Level 2 - Scrying Pools
Upon entry, read the following:
As you cross the threshold, a thick, almost syrupy magic clings to your skin.
In the center of the round chamber sits a massive basin and flower-shaped fountain, swirling with pale green mist: an arcane pool of memories and prophecy. Three smaller, leaf-shaped pools rest on low pedestals surrounding it. You notice something curious: scorch marks stain the smooth stone above each of the three pedestals.
The players can take liquid (there is a shallow silver bowl sitting on the stone by the center pool) and pour it into the center pool. When they do so, the entire pool becomes silver and draws them in. If they put their face in, they will experience a vision depending on which of the three pensieves they took water from.
Around the Room
With moderate perception checks, the players might notice the following items
- The scorched areas above the pedestals are hiding writing engraved into the walls. These were the labels: "past", "present", "future".
- Among many papers in the desk, there is one that has useful information: "Took a trip down memory lane today. As I was getting the water I looked out the tower window and for a second thought I saw Lyra playing in the field under the rising sun. I must succeed". This clue should tell them which of the pools
- With a DC 15 Magical Theory check, one can see that the smaller pools appear to be related to Pensieve, though a bit different. Each gives off a unique magical vibration.
Floating Fish
The fish floating above the room carry memories, ideas, and nightmares that Seylon Vane collected. If players can catch a fish and put it in the pool, they can see the memory. They are confusing, though, and not all of them represent events that actually happened.
| d20 | Memory Seen Through the Pool |
|---|---|
| 1 | A small girl (Lyra) lies in bed, cheeks pale, lips trembling. Seylon reads her a story. She whispers, “Promise you won’t leave when I go.” |
| 2 | A flock of flamingos in wizard hats argue about potion ethics in a tea shop. One sobs, "He used turmeric again!" |
| 3 | Seylon gazes into a mirror. His reflection grins back, but doesn't mimic his movements. It mouths, “She's not there.” |
| 4 | Lyra and Seylon flying kites enchanted with starlight. Hers tangles with a cloud and she giggles, “It’s stuck in the sky forever!” |
| 5 | A frog in a lab coat frantically jots notes on a chalkboard. A fireball explodes behind it. The frog shouts, "Phase four: regrets!" |
| 6 | A cracked music box plays by itself in a silent nursery. A single doll turns its head toward the viewer as it softly sings. |
| 7 | Seylon screams into an empty room, casting spell after spell into the walls until they begin to bleed. |
| 8 | A memory of Seylon at a faculty meeting, glaring at Dumbledore across the table while muttering, “Charms department again?” |
| 9 | A phoenix lands on Seylon’s shoulder. He asks it, “Do you remember her?” It cocks its head, then bursts into flames. |
| 10 | Lyra dances with a floating constellation above a meadow. The stars blink in rhythm to a lullaby only she hears. |
| 11 | Seylon asleep at his desk, scribbled notes under his head. He murmurs, “Just a little more time... just a little longer.” |
| 12 | A fish (identical to the one added) swims in a circle shouting, “THIS ISN’T MY MEMORY! WHO TOOK MY MEMORY?” |
| 13 | Lyra’s laughter echoes in a corridor made of books. A younger Seylon chases her, tripping over a floating encyclopedia. |
| 14 | An empty crib, with the sound of quiet breathing. A shadow lingers nearby, stroking the air above the pillow. |
| 15 | Seylon’s hand covered in blood, holding a glimmering rune. He mutters, “This time, she will wake.” |
| 16 | A wedding cake explodes violently at a celebration. A gnome in a tuxedo yells, “Wrong enchantment!” Everyone applauds. |
| 17 | A row of candles lights themselves as Lyra walks by. She turns to the viewer, eyes glowing, and whispers, “He doesn't see me anymore.” |
| 18 | A memory loops endlessly: Lyra vanishing into smoke. Seylon reaches again and again. He never catches her. |
| 19 | A memory fish swims into the pool and begins replaying itself backwards. It ends with Lyra saying, “Don’t follow me.” |
| 20 | The viewer sees themselves—exactly as they are now—standing in the room, watching a fish swim past. Lyra’s voice says: “Are you sure this is your memory?” |
Visions
Vision of the past (East Pool): The player rolls a 1d4 to determine how good or bad the evoked memory is. The player should role-play the memory the see.
| 1d4 | Memory | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | worst | Two shadows appear. Player takes 1d6 psychic damage and is rolls initiative with disadvantage. |
| 2 | bad | Phantom Wounds: Lose 1d4 maximum HP until a long rest |
| 3 | good | Gain 1d10 temporary HP |
| 4 | best | Gain an inspiration |
Vision of the present (North Pool): The player rolls a 1d20 to determine what they event, happening currently in the world, they see. If you roll a number not in the table, roll again.
| 1d20 | NPC | Activity | Seen By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blithe Thimblethorn | standing over pumpkins that are rotting with a confused look on his face (related to The Pumpkin Patch scenario) | |
| 2 | Callum Vane | Being told by a perfect that someone is breaking into the restricted section and, if they find out who it is, they'll be rewarded. | |
| 3 | Cedrella Wickens | Recruiting Elias and/or Callum for The Dueling Club | |
| 4 | Declan MacMillan | Talking with Isolde Kettleburn about The Dueling Club | |
| 5 | Bixby Wizzlethorpe | Collecting the remnants of the surveillance candle. Related to the candle the players took in Session 3 - Deepwater and Deeper Secrets | |
| 6 | Elias Flint | buying a potion from Juniper (related to The Polyjuice Plot) | |
| 7 | Grimbella Thistlepin | Talking to the headmistress about putting a guard animal at the Firefly cellar. | |
| 8 | Isolde Kettleburn | Talking with Declan about The Dueling Club | |
| 9 | Juniper Selwyn | Opening the secret door of June's Midnight Market | Otto, Session 4 - The Heist and the Hidden Tower |
| 10 | Miriam Pike | In the library, opening a glass case to touch a cloak on display (related to The Wandering Cloak) | |
| 11 | Primrose Calloway | Walking quietly through the restricted section | |
| 12 | Tamsin Greaves | Watching Juniper go down a hallway and following her (related to June's Midnight Market) | |
| 13 | Thaddeus Bundy | Walking aimlessly through the halls eating Cockroach Clusters (related to The Hall of Living Statues) |
Vision of the future (West Pool):
As the purple liquid touches your lips, the world dissolves into mist and stars. You float above your body and watch yourself walk to the staircase. You press your hand against a cracked, crescent-shaped mark on the wall. Stones grind and shift, revealing a hidden stairway upward.
Suddenly, visions flash before your eyes in rapid succession:
A lecture hall, desks whispering like they’re alive
Lightning crackling over stitched forms
Dragon eggs hatching in fire
A hunched man muttering spells to no one
A child's bedroom, a doll singing a broken lullaby
A dark altar, blood dripping into glowing runes
Strange bees buzzing over glowing fungus
A coiling serpent shrine in shadow
Spiderwebs choking the air
Caged phoenixes bleeding light
Golems rising in molten flame
Vaults, trophies, gold
And finally… a great library beneath the earth, books flying in a cyclone of magical fury, a cloaked figure kneeling in the chaos, reaching for something unseen...
The players can then go to the stone wall and open in to the next room, Level 3 - Lecture Hall.
Loot
- Minor potions may be recovered from the lab:
- 1 × Dreamless Sleep Potion