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[Devastator]

Yes, the Thamulator is here.  Inside the dome it points in no direction in particular, like the walls are illuminated by the dark energy.

Enter illusion, head for "the center" of the bubble near as we can tell.

You walk for a bit, eventually discovering an engraved stone plinth decorated with squiggly writing and what looks like a map of the ruins.
...

"I think we might need to do something more complicated than just walking to find the middle of the bubble."

If the fish and this thing were designed to confound us in particular, then maybe the fish was put there just so that we couldn't bring uncle down and he'll be able to figure something out.

Sessha interjects.  "I'm not sure it was made just for us.  It had wind protection on its armour, and we don't have any wind attacks.  I'd have given it heavier armour or armour that protects against status effects.. if it were me designing the fish's gear."

We could feed Uncle a false description of the control panel and then send him in alone to find it ...

Do this?

[IronyOwl]

Alright, let's think about this a bit.

We know the bubble is either designed to keep us out or coincidentally good at doing so. Thus, its properties should tend to be interpreted as doing that.

We know it relies on memories to build places and people, though it failed or refused to generate Trence's sister specifically. Which is interesting, because it's been vague but very detailed otherwise.

We know it responds to expectations and assumptions, starting with the illusion of places one of us has been and continuing through events or whole sceneries changing based on whims or intentions.

We think it deliberately attempts to bamboozle those inside it, such as by providing distracting events and just generally containing false information.


So... how does one solve or circumvent a puzzle like this?

[Egan_BW]

Well, what does this imply that it wants us to NOT do? Ignore the illusion, snap out of it and just keep walking?

[King Zultan]

Well, what does this imply that it wants us to NOT do? Ignore the illusion, snap out of it and just keep walking?

+1

[Devastator]

Well, what does this imply that it wants us to NOT do? Ignore the illusion, snap out of it and just keep walking?

Seems like a solid plan.  Ignoring the illusion, the party walks in a single direction.

..Or what they think is a single direction.  After about thirty minutes walking, going past illusiory ancient temples, animal trails, and through thick jungle vegitation, the party exits the dome.. at around the same location they entered, facing the other direction.  The directional tomfoolry strikes again.

[Egan_BW]

We have that compass, right?

[Devastator]

We have that compass, right?

Going to need a reminder there.  Compasses aren't common objects in this world.

[Egan_BW]

Ah, thought we had one. Might be worth buying if this doesn't work out.

...For now though, path markers! We probably have little shiny things we can breadcrumb our path with, right?

[IronyOwl]

Okay, what if...

Enter dome. Explore dome. Any time something interesting arises, ignore it and keep exploring dome.

[Egan_BW]

That's what we just did.

[King Zultan]

Okay, what if...

Enter dome. Explore dome. Any time something interesting arises, ignore it and keep exploring dome.

+1

[IronyOwl]

That's what we just did.

Not quite. We tried to go "straight," and that somehow led back out. I'm proposing we wander around the guidelines of the illusion, just not following the big shiny things it seems to want us to follow.

...granted this sounds less likely to go anywhere now that I type it out.

[Devastator]

Enter dome. Explore dome. Any time something interesting arises, ignore it and keep exploring dome.

This is very similar to last time.  It takes a little longer before you walk out of the dome, but walk out of it you do.  Simply ignoring everything does not seem to be a solution.

Breadcrumbs!

When you drop stuff inside the illusion it doesn't vanish, but seems to stay on the ground, AND you can pick it up later.  The main problem, though, is after you start leaving a trail, you discover another trail, resembling your own, that you intersect with.  It seems the illusion is capable of imitating markers.  Is there any particular plan you have to do with markers?

[IronyOwl]

Alright so that was what we just did. Hrm.

When you drop stuff inside the illusion it doesn't vanish, but seems to stay on the ground, AND you can pick it up later.  The main problem, though, is after you start leaving a trail, you discover another trail, resembling your own, that you intersect with.  It seems the illusion is capable of imitating markers.  Is there any particular plan you have to do with markers?

This is exceedingly interesting, but I'm not sure what to do with it.

[Egan_BW]

Pick up the illusion pebbles! Ha ha, stupid illusion giving us more tools to defeat it!