Episode 54

After some back-and-forth with the eccentric man in the machine, Collective Action find him more interested in pulling levers than giving them answers. With a press of a button and a flash of light, the party is suddenly granted an unusual awareness of their surroundings.   Using this newfound clarity, they begin their investigation of the chamber. Locked cabinets yield a stockpile of ammunition and potions, while further searching uncovers three large, colored tiles embedded into the floor—though their significance remains unclear. Beyond this, they come across a pool of shimmering blue liquid, its still surface hiding a grim sight: a troll’s lifeless body. Not willing to risk a surprise attack, Meepo takes the initiative, setting the corpse alight to ensure it stays down. Within the pool, Groban retrieves a vial of thick, oily blue liquid, tucking it away for later use.   Further exploration leads to a mirrored set of three additional colored tiles and another supply cache, but this side of the chamber also features six unlit braziers, each containing the faint residue of colored oil. The party deduces that the tiles and braziers are linked—likely part of a puzzle they’ll need to solve. With an unopenable door blocking their path, they instead follow the trail of the Githyanki warriors they previously glimpsed, descending deeper into the keep.   The choice proves dangerous. As they enter the next room, three Githyanki ambush them, their psionic-infused combat skills making for a brutal fight. Despite their deadliness, the warriors fall to the adventurers, leaving behind a makeshift encampment. Among the loot, the party discovers a cryptic note hinting at a way to remove the man from the machine: a Crystal Hammer.   Descending further, they enter a cavernous lair occupied by a massive red dragon. Fortunately, the beast is more interested in boasting about itself than incinerating the group. Through vague but valuable conversation, the dragon hints at the nature of "The Imprisoned One" and confirms that activating the portal deeper into the keep will require the machine—meaning they’ll have to deal with its current occupant one way or another.   With no other immediate leads, the party shifts their focus to the corridor where the Mind Flayers fled. This section of the keep has been physically altered, warped into an eerie and alien landscape. The first chamber they enter contains strange pillars pulsing with psychic energy. Opening the exit triggers a trap, momentarily stunning several members of the team before they shake it off and press forward.   In the next room, they make a surprising discovery—an imprisoned man, who introduces himself as Jakob, an apprentice to the wizard Carston. Jakob explains that he and several others assisted Carston in locating the machine. However, once Carston took control of it, he lost his mind, becoming obsessed with summoning creatures to battle for his entertainment. The apprentices were forgotten, left to their fates. Jakob was eventually captured by the Mind Flayers but has so far managed to resist their attempts at extracting information from him.   Before the party can learn much more, a door behind them creaks open. Trouble has arrived…