The party continues to explore ‘The Lost Level’.
The party debated whether or not to destroy the homunculus in the castle. The group moves up to the third floor to find the construct, but instead of fighting, they communicate with the creature. The homunculus tries to convey that it is protecting the castle, and is in conflict with the faerie dragon. The party chooses not to attack it, and try to understand the conflict between the dragon and the construct. They decide to instead continue exploring and looting the castle. After exploring several bedrooms, they add a ship in a bottle to their loot. In another bedroom, a hefty figure appears to sleep under the covers of a bed. Shining Brow pulls the covers back by mage hand, and learns that it was an illusion, as magical wands appears and launch a magical assault on the party. The group manages to destroy the flying wands, and recover several fancy wizard robes and hats, and a nice chess set for the bar. Further down the hall, they find another bedroom with a stone arch. The keystone has a hand clutching a lit torch. Shining Brow finds another door with a platinum coin. The room contains a large iron desk with a slanted top. The ere are three copper levers and five buttons in a pentagram shape. The levers are labeled courtyard, light, and heat. The buttons read music, roof, fog, lockdown, and “Do Not Press!”. When pressed, the music button initiates a haunting song begins to fill the castle. The fog button creates a misty cloud throughout the hallways, obscuring vision. The courtyard lever does not seem to have any effect. The group leaves an unseen servant to control the levers and moves on.
Tang Wu finds a room full of shelves, covered in scrolls and books. It appears to be a record of wizards in the Forgotten Realms. At that moment, Mantis pulls the lever labeled “Light”, and the entire castle lights up, and sounds of rumbling and grumbling come from outside. Mantis shuts the light off. Tang Wu continues to investigate the file room, and finds another door. This room contains fuerniture carved from sandstone, and a large stone fresco of a woman with snakes for hair. Meanwhile, in the file room, Mantis unlocks a door, which causes a massive explosion of thunder blasts out of the door. The party survives, and Shazuu discovers a keyhole in the floor. In a chest, they find two velvet bags. One contains an ioun stone, and the other contains a large magical lyre. The party finds another bedroom, which smells of charcoal and brimstone. A locked door opens into a lounge with several comfy chairs. A massive octo-bass stands in a corner, and the party sees movement in one of the F-holes in the instrument. A bearded human face looks out, and begs for help to escape. He claims to have been imprisoned by “The Mad Goth”, who is the master of this castle. Shazuu smashes the instrument, and the old man falls out from the ruins.
The old man expresses his thanks, and suddenly, a fireball explodes, as the old man changes into a frog-like creature. Kherek rages and tries to attack the creature, as Shazuu charges in, crushing the slaad with his halberd. The party puts the creature to rest after a lengthy combat. After a bit of rest, the party moves down the stairs to the next level. After a bit of exploration, the group finds a workroom containing clay bricks. Mantis leads the party through the room to another door. THis chamber has some clay molds, and Shazuu finds another door to an open air courtyard. A 9’ tall plump human stands in the middle, and inscribed with “The Mad Goth”. Shining Brow investigates the piles of shiny gems, but to his dismay, finds that they are only shiny crystals. The party splits up to explore this level, and Shining Brow and Mantis find a kitchen with invisible workers. Shazuu and Tang Wu find a lavish reading room. The floor is covered with rubbish, and a familiar clay figure roots through the garbage. The creature moves to the next room, and reaches into a mirror, and pulls forth a winged helmet. The desk is made from stacked spell books, and trophies, wands, and staves cover the walls. They ransack the room, and recover nine spellbooks. Shining Brow and Mantis find a dining room with 12 chairs. A bell rings, and unseen servants begin to bring food and drink to the room. The two take seats, and Shining Brow rings his own bell. Kherek, Shazuu, and Tang Wu hear the bell and after a bit of looting, follow the noise. The party meets up in the dining room as the meal is served. Mantis takes the lyre, and Kherrek takes the ioun stone.