Case Reports

Official Harmonium Investigation Report

Security: Standard
Submitted: Ransom Jones, Measure One
Approved:

CASE REPORT: RJ-1028
REPORT ON JOURNEY THROUGH THE MAZES: [See Case Report RJ-1027]
Incident: Due to massive street violence, the Lady appeared and cast all into the Mazes. As we were being transported, I had a vision. Descartes talked to me, saying that Voronis was an Anarchist of the 'Loth Resistance, passing as a Cipher. He said we would all need to work together in order to escape the Maze. Then he vanished.

Originally appearing alone, those in our group were all able to eventually find each other through use of lights and somewhat careful mapping. Another person was there too, a half-elf ranger named Zeday. First I found Simon, then Bedlam found Zeday, then we found Griffin, then Voronis found Rithok and then Salin and then Boredumus and then Bedlam and Zeday, then we find Gilcrest, and finally we all met. Possibly two hours had passed. I questioned Bedlam, Voronis, and Boredumus about their actions in the street battle. Bedlam said he supported the Surprise. Voronis claimed to forget why she helped Bedlam. Boredumus couldn't give any coherent reason why he attacked the Mercykiller. We located an area where the sound of water came from behind a wall, a secret door. Remembering Descartes' words, we all touched it together and the door opened. Inside was a helpless old man, a worshipper of St. Cuthbert, trapped due to 7 trolls guarding the exit. We attacked and killed the trolls, and escaped with old man. He revealed himself to be Istvan the Movanic Deva, a proxy of St Cuthbert. Istvan pledged his service to me. We found our way to another room, but realized we were still trapped in the maze. Istvan said that everyone in our group must accept St. Cuthbert in order to continue. He cast a spell and asks everyone to confess in order for the next part of escape path to open. He appointed Gilcrest to mete out penances. Istvan forced Voronis to admit her deceit to the party. I stepped in to avoid having her tell everything, as I feared it would be bad for the needed party cohesiveness if they discovered her duplicity. Her penance is that she must go to the temple of St. Cuthbert and talk with a priest. I confessed a lack of diligence. Penance: to be more diligent. Salin said he needed to pay more attention. Penance: Be diligent. Zeday said he took too many risks. Penance: to editate on his battle prowess, and adopt a cat and care for it for one month, finding a home for it if he doesn’t want it. Bedlam was uncomfortable with idea, but said he wished he had defended the Xaos better and fireballed all of us. Penance: to reflect on how he could act better on his better. Bedlam inferred that he would think harder about killing us, then regained control of his emotions and said we’re all closer to death anyway. Simon said his greed got in the way of doing things right, like picking pockets without knowing something of the victim. Penance: rob from evil and give to good 25% of all evil pockets picked. Gilcrest said he wasn’t thinking about Simon’s healing at times, due to some of the hobbit’s comments. Boredumus said he turned his back on Pholtus (an enemy of St. Curthbert) when he joined with Karnak. Penance: to serve Karnak. (I think Boredumus got off very easy here). Once done, a back wall opened to reveal a gate. We rested, with Istvan helping with healing. Ist said and stressed, “Good deeds are rewarded threefolded.” We entered an area where other creatures, prisoners are trapped, the Dark Village. We were forced to give all of our rations to the gatekeeper, a barzu, in order to get in. A yellow stone path led through green stone grounds and broken-down houses of pottery and rusted iron. Nasty bugs with a gaze of stunning attacked us. We met a green slaad named Grix, non-aggressive for the moment, who would not help us. We met two bariniths, a jehorra and a grozu, and were forced to fight them. The jehorra used a glaive of life stealing and a glaive of sharpness, which cut off Voronis’ leg. We killed them. Gilcrest read a Healscroll and, with Istvan’s help, her leg was reattached. We rested. The barzu warned us that ember hulks were here too, and they would want us to give them tribute. Also said that “mouth and claws” is guarding the exit from the maze. His description sounded like a tarrasque. We realized we needed to have the others who were trapped here help too if we were to defeat this. Unsavory, but the greater goal must override personal feelings. The barzu took the glaive of sharpness for the battle. We discovered a portable hole with potions and various knick-knacks.

Istvan decided that Voronis would work off her penance by guarding Gilcrest. It seems that only Gilcrest and I did not know that she was an anarchist. Even Griffin knew but didn’t tell me. Istvan warned of the reaction if it was made public that an Anarchist had infiltrated our group. One idea was for her to pass as a Harmonium, which she could do. She could help guard against the loths in the black tower. But I do not approve of her impersonating an officer.

We were attacked by three tanar'gre disguised as two glabretzu and a vrock. We killed them. We then made a deal with Grix; he would help us fight the tarrasque. He told us of a gliding creature that also trapped here but is hard to talk to, and of the ember hulks. He also said that there are more tanar'gre. He took us to the exit, and we saw the sleeping tarrasque from a short distance. Grix picked up the glaive of life-stealing for the battle. We rested.

Bedlam and Simon went to talk with flying creature, suspecting it might be undead. Instead, it was a twilight aasimon. It agreed to join us. Two ember hulks appeared, one a priest of Boccob. They agreed to help if we kill rest of tanar'gre. We rested, then attacked the remaining tanar'gre. In the battle, we discovered how confined areas and fireballs don’t mix, thanks to Bedlam. Three more tanar'gre were killed. The hulks claimed their bodies for food. We rested, then assembled for the final assault. Our planning was as careful as possible: Bedlam gave 2 strength spells to Voronis and Salin, Griffin gave one to me. Gilcrest cast strength of one on the other lawfuls. We traded weapons, and exchanged spells as needed. I received haste and stoneskin spells. We attacked, forming a semi-circle around the tarrasque. It killed one hulk, then the baarzu, then another hulk, then another hulk. My stoneskin deflected three of its horn attacks. We were able to kill it, discovering that the escape portal was inside the creature’s mouth. While we regrouped, the remaining evil creatures snuck away through the portal. We didn’t really kill the tarrasque though, just knocked it down. It started to stir again, and we escaped through the mouth-portal.

We appeared in a misty hallway. Istvan and Zeday were gone. A sign was on the wall with arrows pointing in two directions: one to TIME and the other to PAIN. We chose Pain, and appeared in front of the Sandstone Hotel. But everything ws washed out, misty, unreal. It was snowing and cold, and all colors were faded. We entered the station, where I met my double in my office. He challenged me and we fought. He was exactly like me. The others could do nothing but watch. I barely killed the duplicate, and then we appeared in the real station.

I was placed under arrest for dereliction of duty, due to my unexplained absence. After debriefing before a review board, I was given back command of the station. We met a cornugon wearing robes with the symbol of the Fraternity of Order. This was Judge Yellowfang, and he presented a writ that he was now magistrate of this district and I was ordered to annex him a courtroom. He ordered Griffin to construct an execution area in the square, and said that a portal would be built in the jail basement. Boredumus turned himself in for arrest (see RJ-1030). Istvan was arrested for a previous problem. I paid his bail.

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