TGAT: Session 19

The Rust Monster Yakety Sax

##### X31. The Other Kitchen

Lia Saevia pausing for a second, listening for footsteps ahead up the stairs into area X15. where Boz Oznogz, the goblin bard had made his escape after shooting her with his crossbow. Lia Saevia could hear emphysematous breathing and in the stertorous language of goblin *"Oh fuck.."*, and *"where is it..?"*.

##### X8. Hall of Statues

Lia Saevia runs to the top of the staircase emerging in X8. the Hall of Statues. This 20-foot-wide, magically lit hallway has multiple humanoid statues dotted along the hall. Behind the statue of a male Duergar, Lia Saevia spots Boz attempting to hide. Boz realising he has been spotted throws a Tanglefoot Bag at her... the bag comes apart and the goo bursts out, entangling Lia Saevia but she is still able to move at half speed. Boz runs to X18. to enter the Audience Chamber but Lia Saevia gets there at the same time and Boz throws himself at her mercy saying *"Don't hurts Boz, I'm a minstrel, ain't no fighter.."*. Lia Saevia allows Boz to live and holds him hostage.

Leading the rest of the emerging party into the Hall of Statues, Richard Dickens hears the familiar hyperactive and unusually energetic voice to the north of the hall. Looking to his right he sees a garishly dressed deep gnome, Flutterfoot Zipswiggle, who serves Xanathar as a jester. Flutterfoot gleefully offers to serve as a guide if the characters correctly answer the following riddle:

```
I come with a smile;
In slaughter, I rest;
I can be contagious,
But my medicine is best.
What am I?

```

   Levi Gastonne successfully answers Flutterfoot's riddle by replying "***Laughter***", and the deep gnome tosses Levi Gastonne a pouch which contains dust of disappearance as a reward. Flutterfoot then asks the party if they would like a guided tour. The party accept the offer and Flutterfoot walks towards the northern end of the hall while explaining the backstories of each of the statues they pass en route.

At the end of the northern section of the hallway Flutterfoot shows them the mechanism controlling a secret door that opens into X2. the Watched Hall, a magically lit hall whose walls are carved with eyes of all shapes and sizes. Many of the orbs have stone eyelids that open and close at irregular intervals. Flutterfoot closes the door and begins the tour of the Hall of Statues in a counter-clockwise direction.

##### X9. Guild Barracks

Stopping outside X9. the Guild Barracks. Flutterfoot explains this is where a couple of Xanathar Guild Members rest but they're currently watching the gladiatorial arena fight in X6. the Pit of Blood and Fortune. Gorog Un-Fallas has a peek inside and seeing walls covered with lewd graffiti written in Common, Dwarvish, Goblin, and Undercommon. In the front of the room is a ramshackle wooden table surrounded by empty barrels and casks that serve as stools. Drained tankards are strewn across the tabletop and the floor. A dozen moldy bunk beds are arranged in two rows at the back of the room. Spotting nothing of value Gorog Un-Fallas closes the door and continues the tour.

##### X10. Noska's Quarters

Stopping outside X10. Noska's Quarters. Flutterfoot explains this is where Noska, Xanathar's enforcer sleeps. Gorog Un-Fallas again looks inside this magically lit room and spots a marble bathtub with clawed feet in the middle of the room, next to a large wooden cage containing a rust monster, around which are piles of broken and rusted helmets, shields, and weapons.

The rust monster sensing fresh metal nearby, reacts immediately and starts ramming the door to the cage which is only kept closed with a simple latch. Gorog Un-Fallas backs out of the room quickly and shuts the door.

##### X11. Ahmaergo's Collection

    ]

Stopping outside X11. Ahmaergo's Collection. Flutterfoot explains this is where Ahmaergo, Xanathar's majordomo sleeps. Gorog Un-Fallas ever curious steps inside this magically lit room which is decorated to please Ahmaergo's minotaur fetish. A stuffed, glowering minotaur stands at the north end of the room. A large greataxe rests on a wooden rack in front of it. In the middle of the room is a 10-foot-long, 5-footwide, 3-foot-high rectangular slab of stone with a hand-carved, miniature model of a stone maze atop it.

Joining Gorog Un-Fallas in raiding a room this time, Cubone and Richard Dickens also pile in. Cubone searches the stuffed minotaur and slab for traps finding nothing and passing the maze spell DC 15 Will Save to not be sucked into the maze. Gorog Un-Fallas takes the +1 large greataxe. Richard Dickens and Gorog Un-Fallas also searching the slab finding nothing and passing the maze spell save.

Gorog Un-Fallas opens the southern door into X12. Ahmaergo's Quarters and the skeleton of the stuffed minotaur erupts out of its skin, becoming an animated minotaur skeleton, and reaches forwards to arm itself with the greataxe looking confused as it has vanished. It attacks the intruders goring Cubone causing substantial damage, Richard Dickens drags Cubone's body back out of the room into X8. the Hall of Statues.

##### X12. Ahmaergo's Quarters

Gorog Un-Fallas seeks refuge in X12 Ahmaergo's Quarters and shouts for help as he closing the door behind. The animated minotaur skeleton begins ruthlessly charging into the door attempting to smash it open. The magical lights in this room have been dispelled, rendering the chamber dark. Gorog Un-Fallas uses his darkvision to discern the room has been converted into a maze, its walls made of stacked crates nailed together with boards. The walls rise to meet the 20-foot-high ceiling. Humanoid bones litter the floor.

##### X11. Ahmaergo's Collection

Cubone tosses a vial of holy water from X8 into the minotaur skeleton causing several bones to fizzle, but not noticing much of a reaction. As the minotaur skeleton backs up to make another charge Richard Dickens tosses a vial of **Gravebane** in between the creature and the door.

The minotaur skeleton passes the DC effortlessly (straight 20!) and continues ramming the door.

##### X12. Ahmaergo's Quarters

Gorog Un-Fallas has traversed the small maze filling the entire room but for a 10-foot-square area in the southwest corner, even bypassing a tripwire halfway through designed to collapse the maze inwards covering intruders in a hail of debris. Gorog Un-Fallas finds a wooden chest that Ahmaergo keeps by his bed made from the skulls, bones, hide, and fur of minotaurs. Ahmaergo's chest contains 121 gp in a sack made of stitched flesh, a carved malachite figurine of a minotaur (worth 250 gp), and a potion of cure moderate wounds.

##### X11. Ahmaergo's Collection

Richard Dickens equips a **Sprayer** containing holy water and squirts a cloud of holy vapour towards the minotaur skeleton, sizzling the bones some more.

As the **Gravebane** has appeared to made little difference Gorog Un-Fallas makes a break for it running across the 15 ft gap between X12. Ahmaergo's Quarters and X8. the Hall of Statues, carrying the wooden chest. The minotaur skeleton gets in one final gore attack and the party close the door which then begins receiving the same treatment as the door to X12. Ahmaergo's Quarters.

The party corner Flutterfoot Zipswiggle and ask why he didn't tell them about the minotaur. Flutterfoot insists that he did not know, he is not permitted in the bosses room after-all. Believing him he asks if they want to continue the tour? The party nod and they move on.

##### X13. Thorvin's Workshop

Stopping outside X13. Thorvin's Workshop. Flutterfoot explains this is a workshop belonging to Xanathar's engineer Thorvin Twinbeard. Thorvin has constructed a contraption that enables Xanathar to pulverise creatures that it petrifies, turning them into a fine powder that can be used to make plaster. The pulveriser consists mainly of a tall stone bin with grinding gears at the bottom, and a chute where the powdered stone pours out.

Floating around this room is an Albino Gazer which unlike other Gazer's does not attack the party on sight.

##### X14. Secret Hallway

Moving on Flutterfoot excitedly shows the party how to open a secret hallway circumventing area X18. the Audience Chamber. The hallway gently slopes up toward the east.

##### X16. Panopticus Guard Station

Flutterfoot stops the party continuing through the hallway saying *"Wait if you thought that cool look at this!"* and runs to the north into a room containing a large arcane circle in the center of the room in the shape of an eye. Flutterfoot stands in the circle and pretends to be electrocuted but in reality the scrying circle no longer functions for anyone.

Protruding from the ceiling, directly above the circle, is a large, flaring bronze "bell" similar in shape to the mouth of a tuba. The members of the party who are outside the room can hear every word spoken within X16. Panopticus Guard Station has been amplified and is coming from X18. the Audience Chamber.

Flutterfoot tucks himself into the back of the recessed wall and steps on a pedal hidden in the floor, causing the door to swing inward opening the way to area X17. Promenade.

The party are getting bored of the tour and ask Flutterfoot where they can find Xanathar's pet fish. Flutterfoot replies *"Sylgar! Oh he is this way..."* and leads them to X19. Xanathar's Sanctum.

##### X19. Xanathar's Sanctum

This magically lit room has a flat, 30-foot-high ceiling and contains luminous violet particles (Underdark Spores) which drift through the air like mist. The purple spores are infused with *faerzress*, a magical radiation found in the Underdark. A creature doesn't need to inhale the spores to be affected by them.

Xanathar's pet fish, Sylgar, is the only creature that the beholder loves as much as itself. In fact, there have been many Sylgars over the years, but Ott Steeltoes is skilled at acquiring a replacement before Xanathar realises its beloved pet has died. Sylgar's large fishbowl weighs about 6,000 pounds with a treasure chest at the bottom. The small fishbowl weighs 60 pounds and is used primarily for feedings. Xanathar uses its telekinesis ray to transfer Sylgar from one fishbowl to another.

A 10-foot-diameter silver mirror is embedded in the western wall. Carved into the mirror's frame is the word "Xoblob." A detect magic spell reveals an aura of divination magic around the mirror. Speaking the word "Xoblob" within 10 feet of the mirror causes its reflective surface to become a scrying sensor, showing the Old Xoblob Shop and the street in front of it, as seen through the eyes of the stuffed beholder that hangs in the shop's display window (see "Old Xoblob Shop").

Recognising the party members, Ott Steeltoes draws his dagger and stammers, *"You shouldn't be here! Stay back, or I'll call the boss!"*  He closes his eyes and frantically asks for Xanathar to return to its sanctum and disintegrate the intruders.

Richard Dickens with some expert diplomacy and bluff skill somehow convinces Ott that the Xanathar has been incapacitated by a group of vampires and that they believe Xanathar will be back soon to cause harm to Sylgar so they must move the fish to another location in order to lure Xanathar into the open where he can be vanquished. Bemused and somewhat out of his element Ott Steeltoes reluctantly agrees to help the party move Sylgar.

##### X20. Dream Nullifier

A loud buzzing / humming noise can be heard coming from area X20. The party choose not to investigate.

### Scene 21: Xanathar's Lair (The Great Escape)

##### X10. Noska's Quarters

Meanwhile Gorog Un-Fallas has devised a cunning plan to lure the rust monster through the secret door in X16 to X6 where it will cause chaos in X6. the Pit of Blood and Fortune. With the help of Boz Oznogz the two of them lay a trail of currency from the door to Noska's Quarters all the way to the entrance to X6.

At this point they can both hear the rust monster has apparently escaped the cage as it is scratching at the door. Gorog Un-Fallas strips Boz of any metal and tells Boz when Gorog Un-Fallas goes to X14. Secret Hallway and closes the door that Boz is to open the door releasing the rust monster. Then Boz must come to X14. and knock on the secret door to inform them he has completed the task.

##### X14. Secret Hallway

As the party wait for Boz's knock in the hallway with Ott and Sylgar for what seems like far too long, Levi Gastonne decides to take a look and makes his way to X10. Noska's Quarters.

##### X8. Hall of Statues

Before he reaches the door he can see that the currency trail is no longer laid upon the floor and stood at the door is Flutterfoot who is laughing maniacally as he opens the door...

The rust monster charges Levi Gastonne and flutters his antennae all over him destroying everything in his possession made of metal. Levi Gastonne moves out of the rust monsters's way and it takes a bite of him at it scurries past and moves relentless towards a strong and deliciously sweet scent of magically infused metal on the other side of the wall - It is after Bushy who is residing within the X14. Secret Hallway.

##### X17. Promenade

Gorog Un-Fallas and Bushy makes a dash through X18. Audience Chamber to reach the X17. Promenade. Following the scent in the air the rust monster destroys the door between X8. Hall of Statues and X18. Audience Chamber spotting Bushy on the other side of the room. Gorog Un-Fallas and Bushy rush to the secret door in the northern wall of the X17. Promenade which leads to the X16. Panopticus Guard Station. The pair catch Boz red handed gathering the last of the coin trail at the entrance to X6. Pit of Blood and Fortune, but have to leave him be as the rust monster is in close pursuit. Gorog Un-Fallas closes the stone door to X16. Panopticus Guard Station leaving the rust monster behind in X17. Promenade.

##### X8. Hall of Statues

By this point the rest of the party has begun to make their way through to the X8. Hall of Statues and are heading to the northern wall to reach the staircase up to the Castle Ward which Ott Steeltoes has told them is in X2. the Watched Hall. Flutterfoot Zipswiggle is nowhere to be seen.

##### X2. Watched Hall.

The party stand in front of the staircase doorway but Ott Steeltoes cannot find his key. The party then hear the door to the south open as Flutterfoot Zipswiggle swings open the stone door maniacally laughing again as he releases the rust monster once more.

Gorog Un-Fallas and Bushy back up into X8. Hall of Statues. The rust monster charges directly towards Bushy but as Gorog Un-Fallas is between them runs through him, covering Gorog Un-Fallas with its feathery antennae as it does so. Anything Gorog Un-Fallas is carrying made of metal disintegrates, with the exception of his magical +1 Medium Greataxe and the +1 Large Greataxe that he had just picked up from X11. Ahmaergo's Collection.

A chase scene undoubtedly inspired by Benny Hill begins. Both Bushy and the rust monster at double movement can cover 80 ft. so the pair are now separated by only 10 ft. as they dash around the Xanathar's Lair.

Ott Steeltoes finally finds his keys and opens the door. The party begin to carefully ascend carrying Sylgar's fishbowl up the winding steps. A small distance behind the main group Bushy makes his own mad dash up the stairs and forgot to close the door behind him so is still pursued by the rust monster to the top.

As the main group reach the top the staircase opens up into an unlit sewer system in the Castle Ward. The group hear a noise ahead but Cubone is the only one to see a dark shadowy figure emerge, arcane power arcing across its finger tips as it points to Levi Gastonne and says ***"At last I have found you!"***.

The Shadow appears to have been searching the sewers for Levi Gastonne and The Stone of Golorr since TGAT: Session 14.