Chapter 17: Deep Reflections

[Darren]

Kal hisses as Thul begins to wander off, then rolls his eyes and gestures for Melethos to move with the captain, keeping the formation together.

[Brian]

Melethos nods. "Everyone move right. Keep with the captain." He approaches the right side of the dais, where Thul is approaching. "Maintain the formation."

[Ken]

"I'm so handsome," says Belarin, "that it'll be difficult not to look at the mirrors, but I'll do my best." Despite his words, Belarin's somber tone makes it clear that he doesn't underestimate the mirrors' potential threat, inadvertent or otherwise.

He stays with the group as they approach the dais.

[Elvis]

Thul stops and looks at the others. "Stay close. If there is a trap, we want to make sure it catches as many of us as possible." 

He waits to see if the others hold back, or press forward with him.

[Brian]

Melethos motions for Captain Thul to continue. "We may as well find out if there is a passage behind that dais. If none exists, we will need to consider our options."

[Elvis]

Thul nods. Then ventures on...

[Dave W.]

Adamant sees Thul head off and resists a comment, but once Melethos has asked the human warlock to investigate behind the dais, Adamant will move up sufficient to shed light back there.

[Jeff]

Thul starts around, and the other stay fairly close. At this point you can see that the columns themselves bear the same reflective facets.

Thul, Melethos, Kal, and Adamant (all moving at the front half of the arrow formation) are the first to see a backpack lying on the ground up against the backside of the dais...but nothing and no one else. There is only the back wall; no obvious exits.

Belarin, Streko, and Shorak, at the same time, feel themselves tense as they detect motion—out of the corner of their eyes only—within various reflections around them, from the walls and from the columns. Motion of someone or something entering the area from behind the party, coming in the same way. As yet, none of you have actively looked at the reflective surfaces directly, but peripherally they are aware of this. When they move their eyes back the way they came...they see nothing there.

By the way, I know it might seem odd that I sometimes say "they" and sometimes say "you." Most of the time, when I say "you" it's kind of a stand-in for "any of you." In this case I stuck with "they" to refer to each half of the party, since the other half isn't seeing something. If that makes sense.

Attachments:

[Elvis]

Thul calls back, "Here." as he points to the backpack, before continuing to clear the rest of the area.

Thul ignores the backpack, keeping his eyes open for the owner.

[Darren]

Kal motions for Shorak to come up as he watches the backpack as though it might leap up at any moment. "Check that out," he says to the half-drow. "Everyone else, keep an eye out for an ambush. And don't look at those damned mirrors." He tightens his grip on his sharrash, "And try to avoid using any magic in here...."

[Joe]

Streko marvels at the beauty of the cave and avoids looking at any of the mirrors. He follows his friends, remaining in formation. The cold seems to permeate his bones, even through his robes, which he recalls, while glancing down at them, are pretty much burned and torn to thin shreds of fraying cloth. "No wonder I'm so..."

He stops.

"Friends..." He looks back the way they came in and sees nothing. "I swear by Olladra's veil, I saw someone...but..." He continues looking back, continues to see nothing. "I believe we are not alone, but I must risk looking into the mirrors to know for sure. Directly looking back, I see nothing. Did anyone else see...? Or perhaps I'm just being paranoid. There are many shadows in this strange light. Perhaps it was nothing. Still..."

Streko reaches back into his haversack and removes his sickle. Holding it firmly gives him a small sense of relief. "Olladra, bless us and protect us," he says.
__________________________________________________________

Now that the sickle is out, Streko just has his haversack and the other items within it.

[Dave B.]

Shorak looks around, sensing movement behind him he draws his boomerang and spins around. Seeing nothing, he shrugs, but keeps the weapon at the ready, just in case.

Shorak nods when warned to not directly into the mirrored surfaces, muttering aloud, "Good advice."

When Kal calls him over to where the backpack lays to examine it, Shorak carefully approaches it and takes a good look at it and the surrounding area.

Perception check: 1d20+5=18.

[Jeff]

Bear with me, folks. There'll be a bit of green text going on; if you see that it doesn't involve you, feel free to skip it until it does.

---

All of you realize at this point that the light reflecting in the mirrored walls from Adamant's Delver's Light is not as bright anymore. In fact, the cavern has markedly dimmed. In most (not all) reflections, there is simply no such light reflecting back from where the warfored stands. Kal finds this to be true of his sharash's light as well, which flickers in his hands but is either absent or steadier in the reflections.

Shorak, meanwhile, has moved up to stand and crouch before the mysterious backpack, ready to assess any danger around it. He looks around the floor without stepping too close, looking...well, just around the ground, which is too solid to reveal any footprints. There are only grains of dirt that might have been tracked in by other boots. But no prints. No clear signs of a set trap...

The back side of the column-alcove where he is is just as mirrored as the "front." Larger facets of reflective crystal reflect Shorak and those around him, though he does not look directly at them. But then, if he is to look for traps or hazards, he'd need to—unless he intends only to search the ground, a significantly small percentage of the area. The backpack itself looks well made and well cared for; it looks like the traveler's pack purchased by a nobleman. There's even a red gem inlaid upon the central clasp. Which seems foolish to Shorak. Ostentatious design seems like the wrong choice for traveler's gear.

Meanwhile, Thul moves a little bit past the halfdrow, keeping his own eyes on the ground and only regarding the walls—like the rest of you—peripherally.

Out of the corner of his eye, Shorak can discern his own reflection crouching over the backpack in one of the larger mirror-faces beside him. Something's different about it, though, about his own reflected image. He doesn't think Mirror Shorak is wearing his familiar enchanted leather armor at all; the one he inherited from Karal. Instead, Mirror Shorak seems to be wearing a white-gray armor of some kind, which without looking right at it brings some of the traditional Vulkoori designs to mind.

Adamant, Kal, Melethos: Behind Shorak, Adamant, Kal, and Melethos notice, as well, that when they look at Shorak crouched there, they can "see" (only in a blurry peripheral way) that his reflection is not as it should be, but looks rather different than their usual halfdrow friend. Which, in turn, makes them wary indeed.

Adamant: Adamant can sense that his closest reflection is not bearing a shield on his arm, but...something else.

Kal: Kal's closest reflection is holding a staff of some kind instead of his sharash. It's topped with...a whiteish object.

Melethos: Melethos can sense that his nearest reflection is wearing a robe, not armor at all.

Belarin: Belarin's closest reflection is wearing a hat, he thinks.

Streko: Streko's closest reflection is garbed in gold armor?

Thul: Thul, likewise, is pointedly not looking at his images, but at the edge of his vision he's fairly sure that the closest one is holding a glowing orb in his hand instead of an axe.

Streko and Belarin: By the time Streko pulls his sickle, Therendor's Crescent, out of his haversack, he and Belarin can see the thing moving closer, reflected in the wall-mirrors only peripherally, and now stands not ten feet behind Belarin. It's human-sized, cowled, and holding a sword.... but without looking at it, it appears as a blurred shape.

Note: The question-mark image on the map is only where Belarin and Streko deduce the "thing" to be, since they're only discerning it indirectly in the mirrors.

Mechanically, things are going to work like it does with with medusas or basilisk gazes. That is, choosing to avert your eyes to avoid making eye contact with the a source of prospective danger means you're disadvantaged to attack or react to anything coming from it. And it has advantage on any attacks against you. If that sort of thing does happen.

[Elvis]

It is difficult for Thul to deliberately avoid assessing the threat. He understands the logic of not looking at the mirrors in case they hold some magical effect that triggers when looked at. However, viewing something peripherally is still looking at it...

Thul looks at his reflection.

[Ken]

Belarin summons his willpower to avoid looking at the mirrors, despite every hair on his neck standing up at the "approach" of the sword wielder behind him. "The mirror show possibilities!" he calls out to his friends. "Paths you COULD have taken! Lives you COULD have had! Stare at them and your mind may get lost in that other world! Don't look! I'm not even looking at the assassin behind me!"

____________________

Belarin doesn't look directly at a mirror, but he takes the Dodge action.

[Jeff]

Looking into the nearest reflection is so easy to do, just a simple slide of the eyes, that no one else is immediately aware of Thul doing so yet.

The image staring back at Thul is startling. His face is still deeply lined, his expression a mixture of skepticism and disdain—and he's pretty sure that's the one he's got right now—but there are fewer scars there, nor is his skin quite as tanned. His beard is several inches longer, solid white, though his scalp is just as sparse. Yet every trace of hair and stubble is the same white.

Mirror Thul is wearing a sleeveless coat of a similar color to his stormcoat, but quite thinner. And in his hand...a softly glowing red orb, not quite as large as the one he's seen used by the minotaur. The sleeve on his other hand ends with a leather bracer; slid into clasps seemingly designed for this purpose is a brown, ridged wand and a long-stemmed pipe.

The mirror version of Thul looks worldlier than Thul feels, and maybe with fewer cares. Yet it seems to feel more familiar to him by the second.

From where Thul is standing, though, he cannot see the thing that Belarin and Streko can.

Make an Intelligence saving throw for Thul. He gains +3 from proximity to Adamant.

[Elvis]

Thul sneers at his mirror image. He looks pampered. And weak.

And yet...

-----

INT save: d20+5 = 15

[Dave W.]

"I'm not doing that." Adamant calls out when his light stops reflecting. "We should take the pack with us."

Aug 30, 2019 10:30:26 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin summons his willpower to avoid looking at the mirrors, despite every hair on his neck standing up at the "approach" of the sword wielder behind him. "The mirror show possibilities!" he calls out to his friends. "Paths you COULD have taken! Lives you COULD have had! Stare at them and your mind may get lost in that other world! Don't look! I'm not even looking at the assassin behind me!"

"That may be right, Belarin but I'm not sure ignoring them entirely is the answer either!"

Adamant tries to not look at his reflection directly, but will try to talk to it. "Shadow Adamant? Can you talk with us?"

[Jeff]

Thul: The white-bearded Thul sneers right back at him. Thul is intrigued by this...apparition of himself, but he knows he turn away from it if he wants to. There next to this reflection, in the next facet over, is another version of himself and without looking right at it, it only looks like a slight deviation from the other... Yet he feels something could surely be learned from this. What he's got no idea about: where is this cave getting this from? Is it random or drawn from anything practical? This planar magic is ineffable. His mind swirls.

Adamant: Adamant can only tell that his reflection's jaw is moving up and down at the same time as his own. It does not make a sound. The object on his reflection's arm, the thing replacing his shield...did it just move independently in some way? He can't tell without looking at it.

[Elvis]

Thul looks over at the other image. 

[Brian]

Aug 30, 2019 10:30:26 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin summons his willpower to avoid looking at the mirrors, despite every hair on his neck standing up at the "approach" of the sword wielder behind him. "The mirror show possibilities!" he calls out to his friends. "Paths you COULD have taken! Lives you COULD have had! Stare at them and your mind may get lost in that other world! Don't look! I'm not even looking at the assassin behind me!"

When Belarin mentions an assassin, Melethos whirls around, shield up, sword ready. The distraction his image caused--why was he wearing a cloak?--had him reacting more on instinct than rational thought. But that is only for a moment. He jerks his head aside, his eyes down, and catches his reflection in one of the smooth, colorless mirrors.

[Dave W.]

"Oh, you mean an actual person? Is it an assassin or the petitioner we're seeking?" From Melthos' reaction, Adamant figures out that Belarin was not referring to a reflection this time. Still trying to not get caught looking at a reflection, he looks at the blurry figure.

---

sorry, i was busy when i first read the post, I thought the blurry figure was only a reflection, not physically present. If possible Adamant will try to look at the "assassin" but not reflections... if not I'll make an appropriate check.

[Jeff]

I'm afraid you've lost me now, Dave. The "blurry" figure is only a reflection. So far no one sees an actual newcomer except in the mirrors. Belarin and Streko are the only ones who've seen it so far, and only in their peripheral vision within the mirror reflections of the cave. The dark blurry figure on the map shows the relative location of where they're seeing it in the mirrors.

That said...

Aug 30, 2019 13:44:46 GMT -4 Brian said:

When Belarin mentions an assassin, Melethos whirls around, shield up, sword ready. The distraction his image caused--why was he wearing a cloak?--had him reacting more on instinct than rational thought. But that is only for a moment. He jerks his head aside, his eyes down, and catches his reflection in one of the smooth, colorless mirrors.

With blade bared, Melethos sees his nearest reflection—who stares right back at him, just as alarmed, a long blade likewise in hand.

But not a sword. It looks like a bladed staff, like a glaive but several feet shorter than any polearm. The reflection is wearing dark, matte-black robes that hang flat, not billowing in the slightest almost as though they're weighted down. He wears no armor, nor any shield. Fire gleams in the other tiefling's red eyes, gold no longer.

Make an Intelligence check with Adamant's +3 bonus thrown in.

Aug 30, 2019 12:32:43 GMT -4 Elvis said:

Thul looks over at the other image. 

The next image stares back at him, curiosity tinging the scowl on his whiskered face. This one is garbed almost exactly like the other one, and he even holds an orb in hand. But his eyes look...milkier, but not quite blind. There is a crow perched on that Thul's shoulder, twitching it head this way and that.

Make another Intelligence check.

[Brian]

Aug 30, 2019 14:23:39 GMT -4 Jeff said:

With blade bared, Melethos sees his nearest reflection—who stares right back at him, just as alarmed, a long blade likewise in hand. But not a sword. It looks like a bladed staff, like a glaive but several feet shorter than any polearm. The reflection is wearing dark, matte-black robes that hang flat, not billowing in the slightest almost as though they're weighted down. He wears no armor, nor any shield. Fire gleams in the other tiefling's red eyes, gold no longer.

Melethos hesitates, a chill running through him. "Who...are you?"

_____________________________________________

Melethos:1D20+5 → 9(4 + 5)#Intelligence Check

[Elvis]

This version is even more frail. Thul scoffs audibly.

His life choices aren't going to let him get much older. 

If the trick is to scare him with old age, the cave is failing miserably.

----

INT save: d20+5 = 24

[Joe]

Streko turns, facing toward the rear of the cavern, expecting to see some cowled, sword-wielding interloper. The petitioner? There's nothing there.

"My reflection, of which I only barely noticed, is garbed in golden armor. Indeed, these reflections may very well be us if we had taken other paths.

"However, I am not the only one to have seen another reflection of a stranger here with us. He is not twenty feet from where I stand looking toward the back of the cave and, as Belarin suggested, he could be an assassin...or the petitioner perhaps, or even a reflection of the petitioner? Gods, this place is confusing."

Streko looks at the ground, aware of his peripheral vision, hoping to see more movement from the mysterious shade in the mirrors. He stands on guard.

[Dave W.]

"This is maddening." Adamant says, "Is there an assassin? Where?"

Adamant moves over and picks up the backpack. "I doubt this is enough to satisfy the dragon but let's not leave it here either."

"There is no body here. I can suggest only two things: look at the reflections and see where they lead or go stand on the dais and see if the view changes."

---

we'll just pretend it was Adamant that was confused...

[Ken]

"Then get to the dais, everyone," says Belarin. "NOW! That mean you, too, Melethos! If you're going to be a leader in the field, get moving." Belarin keeps his eyes away from the mirrors and begins to move toward the dais.

[Joe]

Streko nods. "Yes...to the dais..." he mutters, making his way slowly and carefully back toward the steps of the dais. He still sees nothing in front of him, but the short nibs of wild hair on the back of his neck feel as if they are about the leap right off and dance a jolly jig.

"Once we are there, are we back in formation? Should we stay away from any reflective surfaces, lest we get pulled into them? Too many things to consider here."
____________________________________________________

Streko continues looking at the ground, allowing peripheral vision to guide him as he shuffles forward, then up the steps.

[Darren]

"Wait," Kal hisses, placing his hands out at his sides. "Just....wait...." Kal keeps his eyes on the ground. "This...doesn't feel right. Let me think," he says. They have the backpack, but the dragon requested the body. And there is no body. Kal's eyes flicker quickly to the multi-faceted walls. No body. Which means....the dais. Those mirrors. This room is not all there is to this cave, but getting to...somewhere else....? Where will they end up? If this cave can transport people to multiple, infinite possible worlds.....how can they possibly find the one where this petitioner has ended up? Kal shakes his head. It doesn't make sense. "Adamant," he says, holding out his hand, "give me that backpack. Let's see what's inside of it before we run off with no plan." Taking the backpack from Adamant (assuming no objections), Kal begins going through the contents, hoping for a journal or some other item that may give him insight into what this petitioner did and did not know.