The Forlorn Cabin¶

2022-Oct-14

• Kleb approaches the smoldering but still-invisible corpse of the puppetmaster
  • Even when he lops off an appendage, completely separating it from the body, the limb remains invisible
• Kleb pokes Rowan with the invisible limb, and shenanigans ensue. Rowan eventually smashes the appendage to a bloody pulp before he is satisfied that whatever touched him is gone
• Using splatters of ink to outline the form and features of the creature’s head, which is apparently human (although the body is decidedly not humanoid). Kleb cuts the head off
• As the trio investigate the body, the dark fog which clouded the far side of the room rapidly lifts, revealing more mirrors that ring the space
  • Rowan smashes out one of the mirrors while Kleb heads back into the original hallway. Rulkorf stands in the doorway and tries to watch both of them
• The sound of wind chimes draws the group back into the hallway, and they investigate together
• After a few turns, they all see a wooden shack in open room, bordered by mirrors. This is the first structure the group has encountered in this dimension. The back of the shack is up against the wall, and no light emanates from it
  • There are footprints/tracks leading up to the porch and bamboo windchimes gently shifting on their hanger
  • The party decides to use three different points of entry – Kleb and Rowan step onto the front porch while Rulkorf approaches from the side (none are particularly stealthy)
    • Peering through the windows, they see 4 cots in the back, and movement inside
• The door swings open to reveal Oz standing before them! Beezer is resting inside as well
  • Beezer apparently was spooked by the fog and accidentally ran into the mirror realm. Oz followed, and they found this shack by following the wind chimes
• The trio are overjoyed to see their friends, but quietly skeptical that the pair made it through the maze so far unscathed
  • Kleb heads into the back room to check for hostiles and runs his sword through each straw mattress
  • Rulkorf lights a fire in the hearth, sits down and pulls out his spyglass. He fiddles with it, ostensibly cleaning it and inspecting the lens for scuffs and scratches, but subtlely eyes Oz and Beezer to check for threads on them
    • Neither of them seems contaminated at all, but Rulkorf notices a series of faintly-glowing yellow runes placed along the wooden paneling of the room
• Having been beckoned over by the dwarf, Rowan takes a look at the runes as well and recognizes some of the symbols from seminary school but their meaning escapes him
  • Kleb has no expertise in the symbology, nor do Beezer or Oz
• Rowan sets up his brewer’s kit and strikes up a conversation with Beezer about his name and background. The paladin is a bit naive about the nature of sorcery and magic that is innate rather than a gift from the divine.
• Rulkorf takes his spyglass back and checks the outside of the structure (no magical effects), and the back room. That room has runes as well, in addition to some sort of magical residue under one of the beds
  • Kleb comes over to help him move the bedframe, and the dwarf notices a loose floorboard. He calls the others into the room as Kleb exposes the hole
  • The compartment contains a satchel and a tattered journal
    • Rowan digs through the former while Rulkorf looks over the latter. The bag holds two pieces of incredibly stale bread, an empty waterskin, and a simple hunter’s dagger. The leather journal contains a number of entries in different handwritings:

I think I’m going to die here. I know I’m going to die in this maze but I think I’m going to die here in particular. In this shack. I don’t know if they know I’m here but they’ll probably find me soon. It doesn’t matter. At least it’ll be over. At least it’ll be over.

Well, whoever wrote this didn’t leave a body, so they either disintegrated or walked away. Or maybe they were killed elsewhere. I guess that’s certainly possible. Let’s hope not. This maze is confusing enough already. If anyone ever reads this, look out for the invisible fuckers. If you feel a tug on your arm or something move when it’s not supposed to, take out a sword and spin like a fucking ballerina. Based off our experience it works about 33% of the time. Better than nothing. We’re moving on. Good luck.

**It seemed like a bad idea at first to make camp in the only structure we’ve seen in days (hours? weeks?) but hey, we’re still here. Judging by the dust that was on this thing, it’s been a long time since the last person/party wrote in this. On the one hand I’m surprised because it seems like there’s no shortage of people in here. On the other, I’m not sure how many make it into this mirror zone. Ditto about the invisible things and the tugging and cutting. Harlan (our ranger and alchemist) has also discovered that strong acid will do the trick to sever whatever ties may be on us. Hopefully this information proves useful.

We’ve been here for a few days now, which was a mistake. We gave them too long to hem us in. They’re picking us off one by one. They’re taking the bodies. We’re going to make a break for it as soon as everyone’s had a chance to rest. I’m stashing this under the floorboards in case they raid the shack. Yondalla protect us.
Katadise**

I’m not sure Yondalla protected them, but in any case they didn’t die here. No way I’m staying in this shack but if you find this, mind what mirrors you break in here. I’ve found that they tend to lead to finding problems rather than solving them. Maybe I’m just unlucky. Peace. –Leah

When you see your reflections not acting like reflections, they aren’t your bloody reflections.

^ If you see a friend not acting like that friend, they aren’t that friend

**Well these are all ominous as shit. A little detail would’ve been nice. Corellon, how long have we been in here? How long has this thing been around? Also we’ve been here two days before finding this journal. Yes I read the entry about getting trapped here. We’re being careful though, and are making some good progress now that we have a home base. Breaking the mirrors from the inside seems to act as an instant portal to somewhere else in the maze. Always on this side of the mirrors though. Aviva has an enchanted glass cutter (thank you Xanathar!) and has been able to peek through via small holes. Avoids drawing too much attention. Still a bad idea but hey what else are we supposed to do.

Been here some time and are still going strong. All the rooms we’ve found are full of monsters except for one that was empty. The search continues, but we’ve found friends too. Maybe.

Aviva, Garth, and Tanduil are gone and the room that was empty wasn’t empty after all. I don’t know what happened. It was all so fast. There weren’t any of those invisible legged things, but something got her. Something ancient and robed and terrifying got them. And now we can’t close the doorway there. Corellon. Gods. Save us. We were doing so well.**