Mending a prophecy, and other fate related shenanigans.

Floors 0 to 2

With this particular campaign, I originally intended for it to be long, mirroring multiple sessions of game-play (which is how it usually goes), but, again, I no longer have energy, so the rooms are smaller, and the encounters shorter.

Big trash bins are a lot less hidden in CABA, you generally see one per block of street, more for streets that span more than a block, and they're close to said streets so that the truck can pick them up more easily. Some places also have a green bin or a divided bin for recycling, but they're a rare sight.

It takes a moment or three, but eventually their shared night-vision proves useful and they can take in their surroundings. The room is circular, a small dark archway in front of them, and in the middle, three chests the size of those trash bins that are abundant in alleyways.

This would be normal of a game like this, just a room of treasure, though often those rules are later on, after fighting something big. Then again, they have technically fought something big, just not defeated it.

No. The issue here is the fact that said three chests are the only thing in the room.

However, before he can open his mouth, he sees Hazel move, her eyes dull and a transfixed smile on her face, she gets to the closest chest, pushing the lid open, and a growl fills the room.

Immediately, Percy rushes over and pulls her away from the chests that turn into monsters. No, they are mimics.

He only sees some of them roll, but the ones he does all have the same thing happen, after the first roll the dice lifts again, and the lower number takes effect. It makes sense, since they've activated the trap, but his mind stays on what he just saw.

Just how much does the game influence them?

He's ripped from his thought by a scream, he sees Annabeth and Frank be tossed, then watches Percy and Jason take position in front of them, while Valdez pulls out his new ocarina. He rushes over, making his roll as he goes, and casts healing word on the worst off of the two, while Valdez boosts their fighters.

Only, it wasn't his decision, not even something that had been in his thoughts, he does it simply because he can do nothing else. A familiarly warm hand lands on his shoulder, allowing him to shake the thought off.

"It's a roll game chico"

Valdez' words make him feel as though his mind has been read, but likewise, they offer an easy explanation to both his and Hazel's actions. After all, he's supposed to be a healer, and Hazel is supposed to be a thief.

The next moment, Annabeth re-joins the fray, Hazel not far behind, with four people fighting the first mimic gets defeated and a second is badly injured. Frank recovers, and casts a few cantrips, while Valdez pulls out his dagger.

He uses his new second spell slot to keep the remaining mimic at bay until the others can get on it, while also doing some chip damage. Eventually all three monsters are gone, transforming back into normal chests, and the room lights up with torch-fire.

Near the stairway entrance, he sees Piper taking long look at the lot of them.

"Everyone in favor of taking over this area for a long rest say aye"

Unsurprisingly, the all agree.

The spiraling staircase is only stone and torches that light up as they climb, devoid of windows as the stone walls are, the torches are the only light available. Which is why, when approaching the entrance to the second room, the contrast has all of them wincing.

Inside is an impossible sight, a room made of crystal-like walls in kaleidoscope styles, filled with rows of towering plant-life unlike anything else in the world. Twirling soft-blue vines, bright red leaves, orange-peel colored twig-bushes, and dozens of yellow hedges with sprinkles of black flowers.

At the very top, a singular white sphere serves as the mock-sun of this maze-like greenhouse, just as impossible to focus on as the star it replaces, just as bright. The temperature is a welcome change, though Nico chalks that to his pseudo-reptilian contexture, he sees Anabeth and Frank start sweating, followed closely by Hazel and Piper.

It is, unsurprisingly, a labyrinth, though one filled with over-grown pollinators that at most hinder their advance, and at best fly away from them in a hurry. The most notorious being the beautiful white and green hummingbirds the size of common pigeons.

If there's any other life-forms in the greenhouse, the particular winding path they take avoids the areas they occupy, and they move on without exploring much further. Nico hopes they don't come to regret it.

The next room is incredibly cold, compared to the first two, much like in the very first there's only one thing in there, but that thing is a bulking mass that takes over half the space. The creature has grey skin and white fur, it's back is covered in cyan-hued spikes, it has a long prehensive nose, and four massive snow-white tusks.

Currently, the maybe elephant is held in place by equally massive chains of a golden metal of sorts, and by the sounds of it, is asleep. Hazel inspects the area first, skillfully moving around the slumbering giant as she goes.

She tells them that there is a way to get to the door without waking the beast in a whisper, but they'll have to do something about their fighters and Anabeth. Nico realizes he has the perfect solution to this when he tries looking into his spell list, and casts Deafen into the creature.

The party moves on.