Raseri, as you gaze into the icy surface of the moebius pendant, you start to feel the tendrils of some mental connection reach into your intellect. Like most magic items, this one wants its properties to be discovered...you begin to have some insight, but you feel the new thoughts are not wholly your own (a feeling you are a bit used to...).
What occurs to you is aesthetic and philosophical: the beauty of the strip is that it teaches one to reject certain long held notions of consciousness. On the single surface of the strip, there is no true divide between 'above' and 'below'...they are one and the same along the path. The unconscious is not hidden in the deep and the surface is not just superficial.
That wisdom is quite striking.
Shaking that off and turning back to practical concerns...the ice is bitingly cold, its touch warning of frostbite in a matter of seconds. That must be why Haylcaster wore it on top of layers of clothing and leather.
You begin to understand the connection between the paper strip inside the ice, and the ash of the road. Fire would melt the ice and at the same time turn the paper to ash...would it turn the ash to paper? Swap them with fire. You sense that is the nature of dispelling this pocket dimension...the paper must become ash for the ash to regain its connection to more material planes.
Feeling her fingers ache after touching the thing, Raseri looks to the others to see if they are ready to go.
"If all is ready, I know the path back," she says to them, waiting for their answer. As soon as she has it, she focuses on the paper and snaps her fingers.
The surface of the ice becomes more transparent as it wets and drip-drops onto the magical fires...each drop seems an earthquake in this space. The moment the flame touches the paper you feel a great pressure on your eardrums, and everything is simultaneously chaotic and silent. The ash seems to shrink or compact, and you along with it, swirling and bending.
Just as you think its over, time seems to reverse and the exact chaotic sequence replays itself, the sensations twisting and compressing your psyche. But finally it passes.
The party finds itself standing on a raised wooden walkway at the edge of a dark forest. Curiously, through the canopy of trees you spot the glimmering of stars...huge stars! Nearly 4 times the size of stars you've seen in Midgard hang in the air with multicolored surface detail.
Somehow you sense the moebius road was a purer space than this new reality...for the sky, these woods, and the great sprawling castle before you seems wrought of pure illusion...but no one is so happy as he who lives under illusion.
The path leads to a set of stairs carved out of the hillside, surrounded by a warm, moist, low-lying fog. The stairs are slick and seem to lead up to the structure...but there are no signs of habitation. An hulking armored figure, half ghost half construct, stands before the gates holding a brightly burning sword that lights up the palace entrance on the hilltop above you.
It seems there is no warm welcome to the Courts of the Shadow Fey.
Hrungnir looked at the immense stars, and the dwelf felt small beneath them. But at the same time he could not deny their beauty, and their raw power. Not for the first time he wondered how they were supposed to compete with anything which could command such terrible majesty. Fortunately, that was not his end goal. He knew that this road took him closer to his one true love. And he would walk any path, no matter how perilous, even if it meant but glimpsing her fair visage once more.
Deimus feels a sense of dread mixed with relief as the path seems, for once, to lead to some kind of destination. His body, as wracked and depleted as it felt, now feels rested. He enjoys the smoothness he feels in his joints. It tooks hours to clear the ash, the sand, the salt, and the dust that coated his every plates and tubes, but now he like a new K-.
Gearforged...
He sighs through his tubes, but then turns to look at his new clutch. Someone tinkered with his life. He should feel lucky, in some Kobold way.
"Tzk. It seems we're getting close. We remember our goalsz, now, do we? Are we not envoys of the Free City!?" he says, trying to push the fear from his tone.
Lexi pockets the dagger of venom, replacing one of her sheathed daggers. During her watch she hums quietly to herself.
Current Status:
Carn 1
Dei 3
Hru -2
Kjet -1
Lexi -2
Ras -1
When the armor at the gate is approached, you note that truly the armor is made for an ogre or similarly sized creature: about ten feet tall, tarnished silver on steel, and apparently empty. Yet a voice as echoing as the bottom of a well speaks, saying, "Who has invited you to the shadow courts?"
Deimus looks up at the massive armour and states: "We have been summoned to the Shadow Court as the result of an unfortunate misunderstanding between the Court and the Council of the Zobeck. For days, as a result, the Free City has witnessed impossible feats as the Shadow Fey unleashed wonderment after wonderment on its citizens. Thus, our presence here. Summoned, I mentioned, by the Council, to meet with the Court and negotiate the future of the City. Yes, why us you may ask? Before I can answer this, I must..." and he continues, weaving an enchantment through his oratory.
Starting at 3rd level, you can charge your performance with seductive, fey magic.
If you perform for at least 1 minute, you can attempt to inspire wonder in your audience by singing, reciting a poem, or dancing. At the end of the performance, choose a number of humanoids within 60 feet of you who watched and listened to all of it, up to a number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). Each target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be charmed by you. While charmed in this way, the target idolizes you, it speaks glowingly of you to anyone who talks to it, and it hinders anyone who opposes you, although it avoids violence unless it was already inclined to fight on your behalf. This effect ends on a target after 1 hour, if it takes any damage, if you attack it, or if it witnesses you attacking or damaging any of its allies.
If a target succeeds on its saving throw, the target has no hint that you tried to charm it.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
When they awake, refreshed, on the mobius strip, Kjeta opens a new cask to start the day. "Blessed Brew, for all who'd care to partake!"
"Well, that's not something you see every day." Carnadine remarks when the magical moebius strip dissolves. The ghost knight saddles up and rides Voyra to the gates.
After the gearforged introduces them, the knight captain incorporeal adds from the saddle of his zombie destrier, "After discussions with His Excellency Glaninin Thelamandrine, Hidden Ambassador-In-Extraordinary of the Winter Court to the Fey City of Zobeck, we are an embassy from the City of Zobeck to its liege lords of the shadow courts."
Raseri helps negotiations by standing towards the back and trying her best to look inconspicuous. A task may somewhat difficult with the starmetal on her maul gleaming brightly under the hugely bright stars in the sky.
Better to let those with the right airs talk, Raseri thinks sourly. The whole scene made her uneasy, especially how everything appeared illusory. It was hard enough not being able to trust her memories and to some extent herself without adding not being able to trust her eyes and ears.
She waits for the more charismatic members of the party to finish negotiating, then remembers the glaive she is also carrying. Her mood only sours at that. She could only imagine how the House of Rorek would react when they learned she carried their dead scion's weapon.
"Having fun yet, sister," she hears in the back of her head. She ignores it, praying it was only her imagination getting the better of her.
"Oh, don't worry, I won't tell them. After all, it'll be so much more fun to see you ruin all your efforts all on your own. I'm looking forward to seeing your meeting with the Roreks. After all, you did steal, then deface the gear they gave that elf you couldn't land a hit on. Imagine what it'll be like now. Be sure to scream loudly when they cut you to ribbons."
As Deimus' performance goes on, he realizes this thing is more machine than soulful entity...wholly immune to his charms. "Uninvited guests..." and the sword flares alive a bright blue flame.
But then Carnadines quick name drop of the fey noble seems to trigger some mechanus within the device and the sword extinguishes. Its faceless gaze scans over the party before it takes back its position of sentinel...and the gate swings open slowly.
Within is a large arcade, a field of paleish green grey grass. A leafy collonade surrounds an area that might be fitting for poets to read.
Or dueling grounds perhaps in the right season...but completely deserted now. Only a few ravens and owls are pecking about.
To your right is a courtyard adorned with a stunning silver tree. It has white bark and bears red and silver flowers. Some gentle wind seems to be stirring its leaves, resulting in a play of multicolored light.
A smithy, kitchen, and some simple living quarters squat humbly to your left before the main keep.
Finally, towering above the keep both left and right are the two long wings of the palace. There is no obvious way of entering the right (southern) wing, but leading into the left (northern) you note a set of icy stairs.
Carnadine rides into the courtyard at a walk. The hooves of Voyra clicking across the floor. Seeing no obvious groom or stables, the knight captain incorporeal slowly swings out of the saddle .
After a pause surveying the scenery, the ghost knight starts deliberately transferring his gear from his saddlebags to his custom crimson leather backpack. When his gear is completely stowed and shouldered, he pets and whispers words to Voyra.
He starts wandering around with Voyra looking for stables among the doors in the courtyard.
"Nicely done Carnadine!" says Deimus, glad he didn't get cut down.
"What next? Should we just walk around until someone aszks us about our business? Or perhaps we could try to secure some lodgings? Who knows how long we will be here..."
Then, he takes in the sight and stops, taken by its majesty: "Would you look at that..." says the Old Kobold.
”Let’s explore. While sticking together. This is not the kind of place one should be alone in.”
This work area contains an anvil and ancient bellows...neither of which look like they've been touched for centuries. There is a coating of moist ash over everything that feels slightly acidic, stinging your eyes and making them water. Although at times you think you hear the tinking of a hammer and roar of a fire, the place is quite empty and cold.
This white wooden gazebo is quite beautiful, but failing due to age and apparent lack of care. It is a dark, dour place to linger...but shadows seem to stir and you could swear you hear laughter for a fleeting moment.
Your nose turns instantly at the smell of rotten flesh here...ancient plucked chickens, spider infested, lay gutted on the chopping blocks. Old stews have turned to moldy spores and worm infestations. Various cutlery lay unwashed and rusted to disrepair. While looking closely at some kind of pickled meat you feel something brush your waist...but nothing is there.
These are simple rooms containing linens laid over rushes, broken pitchers and cracked stools...they may have once been serviceable accommodations but would take a lot of work in their current state. Oddly, one room contains a single lit candle...
All in all, the courtyard seems to leave you with one thought...where the hell is everybody?
Anything from gleam of glamer?
As the group enters, Lexi says in a sing-song voice: "Remember, my dear friends, don't take any gifts from them!"
In the middle of the courtyard, Carnadine turns around surveying the scenery, "By the Scarlet Commandments, we've no stables or hospitality. Voyra, you've a better place with the Red Mistress. I'll see you next time." He pats her head and lets her disappear.
"Looks like no one is here. But, they're here. Wonder when they will introduce themselves. There are some stairs over there . Let's see how far they will let us go in this place." The Knight Captain Incorporeal turns on his heel and heads toward the stairs.
Raseri didn't trust this place. She thought how delighted the fey would be if they could trick their guests into a faux pas from the beginning. Instead of eyes, Raseri relied on other senses. Closing her eyes, she tries to find the seam in the illusion, the doorway that would let them enter into the true halls of the shadow fey.
Her breathing slows as she lets her mind clear, no preconceptions, no assumptions. Hear and see as it is, not as you are made to think it is. She tunes out the others, listening for the things hidden behind the veil.
Carnadine, you climb the steps...from a distance it looked like ice was covering the carved marble, but up close you see its a thin coating of dust reflecting in the moonlight. Its a sticky dust, clinging to your boots as you ascend. At the top, you see a portal like none you've ever seen before...seemingly a door made of solid shadow (a shadow door, if you will)...
...after a few moments studying the door you suddenly realize your purse is a tad light.
Raseri, eyes closed and focused in intense concentration, you suddenly hear a *fart* noise from behind and the quickly hushed laughter of children. But turning, there is nothing there.
"I guess this is as far as they will let us go." Carnadine smiles and inventories his purse, while he descends and heads to the gazebo to wait.
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Raseri looks puzzled for a moment, then shrugs as she acts on a whim.
"Oh darn," she says in a melodramatic way, the kind of way a parent might act around a child while playing hide and seek, "I guess it was the wind. I was so hoping that could share a tale or three with some young, eager ears, but, alas, it seems they're not here."
Raseri, you wait a moment for effect after your clever ruse...but there's nothing. However, as soon as you turn to go the other way, you nearly slip! Underfoot is a purple glowing sphere about the size of an orange. When you hold it close to your face, you hear childish whispering...but cant make out any words.
Raseri lets out a girlish cry as she nearly falls flat on her face. It's only by catching herself with the haft of her maul that she avoids making a complete fool of herself. After a moment of catching her breath, she gets her feet back under her and sits on her heels to see what it is that tripped her so badly. The ball she finds is interesting, but she can't find its owner, nor make out anything, if there is indeed anything to make, it is saying.
"Ah, I don't suppose anyone would like their ball back, would they," she asks, hoping that brushing off the trick would help her seem a little more approachable.
Lexi peeled off from the group and did what she does best: hide in the darkness. She knew that she had to watch over them, or they would get into trouble.
Deimus walks around with the others. He is quite taken by the sight, but he soon starts to fidget and make irritated sounds. The sight of the abandoned smithy, and the kitchen... just stir his Kobold's urge to tinker and fix.
"This place seems so dead..."
But then, he sees Raseri and it starts to dawn upon him... "Clever fey..."
He stops and concentrates, his tubes humming softly, to shift his awareness...
Hrungnir resisted the urge to test out the Forge, and instead stuck close to the group. Or to be more precise, Deimus. The bard had earned the nomenclature of friend, and as such the dwelf unconsciously kept nearby. While Deimus used his magic, Hrungnir kept his eyes peeled.
Raseri, the ball leaps from your hand as if knocked free and rolls to the east, towards the low central keep. You soon lose sight of it in the grasses .
Carnadine, as you sit waiting at the gazebo, you occasionally hear the sounds of music. Not a song...but rather the idle play of a song being crafted or practiced.
Deimus extends his sixth sense outwardly, but without a strong anchor to focus the magic it quickly dissipates.
*Dink* a little stone chinks off Hrungnir's armor nearby, startling the gearforged before he can adjust his spellcraft. It seems someone or something just threw a stone at the dwarf...
”Oi! Is there someone here we can talk to? We are ambassadors! The hospitality of the court does not match its grandeur.”
When the dwarf begins to shout, the animated armor guarding the gate screeches into a slow motion...pulling its sword and turning its flame filled helm to stare at the runesman.
The second part of Detect thoughts:
"You can also use this spell to detect the presence of thinking creatures you can't see. When you cast the spell or as your action during the duration, you can search for thoughts within 30 feet of you. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 2 feet of rock, 2 inches of any metal other than lead, or a thin sheet of lead blocks you. You can't detect a creature with an Intelligence of 3 or lower or one that doesn't speak any language.
Once you detect the presence of a creature in this way, you can read its thoughts for the rest of the duration as described above, even if you can't see it, but it must still be within range."
While Carnadine appears to sit in the gazebo and study the architecture and music practice, he focuses his attention on his peripheral vision. He looks for motion, then color, then he tries to follow the image, like pulling a thread of a rug to see the full tapestry.
"Tzk. I do feel anyone thinking around me... Well, except us." and Deimus looks at Hrungnir, puzzled.
"I say we go search the smithy anyway. I just can't stand the state of it!"
As soon as she realizes that things are not how they appear, Kjeta slows down and walks carefully.
When she hears some laughter and other antics around the Thorsdottir, she concentrates on that.
What do they want from us? What are they looking for?
...And why for the love of all things boozy do these silly fey not like beer? If only they had better taste, I might use that to build a relationship. Alas, they seem to have no taste for fine ales whatsoever...
Raseri looks at where the ball disappeared and wonders if she would have been better off keeping to herself. The memory of getting sliced to ribbons in the Zobeck Archives sends a shiver of fear down her spine. She'd only been trying to help then, and now.
Now what?
She stands and goes after the ball, following its path until she finds it or a wall. If nothing else, it kept her from being alone with her thoughts.
Carnadine, you might not be so miffed about losing a few gold to a hidden thief...but it does make you wonder. Is this place truly lawless? What of that giant animated armor, would it listen to any appeals for justice?
Kjeta, you take a moment to decompress what you know about the scathesidhe. They are obsessed with status and snobbish to those who are less than they are in their bizarre little hierarchy. Perhaps you are simply invisible to them? No, they would be even crueler, even more snobbish...perhaps they are invisible to you, as if to say you aren't even worthy to look upon them. Perhaps the misty moonlight dews covering everything here, and the sense of illusion you instinctually feel is a powerful veil of some shadow goddess. Or maybe you are just being paranoid and need a beer.
Raseri, spotting the ball you continue to follow it playfully until it zips under the large set of double doors on the main keep. Standing to the side of those doors is another set of the great animated armor...motionless and emotionless.
Deimus looks around to find a broom, his hands held behind his back. If he doesn't find one, he'll look for the next best thing, settling for any rag he can find.
Deimus starts to methodically move from ceiling to floor, cleaning the dust covering everything. Once this is done, he'll give every tool a proper inspection. If a tool needs repair, he'll invoke a cantrip to mend it. If it is fine, then he'll carry it to a better place, thinking of where his flow of work would require the piece.
As he does so, he starts to feel attached to the shop, and starts to think of it as his own. Perhaps this is where he can find the solution to his tasting problem...
While he works, Deimus remains aware that they might be watched, and makes an effort to turn his inspection into something very solemn.
Carnadine... inventories his purse.
Unsuccessful to unravel the powerful veil covering his senses, the knight captain incorporeal joins the Thorsdottir at the large set of double doors on the main keep. She seems to be doing better. She cannot show that sniveling weakness that she exposed on the journey. We have just entered a battlefield where that weakness will get her killed.
Addressing the great animated armor, Carnadine says, "Warden, I need to speak to a scion of the House Roren. I have difficult news about the
Master of Roads Haylcaster Montylgrue of House Roren. Perhaps, is Baron Gael Nerizorwyn of House Roren, first heir to Quinnendale, within the court?"
Engaging your sanitation routine takes time, but seems to be worth the effort...the little smithy becomes more and more presentable.
Among the tools you magically mend are a pair of tongs, spring swage, and a bar twister. Others such as hammers and chisels need their wooden handles replaced. However, over time...you notice that as soon as you put one fixed tool down, another broken one seems to appear elsewhere.
The work is baffling and endless...this kind of setup is definitely not for the small pewter and silver creations and repairs you're used to as a tinker. Oddly enough, you start to get the sense it could be used to maintain giant sets of armor.
With that thought looping around in your noodle, you idly dust off a small goblin statue near the door. But its eyes open and you immediately realize its no statue at all, but indeed a live goblin! It hisses in fear and dives under a table.
The giant armor construct gazes briefly into your being with its blue flame face on its way to confront Hrungnir. It doesn't seem to regard you further, its single mindedly...if it has a mind...focused on the shouting dwarf. "Disturbance in the courts..." it grumbles with an airy voice.
From under the tree you note Raseri running off towards the main keep in pursuit of a small purple sphere. Up in the branches, some unseen animal seems to rustle and emit light, though you stay as well hidden as it does...