Chapter 6: Glimmer, Guilt, and the Trials of Malakar
General Summary
- The party teleported into a deep lair beneath Veloria and discovered several cult members in a trance-like state.
- They killed the cultists and disguised themselves in their red robes.
- While exploring, they came upon an overturned cart tucked into a dark corner of the dungeon.
- A faint jingling and groaning noise came from inside. The cart wobbled, and out stumbled a goblin-pixie hybrid with messy, iridescent wings and a half-empty bottle of glowing liquid.
- The creature introduced herself as Glimmer Flickerwhisk, clearly intoxicated, covered in dust, and wearing mismatched clothes. She decided to join the party. They called her Bugs.
- The party entered a cult member’s quarters and fought him. After defeating him, they found a safe and obtained some documents with information about the cult’s activities.
- Deeper in the dungeon, they found more soul-trapping devices and a mountain of bones, the aftermath of a horrific battle.
- They arrived at a mirror maze, one of Malakar’s twisted trials. The cult seemed to be replicating his methods of psychological torment.
- The mirrors revealed personal truths to those who failed their wisdom saves. Grabby rolled poorly, again and again.
- Whiskers, suspicious, watched closely as Grabby’s past was unveiled:
- Grabby had once betrayed Malrick, a beloved leader of the Shadow Syndicate, out of jealousy and desire for Malrick’s partner, Liana Swiftfoot.
- He tipped off the law in hopes of taking Malrick’s place, but his actions led to the leader’s execution and the near-destruction of the guild.
- Liana vanished. Most of the guild was killed or captured and hung.
- Grabby had unknowingly picked up a cursed idol back in Balthazar’s tower.
- The idol was bound to a demon who whispered threats and forced Grabby to commit dark acts — including the murder of the homeless man — to protect the party.
- Whiskers, now understanding Grabby’s burden, empathised with him. She saved him from the mirror illusion just before he was consumed by it.
- The party moved on to another trial — the Greed Fountain. The fountain offered rewards at a risk.
- Poor rolls led to the death of Danny DeVito (the pet) and other pets. Gnifty and Bugs were cursed with golden legs, reducing their performance skills.
- Unwilling to tempt fate further, the party moved on to the next room — the fire trial.
- The room featured a riddle:
In Malakar’s breath, the flames are born,
A roar ignites, the sky is torn.
But silence comes when fire fades,
And ash is all that once remains.
Three paths you seek, no more, no less,
The wrong will bring a burning mess.
Beware the claw, the wing, the tail,
For greed and fury’s strength will fail. - The party solved the riddle immediately.
- Beyond the trial, they discovered a table covered in gold. Most of the party stayed clear, but Bugs, still hungover but nimble, snatched a few coins.
- In the next chamber, they found a tomb and collected loot — a bow and an axe, which they gave to Grizzly.
- The weapons appeared to feed off her energy in some mysterious way.
- The dungeon had stone walls and a furnace burning at its center.
Report Date
20 Dec 2025
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