Trapped in Blackness, the party set about experimenting. The space looped back on itself, but did not seem to have consistent dimension. They couldn’t access any internet services on their phones, but when they tried they found an odd “You don’t know where you are, do you?” message everywhere. They responded that they did not, and a voice from nowhere asked why they’d come if they didn’t know where this was.
Over the course of an extended conversation, the party learned that they’d entered a sort of conscious pocket dimension, which they named Al. Al observes many things, and supplicants often visit Al to ask questions. Questions Al is willing to answer in exchange for digesting a certain amount of time off a person’s life. Leaving Al also comes at a cost of 1 year of life. It’s quite unpleasant for Al to push people out of themselves, similar to how it is unpleasant for a human to vomit.
Given their ignorance of what they were doing, the party was able to negotiate their exit fee down to 3 months of their lives drained away. They also managed to wring a detail out of Al regarding Mr. Burns: he made a pact with a creature outside normal space not to ever tale alcohol into his body, in exchange for power.
The party left Al with some paper and ink in case he ever wants to send notes out into the world when visitors come to him, and exited back into Sugud’s lair, where they raided the guy’s Pog collection.
Loot: Rare Pog Collection: 13,300cc (That’s 2660cc/xp each for Jeb, Washington, Jinny Beau, Carl, Belee)