The Planewalkers' Journies

[Justice Augustus]

Lux stepped forward. "Well thank you, it's so refreshing to meet kind people on the road. But I was hoping that you might be able to help us on our way. We are in this area to seek and explore a tower of ice. Have you seen or heard of such a place?"

[Idran1701]

Thesset's house

"Ah, of course, you mentioned that earlier I believe? You are quite near to it, perhaps a mere 2 or 3 hours travel. Continue heading in the direction you were, and you should find it soon enough. It shifts around like most everything else in this plane, but people tend to reach their destinations more often than not when traveling here. Still, though, even if it is unnecessary, I still wish you luck on your trip. May Stronmaus watch over you, and fill your souls with glee in your travels."

[Justice Augustus]

Lux bowed deep, sweeping his hat before himself. "Sir, it is a shame that more people do not know of the generosity and kindness of your kin. You honour us with your actions, and when we return to our homelands we will spread your actions through our words. My only wish is that we had some gift to exchange with you. Perhaps, one day, our paths will cross again and we may be able to repay your kindness."

[Idran1701]

Thesset's house

The giant grins and replies, "Perhaps. You are all always welcome here if the time comes."

And with no further words, he bids them goodbye and the party departs, once more on their way.

---

Raging Mists

Leaving Thesset's house behind, the six swim off through the steam. The sparkles around them grow ever stronger as they press on, though the mist itself grows thinner. Thinning and thinning, before long it is as if they swim in a void of white filled with specks of light, constantly shifting colors. Swimming along, they feel energized, the nearness of the plane of positive energy, of pure life itself, showing its first effects on them. And though the plane presents a lovely enough sight, an even lovelier one makes its appearance shortly after.

In the distance, the very substance of the plane seems to waver as the source of the glow shows itself. Shining on them, the border with the adjoining plane stands in all its glory, a wall of purity and liveliness stretching on endlessly above and below, to the left and the right. And between them and the transition, they spy a thin blue line, growing ever thicker. All their work has paid off. In another few minutes' travel, they will have reached the Tower of Ice.

[Jak Snide]

Zant was heartened by the sight of their destination, keeping at the front of the group and trying to pick out more details.

[NebulaQueen]

Anne's jaw dropped when she saw the tower, and rushed to join Zant at the front. Saying this place was beautiful was like calling a raging brush fire hot; it might be true, but it was understated, to say the least. If only she had a way to keep the image forever, just as it was.

Oh well. At least she'd have memories, not to mention a great story to tell.

[Idran1701]

Raging Mists

Zant swims to point with Anne alongside, eyes open as he looks over the structure. Unfortunately for the genasi, the glow of the wall glints off the material of the silent tower, blurring his vision and rendering any more detail than a general idea of the area impossible.

Anne has better luck, seeing more detail in the ever-nearing landmark. She can make out details in the design, subtle marks that show it was definitely constructed. It's not perfect, but it's close to it to be sure. Whoever did create this building, they were certainly a collection of master craftsmen. Further, besides them, the area seems empty to her. They look to be the only ones around the area for miles in any direction.

Zant's perception check failed with a 4, unfortunately, but Anne's succeeded with a 22.

And also, I'd forgotten to post XP for the event at Thesset's. 200 XP for all for rescuing Quizzy without incident. 100 bonus to Joss for making things much easier than I was expecting, 100 bonus to Lux for his interactions with Thesset, and 100 bonus to Shawn for her reaction and back story revelation in spite of it impeding her ability to take part.

[Seethe]

Rosalyn was no less impressed than anyone else upon seeing the sight of both the tower and the shining background. With the energy she was gaining from the nearby border of planes and the excitement of having their goal in sight, she felt like dashing straight off at full speed towards the tower. However, prudence won over, as she didn't know what awaited inside.

"Maybe we should get into some kind of formation now," she suggested. "Not rush in as a random clump, you know? Leader?"

She looked towards Shawn to see if the girl agreed and, if so, if she meant to give out the orders now and arrange said formation.

[Shinigori V2]

Shawn nodded. "Lux and Rosalyn up first, Anna in the back, everyone else somewhere in the middle."

Having the more experianced and knowledgeable actual combatants up front, along with their...Marksman? in back would definitely help if something nasty awaited them.

Plus, it would give Lux a chance to show off.

[Justice Augustus]

Adjusting his hat to make sure it was on firmly, Lux willed himself forward to the head of the group and to the right of Rosalyn. As he moved he drew his rapier, although he kept the point aimed down. His eyes were a bedlam of action, twitching this way and that while he tried to take in as much of the scene as he could. "Time to try and find an entrance, I suppose," mutters Lux, almost under his breath.

[Seethe]

Giving a nod of agreement, Rosalyn settled into her place to the left of Lux. But despite being on the front line, she still drew her bow instead of her longsword. Dashing straight into melee just didn't fit her philosophy.

Hearing Lux muttering about an entrance, she focused on the tower as she moved towards it, also looking for any sign of a way in.

[Jak Snide]

Zant contemplated remaining at the front of the group but thought the better of it, swimming back to the others and taking up a position roughly in the middle of them.

"It appears that we are alone, though I suspect the tower has means of observation."

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

The party moves forward under Shawn's marching order, reaching the building shortly. No chill radiates from it as might be expected, though; for ice, it's strangely warm, just barely colder than the air about them. Barely translucent, too - they can see there is an inside to it, but the walls are much too thick to see what exactly is within. However, there is one thing they can say for sure. There's no motion within, no light beyond that given off by the nearby wall, nothing that even hints at inhabitants. To all appearances, with respect to life, it seems to be entirely empty.

And so the party begins slowly skirting along its length, looking for any sign of a way to enter. Fully 75 feet long, it's a long trip, but a fast one. Spiraling down it, they look for any sign of a door, a window, even a crack. But nothing. Not the slightest sign of a way a person might gain entrance to its interior. People have done it in the past, that much is known...but the reason for the rarity of such accomplishments is quickly apparent to the party. This is going to be trickier than they thought.

[Justice Augustus]

"I feel as if I'm missing an obvious flaw in this idea, but would it not be possible to melt our way in?" Lux asks, turning back to the rest of the group.

[NebulaQueen]

As peaceful and serene as the tower looked, it didn't stop Anne from pulling out her pistols. She knew all too well that looks could be deceiving.

"And maybe," she replied. "But that's sorta like goin' to a normal tower, and takin' a sledgehammer to the bricks. Maybe there's some other way?"

[Justice Augustus]

"Let's check the ends in particular. If I was going to have a single access point, I'd have it directly on the ends." Lux shrugged. He was guessing, but that was all he could do at this point.

[Jak Snide]

Zant looked over the tower, pondering what the others were most likely pondering themselves. He took a moment to offer a prayer up to Istishia for a blessing, knowing that there had to be a means of entering the structure.

(Detect Magic, wants to see if there are any magical means of entering the tower. Failing that he'll try using his Portal Sense.)

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

As Zant examines the tower in more detail, peering over its form through eyes of detection, Lux investigates the nearest end of the tower. Anne draws her weapons, staying watchful for attackers that may be lurking about, as the priest makes another transit along the building. Zant's spells and abilities don't detect any sort of portal along its length, unfortunately, although he does detect a glow of magic emitting from the entire body. Not enough to overpower him, but quite strong. And something familiar about it as well...

Meanwhile, Lux has a bit more luck. At the end of the tower, though he finds no entry, he does find a circle embossed into the surface. About the size of a small entrance-way, it doesn't give at his press at all. And yet, it's the first interruption in the surface any of them has seen yet. In some way, it must be relevant, he's sure of it.

Lux:

Spoiler:

He can't seem to get it to move in the slightest, no matter how much effort he applies to it.

Zant:

Spoiler:

He can feel something about this building. It's not ice, but water. Solid water, but not frozen. Held together by positive energy, protected by it, empowered by it. It's not a Tower of Ice at all, despite its appearance...it's a Tower of Steam.

[Jak Snide]

Zant found himself taking a step back, looking a little shocked.

"It's not ice..." he muttered, his penchant elaborate phrasing forgotten for the moment. "Steam. It is steam made solid, and seemingly tactile as well. The energies of the Positive Plane have been utilised in this task."

[Justice Augustus]

Lux looked up at him. "Interesting, and look here. There is a shape here, under the ic...steam. Perhaps the markings of a doorway?" Lux stands stroking his chin for a moment, trying to figure out how they can use their new information. "Positive is opposed to negative, this is fact. Positive changes the steam from a gaseous state into that of solid matter. Perhaps by applying negative energy to the tower, we can revert the steam back to a less opaque form? By the looks of this, it would take a tremendous amount of negative energy to totally destroy the tower, but perhaps we can forge a portal, just long enough for us to pass through. Zant, as one with a divine touch, perhaps you would know more of chaneling such a force?"

[Jak Snide]

Zant frowned and crossed his arms. "Istishia is a font of life, his waters sustaining all that exists. Such...energies are in opposition of his divinity."

[Kai]

Joss, having done his job in retrieving the enormous housepet, left the formalities to the others. He was no diplomat. A simple fighting man, that was Joss. Comfortable with everyone from royalty to servants and housepets, a straightforward manner was more his style than the polished courtly manners such situations called for. Lux was much better suited, and could definitely be trusted with such things.

When they reached the borderlands, Joss couldn't help but savor their nearness to the positive energy plane. He wasn't any better suited to weather its hazards than anyone else, but something in him just... felt good. Probably something from his father's side. Falling in with the others, he peeked around the taller people ahead of him to keep trying to get a better look at the tower. How could something so beautiful be so potentially dangerous?

Just goes to show that everybody likes some of the same stuff, Joss reasoned. Even mephits at war like to have something pretty to look at.

Zant's explanation made this still more startling. What did he mean "not ice?" Solid water was ice! That's just how it worked. You wanted it solid you had to get it cold, and then it was ice. Joss scratched his head. "Huh. That's pretty neat. I wonder what else you could build that way..."

The idea of introducing negative energy to pull things apart to some extent made at least as much sense as the construction of this tower in the first place. Unfortunately, such finesse wasn't Joss' specialty. "Yeah, I don't have anything right now that can do that." Somewhat dismayed that he couldn't help here, he shrugged self-consciously. "Anyone else?"

[Seethe]

Rosalyn was really at a loss for what to do next. That impression was the only thing she'd seen that seemed to present any possible way in, and it apparently wasn't going to open very easily.

"Maybe we should check the other end?" she suggested.

[Shinigori V2]

Shawn nodded. "Let's do a full circle, before trying something silly."

She could definitely get in, one way or another. It was everyone else she was worried about.

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

Making another round about the tower, paying special attention to the far endpoint, the party sees no other sign of anything which might even hint at an entrance. Whatever the form of entry is, if it isn't the circle found by Lux, it must not involve a doorway at all. The tower glistens silently, mockingly, as the party floats before it, almost waiting for them to give up and abandon their goal. This building isn't going to give up its secrets easily.

Joss, Lux:

Spoiler:

The basic idea seems sound enough; positive holds it together, so negative should open it up. But the lack of a source for negative energy is an issue...perhaps not seeking pure negative energy?

Zant:

Spoiler:

It's unlikely any without a connection to Istishia or a similar lord of the waves could have discovered this isn't true ice. Perhaps an answer lies there?

[Jak Snide]

Zant stood silently for a minute, turning the matter of how to gain entry over in his head. Then he threw caution to the tides, muttered a quick prayer to his lord and stepped forward to touch the wall of false-ice.

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

Moving forward, Zant appraises the tower. And with a beseechment for aid from Istishia, he reaches his hand to the wall of the tower. It feels wet, wetter than true ice and just a bit less slick, though no softer or more easily permeable. Only the slightest chill comes up from the wall's surface, closer to the dead of night than the dead of winter. And unfortunately, despite Zant's connection to the Water Lord, it refuses to reveal its secrets to him as insistently as to the rest of the group.

Testing it further, he runs his fingers along the length of the ring surrounding the circle, finding it somewhat rough, not smooth as the rest of the tower appears to be. Within the ring, there's something grainy to the touch along the bottom as well.

To clear up some confusion about what exactly this circle looks like:

Example view

The circle is level with the rest of the tower's surface. There's a thin ring-shaped indentation between the circle and the rest of the tower wall, about a finger's-width in span and only about an inch deep or so.

[Jak Snide]

It had to be the circle, he thought. He was pretty sure everyone else knew as well. The trick was figuring out what the grainy substance was. Wait...wasn't this tower rumored to be tied into alchemy?

"Does anyone here possess experience with alchemical substances?" he asked the others.

[Idran1701]

Just making a post of bumping, as well as encouragement. This may seem like an insurmountable obstacle at the moment, but I assure you, your group has all the knowledge and resources necessary to solve this conundrum. It might take a bit of thinking, but I'm sure you can do it. Good luck!

[Jak Snide]

Zant looked around at the others.

"No one?" he asked, doing his best not to look disheartened. "Perhaps we should simply try melting the barrier?"

[Justice Augustus]

"Unfortunately I have no source of fire about my person, did anyone bring a torch or flint and steel?"

[Seethe]

"I don't have a torch," Rosalyn answered. "I brought a lantern. And I've got some oil, and flint and steel to go with it."

Rummaging through her belongings, she brought out those items to display.

[Jak Snide]

"Most excellent. Would you care to try your hand at melting the 'ice,' Rosalyn?"

While this would hopefully lead them inside Zant had no desire to experiment with fire himself. He suspected Istishia wouldn't be too happy if he did unless it was absolutely necessary.

[Kai]

Joss watched as the adults talked amongst themselves over what should be done about this tower. He didn't really have much by way of controllable and delicate fire, which was a shame. So much of what he did for fun was all about controlling fire, but something told him that setting up an impromptu glassblowing workshop was not going to be an efficient solution to their problems.

"If you need... um. More fire than that," Joss offered, tentatively raising one hand. "I can help. I just don't really want to go blasting things if we're not sure it's gonna work. But hey!" He quickly mustered his familiar bravado. "Let me know if that'll be helpful."

[Seethe]

Giving a nod to Zant, Rosalyn poured some of her oil out onto the surface of the tower. It was just a small amount for now, enough to see if it would have any effect without being too wasteful if it didn't.

"I guess we'll need to see how well this works first," she answered Joss.

Taking up her flint and steel, she set about igniting the oil.

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

Though it's a bit awkward with the odd gravity on this plane, Rosalyn manages to create a thin sheet of oil on a small segment of the tower. And with a spark from her tools, the oil lights. The flame is dull, suppressed by the natural conditions that surround them, but it does burn for a bit, until the oil is consumed. Afterwards, though, there seems to be no impact on the tower. Not even a mark is left by the short-lived flame, nor is the surface even warm to the touch.

No, the solution to entry must be something more hidden. This building continues to confound the party, so far resisting every attempt at entry. And yet, they know something most who would try to enter do not. Thanks to Zant's insight, they know it is not a creation of the element of Ice, but of Steam. The clue must lie there, for it is in this knowledge that they are separated from most travelers to come across this spot.

Countering Steam, opposing it...something itches at the minds of the party about this. But what?

[Seethe]

Rosalyn was fairly disappointed that the fire didn't work, but not really surprised. It was made of steam, after all, not ice.

Both steam and ice were forms of water, though. Water becomes steam through heat, and ice through cold. With that thought, something suddenly occured to her.

"Melting ice is like turning it into water, right?" she thought aloud. "But it's actually steam we're trying to get through. And to turn steam into water, maybe... we should use cold?"

[Jak Snide]

Zant scratched the back of his head, unsure where the notion came from, but now thinking beyond what he saw before him. He wasn't versed in the exact structure of the planes, but a thought occurred to him; if water and fire lay in opposition with each other then perhaps something lay in opposition of steam.

"What is the antithesis of steam?" he asked aloud.

[Justice Augustus]

"Steam is airborne water. Therefore - if we assume that the commonly-held opinion of opposing elemental forces is correct and ignore current Amnian research suggesting that these forces are mere generalizations and that true elements would be far more specific and numerous - the opposing force would be earthborne fire. Or rather fire turned into a more solid form. Er...magma?" Lux wrings his hands, shaking his head.

"I can't help feeling that I'm overthinking this somewhat. Perhaps a more abstract approach, a metaphorical glimpse if you will, would be more suitable." He brushes his hand in the small indent between the circle and the rest of the tower. "This strange substance must be some sort of clue, it is almost like...some sort of residue...following an experiment. The sediment at the bottom of the beaker when the majority has evaporated..."

Lux's eyes flash with excitement. "Hypothesis! What we have found here may be the result of someone else opening the tower. They may have performed a ritual of sorts that involved a grainy substance. Further hypothesis! The key to opening the tower may be to spread a solid substance over the circle." He looked up at the others. "Well it's worth a try. Anyone got any soil about their person? Or perhaps I can fashion a substitute."

And without any further perceptible talking (although he continues to mutter under his breath) Lux pulls out one of the pieces of bread that Thesset had given to them, and begins to rip it into small crumbs in his hands, then scatters these crumbs all over the circle in the steam-ice.

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

Crumbling some bread, Lux spreads it over the surface. And though it succeeds in getting soggy crumbs over the tower, nothing else happens. But he can't help but feel that he's so close to the answer. But the grainy substance...what...