard something about flowers. Do we go in the wilderness? Some new recruits to build in some nature lore? That could be fine. But I think this should be something different.
Then to Eliza Petulengro, he asks:
Well that's not the expedition of the last chance I hope. Because I think we won't be with both feet on the soil. That's not good. The earth is good. That's a true value. I hope will be back to earth then.
When they meet they guy with the squirrel, he remains cautious. We never know what can happen. Even if the guy seems to know the Decemvirat's representative good.
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Adalan listens to Eliza's briefing with some concern. "Are you at liberty to tell us why exactly the maze was sealed?," he asks. "And has Sorrina been consulted about its reopening?"
When the dispute breaks out over the halfling's squirrel, Adalan steps forward and waves his diviner's staff around them a few times, looking for auras of transmutation or illusion.
Thorax squints his beady eyes at both the halfling, and the squirrel.
"Eliza... Who big important Galtan? That Rindle should know? Ask him questions to see if he is who he says he is. Otherwise..."
Thorax's son breaks out the butcher knives and eyes the squirrel.
"Catch those rats!"
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Adalan strides forward, tracing a wide circle in the air with his staff and shouting an arcane phrase at Rindle. Bright points of light appear around the "halfling" and emit beams which connect them into a polyhedron with innumerable faces. Translucent panes grow between the beams, enclosing Rindle within the effect.
"Now, how about you tell us who you really are, and what you're doing here," Adalan says. "I can tell you're shapeshifted, by the way, so feel free to dispense with the disguise."
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Adalan conjures a globe of force...
...which 'Rindle' completely dodges.
His expression turns sour.
"You Bastard!"
Deeshacerla channels holy energy...
...significantly charring Rindle.
"Damn it!"
His form shifts, revealing a small purple humanoid with sharp teeth and long talons.
Simultaneously, the squirrel shifts form into a psychedelic winged serpent, and splits into two!
Rindle Steps forward, and tries to bite Adalan...
...hitting an artery.
Meanwhile, the flying snakes attempt to tail-slap the unfortunate wizard...
...but he (somehow) manages to dodge!
Dran'Thor (-)
Bair (-)
Thorax (-)
Adalan (-21; Persistent Bleed 1d6)
Deshacerla (-)
Rindle (-39)
Mr and Mrs Chitters (-, -)
"Knew it!"
Thorax rushes around behind the purple creature to provide Bair a flank .
"Don't mind me,
Nothing to see here!"
+1 Striking Shifting Dogslicer :
"Oops, so sorry,
Forgot you were there!"
+1 Striking Shifting Dogslicer :
"It's your turn now,
Clobber him, Bair!"
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Dran'Thor channels electricity...
...and whilst 'Rindle' undergoes explosive decompression, the flying snake dodges the worst of the blast.
Thorax then moves into a flank, and shanks the snake...
...which proves to be slightly resistant to his attacks.
Dran'Thor (-)
Bair (-)
Thorax (-)
Adalan (-21; Persistent Bleed 1d6)
Deshacerla (-)
Mr and Mrs Chitters (-35, -)
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Adalan curses under his breath as the Rindle avoids the spell and sinks his teeth into Adalan's flesh.
With the fiend dispatched, Adalan hurries away from the ongoing fight and begins binding his wound. As he works he tries to remember what sort of abilities or weaknesses the snake-like creatures might possess.
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Working himself up into a rage, Bair splatters Cyan, and then turns his attention to Red, but misses with his backswing.
Adalan binds his wounds, and tries to recall what these creatures are - he thinks that they are something akin to a Voidworm Protean, but there is something different about them (for starters, they are *substantially* tougher). Consequently, they are Resistant to Precision damage, and have Mutable Resistance to energy attacks.
Deshacerla stes back, and bolsters her life-force with the power of Necromancy.
Mrs. Chitters starts trying to slam Bair...
...but just can't land a blow.
Dran'Thor (-)
Bair (-)
Thorax (-)
Adalan (-5; Persistent Bleed 1d6)
Deshacerla (-)
Mrs Chitters (-)
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Dran'Thor directs a bolt of lightning at the remaining protean...
...shocking it.
However, its scales now shift to a mirror-like sheen... as a result of which, the electricity crackling all over it causes no further damage.
Dran'Thor (-)
Bair (-)
Thorax (-)
Adalan (-5; Persistent Bleed 1d6)
Deshacerla (-)
Mrs Chitters (-34; Clumsy 2)
"Dran'Thor! Your kitty's teeth too wide! Eel slip in between!"
And so Thorax moves over to be helpful.
+1 Striking Shifting Dogslicer :
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Around this particular corner of the maze, a statue of a robed spellcaster rendered in the act of drawing forth a wand stands in a readied pose. Some of the statue’s fingers have been snapped off. Lichens spot its stone body here and there. Glinting sparkles shift in the topiary walls and a soft breeze comes from some unknown place, bearing clashing scents of cinnamon and tar.
Her face a picture of concentration, Eliza manages to gasp out:
"Please look for a suitable sample of the maze for the stabilization device..."
Within the branches of the rose bushes lining the walls of the maze, there are clusters of crystallized sap resembling emerald-hued amber growing directly from the limbs of the plants. The crystals, also known as phytoliths, exhibit a strange humming sound and grow out from the branches in rigid angles.
Bair believes that the phytoliths are a normal part of the maze and doesn’t have any insight to offer Eliza in her sample collections.
However, to Dran'Thor, on examining the right angles and straight edges of crystal, it becomes clear the influence of some greater force weighs on the ecosystem of the maze. Energies consistent with Axis, the Plane of Law, might explain the changes to the local flora.
Furthermore, Adalan surmises that the humming is symptomatic of resonance between the phytoliths. Taking one as a sample might cause a disruption that will likely be harmless here but could cause a cascade of planar energies with unforeseeable effects further along the pathway. Collecting the soil at the base of the plants should provide a safe sample without exacerbating the energy imbalances affecting the maze...
Thorax follows Jydno as he pokes at the ground and looks for tracks of any creatures passing through the area.
Orica inspects the statue. "Daddy it looks like the people on statue street."
Thorax considers the safety of his kids in tow and votes for the soil sample.
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After collecting a soil sample, Eliza motions for you to continue.
As you step forward on the path, suddenly, everything changes!
With a single step, the world explodes into darkness and light. Walls of green become swirls of verdant light. A dizzying array of symbols and runes swims through the air, accompanied by the aromas of dried spice and parchment.
You try to move, but find that everything is difficult; looking at one another, you see that you have all been translated into bodies formed of constantly moving, living runes... all that is except Eliza, protected by the device that she carries.
The first length of hallway appears in the shape of an Elysian field with a large stone archway at the far end, flanked by the area’s guardians - several jann.
The second length of hallway appears to be crafted entirely from psychic and arcane energy bound in runes and musical notes; the very fabric of this area bombards the PCs’ minds with pounding sensory overload. Once again, a large stone archway is at the far end, flanked by the area’s guardians - several jann.
The third area combines the energies of the previous two areas with primal energy and life essences, forming a forge of creation that the party must pass through carefully in order to proceed. Once again, a large stone archway is at the far end, flanked by the area’s guardians - several jann.
As the old knight holds the first passage open, Thorax tries to scurry through the next... But bonks his head painfully on... Thin air?
Lastly, he wiggles his toes and flaps his ears while screaming a silent scream.
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Thanks to Ulthun's expect guidance, Thorax easily makes it through the first area.
Dran'Thor sails through as if he was born to this form.
Bair and Adalan, however, struggle, and although they make progress, flail around like drunker sailors, which gets the gate guardians' teeth on edge...
...but thankfully, Deshacerla manages to move forward normally, and the guardians relax.
With freakish luck, Thorax manages to avoid being distracted
Dran'Thor and Bair struggle...
Adalan sails through without a care in the world.
Deshacerla, likewise, struggles.
Thorax uses brute force to power through.
Dran'Thor is distracted by the utterly alien nature of the area.
Bair doesn't manage to tumble.
Adalan, however, looks at the underlying magical underpinnings of this strange reality, and makes it through just fine.
Deshacerla struggles.
----------------------------------
Unfortunately, in your travels through this strange dimension, you have damaged reality enough that the Guardians take offense to your presence, wanting to remove the cancer before it destroys things further!
The large guardians swing scimitars at Bair...
...but each only hit once.
Dran'Thor (-)
Adalan (-)
Bair (-28)
Thorax (-)
Deshacerla (-)
DM (-)
DL (-, -)
Thorax looks up at the big, blue genie and taps it on the shin.
"He's the distraction. I'm the threat."
+1 Striking Shifting Dogslicer :
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Dran'Thor directs his Smilodon to attack Red, biting deep and grabbing hold, but not destroying any equipment.
Adalan conjures a Giant Wasp, which stings the guardian once.
Bair takes a wild swing, but misses.
Thorax intimidates Cyan, and hits twice, delivering two nasty slices.
Deshacerla channels Electricity...
...frying the little one and Cyan a bit.
The little one hacks at the wasp...
...slicing it apart with three deft strikes.
Red swings at the Smilodon...
...hitting once.
Meanwhile, Cyan targets Adalan...
...hitting once.
Dran'Thor (-)
Smilodon (-12)
Adalan (-12)
Bair (-28)
Thorax (-)
Deshacerla (-)
DM (-25)
DL (-16, -38)
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Dran'Thor directs the smilodon to continue attacking Red, delivering two solid bites, and knocking it prone.
Adalan, meanwhile, conjures another wasp, but it doesn't land a sting.
Dran'Thor (-)
Smilodon (-12)
Adalan (-12)
Bair (-28)
Thorax (-)
Deshacerla (-)
DM (-25)
DL (-52; Prone; Persistent Bleed 2d6, -38)
As the kitty knocks its prey prone, Thorax leaps at the opportunity to be helpful.
+1 Striking Shifting Dogslicer :