The Grey Dust

D&D 5E - Forgotten Realms

((reserved action for later, TLDR: Giant armored spider and rider perched on the ceiling over hanging the entrance to the south corridor.))

D&D 5E - Forgotten Realms

AdAM 7

---

Down the rabbit hole,
Our depths delving deep,
Waking as we stroll,
Now walking asleep.

There was only one direction to go. Well there were multiple directions one could attempt to go, yet only two were paths of relatively lesser resistance. And of those two paths, only one was convenient. A pathway down into the belly of the beast, towards the sounds of animals strange. Like a moth to a flame, led by self-immolating curiosity, AdAM peered downwards, finding no signs of guards or sentries to eliminate in the unsecured new area. Then again there were no such guards either guarding the previous room, suggesting that whoever was working there either had no associates or hires to protect what research and development was taking place there, or desired to keep said experiments a secret. Yet who was capable of collecting an array of organics together like this? Even AdAM with his assassination skills would find gathering nine targets, or at least the seven he had confirmed, difficult to do. Of course this was mostly since their captors had required them alive and the warforged left a body count. No one hires an assassin to capture someone alive, that is what a bounty hunter was for. Although it was rather feasible for AdAM 8 to cocoon a target up horrifically bundling them in spiderweb. But the creature tended to not give up its food so willingly to its master. After all, a squirming meal of a corrupt cleric selling pardons was quite filling by the amount of fat the priest had.

Memory banks aside, AdAM took his spiraling steps into the glowing lower room, alit with a grim ménage à trois of candles. There was no darkness to hide in, no way to stealthily slip in to view the menagerie of creatures below. Yet was it needed? Looking around the only perceivable threat was the fairy, the small organic creature cleared in her gear, to AdAM's perception as the stairway's design allowed the mech to survey the entire room with every turn. To which some guarded reaction was given, seeing how the miniscule winged insect was armed, with a child-like mace and shield, chainmail that seemed to be little more than iron handkerchief. A small target difficult to hit, but AdAM had clipped the wings off a fly before with his bolts. Yet without his crossbow, she would have the advantage, to which diplomacy would be the best course of option to avoid having to fight at such disadvantage so soon.


"Salutation: Greetings small winged Organic.
Observation: You have found your personal belongings.
Inquiry: Are personal effects found on the floors above?
Warning: Do not be alarmed if a large arachnoid appears."

Indeed, some webbing noticed from one of the eight mysterious grated doors. And from the brief inspection, there appeared to be silken strands of spider webbing across the bars of one. A placard with AdAM 7 engraved upon the plate, felt by the hand of flesh as ruby lights peered into to see the armored monstrous spider in a state of suspended animation, or perhaps rather a state of inactivity? Spiders at least from what AdAM had observed of his travelling companion did not 'sleep' as humans would, but like its master, entered a state of inactivity. Passing the room containing his pet, once seeing it was relatively safe and unharmed for even a heartless murdering robot could develop attachments to those close to them it seem (that and finding another giant spider to train would be a hassle requiring travel to the Underdark and doing work for drow), the warforged inspected the other rooms. There he found the various ragged creatures all embedded with jewels similar to their probable owners and mounts were sequestered in the rooms save for one empty room, and a strange writing on the slightly opened door that revealed a collection of woody plants. Interesting, and those four corridors awaited invitingly now, but AdAM's priorities returned to freeing his armored spider from its cell.

Now perhaps most riders would approach their friendly animal mount with a greeting or warmth. Perhaps calling the animal by name or offering it some stroking affection, a touch to know its caretaker was here and a whistle of attention. Words exchanged meaninglessly to a spider and a warforged who knew that the spider was most likely incapable of understanding the complex affectless speech AdAM used. Vibration and touch on those silken strands would probably be better, as the mech observed a length of adamantine chain attached to a gleaming metal lock around his captured mount. Had he his tools, perhaps it would be easily picked, but alas his gear was not yet available. Though scanning the room it appeared key dangled beyond a grate, a few feet up from the door, so tauntingly like a lure. Gazing up at the potential solution, AdAM extended his right arm fully to find the key just out of reach, to which he squatted and stored powered into his mechanical and organic leg. There was no difference so far, save for the feeling, no apparent loss in strength or control, the organic pieces seemed to have been melded flawlessly. To which launching himself like a coiled spring at the grate, grasping it in his right hand, and pulling up the rest of his body with the uncanny dexterity of a gymnast taking to the poles. And then plucking the pearl from the oyster with a flesh-covered hand before rotating his body through his hanging arms into a back forward flip that ended with another perfect landing. Yes, if not an efficient sniper, perhaps AdAM could have been a performance artist, yet there was a difference in delivery and being pragmatic.

Now with key in hand, AdAM climbed atop the saddle, causing his mount to stir, shaking confused and appropriately agitated, unsure of the organic leg that it felt resting against its carapace. But a hand placed upon the sensitive hairs, calmed the creature down, a familiar grasp on the reins of its exotic harness stifled the stress. The master had returned, hopefully with food, or food soon. There was nothing in the room for food, and master was not food. Perhaps master shall hunt for prey? The eight eyes staring into the candlelight, armored legs lift its steel-clad body up alongside its master. The tethering chain unlocked by the turn of a key, as master released the spider and the pair reunited as assassin and horror. Now then shall master hunt for food? Fangs dripping with poison ready to sink themselves and gorge on liquefied entrails of master's latest target? Food sounded good, and those eight legs left the webs spun around the room to escape the zoo-like cage it was placed in. Eight hungry eyes watching the fairy in a multifold view. Master was most generous. Food. A giant fly for a giant spider?


Statement: The Unit mounted is AdAM 8.
Comment: I will prevent it from considering you as prey.
Observation: There is a high probability it may consider you prey.
Inquiry: Are the others coming to release their mounts?

Would the fairy bat an eye at the appearance of a flesh-infused android atop a giant spider? Or was it common to see in the realm of fey that insects be used as beasts of burden? What is chaos to the fly after all, is just a meal to the spider. Alas, even more philosophy, to which a being of logic and reason made tabula rasa could indefinitely explore the duality of it all.

= Mechanics

Move Action: Descend into lower floor via helical stairs.
Passive Perception.
Acrobatics = 1d20 + 6 = (15) + 6 = 21, Success, Key get.
Animal Handling = 1d20 + 2 = (10) + 2 = 12, Success, Mount calmed.
Action: Use key to unchain mount, ride mount.
Move action: Escape the Room, ending position near spiraling stairs.

🦄 Duplicity - D&D Style Fantasy Rp Adventure (Completed)

@Lady Amalthea

Oh I just noticed I had a formatting issue.
May I repair this?

🦄 Duplicity - D&D Style Fantasy Rp Adventure (Completed)

Thomas Richard Harrison

Location: The Apothecary.
Interacting with: Satilla, The Merchant of Penance (shopkeeper).

"Thanks Satilla, we'll have to think of a way to uh..." A pause as Thomas communicated his uncertain plans to kill the purchased specimens. Would drowning them work? The cage would be a nice holding tank, at least for the six of them, but they had to extract them one by one. Maybe some scalding water? Although Thomas really didn't want to kill all the beetles, ideally keep two specimens for breeding purposes. But that would require sexing the beetles, of which Thomas was no etymologist or was it entomologist? Then again an etymologist ought to know which they were, so entomologist then. But since the elder refused to state where they were obtained from for business purposes, there goes the idea of finding more buggers to make fire beetle babies and start a successful shop across the street from this undead-troubled ghost-town? "... Extract some beetle juice."

"We'll take all six sir, cage and all. And those other ingredients, if you could, I need to stock up on alchemy supplies. Plus we can do an experiment on the carapaces Satilla." Satilla and Thomas in the lab together? What was this some sort of highschool chemistry class? The afterthought of doing experimental alchemy with Satilla came along with the realization that it was her fingers wrapt over his shoulder. The slightest blush tinged those sunny cheeks thereafter, as Thomas' eyes quickly darted away from Satilla and back to the beetles or Shopkeeper, whichever could conceal his self-consciousness. "But I'll just... I mean anyone can attend if they want to watch us."

A single gold coin produced and set on the counter to pay for the beetles and while waiting for the other ingredients and the price of them not yet delineated by the shopkeep. Some more coins would be placed later, but Thomas was wise enough to keep his nice coinpurse from the old man's view. Their business was done for now, hopefully the shelves would hold more things in stock soon, the man had a crystal gem, maybe he might have something else? Maybe a necklace or bracelet, some jewelry for... Well after Thomas manages to get some loot of value from adventuring, maybe then he could. blushing thoughts aside, the young sorcerer returned to the light matters at hand. "I think that will be all, you see anything you need Satilla?"

And perhaps outside the store, as invoked by Thomas inadvertent apparent calling, somewhere a ghost in black-and-white striped pajamas appeared.

🦄 Duplicity - D&D Style Fantasy Rp Adventure (Completed)

Thomas Richard Harrison

Location: The Apothecary.
Interacting with: The Merchant of Menace (shopkeeper), Satilla.

Fire beetles. And not just one, but six. Now Thomas dropped all pretense of getting a decent deal and eyed those beauties with easily discernable awe. Once more that kid in a candy store, or in this case an apprentice in a wizard's shop, those eyes alit with curious wonder, the moment those beetles hit the counter. Each rodent-sized beetle pulsating their glands as they scurried in their confinement. Taking those brightened eyes at a single beetle and watching it crawl from one end to the other of the glass cage, intimately watching with utter fascination. Poor blighters would have to die to make this work, maybe Thomas could keep one alive, keep it as a live specimen? To study of course. Still though a young mage's finger couldn't help but follow one of the insects from the other side of the glass.

"Wow. Six? These are excellent beetles Sir. Where did you acquire them from? These might just work Satilla." A curious boy gave a nod to Satilla, confirming beetles did have the glands the elder spoke of and their properties seemed about right. Or at least what of Thomas could remember reading of them, there were so many insects to account for. One of the more numerous of the animal kingdom, and long when humans are gone, it would be they who inherit the earth. Hopefully Satilla would be the warier of the two given Thomas' seemingly cast off suspicions the moment the beetles were presented with the flare of a showman probably about to con a young man from his money. "And what about the other ingredients? I mean I think I can get away with extracting the gland from the beetle, and crushing the rest of the shell as a powder. I'd need some help of course Satilla, I mean it's a dry potion this time around so it'll be easy."

"It's a shame we have kill one of them. But how much for the lot Sir?" With all the innocence of a man hooked on buying, Thomas finally looked up from his beetles, yes his beetles as if he had already purchased them all. "And for the sulfur, phosphorus and a small gem too if you could be so kind as to measure them out on your scales Sir. I think have the tubes for you..." And with some rummaging, Thomas produced two empty sample tubes from his alchemist's kit, each stoppered with a bit of cork and placed on the table. Hopefully they'd be able to catch that wax shopkeeper too and nab some of her salty Peter.

🦄 Duplicity - D&D Style Fantasy Rp Adventure (Completed)

@Lady Amalthea

I would like to request a knowledge check on fire beetles :)

And maybe a check to see if a substitution might work in lieu of fire scarab.

D&D 5e - Lost Mine of Phandelver

"M" the silent

---

With a nod the psion confirmed the fairy's question. Where others would speak, he would listen. The wizard prattling on about Phandalin concealing a lost trove of treasure. Wave Echo Cave. There was more to the job it seemed, at least for this amount of pay, and yet only one guard to escort? Supplies were no good to the dead after all, hence why did the dwarf not care to wait for the entire group before setting off on some grand chase for loot? Either way it seemed inadequate protection to bring just one guard to protect you, especially if the maps did indeed lead to Wave Echo Cave. It was interesting what greed could do to the mind, settling for secrets at the risk of one's life. Yet whereas Gundren had failed to provide the details that may have saved his life, this goblin seemed to have spilled the beans with some coaxing. And there were evidently three speakers of the guttural orcish to understand the goblin close enough. See? Was it that difficult to choose one's life over such little information?

Putting it all together, listening to the rag-tag group of adventurers, if they could even be called that really. But it seems they were becoming one with concerns split between escorting the payload as their original objective, or killing anyone or anything that may hinder said objective. Cragmaw castle it seemed was the place to go for a grand adventure, and yet surely they did not lug their dwarven employer the whole twenty miles. But their nearby lair may be a place to start, if they could catch them in time and deal with this Klarg. Counting the corpses they had, the numbers were with them, but goblins could be vile creatures, sneaky and by the battle proven, cunning. Assuming they were telling the truth at risk of their lives, it seemed fruitful to investigate. Yet if they lied, well maybe this was a spiteful trap. And the self-absorbed wizard seemed too interested in setting an example to those already at the heel. And though he was vengeful, there was a noble light of compassion the mute had for the unfortunate. Life was a struggle, and not all were born equal, he should know being incapable of speech.

"Lead us to Klarg." The telepathic voice resounded in the same goblin's head, imprinting the message as the psion rose, skipping meal as it seemed the fairy's dog had no care for horsemeat or scritches. Either a well trained dog, or perhaps one that could smell something wrong with the meat, better than he could. "You will need arms and legs to walk. Bring us to your tribe's lair and we will have reason not to leave you as our wizard suggested." There was a clearing yonder as the mute noticed, implying he knew where to start suggesting to the goblin if it did not show him, he would find a way anyhow. And though covered by foliage, there was a subtle path north, an unnatural clearing where the earth was trodden by presumably goblin feet. Looking back to where the goblin sat with a knowing look, eyebrows offering up the choice of continued cooperation or being little more than a torso left on the side of the road. Something he would have not preferred to do to the goblins, for these had done nothing against him, just that one who tried an attempt on his life. The ones who attacked the half-orc for example were probably more admired by him in their attempts to kill one of the group's liabilities.

Soft woody eyes looked at the group with a nod and a jerk of a tilting head drew attention to the woodland path. With a finger pointed at first Kiki and then the changeling, and finally the doggo-mounted fairy, he selected his subparty thinking to split the group to complete both targets. The supplies needed to be delivered, Bar, Seethe and Elki the cleric could handle that part, then if they so choose, double back around to this location or investigate the named castle. The rest could see if the bugbear still held their employer and escort him back to the town where the supplies awaited. Beckoning with another hand, the psion called for his selected party members to accompany him, waiting for the goblin at the edge of the path to guide them or for Seethe to ask the Barbarian to start breaking some limbs.

D&D 5E - Forgotten Realms

AdAM 7

---

Two up, One down, a curious array.
It would seem the middle lever controlled the floor.
Either depressing the central pillar down, or Raising all others up.
A matter of perspective lost as a dead man in a coffin looks out into the world.
And entombed within the stone box, the outside world fades into oblivion.

Whatever happened outside and above AdAM became irrelevant to the mech, a difficulty in hearing the exact words, something about the ceiling, something about a fan. The loudest ones made their voice heard, even through the rising walls. Someone requested whoever was presumably making the floor rise stop. It mattered not, the floor would rise, and if the ceiling was real and the fan was real, the fleshy organics would be crushed or shredded. Perhaps it was a test, whoever brought them here, a test of how the will to live contested the ideals of morality. The mad architect of this place simply running an experiment to test a theory. Was it a sarcastic nod then to the moral high ground was what would kill those currently on the rising floor? Dying as one lived. Morality nevertheless was a concept strange to AdAM, something truly human as he only knew logic and law. Laws unjust or not were social constructs made to govern society, and in the case of natural laws, the very fabric of existence. To break a law was an insult to both, unless the error occurred where in two laws interested within each other's domains. As such, which rule must be followed? Ah alas, more philosophy.

Either way, a logical loop never resounded well and just as he selected the middle lever without calculating the exact odds of said action's repercussions, so too did AdAM gaze upon the configuration within the precious seconds those above him had. At the rate the walls were rising around him, in a short amount of time the party be sent into their graves, calculating the time it took for the pillar to be complete sealed off at the entrance of five feet. AdAM himself had to duck to fit within the confines of the pillar, to which suggested either a smaller entity controlled this facility or designed it. A gnome or dwarf perhaps? Or a more fey or impish entity? And these levers three, staring back like the abyss into which AdAM gazed, their mystery mocked him, teasing him to pull the middle lever back down in an attempt to stop the floor from rising. Logically it would be natural, that an equal opposite reaction be the course to lower the floors back down. Yet if indeed the ceiling was an illusion as was tossed about, they were in no immediate danger save the fan.

Thus perhaps the mechanism of control was not as simple and needed to be tested. There was an expected probability of resetting the middle lever yielding a restoration of everything from his previous action. Yet nothing was gained from this then, unless it was the combination of levers which dictated what the room did. Stacked against the chance of the other two levers functioning to counter the effects of the middle lever was a large leap in logic, but based in sound statistics. There was no guarantee that the floor would descend again with the flip of the switch before him, there was only an observational fallacy in believing that to be an absolute truth. Thus what if one of the two levers presented could create the opposite effect and ground the others? Another 50-50 chance choice then to compute the complex likelihood of one of either lever in their current position would resolve the rising floor by providing a sinking stabilization. Or more in this situation a simplifying assumption could be that the middle lever controlled the rise and fall alone to a limit of grounding, thus what the function of the other two levers remain a mystery. What would happen if all three levers were up?

To solve a problem, it was best to explore every possible solution and understand every possible outcome. As such with the fearlessness of one knowing those above him may be crushed to death as the ceiling may start compressing their skulls with the flick of the switch on the left, AdAM firmly grasped the sinister lever and pushed the position up. What happens now?

A scream above?
Blades whirring down to hack and maim flesh from bone?
Or would he see the eyes of confused sheep, waiting to be harvested?
No, it was better to remain together.
Maybe it was a test of humanity in itself?
To see how far a group of strangers can compel themselves to work together in self-interest.

= Mechanics

Action: Pull The Left Lever.

🦄 Duplicity - D&D Style Fantasy Rp Adventure (Completed)

Thomas Richard Harrison

Location: The Apothecary.
Interacting with: The Merchant of Menace (shopkeeper), Satilla.

No saltpeter? What self-respecting alchemical shop carries no saltpeter? And the reason for the stock? Pishposh, Saltpeter had no such effects. Did it? Something to investigate further, although not in front of good company. A slight color took to the cheeks at the mention of that particular use. Satilla after all a... Never mind, maybe herbalists wouldn't know such a rumored use for nitrates. Maybe the hint the old codger suggested escaped her, although the impotence of a wizard's wand... Well there were potions made specifically for that. Using a combination of rare fish oils, alkalized quicklime, fumes of aqua fortis, and about four other reagents and complex techniques to get tiny amount of usable product for all the materials and time put in. Not that it took much for it to work, but there were more readily available remedies. Which brought Thomas to the idea of substituting a fire beetle in lieu of a fire scarab. Honestly they were the same thing right?

"Mrs. Fritzgivens at the wax shop then?" What horrific uses did she have for 50 grams of purified saltpeter? The sorcerer mused on, saltpeter after all was a rather versatile reagent to use and went by many names. "Okay I'll go see if she still has some. I won't need a lot of fire beetle, I don't even know if it'll work..." Oh, a lie? The old man would lie to Thomas? A man who requested the elements to create an explosive device like a shopping list? Then again, maybe the old shopkeeper was already slightly senile and forgot when he had inventory? Then again there wasn't much inventory to track was there? The bare bones picked nearly clean, but think of all the money he ought to have had selling everything.

"Maybe he's already gone a bit, you know... Off?" Thomas suggested the failing memory was the blame in a hush to his female companion. "Did he have anything else good yesterday that went missing?" Thomas pondered a bit preening his hair with a hand as a wicked thought came to him. A suspicion of who else could be magically inclined in the village? This man had the stock to conduct some rituals after all, and evidently the good stuff was hidden in the back room. Or maybe that wax-shop owner...

D&D 5E - Forgotten Realms

AdAM 7

---

"Response: A pleasure.
Statement: This Unit is unfamiliar with this laboratory.
Comment: Agreed, I shall assist on combined efforts to escape.
Statement: This Pillar is approximately five feet tall and noticeably resonant.
Inquiry: Are the walls made to keep us in or keep others out?

More philosophy. It seemed there was a theme here, but when an artificial being desires to become human, was not philosophy the natural discourse? Either way, time was of the essence, AdAM was unsure of how long it had been since his reboot. AdAM 8 required sustenance lest the spider found itself draining some unfortunate petty thief dry, which as unfortunate as it was, had the thief try to provoke or forget to feed then a hungry giant spider was a hungry giant spider. Stalking prey like AdAM 7 would before a deadly pounce, killing anyone as a quarter ton of arachnid dropped from the ceiling down to crush victims like insects. The human body could only take so much pressure before buckling, but it was a matter of force distribution rather than mass for the most part. And a well placed bolt going at the proper speed was far more subtle than a falling eight-legged anvil.

Yet it was time for AdAM, Seven not Eight, to climb down himself and mingle with possible spider food. Examining the series of tubes in momentary consideration before pulling out each line from his old and new body parts. A slight sensation tingled, something humans would call pain, as each cord left the flesh. It was unique, perhaps even enjoyable for being the first time a construct could feel pain. Warforged understood damage and required repair, but pain in itself was not a sensation readily felt. Which in itself was a blessing and a curse, as pain after all was an alarm system to pull oneself away from dangerous things. Taste, pain, what else should AdAM thank his unknown experimenters for? He would like to meet these advanced flesh grafters to see if more could be done. Ideally everything could be replaced could it not? Piece by piece by piece...

With all the restraining tubes removed, the assassin leapt from the table quite professionally with a forward flip, soaring through the dark air in single rotation before planting two feet for a gracious landing. Still not fully gaining control of his new limbs, only 97 percent mastery, with the other 3 percent being interment loss of sensation and fine motor control of distal muscles. Acceptable for now, as it seems his allies were more focused in escape the room they found themselves in rather than asking the question of why they were there to begin with. All with jewels of light embedded into their bodies and gowns, tubes and all, And speaking of gowns, AdAM had little use for his as he tore the sheet off his body, revealing the amalgam of materials organic and inorganic used to make the construct's body. There was nothing to be modest about after all, warforged did not breed, and hence lacked any genitals. Although in the future, to complete his transformation, AdAM would have to pursue a virile male perhaps one from the group if they should find themselves no longer needing to procreate?

"Objection: Do not destroy the walls, unknown structural integrity may cause catastrophic collapse.
Comment: Ample evidence suggests a pre-existing exit, I suggest we search for this alternative.
Statement: This Unit cannot interpret these writings nor identify these reagents.
Comment: I shall take these documents for future analysis.

A quick input of what AdAM thought of randomly beginning to destroy walls. But it seems the two other larger beings in the room thought nothing of using their brains before brawn. What if there were enemies outside the wall? Or deadly gas? Or fluid? Or Fire? Either way, a breach in a contained environment was ill-advised. But perhaps his motives were not entirely pure, for interest in the science and experimentation clearly being done here, a good researcher and doctor keeps notes, status and progress. A quick scan and search of the work benches yielded a few documents in Sylvan and Infernal, neither languages identified by the warforged and thus gathered neatly gathered into a stack alongside a book enwrapt with tiny newt bones forming a binding chain and an impressive adamantine lock. Something to unlock after retrieving his gear, and first finding it, hoping to have found at least a map of the facility they found themselves in.

More fruitful an investigation however was the notice of how the pillar was hollow. Yes there was something strange about the pedestal which he had laid upon moments ago. Given the material it was made of, it seemed to transmit sound with a slight reverberation. As if it was a hollow box that amplified the sound to one side, despite being visualized as having four sides, was this a possible exit? The method of which their captor had placed them all in here? The illusion of a solid mass though a curious hand attempted to touch the surface found naught but air. A crucial finding, at which was too late for the dirty genasi had forced enough of herself through in destroying one of the walls with an arbitrary designation of four. Another way out was conceived, though what dangers ahead of him and ahead of them now lay at the crucial crossing point. Do we venture into the swallowing void? And if so... Which?

"Observation: Geometric analysis of the chamber yields a rectangular volume of 37500 cubic feet.
Comment: I believe this central pillar conceals a possible entry point with detected anomalies.
Inquiry: For those of us attempting to break it, what lies beyond the fourth wall?"

Steeping through the wall unseen but perhaps not unheard by the majority of the rest, the robotic assassin found himself within the pillar faced with a choice of poisoned chalices. Not literal chalices of course, but literary chalices, of those being levers on the wall. Two down, one up. The sinister lever down, the middle path down, and the one on the right erected. There were two positions per switch, if the duality was to be trusted, giving a binary code of at eight different combinations of arrangements. There was also a possibility any one or more of the switches was a master switch or a dummy switch. And how many hours could be spent attempting to dissect the puzzle apart in the mind by playing with probability. A choice presented, a logical analysis to be done until at least until something struck him from behind. One of the tubes so carelessly tossed into the illusionary wall.

Enough thinking. Assuming each switch acted in isolation, that is the order of switches did not determine the function of the group as a whole, there was a one in two chance the switch on the right was placed in the proper position required to maintain the current conditions of the room. There was a one in two chance that each one of the other remaining switches were in the wrong position. Collectively there was a battle of halves and halves, with all sorts of statics to calculate. Yet choosing the middle lever... AdAM committed himself to finding out the mechanics of this hidden alcove. For the man behind the curtain controlled the great mystery outside did he not? Running the numbers a final time, and taking the chances on the death likelihood that the operator would create a suicide lever was rather low, with his new hand of flesh, AdAM pulled the grasped middle switch and flipped the lever up.

Try a Coin Toss,
To be gained and lost,
Tails will save your soul,
Heads will make yours roll.

= Mechanics

Medicine Check on Removing Tubes: 1d20 + 2 = (3) + 2 = 5, success.
Acrobatics Check on Dismounting Pillar: 1d20 + 6 = (6) + 6 = 12, success.
Passive Perception: 18
Passive investigation for search of Benches: 17
Nature Check on identifying Bonechain on recovered book: 1d20 + 1 = (15) + 1.
Passive investigation for noticing illusionary wall: 17
Move Action: Move to inside Pillar, small area for about 2 medium sized creatures.
Action: PULL THE (middle) LEVER!