Season 5 Episode 24

**Synopsis:** Before them stands massive wooden doors, long since deteriorated gold leaf and large dented gold knockers adorning each door. No keyhole is visible, and it seems like the room on the other side must be completely filled with brambles as they're pushing through all around the door. Winnifred, being the bramble's new best friend, strikes up another conversation, and the group hears an audible slurp as the vines retreat from the other side of the door.

They push the doors open and see a vast chamber, sections of the roof caved in letting sunlight down into the center. Th stone floor has long been overgrown with these plants. Pink crystals are scattered across the floor. Except for their pink hue they look similar to the beholder crystals Qweep and Dr Uid encountered in their first adventures together, but they're more similar to the ones bunk teleported past a bit earlier on. Dr Uid thinks if ingested or if they come into contact with an open wound there could be trouble, but there shouldn't be an problem just being in the same space as them.

They notice that the air seems magically deadened. Footfalls make no sound, and only sunlight but no sound comes from the holes in the ceiling. To the right, a set of staircases ascends to what looks like viewing platforms. Jolly and Qweep go up to investigate to find stone doors, long overgrown. Tangles of brambles fill every corner of the room, making it difficult to see far ahead in any direction.

Winnifred takes the opportunity to further her friendship with the vines. She confirms that it is indeed a single organism, and that it is proud of the job it is doing, there is something below it is holding back. It feels safe but is worried about her, there is something she doesn't understand, a danger from below. With this in mind they carefully continue to explore the room, and Jolly begins to notice that the floor vibrates with his every footstep. He squeezes around a pillar, but Lucas, strapped to his back, accidentally snags a brand on his arm, tearing off a large cluster of vines which thuds against the ground, causing the vibrations to increase!

Finally, we learn that whatever spell had caused the magical deadening of the air is having an effect on our heroes' brains! Even though he has no such spell, Dr Uid believes he is able to cast fly on the group, and they in turn believe they are zipping around in the air! We can only avert our eyes in embarrassment as we see the truth, that they are simply stomping around like normal.

Their notion of reality shaken, the ground begins to quake, and Winnifred barely manages to dive out of the way as some kind of massive carapaced beast smashes up through the floor in the center of the room. Tower above them is a massive pink worm!

Ronnie charges over to slash at its belly, but as his blows fly in a flurry he trips and lodges his armblade deep in his shoulder! A nerve must have been severed, as that are now droops limply at his side. Winnie rushes over to help. She binds the wound and offers some healing, but sees that the injury is severe, and that there might be serious consequences if they try to pull out the blade from his shoulder.

Dr Uid steps up, deranged but not ineffectual, and bring a lightning storm down on the creatures head. It unleashes a horrible squeal as it turns to face our good doctor.