The Planewalkers' Journies

[Justice Augustus]

Grainy...
Water...
Positive...
Fire...
Negative...
Soil...

"When fire dies...it becomes...ash." Lux pulls out a few sheets of paper. "Bring the fire."

[Seethe]

The talk had already gone over Rosalyn's head. Not much of an academic, she was rather lost as far as elemental structures and whatnot where concerned.

Thinking she would probably be a bit useless for a while, and starting to feel a bit hungry, she opened her pack and dug out some of her rations. Not too much, just a piece of jerky for now.

Then, remembering the advice she'd been given about how food tended to lose its flavor on this plane, she took out one of the packets of salt she'd bought and shook some out over the jerky before starting to eat it.

[Justice Augustus]

"Rosalyn," Lux says, his eyes almost popping out his skull with the curiosity that was driving him, "pass me your flint and steel. I think we're about to crack this lock."

[Kai]

Lux seemed so close, and it was really really neat to hear him rambling on about all this. It was nice that people like him could just... do nothing but study how stuff worked. Joss was a bright child, which meant that he was even more impressed when he met someone who knew more than he did. As far as he was concerned it was something of a feat to accomplish.

Still. He wished he could help. There just didn't seem to be anything that he could add now th--

What's that she's got?

"Hey, Rosalyn? In case the ash doesn't work. Could you hand him some salt just to see what happens? I know it's expensive, but..." He shrugged. "I mean, I could pay you back if it doesn't work." Not that he really could. But he'd find a way. Seemed like an honorable offer to make. "Seems worth a try."

[Seethe]

"Oh... uh, okay," Rosalyn stammered, surprised at suddenly having two people asking her for things.

Picking the flint and steel back up, she held it out for Lux. At the same time, she grabbed a few more packets of salt out of her pack for Joss.

"Oh, that's right," Rosalyn recalled. "That woman backat the steamship dock said something about salt being opposed to steam, didn't she?"

That had, in fact, seemed like a big deal to Rosalyn at the time, though her concern had been over the health effects exposure to the plane would have on people. But since it hadn't seemed like that concern was well-warranted, she'd nearly forgotten about it in the three days since.

[Justice Augustus]

Lux immediately began striking the flint and steel together, a frantic energy about him. As soon as he had lit his small stack of papers he placed them in the middle of the circle. Watching them burn he started to spread the ash about with the point of his rapier, trying to achieve a high surface area.

[NebulaQueen]

Anne shrugs, and says, "The only thing I can think of is a whole lotta wind. I mean, when there's a whole buncha steam in the room, you open a window or try an' wave it away, right? I don't think that's gonna work here, though."

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

Lighting the flame, Lux waits for the paper to burn down to nothing but ash, rapier ready to spread the remains about. Soon, the flames flicker out, and he begins his work, as a just barely audible hiss issues forth from the wall of the tower. The hiss grows ever louder in tone as Lux wipes the ash across the surface, the first sound of reaction of any sort from the tower - a good sign, it seems.

Then it explodes.

At least, that's what it seems to have done at first, with a flash of light and a sudden blast pushing all from the doorway. The surface of the tower is left pockmarked where the ash contacted it, although it seems to be slowly recovering its form. Those gathered around the circle all find themselves a little dazed and a little soot-stained, though thankfully unharmed. Even Lux's rapier, as close as it was, survived...whatever happened, though that soot's going to have to be cleaned off.

Joss is the next to try, taking Rosalyn's salt and making a second attempt. This...seems to be going better, as the circle begins to glow with contact from the white powder. Pouring it about, it reacts with the wall in its own way, and they can hear a bubbling nearby, from inside the tower. And before long, the circle seems to melt, releasing a light spray of mist over those closest to it - not enough to soak, but enough to make them a bit moist.

And finally, after much thought and much experimentation, the tower lies open to them. Just beyond the circle stands an entry room, devoid of furniture but lit up by the nearby Positive Energy Plane, diffusing through the tower and giving everything within a lively glow. Beyond the room, a hallway is open. and through there other rooms can be seen branching off in all directions; it seems to have been built with a single direction of gravity in mind, which the party can easily orient themselves to. The interior seems as quiet as the exterior, and clear of mist as well, letting them see down the entire length. From all appearances, utterly inhabited, without the sign of a single soul to be seen besides themselves.

It looks like they've got a bit more exploring to do.

Lux:

Spoiler:

From what you can gather, you were veryclose with your theory. But mixing Ash (fire/negative) with Steam (water/positive) left nothing to hold the power of the two energies mixing. By instead using Salt (water/negative), the energy could be metered by Water and channeled by the tower itself to open the way.

Zant:

Spoiler:

You're starting to wonder if maybe that info you got from "a friend of a friend" about this being an ice mephit war base might have been a bit...inaccurate. But that aside, you can sense the power of this building when you enter, the entire structure thrumming through your spirit with Water, as well as the pure strength of creation that Positive embodies.

[Seethe]

Rosalyn was now glad she had bought as much salt as she had. Good thing she'd overestimated the length of the trip...

Maintaining the previously established marching order, Rosalyn put her stuff away and headed into the tower. The first room looked bare, so she continued onward to peek down the hallway ahead.

[Jak Snide]

Zant took his first steps inside the tower, his hair rippling visibly as he felt the power of the place flow through him. He wondered what this place truly was, given that what he'd heard about it before seemed to be off. He also found himself wondering what anyone who lived her would think of six armed intruders in their home.

[Justice Augustus]

Rapier at the ready, Lux oriented himself quickly in the nature intended by the architect of this place, and quick-stepped up to Rosalyn, attempting to maintain his position.

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

As the six enter the tower, the doorway begins to close behind them, slowly regrowing itself. A similar circle looks to stand around the inner surface, so if nothing else, they shouldn't have much worry about being sealed in. Thus, turning their attention ahead, they begin investigating the interior. It's dead silent within the building, with nothing but the sounds of the party echoing along the tower's length. Along the hallway, various rooms stand; workrooms mostly, it appears, with desks, chairs, tables, and empty shelves all made of the same material as the rest of the tower. Near the middle of the hallway, a pair of stairs stand leading above and below this floor.

Continuing their exploration to the other stories, they find similar results. The lower floor looks to be the residence hall, with beds made of actual material, perfectly preserved and apparently untouched after however long they've been here. What looks to be an empty larder at one end, next to what can only be a kitchen - by far, the oddest site so far has to be a cook stove made of "ice". At the other end, more workrooms; whoever might once have dwelled here, they must have filled this place to the brim.

As for the upper story...it's a single, vast room, the full length of the tower. Portions of the walls here are more transparent than others, letting the stark, powerful light of the plane float through only somewhat filtered. On the other side, the "windows" face the vastness of the plane, though some quality about them allows the party to see straight through the mist without removing it from sight. It's there...but somehow, it doesn't obstruct their view. They can just make out Thesset's cabin, and a few other dots in the plane as well. The infinitude of Mist stands clear to them, overwhelming for some, wondrous for others.

Joss, Zant, Lux:

Spoiler:

You can feel the creative energies of the Tower passing through your bodies, giving you abilities you haven't yet begun to study. In mechanics terms, while within its walls, you can create items as if you possessed the Brew Potion feat, and you can make Craft(Alchemy) checks as if trained at a +2 bonus.

Also, the Tower of Ice qualifies as a Planar Touchstone as described in the Planar Handbook. If someone decides to eventually take the Planar Touchstone feat with this location, I'll describe the specific results from that for the Tower then.

[Jak Snide]

Zant was not unfamiliar with the feeling the tower bestowed upon him. It reminded him of the time he'd first manifested the power of Istishia, much to the astonishment of himself and those around him. The sense of newfound power was overridden somewhat by his curiosity about the deserted nature of the tower. The equipment here alone must have cost a fortune, and the power of the tower itself suggested high magic in its crafting. Why, then, did it seem to be abandoned? Or were the inhabitants just temporarily absent?

"I wonder where those who call this tower their home are located?" he pondered aloud.

[Justice Augustus]

Having spent a lot of time living in a city, Lux was not comfortable around silence. But more appealing than nervousness was curiosity, and he found himself concerned about how this tower was calling out to him. Internally he wondered whether any of his companions were experiencing a similar sensation, but for now he bit his lip.

[Seethe]

After exploring the structure, Rosalyn found herself staring out of one of the windows on the upper floor in wonder at the sight of the Plane of Steam with the veil of mist taken away. One of the dots in the distance was Thesset's house. The others? She didn't know. As much as she wanted to, she probably wouldn't be able to visit all of them to find out.

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

"Gone. Long since gone."

The likely-unexpected answer to Zant's question echoes throughout the room, seemingly coming from all about them. A hiss rises from the wall, the floor - at first, it seems as if a breach has begun allowing the steam to leak in to the interior of the tower itself. But that's quickly proven false, as the gas pulls together, settling on the form of a thick cloud of gas, floating before them, darker in portions that almost suggest a face.

"Those that built the tower are long since departed. And your group is one of a small handful to have discovered the means of entry since. You have earned the right to use it as you wish. Welcome, travelers."

Sorry for the delay, finishing my degrees etc. etc.

[Jak Snide]

"Who are you?" Zant responded, words coming out a little more quickly than usual. "What is the story of this tower?"

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

"I am the Caretaker. I have been entrusted to the tower, to ensure it is kept safe and in good repair. I watch over it as I ever have, since its creation so many eons ago.

"The story, you ask? It's far less of a tale than you might expect. Long ago, soon after the shifting of the planes, this tower was crafted by those that wished to devote their energies to productive pursuits. Placed so near the border of the plane of pure Creation itself, this structure channels and focuses its energies through to those within, improving the skills of those that work here and allowing them to craft great liquids otherwise beyond their level of skill.

"For a great deal of time, it was an active center of production, with the potions, oils, and elixirs being sent out throughout the planes. Creativity and commerce thrived here for much time. Then, over the centuries, those that crafted the tower withdrew, leaving it abandoned, with I alone the only one left to care for it. But for a few occasional travelers such as yourself, it has been empty since."

[Justice Augustus]

Lux stepped forward, concern and curiosity melding together in his mind. "You said energies. Are there any other powers of this tower?"

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

"It does possess various qualities, minor in comparison, that one could naturally associate with such proximity to the plane of positive energy. A general energetic feeling, quickened healing, and the like. But if it possesses other powers on the scale of that which aids creativity, I am unaware. I have never taken advantage of this location, merely watched over it. Perhaps it does, perhaps not."

[Kai]

Joss found himself somewhat at a loss, since they came to investigate some potential military outpost that seemed at the time to be part of a grinding unending ethnic war. Turns out it was uninhabited, and occupied by just one guy who evidently had the whole place under control.

In short: no one here needed rescuing or assisting in any way. Joss' destined charge had been accomplished for him, and all signs indicated he wasn't needed here. Still! It was best to be sure of such things.

"So you take care of everything, sir?" Joss asked. "What is there to do?"

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

"Even a structure such as this, built to survive the millennia, would slowly cease to function were there not someone to ensure it survives. The presence of the energies of pure creation about us certainly help to fight the eternal encroachment of entropy, but there still must be one to make the small repairs as necessary. A waning aura here, a gap in structure there. Were I not present, it would surely add up, and though it may survive the progress of time for centuries, perhaps more...eventually, it would discorporate, back to the steam from which it was formed."

The Caretaker seems to grow in size, as he speaks, much as the morning mists might roll in as the sun rises. His darkened face, as meaningful as it might be, continues to float near the party, motionless but for the natural flow of steam and appearing for all the world as nothing but a shadow falling on the cloud of vapors.

"And on rare occasion, my duties do fall to serving the needs of those that dwell within. Usually for a mere eye-blink, at most a few decades now and again. But when it occurs, I see to the needs of the occupants of the tower as best as I can, regardless of who they may be."

[Justice Augustus]

Lux really wasn't sure what to make of this turn of events. He felt almost deflated, the anti-climatic knowledge that there were no amazing secrets of lore to discover here was irksome at least. Yet a discovery was a discovery, and perhaps they could find someone who would benefit from such a location greatly (and fill their purses so they could fund further exploration). Then again, perhaps he himself could benefit from this place, and the powers he could feel it bestowing upon him. Too bad there was no annal of this place's history that he could devour. Then again, something the Caretaker had said to him was nagging at his mind.

"You said you had been here for centuries. Tell me, Caretaker, what do you know of the outside world? And what of those who built this tower? Who were they and where did they depart to?"

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

"Centuries? Far, far longer. Hundreds of millennia, I have long since lost count. And I am as well-connected through Steam as any of my kind, yes; I am not trapped in this place, but merely linked, able to arrive and depart as necessary to fulfill my duties, always aware of the Tower's needs. Being cut off from knowledge of the goings-on of this plane but be by far the greatest torture one could bestow upon a member of my race, and those that created this building would never stoop to such an act.

"As for the identity of these creators, they are long gone from Steam, their name but a distant, faded memory to me. I...do recall they were a splinter sect from a larger race, one which viewed positive energy wholly differently from their kin. The rest of their kind may have withdrawn to the nearby plane of energy...I have often assumed that was the case, but I have little interest in events outside this realm and have never bothered to investigate. And the sect itself slowly trickled down to nothing, as they died off over the passing of years, with few coming to replace them.

"Their legacy does live on, however - many a time I have heard the name of one of their creations spoken on this plane. The elixir of truth, the sovereign glue, the salve of slipperiness, these and many others each descend from creations first crafted here. While their name may be lost to the ages, their craft lives on as they had always wished."

[Shinigori V2]

The caretaker's words, as happy as Shawn was to let the others talk to him- After all, it was probably their first time seeing such a thing- finally stuck a chord at the thought of fewer and fewer of these beings existing until they were gone entirely.

She turned from what she was doing to face it. "And..How long ago was this, again?"


She might, in the end, have questions for this thing.

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

"Long, long ago. Before the Prime races had ever set foot within this plane, before the wars of Law and Chaos that ravaged the elemental lands. Hundreds of millennia, perhaps thousands; I have long since stopped keeping track. I had been aware for but a bare few centuries at the time when I was first approached, still adjusting to the new alignment of my home in the cosmos, when I was offered this duty. I agreed, and was magically linked. And as it survives, so too do I."

[Jak Snide]

"Which of the Powers were involved in the construction of this edifice?" the gensai asked. Surely a place such as this must have been backed by some divine being.

[Seethe]

Rosalyn found herself taking a back seat as the others spoke to the caretaker of the tower. She wasn't failing to pay attention, it was just that the others were doing a good enough job of asking questions, and she was more interested in hearing the answers.

One nagging question did spring into her mind, though, once she realized that their host's knowledge would extend beyond the tower.

"I suppose you know about the war among the mephits," she said. "So... do you know what started that? As big as this plane is, it looks like there should be enough room for all of them."

It seemed to her that knowing what had started that knowing what had started that mess might be the first step in finding out how to end it.

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

"The Powers hold little sway in this plane; there are none which choose to reside here, after all. None aided in this building's construction, it was the work of mortals alone. It is certainly an impressive structure, yes, but it is not a godly one. But do not hold this in offense, genasi; I can sense your connection to the Water Lord, and I am certain he greatly appreciates the creation of an edifice that stands for nothing more than the act of creation through water. It is one of his central tenets, is it not? He may not reside here, but we are still a plane of the flow.

"And the mephits...their war has gone on almost as long as I can remember. They each believe themselves the superior form of Steam. One, the hissing, boiling, scalding water that splashes about, expressing the qualities of both water and fire. The other, the gentle wisps, harmless in their own right, but hiding much from those that would seek to find it. The way things once were and the way they are now.

"When the mist mephits first arose, soon after the shifting of the Planes, I would have sworn that they would have wiped out the steam mephits within perhaps a millennia; that they were the natural progression of things upon the shifting of the plane. Yet the steam mephits have continued on, and I suppose I cannot fault them that. My kind are as much an expression of the old way of things as they are, and we are far from the only lifeforms in this plane to still express the long-since-abandoned qualities of Steam. Perhaps the mist mephits shall one day win out, perhaps the steam mephits shall. Or perhaps both races shall be locked in eternal struggle. I truly cannot say."

[Justice Augustus]

Lux was content, for the moment, to allow others to ask the questions. He had the main answer he had sought.

Millennia...think of it. The history this being cradles, and the possibilities it could contain within itself. There's many a book and a hoard of odes to be written from the vast depositories of information contained within this creature, but how to get to it, and where even to start? I do not have nearly the amount of paper here that I require, unless it can bring me paper or parchment. Yet something still irks me... Lux looks around at his fellows, and at the walls and ceiling of the tower. What is it...is it merely that this feels...too easy?

[Idran1701]

Tower of Ice

Many hours pass, and though some among the party may be content to speak with the Caretaker, for the rest the stay is interminable. It may be an impressive edifice, a powerful one, an ancient one, but beyond the steam quasielemental keeping it, it's also a very, very boring one. No creatures to fight, no more mysteries to investigate, nothing but exploring the place more, looking for any sign of something they might have missed on the first go-around. And in fact, there is some level of success found there - what looked at first to be merely a block of "ice" in one of the labs is quickly discovered to be instead a small cache of potions, each held in bottles of the same material. Unlabeled, but with that subtle shimmer of colors that only the results of true thaumaturgical alchemy can produce.

This brief spot of excitement is all to lighten the stay, however, and unfortunately, the time crunch of the Wisprunner impending return keeps even the spellcasters from getting full use of this spot. At least, not during this visit; in the future, perhaps.

But for now, the party is forced to say their farewells, leaving the Tower of Ice behind. And though there was little direct payoff from their discovery, the fact remains - they are among perhaps a few dozen at most in the whole of the multiverse to know its secrets. For some, a great reward in itself. And for the rest, at least they got some potions out of it.

Making their way back through the Raging Mists, out of the boundary region along the Positive Energy Plane, the six head out to meet up with their passage back. Another long, scenery-less voyage greets them over their swim, but eventually, just short of two hours' travel, they sight the break of a bow through the fog, and a fabere tethered just above it. The ship slows and stops, the crew spotting the travelers and waving them ahead as Zippy floats placidly above. In another week's travel, they'll finally be back at Adrift, and from there, home.


You all can go ahead and describe what you did for the ~6 hours or so at the Tower, and what you'll be doing over the course of the trip. If CI starts up among yourselves or with the crew, I'll keep things going, but otherwise, I'll make another skip over the trip.

[Justice Augustus]

Lux had spent his time writing down whatever choice tidbits of information he could glean from the entity, quills scrabbling furiously at the parchment until their volumous incessant scratching sounded in his ears like rain drumming on cobblestones. His method of questioning was haphazard, derailing his own train of thought with such frequency that his notes started to look like the rantings of a possessed prophet worshiping some dark, forgotten god. When he eventually had to tear himself away from the tower to make the rendezvous with Zippy and his passengers he does so with slight reluctance, but not complete resignation. As wonderful as this experience was, I am glad that this place did not hold the treasure I seek. I am starting to develop a taste for this life, and would have been greatly mollified to have reached a conclusion after such little experience. On their way to the ship, Lux joins in on any conversation, should there be one, but spends the rest of the time testing chords and humming to himself, with the occasional scribble.

(Taking 20 on a Gather Information check. I think that's the only mechanic activated in this event.)

[Seethe]

After the discovery of the potions, Rosalyn made a point of asking their host if he could tell them what kind they were. She then spent much of the rest of her time looking over the rest of the tower, searching through every last nook and cranny she could find. And on her breaks from doing that, she spent her time listening in on whatever the mist-person happened to be revealing to Lux at the moment.

As the trip back began, she spent a while reflecting on whatever she had heard from their host, and trying to get other people to fill in the rest.

(Taking 20 on a Perception check to search the tower, on the basis of "why not.")

[Jak Snide]

Zant had spent his time within the tower in meditation. The nature of this tower was in accord with the dogma of Istishia, as the keeper had pointed out. Perhaps that was why he had come here, he wondered to himself, subconsciously drawn to the Tower by it's nature. This was one thing he mulled over, along with how, and if, the Tower might be brought fully into the services of the Water Lord.

When they had been picked up by the Wisprunner he allowed himself a short respite. As the voyage continued he'd once again make himself useful to the crew of the ship. That was a condition of their discounted passage, after all.

[Idran1701]

Conclusion

Settling onto the deck of the Wisprunner, the party settles back into their temporary duties. The crew seems quite cheerful, their trip to Lightning having gone over quite well, leaving them with two crates of shocker lizard eggs to sell on both the culinary and exotic pet markets. Further, there doesn't seem to have been another encounter with Mist mephits since the first, nor do any further appear over the course of their journey back to Adrift. Even with work to do, their voyage is quite enjoyable - good conversation, entertaining past times, edible food. And in a mere 8 days, longer this time around thanks to the odd properties of planar geography, the party pulls back into dock at the floating city of steam. From there, finding their way back to the Staircase is a simple matter, and from there, a mere few hours' descent before returning to the headquarters of the Planewalkers' Guild once more. A journey well-done, now they can relax and rest up before the next trip to whatever corner of the planes they decide to fling themselves to next time around.

XP for the concluding section of the trip to Steam:

200 XP apiece to finding their way into the tower, with a bonus 100 XP to Rosalyn and Lux for logicing out the solution.

500 XP for completing this overall quest successfully.

Regular posting bonus this time around goes to Jak and Seethe; 200 bonus XP to both of you.

As for party swaps this time around, that's a matter I'm going to be going over in the OOC thread. For now, you folks are free to take care of whatever you want your characters to be doing in the Planewalker's Guild. You'll have as much downtime as your group ends up deciding on, from a day to a couple of weeks. And those of you with levels coming, get in touch with me and we'll take care of that together.

[Idran1701]

Planewalker's Guild

Days pass by in the Guild, with the travelers each taking care of their own matters. Joss heads off on his own way, with the others catching little sight of him over their stay.

As soon as she returns home, Anne's first destination is to the stables, to check on Lizzy. The deinonychus seems to be enjoying herself greatly, out in the open air on the other side of the stables' doorway. She's certainly not so happy that she doesn't notice Anne's return, however, trotting over and greeting her with a wet tongue to the face. Her concerns found unwarranted, Anne heads back out. Over the next few days, she catches up with some friends here in town. A few are out and about on their own trips, but the rest are glad to see her, and they excitedly exchange stories of their adventures, while Anne introduces her recent traveling companions around over the days. With days to relax and decompress, Anne has little to worry about but taking in the latest rumors, eventually picking up on an especially interesting one; word is that there's an abandoned minor realm in Carceri, a since-abandoned "summer home" as it were for Tethys, Titan of rivers and seas, ripe for the picking.

Zant spends his week about the same. Though still new, he's eager to make friends, and learn more of the Guild in the process. And it doesn't take long for him to find some allies. He's far from the only former native of the Inner Planes here, and the elemental descendants seem quite pleased to see another joining, quickly accepting him into their circle. The tale of his recent trip to Steam pulls them all in, as travels to the Elements are unfortunately quite uncommon compared to the much more popular Outer Planes. They pass to Zant tales of their own, of travels through Radiance, Earth, Ash, and even a brief, dangerous trip through the plane of Negative Energy. Many nights are spent with his new friends, and it's upon heading home from one such night that he encounters one he met only briefly before; the winged traveler Theller, out from his own late night.

The rest of you that haven't yet gotten to me about what you're doing, contact me when you can and let me know, and I'll similarly cover your own goings-on. And if anyone wants more details on one of these summaries, IM or PM me and I'll take care of it out of thread.

Meanwhile, here's what you all ended up taking from the trip to the Tower, now that folks have identified it all.

Those half-dozen potions revealed themselves to be the following: Two potions of gaseous form, one potion of water breathing, two potions of cure serious wounds, and one potion of levitate. In addition, before leaving, a last check over the tower by Rosalyn uncovered a large cache of shattered steam-material, the same stuff as the tower, sharp and well-suited for crafting into weapons. There's enough material for up to 20 pounds' worth of piercing or slashing weapons, and Lux's divinations show that not only would such weapons be well-suited for fighting beings of the Lower Planes (such weapons are considered good-aligned with regards to DR), but they would also be especially able to accept enchantments related to their nature (enchantments related to either positive energy or water can be placed on such weapons for x3/4 cost). They're also naturally masterwork, and in practice such weapons are half normal weight. (The 20 pounds still refers to the total unadjusted weight they have enough material for.)

Everyone, when you post, tell me which potion(s) if any you're claiming. If you want a weapon made out of this material, post what type and we can assume it's been crafted over the course of the week. Since you already have the material, any weapon made out of it will be a third the cost of a masterwork weapon of that type.

Edit: Zant claimed a shortspear, 17 pounds of material remaining.
Edit2: Small short sword for Shawn, 16 pounds left.

[Spleen]

Heading home one evening - "evening" being a term of convenience on the Staircase, and further confused by the fact that Theller's race is nocturnal on planes with cycles of day and night - Theller did indeed espy Zant going the same way as he. He hailed the blue figure with a wave and a "Hey, there!" and began to walk toward him, his wings furled comfortably behind.

[Idran1701]

Planewalker's Guild

While these two took care of their own matters over the last week, two of their friends were somewhat less social. Though not secluded, Rosalyn seems to have preferred to keep to herself, while offering her services as a bowyer to the other guild members. Though she doesn't get much of a draw for her skills, she does well enough at repair work for her one customer: Glindel Threnshar, a gnomish friend of Anne's and a fellow ranger recommended towards the warrior's business by her recent comrade-in-arms. Beyond this, most of Rosalyn's time is spent improving her own abilities, with little more than the occasional socializing. Her work for Threnshar does pay off in more than pure gold, though. Apparently, he'd recently heard of a group of researchers in Elysium that're willing to pay top coin for a large shipment of chaosmatter from Limbo. If someone can figure out a way to transport it, that is.

Similarly reclusive is Shawn, though somewhat surprisingly, she is a common sight at the Guild library over the next week. Studying on alchemy, she seems to be spending much of her free time there. Poring over various tomes on the matter, she's barely pulled away to greet Lux when he happens to make himself present. Today, though, there's a different guest. A small fellow, close to Shawn's height but with the proportions that show him to be merely one of the shorter races. Dressed in an outfit covered with various cloth pouches, each looking to be filled with some manner of something or another, and rampantly curious in his behavior, it's hard to ignore him, even when one is engrossed in studies.

Edit: With a bastard sword for Rosalyn and a new rapier for Lux, there's 8 pounds of steam-material left.

[Kelne]

Asperel Brighteyes had, over the past months, become something of a semi-regular feature of guild headquarters. Viewed by most of his fellow guild members as harmlessly eccentric, he had a tendency to chatter and tell tall tales.

On this particular occasion, he was returning a few library books. To the wrong library, it must be pointed out, but it was the thought that counted. Besides, the books hadn't been doing anybody any good in that musty old place. There couldn't have been more than a couple of visitors in the last century.

Having checked in the books, Asp went on to peruse the shelves in case anything caught his eye. However, he was soon distracted from this pursuit by the sight of someone else engrossed in study. Shawn would soon find somebody looking at her book from across the table, in an apparent effort to read it upside-down.

"What're you reading?" he asked curiously.

[Jak Snide]

Zant inclined his head forward in a greeting to the winged person. "How flows your river, friend?" he asked, recalling his last meeting with the raptoran. The gensai appeared to be in a good mood, the last week having proved to be an interesting one. Though not as interesting as the journey that preceded it, he had to admit.