DM Delmoth's Planescape

Game Master Delmoth

The party makes their way to the Twilight Wall district, a relatively easy walk for several blocks. When they round it they see, as advertised, the wall casts a long shadow over the district, except that the shadow extends beyond the wall in a straight line until it hits the edge of the metal disc this city is improbably built on. The effect is similar to that of dusk or dawn with the promise of light but no apparent source.

Once you enter the district you can tell this is the seedier part of town, where the lower class resides and where the cony catchers ply their trade. However, no one tries to bob you, either due to your own auras or the Iron Shadow’s.

You also notice that the wind still blows air across your face, refreshing as it was on the other side, but the direction is different.

While searching for the scene of Mearall’s death, you come across a tavern called The Looking Glass.

The seedier part of town doesn't seem to phase Jek. In fact, he seems right at home. He couldn't help but notice that it's far nicer than most of the short-cut routes through Sigil. There aren't people everywhere to avoid. There's no unplaceable yet persistent odor. There's even a lovely breeze. He might take a route like this in Sigil even if it took longer. And if all of that weren't enough, there's also a good chance that they're the scariest things out here today.

Jek's eyes go wide. A tavern! He happily trots up to the door, holds it open, and nods for his friends to enter. "They're bound to know more in here... and I bet their drinks won't taste like rusty chains!"

"I suppose we can find that Oracle afterwards." Nik shrugs.
"Think they have tea?" He adds as he walks in, accepting Jek's invitation.

"Jek, do you like tea because it's just liquid hay?" Rinika slinks into and takes stock of the place, looking for a bartender or any patrons who don't look completely torporous to ply with questions.

"Hiyo, we was lookin'for Mearall and caught the chant he was in the deadbook now. What was he like, he a regular? Shame, that. Hear there's been a spot o' trouble late with a whole batch of mephits bitin' the iron too, what's the dark? And on that, they ever figure why the light's so light yonder the wall? What's on offer for drinks, can we have 3 ales, a large bucket of ale, and a large bucket of tea? Hot leaf juice? Liquid hay? Jek, how do you feel about kombucha?"

Xibalba shudders at Jek's mention of chains. As sketchy as the neighborhood looks, her heart swelled at the mention of deliteriois liquids. Hshe hadn't met one she hated.

Just before she steps into the Looking Glass with her motley companions, she reduces in height to a halfling version of herself, like sands shifting and rearranging.

She spots Rinika running off to interrogate locals and her first instinct was to follow collecting notes for later review. But, she was struck with a much genre appropriate plan.

High fiction, not gritty pulp.

Hoping this form would be just the right amount of 'icious', she nudges forward between tables and unholsters her red lacquered Sitar. Her scarred fingertips dance to tune the instrument, a soft request to the owners as if to ask, 'is this acceptable. She carefully strums an inoffensive tune, doing her damnedest to match energy with the establishment. Nothing fancy.

She'd read this particular tactic in the Chronicles of Investigator Hayer Pinn. The tituar hero did the same with a war flute at a masquerade so his partner could uncover the baronesses gossips.

Hidden in plain sight... she thought self assuredly.

Sitar Musical Instrument: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

"Jek, how do you feel about kombucha?"

Jek smiles somewhat perplexed. "Tea's nice, but it strains out the best part... Nik's a fan though I think. No, just a big-ole ale please. It's ripe cud juice without the wait, ya know? Speaking of... do you also serve the hops and barley? Mash is fine." After ordering that and the fanciest plants he can find on the menu, he begins scouting the place for a quiet preferably shadowy booth or table that can be suitably rearranged for the party while also sorta close to the Sitar music.

"I've warmed up to it lately, but I'm mostly asking 'cause we got hipped by that rainbow lookin' lady whats-her-face. Until now I didn't think it'd be a pain to taste test the tea behind each portal. Maybe still worth the trouble for the demon-gem thing." Nik explains, apparently not interested in exerting any effort whatsoever to repay the gift. Or perhaps still feeling suspicious of Teala.

The unassuming and boring bartender brings over the requested ale and tea, imported from Sigil. They apologize for not having anything suitable for Jek to eat or sit on. He provides drinks to Xibalba and her companions for free as she plays a melody or sorrow and loss not heard here in ages. She’s surprised to hear one patron exclaim, ”The City of Brass right? It’s been a while since I’ve gone fire-wards.” You wanted to take 10 on that check, right?

As Rinika prowls the bar she finds a bubber with his head looking down into a cup filled with the cheap stuff. His sandy brown hair is long and unkempt as are his fingernails. He looks tired and he smells of alcohol and aged sweat. Rinika also notices a faded patch, a spiral handled dagger that’s being engulfed by streams of water, or something more abstract. She recognizes the symbol, it belongs to the Fraternity of Order, or derisively the Guvners. The faction is not subtle about their stated goals, though they state them dryly, the study of laws of the multiverse to gain power.

The man speaks in the slurred speech of someone who should be cut off, ”Sheeess intha dead-book. Aaan good riddance. Juss more trash. She even tried to bob old Deirdarth, Deirdarth Three-eye is the common name of the oracle you’ve heard about. Not thatit matteerss, he’s gone missin too.”

The bubber chuckles, ”Thass aight. He wass only good fer borrowin jink.”

When asked about the Twilight wall and the Iron Shadow he says, ”Dunno, sstoped carin about that sstuff afer those crossss-traderss took my book from me.”

The bartender looks at Rinika pleading, she gets the sense he’s about to tell a story that he’s repeated a million times to any sod who will listen to him.

The bubber continues his tale unhindered by anyone nearby, the bartender complains, ”Ghuntomas, please,” before leaving. You’re relatively alone with this obviously down on his luck Guvner. ”Ever-Changing Order,” he pronounces the title carefully, starting to sober up and speaking more clearly.

”What amazes me is that even those people who believe that Chaos can be ordered cannot admit that Order can be chaotic. How can people who study the Multiverse so closely be so terribly blind? My book was a treatise on how these forces are not opposed but work together. The alchemy verified it! My faction urged me to keep my findings quiet, but I published anyway without their help. I should have known they would bob me in the end. I had to flee Sigil and then the publisher declared that I was in breach of contract. As if I would be in breach.”

He continues, "Here in Blurophil, I have to remain, with no prospects my jink is gone. I had to pawn off what little equipment I was able to recover, I have nothing now. Nothing but this empty cup."

Jek chuckles. "Sigil's misbehaving modrons are hard to miss, but uptight folks don't get out much..." Having not started his ale yet he uses it to half-fill Ghuntomas's cup. "Now, I've never seen or delivered a scrap of order or chaos... seems they're just words that float about the tavern from time to time. You though, you need work for jink for drink. Start there. There's always some sorta work about if you'll take it." He pulls out two mystery rations and slides them by the half-full cup. "As for order, it's like the herd elders say '"a perfect order" wouldn't have to blame so much stuff on its neighbors.'"

Nanci taps on Rinika’s shoulder, if she didn’t know better she would think that Nanci was annoyed. Clearly an impossibility.

Ghuntomas, unperturbed by Jek’s gentle suggestion, continues and latches onto the part he cares about, ”See! You get it! If I had a purer sample of Chaos and Order I could have proved without a doubt my theories. But such a thing could only be found in Limbo or Mechanus, and even then it would be rare indeed.”

He digs into the rations and drinks the bub, ”I could have done that when I was younger. My mind was a lot clearer back then. I've hit the blinds.” He motions to his empty cup expectantly.

Rhinika slides herself into the conversation and slaps the poor sod on the back. "You ask me, anyone who makes up rules at their pleasure to benefit just 'emselves like the Guv'ners do ain't making the rules up to support the order of the multiverse. And maybe the way that everything everywhere inevitably falls apart into chaos has a bit of...well, inevitability is a hallmark of order, eh? It's a bit academic though, innit? What's to worry about all that when there's killers on the loose here? Ain't you worried about them?"

The bubber waves his hand at Rinika, ”Bar that. The killer won’t come for you cutters in a while. I think I have their pattern, each killing is three days apart except after the third, the killer waits six days. Rule of Three all over it.“

He holds the cup up to his mouth for a minute to get at the last drops, ”So another killing tomorrow, but I won’t shed a tear for the victim. The first three? Some paladin, a scullery maid, and a member of the Fraternity of Order. Lawful bunch, I assume the maid was anyway. Next set some warrior from Acheron, a priest of Set, and someone rumored to be a contract killer. Still lawful but twisted by evil. The first victim in this set? Some thug? Do you see it now? "

He pauses for a moment hoping that it dawns on the party, he moves onto explain regardless of whether it does or not, ”The killer is moving around the Great Ring with each victim a stand-in for that plane. Mount Celestia, Arcadia, Mechanus, Acheron, Baator, Gehenna, The Gray Wastes. Next victim will represent Carceri, the Prison Plane, they’ll be a right bastard. Anyway, scragging the killer is a job for the Royal Guard. I’m surprised they haven’t posted lookouts on top of the dome, or at Sorrow’s Roost to watch for them.”

Xiblaba ears perk up at the mention of her home, She tries to get a glimpse of the patron who spoke out to her through her pipes smoke. Despite her elation to find her homes reach even here she switches to a melonchaly tone in a native language, keeping beat with the Sitar. She offers a song of longing.

"Smokerly stranger sits us sees before,
Eyewise distant like molten shore.
Fire-touched face remembers thuswise,
Brass City's golden streets recognize tha?

She folds the music into a holding pattern of Sitar plucks as she awaits the individuals response.

"Carceri...is there a prison round here? Gaol?" The beginnings of a plan to sloppily bob a guard to get to the right place at the right time beginnings to percolate.

Khikril's eyes light up as he listens to Rinika and the mad scholar talk. "Oh, yes, I see what you're saying! Whoever's killing people would have to get into and out of the prison, and from what we've seen of the city, they're probably kotarr - I could keep an eye on the entrances from up high, keep them from losing us in the alleys." The avian alchemist shrugs. "It sounded like all the killings were in the Twilight District, though - not sure if we'll catch whoever this is in another area. If they don't have a prison in the Twilight, I could just bumble around the back alleys until someone tries to rob me, see if that helps."

Fixing on one of the man's statements, he turns to Ghuntomas, raising his eyebrows. "You said they don't have anyone on top of the dome or Sorrow's Roost - I assume that's that little speck of rock up in the sky? I could fly up, keep an eye out." He clears his throat before continuing. "I'm not sure my eyes are quite... that good, but I expect they'll have a telescope for sale somewhere here." He nods to Rinika. "X-302 can go with y... probably go with Jek, to be honest - it's not exactly a quiet machine."

"Wherezzat dome and sorrow's roost? Know an easy way up?" Nik inquires.

The patron is a human man with long white hair drawn in a simple pony tail and goatee kept neat. He wears simple blue robes and carries a staff inlaid with runes. Happily he listens to Xibalba’s song until he realizes he’s actually engaged in a conversation. Sputtering the man says, ”I’m sorry miss. I’m more of a wizard than a bard.”

He snaps his fingers and says, ”Incinerate. If you make your way to Sigil, in the Clerk’s Ward you will find the Hall of Information. They’re using a portal to Fire as a garbage disposal. Saying incinerate is the portal key. I don’t know the key back I’m afraid and I’d think the Efreeti don’t either or they’d give the Bordon Mok and his Mercykiller cronies a piece of their mind.”

Ghuntomas shrugs, ”Resources are limited. So ironically this refuge for exiles, exiles law breakers.” He suggests ”If you can’t fly to Sorrow’s Roost, Saakrak rents hippogriffs.” He motions to his cup, ”I can give you directions to her kip.”

Khikril nods. "Well, it sounds like we have a plan. I have a few things I'd like to pick up while we're in the city, but I'd be glad to help out in whatever way I can." The mad alchemist glances at Nik, raising his eyebrows. "Incidentally, if we do end up splitting up, I think I can direct my golem to follow your instructions - it's a bit different from your average deader, but the principles are the same. Oh, and if you hear screaming, disregard it - it's an auditory hallucination." The strix grins, nudging his aasimar friend in the ribs with a bony elbow. "You know what they say - you can take the brain out of the psychic and put it in a golem, but you can't take the psychic out of the brain in the golem! Oh, and don't take the brain out of the golem, either."

"Sounds good." Nik nods.
"The leaving the brain in and me ordering it around." Nik clarifies.
"I have experience with the less-abled." Nik explains, looking at the door where his very large shambler is standing guard.

"I'll go see if those limited resources include a scroll of something that could help us out. Or maybe I can just borrow a spellbook. Maybe some way to see who might be the next target." Nik thinks aloud to noone in particular, ignoring Ghuntomas's offer entirely.

Jek shakes his head "Ride a hippogriff? Not enough ale in the bar... speaking of..." He pours another half glass from his mug into Ghuntomas's, and then pours a little more into his mouth without touching it to his lips. "Know anything else?"

Ghuntomas gives you directions to hippogriff rentals anyway and mutters into his cup, "If I only had the right catalyst... augh I need my book its all in there. Might be able to save the town."

To Sorrow's roost?

I think that's what we do :D
After Nik makes sure we can't pick up a scroll of See Alignment (or borrow a book of the same) in town xD

Nik looks around for a magic shop before heading over to Sorrow's Roost.

Nik finds his scroll merchant in the greybeard caught by Xibalba’s music. He happily let's Nik puruse his spellbook, a series of scrolls inked with flowing calligraphy on washi (rice paper). Standard rate.

I know Rinika, Skee, and Xibalba can fly. Not sure if Nik or Xibalba have magic for Jek ready to fly.

Nik can ride Jek after casting Fly on him, but he only has one prepped.
He has levitate handy too, if that ends up being useful.
Should Nik buy a scroll to copy later? Or are we okay to hang out for 2 hours? XD

Good luck with that.

Rinika will fly under her own power to Sorrow's Roost, grumbling a bit that they could have just gotten arrested.

Nik can ride Jek after casting Fly on him, but he only has one prepped.

He has levitate handy too, if that ends up being useful.
Should Nik buy a scroll to copy later? Or are we okay to hang out for 2 hours? XD

You'll have it for 3 encounters at least. Sure you can buy a scroll.

Jek decides to check out the hippogriff rentals just in case.

"Say... you don't happen to have a way to get someone me-shaped into the air do ya? I do tend to carry a bit of weight too..."

Nik purchases a scroll of See Alignment in case they're stuck around here for long enough for him to study it. Then he tags along with Jek to the hippogriff rentals.
"You know, if we don't mind staying there for a bit, I can just make you fly." Nik reminds him as he unholsters a rod of metamagic.

"Say... you don't happen to have a way to get someone me-shaped into the air do ya? I do tend to carry a bit of weight too..."

"We could rent a catapult. Or harness you to a flying chariot." Rinika gives Jek a toothy and not particularly serious smile.

You take a short walk to Saarak’s, a humanoid bird of some sort with glossy black feathers covering her wings and draping down large wings which also function as her arms. She points at Rinika and Nik and screeches loudly, ”You and you! 60 gold. Griffs fly back in an hour with or without you.” She points at Xibalba and Skee, ”You don’t need them! Go away!” She considers Jek, ”No bariaur! Go see Wann.” The bird-woman points down the street to a man gassing up a hot air balloon who waves at the party in a friendly manner.

If you approach Wann he looks around distractedly, ”Oh sure, you betcha I can take Mr. Jek. Three hour tour. How’s 30 gold sound?” He takes a look at the size of Jek’s backpack and pours on the gas harder.

Rinika spreads her shadow-wings and lazily floats off away from the screeching bird lady, then her eyes fall upon the majestic hot air balloon, and she zips over to join Jek as quickly as she can and she softly alights to sit pretty on one of his hefty bags. "I'm with him," she says to the balloonist while tossing him more gold. "Where did you get this? Do you know how to fly it? How does it work? How much damage can the bag take? What's your name? Do a lot of people fly this way? What do you know about the murders? Do you have any wine? It seems like this would be a great place to drink wine."

Jek beams at the colorful balloon. His eyes slowly lower until he sees the basket. He shudders and quickly looks back up at the glorious balloon. He continues this for a concerning amount of time until he is suddenly interrupted by Rinika's gliding entrance.

"Oh, thanks for paying... I suppose this is where I get in..." He carefully steps into the basket without looking at it - his gaze focused entirely on the vibrant cloth of the balloon. He cushes to spread his weight. "So far so good... you may need to tell me when we get there..."

Wann beams at Rinikas questions, ”Yer a spunky feller aren’t you? Well I made the balloon myself!” He chuckles cheerily before counting on his fingers and continuing to answer the battery of questions, ”I sure know how to fly it, only took me one, two, five times getting caught in the windmills. I wouldn’t be pointing any weapons at it but don’t ya worry, y’a’ll just fall forever, unless you hit the city first. Name’s Wann, pleased ta metcha!”

With the non-flyers secured in the basket of the hot air balloon you find that Wann’s promise of a three hour tour was a misnomer. The man got distracted by every bird, of which there seemed to be an unreasonable amount, and ended up following a few around before getting around to flying you to Sorrow’s roost.

With a higher vantage you’re able to see the entirety of the metal disc that Blurophil was built on. Beyond it is nothing more than clear blue sky with that ever present glow of daylight with no sun in sight, in every direction. The sight is a little dizzying at first.

Sorrow’s Roost appears to be a haven for birds and other flying animals, colorful and varied plummages abound before the creatures take flight again into the boundless blue of this plane. Among the birds you find a curious humanoid, you get the impression that they are female but their features in that regard are muted enough to make you question your assumptions. They have slight and youthful features but their skin gleams with a liquid silver that flows and shifts with every movement. Their eyes are a crystalline rainbow of colors with no discernible iris or pupil. They sit reposed in a lotus position and don’t acknowledge you.

Near the strange person is a large “bird” that stands 5ft tall, resembling a dark blue eagle, except that its head is plucked from a black stag. Its horns glitter like polished obsidian. It regards you with cruel intelligence behind dull orange-red eyes.

Jek clambers out of the basket. He takes a moment to stretch his legs, wiggle his hooves, and take-in the beauty around him. Upon seeing the stag-headed eagle, he raises his eyebrows and grins with delight. "Hi! I'm Jek! I'm a free-lance courier, and these are my friends... Are you the sorta cutter who's found this burg's best greens?"

Strangely the bird is the one that responds to Jek first putting vitriol in their words, ”I’m a carnivore bariaur, Vassilon doesn’t eat. They can eat but they don’t like it.” Their shadow dances strangely in the light before resolving to resemble Jek. This is especially bothersome because you now notice that it's the only creature that casts a shadow here, except perhaps Rinika or one conjured by Xibalba.

The strange silver person rises from their meditation and a mass of air swirls and blows around them as they rise. They speak with a measured but polite tone ”There’s no reason to be rude Ert. But his words are true, nevertheless. Would you introduce one and only one of your companions now that you have our names?”

"Sure, I'm Nik. You seem the sort who likes to keep everything even. Care to talk about it?" Nik replies.
Waaaay to concerned with things be equal. I think we found our criminal...

Rinika watches every bird along the trip with hungry eyes and happily babbles with Wann during the whole ride.

Rinika notices Ert's shadow shifting and floats over to take a closer look. "Oh that's fun! I wonder if I could do that. So this is where Sorrow roosts, nyah? What do you do up here? It's a nice view at least. Does anyone else live up here? We're looking for a killer, have you seen any from up here? We have a message for them."

"Would you introduce one and only one of your companions now that you have our names?”

Noticing the careful wording, Jek gives it some thought.

Jek ponders this question for far too long. "No. No, I don't think I would. Most of them can talk, and I think they'd rather introduce themselves... it's already happening really... and there's more than one that can't talk so if I were introducing them I wouldn't introduce just one... So no, I don't think I would. Great question." He looks rather impressed with himself for working it out on his own. "Why do you ask?"

Vassilon nods in thanks and regards the party carefully, their multifaceted eyes stare while shifting metallic sheen plays across their skin. You feel their watchfulness somehow in your souls, reverberating uncomfortably and betraying your true nature.

They begin to say, ”Before we can exchange information an agreement with precise language must be drafted and a binding cast on you to enforce compliance.”

The great bird shakes his head and squawks, frustrated, ”That’s going to take forever! The killer’s name is Myress. He met with us, you know? Wanted Vassilon’s council. They were about as helpful then as they are now.”

Ert points with his antlers, ”There’s his house. But he’s not there right now. He’s about to kidnap a woman named Jaspan. She lives in that tenement there. I mostly watch the people in the city when I’m not hunting.”

Ert looks up at Vassilon, ”There’s not much else I’m allowed to do. I don’t have any idea why your kind of people call anything anything.” You’re able to pick out the kips that Ert points out but not other specific details from this distance.

Vassilon gives Ert a look and answers Jek’s question, ”To ensure equity in our dealings. Now that Ert has so wisely disrupted that I will ask what you know of the blight afflicting the city.” Again you feel the puissant gaze of Vassilon assessing your response, if any.

Huh, maybe there's more of these too equal types...

"Er- well, we think it's the same as the iron shadow affecting Minauros, in Baator. Sounded like it's happening lots of places, actually. This is the second place we're investigating, out of- uh- a bunch." Nik replies, scratching his cheek.

"Well, I guess we should try to catch them in the act." Nik adds.

He looks around at the party.
"We've got 3 fliers and if I make Jek fly I'm the only one who needs a ride, right?"

Huh, maybe there's more of these too equal types...

"Er- well, we think it's the same as the iron shadow affecting Minauros, in Baator. Sounded like it's happening lots of places, actually. This is the second place we're investigating, out of- uh- a bunch." Nik replies, scratching his cheek.

"Well, I guess we should try to catch them in the act." Nik adds.

He looks around at the party.
"We've got 3 fliers and if I make Jek fly I'm the only one who needs a ride, right?"

The flight over had been exhilarating. It was easy to feel overwhelmed by the azure expanse, but it's beauty was undeniable. Xibalba makes a mental note to return here again when there were less plagues and killers afoot. She bows respectfully upon meeting Vassilon and Ert.

The giant djinn watches the bird's shadow move curiously. She ponders at the mechanism after Rinika points it out. She twists her hands as if she were manipulating them.

Practicing a healthy imagination is important to a Genie.

She clocks the mention of the killer, a feat for someone as distractabke as her,and nods to any compatriots who similarly noticed.

She squints up at Nik before whispering, "Via wishen or biceps, tha will be bouyed safewise." She offers him an ancient Djinn gesture,extending her arm and arching her thumb upward from her balled fist, in a presentation of goodwill.

Any special way you want to approach? Don't want to assume you fly in superman style.

Princess carry, I'm guessing xD

"Right. Thanks. I guess it'll be good for me to not ride Jek's butt always. Mmmm. Well, if we miss the kidnapper, I guess we'll wanna fly back up; his house is here, after all. Fly back up meaning, you know, before my spell wears off." Nik thinks aloud.

He pulls out his Lesser Rod of Extend Metamagic and channels Fly through it onto Jek.

Nik turns to Xibalba.
"I wish for you to carry me down. Uh- following behind Jek."

Nik feels his spell surge with power and the casting slightly easier. CL at one higher than normal.

Giving time for anyone else to chime in or make preparations before next scene.

Jek's eyes light up as he slowly lifts off. His hooves tap excitedly at the ground until it's out of reach. He grins at Nik and begins happily listing from side to side.

He waits for Rinika and Skee to fly up first in case they want to scout it out.

"Jek! You can fly now! It's so much fun!"

She circles around him a time or two and then dives off towards the house in question - stealthfully, so as to scout.

Stealth-10 for lighting: 1d20 + 35 - 10 ⇒ (6) + 35 - 10 = 31 10 higher if we're on the dim side of town

You descend or ascend as your perspective changes towards the city built on a metal disc suspended in the endless sky. Targeting the area close to where the assault is supposed to be taking place. In an alley off a main thoroughfare on the Twilight side you see a pale and delicately thin man. Their hair waves in the air as if suspended by a constant strong breeze. They stand with a focus of hatred towards a woman crumpled on the street, futilely grasping at their throat struggling as if they were being strangled. But the pair does not touch. The thin man, Myress, presumably is an air genasi, someone who has a djinn in their ancestry.

Map is up, if you want to approach stealthily you'll need to land out of sight or have some way to conceal yourself. Please place your tokens. Buildings are 20ft high. Closest you can get is 40ft before initiative.

I put us in a probably ok spot behind the triangle building... Now's the time to complain about it if you want somewhere else xD
Especially for Rinika it sounds like you wanna sneak in a little closer

Rinika has