"Vasha, we ALL want to do that. Just find whatever Vielara thinks is here and get out in one piece, but we need rest first. Who knows what will happen if we pull those levers now. It's too risky. Let's all leave, close the door to this damned place and get some rest. We'll reopen the thing tomorrow, now that we know how, and come back in better prepared and at full strength to face whatever else it throws at us.  You aren't doing yourself, or your sister, any favors by forging ahead in this condition." 

Agreeing with Kayn and Vesra, Ato tries to talk some sense into the stubborn kor monk...

While the group debates amongst themselves on the proper course of action, the sound of stone grinding against stone can be faintly heard coming from the corridor which connects the "maze" with the main entrance. After a brief two seconds, it stops and so does the ever-present faint hum which seemed to constantly ring throughout the hedron. As the hum suddenly ends, the walls, floors, and ceilings stop illuminating their faint white light, cascading the entire hedron into near-absolute darkness [darkness]. The runes on the ground and ceiling still glow their faint white light, though it only barely illuminates the immediate vicinity around them [dim-light on the square they're found on].

Suddenly, loud banging, like a stone on stone, and muffled yelling can be heard coming from the south corridor [we're doing directions compass-style with the maps].

Kayn pops a torch as the lights go out. "Now," he says, "We have no choice but to continue. Shall we rest?" He asks.  You see Sear sitting on his chitinous head and his gnarlid walking up behind him. Kayn seems unfazed by the disturbing sounds. Muffled and behind walls, they're best left that way for now.

He turns and heads into the entry chamber with his gnarlid.  He checks the creature's stitches and bandages and pulls his tome from his pack. He settles in, waiting for the others to join him.

Echoes of muffled voices filled the darkness. Rezivah moved the safe path and peered down the southern passageway. Nothing. It went on a little ways before branching in opposite directions. She still couldn't discern the voices behind where ever they were. She returns to the group. "I agree with Kayn. It seems the construct has become inactive. Perhaps now we will be able to rest. We all need it." She follows the goblin and sits on the staircase, leaning against the railing, facing the corridor from which she came.

Ato freezes as everything fades to black, starting a bit as the muffled banging and yelling starts. When the light returns, he takes Vasha gently by the forearm, and begins to lead her after Kayn. "He's right, and now we know there is someone or something still in here with us, but trapped. So we can rest a bit, then go see what it is, right?  C'mon, you are taking a break."

“What the marigolds?” Vesra looked down at her flat chest and baggy clothes. “No, this can’t be happening.” What was she, thirteen? No, that was ridiculous. Perhaps it was an illusion? 

She listened to the adults—wait, when did they become The Adults? She was an adult too—bicker about staying or going. Vesra wanted to speak up, but that wasn’t her place. She was supposed to speak when spoken to and... No, she had grown out of that. Her father wasn’t here, not anymore. Everything was so confusing she wanted to scream. Just as she was about to pipe up, the lights went out.

The druid cast produce flame, which luckily worked, shedding light so that she and her sister could now see. “Come on, Vashie,” she rose to her feet. “I’m not in any position to keep going. We’ll be able to face it later, together.” 

The group reaches the entrance of the hedron, enshrouded in darkness. Properly illuminating it, they quickly decide the order of watch while they rest. The pounding and muffled yelling slowly fade away as the time passes, leaving the group in complete silence: the only noises coming from themselves. While only thinking to take a quick rest, an hour quickly turns into two, which turns into three, as they each fall into a deep sleep. Ever vigilant, Sear continues to keep watch, keeping his sonar vision alternating between both entrances into the room [high Perception roll].

While not certain at all how much time had passed, the group members slowly awake one by one from their long rest, as they avoided the aberrations who surely must be all around them, hiding in the dark recesses of this horrid hedron.

OOC: Long rest. Don't forget to realign mana points with colors appropriate for your characters if needed!

Kayn awakes in the middle of the night to a cold, heavy breathing on his neck and face. Opening his eyes, he sees the pale face and amber-red eyes of Rezivah, just inches away from him, staring blankly at him. Kayn's gnarlid stands, its hackles rising as it prepares to lunge at the vampire. Collecting himself, Kayn grabs Rez by the shoulder-spikes and shakes her awake.

"Rez," Kayn says. "What're you doing?" Kayn scrambles back from the vampire when it appears she's snapped out of her sleep-walk.

"Uhhm.." Rezivah blinks rapidly. "Wha- Kayn?"

"You were standing over me... this far from my face." Kayn places his hand a finger's length from his face. "Just... staring at me. That is not a nice thing to do." When he sees that Rez isn't launching herself at him, the gnarlid relaxes, its hackles lowering.

Rezivah searches her memory, her eyes seeming to scour the absently at the ground. "Kayn, I.."
Hungerrrr... Hungerrrrr...

"Is it the hunger... or this place?" Kayn asks.

"I don't remember coming up to you." Rez says, "I was.. sleeping. And you woke me up. And.. It's.. it's this place. I'm fine Kayn."

Kayn can tell that Rezivah seems sincere, or at least she thinks herself fine going a day without blood. But she is avoiding talking about something. Kayn stands, now that he's scrambled far enough from under Rezivah to do so. "I thought you fed enough on the animals we caught," he says. "If you need more," he gestures to the gnarlid. "As long as you can do so without killing him."  The gnarlid cocks its head at the vampire.

"That's a nice gesture, Kayn, but I'd have to be restrained to not kill your pet. It's something.. you lose yourself to it," she responds.

"Like creeping up on your allies in the middle of the night?" He asks.

"That's not..!" Rezivah's voice seems defensive. "I told you, I was asleep, and you woke me up, and here we are. It must be this place. I.. " Rezivah walks back to her resting spot. "I'm fine, Kayn. Perhaps tomorrow, I'll have a snack at your pet."

Kayn glances over to Sear, "Watch that one, please." He thinks to it. The bat gives a low screech in response. He then returns to his resting spot. The gnarlid also lays back down, wrinkling its nose at the lingering vampire scent.  Kayn sleeps deeply, his dreams more interesting than he had thought they'd be. They help to comfort him in this alien place and his rest is quiet throughout the rest of the night. 

When it's morning, Kayn stretches and lights another torch. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he asks, "Do we want to open the hedron for light? Or should we keep it dark like this?" 

He pulls his spellbook from the gnarlid's pack and sits down to study his spells before he's ready to go. He had prepared spells that were specific for overland exploration, so swapping out to something more focused on combat seemed a very good idea. Once everyone is up and ready, Kayn closes his book, casts a weary glance at Rez, and is ready for another day of Hedron exploration. He gestures and Sear *pops* out of existence. Better to keep the bat safe. 

Vesra fell asleep in a small ball curled up against her sister. Vasha’s words echoed in her brain, although they did little to calm the knot of worry in the pit of her stomach. She had spoken very little, and hardly anyone had spoken to her. The druid had no idea what they now thought of her, and she was scared to find out. Naively, she hoped that they wouldn’t treat her any differently. In reality, she knew that when they looked at her, they would see a teenager. 

The Invoker woke up to find Ember hovering just above her chest. She smiled up at him, happy to have her friend back. He was a reminder that, despite the fact that she still looked like a child, she had grown and become stronger. I’m sorry I sent you away, little one, she thought to him. I know you understand, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m sorry. I missed you yesterday. 

Ember didn’t say a word about her change of appearance.

She sat up and tightened the vines that held up her glorified sheet. As soon as they got into town, she would really need armor. Vesra listened to Kayn’s question, but didn’t feel right about answering him herself. Instead, she turned to Vasha. “I think it might possibly be a good idea to leave the hedron closed. That way, we don’t need to worry about any aberrations escaping. But I don’t know,” she signed.

Kayn didn't know how to react to a young Vesra. She was smaller and skinnier but she had retained all of the burns she had before the reverse aging. The hedron had a strange way of warping the mana around it, and the effect on Vesra was starting to look permanent. He wondered if the aging process affected her brain as well. 

"That's a great idea Vessie," Kayn says. Even though most of the group can't see in the dark, it'll be better that none of the remaining creatures escape the hedron. "Hopefully the hedron's doors will still open in its dormant state," the goblin adds. He hands the torch to Vasha and pulls the driftglobe from his pack.

"Wanna control the light, Vessie?" He asks, tossing her the driftglobe. 

Vesra fumbled with the driftglobe, caught by surprise by Kayn's action. Somehow, she managed to not drop it. Once she was settled and the driftglobe secure in one hand, the druid cast produce flame with her other hand. This was the flashlight she was used to. "I have this and Ember, if someone else wants to take it," she spoke aloud, her hands too full to use Kor sign. "I don't want to risk dropping it."

"Shviatwo," Kayn says as she holds the driftglobe. It lights up brilliantly as if it were under the effect of a light spell. "Lechich," he says. The globe floats from her hand and hovers near her. 

"It's always good to have more light, right?" Kayn smiles at Vesra. The hedron's wild magic did seem to have a slight effect on her mental aptitude. She had used the hedron before and knew of its ability to hover. He wondered if her confidence will grow as they continue their exploration. 

Kayn coughs a bit and glances over towards Vesra. "I've gotten so used to your goodberries that I completely forgot we had to pack full of rations." He pulls out enough rations for everyone in the group and hands them off to them with a bladder of water. "Not nearly as good as the berries, but I guess we don't want to risk any more... strange things happening." 

"You're right, I won't cast any more spells until you tell me to," Vesra nodded before taking a bite of the dried jerky Kayn had handed her. He was right, it wasn't nearly as tasty as the Goodberries, but it was something. Are we going- she began to sign to Vasha, but remembered herself. She wasn't that person, not anymore. "Are we going to investigate the levers or the voices first? I think it might be a good idea to start with the levers, so we can make sure that no more of those aberrations will come and attack us from behind while we search for other things."

After a tiring bout of fighting one after another after another Veythe welcomed the rest and slumber that she'd fallen into. She woke slumped over against a wall, her hand wrapped tight around Resonance, her dulcimer. Veythe breathed in deeply, then coughed in reminder that this was a hedron that hadn't been opened in a good while. With a faint wheeze Veythe got back up to her feet. Dark. Perfect. Veythe grumbled for a moment until the light went up from the little hedron cube that Kayn had, and then the cantrip that Vesra produced. Veythe stumbled over toward the group, then looked around until she found Vasha--the events of the past few hours, the response to magic in this hedron.

Veythe made her way towards Vasha and carefully nudged the kor woman's shoulder. She signed a short, hey.

Veythe made her way over to Vesra and Kayn. She settled next to the goblin and deaged kor with a wide smile.

"What are you two doing?" Veythe asked with a tilt if her head.