"I can honestly say, I've never started anything from the middle before! Already the Tower brings us new experiences!
Gavin exclaims at the Witness' explanation.
"Down seems like a shorter road, sounds good to me."
Their decision made, the party begins walking down the stairs. The subtle differences between each statue are a welcome reprieve as the perfect uniformity of everything else creates the unsettling feeling of walking in an endless loop. Even the image of the city below, as indistinct as it is, does little to distinguish one area from another, and the still timelessness of the staircase makes gauging the passage of time challenging.
The Witness carefully sights landmarks as they make their way around until they’ve completed what he’s (pretty) confident is three laps. Looking down at Korryn below, the wizard immediately realizes that he can’t possible measure the angle of his sight accurately enough to calculate the thickness of the stairs.
The Witness measures the height of several steps and compares them; he then counts how many steps are in a full circuit as best he can. Assuming the step heights appear identical, he'll estimate the vertical distance in a complete circuit by multiplying the step height by the number of steps.
++I'm going to attempt a short translocation back to one level above.++
Using his estimated vertical distance, he'll attempt to dimension door himself vertically a distance to put himself one level up, halfway between the stairs and ceiling of that level.
With a few clicks and twists, Gavin transforms his traveler's anytool into a yardstick. Together, he and the Witness set to measuring the stairs. At the inner wall, each tread is exactly twenty-one inches from front to back: consistent with a total interior circumference of just over two-hundred feet. It's impossible to measure the outermost edge of the stairs due to the energy field, but the Witness extrapolates that they are almost certainly 22 inches from front to back, extending a little more than five feet from the interior wall. And each step is precisely half an inch higher than the one below it.
Running the numbers in his head, the Witness determines that each step represents precisely one degree of rotation around the Tower's centerpoint. Three-hundred and sixty half-inch steps produces a fifteen foot total elevation change from one floor to the next. Therefore, the stone between levels must have an average depth of five feet. Armed with this information, the wizard begins casting his spell...
The Witness weaves together his magic and, with a poof, remains exactly where he is.
Trying his best not to giggle or make a smart comment, Gavin makes the same attempt.
Gavin calls upon the power of the song and vanishes from his friends' view.
Gavin pushes the strange feeling aside and call out loudly to the others, while making his way down the steps.
It has taken the group more than three minutes for each floor, though by hustling alone Gavin should be back in closer to one, assuming he only traveled one floor...
Sticking with calling out vocally to help determine distance.
++Gavin, was your translocation successful?++
++I believe it was! I'm on my way back to you by more traditional means to see if my distance was accurate.++ Gavin replies, huffing and puffing a bit.
glad I didn't go one floor down
Gavin makes his way back down to the rest of the party, calling out as he goes. The energy field seems to dampen or absorb sound, and the curve of the stone inner wall causes echoes to reverberate out into the field. Because of this, even the Witness with his magically enhanced senses can't hear the priest until he's at least two-thirds, maybe as much as three-quarters, of the way back; Lyra and Fenrick don't hear him until he's almost in view.
Nonetheless, a little more than a minute after he vanished Gavin is back with the others, having proven that some teleportation, at least, is possible.
"So it can work, it's just hard?" Lyra asks, ready to keep moving the steps though while they talk.
++I suspect the barrier between planes has been strengthened here, making it more difficult to use magics that rely on planar travel, possibly even those that draw on planar energies. Gavin, you may want to attempt a minor healing spell to test whether drawing upon positive energy is affected.
It also appears that sound is muffled here - I didn't hear you, Gavin, until you were quite near. My guess is the field that sheathes The Tower absorbs rather than reflects noise.++
Lyra tries to casts a few that she had held off on in case entering the tower cleansed them of magic.
She does so as she keeps moving, wanting to see what is below. She does not get more than a few feet ahead of the others though despite her eagerness.
Gavin tries a few low level divine spells and allows/helps the Witness study the outcome.
Having caught his breath, Gavin suggests they continue.
"The bottom of this tower isn't coming up to us!" he says with a chuckle.
"Shall we?" taking the lead, he starts back down the steps at an easy pace.
Fenrick seems taken aback by the entrance of the tower and seems silent and reflective. I expected to find more... life? If people who still live here from years ago know this is the starting place, no one comes back to see the new seekers? How strange. I would think there would be a market right here so people can trade for fresh food from the new seekers. But... nothing. And it does seem to be the same starting place as the people who entered before us... maybe the start place is different every new tran?
When the teleport trials take place, Fenrick considers offering up his ability to move short distances but Gavin can move faster than himself. He is glad to see that the magic works and seems to take Gavin where he was trying to go, even if it is difficult.
I am ready to continue exploring.
Lyra's luck magic and Gavin's trio of simple spells all seem to work normally.
The Witness doesn't delay their exploration any further.
++Interesting. It seems the resistance may be specific to translocation effects. After we rest I'll prepare additional summoning spells to test whether they're affected. For now I agree, we should press onwards.++
Having finished their experimentation, for the time being, the group sets off down the stairs. Time is painfully difficult to track as they travel seemingly endless loops of nearly identical stairs. After somewhere around twenty or thirty minutes, maybe, the Witness suddenly pauses when he hears the muffled sounds of footsteps from around the bend in front of them.
Lyra will slide in front of the inquisitive spellcasters and pull her blade just in case. ++Anything other than a sound++ she remembers to ask mentally.
++Easy, Little Bird, not every rustling bush is a cougar.++
Hoping their first contact with Tower residents goes well, Gavin hedges his bet a little.
++I hear only footsteps.++
The wizard dips his hand into his component pouch and quickly dabs his eyelids with a fine powder as he mutters arcane syllables.
Fenrick does a quick prayer in the time before the person becomes known to ask Pharasma for the power to be heroic if the need comes. Gavin can take the lead on the discussion, but I will be here for intimidation if that is what it comes to.
++But... it still could be a cougar++ Lyra answers with a mental smile.
A few spells cast and some positioning sorted out, the party waits to discover the source of the noise...
A moment later, two unfamiliar men round the bend from the stairs below. Both appear to be in their early thirties with dark brown hair and brown eye, probably both of Vitolian descent though they don't look related to each other. The first is tall and thin, with a hooked nose and shoulder length hair; he ears a long brown jacket that looks like a sailor's coat without the ornamental ropes and buttons, and he carries a musket, or something like one. The second man is shorter and stockier, with a round, red nose and short hair that's rather thin on top; he wears spectacles and a green tweed waistcoat and he's clutching a glass vial in one hand.
They both freeze at the sight of Lyra's readied sword and the first man raises his musket in response. "We ain't looking for any trouble here," his gravelly voice announces, "unless, of course, you are..."
"That is splendid to hear, good sirs, we are of a like mind in that regard." Gavin says, placing a hand on Lyra's shoulder.
"Please forgive our over abundance of caution, we are new to this place and still getting our bearings. My name is Gavin Soleques. My companions and I entered the Tower just today. If you would entertain the possibility of an exchange of information about this place for goods or services, this chance meeting could prove quite beneficial to all involved" Gavin says with a warm smile.
The man with the gun narrows his eyes. "What'd you say?" he asks almost accusatively. "How would we know any damm thing? We just entered the Tower here today too... The thing is, we were the first two in, so how in the hells did you four end up ahead of us, and why are you headed back down?"
"An excellent question, good sir. One I think we can figure out ourselves. Tell me, what year is it right now? In Cardriss?"
"I see. It is possible that Seekers from different times enter the Tower at the same 'Tower Time', but at different starting places determined by their 'Cardriss Time'"
The two men exchange a quick glance at Gavin’s first question. The first man looks back up at the priest even more suspiciously, and the balding man looks incredulously at him as well as he answers, ”The year is 2142... what year do you think it is?”
”Well, that’s pretty damm interesting, ain’t it?” the first man answers.
”Indeed it is,” the second replies.
”Don’t answer the question though, do it?” the gunmen asks.
”Indeed it don’t,” the balding man agrees.
Raising his barrel slightly to fix his aim on Gavin instead of Lyra, the first man reiterates, ”So what year are you saying it is, Chief?”
"He's saying by entering The Tower of Ages we've stepped outside of traditional time into an extra-temporal space. In effect, he's positing inside The Tower it isn't any year as we would reckon it in Cardriss, and that we two groups have entered from different years."
++An impressive theory, Gavin!++
"As to the year we entered The Tower, it depends entirely on what calendar you use as reference: solar, lunar, or astrological. Based on the number you've given, I assume you use the popular post-Cataclysm solar calendar. By that reckoning, we entered on the first day of the year 1332 - a full ninety tran prior to you.
"As for why we're above you on the stairs, we don't know. We entered through the Bookkeeper's door at ground level only to find ourselves several thousand feet higher up than anticipated. Were you at ground level after entering, or were you similarly vertically displaced but to a lesser degree?"
The two men seem to relax slightly. ”Thirteen-thirty-two,” the gunman repeats with surprise, ”that’s...”
”Eight-hundred and ten years ago,” the man with the vial finishes.
They both eyeball the Witness for a moment and then the first man offers, ”No, we had the same damm thing... walked in from the ground in the Bookkeeper’s place and found ourselves up on the stairs looking down on the city.”
Lyra had relaxed, lowering her blade, except that man keeps raising it to point it at people so she keeps tensing. "800 years! That's insane. Why would it..." she groaned as the stress of it all weighs on her. "So that is why no one ever returns? We're no longer connected to our time?"
"Can you tell us...., I'm sorry I don't recall getting your names, about how far is it from here to the bottom?"
The two men exchange a mildly annoyed glance, and the gunman lowers his musket from his shoulder to his waist, though he keeps the barrel pointed in the direction of Gavin and his companions.
"J. Billings Bryant," the first man answers, "and the fellow behind me is the Mad Bombardier."
"And if you'd listened to our answer," the Mad Bombardier adds, "you'd already know we don't know how far down the bottom is..."
"On account of we didn't start at the bottom," the gunman concludes.
Fenrick stands at the ready, anxious with the weapons being pointed around. Just about ready to intervene but it seems Gavin has things under control, somehow.
Time travel? Not quite what I expected. That would explain why there was no market place at the entrance. Do we think everyone who has entered starts at the same "time"?
++If every entrant arrived at the same time, I should think the stairwell would be much more crowded. As to what is going on, it will likely take us quite while to be sure.++
"Of course, my good man, I'm very sorry. It has been quite a frazzled morning already, what is left of my wits should return shortly. Pray tell, have you encountered any others yet? How many floors up would you estimate you have traveled?"
”No, you’re the first folks we’ve come across,” J. Billings Bryant answers, ”I’m guessing you ain’t seen anyone else neither?”
”And how about we get a few more names while we’re at it?” the Mad Bombardier adds.
"My name is Lyra Posfurore" Lyra gives a dipping bow, fanning her still drawn sword to the side, then back. "Sorry for the rudeness, just uncertain about all this a bit."
"You are the first living creatures of any variety we've encountered since entering, which was roughly thirty minutes and ten stories ago."
”Miss Posfrore,” Mister Bryant replies with a nod.
”We lost track of both a while back,” the Mad Bombardier informs Gavin and the Witness.
”Every damm thing in here looks the same...”
”Indeed, it does. We’ve probably been here... three, four hours... we must’ve covered at least sixty or eighty floors...”
The gunman’s shoulders slump a bit at his associate’s assessment and he adds, ”I figured we must be at a hundred by now...”
"Well, gentleman, I believe our plan is still to seek the bottom of the Tower before venturing up. You mentioned that you were the first Seekers to enter on your new tran, will others be following? What can you tell us about them?
"There's at least one group behind us," Mr Bryant answers, "a handful of boys who know how to drink and how to fight..."
"We spent some time feasting with them last night," his associate adds, "but we don't know who else might've been planning on coming in."
"We ain't heading back down though," the gunman asserts, "so, how about this... you all put those swords away, and I'll hold my gun one-handed and pointed at the sky, and we move past each other slow and peaceful like?"
I am Fenrick, servant of the Lady of Graves. It is a pleasure to meet you.
Do we want to arrange a deal with them that if they meet someone, they don't mention us or is that not something that matters to us?
"I can assure you that safe passage past each other is a common goal. " Gavin says, motioning Lyra to sheath her blade.
"It has been my pleasure meeting both of you. I wish you good fortune in your travels. If we meet again, it will be as friends, unless you wish it otherwise."
Stepping to one side, Gavin motions the others to do the same.
Lyra does as Gavin requests, sliding her slender blade back into its sheath. "Enjoy." Lyra gives the Mad one a slight grin then steps in front of Gavin to the side.
++I think agreeing not to enter into hostilities is sufficient here, inquisitor.++
"A very reasonable proposition, Mister Bryant," the wizard remarks as he moves aside. "Best of luck in your climb."
”Friends, eh?” the gunman asks somewhat suspiciously. He exchanges a look with the Mad Bombardier and then tucks his musket into his armpit while he draws a metal flask and opens it. He takes a few step forwards, pauses to down a big swallow from it then continues to the halfway point between where he started and where Lyra stands. Looking at Gavin, he holds out the open flask.