Discovery of the Synesthesia Mask

Summary

In Session 3, after a dog-masked cultist fled the scene, Sucks picked up the abandoned Dog Mask and placed it on his face. The mask activated upon contact with his skin, creating a tingly sensation and filling his vision with streams of color representing different scents. Confused by what he called "dog sight," Sucks failed his own Spout Lore roll catastrophically when trying to understand the phenomenon. Safia intervened, successfully rolling a 12 on Spout Lore and identifying the mask as advanced technology from the city that creates synesthesia by amplifying olfactory signals and translating them into visual information. The discovery provided the party with a new tool for navigation and tracking, granting a +1 bonus to Discern Realities rolls when used for environmental investigation.

Details

Following the cultist's escape, Sucks examined the discarded Dog Mask and decided to put it on. When the mask settled against his skin, he experienced a tingly sensation where it made contact. His vision transformed as streams of color filled his sight, representing different scents in visual form. Disoriented, Sucks called out to the party: "Guys, I have dog sight. I have the sight of a dog. I think. What are these streams of color? Can somebody else spout lore for me?"

Sucks attempted his own Spout Lore check but failed catastrophically, unable to make sense of the sensory information flooding his perception. Safia took the mask from him and examined it closely, rolling a 12 on her Spout Lore check.

Through her examination, Safia identified imperceptible lines, pads connected to wires, and sensors inside the mask. She recognized it as a piece of technology from the city, explaining: "You realize that this is a piece of technology from the city. And there's like, you can see just the smallest little indicators that there are, like, pads connected to wires and sensors that when they are in contact with the skin, it amplifies. And it amplifies the signals received by, like, your olfactory senses and makes them visual." The GM clarified: "It's basically a synesthesia mask that lets you see smells."

Understanding its function, Safia immediately put the mask on. Through it, she observed a symphony of visuals emanating from the food and drinks on the altar, while grosser scents billowed from the Sniff Lord's cavern. She recognized that the mask could help them navigate and track by visualizing scents as streams of color, and used it to search for fresh air and a potential escape route.

Participants

Sucks — First to wear the mask; failed to understand its function through his Spout Lore check
Safia — Successfully identified the mask's technology and purpose with a 12 on Spout Lore; used it to search for an escape route
Abdul — Present during the discovery
Erin — Present during the discovery
Shawn — Game Master who described the mask's effects and confirmed its synesthesia function

Consequences

The party acquired the Dog Mask, a piece of advanced city technology that translates scent into visual information
The mask grants a +1 bonus to Discern Realities rolls when used for environmental investigation
Safia used the mask to visualize the scents in their environment, including food offerings and the Sniff Lord's cavern
The party gained a new tool for tracking and navigation through scent visualization
The discovery revealed that the cultists possess access to advanced technology from the city, suggesting a more sophisticated organization than initially apparent