Inventor guide / Jonah route ally
Summarizes Vala's introduction, Benevolent Lodge connection, and Jonah heelie upgrade.
Status: Vala becomes key maze guide NPC
Knowledge: Players know she has prior Vithyrex Maze experience.
Benevolent Lodge of Mystery
Toolbox
Vala Gearsprocket
AliveGnomeTechnogenius
Bio
Vala Gearsprocket, known as Toolbox, is a gnome artificer and cryptotechnologist of the Benevolent Lodge of Mystery, where unsolved hauntings meet field-tested machinery. Brilliant, eccentric, and Chaotic Good, she began building constructs in childhood and never stopped improving them. Her Witchborn technogenius lets her create small animated companions, repair equipment under pressure, and deploy “Mystery Machine” devices that turn investigation into controlled chaos. Within the Lodge, Vala provides the technological edge that ghost stories rarely expect. Some of her constructs behave beyond their design, but she insists that is only a problem after the case is solved.
Notes
In Act 5 inside Vithyrex’s Maze, Jonah Subramountian freed Vala Gearsprocket from a trapped room. Vala revealed she had been in Vithyrex’s Maze many times, distrusted its endless love-game structure, connected Mystery Machine tokens to the Benevolent Lodge of Mystery, and upgraded Jonah’s Boots of the Devout First Step with heelies.
Session Appearances
7 linked appearances
Toolbox / Lodge veteran
Arthur recognizes Vala as Toolbox from the Benevolent Lodge of Mystery, and she confirms she was trying to get tricky while others were out on a date.
Status: Vala's Lodge identity and Arthur familiarity clarified
Knowledge: Players know Arthur knows Vala through the Benevolent Lodge orbit.
Route companion / witness
Is present with Jonah when Podon Xopip Kelbar Lokas is found in the cell.
Status: Vala witnesses Podon's return and joins the survivor cluster
Knowledge: Players know Jonah's route is accumulating rescued NPCs.
Guide companion / route ally
Travels with Jonah and his dragonborn allies through the maze.
Status: Vala remains embedded in Jonah's split-party route
Knowledge: Players know she is part of the small temporary party.
Guide ally / mystery advisor
Stays with Jonah and warns him to listen to the mystery as the dragonborn route continues.
Status: Vala continues as Jonah's route advisor
Knowledge: Players know she sees more structure in the maze than the party fully understands.
Guide companion / sandwich provider
Accompanies Jonah through the blue portal and has the tuna sandwich Jonah shares with the dragonborn.
Status: Vala supports Jonah's alliance route
Knowledge: Players know her resources matter socially as well as mechanically.
Inventor guide / veteran maze survivor
Is freed by Jonah, explains she has been in Vithyrex's Maze many times, distrusts Vithyrex's endless love-game structure, and upgrades Jonah's boots with heelies.
Status: Vala enters as knowledgeable maze guide
Knowledge: Players know she connects the maze to the Benevolent Lodge of Mystery.
Related Story Posts
Session Log / Meta / Vithyrex Maze opening / Session continuity
Act 5 Episode 4 Session Notes
2026-02-15 / Session continuity
Recap StoryCurrent CampaignRecorded 2026-02-15 / approx. 2100 M.B.
This session begins the Vithyrex Maze proper: the party explores trap-heavy corridors, finds boon books and romantic magic items, meets Aizan, discovers the roaming eye hazard, is split by maze effects, and learns that four missing heart segments are required to open the purple exit portal.
CardinalFoulcrumLamiaMaineVic VaurrAuthorBraska the RedDrowPodon Xopip Kelbar LokasThe EyeTiny TimToolboxVoiling General0 likes
Act 5, Episode 4, Scene 16
Vala Has Been Through This Maze Before
2026-02-19 / Trap room / maze corridors
Recap StoryCurrent Campaign2100 M.B. / recorded 2026-02-19
Jonah frees Vala Gearsprocket, a veteran of Vithyrex's Maze who connects the Mystery Machine tokens to the Benevolent Lodge of Mystery.
CardinalThe EyeToolbox0 likes
Act 5, Episode 4, Scene 17
The First Heart Piece Comes From Renfield
2026-02-19 / Upper maze corridors
Recap StoryCurrent Campaign2100 M.B. / recorded 2026-02-19
Maine finds Renfield Hoek's corpse, the first confirmed heart piece, and the dangerous Flame of the Last Vow pendant.
CardinalFoulcrumLamiaMaineVic VaurrRenfield HoekToolbox0 likes
Act 5, Episode 4, Scene 19
The maze produced more boon-book and reward results
2026-02-19 / Vithyrex Maze
Recap StoryCurrent CampaignRecorded 2026-02-19 / approx. 2100 M.B.
The maze produced more boon-book and reward results: Maine found The Chapel of Open Wounds, Vic found The Last Love War, and chests produced Mystery Machine tokens, gold, and random utility items such as a Gremlin Snare Kit.
CardinalFoulcrumLamiaMaineVic VaurrThe EyeToolbox0 likes
Session Log / Meta / Vithyrex Maze consistency correction / Session continuity
Act 5 Episode 4 Session Notes
2026-02-19 / Session continuity
Recap StoryCurrent CampaignRecorded 2026-02-19 / approx. 2100 M.B.
This corrected 02/19 session continues the Vithyrex Maze rather than the later Enemy/Gravenhurst fallout. The party remains split, pursues four heart pieces, meets Vic Vaurr and Vala Gearsprocket, learns Braska lost a heart piece to a minotaur, confirms one heart piece from a dead gnome, and ends mid-combat with a cyclops after Morgan’s first Corpse Explosion.
CardinalFoulcrumLamiaMaineVic VaurrAuthorBraska the RedDrowPodon Xopip Kelbar LokasTiny TimToolboxVoiling General0 likes
Act 5, Episode 4, Scene 20
The Cyclops Shows the Maze Can Break
2026-02-26 / Vithyrex Maze upper corridors
Recap StoryCurrent Campaign2100 M.B. / recorded 2026-02-26
The cyclops fight resumes, and Maine's Eldritch Blast reveals that the maze walls can break and hide secret boons.
CardinalFoulcrumLamiaMaineVic VaurrToolbox0 likes
Showing 6 of 18 linked story pages. Use the Session Appearances timeline above for the broader appearance history.
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Linked Pages
story
Act 5 Episode 4 Session Notes
This session begins the Vithyrex Maze proper: the party explores trap-heavy corridors, finds boon books and romantic magic items, meets Aizan, discovers the roaming eye hazard, is split by maze effects, and learns that four missing heart segments are required to open the purple exit portal.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 16: Vala Has Been Through This Maze Before
Jonah frees Vala Gearsprocket, a veteran of Vithyrex's Maze who connects the Mystery Machine tokens to the Benevolent Lodge of Mystery.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 17: The First Heart Piece Comes From Renfield
Maine finds Renfield Hoek's corpse, the first confirmed heart piece, and the dangerous Flame of the Last Vow pendant.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 19: The maze produced more boon-book and reward results
The maze produced more boon-book and reward results: Maine found The Chapel of Open Wounds, Vic found The Last Love War, and chests produced Mystery Machine tokens, gold, and random utility items such as a Gremlin Snare Kit.
storyAct 5 Episode 4 Session Notes
This corrected 02/19 session continues the Vithyrex Maze rather than the later Enemy/Gravenhurst fallout. The party remains split, pursues four heart pieces, meets Vic Vaurr and Vala Gearsprocket, learns Braska lost a heart piece to a minotaur, confirms one heart piece from a dead gnome, and ends mid-combat with a cyclops after Morgan’s first Corpse Explosion.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 20: The Cyclops Shows the Maze Can Break
The cyclops fight resumes, and Maine's Eldritch Blast reveals that the maze walls can break and hide secret boons.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 24: Jonah Feeds the Dragonborn
Jonah and Vala use a blue portal, meet two hungry dragonborn, and form a temporary alliance around food and a claimed heart piece.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 26: Two Heart Pieces, Two Sides
Arthur claims a heart piece and asks Maine for help, while Jonah's dragonborn allies claim another and ask for protection from Arthur.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 29: Jonah Drops the Cyclops in the Wall Gap
Jonah and his dragonborn allies finish the cyclops, leaving the group with momentum and a claimed heart piece.
storyAct 5 Episode 4 Session Notes
This corrected 02/26 session continues the Vithyrex Maze from the cyclops cliffhanger. It adds wall-breaking maze navigation, Vic’s mirror-dagger trial and Dagger of Hunger, Timonos Truthstriker’s direct entrance, Timonos Truthstriker’s Journal from Ignotus, Jonah’s alliance with dragonborn carrying a heart piece, Arthur’s return as a Maine-variant, and the end-state split between Arthur’s heart piece and the dragonborn heart piece.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 30: The Maze Becomes a Pressure Cooker
The 03/05 session resumes inside Vithyrex's Maze with every faction still active and initiative rerolled.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 34: Jonah Gives Valbrant a Cardinal
Jonah names his dragonborn allies Helga Wingkin and Valbrant and turns the maze walk into a conversation about wishes, Djeebus, and creation.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 35: Podon Is Alive in a Cell
Jonah and Vala find Podon Xopip Kelbar Lokas alive, weak, and trapped in a maze cell.
storyAct 5 Episode 4 Session Notes
This session continues the Vithyrex Maze with all factions active: Ash and Maine aid Arthur against dragonborn and Castro, Vic and Morgan fight Timonos Truthstriker, Jonah builds a small party with Vala, Helga Wingkin, Valbrant, and Podon Xopip Kelbar Lokas, Ash is displaced to Drow’s cell block, Morgan wins a Vithyrex temptation and gains both a heart piece and Dragon Claw, while Granny loses another heart piece by choosing a severed arm.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 43: Vic Drives the Shapeshifter Into the Wall
Vic fights a color-shifting shapeshifter and uses murderball instincts to slam it through the maze walls.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 44: Arthur Turns the Safe Room Into an Answer Room
Maine brings Arthur into the safe room, where Arthur recognizes Vala and begins answering questions about MAI, Malevolus Krane, Castro, and the maze.
storyAct 5, Episode 4, Scene 51: The Portal Chooses Bones's Cemetery
The repaired portal carries the escape crowd out of Vithyrex's Maze, but collective intent sends them to Bones's cemetery instead of VQU.
storyAct 5 Episode 4 Session Notes
This session completes the Vithyrex Maze escape and corrects prior blended summaries: Arthur gives the major MAI/Malevolus Krane/Castro exposition in the safe room, Maine reads Timonos Truthstriker’s Journal, Morgan ignores Jeff and rejoins, Ash suffers permanent max HP loss after Timonos Truthstriker crashes through, Vic escapes by ramming through a wall, and the mass portal deposits everyone at Bones’s cemetery.
locationInner Geistatts
Inner Geistatts names the deeper small-town belt of Drakthar's haunted interior: ghost towns, scams, odd crimes, desolate farms, and things pretending to be ordinary.
GM / Spoiler Notes
Hidden until revealed.