Alice emerges from the tent, rested but cold, even after donning all her clothes. She scratches her head seeing that Ashley has not returned.
I don't like this! Where could she have gone for so long? Back to Phandalin?
Alice looks for the whistle among Ashley's stuff, remembering Ashley had it last, then follows Cat outside to look for signs of that Mecha-Panther or its even more troublesome human form.
You know I had my issues with Ashley, but I won't accept her just taking the easy way out to heaven. Plus demigods - like demons - are all crazy. Even Ashley had more commonsese then that mecha-goddess. We gotta get the real Ashley back, Cat!



Alice proceeds to inspect the cave. She collects the net, ball bearings and caltrops. Then she scoops the acidic treasure into a miner's helmet and washes it in the bucket of water on the other platform and investigates what was there inside the ooze.

With Cat's help she makes an inventory of all stuff that is lying around in the cave. She re-dresses in another miner's overall, with helmet, boots and gloves.
Don't want to get my wofl cloak dirty in here, or my warm boots dissolved further!

Whether Ashley is back or not, she gets the Thieves tools from her backpack and has a re-match with the treasure chest.
Watch out, Cat! It already got me once. If it acts up again just smash it with your crowbar!

Finally Alice taks another look at the explosive component A.
What about it, Cat? Do you think we can set up a camp fire outside and cook this stuff to a poison goo? We gotta be careful about the wind and fumes. If we mix it with the binding agent, it should be easier to get some sticky stuff to coat arrows. Perhaps in a water bath. We don't want it to ignite.
I'm not sure about the acid. It might be useful but where do we put it? All we have is an empty potion bottle from the one Yulya used on me, bless her! We could make just enough for that, unless we find other containers. We left our glass vials on the cart.

Unless Cat objects, Alice carefully begins to boil down component A for arrow poison and adds binder until it's sticky enough to coat poison. A container is needed as there are no more glass vials.

Cat looks around, her ears rotating in all directions
Nyaa isn't it odd Nya? Since we arrived Nya we heard nothing from down there Nya! Even if the mine is deep Nya, how deep does it have to be for no sound to come up here Nya? And the bandit who escaped Nya? Where did he go Nya?

Small Bugbear Pouch has two agates worth 10gp each.
Large Bugbear Pouch has 146 silver, 14 copper
The Bugbear Commander Pouch has 13 electrum pieces, and 15 copper.
[Electrum is worth 1/2x gold so 13 ep equivalent is 65 silver, it was common currency many ages ago, probably looted from old corpses deep in the mine.][/color]

Cat is disappointed by their gear but at least they carry something of value
Nyahaha no equipment Nya but money Nya! At least something Nya!

Cat inspects the shelves South of W5 one more time and brings Ashley's shield to the platform.

What about the chest Alice Nya?

You can deduce that the 40-foot long, roughly 6x6 square wood lined tunnel (W3) is a clean and ore-dust free method of ingress and egress from the bedrooms. Passing the dead and desiccated goblin at the entrance, you note that its skull is different than the one in the ooze. Checking it reveals that under its dusty rags it's wearing a vest in new condition, which is odd at first glance but further investigation shows it's a:
Vest of Protection +1 AC/Saving throws 1lb, New, 500gp

Cat is baffled by the goblin's equipment
Nyaa who would have thought Nya I wonder how old this is Nya! Didn't save him in the end Nya. You better wear this Alice Nya!

Remnants of old wood and iron indicate the entrance was sealed at some point and for what looks like a very long time, this wood is much older than the relatively new palisades and other wooden platforms. A door is leaned against the wall, in scribed on it in Dwarvish, Halfing and common writing, "The way is sealed, [undecipherable] far too powerful to [indecipherable] Watcher [splintered] too great. Abandon your hopes and dreams if you dare to enter." The phrase seems to have colloquial meaning but it is lost on you in the common translation.

Cat clumsily reads out in Common what she can understand to Alice though half of it consists of Nyas in various pitches.
Nyaa we better ask Yulya Nya what that means Nya I'm not good at reading Nya let alone this ancient stuff Nya! But weird nobody said anything about this Nya! Not Sildar Nya Gundren's brothers Nya, Master Edermath Nya or the bandits Nya! Maybe that watcher thing Nya was there a long time ago Nya?

It's cloudy outside, and there is a stiff Southerly wind, it's biting cold, -10C, and the wind chill is even worse, even with your current gear, it's too cold to travel far. Cat easily sees large prints in the snow and then a large swath of blood trailing over the wall and up onto the southern platform where the remains of a bear cub lay open to the elements with a light frost on them, not quite frozen solid. There's about 20lbs if meat left on it, all the organs save the intestines have been removed as well as the eyes, muzzle and ears. The hide is cut with surgical precision in the jagged shape of metallic razor sharp teeth. Following a few drops of blood you find the large metallic beast that is {Ashley} Panther curled up under the southern platform, motionless but curled around a strange dark violet crystal that reflects no light, about a hand's length, it glows and sparkles faintly from some unknown inner light. Though it's freezing outside, there is no snow or frost within a foot of her, and she's warm.

Cat is relieved to find the Mechatherial Panther apparently unharmed but still is bewildered and shakes her head.
Nyaah why is she sleeping outside in the cold here Nya? I get she's part of a machine Nya but that's wasting energy for heating Nya! We could have used that warmth at the platform Nya!



Cat does not dare to touch her prey or crystal.
Let's not disturb her sleep Nya! The meat is well preserved in the cold Nya I hope she can explain later Nya! Maybe Nya...

Cat tries to lock the gate or barricade it in a way it cannot be opened from outside.

What about it, Cat? Do you think we can set up a camp fire outside and cook this stuff to a poison goo? We gotta be careful about the wind and fumes. If we mix it with the binding agent, it should be easier to get some sticky stuff to coat arrows. Perhaps in a water bath. We don't want it to ignite.
I'm not sure about the acid. It might be useful but where do we put it? All we have is an empty potion bottle from the one Yulya used on me, bless her! We could make just enough for that, unless we find other containers. We left our glass vials on the cart.

Cat's tail sways back and forth while she Nyas to herself.
Nya Nya, you're the alchemist here Nya!
If you decide it's reasonable Nya we'll do it Nya!

Cat checks the wind for a place to set up a fire so the wind does not carry fumes into the cave or to Ashley Panther. She looks at the large metallic structure in the NW corner. Alice Nya is that a furnace Nya? Maybe we use this Nya? It has a chimney that would protect us from the smoke Nya!

If suitable, Cat sets up a fire in there.
We still need a suitable cooking vessle Nya! Not my precious pot Nya!
[The poison cooking pot is on the cart in Phandalin]

Cat looks around, her ears rotating in all directions
Nyaa isn't it odd Nya? Since we arrived Nya we heard nothing from down there Nya! Even if the mine is deep Nya, how deep does it have to be for no sound to come up here Nya? And the bandit who escaped Nya? Where did he go Nya?

Alice shrugs.
Well, I hope whoever's down there is dead already - or soon. We should just wait for a month before we go down. Oh wait, there's that missing girls, right? Not sure I want to know what they're doing with them down there, if they haven't fed them to the monsters up here...

Alice and Cat search the level again, looking for anything of value.

Like Cat, Alice notes the bugbear money with certain satisfaction.
Ah well, at least they weren't completely useless. I wonder what a bugbear does with money anyway.

Alice takes a look at the agates
Pretty but no different from quartz. I'm sure we can sell this as jewellery.



Alice deposits the 2 agates in the lolibank and withdraws (spits out) 2gp instead to make room, handing them to Cat.
You take the rest! I'm not confident of storing this electrum stuff. Might get corroded!

With dismay Alice notices Cat setting aside 2 gold 53 silver, 5 copper for Ashley and placing them neatly in her coin purse among her clothes.
I still think dead people shouldn't get any money! What's next, letting them vote?

Alice fishes out the ore chunks and coins from the ooze, there are 8 gold, several high quality ores and a bandit brooch among human remains.

Alice lets out a laugh concluding the ooze got one bandit
Haa, too bad we couldn't become friends, Mr. Ooze! Hey Cat, you think this was the guy who escaped us?

Looking through the objects, Alice misses several items she had seen after the ooze's defeat
Hey wait a minute!
Wasn't there a hand-axe and some rings? What happened to them? Let's look again!

In the North bedroom the chest still sits unopened, mocking your pathetic attempt to open it.
Alice finds the whistle and tools... and then finds herself several feet away, walking toward Cat. Confused and disoriented she thinks about the chest again and realizes she doesn't have the tools. She vaguely remembers looking for the whistle but can't find that on her person either. Turning 180, she marches back toward Ashley's pack... and then finds herself several feet away, walking toward Cat, once again confused and disoriented.

Alice shakes her head and slaps her cheeks
What's the matter with me? Am I going senile? I rested! What's with this pathetic body?
No wait, It's her! She probably did this before but this time it was too obvious! Well at least I hope it's her and not...

Alice follows Cat outside to look for signs of that Mecha-Panther or its even more troublesome human form. Again she realizes she has neither tools nor whistle on her.

You can deduce that the 40-foot long, roughly 6x6 square wood lined tunnel (W3) is a clean and ore-dust free method of ingress and egress from the bedrooms.

We should set up a trap here in case we get visitors! Can you make traps, Cat? I'd usually use my Artificial Trees so I have no idea.

Passing the dead and desiccated goblin at the entrance, you note that its skull is different than the one in the ooze. Checking it reveals that under its dusty rags it's wearing a vest in new condition, which is odd at first glance but further investigation shows it's a:
Vest of Protection +1 AC/Saving throws 1lb, New, 500gp

Like Cat, Alice is surprised by the seemingly new vest on a mummified corpse. Without hesitation Alice takes it from the goblin, undresses and dons it under her Miner's overall. With gentle Phagocytosis, the vest is clean, soft and fresh.
Hey not bad!
I'm not fond of wearing clothes in general but this seems helpful! Nice find, Cat!

Remnants of old wood and iron indicate the entrance was sealed at some point and for what looks like a very long time, this wood is much older than the relatively new palisades and other wooden platforms. A door is leaned against the wall, in scribed on it in Dwarvish, Halfing and common writing, "The way is sealed, [undecipherable] far too powerful to [indecipherable] Watcher [splintered] too great. Abandon your hopes and dreams if you dare to enter." The phrase seems to have colloquial meaning but it is lost on you in the common translation.

Cat clumsily reads out in Common what she can understand to Alice though half of it consists of Nyas in various pitches.
Nyaa we better ask Yulya Nya what that means Nya I'm not good at reading Nya let alone this ancient stuff Nya! But weird nobody said anything about this Nya! Not Sildar Nya Gundren's brothers Nya, Master Edermath Nya or the bandits Nya! Maybe that watcher thing Nya was there a long time ago Nya?

Alice can barely follow Cat's translation but it does not sound good. She mutters to herself:
I just hope it was some Greater Demon and not an artifact from them. That would be - troublesome.
I guess you're right. Nobody said anything but then again this falls into a pattern, remember? Nobody said there was a dragon on the High Road. Or a goblin den - a goblin den full off wolves neat Triboar Trail. Or a mine full of bugbears, trolls and a bandit supervilliain organization trying to take over the world. So I wouldn't bet anything on that. Let's just hope whatever's down there is currently doing the dirty work for us and diminishing the guys down there.

It's cloudy outside, and there is a stiff Southerly wind, it's biting cold, -10C, and the wind chill is even worse, even with your current gear, it's too cold to travel far.

Alice immediately turns back and gets Alric's cloak that was stored in the barrel.

Cat easily sees large prints in the snow and then a large swath of blood trailing over the wall and up onto the southern platform where the remains of a bear cub lay open to the elements with a light frost on them, not quite frozen solid. There's about 20lbs if meat left on it, all the organs save the intestines have been removed as well as the eyes, muzzle and ears. The hide is cut with surgical precision.

Even a monster like Alice is creeped out
Whoa! Was that...
I've seen them do this to cattle!

Following a few drops of blood you find the large metallic beast that is {Ashley} Panther curled up under the southern platform, motionless but curled around a strange dark violet crystal that reflects no light, about a hand's length, it glows and sparkles faintly from some unknown inner light. Though it's freezing outside, there is no snow or frost within a foot of her, and she's warm.[/i]

Alice is visibly relieved it's Ashley and not cow-mutilating aliens.
Ohh, it's you!
Are you crazy? Cat is right, it's fuckin cold out here! I know you think you're some goddess but this body is not!
Also what's with this crystal? We should show it to Yulya and...

Alice spots something on the palisade walkway South of the gate
...owo what's this, looks interesting!

Alice climbs the ladder to see what the round spiked object up there could be. She's disappointed to find it's just a broken gate mechanism
Oh man, I hoped it was a morningstar or something...

Cat checks the wind for a place to set up a fire so the wind does not carry fumes into the cave or to Ashley Panther. She looks at the large metallic structure in the NW corner. Alice Nya is that a furnace Nya? Maybe we use this Nya? It has a chimney that would protect us from the smoke Nya!

Alice inspects the furnace and shakes her head. No idea how this works but we can't cook in there. We gotta find another  well sheltered spot - like that old fireplace over there- and a pot and a container for the poison! Let's go inside to look!

What about the chest Alice Nya?

Alice again holds her head, unable to comprehend why she had forgotten about it.
Oh yeah, before we start cooking out here I want to deal with that goddamn chest!
Cat, can you get the Thieve's tools from Ashley's backpack and also the whistle? And check on Yulya! We don't want her to get eaten by some monster sneaking by!

Alice observes Cat from a distance to see what happens as she tries to obtain the thieves tools and whistle.

Alice deposits the 2 agates in the lolibank and withdraws (spits out) 2gp instead to make room, handing them to Cat.
You take the rest! I'm not confident of storing this electrum stuff. Might get corroded!

Cat hesitantly takes the wet coins, rubs them dry on her clothes and stores them.
Uh, thank you Nyaa...

Alice lets out a laugh concluding the ooze got one bandit
Haa, too bad we couldn't become friends, Mr. Ooze! Hey Cat, you think this was the guy who escaped us?

Nyaa don't think so Nya he had a bow Nya and lots of clothes Nya there should be something left Nya. No idea where he went Nya either down the elevator or he froze to death outside Nya.

We should set up a trap here in case we get visitors! Can you make traps, Cat?

I think so Nya but we gotta communicate to Ashley Panther Nya or we'll catch her Nya. Gotta consult with Yulya Nya!

Alice inspects the furnace and shakes her head. No idea how this works but we can't cook in there. We gotta find another  well sheltered spot - like that old fireplace over there- and a pot and a container for the poison! Let's go inside to look!

Cat nods.
Guess we can use that fireplace Nya but The Panther's close Nya! Don't wanna smoke her out with poison Nya! I guess we can use the coal pan Nya and let's check the brandy Nya!
Cat looks for brandy bottles suitable for storing the boiled down poison.

Cat, can you get the Thieve's tools from Ashley's backpack and also the whistle? And check on Yulya! We don't want her to get eaten by some monster sneaking by!

Just as Alice says this, you feel something ominous watching you, a deep metallic growl comes from {Ashley} Panther. Her violet eyes lit from within by the whirring of orange hot gears.

Cat hesitates and decides to consult Yulya.
She (relatively) gently wakes her up and the first thing a sleepy Yulya is confronted with is:
Nyaa Yulya Nya good morning Nya sorry to disturb you Nya but we found Ashley Panther Nya sleeping just outside in the cold Nya she caught a bear cub Nya and some huuuge crystal Nya! Oh Nyaa there's something odd Nya we're trying to get the whistle Nya and thieves tools from her Nya but it looks like she doesn't like that Nya not at all Nya can you talk to her Nya? I'd like to check the whistle Nya!

Cat brightly smiles at Yulya awaiting her response

[Time: Tuesday, Spring 25, 0705, 9C Calm Inside, -10C Windy Outside]

Nyaa isn't it odd Nya? Since we arrived Nya we heard nothing from down there Nya! Even if the mine is deep Nya, how deep does it have to be for no sound to come up here Nya?

Cat's ears, used to a constant stream of noise, feel numbed by this silence, and as she walks around, she realizes that the nature of the rock and large chasms around her is to echo but also do deaden and scatter the sounds. Once outside everything seems normal again. By comparison, it's hard not to feel you're going deaf once back in the mine.

a container for the poison!

Alice remembers the healing potion bottle, it seems big enough for 10 doses of poison.

Guess we can use that fireplace Nya but The Panther's close Nya! Don't wanna smoke her out with poison Nya!

With a smooth and calculated motion, {Ashley} Panther stands. Her mysterious crystal following as if floating in the air. Though it looks shiny and solid, the reflections and lights don't seem to match the surroundings as if it's out of place, and though there is inner light reflecting off the facets, it looks impossible dark.

The last hint of light is fading from the sky and the temperature is already starting to drop.

{Ashley} Panther then nonchalantly walks into the mine without another look. The mysterious crystal in tow.

Cat and Alice enter the mine after Cat looks for brandy bottles suitable for storing the boiled down poison but finds nothing. Glass is just too valuable to discard. They lose track of {Ashley} Panther as soon as she enters.

Yulya closes her eyes and tries to form a connection with Ashley Panther. She calmly conveys that the whistle can revel approaching enemies and that Alice needs the Thieves tools to open the chest. She suggests that if there is an issue with any of these activities M3gan should explain them. And that she should generally explain where she is going if she is suddenly leaving and that everyone was worried bout her. Clear communication benefits everyone.

What Yulya receives in return is more like static, disjointed images at first then a vibrant scene of {Ashley} Panther fighting a Bear and stealing her Cub. Then Yulya watches as time is reversed and hours upon hours of travel in the snow, looking even faster so close to the ground it feels, at dizzying speeds, {Ashley} Panther was running for hours, covering many miles searching, being drawn to something. She gets hints of a guiding voice, {Ashley} as if talking to the metallic beast, guiding her and directing her to something. She slips into a vent shaft further down the mountain and with true sight mixed with blind sight, Yulya sees through the panther's eyes, she gets the impression that this speed along with the chase for something is... fun. More hours pass, as she winds through a maze of dug tunnels, some lit, but most pitch dark and interlacing in three dimensions, impossible to navigate without some kind of guiding help, squeezing through cracks beyond what has been dug, she comes upon a crystal cavern, small crystal growths are scattered at first but eventually becomes crystal lined with a terrifying but beautiful geode-like cave and at the center is a dark and mysterious black crystal, floating motionless, it feels almost alive. Yulya can feel the Mechathereal Demigoddess' presence within the crystal and the feeling between the panther and her is like two old friends meeting not as if they're the same being.

What happens next is frighteningly eerie, the crystal moves on its own to {Ashley} Panther and she can feel it root itself through unseen tendrils into the panther's mind, from that point forward it follows her, no matter how fast she runs, the crystal follows.

Yulya breaks free from the stream of consciousness memories and can sense the panther is near, she turns her head and sure enough, in the shadows {Ashley} Panther is staring at her with those ghostly glowing eyes.

{Ashley} Panther then moves deliberately and silently toward her pile of clothes and sits, then as if petals of a flower bud give way to an opening blossom, the metal is shed and dissapears into the shadows as {Ashley}'s form emerges. Chalk white, brilliant skin, from her thin and frail frame is soon all that's left. She silently redresses, casting her shield aside, she lastly takes up her pack and then takes a deep breath. Once settled, she turns to Yulya again and addresses her question in her eloquent and beautiful Celestial tone, "The artifact whistle is my burden to bear, I can feel its draw to another, they are here. [in the mine]. The tools [Thieves'] are this body's concern."  She reaches out and the dark crystal moves to her hand, suddenly it's as if a solid object and {Ashley} puts it in her pack.



She looks for the ore chunks Alice found in the ooze and inspects them. The greenish mineral has glints of copper when shown in the right light. She deems them suitable and puts them in her pack.

Reminder: What Harbin wants from the mine if you can find it:
Done - 3lbs of copper ore
3lbs of silver ore
3lbs of gold ore
3lbs of mithril ore
3lbs each of any interesting other ores or rough gems
He will pay you 2 gold for any of the above items each for his testing. This is well above market price for raw ore.

She then turns and walks away toward the front of the mine again, Yulya gets one last communication basically telling her she's going to open the chest in question and not to worry about her business. She finally mentions that these bodies [all of you] are ready to advance and she asks that you collect the equivalent worth of 1000 silver each as sacrificial offerings but not to worry about her share as she has her offering ready.

[Interactions Required]

[{Ashley} in this form has Godsight as we already know, and with the soul of the mechatherial demigoddess she has the ability to grant advancement to level 4, you all meet the minimum requirements pre-judgement. The only missing item was the orb, but if you don't realize by now, the dark crystal {Ashley} Panther found is a oracle shard, an exceedingly rare natural element left over from the creation of this sphere and has the capacity to act as a portal to the Ethereal plane. In other words, prepare yourselves to advance to level 4, it's time. As far as items worthy of sacrifice, because the mechathereal goddess is handling the transaction, you can offer her anything you have which in total will have a value of 1000 silver. What she will accept must be gems, magic items, coins, and other 'treasures' but will these will also be subject to the markdown due to quality.]   

What Yulya receives in return is more like static, disjointed images at first then a vibrant scene of {Ashley} Panther fighting a Bear and stealing her Cub. Then Yulya watches as time is reversed and hours upon hours of travel in the snow, looking even faster so close to the ground it feels, at dizzying speeds, {Ashley} Panther was running for hours, covering many miles searching, being drawn to something. She gets hints of a guiding voice, {Ashley} as if talking to the metallic beast, guiding her and directing her to something. She slips into a vent shaft further down the mountain and with true sight mixed with blind sight, Yulya sees through the panther's eyes, she gets the impression that this speed along with the chase for something is... fun. More hours pass, as she winds through a maze of dug tunnels, some lit, but most pitch dark and interlacing in three dimensions, impossible to navigate without some kind of guiding help, squeezing through cracks beyond what has been dug, she comes upon a crystal cavern, small crystal growths are scattered at first but eventually becomes crystal lined with a terrifying but beautiful geode-like cave and at the center is a dark and mysterious black crystal, floating motionless, it feels almost alive. Yulya can feel the Mechathereal Demigoddess' presence within the crystal and the feeling between the panther and her is like two old friends meeting not as if they're the same being.
What happens next is frighteningly eerie, the crystal moves on its own to {Ashley} Panther and she can feel it root itself through unseen tendrils into the panther's mind, from that point forward it follows her, no matter how fast she runs, the crystal follows.
Yulya breaks free from the stream of consciousness memories and can sense the panther is near, she turns her head and sure enough, in the shadows {Ashley} Panther is staring at her with those ghostly glowing eyes.

Yulya looks at her in awe.
Where in Eldaths name have you been? This is not the Amethyst Heart from the deepest chamber of this mine that Gundrens brothers have spoken about - is it?

{Ashley} Panther then moves deliberately and silently toward her pile of clothes and sits, then as if petals of a flower bud give way to an opening blossom, the metal is shed and dissapears into the shadows as {Ashley}'s form emerges. Chalk white, brilliant skin, from her thin and frail frame is soon all that's left. She silently redresses, casting her shield aside, she lastly takes up her pack and then takes a deep breath. Once settled, she turns to Yulya again and addresses her question in her eloquent and beautiful Celestial tone, "The artifact whistle is my burden to bear, I can feel its draw to another, they are here. [in the mine]. The tools [Thieves'] are this body's concern."  She reaches out and the dark crystal moves to her hand, suddenly it's as if a solid object and {Ashley} puts it in her pack.

Yulya is not exactly happy about this eccentric behavior and reminded of the clash she had with Ashley regarding her shield. But she realizes she can do even less against this demigoddess' behavior that about Ashleys.
Do as you please I shall inform Alice and Cat. However I ask you to work on communicating better. We as a party have to rely on each other and this is a bit troublesome if you do not speak to your companions.

She then turns and walks away toward the front of the mine again, Yulya gets one last communication basically telling her she's going to open the chest in question and not to worry about her business. She finally mentions that these bodies [all of you] are ready to advance and she asks that you collect the equivalent worth of 1000 silver each as sacrificial offerings but not to worry about her share as she has her offering ready.

Yulya is even more confused.
Wait are you telling me this is an orb? Well that at least saves us a journey back to Neverwinter. I wonder what Freya will think of this...
And Alice...

Yulya calls Alice as she is gathering poison at the elevator and relays what she has witnessed. before returning to rest
Alice you realize this is basically a goddess and not Ashley yes? Please behave accordingly even if it is hard. I do not know how to deal with her either. To be honst she frightens me. We must work on getting the real Ashley back in this body as soon as possible!