The party examined the the three screens that were in front of each door. Acanthodoris stepped up to the first door, Evan David stepped up to the middle door, and Tarin stepped up to the third door. Galo stayed back and tried to assist from a distance.

Acanthodoris

Acanthodoris saw that the there were six symbols that floated around a brain-shaped glyph in the centre of the screen. Acanthodoris somehow understood that each of the symbols represented:

• Birth
• Transformation
• Knowledge
• Consumption
• Ascension
• Death

Acanthodoris first tried to touch the consumption symbol and was dealt a psychic blow. Acanthodoris was stunned and slowly stepped up and touched the death symbol next. He was again dealt a psychic blow. Acanthodoris was stunned again and stepped forward more slowly and cautiously and touched the transformation symbol, Acanthodoris was again dealt a psychic blow and stepped back.

Acanthodoris thought he would give it one last chance and tentatively touched the birth symbol. Acanthodoris flinched and expected a blow but none came. The birth symbol became grayed out. Acanthodoris continued and successfully touched transformation, knowledge, consumption, ascension, and death symbols in order. The symbols all grayed out one by one and after touching the death symbol, the door opened revealing a machine of some sort that was whirring away.

Evan David

Evan David stepped up and observed that five crystal vials floated above a basin on his screen. Evan David understood that each symbol emitted the following psychic impressions:

• Despair
• Fear
• Rage
• Joy
• Curiosity

Evan David received the following psychic message:

“Feed the thought that survives.”

Evan David decided to first touch the despair vial and was dealt a psychic blow. This angered Evan David and he moved quickly forward to touch the fear symbol. He was again shocked with a psychic blow and staggered back. Evan David stepped back and decided he would not quit. He then touched the curiosity symbol and it moved and sank into the basin. The door then opened revealing a workshop.

Tarin

Tarin went up to his door and listened. The only thing he could hear was the sound of a whirring machine.

Tarin focused on his screen before the door and saw a holographic display that showed symbols of:

• Elder Brain
• Thrall
• Neophyte
• Ulitharid
• Mind Flayer

Tarin assumed that he needed to touch the items in order and touched Thrall, Neophyte, Mind Flayer, Ulitharid, and Elder Brain in order. They each grayed out in order and Tarin was not delivered any psychic blows. The door behind the screen opened and revealed another machine that was whirring away. Tarin entered the room and touched the machine. Tarin found that it was cool to the touch.

Party rejoined

Evan David moved forward to inspect the lab and found that the rear of the room was taken up by metal workbench, atop which were unrecognisable tools and pieces of machinery. Atop the desk was a spider-like construct of iridescent black metal. Evan David moved forward and the spider construct attacked!

Acanthodoris, Galo, and Tarin rushed to Evan David’s room hearing the sounds of battle. The party found that normal weapons dealt no damage to the spider’s black metal armour. They quickly switched to magical attacks and found that magical attacks delivered unexpected damage until Evan David delivered the final vicious blow. The spider turned over on his back and its legs curled up in a death spasm.

The party decided to rest up and heal in Leomund’s Tiny Hut before moving on. They emerged after a rest and continued south. They opened a door and discovered it led to a prison.

Bright light streamed down from white crystals onto cubes of vaguely purple force, within which are horrendously mutated creatures. A small metal panel with braille-like markings on it juts out of the wall. They also tried to disable the force fields with no success. Inside the cubes were two Tritons, a Merrow, and human that had been experimented on and were horribly mutated. Tarin tried to release the Merrow from his painful existence, but he survived. The party decided that there was nothing more they could do here.

The party moved on and saw that the next room seemed to hold a platform that could take them up to the upper level. They moved forward and were attacked by a Mutant Scrag that emerged from a mold room to the south. The party moved forward and attacked the Mutant Scrag finally beating him down. Evan David delivered a massive blow that killed the Mutant Scrag but also knocked him through another door revealing a Mind Flayer in the process of torturing another prisoner.

The party moved forward to attack the Mind Flayer. The Mind Flayer was able to grapple Evan David and appeared to be ready to envelop Evan David’s head when the party was able to finally kill him.

The party examined the room and saw that strapped to something resembling a glass throne was a wretched humanoid corpse. Its insides were mostly outside. Disgusted, the party moved on and decided to take the platform upstairs rather than examine the mold room.

---

The party emerged into a room with a metal cage built into the wall of this chamber that contained three stunned-looking, green-skinned humanoids. The party discovered that they were Githyanki and their minds were gone and they were not responsive at all. Acanthodoris even displayed his Githyanki sword, but there was no response.

The party moved on and discovered a room next door with bars in the doorway. Beyond the doorway was a chamber with padded walls, ceiling, and floor. The place glowed with an oppressive red light, and a dull throbbing was audible within. Inside were two green-skinned humanoids who appeared subtly different from each other. They were clearly not on good terms.

The party tried to unlock the bars with no success. They saw a panel with a hand imprint and decided to go back down to the lower level to retrieve a hand from the Mind Flayer corpse. The party came back up and pressed a Mind Flayer hand onto the panel. The bars slowly lifted up.

The prisoners thanked them and introduced themselves as a female Githyanki knight named Vairruth and a male Githzerai zerth named Muurg. The prisoners informed the party that they followed a crashed Illithid ship here that has corrupted this world. They mention that they have heard the Illithids speak in reverence of Slarkrethel. They also mentioned that the party will need more heroes as there seems to be an endless supply of thralls and the Illithids are retrofitting these ruins.

The party thanked them for their advice and gave them directions on how to escape the lair and wished them well.

The party moved on to the west and discovered the walls of this chamber were covered with lights that subtly shifted colour and intensity in an almost hypnotic fashion. Standing throughout the room were half a dozen glass and metal pods connected to the ceiling via pipes and tubes.

Two of the pods sprung open and two Mind Flayers leapt out. Evan David jumped forward and sliced through the Mind Flayers. Acanthodoris and Galo quickly joined the battle. Tarin finished both of them off with crippling Eldritch Blasts.

Evan David, Galo, Acanthodoris, and Tarin are all awarded inspirations.

The party cut off a couple of Mind Flayer hands for future use and prepared to move on.