Amiri picks something out of her teeth, brushing off the slight shock she had "North? As good as any other way." She grins.
You head north and see a few signs outside pointing towards the garden Amiri saw when she patrolled the outside. With the rest of the team here, you all decide to approach.
Several statues of an adult Garundi woman at varying ages are displayed, each with a plaque describing an important event or reward. Alyreha's name is under most of them.
While there are no statues of Alyreha in her youth, there are several honorary pedestals with placards honoring major events from her childhood as well, with the name on each artistically scratched away.
A statue of Alyreha alongside a golem stands out from the rest. Even from outside the garden, extraneous magical lettering is shimmering and visible on top of the mundane description on its placard.
When you approach the stature, however, a series of complex magical structures form around them. You first see the statue begin to slowly sink into the ground, and almost immediately thereafter it seems to recede an impossible distance away, along with the walls of the house and other features of the garden. Walls of shimmering arcane energy rise up all around them, far too many to normally fit in the garden’s space. A ceiling forms above, trapping you in a complex maze.
|
"Alyreha, you look different in these statues. Did you get a haircut?"
After indulging the skull (and himself) with the bad joke, Landon begins to examine the statues and placards in more detail. "More true name research, perhaps? Trying to distill the essence of a person through their accomplishments? Perhaps - Woah!"
His thought is cut off by the sudden appearance of the reality-defying maze.
"Alright, what could be going on here? Illusion is an obvious explanation, but it could also be walls of force or planar conjuration..."
"...Then again, it may not be magic at all. I think it's probably mirrors, pushed out of slots in the ground to make the room seem larger!"
As the group moves through the maze, Landon offers to help force open any doors that block the way.
Before heading out, Landon returns to the foyer to crack a joke. "You know, I was a rebellious youth." Alyreha sits atop the statue of Nex. "The barbershop gave me big discounts, though!" She laughs. "Did you find some research? Great! Go get some more while I sit here and keep these wards in check."
Nykor's companion sniffs about and is a bit more sensitive at the magic than he is. He makes some headway and sees through a wall. He still has time to help the team through the maze.
Landon isn't completely sure about the magical theory, but he does know a trick mirror when he sees one. He realigns some of the magical projectors and dispels some of the walls.
Takumi
Landon 1 success, 1 failure
Nykor 1 success
Amiri
Kosh
Torrin
Shinju joins in the mirror budging and knocks down a flimsy wooden wall that otherwise blends into the maze. Takumi also spots a few more false walls to help the team move alone.
Kosh knows arcane magic is very rigid and rule based, but there are always occult forces lurking behind them. He is able to pierce through some of the worst of it.
You hear rumbling as you get through the maze- it must be the statue, lowering into the ground. You're so close...
Takumi 2 success
Landon 1 success, 1 failure
Nykor 1 success
Amiri
Kosh 1 success, 1 failure
Torrin
Nykor's rodent friend sniffs some more, and follows the nose, simply walking through illusory walls because they don't smell like walls.
You manage to reach the statue, where the illusory maze shatters. The statue really was receding into the ground, but your mere touch causes it to return to its original height. With the statue remaining in its above ground location, you can investigate the magical lettering, which can easily be deciphered into a command word that causes the placard to slide down, revealing a hidden compartment containing a fragment of Alyreha’s research. That's number 2!
At this point you can check the rooms on the East or West side of the first floor, or head upstairs.
This room is completely bereft of windows and lit only by dim magical orbs mounted on each wall. Two perfectly smooth crystal balls lie in the center of two large tables, near the center of the room. The other furniture in the room has been tossed, the shelves have been ransacked and a pair of mirrors on the far eastern side lie shattered on the floor, revealing an empty indentation in the eastern wall.
You are aware you can easily choose to view other areas available to that crystal ball, cycling through the options in a set order.
Right now it is showing the Universal Foyer, with Alyreha cackling on top of the statue of Nex. She seems to be focusing on keeping the defenses in check, as well as thinking up more puns.
If you keep cycling, you see labels for rooms on the second floor: Necromancy Study, Teaching Hall, Enchantment Auditorium, Evocation Atrium, Transmutation Showroom. The Wizard's Research Tower is on the third floor. But all of these rooms show a completely opaque image and you are unable to see anything, even the layout of the room.
The unusually quiet Amiri finally takes a turn spying through the crystal balls, unable to hold back her curiosity "What the heck.. this is powerful magic!" She steps back, brain taking devious turns with each passing moment.
"Guess we need to keep moving, and hope no one spies on us from here. Maybe our skull friend can use these to keep an eye out for us?" She heads to Alyreha to check.
The walls of this room are covered in paintings of creatures, organized beneath signs that list the names of each of the Outer Planes. Many of the paintings have been moved aside, turned crooked, or taken off the shelf, as if the room had been thrown into disarray. On the southern end of the room, a painting in the section labeled “Maelstrom” lies on the floor, with one side of the frame slightly broken off.
The western wall also contains a single square painting, 10 feet on each side, labeled “Illusion Garden.” This contains an image of the outdoor garden adjacent to it, rather than a creature.
The painting features worm like creatures, writhing and crawling atop each other. It's so lifelike... and then you notice they are actually moving towards you.
The vibrant Purple Worm wastes no time crawling up to you before you raise your guard. The first target is Landon.
After knocking out Landon, it lunges at Torrin.
Kosh has a moment to react before the Gray Worm moves in!
Landon (Dying 2, 0 HP, Prone)
Purple Worm
Kosh
Gray Worm
Torrin
Takumi and Shinju
Amiri
Nykor
Landon (Dying 2, 0 HP, Prone)
Purple Worm
Kosh
Gray Worm
Torrin
Takumi and Shinju
Red Weak Worm
Amiri
Nykor
Kosh Inspires Courage amongst his teammates with a >Courageous Anthem<, and then rouses Landon from the brink of death, closing his wounds in the process.
The Gray Worm slithers into place before snapping its jaws once.
Amiri is not impressed (assuming she was paying attention.)
Landon (7 damage, Prone, Wounded 1)
Purple Worm
Kosh (Courageous Anthem)
Gray Worm
Torrin
Takumi and Shinju
Red Weak Worm
Amiri
Nykor
Torrin and Takumi raise their guard and wait for the enemy to approach. The Red hued worm flies through the air before hovering close to Takumi and Shinju.
Shinju is also unimpressed.
Purple Worm
Kosh (Courageous Anthem)
Gray Worm
Red Weak Worm
Torrin
Takumi and Shinju
Amiri
Nykor
Landon (7 damage, Prone, Wounded 1)
Amiri stands leaning on her oversized sword, eyes fixed on the writhing worms in the painting Good times... She chuckles before the hairs on the back of her neck start to stand. Oh, things are about to get interesting... He chuckle breaks into a smile as her eyes narrow focus and hearing starts to echo. Luckily, Kosh helps give her some direction and MORE enthusiasm.
Dodging a snapping maw she declares "Its about damn time."
She glares at the offending worm and tries to send it to the ground in two swift hacks.
Its clear Amiri is much more engaged when things get frisky!
Torrin takes a swing and bashes one of the worms. What will he do next?
For Amiri, it's easy: 1 target crawled right up to her. She stares at it, but it doesn't seem to care. Her blade catches its attention as she slashes it once.
Purple Worm (9 damage)
Kosh (Courageous Anthem)
Gray Worm (12 damage)
Red Weak Worm
Torrin (1 action remaining)
Takumi and Shinju
Amiri
Nykor
Landon (7 damage, Prone, Wounded 1)
Landon's follow up strikes the worm as Nykor shifts into position and impales the other one. He soon realizes the worm's organs shift around and are difficult to hit, it seems to resist some of his precision damage.
Takumi wastes no time and asks Shinju to dispatch the small Red Worm.
That was easy. Shinju moves up to the purple worm while Takumi leans down to apply some Battle Medicine to Landon.
Landon (3 damage, Prone, Weapons Dropped, Wounded 1)
Purple Worm (15 damage)
Kosh (Courageous Anthem)
Gray Worm (21 damage)
Red Weak Worm
Torrin
Takumi and Shinju
Amiri
Nykor
Landon slashes across the purple worm in retaliation.
The Purple Worm sees 3 juicy targets. Who to bite first?
It heals slightly right before wrapping its tail around Shinju, eager to squeeze.
Landon (3 damage, Prone, Weapons Dropped, Wounded 1, Battle Medicine Immune)
Purple Worm (22 damage, grabbing Shinju)
Kosh
Gray Worm (21 damage)
Red Weak Worm
Torrin
(13 damage) Takumi and Shinju (Grabbed by Purple)
Amiri
Nykor
Kosh lines up a shot and shoots the purple worm. It's so riveting the entire team is full of courage!
As the worm bites through his armor, Nykor feels his thoughts dancing to and fro. Loud, colorful, stinky... focus!
Landon (3 damage, Prone, Weapons Dropped, Wounded 1, Battle Medicine Immune)
Purple Worm (28 damage, grabbing Shinju)
Kosh (Courageous Anthem until right before his Round 6)
Gray Worm (20 damage)
Torrin
(13 damage) Takumi and Shinju (Grabbed by Purple)
Amiri
Nykor (12 damage, DC 20 Will Save vs Garbled Thoughts)
Success - The creature is unaffected.
Failure - The creature is stupefied 1 for 1d4 rounds.
Critical - Failure As failure, but the creature is also confused
for 1 round.
Amiri wastes no time in follow-up strikes on gray "Give a girl a chance to throttle something!" He giant blade comes crashing down, stepping to get in reach of the pink worm if needed.
Nykor feels his mind overwhelmed by errant thoughts. He pushes through and impales the worm before taking a step back. He knows his precision attacks didn't hit as hard as it should have.
Amiri runs in and slices through the gray worm, taking a wild swing that misses the remaining worm.
Takumi uses his power to boost Shinju's power, and he Steps into place before trying to smash the flanked worm.
Shinju destroys the remaining worm.
Landon (3 damage, Wounded 1, Battle Medicine Immune)
Nykor (12 damage)
The maelstrom painting has parts of a torn page stuck to its back, where it had previously been concealed by the frame. You check the other frames in the room and quickly assemble the missing pieces.
Amiri's eyes dance around the room wildly, looking for something to fight with, her energetic grin soon turning into a slightly exhausted smile "Well, it was good while it lasted. Heh." She lowers her blade to the ground and leans against the corner for a short rest.
"Never trust a rat.. merchant Nykor. They're all just after your cheddar." She quips, finally popping back up and looking refreshed. "Let's go check in with the talking skull before we head upstairs, they may remember something important."