The Planewalkers' Journies

[Shinigori V2]

"Oh. Yeah!" A child's voice responds through the heavy shadow cast by the hood of the cloak. "I'm lookin' for...Her. Y'seen 'er?"

[Idran1701]

Planewalkers' Guild

With a patient grin, Hav'run can't help but offer a small laugh. "Well, that depends. There's a lot of women here. Who do you mean?"

[Shinigori V2]

"Kinda..."

The kid starts making gestures indicating size with her hands- Ever so slightly bigger than herself, saying nothing. "..Like that. With blue and white,though."

[Idran1701]

Planewalkers' Guild - Commons

"...Blue and white..." Hav'run thinks for a time before replying. "...Zeph? She's the only one I can think that sounds anything near that. Is the woman you're looking for a sylph? An air spirit?"

[Shinigori V2]

The kid thinks for a second, bringing a bulky brown gauntlet into the shadow of her cloak, presumably to her chin. "...Maybe."

[Idran1701]

Planewalkers' Guild

Hav'run nods. "If I see her, I can tell her you may be looking for her. Will you be staying here long?"

[ChristianC]

Magpie had returned rather solemnly from the short excursion she'd been out on, and as soon as she had finished unpacking her things she had returned to her tent, and had remained in there for quite some time.

Any visitors had been politely turned away and as she needed neither to eat, drink or sleep, her neighbours would soon have to get used to a lamp burning inside her small, humble abode constantly. Although she kept whatever sound she produced as low as she could, the occasional thud of hammering, the grinding noise of a saw and other such loud disturbances occasionally emitted from inside the tent. Whenever she came outside, she merely headed off to whoever had some surplus wood to sell before returning to her home to keep working.

Then, when a few days had passed, the tent was suddenly no longer there. In its place was a small, but high-roofed cottage. There wasn't a window, and the door-frame was without anything to block it, but it was meticulously constructed and polished with an almost fanatical devotion to detail. There was also a handwoven rug on the floor.

---

Not too far from the main encampment of the Planewalkers was another building. This one, however, was everything but a neat, clean little home. It was small, no doubt, but this one was made of glass, thick and sturdy to survive whatever hardships might occur, bar a nefariously thrown stone perhaps, but glass none the less. It seemed to be recently raised, yet looked as overgrown as something that had been abandoned for years. Plants were everywhere, mostly inside the hothouse (for that is what it was), but some sturdier plants were buried in the soil outside where they looked almost like they were threatening to climb down the staircase to the main plateau and envelope everything inside.

Attached the the hothouse was a tent, not quite as big, but it too literally overflowing with things, a bed of bright green grass growing out from inside it. Things of all kind littered the ground around it as well, and the unmistakeable smell of fertilizer and damp vegetation seemed to hang around the tent in an almost permanent state. The only spot that wasn't really covered in vegetation was a small cave-like indentation into the staircase leading up to the plateu that seemed surprisingly devoid of life.

The person occupying the hothouse area hadn't been seen much around the planewalkers except when he was down there purchasing things, but rumors of a strange-looking elf boy had been spreading throughout the camp amongst those who spoke of such things. Some said that he spoke like he was much, much older than that he looked, and that wherever he stepped grass and plants sprung to life from barren soil. Some even said he was actually a dryad who had mysteriously left her tree and have somehow turned into a boy in the process.

People say the weirdest things.

[Kelne]

Asp, having disappeared on some research-related trip, returned to find changes. Always a good thing, what with new people showing up, old ones heading off for new pastues and so forth. And did his eyes deceive him, or were there not one but two new buildings up? Which to investigate first? Well, one of them was on the spot where his good friend Magpie used to live, and since he was pretty sure Magpie hadn't moved (she would surely have asked him to help with the moving of heavy objects), logically the house must be hers. With this thought in mind, Asp knocked on the door, fully expecting a response.

[Idran1701]

Planewalkers' Guild - Commons

While Asp investigates the newly-erected cottage off the main landing where Magpie's tent once stood, at the edge of the central commons Kongunvir and one of the Guild's sages, Brenn Chatfield, has collected a small number of Guild members, seeking to speak with them on a recent matter. He looks quite troubled, and starts speaking eagerly as soon as people begin to show up, though he keeps his voice low.

"I'm glad you could come. I know this is a bit odd, as I've barely met many of you, but I've been helping Kongunvir, Lorraine, and Magpie with some research recently, and they mentioned you as people that might be willing to help.

"I'm not sure if they've told you yet what this is about, so I'll explain things first. About two weeks ago, the three of them of them went off on Hav'run's request to take care of a missing Guild member, whom some of you might know; Oriam Trascalia. He's fine, he was recovered barely injured, just exhausted. But that's not the key matter. After he was rescued, the three of them had a visit from one of the Stairs' lillendi. For those of you that know anything about them, I'm sure you know just how strange that is right from the start. But this lillend - Madaliina, I think you said, Kongunvir? - described a situation that sounds to be potentially dire.

"The lillend of the Staircase have a deep connection with it. From what she described, some of the areas it contacts have recently been touched with what she could only describe as a plague of dullness. A disease of some sort that causes...well, monotony. Apathy, a complete lack of creativity or initiative. Frightening enough purely on its own, but as the Staircase's connections with the rest of the planes are founded upon sources of creativity...it's reached the point that those regions afflicted with this plague have become more and more tenuously connected to the Staircase. With enough time, the connection might break entirely. And if this plague continues to spread...

"And yes, from what she said, this is indeed a plague. That much is certain to the lillendi, though she said nothing about the sort of plague, its origins...anything at all besides what I've told you now. That, and the locations afflicted. She named seven locations and the paths to them, though the names used by the lillendi are completely different than those we use."

As he says this, he drops a small sheaf of parchment on the table. Looking through it reveals it to be a set of Stair directions to seven locations, each given a vaguely-poetic name. The Queen's Domain; the Ridged Land; the Swirling Realm; the Place of Wind; the Silver War; the Unclimbable Mountain; the Jingling City.

"Most of the paths are unknown to anyone here in the Guild; even our travels rarely take us further than...oh, one or two days up at most. There's not usually much need to go further, even for the purpose of exploration, the way the stairs branch. But as you can see, some of these paths extend up a full weeks' travel. Two of them are known to us, however. Relatively large trading centers at that. Some of you may even already be familiar with them, I imagine.

"From the directions here, the Place of Wind refers to the Air city of Blurophil. It's one of the largest cities in that plane, and much Inner Planar traffic passes through it. Especially in recent days; an annual festival of the arts is to be held there some time in the near future, I believe. And the Jingling City seems to refer to the kyton city Jangling Hiter in Minauros, within Baator. As Lower Planar cities go, it's...relatively safe. It sees much passage by merchants and travelers, and is well-known, as could be expected, for the quality of its chain and chainwork, so the baatezu have little reason to strike out against outsiders there. The others, I've had yet no luck on information, though at the least it doesn't appear any of the near ones but Jangling Hiter lie within any known Dark Zone."

"Obviously, you can probably guess this is leading up to asking some of you to help investigate this matter." He gives a small smile, chuckling lightly. "But does anyone have any questions before I continue?"

---

Anyone that wants to be here can go ahead and write yourselves in if you'd like; basically any character in the game could possibly be here given how they got hold of people.

[ChristianC]

While there wasn't a door on the little cottage, not yet anyway, the wood of the doorframe provided ample knocking-opportunities, and Magpie was there quicker than he'd realized, looming quite tall over the little kender.

Besides being garbed in what looked like a carpenter's belt full of tools, and covered in sawdust, she looked pretty much the same as always. She smiled in that weird, slightly crooked way and stepped back a bit.

"Asp. It is very nice to see you, please come in."

---

"You call it a plague, but have you determined whether it is a transmittable disease?" The voice belonged to a young man, a young elf even, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere to listen to the man talking. Ah yes, my apologies, you mentioned that these... lillendi had determined it to be such. Do we risk contamination?"

He wasn't very tall, although the slender way he was built made him look much taller. He was elfin, so much was distinguishable from his fine features and the shape of his ears, but he had a slightly... off tone to his skin and hair (which was... looked to be at least mostly brown, with some greenish strands in it) that made him look a little peculiar. He had a pair of small, round glasses at the tip of his nose, rimless and attached only to a small silver chain that went down to the breast-pocket of his coat.

The young man was dressed in something that looked to have once been rather sturdy material, made to handle any weather, but severe modifications had been done to it. He was almost literally covered in pockets, belts, packs and bags, some of them stuffed to the brim, others empty (and some giving off an eerie kind of buzz occasionally). His hair was relatively long, reaching down to his waist if let loose, but for the sake of ease it was tied back into a simple braid.

"I would personally like to inspect the The Ridged Land, it sounds fascinating... but as we already know of two places, I suppose the Air of Blurophile sounds like an interesting one." his way of speaking was fairly quick, often skipping over pauses and just rambling on until a sudden stop, usually to give him just a bit more air, before he continued speaking.

[Kelne]

"Hello, Magpie," Asp said, stepping inside, "My, this place looks like it's coming along. Not done yet of course, but I'll definitely have to stop by for the housewarming. Need a hand with anything?"

[Jak Snide]

Kongunvir waited for Sage Chatfield to answer the elf's question, assuming the man wasn't too put out by being posed one and then not given a chance to respond. He'd not quite made up his own mind about which of the two cities he'd journey to, but unless he heard anything to discourage him he'd be paying the lower planes a visit.

[ChristianC]

"Hello Asp." Magpie smiled to him as she showed him inside... retroactively. "Oh yes. It is not entirely done, but I am building my home in a way I do not think is very common. The weather does not bother me, so I intend to expand the house from this room." she indicated the cottage-like building she'd made. "I have asked my neighbours, there is room for two point twenty-three rooms on the side, I shall see about expanding to an upper floor as well, and perhaps another row of rooms in the front."

She stepped over to a small fireplace and took out a teapot, filling it with water. "Would you care for some tea?"

[Idran1701]

Planewalkers' Guild - Commons

Brenn nods at the newcomer's question. "They've said it is transmittable, yes. If we risk contamination...I can't say. So there is that element of risk involved, yes. No other questions?" Nodding to himself, he continues on. "As I said earlier, we are asking some of you to investigate this issue, on your friends' recommendation. Madaliina has asked for help on this. Though from what they've described, she doesn't precisely have the approval of the Stairs' lillendi on this. So this mission will also have...somewhat of a secondary purpose as well.

"In the century or so the Guild has been here, we've always been somewhat grudgingly accepted by the lillendi. They've never exactly been happy to have our presence here in such a permanent manner, but as we've caused no harm to the Staircase, and impeded no travelers, they've seen no reason to act against us. This could potentially change that. If this mission succeeds, not only would we be removing a dire threat to this realm, but we would also be helping to solidify relations between them and ourselves, demonstrating we do care about the well-being of the Stairs just as much as they do.

"Myself, I'll be remaining behind, doing what research I can into this problem, so I will unfortunately not be joining you. However, I can provide you with what information I can before you depart."

---

So! Now people can decide which location they'd prefer to head out to. Anyone that wants to abstain from this trip, indicate so and I'll give you some other plothooks for a side venture. And remember, you're certainly not limited to the places you already have named; it's a choice between 7 options, not 2. Just because it's unknown doesn't mean it's innately dangerous, just that it's a far trip that no one in the Guild's made before!

However, I will say that unless there are people abstaining, I won't be splitting the thread this time about. It'll be everyone in one for this go around, so top choice'll take it.

Also, I still need to hear back from some people about your level from the last adventure. Rosalyn, Trivale, and Garick still have a level coming.

[Jak Snide]

Kongunvir stepped forward, nodding appreciatively to Sage Chatfield before raising his own voice.

"This plague threatens not only the Staircase but the Guild itself. I may have been here but a short while, but in that time I've seen the good in this place and the good in its people. For many of us this is our home. If that's not worth preserving then I don't know what is, and no risk of infection will stop me from doing just that, nor should it stop anyone else."

(Voting for Jangling Hiter.)

[Kelne]

"Tea sounds good," Asp remarked. Left to his own devices, he'd remain for tea, engaging in conversation and quitly slipping a small housewarming gift onto the mantle - specifically an intricately knitted tea cosy of dwarven make.

In time however, Asp would learn of the dreadful disease of monotony afflicting the staircase. Naturally, this affront would not be allowed to stand. Equally naturally, Asp volunteered to visit one of the further locales, fired up at the prospect of charting new territory. Specifically, he would be visiting the Queen's Domain, not having met a queen before.

[ChristianC]

Magpie, once she noticed the cosy, grew immensily happy and almost set the small cottage on fire, but thankfully this didn't happen. While she wasn't very capable of showing greater emotions than a silly smile, frown and such, it was obvious that the gift had indeed, made her very happy.

So when Asp took his leave to find some way of alleviating his boredom, Magpie strolled along, and hearing all sorts of places being mentioned, and getting the gist of the whole thing explained to her, opted to agree to go to wherever, but if she was hard-pressed she'd like to go to Jangling Hiter, as she hoped she might meet more of her kind there.

[Seethe]

Rosalyn was present at the gathering with the sage, and the news was quite unsettling to say the least. She had to mull it over a bit before she could decide how to respond.

In principle, Kongunvir was quite right. They had made the Guild and the Staircase their home, and thus they owed it to both to defend them.

She did, however, have reason to hesitate, and not from simple fear for her own well-being. If the quest failed, the easiest method Rosalyn knew of to travel between the planes would be lost. If she was ever going to strike against the race of Mind Flayers, it may have been that her chance would soon be missed. And besides that, her creativity had been the girl's only defense when the Illithid in the Outlands had enslaved her.

But if she let herself reach the point where her personal desire for vengeance outweighed her sense of what was right, the Illithid would have won its own victory from beyond the grave. She wouldn't allow the person she had been to be consumed by anything born of that creature.

And besides, preserving the Stair would have its advantages in her pursuit.

"I will go," she declared aloud, eyes set in resolution. "Whatever it takes to make this work, I'm in."

((Vote sent by PM.))

[Idran1701]

Infinite Staircase

After a period of debate, the party manages to mostly come to a consensus, and investigate the realm known by the lillendi as the "Silver War". 3 days up from the Guild landing, it will be one of the longer trips they've made on the Stair; then again, it is merely a question of scale. Preparations are made, and by the next morning they are ready to depart. Asp, as he hinted during the previous discussion, has decided instead to set out on his own to investigate "the Queen's Domain". However, they are joined by a new addition, a young brawler tagging along that had occasionally tossed in a comment or two during yesterday's decision-making.

The seven travelers - Rosalyn and her goblin student, Lorraine, Trivale, Kongunvir, Salix, and their new companion who still hasn't told them her name - ascend the stairs, camping on open landings when necessary. In the first few hours, they have the occasional run-in with other travelers wishing them well, mostly other Guild members. As they climb, however, these encounters quickly get more sparse, and by the end of the first day, they don't see a single other Guild member. As Sage Chatfield said, even amongst the Guild few travel more than a day on the Stairs.

The lillendi, on the other hand, are a far different manner. Much more than usual, the Planewalkers can spot the winged snake-women, the guardians of the Stair, gazing upon them from distant landings, their expressions cloaked by the faceless masks each wear. Further, here and there Kongunvir notices imprinted in the stonework the double-loop of infinity - from what Madaliina told him, these symbols mark where a lillend lurks hiding, having merged to be one with the Stair and ready at a moment's notice to emerge and defend it from threat.

They now find themselves halfway through the second day. The weather's lightened nicely from when they departed - it's still a bit clammy, and the fog of the Stair still fills all, but the brief oppressive heat has long since faded. It's Aaron that notices first, but soon the entire party catches the noise: people in armor, clanking past. Very nearby, and apparently making no effort to hide their passage, yet they can spy no one around them making the noise. Very strange!

---

Any preparations people would make before heading out - new equipment or magical items, any attempts at research purely from the name, etc. - go ahead and put them in your posts, or PM or IM them to me. And speaking of magical items: Magpie and Lorraine still have picks coming from last adventure. And at this point I'll open up the items to everyone that hasn't already picked something too, so Rosalyn and Trivale can grab from it as well. And don't forget the party treasure too. Anything that doesn't get picked by the time you get to the door to the Silver War, I'll move into that.

[ChristianC]

Salix, who was another very new addition to the group, took quite some time in introducing himself , talking rapidly about how he'd ended up in the guild ("Oh, it simply seemed the most reasonable place from which to set out an expedition, aha, you know how it is. Plants grow everywhere, except for Sigil perhaps, and I don't want to go there, horrible place. Too crowded, and very expensive, no real reason unless you're in a faction, mhm.") and at extensive lengths about the intricate, complex and very, very boring world of plants and trees, often jumping between three different topics, all of which he seemed to be trying to divide up into equal parts of time.

At the sight of the lillendi, Salix for once grew quiet, and observed them with a strange focus to his narrowed eyes, and with a pilémaric expression on his face, as if he wanted to jump forward and try to initiate a conversation.

[Jak Snide]

Kongunvir ceased his own clanking by coming to a halt, holding up a hand to indicate that the others should so so as well. He suspected that passing company, for his mind immediately equated such noises with the movements of hundreds of armoured warriors, were passing on the underside of the stairs beneath them. He kept quiet for a minute to listen and see what else he could make out and, though he'd never admit it, allow the sounds to rekindle memories of his home.

[Besyanteo]

Lorraine had chosen to ascend the stairs with her horse Paul, petting his mane soothingly whenever one of the Lillendi was in sight. She'd been fairly quiet so far, content to keep to herself while she thought about the various discoveries she'd made recently, and how her research might be put to practical use. So distracted, her reaction to Kongunvir's stop and motion for silence was somewhat delayed. She halted Paul, looking around curiously.

Do you hear anything, Aaron?

[Idran1701]

Infinite Staircase

When the party stops, the sound is far clearer, and Aaron glances to Lorraine, speaking up in their shared tongue - Yes! It is loud and metal.

And indeed, Kongunvir's suspicions seem to prove true, as with the newfound silence they can easily tell it's coming from beneath them. They can make out conversation as well, and they seem to be entirely unaware of the Guild members "above" them. They sound pleasant enough, about a half-dozen in total, though only two of them sound to be armored. Chatting about nothing in particular, they pass by at a leisurely pace, giving the party ample time to act should they wish to.

[Shinigori V2]

The other newcomer continues to hide in the shadow of her heavy cloak, though doesn't seem to tire as easily as the others- Even outstripping the horses.

Further, she may prove a bit of an annoyance to the others by spouting random factoids- Giving a devil a silver coin is considered a huge insult, flies prefer vinegar to honey, air Genasi are the most common- Things she doesn't think the rest would know...but she seems to.

She continues to walk with the others through the stairs. Oddly enough, Shawn's pet tiger, Rocket, seems to be curious about her, following her...Even accepting food from her, something he won't do for anyone else at the stairs- except Florence.

[Besyanteo]

Lorraine jumped off of Paul, pausing just long enough to give Aaron some instructions.

Wait on the saddle, please.

She then went to the edge of the platform, to see if she could put her head over it and see on the opposite side. She'd stop if told, but she was fairly certain she wouldn't hear any complaints.

[Jak Snide]

Kongunvir had been about to call out, his mouth already half-open and ready to shout a greeting. He held his tongue as he saw Lorraine using the more subtle method of investigating.

[ChristianC]

Salix observed the whole thing curiously, before tapping the ground they were on three times with his foot. Almost directly after this, a very faint, scuttling noise came from the edge of their walkway, a bit away from where the other party was walking and within seconds a spider, easily the size of a hound, climbed up, peered around and scuttled over to where the elf-boy stood.

Salix glanced to the closest person (It happened to be Lorraine), and whispered, "She can get down there without making a noise... should I send her?"

[Idran1701]

Infinite Staircase

Lorraine peers over the edge carefully, keeping hold of the side of the stair and bending to get a glimpse of who it is that happens to be passing by beneath them. It looks to be nothing but a party of adventurers much like them, strolling the stairs and having a good time of it. She makes out five in total: a human warrior or perhaps a paladin, male, in gleaming plate; a chain-wearing aasimar priestess with a multi-headed flail at her belt; a muscular, roguish sort in leathers, a young human woman; a robe-wearing, older half-elf, his chest draped in a bandolier of dozens of vials and satchels; and a sallow, gloomy-looking man, a human dressed in a gray tunic and trousers, twin short swords at his hips. None of them seem to spot Lorraine's face peeking over the edge, they just continue on their path chatting about plans to come.

[Besyanteo]

She looked back to the others, making no attempt to keep her voice down.

"It's just another normal looking group of people, for here. I don't recognise them right off, but as far as I know they could even be with the guild."

She looked back to keep watching the passers-by, because she could.

[Idran1701]

Infinite Staircase

"Eh?"

At Lorraine's comment, the other party stops, glancing over. The half-elf covered in vials is the first to speak up, crouching down and chuckling. "Well, i'n't this a surprise. Didn't think we'd spy another group of bashers here. Good to meet you. Len's the name. And you?"

The human woman in leathers heads next to Lorraine, letting out a quick bark of a laugh as she leans at the edge, trying to get a look around herself. There's something about her voice vaguely familiar to Rosalyn... "Y'got some other berks down there too, sounds like? Glad to see we're not th' only sods walkin' this place. An' what's this 'bout a Guild then?"

The knight and the priestess both show their own curiosity, each heading over to the edge as Lorraine replies. The gloomy fellow, though, keeps back, looking pretty apathetic about the whole thing.

[Jak Snide]

Kongunvir took the opportunity to interject, moving up to the ledge and peering over so that he could make his face visible."Planewalker's Guild. We're an association of adventurers and explorers based here on the Infinite Staircase. Name's Kongunvir and this is Lorraine. Where might you be bound?"

[ChristianC]

Salix gave Lorraine a glance and shrugged, kneeling down to his spider before the woman called out, petting the giant insect on the back of its head lightly. He smiled a bit before he stood up, looking down on the people below before he gave a happy laugh.

"How do you do that!? Is it an effect of the staircase? Did you use some kind of potion!?" he spotted the half-elf and waved to catch his attention, "Are you the one who made this possible? I have to take notes, I'm a bit of a researcher, you see, and I'd love to know more about this phenomenon!" he already had a small pen and a notepad (more like stitched together sheets of paper) that he was making notes on. He performed some minor tests, like stomping on the staircase, making his spider run a full circle around it, his brow knitted in thought.

"Strange... I thought this would've been some kind of spell, but... I believe indeed it is a natural occurence..." he closed the notebook, which was filled with all manners of... strange symbols and calculations.

[Idran1701]

Infinite Staircase

"Oh? Well, pleasure to meet you!" Awkwardly, the half-elf extends a hand to Salix. "I'm the group's greybeard too, m'self. Don't think I caught your name. Anyway, must be a natural occurrence, because it's no spellwork'f ours. Interestin', though. Y'mind givin' me a hand? It'd make talkin' easier."

Over at a different part of the edge of the stairs, the woman grins to Kongunvir, holding out her own hand for some help over the edge, as do the rest of their party; again, except that grim-faced fellow. "Takin' on a job, ourselves. Got some folks askin' to get some dark upturned down in th'Waste. Th'name's Dina. Len you met, that's Lucia" - nodding towards the aasimar - "and that's Simon in the plate there. An' th'quiet one there, that's Bran. An' I'm sure he's jus' stayin' back t'help get us back 'round later, eh Bran?" Dina grins back at their last associate, who just gives a quiet harumph, crossing his arms.

Her two companions each nod, Lucia speaking up with a grin. "Nice to meet all of you. So we've told you where we're off to, how about yourselves?"

"Indeed so." Simon looks over the group as he does his best to get hauled over. "And with such a youn-...is that a tiger cub?"

---

Shaun, you still need to post, even if it's a short one. At least one before the party gets to its destination.

[Shinigori V2]

"Hell yeah it's a tiger cub." the cloaked figure says, pretty proudly, throwing Rocket another scrap of food.

[Seethe]

Rosalyn thought she'd heard the woman's voice somewhere, and then came the name. She joined Kongunvir at the edge to look over.

"Dina? ... Didn't we run into each other back in Steam, at the docks in Adrift?" she asked. "The name's Rosalyn?"

Then, to answer the aasimar.

"Some place the lillendi call 'the Silver War,'" she said. "There's... some sort of plague going around, and it could end up messing with the Stairs. We're looking for a way to cure it."

[Jak Snide]

Kongunvir glanced back at Shaun and her unusual pet. He'd seen large hunting cats and their cubs before, but never one like that. Now he had a name for it. Besides Rocket.

"Well, you know what they say about the planes. Always full of surprises. But yes, we're looking into who our sage described as a plague of dullness. It robs people of their creativity and drive, which is worrying in itself, but when combined with the nature of the Staircase it presents us with a grave threat."

[ChristianC]

"Oh, I'm Salixian Jowain Cinerea." Salix shook the man's hand eagerly before nodding and stomping the ground once, the spider scuttling up to the two. "This is Eloise, just hold on to her and we'll get you up here!"

And with that, the young half-elf tried to haul the older one up, brushing aside his thick, green cloak to keep it away from the greybeard, thorn-like protrusions rising and then sinking from the cloth as he touched it, though none seem to harm him.

[Idran1701]

Infinite Staircase

Glancing over to Rosalyn, Dina grins. "Rose! That's right, I remember you. Good t'see you, you're lookin' well. Doin' well for y'self? I see you've got a different set o' bashers with you this time 'round; what happened to th'others? Nothin' too bloody, I hope," she adds, worried on Rosalyn's behalf for them.

Salix and Eloise help haul Len up and over the edge, and Lucia looks between Kongunvir and Rosalyn. "Oh? That sounds horrid. A recent situation, I gather? We've heard nothing yet of it in Sigil. Has it spread very far? We'll be sure to keep watch for it if so."

Len pipes up, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. "What's that 'bout th'nature of the Staircase, then? Always curious t'learn some new darks. What sort'f nature'd that be?"

Keeping an ear open while the others talk, Simon heads closer to the youngest traveler, smiling to her as he removes his gauntlet. Kneeling carefully - a bit awkward of an action in his plate - he reaches out for the cub. "Rocket, you say? Seems a nice name for him. And how did you come across him, eh? That must have been some tale."

[Shinigori V2]

"Hell, I have no idea." The youngest says, pulling her hood back.

Grey hair, glowing yellow eyes, sharp teeth, grey skin, pointed ears...

...That's not Shawn.

[Idran1701]

Feels like people are ready to move on? I'll go ahead and push on if so, but if people could still make a post before that, I'd appreciate it. :O