"Is it made of stone or wood?"
"Is it made of stone or wood?"
The little blonde-haired boy opens his mouth as he prepares to voice another reply... that is, Brother Ismin of the Order of Truth deftly places his right palm firmly over the youth's mouth, while simultaneously bracing Giralt with a firm hand on the loquacious boy's left shoulder.
The effect is immediate, a confused garble dissolves beneath the cleric's swift physical intervention. Giralt appears to struggle to vocalize his reply for only a moment before he realizes he is being silenced by the older man.
The speed of the priest's reaction suggests that this is not the first time Brother Ismin has executed this particular maneuver in order to staunch the little boy's wagering tongue.
"It is made, so far as I know, of stone. I know the location of which the boy speaks. It is a tall edifice, as he indicated, which is located in a glen in the woods north of the town."
"It has stood for so long as anyone can remember, and further back than any surviving records. It must be, at the least, a half century old, and I believe to be a remnant of a previous world, likely constructed many millennia, or even millions of years before our current times."
"I fear it may hold great danger. One of my predecessors, Sister Yalaina of Qi, vanished during her exploration of the tower."
"Since that time, and until we can ensure the safety of all interlopers, I have discouraged the townspeople from further investigation... though apparently my admonitions have not been sufficiently heeded by all."
The Aeon Priest looks down, regarding the blonde youth with a furrowed brow as the latter squirms away, quickly heading down the curious raised thoroughfare of the little seaside community.
"The young will often push boundaries," Aerik observed, "Perhaps we will be able to render the tower more of a known quantity, even if it remains unsafe." Relics of the ancient world were seldom entirely benign, and a portal to the datasphere would surely not improve the tower's safety.
"The young will often push boundaries," Aerik observed, "Perhaps we will be able to render the tower more of a known quantity, even if it remains unsafe." Relics of the ancient world were seldom entirely benign, and a portal to the datasphere would surely not improve the tower's safety.
The Aeon Priest nods,
"So, should I understand you're all planning on investigating the mysterious ruin which we at the Amber Priory have taken to calling the Spire of Silence?"
"Of course we will! Is there aught else that you can say about the place before we venture there?"
"Why have you given it that name?" Cal asked, clearly curious by his tone.
He was dismayed to learn that his hands passed right through all of the mundane gear Right, I'm basically a ghost now. Insubstantial. Maybe some of the other artifacts, then, he thought to himself. He hit the jackpot in the form of a small amulet that moved with his hand as he swept through the rest of the equipment. He pulled it over his head immediately and quickly found its benefit - not readily apparent to the corporeal traveler that he used to be, this item appeared to let ghosts interact directly with the physical world. Not needing any additional prompting, he grabbed the most important items: a snug-fitting belly-covering that made the very air around it darken, and a small pouch with an extradimensional space inside - currently holding his (and his companion's) stash of currency.
Knowing instinctively that he no longer needed them, Kiyoshi left the food and drink just in case his companion was still alive and came back to the ship. For the same reason, he left the ship in its current location and took off by foot (metaphorically) back towards the portal that he knew from his companion's stories would take him back to Earth's moon. A fair distance to travel, but the extra time would allow Kiyoshi to determine what his new form was capable of. After that, it was a simple task to board a small craft heading from the moon, down to the city of Qi, and then find an even smaller group travelling to Halfstar, a relatively new village near an area that the Priest had mentioned held an oracle in a seaside cave - one of the first deliberate stops on his journey for the Ruin of Knowledge.
With no idea of the exact path or knowledge that led him to Perelande in the first place, Kiyoshi figured it would be best to start nearer the beginning and try to retrace the steps of the Priest of Truth. It was by sheer happenstance that he arrived just prior to a motley collection of individuals, and happened upon said group in the Conjugatorium as the Spinner was finishing her tale. So at least that part was true, if she is the oracle he mentioned.
With his own history of being ridiculed and feared even before this transformation, Kiyoshi deliberated for a few minutes, deciding whether to reveal himself to this group or to go about his own search, following in the man's footsteps. He decided that they, being so varied themselves, would be less likely to hate him on sight, and so took his chance before they could finish their conversation and depart.
His voice appears from above the group "Good afternoon, all. I apologize for the interruption, and I know my presence is unexpected, but I swear I mean you no harm, and in fact may be able to assist you in your endeavors. With that, Kiyoshi fades into existence before their eyes - a man-sized shadow given form, with a large number of tails moving out behind him - and drifts down to ground level with his hands out to his side in a gesture of goodwill, though with a noticeable darkening of the area within 20ft of himself as he moves.
"As you can see, my appearance is not the friendliest. I only hid myself to not cause a fright as I made my way here. As I was saying, I overheard you are on the hunt for the Cigar Thane, Hadrama'aldramaan. I can add onto the story that the one you called Spinner has told you."
"Damn ninjas." sputters Cal when Kiyoshi became visible.
The Unfettered Prince turns to face the newcomer with curiosity.
"We are about to engage in a venture to a place of deadly repute. You are welcome to join in."
"Why have you given it that name?" Cal asked, clearly curious by his tone.
"There is a mysterious effect which governs the forest glade within which the tower rises. From the edge of a curious ring of tall trees of several species foreign to this region and clime that form the perimeter of the glade, and up to the entrance of the tower, there is a preternatural zone of silence. No step or animal call can be heard within its confines. The very wind ceases to announce itself within the glade."
"However, the effect appears to abate at the entrance of the tower, and sounds can, apparently, be heard normally within the structure itself."
"At least.... that's according to the accounts we have of the brief forays that made been made into the mysterious structure."
** spoiler omitted **...
The Aeon Priest regards the newcomer with a suspicious expression,
"Well met, stranger, I am Brother Ismin of the Amber Priory of the Order of Truth, humble servant of our esteemed patriarch in distant Qi, and a student of the prior worlds. How, exactly, might you have any additional knowledge of this enigmatic figure, beyond that which was contained in a sealed volume whose contents have only just now been brought to light?"
The Unfettered Prince turns to face the newcomer with curiosity.
"We are about to engage in a venture to a place of deadly repute. You are welcome to join in."
Brother Ismin turns his attention back to the gigantic fey,
"Well, my order has attempted several preliminary expeditions into the structure, from which efforts we have learned a limited amount about its mysteries. What, particularly, might you wish to learn more about before launching your own reconnaissance? Ask, and I shall attempt to enlighten you."
"Ismin, tell me of the defenses of the tower. What prevented your groups from plumbing its secrets in their entirety?"
"Ismin, tell me of the defenses of the tower. What prevented your groups from plumbing its secrets in their entirety?"
The Aeon Priest frowns slightly as he considers the matter,
"Well, not having been a member of these expeditions, my information is necessarily second hand... Brother Everen was charged with documenting the entrance three years ago when we lost Sister Yalaina to its depths. Everen reported that the insides of the structure appeared to shift arrangement as they explored, making mapping and, indeed, any attempt at navigation unusually difficult. He also reported that there appeared to be a malevolent entity that attacked some of his confederates, and was heard as a rustling of the wind within the structure. He took to calling the creature 'The Gorgon', but who knows what it really was. Everen was convinced that Brother Veshard met his untimely end at the hands of the creature when he became separated from the rest of the company. Sister Yalaina never returned from a descent down a set of stairs that suddenly appeared within a chamber that, so far as they could determine, they had previously visited..."
Aerik frowned thoughtfully, "I wonder if it is a coincidence that an area of silence surrounds a building containing an entity described only according to the sound it makes. Something to consider, though perhaps not to rely upon."
A shifting structure would no doubt make exploration tricky, at least according to standard methods. Outside the box thinking would be necessary.
"Perhaps it is a being made of sound, and the silence area traps it?"
** spoiler omitted **...The Aeon Priest regards the newcomer with a suspicious expression,
"Well met, stranger, I am Brother Ismin of the Amber Priory of the Order of Truth, humble servant of our esteemed patriarch in distant Qi, and a student of the prior worlds. How, exactly, might you have any additional knowledge of this enigmatic figure, beyond that which was contained in a sealed volume whose contents have only just now been brought to light?"
"I traveled with him for some time - he's actually the reason I've come here. Granted, I do not believe he was wholly forthcoming in his tales, but in our time together, he provided me with details about his own past; his journey to my planet started here. He arrived using the spacecraft that the oracle here pointed him towards. I managed a different way." Kiyoshi waves him off at this point, "We can come back to this at another time. History's not going anywhere, right?"
"Seeing as I am practically a creature of darkness and silence, and I have an innate sense of direction, I may be of no little use in both the shifting structure and the surrounding forest. I'd also really enjoy putting myself to the test - I never got to really challenge myself before my journey here."
"The silence could make some of our casting difficult. But we will still have considerable might between us, to tear this Gorgon apart if needs be. The shifting labyrinth is more of a threat - it could trap us."
"If the silence field has limits, perhaps we could overcome them with trickery or sheer volume."
"Perhaps it is a being made of sound, and the silence area traps it?"
Brother Ismin nods sagaciously,
"An interesting supposition, to be sure..."
** spoiler omitted **...The Aeon Priest regards the newcomer with a suspicious expression,
"Well met, stranger, I am Brother Ismin of the Amber Priory of the Order of Truth, humble servant of our esteemed patriarch in distant Qi, and a student of the prior worlds. How, exactly, might you have any additional knowledge of this enigmatic figure, beyond that which was contained in a sealed volume whose contents have only just now been brought to light?"
"I traveled with him for some time - he's actually the reason I've come here. Granted, I do not believe he was wholly forthcoming in his tales, but in our time together, he provided me with details about his own past; his journey to my planet started here. He arrived using the spacecraft that the oracle here pointed him towards. I managed a different way." Kiyoshi waves him off at this point, "We can come back to this at another time. History's not going anywhere, right?"
"Seeing as I am practically a creature of darkness and silence, and I have an innate sense of direction, I may be of no little use in both the shifting structure and the surrounding forest. I'd also really enjoy putting myself to the test - I never got to really challenge myself before my journey here."
The Aeon Priest appears taken aback,
"I must needs question you further on this matter, when you have returned from the expedition to the Spire of Silence."
"The silence could make some of our casting difficult. But we will still have considerable might between us, to tear this Gorgon apart if needs be. The shifting labyrinth is more of a threat - it could trap us."
"If the silence field has limits, perhaps we could overcome them with trickery or sheer volume."
The Aeon Priest concurs, "Indeed, that these are wise considerations..."
"Or perhaps, since it just blocks sound, we can just walk through it."
"We could, but I would like to hammer open any defenses while they can not impede us. What do the rest of ye think?"
"We could, but I would like to hammer open any defenses while they can not impede us. What do the rest of ye think?"
When and if you all come to a consensus," offers the Aeon Priest, "I will be able to furnish you with a map of the nearby hinterlands that will direct your path towards the Spire of Silence."
"A map would be most helpful, thank you."
"A map would be most helpful, thank you."
Brother Ismin pulls a scrolls from a deep pouch of his curious tunic. The slightly shiny material depicts the sea shore, and the waves of the illustration appear to undulate, though perhaps that is an optical illusion...
Halfstar sits on the widest portion of a narrow coastal plain. This plain is bordered by a deep forest that pierces a low ridge of mountains, or a high line of hills, depending on how one understands the promontories that divide the coastal plain from the interior of the continent.
The strange central rode of the Village of Halfstar, composed of a massive heap of cyclopean interlinked blocks shaped like stars, leads out of the small settlement and into the wooded hinterlands.
Within a few steps into woods, the unexpectedly heavy moisture of content of the air becomes apparent. It is as if the forest is part of a different hemispherical biome than the coastal town.
The tall trees of the woods have bright, almost red bark, and the leaves possess a purple slightly purple tinge. This foliage is exceptionally dense, hard to penetrate outside of the raised pathway.
A dense mist clings low to the ground, not even reaching the height of the path.
After a few minutes, a lone voice is heard calling in the distance.
"Help!"
The Unfettered Prince walks gladly through the forest, occasionally commenting upon what the group sees to his companions:
"This is the closest I have yet seen in this land to the verdant vales of Antak. It is quite pleasing to the senses."
Then he hears the cry.
"Whether a threat or ambush, a test awaits, my companions!", the horned figure says with joy in his voice as he lopes forward, eager to encounter whatever may come, his deadly spear in hand.
Cal drew his sword and headed towards the sound of the voice without hesitation.
The sword's handle is covered in beaten gold, with a large Sapphire set into the pommel. Runes glowing soft white light run the length of the starmetal blade; when read in celestial, they offer a powerful prayer to destroy evil.
Aerik followed, though he held off on drawing a weapon. Not every call for help required fighting, and an armed band bursting out of the woods might not be terribly reassuring.
The Unfettered Prince walks gladly through the forest, occasionally commenting upon what the group sees to his companions:
"This is the closest I have yet seen in this land to the verdant vales of Antak. It is quite pleasing to the senses."
[dice=Knowledge Nature on any standout characteristics of this foliage or of the mist]1d20+ 19
Then he hears the cry.
"Whether a threat or ambush, a test awaits, my companions!", the horned figure says with joy in his voice as he lopes forward, eager to encounter whatever may come, his deadly spear in hand.
[dice=Perception on where that voice came from - or threats]1d20 + 20
The trees appear to be not an earthly species...
The voice appears to have come... from the mist around the path.
The Nightmare Dragon leaps into the air as the group surges forward.
[dice=Perception]20+48
The voice is coming from the mist around the path, on the forest floor. It is as if the haze were attempting to lure your party off the path...
"Are you saying that something is actively trying to prevent us from reaching the tower?"
"The trees are not a species native to this earth. Perhaps they conceal a threat from the stars.", notes the Unfettered Prince, ceasing his movements.
He calls out:
"Stranger! Come towards us!"
Kiyoshi goes with the group into the forest, paying careful attention to the foliage surrounding them and the markings on their path, attempting to ensure that they aren't misled into wandering in circles. Being well-versed in forest terrain, and having an innate sense of direction make this an almost trivial task, despite never having been in the area before.
When the voice cries out for help, and Arc confirms that the voice seems to have come from the mist around them, Kiyoshi is immediately wary, but also curious. Perhaps on the way back, he could try to trigger whatever trap the mist represents. Even if it's dangerous, Kiyoshi knows that he should be able to retreat with relative ease from anything that can harm him in the first place. "Talking mist, a known zone of silence, and the whole forest not even belonging on this planet in the first place. It all feels like a warning. Or a trap. Let's keep moving unless we get an actual reason to stop."
"I can't just ignore a call for help. It won't take long to check out."
"The trees are not a species native to this earth. Perhaps they conceal a threat from the stars.", notes the Unfettered Prince, ceasing his movements.
He calls out:
"Stranger! Come towards us!"
[Dice=Diplomacy]1d20+45
Only silence responds to the prince's entreaty.
Kiyoshi goes with the group into the forest, paying careful attention to the foliage surrounding them and the markings on their path, attempting to ensure that they aren't misled into wandering in circles. Being well-versed in forest terrain, and having an innate sense of direction make this an almost trivial task, despite never having been in the area before.
[dice=Perception]1d20+17When the voice cries out for help, and Arc confirms that the voice seems to have come from the mist around them, Kiyoshi is immediately wary, but also curious. Perhaps on the way back, he could try to trigger whatever trap the mist represents. Even if it's dangerous, Kiyoshi knows that he should be able to retreat with relative ease from anything that can harm him in the first place. "Talking mist, a known zone of silence, and the whole forest not even belonging on this planet in the first place. It all feels like a warning. Or a trap. Let's keep moving unless we get an actual reason to stop."
Kiyoshi discerns a few small eddies in the mist, but nothing of any overt significance.
"It has the feel of a trap," Aerik observed, "We might seek to defang the trap, but it may not do any lasting good."
Alerted to the danger now, he considered whether the available information matched the profile of any of the creatures with which he was familiar.
"Trap though it might be, it shouldn't take too long to verify that."
"Aye! A swift check!"
The Unfettered Prince resumes advancing, seeking a source for the sound.
"Very well, if you are determined to go through with this now instead of on our way back, there are likely fewer things that can cause me harm than you in our current forms, so I'll start it." Kiyoshi kneels down, still on the path, and sweeps his hand through the mist, one direction as his incorporeal self, and then back again focusing on becoming corporeal and interacting with the material world to see if there's a difference. As soon as his second sweep completes, he uses his Shadow Slip ability to teleport off of the path and into the higher foliage to put some extra space between himself and whatever might come out of the mist.
"Very well, if you are determined to go through with this now instead of on our way back, there are likely fewer things that can cause me harm than you in our current forms, so I'll start it." Kiyoshi kneels down, still on the path, and sweeps his hand through the mist, one direction as his incorporeal self, and then back again focusing on becoming corporeal and interacting with the material world to see if there's a difference. As soon as his second sweep completes, he uses his Shadow Slip ability to teleport off of the path and into the higher foliage to put some extra space between himself and whatever might come out of the mist.
The Infinite Fool, having remained in thoughtful silence as the group of -- well, 'heroes' seems a bit self-aggrandizing -- the group of unusual individuals withdrew from Kyoonsha'rah; he is very careful to make sure that the place is sealed up once more, because both types of possessing entities within were a danger to the ordinary individual hereabouts -- not to mention the Spinner of Songs herself.
That space-cold inhalation that only he was privy to had been hint enough of the fury he'd -- admittedly deliberately -- provoked.
Lost in thought, he trails along after the others as they venture into the forest; Syad, apparently 'used to' this sort of introspection, simply rides along on his shoulder, looking around and keeping watch. The entire idea of wandering into the mists in pursuit of a vague call of 'help!' seems more than a little ludicrous to him, but he'll watch with interest as the others start to leave the path to do just that; he'll be the last to do so, and that with a shrug.
"It has the feel of a trap," Aerik observed, "We might seek to defang the trap, but it may not do any lasting good."
Alerted to the danger now, he considered whether the available information matched the profile of any of the creatures with which he was familiar.
[dice=Knowledge (Geography)]1d20+21
[dice=Knowledge (Local)]1d20+17
[dice=Knowledge (Nature)]1d20+23
[dice=Knowledge (Planes)]1d20+17
The Vendrisian Woods are composed of exceptionally tall trees not native to the area, or any other known region of the Ninth World. They are exceptionally tall, have vermilion bark, and wide, flat leaves distinguished by a slight purplish tint. They smell sickly sweet when cut, and have exceptionally soft, pulpy wood despite their incredible heights, often reaching to several hundred or more feet in elevation.
The area is known for strange disappearances, wandering travelers mysteriously vanished into thin air after entering the woods... Much of the time, the woods are unremarkable in appearance. However, when the sun hides behind the clouds, and the mists gather, it is said that strange voices call the unwary off the paths, and to their unknown fates...
The area is also known for the Glade of Silence, mentioned by Brother Ismin in his description of the locale...
The woods appear to be connected with a strange dimension known as Woad Goaning, which is filled with the same strange trees, and has a sky the color of lemons. Some inhabitants of Lostrei have successfully visited this dimension on horticultural expeditions. It is filled with invisible predators of great size that hunt the spaces between the high trees, or soar in the tinted skies.
"Aye! A swift check!"
The Unfettered Prince resumes advancing, seeking a source for the sound.
[dice=Perception to locate the source of the sound]1d20+20
[dice=Survival to note tracks or signs of struggle]1d20+ 15
[dice=Spellcraft to notice any magical effects]1d20 + 21
[dice=Knowledge Arcana on magical effects]1d20+19
[dice=Knowledge Engineering on technological effects]1d20+25
[dice=Knowledge Nature on creatures]1d20+ 19
[dice=Knowledge Planes on beings not of this world]1d20 + 19
[dice=Knowledge Religion on divine interference]1d20+19
There are signs of a recent altercation of some sort on the road.
The woods appear to be connected with a strange dimension known as Woad Goaning, which is filled with the same strange trees, and has a sky the color of lemons. Some inhabitants of Lostrei have successfully visited this dimension on horticultural expeditions. It is filled with invisible predators of great size that hunt the spaces between the high trees, or soar in the tinted skies.