The Planewalkers' Journies

[Kelne]

"Oh, of course!" Asp exclaimed, "Where are my manners? I'm Asperel Brighteyes, and this is Nora Ratsbane," he indicated the cat, who one would swear was rolling her eyes in a long-suffering fashion. "The shaping sounds like fun," he continued, "We should definitely try that."

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Walking About

Going to assume Rosalyn and Anne introduced themselves too and someone named Shawn, unless someone posts otherwise.

Traveling the winding stone paths that stretch across the city, the three are led by the guide to the contest platform, where a few candies and streamers still lie on the ground, not yet having faded out of existence. They can tell that Shawn's having some trouble standing upright, but she looks unhurt otherwise. Next to the platform, Misty stands calmly, barely noticing the goings-on about her, but instead, focusing her attention on trying to claim some of the loose treats for her own.

Now, anyone that wants to try their own hand at the contest can step up and make their own attempt. The actual rolls involved'll be handled outside the thread so it can all be done in a single post, same as Shawn's contest.

[Seethe]

Rosalyn, though interested in watching, was rather hesitant about participating in the shaping contest. She was just certain she would fail, and in front of so many people too. Better not to take the risk of looking bad. Even if it meant missing a chance to practice shaping, she just really didn't want to end up embarrassed this time.

Of course, her hesitation was based on more than just a lack of confidence. Her discipline was geared towards martial combat, and forcing her will mentally wasn't something she had experience with. On top of that, sometimes even socially well-adjusted eighteen-year-olds actually will feel angst. Who would have thought?

[Kelne]

"I'll go first," Asp announced cheerfully, making his way towards the contest platform. The possibility of failure wasn't one that unduly worried him. The only question that remained was what he was going to turn the chaos matter into. It might be a good idea to decide in advance. Spoons? Pancakes? Ribbons? Butterflies? Yes, that was it - butterflies. Everybody liked butterflies, right?

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Contest Platform

Stepping up to the platform, Asp decides to try his own luck. The ball of chaos matter is formed once more, and left to be handled by the githzerai and the kender. Reaching out with his mind, he finds it not...too different from spell shaping. It seems like it should be no trouble at all, in fact, and a quick initial success only hammers in that impression even further.

Then he begins to slip. His opponent begins gaining ground on Asp's control; for every bit Asp holds onto, he seems to take away twice as much. Though Asp does his best to fend off the manipulations, he just can't make up the ground. Soon enough, the sphere erupts into balls of colored light, flying off in all directions with no respect for gravity. His foe nods with respect, but it doesn't look like Asp is winning this day.

[Kelne]

Asp accepted his defeat with good grace, tossing a cheerful salute at his opponent before remembering himself and sketching one of the bows that were so popular here. When in Sanction and all that.

This done, he hopped down from the platform and headed back to the group, idly pocketing an interesting looking leaf along the way.

"Well, that was fun," he said, "Who's next?"

[NebulaQueen]

"Me."

Anne grinned, and strode up towards the platform, posture straight and head held high. When she reached the stage, she waved to the crowd, before turning to face the ball of mystical, magical, gunk. Shawn did a darn good job up there - time to see if she could do better.

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Contest Platform

Anne is next up, stepping to the platform as the goal of their shifting is once more pulled from the air. At the signal, she begins concentrating her will on the orb. Before long, it seems to almost slip to her mind's urges, and though she can feel the githzerai tugging it from her, she manages to keep a grip.

Both start out strong, grasping the surface of the sphere with their minds and slowly working their way inwards. They both continue their hold, keeping equal ground before her opponent manages to slip under her control, yanking a piece of chaos from her will. She regains ground quickly, taking the chance to shift her attention elsewhere in the sphere, enclosing her enemy's holdings quickly. Soon, she can feel his grasp fading, and before long, the contest is hers.

The sphere once more erupts, this time shooting dozens of sparkling lights up into the air. They reach a great height, almost fading from view before they erupt with thunderous bangs, sending sparks of color in all directions. Startling both Lizzie and Misty some, they both manage to keep control enough to avoid running in fear, and the children scattered about certainly seemed to enjoy the show. But that's not all to Anne's victory; left behind on the ground, floating carefully to the surface without spilling a bit, are three frozen treats arranged in a small triangle between the two.

Though victorious, Anne's mind feels exhausted from the effort, like she's been sleeping for days before this endeavor and has just woken up minutes ago. She can barely keep her legs supporting herself, and like Shawn, she very much feels like she could use a nice bed right about now. It's not an option right away, though, as her foe approaches the platform, handing her a satchel with the same contents as that offered to Shawn. "An impressive showing. Your friend admitted to having known the art of shaping in the past. May I assume you also know this skill?"

[Seethe]

Rosalyn may have been hesitant, but seeing two other people try the contest in front of her, did a lot to change her mind. It didn't look like losing would be that big of a deal anyway, and she might even have some chance of winning after all. So as Anne's turn concluded, Rosalyn moved up and prepared to go next.

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Contest Platform

"Ah, my apologies, it shall be a moment and we can continue our talk." Stepping away from Anne, the githzerai gives Rosalyn a nod as she steps onto the platform, and once more the contest begins.

Rosalyn focuses her mind on the sphere, but she can tell right from the start that she'll have her work cut out for her. What seems like otherwise would be a fairly simple task is instead taking every ounce of her concentration just to keep her opponent from pulling control away from her. But she tenaciously clings to the chaos matter with her mind, refusing to let it up.

She slowly makes a little progress, as does her opponent, but for the most part her will is focused on keeping the githzerai from making any ground. She slowly picks at his own control, eventually gaining a small edge over him on the mass. It's quickly wiped out, though, and she can feel that it's almost out of her grasp.

She redoubles her efforts, and with all her concentration, does what she can to pull it once more in her favor. She catches up to the githzerai, with both of them on the tipping point. Just a slight bit more on either side, and they'll win this round.

Finally, Rosalyn exerts a last bit of mental force, pulling the mass under her own control. The ball pulls itself into a mass of colorful, exotic feathers that scatter on the breeze, blowing all over. Almost a full minute has passed, the longest contest round by far, but she was able to come away from it with a win. As the feathers dance about in the air, the force of her exertion hits her all at once. She feels as if she hasn't slept in a week, and it's all she can do to keep her knees from buckling. But she's still won, receiving a satchel of her own as well. The githzerai once more approaches the party, speaking to both Anne and Rosalyn this time. "You have both made an impressive showing. I congratulate you both on your efforts today."

[Seethe]

So she had actually won, had she? It just seemed a little hard to believe, but it had happened. That just went to show that tenacity and a bit of luck (actually, a lot of luck) could overcome anything.

"Thank you," Rosalyn responded to the Githzerai, somehow managing to stay sufficiently awake to look respectful. She didn't have the energy to say much beyond that at the moment, though.

Of course, this was all well and good for Rosalyn, but her RPer wasn't going to win another game of Risk for the next two years.

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Contest Platform

While Rosalyn thanks the githzerai with words, Anne does with actions, handing one of the shaped desserts to him. Giving a second to Asp, she holds onto the third as she goes to calm Lizzie from her fireworks show. It takes a bit of soothing, but before long she's feeling all right once more.

With the contests complete, Fhelrys begins leading them through the looping roads once more. Shawn and Anne are lucky enough to have mounts they can rest on, but Rosalyn unfortunately doesn't have anything for herself; she's got to steel through her exhaustion for now. Thankfully for her, if no one else, their first stop is an inn with connected stable. Though the rooms aren't exactly cheap - 3 gold a night for each - Fhelrys assures them that they're worth the cost. And indeed, the rooms do seem to have all the amenities they might wish for: privacy and comfort being the two found least often back at the Guild. They even provide private bathing rooms with bottomless sources of warm water; one of the advantages of living in a plane such as Limbo.

There are still some hours until the recitation, according to their guide, so even those looking forward to attending have plenty of time to rest, research, explore the town on their own, start looking into sources for their job, or whatever else they might see fit to spend their time on. Meals are provided by the inn's staff, either in the dining room or in their own room as they wish. For the near future, their time is their own, and they may do what they wish with it.

For a reminder, the folks that won the contest each got a small satchel containing two items: A lanyard with a small copper medallion inscribed with an emblem that Fhelrys would identify as the symbol of the Anarch's Guild, and a piece of parchment with something in Githzerai written on it. You all also receive XP for trying. Including Asp, even if he wasn't as lucky as the rest of you. :D

100 XP for Asp for making a go at the contest, and 200 XP for Shawn, Rosalyn, and Anne for winning.

As for the rest of it, go ahead and describe what you're spending your time in the near future doing here. If you're resting, okay, but let me know how long and what you're doing when you're done too, so you don't fall behind or whatever. Fhelrys will be hanging around for a short spell while she grabs something to eat, longer if someone wants to keep her here and speak with her.

[Kelne]

Having lost the contest seemed to have one benefit at least - Asp wasn't the least bit tired. After investigating the many features of his room, he headed out to look around the town some more. Nora, having decided that she'd done enough walking for the day, curled up on the bed.

Somehow, Asp managed to gravitate towards the market. It was probably due to his feet. They could be relied upon to take him to such places. Asp made it a point to keep his hands clasped firmly behind his back, as they could be relied upon to do other things, and the merchants could be relied upon to get upset about those things. It was a very orderly system, really.

Still, it was probably alright to let his eyes rove where they would. People had always said to look but not touch, which was a bit unreasonable, but seemed to avoid difficulties all round.

[Shinigori V2]

At some point during the contest, Shawn wandered off again without a word.


Hopefully she'd show up again at some point.

[Seethe]

Being rather tired, after all, Rosalyn couldn't really see doing anything other than sleeping. While she was quite proud of winning the contest and didn't regret it in the least, it had still more-or-less ruined her plans for the day. Not that it mattered, though, as she hadn't really planned on anything that she couldn't put off until the next day. She would still try to get up in time for the recitation, of course. She would also try to get to the market and buy a pen, ink, and some paper once she did wake up.

[NebulaQueen]

After the contest, Anne felt drained. Frozen treat in one hand and bridle in the other, she led her noble steed away, and decided to rest up in an inn. Sleep was a risky thing in this plane, but the city should be safe. She might as well enjoy it while she could.

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Travelers' Respite Inn

Time passes on, with half of the party sleeping off the contest, and half out and about in the city taking care of their own matters. Some hours later, however, everyone's back together at the inn, feeling well-rested and totally recovered from the events earlier; even Shawn seems to have found her way back to the inn without the guidance of Fhelrys. Eventually gathering together in a corner of the scantly apportioned common room, the Planewalkers can now get to the matter of their job. Or anything else they may wish to do here, of course; deadlines do not seem to be an issue, and it's a large plane after all.

[Kelne]

"Well, we've got plenty of time to do things properly," Asp remarked, "Why do they call them deadlines, anyway? Do people start dying once the time limit expires? It sounds like the sort of thing Chemosh would like... 'Do my bidding within a reasonable timeframe or perish,'" he intoned in a not particularly sepulchral voice. Still, the intent was plain.

It was probably going to fall to someone else to get them down to business properly.

[Seethe]

Rosalyn was a bit more ready to get started, though she still managed to laugh quietly to herself at Asp's antics. But she might as well go ahead and edge things along, she thought.

"Since we're all here... I think we might as well do a little brainstorming," she proposed. "I've been thinking about that contest earlier. These medals they were giving out..."

She took out the medal she had recieved as a prize and displayed it.

"Maybe we should see what the guild that symbol belongs to is about. I think moving this chaos matter stuff might be a little bit like shaping it, only we're trying not to cause it to change into anything. So maybe that guild might be able to help us with that... or something."

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Travelers' Respite Inn

With a plan in mind, the three now have an idea where they can begin their work. Of course, their youngest companion hasn't yet joined them; she was rather tired from the contest, yes, but surely she couldn't still be sleeping by this point, could she?

Sorry for the small post, but I wanted to get things going. Also, this is a minor correction from before; I could have sworn I posted this before the break, but Shawn isn't with the group after all. Anne is, however, and Neb can come in when she gets the chance.

[Idran1701]

Floating City

After a short stop to grab Shawn from her room, who joins the others with little reluctance, the four travelers leave the inn. With a quick stop with Fhelrys, they're pointed towards the Anarch's Guild, where their victories from yesterday may give them some success in finishing their job.

Following the winding walkways, they weave through food stands, robed priests handing out tracts, and groups of slightly-inebriated revelers along the directions she gave them. It doesn't take long to reach their destination, a large spire, yet one surprisingly-unassuming for such an important place, with not even a sign to mark its identity. Stepping into the small entrance enclave and giving a knock, the party is soon faced with a serious-looking guard on the other side of the small window that opens in the door. He gives them an odd glance at first, obviously unused to the sight of outsiders wishing entry. However, he quickly steps aside with a nod at the sight of their medallions, letting them into the hall beyond.

Inside, they get their first glimpse at the artistic side of the githzerai, with beautiful murals of the city coalescing out of chaos covering the walls. On the center of the roof, the symbol of the guild is emblazoned, broadly standing out from the imagery of Limbo all about it. The artistry seems not to be painted, however, but to be merely how the building was formed, a natural coloration to the walls. The construction material itself seems entirely unique to this building out of those they've seen in this city - not wood or stone, but an off-white, iridescent material that seems almost seashell-like in the way light plays off its surface. Of course, given this plane, it's quite likely the material doesn't really exist anywhere at all. Either way, it gives an intriguing effect.

From the foyer, a pair of doorways on opposite sides open into a corridor that seems to surround the circular room, while two spiral staircases leading both up and down stand on either side of the center. Numerous pairs of guards fill the building in all directions, and all attention is on the party for now, seemingly the sole non-gith in the entire building. The sentry at the entrance points them off in a specific direction and says something in his home tongue; though they can't understand the exact wording, they get the gist of it. It seems those victorious in the contest are indeed meant to visit here, and they have a specific destination at which to arrive.

Down a set of stairs, they're ushered along by one guard or another as each sees their medallion. The amount of protection here seems quite disproportionate to the number of those being protected, as only once do they even spy a githzerai other than a guard walking the halls. What surprisingly few rooms there are here are tightly closed, with no glimpses at what might be going on inside. Eventually, they're directed to a single specific room. They knock, and a minute passes before they hear the click of a lock releasing. The door opens, and after a moment of confusion, they're greeted with a friendly smile by the occupant. A male, it's hard to tell his age but for the fact that he's an adult. His clothing is well-kept with nary a wrinkle, and just short of the quality one might expect a noble to wear. Ushering them inside, he lets them get settled as he closes the door behind them - for those that might worry, he seems to leave it unlocked. In the room, they find a round table with a marbled surface of all colors imaginable. Around the table sit chairs that the party is invited to sit in, as their host takes his own seat, an opened book laying on the table before him. He speaks to them with a strong accent, his voice possessing the gravelly quality apparently somewhat common to their men.

"Ah...thank you for coming. Forgive my words, my Common is not very good. I heard of your wins yesterday, and I hoped to see you here. You come to learn from us, I hope? Your talent sounds very good, especially the little one, but if this is why you come, you should know it will be difficult, and it will take you much time to learn. But if this is acceptable, then we can find out how far you can go. For you see, all can shape, but only a few can shape without thought."

[Kelne]

"Actually," Asp pipes up, "We were hoping to learn how not to shape. Which means we have to learn how to shape first. Which really sounds interesting in its own right. We've been asked to transport some raw chaos matter to another plane, you see," he concludes, clearly feeling that some kind of explanation is called for.

[Shinigori V2]

Shawn nodded, as if in a trance. "Yeah. Shaping's easy. Reaal easy. It's not shaping...there's the trick to it."

She wandered off a little bit, still with that stupid smile plastered on her face.

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Anarch's Guild

"Oh? Hmm. Why, I would wish to know? This task I have not heard before often, and I am curious about the reason, should you wish to tell. Though if the matter of it is private, I shall respect your silence.

"As for doing the task, the most hard part as I see shall not be keeping it contained, but keeping it from taking a form it can escape with from the container. If it does, then it shall break up and join the air and ground and all else. Forcing it to keep shapeless could work, but it could perhaps still leak through, even with no leak at all."

Steepling his hands, he gathers his thoughts, grasping a little for the correct words. "From my thoughts, I can see three ways. First is you will need magics in your container that keep it from escaping. Perhaps a caster could make in your container a...a forever spell? One which does not end with time. This caster should place a magic circle of binding inside your container's walls, but this may be high cost. A second may also be needed on the outside to protect the matter from the forces of Law if it will pass through such a plane, but if you will not then you will not need that.

"Second is you will need a container which is completely sealed both inside and out, from water and even air. It must also be thick, to give the chaos matter the most small chance of escaping. You cannot get rid of the chance completely, as chaos matter does not act like normal matter, but this would not be so high cost.

"Third is you will need to control the chaos matter as shaping. Shape it shapelessly. Push control on it but not so much that it takes a form. It is not impossible, but it takes skill. Outside Limbo I believe if chaos matter takes a shape, it soon fades away like an object made from castings, it does not turn back to chaos. So you would need to walk a very fine line. This has the most high chance of failure if you are not careful, but it would have the least cost."

[Seethe]

Rosalyn gave some thought to the different options, but was not long in coming up with a thought to speak.

"I think the third way sounds like it would be the best," she said. "Maybe the hardest, too, but learning to shape would be a good thing on its own. And I don't know why we wouldn't be able to just keep trying if we mess up the first time."

[Kelne]

"Well, we're actually doing this for someone else," Asp said, "So I don't really know what they want chaos matter for. Research of some kind, anyhow. Personally, I think it'd be easier and more interesting for them to bring the researchers to Limbo rather than the other way round. Not that we want to move all of Limbo to Arcadia," he qualified, "That'd probably be messy."

"I think the second method might be best," he went on after some thought, "They wanted us to set up regular shipments if we could, and that seems like the best way to do it."

[Seethe]

Regular shipments? Rosalyn didn't remember being told that. Oh well...

"If they need regular shipments, then I suppose you're probably right," she admitted. "So, I guess we're going to need to start hiring some people to make these deliveries too, then?"

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Anarch's Guild

Though Shawn is looking distracted, barely paying attention to what's going on around her, Rosalyn and Asp continue to debate their options. As they discuss, their "host" speaks, nodding to Rosayln.

"It sounds as you may be in the City for a time. Since you are seeming to have interest in learning, perhaps you could do so even if it is not useful? In your win, you have earned the right to lessons here, after all. And if you will be spending much time in the city already, perhaps you could be learning while here? As I said, it will take you much time, but we do not turn away those that have shown skill. Although I cannot guarantee you can be an Anarch, our knowledge can help even those without the gift to be."

[Seethe]

Rosalyn looked once again at the host, giving a nod of her head.

"I am certainly interested," she said. "And thank you. I believe that's what I'll do."

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Anarch's Guild

"I am glad to be hearing this. And what of the others to take wins in the contest yesterday," he asks, turning to Shawn and Anne. "This offer extends to you also, if you wish to take it. I will be hoping to see you both use it as well, though if you are not wanting to, you will not be forced."

With the offer now extended to all but the unfortunate Asp, the planewalkers now have much to occupy their time besides the fulfillment of their job. Even beyond it, possibly, if their interest is strong enough. However, they also have a way in sight to do what they came to do in the first place, and somewhere in this city is sure to be the means to get the container they need.

People can either stay here and talk more with their host or meet up with an instructor, or they can head out and start looking for someone that can built the box they need. Or they can go do something else, if they'd like. But if it's something some of you want to handle outside the thread, I'd like you to at least make some sort of post here beforehand.

[Seethe]

Rosalyn was quite happy with the chance to learn the way of shaping even if she probably lacked the natural talent to master it completely. She would have liked to begin soon, but she did still have a responsibility to the job she had come here to do. If Asp wanted to begin searching for the person who would build the box now, she would be ready to accompany him. Otherwise, she would want to go ahead and meet an instructor.

[Kelne]

Asp seemed slightly hurt at the lack of an invitation, but he soon perked up. After all, people were always leaving kender out of the invitations they issued. It was something of a universal oversight. He resolved to tag along with the others and listen in on the lessons. In the meantime, he still had an angle of his own to pursue - seeing if that barrelmaker could be talked into making something suitably airtight.

[Shinigori V2]

Shawn decided that, really, the best idea for her was to learn how to shape.

Or shape better at least.


Those looking might have noticed a slightly crazy look in her eyes after the offer.

[Idran1701]

Floating City

The party divides themselves up once more, pursuing their own directions. Anne leaves to her own concerns, while Asp heads off to catch up with the githzerai carpenter he'd met earlier, with Rosalyn following along. The two search around the general area where Asp had seen him before, eventually catching up with him as he emerges from a nearby residence; a young adult by appearances, muscular and without much grace of movement. He nods to the kender in recognition before speaking to the both of them, continuing his walk down the pathway as the three converse.

"Ah, I see we meet again, Asperel. Your appearance is well-timed, as I was just beginning my return home. Would this be one of the companions you'd mentioned?" Looking to Rosalyn, he nods in greeting. "I am known as Haz'kiah. And you?"

---

Shawn, meanwhile, stays behind at the guild, eager to begin her instruction. The host leads her out of the room and down a set of stairs, eventually leading her to a small room with a single window looking out on the roiling mass. Inside is a slender woman watching the sights; her build's a bit frail, and she shows signs of grey in her hair, but as she turns to face her charge, Shawn can see her eyes still hold a sparkle of youth.

The door is closed behind her, the two of them left alone for now. "Welcome to the guild. You would be Shawn, yes? I am Thilqua, and I have heard of the skills you and your friends had shown. I will help you take those natural talents and hone them. I can see your eagerness, so let us begin right away." She turns back towards the window, as Shawn can see the edge of it start to melt away. It expands, growing to the size of a doorway, as a slim path begins to grow out from the floor, assembling bit by bit and stretching off below the city. Thilqua gestures to the exit, stepping aside to let Shawn take the lead.

[Shinigori V2]

Shawn raised her brow, clearly impressed, and stepped through.

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Underneath

The two walk along the path as it slowly stretches out before them and curves downwards, bringing them farther and farther from the city itself. Soon, if Shawn were to turn around, she'd be able to see the city directly behind her, if at a strange angle.

"In most realms, matter is constrained by order. Things are what they are. But not here. Here, substance has the potential to be whatever you wish it to be, with only the slightest of exertion of the mind. At the moment, I am forming the ground, the air, with barely a thought. Not all can achieve that level of skill, but the methods we teach can be used even by those that must keep conscious control at all times.

"Have you ever visited this plane before, Shawn?"

[Shinigori V2]

The whole thing was...Very familiar. She shook her head as she walked. "No, I never have."

[Idran1701]

Floating City - Underneath

She nods, coming to a stop. The path stops growing before them, and begins to fall away behind them, leaving them standing on a small island of stone in the middle of a bubble of air.

"Some have a connection to this plane, a bond that allows them to survive here even without shaping. For most, the very nature of the plane will attack them, seeking to dissolve their form. Natives of Limbo can avoid this, as can a small number of outsiders. And it is only those with such a bond that can reach the highest points of shaping skill. Our first step, then, is to find if you have such a bond."

Shawn can feel the platform breaking apart below her feet, as she and Thilqua both begin to float. The air's seeming to grow thicker as well, though her voice sounds just as clear. "If you feel yourself at risk, you may shape to protect yourself. And I am here as well if you cannot. But first, let the plane envelop you. Learn if it knows you as part of itself or not."

Soon, the chaos matter rushes in, wrapping about Shawn. She can feel a vague tingle, but her form seems to be intact. Even the air is gone, but that seems to pose no problem for her while she's here. Parts of the matter coalesce briefly about her; for brief moments, she can feel the heat of a bonfire, smell the ocean, hear the chimes of a far-off clock, and other sensations that seem utterly sourceless. Some last for instants, others longer, but none seem to last.

[Shinigori V2]

Shawn floated there, a pleasant smile on her face. She seemed to be drinking it in, to an extent, and letting things happen as they would.

[Seethe]

Rosalyn greeted Haz'Kiah with her own nod.

"My name is Rosalyn," she answered. "And, yes, I am one of Asp's companions."