"Fzt? Shhhhsfffsdisss wummmmmmm."
Ember chats quickly before flying off to get the astrolabe.
Jamila shouts "At least the blimp isn't going anywhere! I'm not much of a flyer, but if anybody has any ideas on how I can help let me know."
Jamilia will spend her turn giving the boat a more through check-over while waiting for ideas from her compatriots.
Fzt nods in understanding as it continue to help Ember carry the books back toward the ship.
Rhyol continues to fall upwards towards her original altitude.
The elemental near Krakos touches him again.
More images of elemental chaos and distress continue to assault the inquisitor's mind.
Krakos growls something fierce to the elemental in Auran, "Alright alright, quit distractin' me, I get it, theres a storm coming, can you help me and go get that thing over there,"
He'll gesture wildly off in a direction where something has flown.
Krakos manages to frighten the elemental into submission. It inches back in fear.
Zephyr keeps rushing towards the charts, and the curiously happy elemental...
Octarus continues to push the water and food supplies back towards the ship, glad that he hasn't had to deal with any of the elementals along the way.
Jamilia shouts at the elementals at Auran "We get it! A big dangerous storm is coming. We're here to help deal with it! Any chance you can help us get our stuff back so we're not just stranded?"
It takes some time but with the help of the elemental wyrds the party is able to recover the scattered supplies and get your blimp back on course.
Returning to the main currents, it's another hour to the potential source of the disruptions the party has been sent to investigate. The time passes quickly with no more unpleasant surprises.
Rocking and swaying ahead is a white marble tower adorned with golden reliefs of lightning. The thin ornamental bridge that once led to its double doors has snapped, and there is no sign of whatever once connected to the other side. The tower’s roof is entirely missing, replaced with a menacing mass of black sky shot through with shifting streaks of color. The scintillating mass struggles erratically against some invisible barrier above.
Know Planes
"That looks menacing, I wonder what that is..." Zephyr thinks out loud, speaking to no one in particular. The airy thinker looks for likely spots to park the flying contraption that aren't in obvious danger.
Rhyol worms her way towards the edge of the ship looking at the marble tower floating ahead. Finally some solid ground she thinks somewhat relieved that she wont have to spend anymore time yo-yoing in the air... hopefully.
"Shall we just pull up to the front door? This place is a lot fancier than I expected...or at least it used to be."
Jamila nods to Octarus's suggestion "Okay Rhyol, start letting up on the heat, let us settle in naturally by the bridge."
"I can go in and sneak around, if you want? Make sure that it's clear. In and out, just like that!"
Ember seems to vibrate with excitement, and you can see the small flame in her chest flicker rapidly.
Rhyol, always obedient cools off a little to allow the ship to "dock". Looking at the banged up structure "MaYybe ThE building forgot what Way uP is?" she steams wondering about the black mass above.
"It looks bad, but I agree, we can sail in. Ember if you want to look around, just don't wander further than we can get to you easily and can hear if something goes wrong"
Arms crossed, "This looks like the place. . .Whatever that black mass is doesn't look good. ."
Krakos'll start laying out some rope to use to tether the balloon to the bridge.
""I promise I won't get myself into any weird situations..." Ember smiles. Though, there was that one time with my swarmmates where we all - well, THIS time will be different. Oh! I should get back to work on my epic, anyway. I wonder if there's any spare paper and ink around...
Ember flits toward the building, trying to blend in with a passing cloud or to sneak around the corner.
Jamilia ties the ship off as best she can so that it won't float away as Ember does some basic scouting.
"BYyye Umber" Rhyol says waving her tail for what may be the last time to the little flying lizard before turning to her compatriots.
"I miSss her already" she steams turning towards the invisible mass pressing against the barrier above"Mupphet YoU aRe Ssssmart do YoU know what That iSss?"
Octarus tries to come up with a smart sounding answer, even though he doesn't have any idea what the swirling colors in the black sky really are. He considers making up a story, but then decides bad information may cause more trouble if anyone tries to act based on it. "These effects are far to complex for me to explain. Just accept that they are there, and leave them be."
After securing the blimp, the party cross the ruined bridge and enters the mysterious white tower.
Moving past a short entryway, you finds yourselves standing in a circular atrium. The foot of the enormous black cyclone seen outside seems to be rooted at the atrium's center. The cyclone broadens as it grows higher but it's only roughly 10 feet wide within the tower. Stone doors lead from the atrium to five different rooms and two small archways lead to small chambers.
Ember takes a quick look at the cyclone and flutters back out.
"Uh, so, quick complication: the cyclone is inside. I didn't go near it but I just... does anyone have any rope so they can tie me to them? I don't want to fly off into nothingness after all!"
Although he tries to hide it, Octarus gulps at Embers implication that they might get sucked away. "Yes, yes. A rope. That's a very good idea. Ember and I should get tied to someone heavy," Octarus' focus settles on Rhyol for a moment, " But not someone who would burn the rope."
Is Octarus looking at me? Have I gotten fat?
Jamila quickly puts these thoughts out of her mind as she looks to Krakos, the literal rock to anchor the rope.
"IM NOTT HEAVY IM JUSsssT FlUFfY" Rhyol says making sure to mention she is 200 pounds light (a normal weight for her species). she then looks to Jamila and the rest of the group wondering just how much bubble was in the pie they ate at the briefing.
Gruffly, Krakos grunts out, "My rope was used to dock the blimp, but I do have some extra length of special rope, its Iron rope, should work just find as long as no one utters the command word,"
He'll start drawing out the rope, tying on end of it around his waist and then reaching for Octarus to tie him up to the other end.
"WhAtSsss ThE command Word?" Rhyol steams curiously "..JUSsst To Be Sssure"
Frowning, "Well. . I don't want to say it, but its in Oread so. . just don't say anything in Oread and we should be safe,"
Surprisingly, the currents within the room aren't very strong.
Rhyol looks around at the pretty swirly thing before moving forward trusting her tremor sense to pick up anything weird. "ThaTSsss Nice" She says looking at the swirling black cyclone.
moving cautiously into the room (assuming she doesn't see anything) Rhyol turns to the party "I Once HearD that LefT is ThE Right WaY to Go" she steams remembering something she heard once even if she doesn't know what it means.
Seeing that the currents weren't as expected, Octarus begins to extract himself from the rope. "Yes, left should be fine. It's as good as any other way."
Rolling up his rope he'll stow it on his belt in case Octarus changes his mind.
Drawing his Morningstar out, "I'm right behind ya, Rhyol,"
Rhyol will worm over to the door way and nudge it open with her face.
Octarus takes position behind and offset from Rhyol, ready to unleash a "spell" should trouble erupt when the door is opened.
Jamila moves up to a position she is comfortable and once others are as well she nods to Rhyol to open the door when ready.
"Let me know if I can assist in any way..." the airy man utters as he watches the exploration unfold.
Rows of silver pipes emerge from the ground in this otherwise unadorned room. A few of the pipes are capped with silver lids. Similar lids rest on the floor near the open pipes.
Zephyr moves in to examine the lids and the open pipes, trying to understand what they are - but refrains from tampering with sealed ones...
Ember stares at the pipes. "This is beautiful! I've never seen such things before. Should I fly into one of the open ones and look around? I think I could fit...."
Jamila moves in, examining the silver capped ones with interest.
Eventually she'll poke and pry at one.
"I'Mm HeLlpIng" Rhyol says as she aids Jamila in opening the pipe.
Working together Jamila and Rhyol pry the lid off one of the pipes. An intense, but pleasant, woody scene quickly fills the room.
Checking further pipes, the party finds another delightful scents but nothing of value or interest.
Jamilia inhales deeply "Oak... I think. All rather pleasant, no?"
