"Certainly better than nothing, thank you.  If we can't get this chest open to contain it, perhaps we can pry the potion box from earlier off the ceiling before we leave.  I wonder if there's a convenient volcano somewhere we could hurl it into...?" the proffered tin cup would have to suffice for the time being.  She shuffled a bag absolutely laden with tiny iron ball-bearings from her own belongings, filled the cup partially with them to nestle the pearl into, and then buried it under the rest before the lot of it got bundled up together once more.

---

Mallory will go ahead and keep the Pearl for the time being, stowed in a metal cup and a leather pouch of 1k ball-bearings, with hopes that's sufficient to block magical auras it may produce.

---

"I'm not quite certain what the magic at play specifically is because... well, it's not mortal spellcraft.  Rather, it's some form of raw magic innately tied to the bauble itself, not an enchantment imbued upon it, but it's rather similar to being heavily cursed.  There's certainly a compulsion to it that, if any of us synchronized our own energies to it, would most assuredly enslave our minds utterly over time.  I'd wager the orb is a conduit of sorts, which explains why it came up similarly to Divination magic.  Its resonance is quite recognizable though. " she explained as she securely cinched the bag shut and stowed it away it went into her pack where other awful arcane secrets lurked.  Had Apple already attuned herself to it and lost her mind to the pearl's control?  "It's energies are tied directly to those of the dying star, Hadar, which is a malevolent, extra-planar, pseudo-entity from beyond our known cosmos.  To be perfectly fair, I don't expect any of you to understand what that means; I barely do myself.  Information about the Elder Evils - Hadar especially - is notoriously obfuscated by cults that act in their name.  What little is known of Hadar by way of its heralds is that it's hungry."

Mallory gestured about the spiral-afflicted room they stood in broadly.  "The influence of any of the Elder Evils is that of utter corruption; of insanity and mutation.  It may well be what's responsible for the state of the place, of that Bulette earlier, and the obfuscating shroud that hides the Spire itself.  Illithids may not be involved at all... though this adjacent and similarly horrific force hardly makes that any relief." she could only speculate in that regard, but the fact that even the deepest recesses of the Spire, along with ancient corpses and long-sealed books had been afflicted by the aberrant fractals made it seem like it wasn't a recent effect.  Though the presence of such things in Icewind Dale immediately prompted Mallory's thoughts to return to the likes of that Arkemos fellow they'd known briefly - a Fiendish cultist himself, by her measure.  "Given what we've gathered from the Spire's original contents so far, it's possible that this place was once focused on studying these extra-planar forces.  They're dangerous to be certain, but also incredibly powerful.  Exactly the sort of thing the ancient Netherese or the modern Red Wizards would salivate to control for their own purposes."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:41, Tue 04 Apr 2023.

---

Idri’s Intelligence (Tinker’s Tools) check to repair Farwalker’s armor [12]: Unfortunately, there wasn’t much anyone could do in these circumstances. The chainlinks that needed repair were corroded, almost entirely in certain parts, and left Farwalker’s left flank in a sorry state. In front of a forge, with the appropriate tools, it would be a couple of hour’s work to restore.

Idrianthe’s Arcana/History on Hadar [26]: According to the Revelations of Melech, Hadar was once the brightest stat in night sky and resides in the nebula of Ihbar. As with many Elder Evils, little is known about Hadar. However, a tome on the subject had found itself into the library in Witchholm after its transportation to the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning, a tome which once belonged to a Neogi, spider-like creatures traveling the Sea of Night. Hadar was not a dying star, it was a dead star. A collapsed star. An inverted star, from which no light escaped. Whatever one could see on the night sky was merely an afterimage from the distant past.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:52, Wed 05 Apr 2023.

Idrianthe nodded knowingly to Mallory's explanation, even whilst she looked on approvingly at the wizard's prudent packaging of the malevolent artifact. Truly, it was an unfamiliar pleasure to be in the company such a developed mind, in spite of their dire circumstances.

"An altogether dead star, if one believes a Neogi-authored tome I was once privileged to have access to; I still have the notes I made if anyone should like to read them in more pleasant circumstances. Inverted by its own desire, a void into which all things are drawn." Idrianthe's demeanor and tone rapidly drifted away from anything resembling grim respect and fell into the downright delighted patter of a researcher discussing a focus that, although it wasn't specifically hers, she had always enjoyed. "The dying form which can be seen by our mortal eyes is an afterimage traveling to us from the distant past, perhaps even a time when it wasn't as terribly bad as it's become. Fun to imagine, isn't it? An Elder... Neutral. Elder Curmudgeon, maybe. Either way, Hadar is a fascinating study in spite of -- maybe because of -- the 'eat everything and everyone' mien. I'd expect nothing less from a spire so dedicated to Mystryl. Do you suppose we could sever the connection to Hadar somehow, render it benign or even beneficial?"

She looked back down at her work on Farwalker's chainmail and frowned. "Forgive me; for all my chitter and chatter, I'm not going to be able to do much for this without a forge fire and new material to replace what's been corroded."

There hadn't been the slightest bit of judgment in Mallory's tone when she expected a lack of comprehension about the subject prior.  She was well-aware that her education into the mystical aspects of their world was by no means popularized and certainly didn't hold a sense of superiority about her knowledge like so many other highly-educated, overly-egotistical arcanists did.  That said, she was visibly pleased at Idri's follow up.  She'd underestimated the Elvish crafter once before and was proven wrong for it, so it was best she alter her expectations accordingly.

"A black hole and still-traveling light yet to reach us then?  A fascinating suggestion... though dead and dying take on questionable qualities where aberrations of the Far Realm are concerned.  Concepts we rely on to define our existence simply don't apply there, and trying to reconcile them together is literal madness.  Poor Melech learned that the hard way." the young noble shook her head pityingly.  The road to arcane knowledge was scattered with the remains of those who'd come before and paid the price for their curiosity.  "Your notions of what to make of the Spire's future are quite intriguing, but perhaps a bit ahead of our situation and capability.  For the moment we've yet to fully plumb this tower's figurative and literal depths."

There wasn't much that could be done about the Spire itself, on the broad scale.  That was simply beyond their scope and something better suited for the likes of their Harpell patron to mull on.  Doubly so when there was so little their group could achieve in the face of everything.  Mallory allowed her gaze to shift once more to where Apple had been laid out as a sense of helplessness welled within her once more, but she shook it away to refocus.  "For the moment, we should resolve what we can and leave loftier ideas for later.  What do you make of this chest?  It's clearly of value to have such an enduring lock placed on it, but I fear trying to open it manually with the enchantment still in place."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:17, Wed 05 Apr 2023.

---

Right, I knew there something I had forgotten; yes, you may take the chest with you. It’s about two feet across and doesn’t weigh more than fifteen pounds. It’s made of fine dark wood.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:42, Wed 05 Apr 2023.

Idrianthe couldn't argue Mallory's point that neither the pearl nor the greater spire could be meaningfully impacted by them at this point, save brute demolition which she was repulsed to even think of. "A project for a less eventful day, you're right. Still, if we could sever the pearl from Hadar, it might become a feat that gets both of our names inked to paper for generations to come. Imagine that, hey? Mallory Bonheur, Bester of an Elder Evil."

With a smile wearied only slightly by the awareness they were in over their heads, Idri shrugged at the issue of the ensorcelled chest. "My limited knowledge of this type of abjuration is that it makes for an exceptionally sturdy obstacle to the uninvited, but not an inherently punitive one. I'm not skilled enough to disenchant the lock and remove the risk, but I do believe that the two of us working together, buoyed by my guiding sigil and any tricks up your voluminous sleeves, have a modest chance to pop it. Otherwise, there's always heat, acid, disassembling the hinges or lid, and precision brute force." To punctuate that, Idri clonked her armored left fist against the artificial right one, producing a muted bwum with her thundering enchantments.

As she looked longer at the chest, Idrianthe's smile flagged. "Fifty years ago I would have been confident I could pick it myself, but time and neglect rust skill as surely as steel -- to say nothing of misplacing my dominant hand. We could always save it for the return journey, take it back to the surface where we can address the problem at leisure on your sled or back in town, with a minimum of risk to the contents."

"Best we simply take it with us then.  No need to take unnecessary chances or damage such a well-made antique." Mallory reasoned with a shrug.  Idri's brief dip into downtrodden recollection earned a sympathetic smile from the young noble.  "Come now, don't be so down on yourself.  I daresay you've a more bold and adventurous spirit than I.  Personally, I'd be content to publish a simple treatise on the development of efficient and practical enchantments.  Though I'm a Diviner by birth, I've always had quite a fondness for the study of magical properties and enchantments." Focus, compartmentalize, and move on.  The simple mantra of her tutor past was a valuable one when it came to coping with the difficulties of any troubling situation.  The more Mallory intentionally allocated her thoughts away from dwelling on poor Apple's fate, the more she could keep herself in the present moment.

"This portal we passed through, for instance." she began in a prim tone that echoed the lectures of prior lessons with a gesture raised to the window entrance.  "A wonderfully useful bit of mystical craftsmanship; an arcane suspension that maintains this pocket dimension space.

I've spoken before of Karsus, the pinnacle mage of the Netherese.  Magic such as this was of his creation.  He rose to his prestige through his development of 'Heavy Magic' - a volatile, physical distillation raw magical energy - which revolutionized how enchantments were handled throughout their empire.  It could permanently infuse magic into both objects and creatures with miraculous ease.  He then further refined it into an even more potent and enduring form - his so-called 'Super Heavy Magic' - which this portal is comprised of.  It was that same power which fueled the titular cataclysm 'Karsus' Folly' and the collapse of the entire Netherese empire.  That very event is what brought this Spire we now stand in plummeting to the earth... alas, the means by which to create this miraculous substance are no more, yet I daresay we are all the better for the loss.  There are simply some things best left alone by the meddling curiosity of mankind."

Such history lessons were rote to any arcanist worth their salt, as the terrible failure of Karsus was etched into the minds and memories of all spellcasters one way or another.  A warning against overreaching past one's capacity, and how even the most noble of intentions were not immune to corruption by man's own hubris.  Rather than be held by the morals of that historical tidbit, however, Mallory gave a curious hum and curled a finger beneath her chin in thought.  "Actually... hmm.  The method of production is long lost, but it is known that the distillation of Super Heavy Magic requires rare star metal.  I wonder... was this Spire perhaps involved in the practice?  Did they attempt to conjure dense cores from the distant stars of the Far Realm and unwittingly come into contact with Hadar?  Was there some mishap in the process or containment breach during the Folly that caused this aberrant corruption?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:57, Thu 06 Apr 2023.

While the others managed a brief respite, Idrianthe undertook the task of ascending the Spire to retrieve the half-dissolved set of armor which the Dwarven helmet was part of. Bringing it down was simpler than climbing up the back of slippery staircases and planted ropes, but between this undertaking and the conversation with Mallory, the remaining party had climbed out of the pocket bedchamber ready to continue onward once the High-Elf was returned.

The upside-down stairway in the Ooze-room led down to the final room of the spire, one of more Ooze. Far more Ooze. Except, this time it was all in one large, still pool covering the entirety of the ceiling-turned-floor. In the center, above it all, sat a silver disk suspended in mid air. It hovered askew, compensating for the slight tilt the lowermost part of the Spire suffered. The pillars, sloping downward in what must be an acute point beneath the Ooze pool, were etched with arcane glyphs.*

---

Map.

* DC 18 Arcana.

---

Mallory's Arcana on the arcane symbols (/w Advantage granted by Idrianthe + Help) [29]: The script was Iokharik and the language Draconic, so it was readable to those versed in arcane notation. The arrangement, however, was more esoteric and perhaps more reminiscent of Rune Magic. Though not unheard of, incorporating the structure and shape as part of the arcane circle was not common practice nowadays, nor in the golden age of Netheril; any flat surface typically sufficed. One such glyph, wrapped in geometry, was engraved on the ceiling-turned-floor and Mallory could quickly determine it was meant to keep the silver disc suspended. The silver disc itself was another instance of Super Heavy Magic, imbued with Transmutation energy.

The sigils on the pillars were ones that most often related to Illusion and Transmutation, though Mallory's adept eye, with the aid of Idrianthe's supplementary knowledge and blessing of luck, could spy the composition was complemented by Evocation. Horizontal rings ran along the wall on a rhythm.

There were no trigger words or passphrases to activate the magic. It instead triggered when a Cantrip was cast atop the silver disc; specifically Minor Illusion.

Exploring even the most simple and surface-tier Netherese ruins often yielded far more questions than one arrived in pursuit of answers for.  But the Spire was just one literally spiraling mystery after another.  So many seemingly unrelated elements... there had to be a connecting line between them, surely?  Life rarely tied itself up in so tidy a package, but there must have been some method behind the madness to begin with.

"What a fascinating structure... the arcane scripting is classical Neth form; a dialect of Iokharik, as one would expect.  But the formatting!  Is this Jotun-inspired rune structure?  What a scandalous approach..." Mallory mused as she examined the strange designs at length.  Breaking down the fundamental elements of the structure was one thing, but discerning its purpose was another.  One that seemed to elude as well.  She'd hoped there would've been some surviving materials that could've yielded information as to the mirror's purpose within that same chamber.  But, when the 'floor' had become a pool of highly acidic fluid, surely anything loose in the room had long since been dissolved away.  There might have been some especially sturdy or enchanted items that survived in the depths, but there was certainly no way to even check, let alone retrieve.

"Idrianthe?" the young noble spoke up as she gazed at the distant mirror suspended high overhead.  Such a sudden shift from her usual manner of polite address, along with her stern tone, spoke of seriousness that needed to be broached.  "Madame Harpell hired you for this matter before the rest of us.  She clearly knew far more of this than she cared to explain prior... what has she told you of her findings or intent for this Spire?  Why did she choose you, specifically, for this task?"

---

Idri's History/Investigation Check on the arcane engravings (Advantage granted by Proficiency in Mason's Tools) [25]: This was not just reminiscent of Rune Magic, this was Rune Magic, but with a different script. Warding Glyphs, a successor of the tradition written with Iokharic, was utilized exclusively by Clerics and Priests and only for the purposes of Evocation.

Every glyph here was expertly carved and likely allowed for repeated uses, a feat attributed to only the most skilled of Runecasters. This was exceptional craftsmanship. The multiple glyphs were strung together in a Chant, a casting variant scarcely ever seen in contexts outside Ostoria, the ancient Giant Kingdom predating Netheril.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:34, Sat 15 Apr 2023.

Idri, a sigil of memory and clarity still glowing on her forehead after fading from Mallory's, was examining one of the bands of script as closely as she could get without bodily interfering with the room or the runes. "Not just Jotun-inspired, Lady Bonheur, overtly Jotun! Almost unheard of with Iokharic outside of clerical warding glyphs, and those exclusively used with evocation, but certainly not outside the bounds of what the great minds of Netheril were capable of. Do you see here, this sequence?" Idri extended her mage hand, a ghostly blue specter of the real, and used it to carefully outline one of the chants. "This is a chant, a system of runic organization from Ostoria, the first kingdom of the Jotuns, older than the Netherese by thousands of years. The skill to create all this boggles the mind, my friends, and its utility is... Monumental. The spellcraft worked into these walls will function again, and again, and again, until the stone erodes flat and nothing of the carving remains. It's..."

Overcome with the weight of the discovery, Idrianthe had tears of joy and disbelief welling in her eyes when she heard Mallory's tone change, and turned to address the new line of questioning.

"Ah... I see. You expect duplicity may be involved, or perhaps malicious intent, on at least her part if not also mine. The logic is certainly there, I can't fault you. The full breadth of her findings were not available to me, but I doubt they were substantive; she was not willing to risk her own well-being by coming here and braving the depths, and there's precious little to learn from the outside, alone. Given she is a necromancer of the Arcane Brotherhood, however, it does not take a philosopher to draw conclusions: This is a place of power and knowledge, and the Brotherhood prize both as vigorously as they hoard it.

"To clarify a point, however, I have been promised no compensation from Madam Harpell. I learned of the Spire through her and another, who I shall preserve the anonymity of, and it was clear she had an interest. I had just helped drive duergar from Caer-Konig and must have struck her as competent enough and learned enough to confide in. I also hail from a defunct sect, the Witch Knights, who taught me a bastardized form of runecasting built on Jotun principles. While a true runecaster knows much more, it does give me a superior facility with the subject than most, and now I suspect that Madam Harpell might have known that would come in useful.

"However, she cautioned me from making this journey until opportunity and aid presented themselves." At this, Idrianthe gestured to the group. "But I wanted to find this place of my own accord, to rescue the ancient wisdoms and lost discoveries, put them to paper, and share it with all the libraries and the peoples I possibly can. Knowing that even one member of the Brotherhood was looking into it only made me want to hurry here first -- which we, together, have accomplished."

"Ah... I see. You expect duplicity may be involved, or perhaps malicious intent, on at least her part if not also mine. The logic is certainly there, I can't fault you."

Mallory shook her head in gentle interjection.  "At first, perhaps, but not for some time.  You've afforded us many reasons to trust you and, given your claim of being a historian, the passion for academia I've witnessed from you is more than enough.  Rest assured that you have my faith." the young noble rested a hand to her chest demurely.  "And, please, call me Mallory, if it would please you to do so.  I daresay we've all been through enough together to set aside formalities."

Both Idri and Vellynne had been forthcoming in their own ways, although Mallory's trust in their patron's affairs was far less certain.  At that point it was less that she felt Vellynne intended to deceive them so much as there was an entire other facet to their task that was kept intentionally concealed from them all.  Even from Idri.  Mallory was a noble and merchant alike; she knew full well the power that came from holding one's assets close and controlling information.  To lay out one's full intent was either a display of foolishness or a desperate last resort.

She listened with patient curiosity as Idri elaborated on her own scholarly upbringing as it was relevant.  A notion that had her gently nodding in understanding.  "Runecasting... hmn.  That certainly explains the unusual behavior of your spellcraft compared to my more conventional methods.  I had thought it a quirk of your reincarnations, but this makes much more sense. I would love to discuss the subject more later, if you're inclined to share." Mallory herself experimented in magical form plenty but her fundamental education was firmly rooted in the very same craft the Netherese had developed ages prior.

With all that said, Mallory felt a bit better in the moment.  There were still questions that rumbled about within her thoughts that would have to wait until another time but she was confident, as much as was possible given the circumstances, that things were as clear as they could be.  Her mind whirled as she went over and over the information she knew, the memories she'd stolen, and what she could glean of her own understanding.  As her dark eyes lifted to the distant mirror suspended high in the air, she felt a dull ache within her chest as the ragged desire of Dzaan's Simulacrum echoed in her own feelings.  Such a painful yearning...

"Madame Harpell expressed little direct interest in this place despite knowing full well what its function once was, and of the strange guise distorting the Spire's location.  I doubt she is simple enough to think that playing dumb would be of any use... likely she believes that, despite the immensity of these enchantments, they're no longer of any good." she raised her Lantern Rod to better shine its light along the unique arcane carvings worked into the stone, then down across the pool of dark, acidic liquid that gathered along the base of the room.  "That this device might render illusions into reality permanently is a wonder, to be sure, but I can't imagine it works any longer.  If I may offer a theory?  The Oozes we fought earlier were of an unusual type I've not encountered before.  If there's truly no access to the Underdark to be had, then I'm of a mind to think that they were somehow created here.  At first I thought they might be base matter from which an illusion was realized by way of transmutation, but I see no means by which they would be contained or fed to the device.  Perhaps... a byproduct of this device's function, such as a pollutant run-off or a failed manifestation?"

She shook her head and looked once more to her gathered companions.  "Regardless, as much as I'd love to activate this structure and test its alleged powers, to dare would be folly.  Upside down, severed from its foundation, and afflicted with this aberrant graffiti?  Were I handed a kettle so marred and seeping with Black Ooze, I'd hardly be tempted to pour myself a cup of tea."

Idrianthe didn't betray much at Mallory's vote of confidence. She felt the value of it, of course, but she was still wrapped up in the enigma of the moment as well and still felt her past lives' own lust for discovery bullying around in her psyche from the Guidance sigil. She did offer, however, with a calm but warm smile, "I appreciate it, Mallory. And I would be more than happy to share what I know about Runecasting, such as it is."

But then all attention and the gears of their minds returned to the matter of the mirrored disc and its ancient runework. "I agree with the conclusion you've drawn about those oozes being either a sort of industrial runoff or perhaps failed product, but it may be an overreach to assume that Vellyne, or indeed anyone, can be certain that the artifact no longer operates as intended at all. I posit that it's more likely there is either some level of damage or misalignment somewhere in the system, most likely a product of time or the trauma of the spire crashing down, that few would be able to identify. After all, the other strange entities we've encountered -- the bulette, the wisp -- might have been successful manifestations, made my someone who wished to deter the adventurers you came in search of.

"Another possibility, though this is more of a supposition, is that there is additional complexity to using the magic here correctly which we aren't seeing. A key or focus, I would guess; something the creator could have used to prevent misuse from anyone who happens to know the right cantrip.

"I... Hmmm..." Idri put her hands to her armored hips and scrunched her face to the side, considering the dangers. "As dangerous as it would be, I do confess that I'd very much like to try activating it at least once -- if only to witness the malfunction so it can be chronicled.

"But that's not a gamble lightly taken, and not at all if the majority rules against it. If we all agree to run the experiment, marvelous. If the majority rules that we do not, then I will wait until we've gotten everything we can from the spire and the four of you have safely vacated the area before activating it on my own. And if it works..." Idri's lips tightened, and she spoke with a painful stiltedness. Every word hurt as it left her lips. "If it works, then... it would behoove me, if not us all, to disable it before departing. It is far too great a power to leave unattended."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:37, Tue 18 Apr 2023.

"Indeed, the Red Wizard Dzaan certainly believed this device was still functional.  I still have my doubts though.  It's simply been too long..." Mallory mused with a pitying shake of her head.  "The nature of the Weave has changed many times since this was created; spells and magics that once functioned one way no longer do so, or have simply ceased to be entirely.  Plus the scope of this design is immense... it can't possibly be powered by its own enchantment.  The Spire is severed from its home enclave, Ythryn, thus it no longer benefits from the city's Mythallar."

Though she felt at ease casually using such terminology with Idri, the young noble offered an apologetic glance to the others. "To clarify, Mythallar were a sort of power source by which the Netherese based their society around.  Immense engines of mystical force; they were the key by which Netherese enclaves soared the skies and by which all their magical devices drew power in order to function." she explained in extremely brief-and-broad shorthand for the others' sake.  "Nearly all were destroyed in Karsus' Folly.  What mere handful still exist are long lost, and the means by which to create them - be it knowledge or ability - have been censured by the gods themselves.  Without access to a Mythallar or some other incredible source of arcane energy, I can't imagine this device could dredge enough power to fully manifest its true potential."

Both Mallory and Idri shared a desire to see what could be done with the ancient relic but, thankfully, they also seemed to share a sense of caution.  The mere suggestion of disabling or destroying the Spire's iconic element was a nigh blasphemous notion that could gall to the core... indeed, considering it practically gave Mallory indigestion.  Carefully painted lips drew up into a pondering pout as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.  "If we were to test it, we'd need to take quite a few precautions and have an immediate escape prepared.  Before any of that, however, we should at least document all we can.  Copy everything.  And if we do indeed need to destroy this..." she grimaced to even say it but lifted her Lantern Rod once more to indicate a particular set of glyphs engraved near the suspended mirror.  "... disabling those sigils would be our best bet.  They hold the mirror panel in place and alignment; removing them would free that particular key piece and surely render the entire structure inoperable.  Plus we could then at least save that piece and take it with us.  A stable, Super Heavy Magic device is a priceless relic impossible to recreate; we might be able to reverse-engineer these enchantments at a smaller scale, but that mirror is irreplaceable."

Hearing Mallory's concise breakdown of other hurdles got Idrianthe to nodding in mum agreement. All were valid points and she couldn't add to them, although thinking about how to somehow jury-rig a Mythallar-worthy sum of power was... Very tempting. If they got the Hammer from Witchholm, maybe...

Idrianthe went towards the indicated sigils to check them, studying their chant structure without knowing the true meaning. "Ah good, I'm not the only one of us who was wondering if I could recreate the magic. I have a blank book and plenty of ink, you know Iokharic and Netherese spellcraft, I understand the Chant format of the runework; sounds like a perfect recipe to record as much of it as we can as accurately as we can, time allowing. I'm not sure of everyone else's expertise in this regard, and I hope we aren't boring you all to tears with this rampant bout it academia."

Copying down the glyphs was meticulous, time-consuming work. The columns bearing sigils extended downward into the pool of black Ooze, rendering nearly half of the chant obfuscated, and the better part of an hour was spent noting down the parts were at all visible. Once done, Astre was able to effortlessly pick up the disc, its suspension nullified once it was moved from the effects of the glyphs overhead. Filling a vial with a sample of the black sludge was a trickier matter for a creature with no disposable thumbs, and someone had to be roped down in his stead. But by taking care, no mishaps were had and the sample was collected.

After Apple's body was recovered from the bedchamber, along with the former possessions of her Dwarf comapnion, a closer examination of the shrine to Mystryl revealed a button on the wand she held — a seamless, nearly imperceptible feature of the relief. Mallory, with her Detect Magic, revealed not the pillar nor anything in the room to be magical, but, perhaps to her surprise, a vial of twisted glass containing a swirling, clear liquid still manifested in the gap in the pillar when the button was pressed.

And promptly fell.^*

---

Mallory's History into the specific imagery of Mystryl holding a rod [26]: Mallory was almost positive it bore no particular significance, and was just one of many ways the dead deity was depicted.

Mallory's Trap Finding (I'm not sure what you're rolling here?) [25]: There appeared to be no traps about, magical or otherwise.

* Given the upside down thing we've got going on, I imagine accessing the button to be a bit of an inconvenience (perhaps only by utilizing the slick stairway). Hence why I will require a DC 14 Dexterity Saving Throw to catch the vial. Astre, Mage Hand; DC 10.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:32, Tue 25 Apr 2023.

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Idrinthe's DC 10 Dexterity Saving Throw to catch the falling vial [10]: Success. Idrianthe's Mage Hand is able to move quickly enough from the button to the conjured flask to avoid it hitting the pillar.

"What fascinating line work in the relief... so much of Neth architecture was crafted entirely via transmutation magic, simply forming structures from imagination and arcane control rather than by manual dexterity.  There's a particular masterpiece on display in Waterdeep that features some remarkable optical illu--" Mallory mused amid her investigation of the carved column alongside Idri.  She had her Lantern Rod fixed in place so as to clamber atop it for the sake of either of them being able to reach around and examine in closer detail, or ease the range of Idri's magically-extended touch.

She trailed off mid-word, however.  In that very instant her eyes widened as her pupils dilated out unnaturally far, consuming the whole of her eyes beyond iris and scelera alike.  Though her eyes had become ink-black pools seemingly blind to all around her, she 'saw' something else entirely.  A glimmering flicker of potential - of different events played out a moment ahead of her.  A flare of light, a scattered outline of figures moving about in a half dozen different paths of motion.  In one path the figures watched on as a vial appeared, fell, and smashed to the ground.  In another, a clumsy effort to catch the vial failed and it smashed anyway.  In another, the bottle was caught in hand.  In another, an outline in the shape of a Tressym dove and caught the bottle in its mouth.  In another, a phantom hand swished through the air to catch it long before it reached the floor...

Click.  Idri's Mage Hand passed over a nigh imperceptible button molded into the relief in the same instant Mallory's eyes returned to normal and her perception returned from the slew of potential futures.

"Idrianthe!  Catch it!" the young noble cried out suddenly as - a moment later - the column flared with light and produced that foreseen vial...

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Mallory uses her 8 Portent in place of Idri's roll to ensure a 10 result.  Just adding in this narrative fluff to explain the usage.

Idrianthe was hardly as accustomed to using the lantern rod as Mallory, and she straddled it with an awkward stiffness that kept her left hand firmly clamped for balance. She was, admittedly, completely lost in the stonework and appreciating it as a mason as much as a historian, and didn't realize that her mitten-like mage hand had caused some of it to shift until the instant after it had occurred.



Fortunately, Mallory's warning triggered her reflexes a fraction of a second before she even realized what had happened. Idri willed her spectral hand downwards where it grasped the falling vial before it made a messy introduction to the ceiling-cum-floor. The elf craned her neck to see what exactly she'd caught, and her mage hand slowly brought the vial back up and merged with the artifice of her right hand, leaving the vial laying snugly in a metal fist.

"...Caught it?" Idri offered with a sheepish grin, then held the vial up for them both to see. "We found some sort of alchemical compound, probably! It was inside the statue!" She added, calling down for the benefit of Farwalker, Khule, and Rhydd, fortunate enough to not be precariously perched on a magical staff.

A deep sigh of relief wheezed out of Mallory as their newest discovery was spared an untimely encounter with physics.  "Well, this is certainly a lesson for the future.  Should I ever someday build a tower, potion-securing measures in case of inversion are a must." she groaned.  It had nearly been the same thing with that first ceiling-bound chest they'd encountered prior.  She didn't think her heart could handle the idea of losing a precious artifact to gravity.

"But how did it get there?  Was it contained inside the column by some mechanism?  That's certainly a magical potion, but the column itself isn't producing any sort of aura... is the column a Quasimagical Device?" such mullings came alongside hands offered up to assist Idri, be it in climbing down herself or simply passing off the vial for further examination.

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"Identify" time!  Let's find out what the vial's effects are before we go poking further.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:00, Tue 25 Apr 2023.

Idri passed the vial to Mallory and then carefully dangled herself down from the lantern rod, clambering back to the "floor" where she could observe the relief from below and start to pen a description of it.

"Unclear! The Netherese are beyond us, Lady Bonheur, and we must make peace with not understanding everything. It's a difficult thing, I know, but it will calm your heart in the long run. Probably quasimagical, though, if I really had to make a guess." Every few words were puncutated by clanks and grunts as Idri made her way down, until she hit the deck with a heavy, metallic impact.

"I have alchemical tools if we require them to analyze that vial, by the way, but I suspect you've got it under control!" The Dame called up to Mallory, then thrust her palms forward and willed her armor and the limb it simulated to leap forth from her body and lay in a tidy bundle on the ground. Idrianthe laid down on her back across the armor bundle, letting her silver-white hair dangle, to look at the relief upside-down for a more accurate consideration of its quirks, beauties, and techniques. With her left hand on the quill and her journal held up with the now invisible grip of her mage hand, Idri began to write.

"There's always understanding to be gleaned from all things.  If this is Quasimagical, then it still functioning means one of two things." Mallory noted as she carefully handled the vial in a delicate grasp, as if afraid it might simply shatter if she pinched it.  "Either it still held a tiny vestige of magical power that was wholly expended in producing this vial, or it's still fully functional... which means we're within range of a Mythallar."

A heavy notion indeed, particularly given the severity of her tone.  Dark eyes lifted to that relief and its hidden activation button once more with an anxious gaze.  Pressing the button a few more times would be the confirmation: if it kept producing more vials of potion, then that meant it still had power.  That would make things... complicated.  Still, before that particular notion was to be tested, Mallory refocused herself on the vial presently and literally at hand.  Best to figure out what exactly it was before trying to make more.

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Mallory will ritual cast "Identify" on the vial to figure it out.  And, heck, let's be extra thorough and "Identify" the column as well, just in case.  I'm not sure if/how a quasimagical device might register if the column is indeed one, so let's experiment!
This message was last edited by the player at 19:31, Tue 25 Apr 2023.

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Mallory's Identify on the potion: This grants the drinker the ability to cast Minor Illusion and Hypnotic Pattern at will using Intelligence for their spellcasting ability for the next hour. It also grants a +1 to their Wisdom Score.

Mallory’s Identify on the pillar and the gap: Both the pillar and the gap are under the effects of Nystul’s Magical Aura.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:17, Wed 26 Apr 2023.

A number of minutes were spent in arcane concentration as the back of Mallory's hand once more came alight with the shifting, interlocking glyphs that appeared whenever she was in the process of analyzing spellcraft.  She scrutinized them with a furrowed brow and confused pout as she completed her examination of the potion first.

"Interesting... and a bit concerning, given the lack of context.  This potion temporarily heightens the mind and grants access to simple spellcasting ability, even if one is otherwise unable to cast in the first place.  Certainly an example of Heavy Magic creation, as was commonplace in Neth society.  The spells it grants are odd though.  One is a primary illusion cantra necessary to operate the mirror in the next room, so that makes sense.  But the other... hmn." she scowled a bit as she held the vial up to her lantern's light to peer through it critically.  "One of old Hamring's specialities: a spell that befuddles and incapacitates entire crowds.  Back in the days of Netheril, it was both easier to cast and more powerful than its modern incarnation.  So why would it feature here?"

That there were cages that held the corpses of intelligent beings, long dead, and potions of protection against various harms was troublesome to begin with.  But when one paired that with a granted ability to stupefy entire groups of beings or creatures, it presented some very questionable implications as to just how such a spell would feature in the Spire's regular functions.  Given what she knew of the abusive and ego-driven nature of the Netherese's higher society from records, the idea of such potential abuses seemed likely and just as loathsome to Mallory's sensibilities.  Intent on trying to discern whatever she could, she turned her focus to the column and once more resumed her work...

A few minutes later, however, she gasped sharply with a sound that was practically a scoff of offense rather than concern.  "Wha-?!  Oh, you cheeky Dweomerkeepers!"  She balked at first but, all the same, felt a bit of relief as she shook her head.  "The column isn't quasimagical at all... it's magical, but its aura has been masked to prevent detection.  No Mythallar necessary."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:29, Tue 25 Apr 2023.