Lost Lab of Kwalish

Shutorn watches with interest, stroking his beard. "Maybe our monk is getting his face back," he says.

"Let's see if he recognizes it before it finishes snogging his face," strains Huarache.

Shutorn or Huarache make an investigation check.

Intelligence: 24

Shutorn notices a scar on the monk's neck that seems to continue onto the leathery face.  He decides that the face once was attached to the monk's head.

Sigurd holds his shield up to block the faces. He looks, shocked, at the monk.

"What kind of cursed place is this!?"

Investigation: 9

Gonna FoG that to make it 15; I guess Huarache realizes that as well and lets it happen, Cure Wounds at the ready.

I assumed Shutlrn would share the information, but yes. Huarache also believes this to be the monk's original face.  Do you cast cure wounds?

Yes, as the face tries to "smother" the monk. 6 HP.

The healing magic causes the grotesque mask to soften and warm.  Stitches dissolve and the edges between mask and skin melt away as the color of the disembodied face returns to the hue of the surrounding flesh.  Al the while the bound monk lay catatonic, paralyzed or unconscious, it's unclear, but when the face is fully restored, save for the scar that runs down the man's neck, his eyes open wide.  Mouth agape, the man let's out a howl, soon defined as a bellowing laugh.  The broad smile of the monk shows no sign of malice.  

"MANY thanks, sir. Many thanks.  I am on your debt, truly.  Listen, I wasn't going to fill you in, but here's the skinny: The brains have control over the floating disks leading to the treasury," he looks to the boulder over the pit,"they're made to deactivate the disks if anyone 'sides the Grand Master tries to cross. The brains,, see,, they keeping this place running. That and our sweat and blood.  Theres one more bit, the treasury has an antimagic field surrounding it, so if you think you've got some magic tricks to get over there, well, I would discourage your attempts until you've seriously considered other possibilities."

"If there's anything else you need, just ask and I'll see what I can recall, otherwise, the enlightened ones are just up the giant's staircase (the carved stones you're presently standing on)."

"Well, let us go and visit those who wait above." Leann says with a nod to the monk. She starts climbing the stairs once more.

Huarache and Shutorn earn inspiration.

You reach the bright metal building. This area is a maze of damaged controls and broken machinery. Countless wires twist their way across the walls, erupting from control panels that have been pulled apart to lay bare their internal components. Five clear canisters connected by metal tubing and wires line the walls, each one filled with viscous fluid — and what appears to be a humanoid brain.

(They have names, but you wouldn't know them yet.  You can just refer to them as numbers 1-5 for now.  Tiny spoiler? They speak common. ) 

Leann walks around the chamber, frowning as she tugs on her long braid of blond hair. The braid is slid forward over her shoulder, and down the front of her full plate armor. "I don't see anyone up here." She comments to the others as she glances around. "Just these containers of goo..."

"I suppose these are the brains the Sphinx was talking about. And it's not impossible to get to the treasury without them; those monks in that weird otherworld did that."

Sigurd inspects one of the tanks, looking for a way to open them.

Investigation: 10

5

 A sound is emitted from the metal base of the jar. It's volume is jarring, but the sou d is not irritating, just noticeable.  Several short bursts of a monotone trumpeting noise. This is followed by the vocalization of words in Common, spoken by a voice with an echoing metallic timbre.  "Please do not attempt to open the jar.  That is, unless you have some improvised means of sustaining my conciousness."  Noticing a dark smooth hemisphere protruding from the ring at the top of the vessel contains a blinking red light within, Sigurd feels that he is being watched by the brain somehow.

"I see you appear to be explorers.  I also notice that you still have your faces, that bodes well.  The systems of the monastery have not been interrupted, but we are aware of the activation of the portal recently, shortly after your arrival by barge.  Where are my manners? I'm Alton.  Please, tell us what brings you here?" the brain is quite chatty.

"Sorry, which portal would that be?" Huarache asks cautiously.

Sigurd slowly backs away from the jar and looks around at the party

"That was...unexpected. I think I'll do as the brain asked..." he waits for a response to Huarache's question. 

"I see" says (the brain of) Alton.   "Let's start from the top.  We are in the remains of a vessel which o ce traveled across the planes.  It has been embedded in rock somehow for ages.  We were among the group who traveled here with the Gnomish inventor Kwalish.  He led us to the city of Daoine Gloine, where most of us were turned to crystal by the Medusa.  Kwalish couldn't save our bodies, but he did bring save our brains and brought us here.  We are a network, a hive mind comprised if the remaining parts of the expedition, augmented by great minds who have found themselves in the Monastery in years since; we control the vital systems of the planar craft turned temple. Indeed this room was once the ship's bridge.  Kwalish had been working on portal science his whole life, and made major advances.  I do not know how he found this place, but it has become a home for those wandering through the nearby mountains.  Kwalish hasn't been seen since the Grand Master appeared through the portal, but the bone devil ran this place with the blood and sweat of those he enslaved.  Many of the immured remain at work even now.  For if they stopped, the engines would quit in the absence of fuel and the island would descend to the valley below.  The Grand Master says Kwalish disappeared when the devil arrived through a portal Kwalished opened.  But he doesn't communicate with the rest of us anymore."

The brain concludes his speech, then aks, "What has become of the war machine Kwalish designed? Did the quasit flee through the portal?"