Lost Lab of Kwalish

"I don't understand, what is a 'quasit'?" Omiy asks the others. She looks at the talking brain curiously, intrigued by the story the brain - Alton - tells, she pulls out the mercurial rod from behind her, "I've only heard about mercurials. This rod is used to detect them, it's blinking - but I have no idea when it started." 

"So huh, the Grand Master was using you guys? The monastery used to be a ship then?"

"Yes, The technology the planar travelers posessed was far more advanced than what we know here on Toril.  Kwalish adapted some of this technology for his own purposes.  A quasit is a minor devil.  He assumed the role of the Grand Master when the original was killed poking around some machinery Kwalish had been playing with.  He has been masquerading as the bone devil since his arrival shortly after his demise.  We assisted him, (we have little choice in the matter) but it was Kwalish who designed the war machine.  The mercurial you speak of, I must confess I don't know anything about.  Perhaps by another name? Maybe one of the other brains is aware of that creature.  We are a single system, but we are also independent, with our own private memories and thoughts and capacity for reason.  Likewise we have explicit areas of responsibility.  I control the area that is used as a dormitory, for instance."

"Is there anything in this place we should look into prior to going through this portal?" Leann asks the brain-thing. "We have only gone to see the grand master, slew him, then came here, so we have not explored much at this point."

"Well, I don't really know what you came here to do.  I doubt you came looking for leather goods, but the Leatherwood are still in use.  The prisoners are still in their cells or the engine room if you are searching for them.  More likely, I'm guessing you're looking for something of value that found its way here.  Most anything fitting  that description would be in the treasury." Alton responds.

"If you're looking for Kwalish, I'm afraid I don't really know what became of him, but Broderick and Editha both seem to know something about it, but they're not telling."

[Ooc: you guys really lucked out when I rolled a 1 and you got the helpful brain. If you ask Broderick, make an intimidation check, for Editha, performance]

To whomever has the Charisma to make either of those checks: I will cast Prestidigitation to assist in either CHA skill check as part of Flash of Genius, which will add 5 to the check.

Ooc: As a reminder, the sphinx did let you go on the condition you bring her one of these things.  It's on p.102 of the thread.

I remember. I want to figure out which one I like least before I try to get one.

"Alright then," Omiy shrugs as she puts the rod of mercurial back. "The treasury sounds like something we are looking for. How do we get there? The monk told us we would need you to activate the floating disk. And we could let the prisoners out on our way back."

"What do you think, guys?" She turns around to ask others, (assuming Mary is not around??) "I mean, if we could ask about Kwalish, we don't need to go back to the lion lady. Hey, you - " She slams her sword down and points at Broderick, "tell us what you know about Kwalish."

Intimidation: 20

"The treasury is at the end of the path of floating stones. The disks are kept active by default, unless they are specifically deactivated by one of us. Each disk is a circular, horizontal plane of force 3 feet in diameter and 1 inch thick. The disks are set in a line and spaced 5 feet apart. If any disks are deactivated, a not-insignificant leap is required to cross the empty space between them. in truth they are not stones at all, but somehow seem to attract dust despite early efforts to keep them clean, thereby obscuring the path and better defending the treasury. As the greatest threat of theft surely comes from the brothers, themselves, all of whom must be aware of the path, these efforts were abandoned long ago. You've done nothing to cause me to disable the pair I control, and Alton seems rather taken with you for the time being." Broderick explains

"I wasn't a part of Kwalish's expedition, you know; I arrived here by my own means. Being an arcane savant myself, I was drawn to this place from another plane. A world where magical-mechanical inventions are the norm rather than the exception. In that world, we even have machines that walk about, talk, fight and, some say, think in the manner of humanoids made of flesh. Kwalish was quite keen on learning more about the means of creating such automata, and we had quite a rapport. That all changed the day the bone devil came through that unfortunate portal. Of course, by then I was already resigned to this jar. I have Kwalish to thank for that. That Sphinx nearly killed me outright. Hubris, mark ye, will unmake all who shoulder it. While I appreciate the reprieve from true death, I must confess that I don't believe Kwalish much cared if I lived or died. You see, my brain is the very thing controlling the engines that keep us aloft. To wit, I am quite sure that under my tutelage Kwalish could have easily designed a mechanical form with which I could ambulate myself from this place and perhaps return to my own world by my own devices.  He did, after all, design the very war machine you battled in the central spire. Yet, here I remain, first under the cruel hand of that ossified despot, then the scheming usurper Whazzit, and now... under you. What is it you plan to do with us, anyhow? If the monks don't flee outright, I'm certain you can deal with them if you've already bested the Grand Master.  But, what will become of us?"

"As to what will happen to you, that is likely up to you." Leann says with a shrug. "We have no real issue with you, so I, personally, would be willing to try to aid you as I can, or leave you to continue on here if that is your wish."

"I would love to leave this hellish place at the first chance. I dare say any of us would" replies Broderick "But I would need some power source to sustain me once disconnected from the planar craft's system.  There is a store of energy cells in the treasury, while many have been depleted by use, I am hopeful some remain intact.  Then there is the matter of what to do with me after that.  An energy cell would keep me through the transfer to a more permanent housing, but it's not a permanent solution.  By the by,  how is it that you were able to bypass the sphinx?  I am aware you rode the merenoloth's skiff from the ridge.  Is the sphinx... dead?" there is a pause before the final word.  Though the voice is monotonous and robotic, one might infer a cautious optimism in the question.

"Sadly, no. Still out there, still challenging people to ask her about information she doesn't know," explains Huarache, careful not to say that he needs one of these brains.

The other brains start to speak all at once,  outraged at the suggestion that you might take Broderick.  Through the crosstalk, you can make out that the complaint is that his removal would be a death sentence to the brains that remain as Broderick's absence would cause the engines to fail. "Don't let us die here." A chorus of monotone voices implores.

Omiy turns to glance at others and turns back to look at the brains, “Yeah, maybe we can find a way to get all of you guys out of here? As for the sphinx, I’m not a fan of her either - tricked us into making a deal with her then cheated her way out of it. I don’t see why we have to play her game.”

So, apparently the brains can read Huarache's mind whether he likes it or not. Good to know. "I won't, I won't. I don't like her either. I don't know the capabilities she has of collecting the debt I owe, but I'm sure there's a way to keep everyone happy. My occupation is solving problems; I can solve this one as well, I'm sure. I think we can defeat that sphinx for good if we can get some more magical items; what could we do to convince you to let us into the treasury?"

{They can't read your minds, they're just really paranoid about that one particular brain leaving - it would surely kill them. So if he starts talking about getting up and moving on, their fears would be quite rational.}

==============I should have stated this when you left the abbey, but I doubt it had much impact in the interim.  You have all advanced to Level 8 at this point.  If you really need to keep going with xp, I can sort it out for you, but if you're not worried about it, we can let that die.  Let me know in the other thread if you have an opinion either way.=============

"Into the treasury(?)" a voice asks [It is a question, but I can't see how anyone would know that based on the monotone delivery] "I'd concern myself first with how you plan to leave this room."  The voice comes from the pedestal beneath the 3rd brain, Corliss (these names are on small plaques, presumably crafted by Kwalish, and somewhat resemble those on heads in jars seen in Futurama).  "For all we know you came here to usurp the Grand Master and ransack the treasury, carrying on in his diabolical tradition with more skill than he could muster to launch a campaign of terror that will consume all of Tor..."

Another voice interrupts: "Fie, stay you! This one speaks of magic and of solving problems.  Look closely, he bears the mark of the Fraternity. " The fourth brain, Dunstan, continues: "I was once an arcanist who traveled here with Kwalish's expedition. I too spent my days solving the problems of magic.  Perhaps if we put our heads together we can come to an arrangement."  {Huarache, or anyone else bearing the Fraternity of ORDER emblem, may make an Arcana check, DC12}

separately, a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check may be made to discern the best tactic (what check applies) for dealing with any of the other brains.

To recap, brain 1 (Alton) and 2 (Broderick) are more or less on your side, 4 (Dunstan) is receptive to conversation while 3 (Corliss) plainly does not like you.  The 5th Brain belongs to Editha, but she hasn't said anything beyond that plea to not remove Dunstan from the network.

2  

At this point, Samogri notices that neither Mary nor Ctenmiir are with you in the room.

Edit: corrected brain 2's name

Sigurd listens to what the brains have to say, realizing that a brain working against them could cause the party problems. He tries to figure out a way to convince them to all be on the party's side.

Insight: 8

"I am a folower of Torm." Leann says with a frown. "I very much doubt if you are so foolish as to not know that I would be among the last to seek to continue what a devil has started." She considers the problem at hand for a moment. "If we get these power cells from the treasury, and if there is enough for all of you, could we then disconnect you all from this network?"

“We are missing two