Story - Part 1 - The way to Icespire peak

The magical bubble floats across the room and hits the button. The red light shining at the sphere in the center of the room disappears. The sphere slowly begins to float towards the ground but just as you get your hopes up the light begins to shine again and the sphere rises to its original height again.

Vienne watched the sphere with hope before it was dashed. "Should we try tossing different objects in and seeing what survives? That way we can perhaps find something that can get through to smash it?"

It may simply be a aspect of the spell. My enchantments don't tend to last long. Perhaps the button needs to be held down or something else done to turn it off. We can always resort to breaking it as a last resort Garric will discuss several tests in collaboration with Vienne to see if they can disable to device by
1. holding the button longer
2. twisting one lever
3. twisting the other lever
4. twisting both levers
If the others are on board we can proceed with all the tests

The green bolts kept shooting through the room. Seems like they are independent from the sphere

Garic will try the other methods discussed

Garic and Vienne concentrate together in order to hold the button down longer.

Either Garic or Vienne: Give me a test with advantage (3d6) on holding the button down longer.

Concentration

Garic and Vienne both concentrate on the magical weave that swirls around the world, unnoticed by most. And they form it into a finger; a ghostly flimsy finger but it's strong enough to float to the button and press it down for a prolonged time.
The red light seizes to shine again and the sphere in the middle sinks to the ground. When it touches the floor it pops and red mist floods the room. You all expect to breathe it in and get a coughing fit but the red mist just feels cold and prickling on your skin and then dissipates into thin air.

Instead of the sphere there is a man in a grey shirt and trousers standing in the center of the room. His hair is black with grey streaks, shoulder long and messy. He also has a full beard. In his right hand he's holding a brass scepter with a green gem on top
He looks bewildered, watches the bolts of green energy fly by, turns around to the apparatus, skillfully ducks in order to avoid the bolts and then plucks the green crystal from the machine which seizes the machine from creating the bolts.

He brushes off his clothes with his hands, turns his head and then notices you.

Oh! Did... Was it you that turned off the dimensionicon? Usually I'd be very disgruntled that you've touched my equipment but in this case you've actually done me favor.

"...Is this your master, birdie?" Vienne found she wasn't very impressed. It sounded like he got stuck in his own machine. Plus it didn't escape her that he hadn't actual said thank you. Just that he wasn't angry about them touching it.

Glad to be of service sir! Garic bows slightly. True heros should be noble and courteous. Actually we were direted here by a gopher. Says he used to be an adventurer but found this tower and while investigating activated that machine behind you and got blasted into a hole new body!
We had to break some of your metal men down stair sto come up, sorry. Oh and your bird says its been over 700 moons. i think youve been stuck for a while and he shrugs in sympathy.

Yes! Master! You have returned the bird croaks.

The man nods at the bird, looks bewildered and ponders Garic's words for a few seconds. In general he seems to be quite confused. He rapidly spews out words, pauses and then speaks again.
Oh yes. Of course a gopher. I think I've set the defense mechanism to rodent the man turns the green crystal from the machine in his hands, snips his finger and the crystal seizes to glow. He puts it into his pocket
So yes... your friend should be back to their true form. And 700 moons!? This didn't turn out how I thought it would be. I just wanted to enlarge the interior dimensions of the tower. You know physical objects are very... constraining. But I somehow locked myself in this extra-dimensional space.
He fishes a mechanical watch from his pocket.
Fascinating. For me only a few days passed... 700 moons.... is a lot. And you broke my mecha-humans? Oh.... well I think I'll have to rebuild them. So erm... I think I have to thank you for freeing me... Okay... what are you up to? Maybe I can give you some magical assistance in your endeavours. Or is it gold you desire?

With a gleam in his eye Garic proclaims We have just become adventurers! And we have already helped two, no three people, if ou count the gopher. I dont think we really need coin and I for one would apreciate a eal magicly enchanted item. Could you do something to my shields? and he holds them up excitedly with a hopeful look plastered all over his face, and anywhere else it will fit

"Wow, this isn't what I expected at all. We're glad to help. It would be great if you could give us something that would help support us."

Vienne's posture relaxed as the man kept speaking. So he wasn't rude, just a bit out of it. Which made sense."Yes, while we weren't looking for a reward, anything to help us out would be appreciated. We are headed for the castle." She was surprised but pleased at the idea of a reward, she truly would have been happy with a thank you.

Suddenly catching himself Garic lowers his shields Um, I mean we are glad to help, any reward you feel we deserve will be appreciated. and he smiles a bit abashedly.

Oh yes... your shield... wait follow me the man walks downstairs, grabbing the mechanical bird on the way down.

Oh my! My precious brewing ingredients! he laments the collapsed shelf on the second floor But wait.... yes.... your... shield... I'll make a strengthening potion for it. And make it resistant to lightings! Oh yes and make it able to shine like the sun itself...!
The confused alchemist (?) gets to work, mixes, distills and decants his various potions.
After an hour he presents a flask with a silvery liquid
Give me your shield. This will make it very special he says to Garic and pours part of the liquid over the shield.
Suddenly the shield becomes flabby; like a pancake.
Oh nonono.... were the garberries bad? Or did I put in too little mercury? the man shakes his head. He begins to walk circles in the room, murmuring to himself, seemingly thinking about a way to turn the shield back into its original form.
After a few minutes the shield suddenly straightens itself out and is as hard as before.
Interesting.... Sometimes the greatest inventions are made by accident.... I must write this down! I have to ask you to leave. I have to concentrate. YOu can keep the rest of the potion
He shoves the flask with the potion into Garic's arms and then gestures you to leave the tower.

You got a potion of flabbiness

Taking the flask he looks at the others and shrugs. Thanks. Looking around he starts heading out while still filled with curiosity. Maybe we should have looked around more first before letting him out he whispers to Vienne as he passes her