Story - Part 1 - The way to Icespire peak

Taking a moment to recenter himself, Sprout tries again to channel the flow of healing energy from himself to the others. This time he is met with more success and heals up his wounded companions fully. "I'd say a little more exciting that I expected. Garic, you've been investigating the area. Is there anything we need to do before proceeding to the next floor?"

Looking up from where he got distracted digging into the construct uh, I think we're good to go up. Glancing around to double check he heads for the stairs to lead the way up

Vienne trails behind the others, she has no real interest in the things in the room and does not want to be the first upstairs. She has an idea and reaches up to Ahki. "Want to go and see what you can see, bud?"

Garic wants to ascend the stairs but Vienne gestures at her familiar, Ahki the red viper, to go first. Can't be too careful after your encounter with the constructs...

The snake winds up the stairs. You can hear some kind of strange voice from upstairs and after a few minutes the familiar returns, crawling up Vienne's leg and then wrapping around her arm.

Familiar with the abilities of a companion spirit Garic pauses to ask What did it see Vienne?

She relates to the others what he saw. "I wonder why it couldn't move..."

The puddles seem odd in this place. Hmmm. . . A talking bird huh? But no big glowing magic? Then seems safe enough to check out for ourselves
Garic resumes his advance if the others have no objections. Shields up and eyes and ears alert.

Vienne is wary but trusts Garic and so gets ready to follow. She hangs back a bit though, Ahki wrapped around her shoulders, as she knows she isn't a front lines kind of person. "I'm wary of the puddles, if we can avoid them I think we should."

Sprout will follow right behind Garic, ready to jab his spear over top should the need arise.

You all advance up the stairs. This floor seems to be some kind of laboratory.
Placed along the walls are tables and shelves. On the tables you see a still, various flasks made out of glass, some jars made out of ceramic, labeled in an unknown language as well as various tools that are made out of brass and glass whose purpose is unknown to you.
The shelves contain loads of glassware like beakers, flasks and jars.
3 Flasks containing coloured liquids are lined up in front of the still.
The floor is littered with broken flasks and shards. There are some puddles of colourful liquids on the ground. Some of them have partially mixed up creating new colours. The broken flasks seem to have come from a shelf on the side that has collapsed. You should have no problem to avoid the shards and the puddles though.
At the far end of the room is a doorway that is blocked by a shining pink barrier.
Beside the doorway is a mechanical bird on a stand.
It turns a bit as you enter and opens its beak. It speaks with a mechanical voice
New strangers! Have you come here to break stuff too? it croaks

Sprout is startled for a moment at the bird's speech. He's never seen an automaton such as this and it shows. Regaining his composure, he speaks to the bird. "No, we haven't come to break anything that doesn't try to break us first. We're here to explore mostly. Oh, and also to help a friend who may have been cursed."

That's good! the mechanical bird squawks Not that I could hinder you if you were into breaking things. I can just bid you to keep everything here intact. Hahaha. the laugh sounds even more mechanical
No curses are to be found here but the stranger before you turned on master's machine. Maybe it had some side effects

Looking around the shop on curiosity Where is your master? We want to try and help the man get his form back on shape.
And is the . . uh . . machine still on?

Vienne peeks around the others and stares at the mechanical bird. So pretty! As she listens she can't help but get curious.

"What does your master do? There seem to be a lot potion liquids everywhere. Anything dangerous?"

My master is upstairs! And yes the machine is on, you can see the protection magic shielding the doorway

He is a researcher and inventer. He invented potions that alter your appearance, potions that heal wounds, potions that make the floor slippery, potions that make metal soft for some time.
He also invented the guardians downstairs.
I don't think he did much dangerous work but what do I know, I'm just a bird. the mechanical bird anwers

"Wow, those are some quite amazing things. Just like you are. Would we be able to go and see your master somehow?"