I’m Medium Confident There’s Magic Afoot
S03E03
We find ourselves in an area with a long bridge in front of us with a pedestal. Beyond the gray haze, we see a hint of red, suggesting we are inside the locket entirely. We think about our time in the library of Silveryroom when we researched Larael. We don’t recall anything about a necklace that she used to wear.
We decide to walk forward and it almost echoes. As we move, we see a room with some runes carved in it and a tablet written in common that says,” “Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here. This is Hephaestus’ domain. Do you value your brains or do you value your brawn?”
Pearl recognizes the runes as being written in an ancient script, around the curved part of the room. We see the runes on the wall, but they are otherwise solid rock. RC speaks out “We value our brains” and as he says this, pictures of brains glow on the wall. A reddish energy appears as we feel life drain from us and our HP decreases by 10. We cannot add our strength or proficiency modifiers to anything while in this dungeon. The walls in the dungeon shake and fall as we see a creature hiding behind the wall to the right.
The creature can breathe out green smoke from its nostrils. Caulkin and Bahamut have their feet turned to stone. The creature looks metallic on the outside but is very much alive. Caulkin manages to kill it with an arrow as it breathes the smoke on him, but he is now suffering from the petrified condition.” RC uses a charm and cures Caulkin of being petrified.
We explore further and find a room that has 8 runes symbolizing the 8 schools of magic. The brain icon is still lit up in this room. RC touches the brain icon which causes a red glow in the recess in the room where a number 1 appears. We lose 5 more HP and a spectral creature appears in the room. The spectral creature looks like a spectral Owlin or an Owlbear. A short battle ensues and Pearl uses a guiding bolt, to take it down.
We explore and find a 3rd room. Here, Glittr sees plates and tiles as if something is askance or askew. We toss a skull on it but nothing happens.
The evocation rune glows as Glittr touches the glowing brain. As this happens, fire erupts from the askew tiles on the ground. The runes stay lit, but no number appears. We explore the hallways of the necklace more, finding another room deeper in. We see runes lit up, similar to the first room.
There are two spectors in here. One appears to be a half-elf cleric and the other is half-elvish but resisting this form. These shadows seem twisted in a way. Glittr notices that one isn’t as much half-elf and its resistance to this shadowy spectral being, that this might be an Aasimar. RC realizes that the half-elf and the Aasimar look like RC’s former friends, Kinthrow and Glia(sp?).
We beat the spectors. RC states that he recognizes these two as people from his original party.
Summary
Exploration of the Necklace’s Realm: The party finds themselves on a long bridge within a gray haze, seemingly inside the locket. They remember researching Larael in Silverymoon but find no mention of the necklace she once wore. As they proceed, the bridge echoes underfoot, leading them to a room with runes and a tablet that reads: “Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here. This is Hephaestus’ domain. Do you value your brains or do you value your brawn?” The party chooses "brains," causing brain-shaped symbols on the walls to glow red, but at the cost of 10 HP each and a temporary loss of strength and proficiency modifiers.
First Creature Encounter: The dungeon walls shake and fall, revealing a metallic creature with green smoke billowing from its nostrils. Caulkin and Bahamut are partially petrified by the creature’s smoke, turning their feet to stone. Caulkin kills the creature with an arrow but suffers the petrified condition, which RC cures using a charm.
Riddles of the Magic Schools: In the next room, the party finds runes representing the eight schools of magic, with the brain symbol still glowing. RC touches the brain symbol, causing a red glow to fill the room and a number 1 to appear, while the party loses 5 more HP. A spectral creature resembling an Owlin or Owlbear emerges, which they defeat with Pearl’s guiding bolt.
The Puzzle of the Askew Tiles: Glittr notices a room with askew plates and tiles but their attempts to trigger a reaction (tossing a skull) yield no results. Touching the glowing brain rune causes the evocation rune to glow, releasing a burst of fire from the tiles on the ground, though no further clues are revealed.
Twisted Shadows of the Past: Deeper into the dungeon, the party encounters two twisted specters – one a half-elf cleric and the other an Aasimar resisting its shadowy transformation. These shadows bear a resemblance to RC’s former companions, Kinthrow and Glia. A battle ensues, and after defeating the specters, RC reveals that these specters were indeed his old party members. This discovery adds a somber tone as the group continues their exploration.