"I shall find out all I can about him." he says with the sincerity of an oath. Even if the others are interested in their other mission, he will follow up.
"We have more missions than I can keep track of, still this is another mystery that I find myself intrigued by. I shall aid in this endeavor Krachxton".
Bart lets out a hacking cough, leaning on his shield to support himself. "Hyeck." he wipes his watering eyes. "Well, someone has to look out for you young'uns. I'll be joinin' yer whether yer liking it or not."
"Soooo we go track down leads?" Cedric asks as he is eager to tackle the task at hand.
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Well, I can tell you what I recorded so far. I'll leave it up to you to connect the dots.
- The devil wants you to put his orb on the highest point in Sigil
- What is the orb? Some kind of scrying device?
- There's a staff from the junk plane, with some kind of mercury device on it
- Estevan has a ledger with secrets that someone tried to steal from him
- Estevan wants to know why his ledger was stolen
- Origax (a signer) seems to have an interest in Estevan's tome
- Jerkot's thugs seem to have an interest in Estevan's tome
- Estevan seems to be onto something called a 'blink cycle', a series of doors opening every 400 years
- Balthasar thinks Garmundi has a clue about this
- Garmundi jumped off the shattered temple, but his body never was found
- Coranthol of the Athar should know more
- The Athar don't seem to like Origax
- The Athar want to know what happened to Garmundi as well.
"We do." To the representative, he'll say, "Please let Coranthol know we would like to talk to him when he as the chance."[/b]
To the others, "Do we canvas the area to get more information, or simply descend and try to find the source?"
Lun Tsu considers the options, "Well, we are here already. To begin to unravel these mysteries we should find at least one of those persons who may know more, I say we start by descending.
Before we go though, do any of you require supplies? We do still have Estevan's letters of credit".
Cedric ponders what they may be facing. "I wouldn't mind picking up some boots of the cat. Just in case I take a tumble down this pit."
"Best be prepared, aye. The ol' armour's been getting rusty. Don't rain in this place, but everywhere this blasted damp..." Bart grumbles, looking pensive for a moment before giving his cloak a tentative sniff. Seemingly blind to the rat-grease stains, he tosses it back over his shoulder. "Should probably get this orb and staff looked at right quick too. Might find some answers that-a-way."
The party makes a detour to the market ward, where a shop call 'Planar Wares' signals a relationship with Estevan.
We can get you most of these items the shopkeeper says, though the more expensive ones may not be on stock, let me have a look...
Some boots, some healing, all here. Full plate, you say? We'll have to get that tailored for you. I can take your measurements, but it'll take us at least a week to adjust the set.
Lun Tsu nods to Bart, "Yes, we may face great danger. Divine healing will be useful. You may take what you need from my share to accomplish this. Armor for yourself is also sensible my friend".
"I'll take a pair of those comfy looking blue boots. These have been properly enchanted to give cat like reflexes when falling yes?"
Here you are sir. That'll be a thousand crowns for the boots. I see you have a credit letter, do you want me to put the remainder on an account here?
Returning to the Athar complex, the same clerk greets the adventurers. You are ready now? Coranthol is ready to see you.
He leads the adventurers to the office of the factol of the Athar, the very same elf that commanded the group to fetch a Harmonium patrol when the dwarf was preaching.
Ah, you're here, finally. I need a trustworthy group, and with Krachxton here I can be assured of your discretion.
He continues: You remember that dwarven preacher right? A right black eye he was, made us look really bad. I want him brought to me. I have reason to believe that he did not so much fall to his death on that jump as activate a portal. I want to you find the gate key. The dwarf knew what it was, so there must be other berks in Sigil that do. I will offer you 1000 gp to figure out what the gate-key is, and cover any reasonable expenses you might incur along the way, including boarding and meals.
You might start your search with Lissandra the gate-keeper, who is a general expert on sigil's portals. Fell, the fallen dabus, can help you with creating facsimiles of most items - if you get him to help you. You can try and find eye-witnesses, and ask if they spotted something we missed.
Once you have the gate-key, find Garmundi. Alive if you can, dead if need be. We have ways.
The man we're looking for is a law-breaker in Sigil, so helping us out, in discretion, will also give you good standing with the Harmonium. It is behvaiour like that that will keep you form being harrowed by them.
The remark is actually a veiled threat: be discrete, or the Harmonium will make your life miserable.
Sense Motive
"Discretion, got it. Any suggestions on our motives for our inquiries on the situation? Figure we'll start with the gate-keeper Lissandra" Cedric says as takes in the mans veiled message.
Lun nods to Cedric, "Agreed, let us start with this Lissandra".
Lun Tsu bows slightly to the Coranthol and proceeds out the door to begin the groups new quest.
Lissandra is a phenomenom in Sigil. You'll find her hanging around in the market ward. You can ask her directly about portals, just don't mention Garmundi.
Sure enough, locating Lissandra is quite straightforward. She loiters in the market. A tall female tielfing with fiery red hair, Lissandra is just receiving payment from a burly looking half-goat half-man, and with a broad smile - something of a smirk - she turns and moves into the direction of the group.
"Greets, my name is Cedric and you are just the person I was hoping to run into her in Sigil. I have a great interest in the different planes and all the portals that lead to them. Rumor has it that you seem to be the most knowledgeable one on the subject. If you have a moment to share some of your wisdom with a amateur explorer." Cedric says as he flashes he friendliest smile.
"To put it bluntly, ma'am, we're told y'er the woman to be asking about a whatsi-... er, that is ter say, a blink cycle, and other such business" says Bart, master of discretion.
"Actually I was more interested in quick escape portals. Like the one the dwarf fellow probably used when he jumped out of view over at the temple. A little guy like myself could find a few portals like that useful."
Oh, ah. Blink cycle. Now there's a thing. Not the first to ask, you are, not even today.
She then turns to Cedric Curious you should mention that one, she says, looking in the direction of where her previous client went. So, you know the location, but not the key? You know the portal, but not the series? You're in luck then, because I've figured out the dark of it. You have to bring the jink, though, because in Arcadia, only the road apples are free.
"Sorry I am still new here, what is 'the jink' you speak of."
Primes? Interesting. Lissandra says, curiously avoiding the condescending 'clueless' that everybody else in Sigil seems to use. Jink. The glitter in the baatezu's eye. Gold. You're going to have to pay me if you want the dark of the blink cycle. I've got my costs, you know. A hundred for what I know on the portal, four hundred for my info on the cycle?
Lun Tsu looks to his companions and shrugs, "Do any of you carry such, Jink? I fear I have nothing to contribute for this endeavor".
"Perhaps if we lack coin, you may accept service instead?"
Hmm, information for a service. That seems fair. In that, there is something I need done. You see, I don't leave the Cage () all that much, and there's this wizard I used to work with. He used to live here, beore me moved to the outlands, near Tradegate. Should be benign enough for your lot. There's a portal in the Market Ward, near the entrance of the great bazaar, and you'll need a pair of scales to get through it. You can always ask Fell to create you one, but it shouldn't be hard to find scales in the market ward. Can you track him down, and see if he has any news for me?
Krachxton nods that this would be a good idea. Travel is usually more broadening than simply paying money.
"A quick hop through another portal and a glimpse of another plane, sure why not." He turns to go and adds, "You'll be hearing from us again soon, lets go check out this market ward." Cedric then heads off in a random direction not releasing he has no idea where the market ward is.
The group trodges back from the clerk's ward to the market ward, nearing the outskirts of the grand bazaar. On this side, stalls a neatly set out and orderly, but further on - as the streets get closer to the slums called the hive - stands are more makeshift, worn down and chaotically set out. The large entrance gate marks out the grand bazaar, and the doorway that Lissandra describes is found easily.
It seems the portal find widespread use, traffic moving in and out of the gate appears quite frequently. As the group watches the doorway, a well-dressed man moves up from the back, with an air of importance, C'mon, don't stand in the way, I've got an appointment to get to. Move along!
She pushes himself past the adventurers, and looks to be heading into the portal.
Cedric looks to the Mimir. "Does it take the same key to get back from a portal?"
Lun Tsu will close in on him to step through the portal with him, if the others fall back he will do what he can to delay this traveler.
"Aint'n't been free o' the cage in twenty odd-years." Bart says, transfixed. He walks several paces behind the merchant, heavy bootfalls giving the game away, but stops himself in place as he listens to the mimir. "Caution is the watchword, old boy." he mutters to himself.
The fraternity of order would like you to think so, they see order everywhere. If they key is not the same, they say, it is at least similar, if not physically then symbolically. Of course, they see only what they want to believe, and their tendency to hold up in lawful planes makes it more likely that their observations hold. Still, there's portals near limbo where the gate keys don't match. Or they change very day. Or there's no gate key. Near the evil planes, you might even find planes that only go in one way, trapping those unfortunate enough inside.
This portals though, leads to tradegate, the gate town to Bytopia. That's an orderly enough place, and the portal seems relatively stable, so it is likely that the same key works both ways.
"So do we jump through or get our own key to insure a way back?" Cedric asks as he looks at his new friends expectantly.
"We follow. It's not like the key is exclusive - it should be available on the other side. If not, we take his."
The man moves ahead, and the portals flashes with the now-familiar swirl of blue light. One the other side of the portal is a city, with wide streets in straightlines, bustling of activity. Impeccably dressed men and women walk the streets in hurried fashion as horse-drawn coached zip by. The group finds itself in the middle of town, at an intersection of two straight roads. Well-maintained sign-posts indicate several landmarks in the city. Ahead is a 'parliament', the other way an 'armory', 'accounting house', a 'resident's district'. There's also a workers district, warehousing quarter, travellers district. The whole city seems to be neatly organised and compartimentalized, with a grand bazaar - reminiscent of the market ward's more orderly side - in the very middle.
The portal to sigil is also indicated clearly, and while the party catches its breath, already the first merchant is approaching the portal. From the stonework in front of it, it seems like the thing gets a lot of traffic.
"Right then. We've a wizard to be finding. Step to it, lads."
"As this is a trade ward let's see about getting our own gate key to return, while there we can ask about the Wizard that Lissandra sent us to locate as she did not give us very specific directions to find him".
Cedric will begin asking around about any local wizards that have moved over from Sigil.
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Cedric asks around at the bazaar, and a particularly chatty half-elf explains Wizard? We have plenty of those here, offering spell-casting services in the traveller's district. But you're looking for a blood from the Cage? I think... yes, there was a greybeard from the Lady's city, said he wanted to investigate... magical effects near the spire. Sounded like a guvner to me. Smart feller - knows all the Abyssals lords, that's for sure - but barmy as a spire god if you ask me. Or at least aspiring to become one. Everybody knows magic stops working the closer you get to the spire, so you better bring some metal or you're fiend-food.
Anyway, at least he chose the joyward side of the outlands. Not many fiends trying to scrag you here. Just pixies. Tir Na Nog, you know. Home of the seelie. Not a good place if you ain't got wings. Rumour has it your wizard went there, directly spireward from here. Took off about a week ago.
Bart nods. "If ye'd be so kind ter point us Joyward we'll be on our merry way. Much obliged fer yer troubles."
S'pose you mean spireward. Ain't much more joyward from here, being at the gate town and all. 'S bout as joyous as it gets. You just take the traveller's gate or the resident's gate, and follow the trail. Just keep your head up, that big pike can't be missed, really. Tir na nog's a fair walk from here, but about as dangerous as a modron with no orders.