Continuing down the pitch black dark of the hall, guided only by your torches, magic lights...and dark vision...you see light up ahead.

It grows brighter and brighter, brilliant in full spectrum of color. Crystal walls, ceilings, and floor emit magical light that changes color every 10 minutes, shifting through all the hues of the rainbow. It is very bright in here!

Everyone with darkvision suffers temporary disadvantage, as drow would in sunlight. This will wear off once I find something new to torture you with.

(See Map) You come to the turning point toward 5 or 7. The doors are carved from single slabs of opaque white crystal similar in weight and consistency to stone. THere is nothing that distinguishes either route, and thus your guess is as good as mine. Where to?
This message was last updated by the GM at 01:36, Thu 10 Mar 2022.

Travic emerged from the long and darkened corridor and looked out at the colorful crystalline structures with a smile.  He had to squint at the scintillating brightness, which pierced his elven eyes.  He began to speak, "What a wondrous--?"  He cut himself off mid-sentence with an alarmed croak, then loudly cleared his throat.  Travic tried again, "What a--oh dear?!"  He looked down at his hands with eyes wide with confusion, then frantically patted himself as if checking if he still had everything.  Travic's mannerisms and vocal cadence were different than usual, gentler and perhaps more effeminate.  The patting reached his chest and he froze, then shot a shocked look at Andromeda.

Travic approached the druidess with an expression of weirded-out amazement, looking her up and down.  He choked out in a higher pitch than his normal speaking voice, "Travic?  Are you... me?!  Goodness, does my hair always look like that?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:48, Thu 10 Mar 2022.

Onyxclaw walked along, comfortable in the partial darkness. When the light came, he winced - though he was used to light more than his kin, it still hurt at times, and he groaned.

When they reached the caves, he looked around with a smile. he looked at teh crystals, many ideas coming into his mind. "ooohh....crystal could make good effect. Maybe i'll get a few."

He went to remove them when Travic spoke - saying that andromeda was travic?

"Hmm, just a bunch of glowing crystals, nothing news worthy here." Devan says, then looks at Travic as he acts,"My, Mister Televentor, or shall I say Miss Andromeda, seems your a victim of some Fey mischief... And yes, Miss Andromeda, your hair can be quite the eyesore if you stare too long on it." he says and pulls out his notepad again to write down this sudden situation.

In reply to Travic Televentor (msg # 2):

Andromeda seems to be rubbing her eyes, as if suddenly unable to see. She nearly bumps into the rest of the party. After some rapid blinking, she shakes her head and notices her hands. Then she slowly looks at the rest of her body, as if she had never seen it from this angle before.

She cries out, but stops upon hearing her own voice. Then she hears 'Travic' call out to her, and she stares at him in shock. Shock turns to horror as she suddenly realizes something. "THE RING! GET RID OF IT! TAKE IT OFF! TAKE IT..." She runs over to 'Travic', and reaches for his right hand where indeed the ring is.

'Travic' then notices the ring pulsing and twisting on his finger of its own accord. It actually heats up, and melts away from his finger, causing him to wince in pain. It crumbles away off his hand, leaving a slight burn. "It's gone. You...you will be ok. It...it can't hurt you. Thank goodness..." She reaches up and touches his face, tears in her eyes as she seems comforted that the jewelry is gone, but still overcome with conflicting emotions at the situation. "I'm sorry...I don't know how this happened! It...it can't be the Jinn. It makes no sense...I..." She begins to babble, and hugs Travic, sobbing.

Then she lets him go, and suddenly looks at her hands and at his face. Her cheeks color, and she seems even more confused. Then she screams, and 'Travic' can see the reason. The ring was reforming on her finger, burning itself into her flesh. Andromeda stares at the thing with clear hatred and rage, and looks like she is about to grab a weapon and chop off the offending digit. Fornatley she comes to her senses and looks back up at Travic. "I'm...I'm so sorry." She inhales, a grim look now on her face that seems very out of place for the druid. "I will fix this! You won't have to endure this...this indignity to your person!"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:50, Thu 10 Mar 2022.

Travic was thoroughly confused by the circumstance in which he found himself, especially considering that in his mind he was not Travic at all!  He knew he was and always had been the pale woman at whom he now stared stupefied.  Now she was him and he was her, and it was all very peculiar.  He was taken aback by 'Andromeda's sudden outburst about the ring, which he didn't notice until it began to burn.  Travic squeaked in alarm and fumbled to try to remove it, though the problem solved itself when the cursed ring crumbled away.  He was worried by the distress in the druidess's voice and on her own features, and grabbed her (herself?) up into a hug with unfamiliar masculine arms.  He spoke in Travic's voice but with Andromeda's comforting cadence, "Oh, don't fret now.  This is most peculiar, but I'm certain we'll manage it..."

She had never seen Travic so upset and emotional before in his own body, and wondered what provoked it.  Was the ring and the Jinn who bestowed it that bad?  Was he that concerned for her?  Andromeda screamed then as the ring seared its way back into existence, now upon her finger instead!  It seemed the Jinn would not be fooled by this strange body-swap.  Travic took Andromeda's hands to discourage any rash action against her own body and looked him/herself in the eyes and assured, "It's not your fault nor an indignity, and you have nothing to apologize for!  I'm sorry you have to be... me.  I mean, I like being myself, but it's just strange for somebody else to be me instead!  I, um, promise I will take good care of your body until we manage to reverse the effect."

Now the ring that was Travic's spellcasting focus was on the finger of her body, and so Travic's eye turned to the jewel with the look of a nebula about Andromeda's neck.  He gestured to it and asked awkwardly, "May I please have the celestial jewel, in the meantime?  I would hope to maintain my link to the stars until we figure this out."  If given back the jewel, Travic would touch it and with a gesture cause it to light up with the same starry glow that Andromeda summoned from it, and gave a sigh of relief.  He smiled in the demure way Andromeda always did, with none of Travic's signature swagger, and said, "At least there's that!"

Onyxclaw watched as Andromeda and Travic went through the panic of each other. The kobold tapped his claw to his nose in thought  then remembered the mind flayer illusion.

...and the presence he felt. "Mind flayer statue. Magic in it swapped travic and rommy." He had a conflict of emotions....a little amused at the situation, then panic - would their skills be lost with the change?

"Maybe wizard knows how to change....or go through tunnel again - change back?"

"Ah, so it was the statue, huh. Well then, the good news is that it's not permanent or as strong as fey magic." Devan says assuredly, then looks at both Travic and Andromeda,"Hmm, still, Mister Onyx might be right about the statue curing you, however on the off chance that it failed and we have to find the wizard that did it. I ask both of you to show respect to your current occupant's body and not lean to degeneracies. Though scandalous it may be, I'm sure it won't happen, though tell me if it does." Devan says shadily, his notepad ominously out and ready to be written on some juicy scandal.

Onyxclaw looked at Devan, confused, then the other two. "What he mean....de-gen-er-acies?"

'Andromeda' hands over the jewel, which seems to be dull in her hands. Once arriving in the possession of 'Travic' however, it resumes its normal glow and nighttime sky-like appearance. She smiles and 'Travic', and nods with along his words of comfort. "I did not mean to imply being you is somehow less than worthy. It's not. If this had to happen, this is the only person I would trust with my form. I will extend every effort to be worthy of your trust as well."



'Andromeda' gave Devan an angry look. "Be careful with your words, sir! Andromeda would never resort to degeneracies, and I would hope by now you know me well enough to give me the same courtesy! Now please apologize to her...er, him...er...me...you know what I mean!" Andromeda  says, flustered and angry. "And her hair is amazing, whatever style she wants!" She adds with indignity.

She does turn back to 'Travic'. "With your permission, I do need to test something." Assuming she gets permission from 'Travic', she gestures with her ring hand. A sweeping movement that starts at her head and goes down to her feet. In an instant, her clothing is changed to from her normal armor and road dusty clothing to a very fine dress. Even her hair is changed into a new formal style, and her skin is cleaned as if just from a bath. "Yes, everything seems to be working." She gestures again, returning most of her appearance as it was. However, she is still clean and even smells nice. Her hair returns to its normal appearance. Although it does now look freshly washed and vibrant. She glares at Devan again. "See? Amazing!" She snaps at the man.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:23, Thu 10 Mar 2022.

Travic smiled awkwardly in just the same way as Andromeda normally did and said, "Oh yes, and your form is very good also!  I would prefer to return to my own if it's all the same, although there is a certain... novelty!"  Watching herself scold Deval was surreal and amusing, and she couldn't help but feel reassured by the hair remark.  Travic slicked back his own unfamiliar coiffure, which was shorter in length than she could ever recall wearing her own.

When asked if Trav-dromeda could test something out, Andro-vic replied, "Oh, yes!  Be my guest."  He hadn't at all expected to see herself transformed into a formal gown and styling that was far more glamorous than anything she'd ever worn herself!  "Oh, goodness!" Travic declared, putting hand to his mouth and blushing in a very un-Travic way.  Trav-dromeda then magically cleaned herself up, looking perhaps even more pristine than prior to their entering this dungeon.  Andro-vic laughed, "You look better than I do in my own skin!  I fear I do not flatter you best."  Travic shifted his posture, resting hands on hips and trying on a manly, devil-may-care smirk.  She actually made him look rather dashing, although it felt strange and difficult to keep up for too long! (Performance success :D 12:44, Today: Travic Televentor rolled 18 using 1d20.  Performance.)

Now that the shock of the body-swap had ebbed somewhat, Andro-vic turned his attentions to the more immediate situation of the crystalline corridors in which they now found themselves.  He said, "I think we shall simply have to wait to see if the effect wears off.  Shall we proceed?"  Examining both options and finding very little criteria by which to distinguish them, Andro-vic picked one at random and ventured off that way, squinting unfamiliar elven eyes against the brightness.

---

Entrusted the choice of path to a coin flip, and the result is 5!:

• 12:52, Today: Travic Televentor rolled 1 using 1d2.  Which way to go?  1=5, 2=7.

Onyxclaw, still clearly confused, shook his head, pointing at each. "Travic is romda? romda is travic? not right."

The kobokd pulled out a book and piece of charcoal and began taking notes. When Andromeda's form takes a more formal look, he pauses. "Romda looks pretty.....wait. Travic pretty...."He scratched his head, shaking it, muttering.

"...not right. need fix."

He goes to a crystal and examines them

In reply to Travic Televentor (msg # 11):

Andromeda smirks at the display 'Travic' put on, but then rubbed her chin in a very un-Andromeda like fashion. "I fear you are also skilled at being me. Which suggests we might be getting used to this. Which neither of us should want." However, she nods and gestures to the others to proceed.

"Heh, that's certainly a first, though being scolded by Miss Andromeda like that just doesn't seem right." Devan says with a shrug then turns to Travic,"I do apologise about my rudeness Miss Andromeda, I just have no tact in conversations so I appear to be rude. And yes, when you look at it with shades, your hair is beautiful." Devan says to Travic, making a curt bow.

The madness has only just begun. You proceed cautiously through the door to area 5, no idea what may be waiting for you. It appears to be...some sort of...er...uh...space prison?

The room is empty save for a 10x10x10' prison cell made out of some sort of star matter, in the center of it is a mind flayer, levitating 3 feet above the floor in meditation.

His eyes open and soon his thoughts enter your minds - (except for those of you who have any sort of preparation against unwanted telepathy) I am Marquox. Gith captured me. I will make you a deal if you free me, I guarantee safe passage to Stardock or to Seadeep, whichever you prefer, as well as one hundred platinum. All you need to do is take the Starrod from a githyanki to open my cell. Even better if you find a black crystal rod.

There is another door leading west.

Onyxclaw, used to mental intrusion, wasn't as shocked by the mind flayer as others may be. He looked at the beast, and somethin came into his mind. "You offer good....but question." He pointed at Travic and Andromeda. "Romda is Travic. Travic is Romda.  You know how to make whole?"

Travic said, "Apology accepted, mister Crier."  Had that apology been directed toward her or to the one speaking through her body?  It was Trav-dromeda who had issued the scolding, so it must be the latter, and Andro-Vic was no longer even a she anyhow!  This was all very confusing.  Best to just move on.

Andro-Vic was taken aback by the sight of the mind flayer, imprisoned though it was.  After a long few moments listening mentally to the fearsome creature's entreaty and considering it, he answered, "Greetings, Marquox.  Begging your pardon, but did you say 'Stardock'?"  Anything to do with stars was of interest to the celestial druid!  He went on, "I am afraid we are new to this place, so we would welcome any information about this locale and the situation that led to your imprisonment.  These githyanki are in control here, I take it?"

---

Insight to judge whether Marquox's offer is being made in good faith (forgot the -1, so the result is actually 17):

• 23:39, Today: Travic Televentor rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Insight.

Arcana check to see if I know about githyanki (nope):

• 23:47, Today: Travic Televentor rolled 6 using 1d20+3.  Arcana (-1).

This message was last edited by the player at 07:55, Fri 11 Mar 2022.

Devan scratches his ear as a different voice other than his conscience appears with a wealthy offer,"Gith huh, the word escapes me so I have no idea what your talking about. But I definitely know what you are." he says, then looks at the others,"I recommend we not talk to dangerous folk like this."

18:09, Today: Devan Crier rolled 4 using 1d20+1.  Arcana

In reply to DM (msg # 15):

Andromeda nodded at Devan's apology, but then was holey distracted by the prisoner they discovered. She seems concerned at the creature's appearance, but listens to its story nonetheless.

"You will forgive our skepticism, but the many stories about your people are not positive. Granted if you wanted to hurt us and had the power to you could, but how do we know you wont the moment you are free?"She pointed out.

OOC-casting guidance on Travic's insight. Not hiding it.05:18, Today: Andromeda rolled 3 using 1d4.  Guidance .
This message was last edited by the player at 10:19, Fri 11 Mar 2022.

Insight result: You're not sure if he's gonna eat your brains or just stiff you on the money, but he definitely knows the way to Stardock and Seadeep. Marquox calmly rationalizes your fears.

You are right. I am alone and no match for the githyanki who are numerous here. It would not benefit me to harm you, it benefits me to ally with you. For those of you who do not know, the gith are aliens, like myself, who, as an entire species have a militaristic background and a genocidal agenda to wipe out my kind from existence. I ask you, what is more evil? The illithid acting according to its nature to merely survive, or the gith who choose to murder despite knowing better? Has your species wiped out all carnivores because they eat meat? Help me. Please.

The faint smell of vanilla begins to waft into your noses.

Everyone wisdom save dc12 or you decide to agree with the mind flayer, this urge is strong, but your friends can still argue with you and keep you from agreeing.

In reply to DM (msg # 20):

"Enough!" Andromeda growls in a very un-like her tone. "If you need to convince us through mental manipulation, then it's clear you have have ulterior motives. Not to mention consuming unintelligent beasts is not morally the same as feeding on the brains of other intelligent species.

It sounds like you and the Gith deserve each other. Come, we need to leave before it makes a more overt attempt at our minds." She moves over to Travic to lead 'him' away, gesturing for the others to follow.

ooc-12:43, Today: Andromeda rolled 15 using 1d20+4. 14 if the -1 applies to this roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:50, Fri 11 Mar 2022.

How do you know they are not intelligent? Because you say? Compared to us, perhaps you are a dumb beast. I will protect you, little lamb.

The illithid begins to amp up the vanilla.

the DC is now 14 for everyone but Andravic...or is he Trameda??? Crap.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:56, Fri 11 Mar 2022.

In reply to DM (msg # 22):

Andromeda gestures, and a mist rises from the earth. Trying to drown out the smell coming from the creature. "Everyone hold your breath! We need to go!"

OOC-using prestidigtion to create a smell to try and block the vanilla scent. Even if it really needs to be a bad smell. Might give people advantage on their will save.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:41, Fri 11 Mar 2022.

Wis save success!:

• 11:05, Today: Travic Televentor rolled 25 using 1d20+6.  Wis save (-1).

Travic sniffed the vanilla fragrance and felt the psychic tug that came with it, but managed to resist it.  He said, "I admire your rhetorical manipulations, Marquox, but I tend to agree with my... self in this matter.  Your captors are surely quite bad, but your kind are also a terrible danger to humanoids by your nature.  We cannot in good conscience set you loose.  Farewell!"  The eladrin who was still less than graceful in an unfamiliar body shuffled onward, urging the rest to come along quickly.  (heading to the intersection between 5 and 3b)

Once all were through he shut the door behind them and fretted quietly, "A war between genocidal alien warriors and mind flayers?!  My goodness, that does sound rather serious.  This is far from anything I expected when we ventured down the well from the Yawning Portal... I feel I had better consult the omens."  Andro-vic turned to Trav-dromeda and asked with awkward politeness, "May I have the belt pouch there?  The second one to the right of the buckle... oh no, sorry!  My right, your left.  Yes, that's the one!  Thank you kindly."

He knelt on the corridor's crystalline floor and poured out the pouch containing a handful of multi-colored gemstones chipped from the walls previously.  As he set about arranging the crystals in a pattern of some arcane significance, Andro-vic explained, "If we may take but a brief recess, I will consult the stars to advise our next course of action.  It will not be long."  Andro-vic proceeded to carry out a curious ritual of divination, casting the crystals across the floor and reading portents into the sparkles of starlight that shone up through them.  As he carried out the ritual he asked the question of the stars with a properly mystical intonation, "Carry on into the crystal maze, or shall we return above from whence we came?  Weal or woe, please tell me so!"

---

Casting Augury as a ritual to advise on whether we should continue exploring on this level or return back to the previous level.  The ritual will take 11 minutes to complete.  Here's a link to the spell for the DM to know how to answer:  https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/augury

Onyxclaw listened to the illthid with a tinge of fear as he spoke, happy he was locked up. Perhaps the fear was linked to his previous patron and the pain it subjected him to. Either way, the kobold felt uneasy.

Onyxclaw smelt the waft of vanilla, and the smell was foreign to him...and he liked it. He heard him speak of the gathering, something he had heard in legend, and he felt fear for the mind flayer. He looked at his group. "Big army Gith....may not like us. Maybe if stay, he help. If gith attack, he help?"

The others walked out, clearly not trusting of him, but he followed, confused. When alone with them he looked at them all. "He just one....we can fight him if he turn. against army gith, he help. We need to know if gith enemy"

---

<OOC: Onyxclaw rolled 9 using 1d20.  Wisdom save

Oooh....maybe he's not so bad?>