++I thought we were still in the tower.++ Lyra the wind says, understanding now why they couldn't just stay. She didn't want to anymore, since the tower was the reason she was here.
She also looks around for potential threats.
++I can attempt to gather information on the area from communing if you think it is useful++ her mental tone tells you she is completely neutral on the subject.
"Alright, I'm on my way." And with that, Maximus turns into the wind and follows after.
++As am I.++
The Witness vaporizes and ascends.
The Choreographer follows after her wizard. Once outside she reconnoiters the visible landscape and confers with him.
The remaining field agents spend a moment converting their forms to mist and then follow Gavin and Lyra slowly upward through the narrow chimney and out through a natural crack in the rock. After several minutes, they find themselves floating in the open air, next to a steep mountainside in the early afternoon of a brisk spring day.
++Feel free to commune while you wait for us,++ Gaius responds, looking away from the map for the first time in several minutes. He begins the process, bantering telepathically with Maximus about which of them might be able to ascend the fastest.
Up top, in spite of feeling confident that that judgmental bird probably knows more than he does, Gaius looks around to gain a sense of where and when they are.
He also scans for threats.
++So it's Cardriss after all,++ Gaius projects. ++The Research Institute probably knows this, but we can update them if they do not.++ His wind form meanders slightly before he adds. ++We have no reason to do anything particular outside the cave. In the interest of our previous conversations, perhaps it's best we return and try to understand the map.++
++Agreed.++ The Witness and his familiar descend back to the subterranean chambers, where he condenses to solidity.
++What functions of the map were you able to deduce already, Gaius?++
Gavin enjoys the sunshine for a moment longer, then follows back down to the Witness and Gaius.
Gaius still vastly prefers to speak audibly when given the opportunity, relishing in the voice he had trained for many years, as responds to the Witness. "Well, the map shows the current location of every marked Seeker on Cardriss at the current time. Exactly how this occurs, or what interaction it has with the--I think you call it T-Space?--I'm not certain. I don't know if my father made it or found it. And without any notes, I don't know how he used it. That is, to what end. Obviously I know how to use a map."
The Choreographer and her wizard study the map.
The Witness also looks for any other details of interest.
Thinking a bit more on it, while the Witness and the Choreographer assess the map, Gaius tries to draw on his knowledge and training regarding the way that magic items work, and seeks to blindly activate any further underlying capabilities.
Finding the way back down into the hidden structure proves more challenging as the field agents are forced to explore the length and breadth of the stone’s natural crack in darkness hunting for the narrow chimney. After several minutes, they do stumble upon what seems to be the chimney and descend. When they arrive back in the lair, they find that they have returned by the opening in the bedroom rather than the one they left through in the kitchen.
On a mundane inspection, the map appears highly accurate, though less detailed than might be preferred. Much natural geography is included, along with all four Anchors and the Tower, but only the most significant cities (and Estria). Sealbearers are marked with a tiny point of light. There is one such light just east of Estria , another at Tokelau , and one in Kostaldea .
"Oh now this is interesting!" Gaius says, wonder alight in his voice. "It wants something. Energy of some sort. Whether that's elemental or some other magic, I'm not sure."
But he aimed to find out. Opening his vision to the quirks of magic, he assesses what he can see.
Gaius opens his eyes to see the mystical auras underpinning the fresco map, and finds a truly exquisite piece magic. In addition to continually displaying the location of sealbearers in Cardriss, it can be activated as part of casting a scrying spell to connect the user to any displayed point of light. The map functions as the focus of the spell when used this way .
"Scrying!" the bard exclaims. "Of course. What an excellent tool." And Gaius just so happened to have recently learn how to conduct such a ritual. He was almost certain that Gavin and the Witness knew how to scry as well, but was uncertain whether they had prepared such magic on this day. But between the three of them, they could probably scry on all three sealbearers. Whether all three could use the map simultaneously, he wasn't sure, but it was worth giving it a shot.
"Gavin, Witness--if you're prepared to do so on this day, we can try to see who each of these three are. Shall we?"
"Why do we care where the sealbearers are at this time?" Pigeon asks, as she explores the room again.
"I'm more curious who they are. We already know the where."
"Wouldn't they be in the tower already?"
"Oh, not necessarily," the bard responds. "My sister, for instance, received the Seal, but did not enter the Tower. Anyone who was Attuned but did not enter would show up."
"Oh, well, finding your sister is an entirely different thing."
"Of course, I would love to assist this investigation!" Gavin says, excitedly.
"I've prepared a Greater Scrying, but I'm also willing to devote some 'Tower Power' to the effort as well!" the old priest says with a smile.
Gaius chuckles and shakes his head. "Unless she somehow extended her lifespan significantly, she shouldn't be here now. Please correct me if I'm wrong, Witness, but...this is twenty-three floors above the Redwatch Market where we were this morning, so we should be on floor or twenty-three. That's 93 floors from the top, so it should be the year 828 in Cardriss. Maximus and I left 306 years ago. For all I know, Mordrigran could still very much be alive and one of those points of light. I wouldn't put it past him."
Gaius thinks hard, uncertain if he has really absorbed the Witness' temporospatial theories, but tries to advance his best understanding. "If I'm correct, then the three people here did not enter the Tower on the New Tran 32 days ago. But those who did enter then will be part of the 38th arrival to the Tower, which means that they won't arrive in the Tower itself for another...oh, say 306 years. It's highly unlikely that we'll ever meet them."
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++Close, Gaius - your method of calculation is largely correct, but I believe your main mistake is having miscounted our point of entry.
++By my count our region of T-space has 325 floors, each complete floor equating to nine years’ time in regular prime space, ranging from the guardian at the top at the beginning of our calendar down to the apparent end of time at the bottom in the year 2925. The elven stronghold is currently on floor 200 from the bottom, 125 from the top, which would connect to the year 1125 if there’s a portal there. It’s also the baseline floor for their numbering system.
++We exited into regular prime space from floor or-23, or floor 223 from the bottom, 102 from the top. This would place us in the year 918; any Seekers who entered The Tower on New Tran of 918 will be members of the 48th Arrival, entering T-space in 396 years as we now experience time.++
++If I may take a moment, I’d like to take a look at the map’s enchantments as well before activating it…++
++I have a variety of scrying spells available. I’d like to activate the map more to experience how it functions than to spy on an unknown Seeker, though it will take an hour to do so.
++Gavin, if possible, please attempt to contact Mordigran the dwarf via a sending spell. Ask him his current location and if he’s available to meet within the next few hours. If he’s still alive and in regular prime space, I’d very much like to speak with him.
++If there are no objections, I’ll attempt to scry through the map after Gavin resolves any sending.++
Gaius' fingers waggle a bit, smiling as he takes into account the Witness' further explanation. He's proud of himself for getting close even if he was off. "I've been trying to pay attention," he humble-brags. "Your explanations and theories have been helpful. At least as helpful as what the Research Institute has been able to provide, and probably even more."
Knowing that the Witness would have the best chance of scrying successfully, Gaius nods. "No objections, here. I can keep our more martially-inclined fellows occupied, hopefully without distracting you too much."
Gaius gathers up Lyra and Maximus. "Would you rather spar or try to figure out the mystery of the replicating ooze?"
Lyra had found a roost and was trying to recreate one of Seth's tunes by thumping against the wood with her boots. She looks up as Gaius comes over "We spare nearly every day. So I guess playing with slime is better than nothing." she jumps down. "Is there any nutritional value in ooze? If so, a replicating food source might actually fill Maximus's stomach." she gives the other warrior a grin.
"I'm afraid I've not prepared for such a spell today, and our attunement, powerful as it may be, does not allow me to cast that without preparation."
"A fine question, Lyra," Gaius responds, eyeing Maximus cheekily. "As I understand them, they are immune to acid and fire alike, so unless Maximus' stomach has some unique properties, he may not be able to digest them and derive nutrition." He grins. "But if he's hiding a demiplane full of tiny blades in his stomach, it might just continue chopping the ooze into smaller and smaller bits until his stomach actually fills." The bard leans in towards his friend. "Want to see what we can do, Maximus?"
++In that case, I’ll begin my scrying.++
While Gaius and Lyra discuss all the reasons why eating an ooze would be a terrible idea (such as these ones being immune to acid and therefore impossible to digest), the Witness focuses on the irregularly shaped light just east of Estria on the map and undertakes the lengthy process of casting scrying targeting it.
Confirmation would require further testing but it occurs to you that Lyra is one of five sealbearers in close proximity and the irregular borders of the points of light could be the result of multiple such lights stacked in very nearly the exact same location.
Gaius looks above Lyra's head, then over to the Witness, then back to Lyra, then back to the Witness, and sighs. "Well, we can try again next time we come, I suppose."
Curiosity finally getting the better of him, Gavin chooses a light on the map between where he believes they are and the outermost light and begins to draw on his spy magic.
"A fine question, Lyra," Gaius responds, eyeing Maximus cheekily. "As I understand them, they are immune to acid and fire alike, so unless Maximus' stomach has some unique properties, he may not be able to digest them and derive nutrition." He grins. "But if he's hiding a demiplane full of tiny blades in his stomach, it might just continue chopping the ooze into smaller and smaller bits until his stomach actually fills." The bard leans in towards his friend. "Want to see what we can do, Maximus?"
With a slight grin and an incredulous look, "No. No, I don't, ya psycho. I like eating but I DO NOT eat slimy, poisonous, eat-away-your-insides type things, m-kay?" Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, he mutters one more time, "Ya psycho."
Lyra shakes her head and gives Gaius a mischief-filled mock reproachful look "How could you suggest such a horrible thing?? Tsk. Tsk." ignoring the fact, she was the original suggester.
Maximus looks over at Gaius with raised eyebrows as he crosses his arms, giving a reproachful look and shaking his head that easily screams: For shame!
Gaius takes on a look of mock-offense, well aware that he and Lyra both knew they were joking. Maximus probably knew as well. "Suit yourself," he says. "You could have gone down in history again, maybeuncle."
”The map appears to function as you deduced, Gaius. I didn’t purposely choose Lyra as my target, simply the closest individual marked on the map, as best as I could tell. I believe some of the lights are actually groups of Seekers, so close to one another as to basically appear as a single point of light on the map due to scale. As I’m not well prepared to deal with a Seeker who might take notice and offense at unwanted observation, let alone a group of them, I thought it best not to target an unknown on this trip.”
As he speaks Gavin casts his spell; the wizard waits with interest for the outcome.
While Lyra and the knights continue their lighthearted banter, Gavin activates the magical map and stares at it as he cast a more powerful scrying spell. To his relief, his vision falls into it and narrows with disorienting speed down to twenty foot diameter image of the interior of what looks to be a Kono'ana tavern, though only two people are visible. One is a slender man in a simple traveling outfit whose slightly pointed ears suggest some elven blood; the other a somewhat burly woman with a black dragonscale cuirass and a scimitar. Both seem fairly deep into their cups. On the table between them, a fox lays gnawing on a piece of sausage while an adult grizzly bear lazily licks a half eaten ham on the floor nearby. Aside from taking the occasional swig of ale, neither person seems to be doing much of anything for several minutes. Then, the woman (who seems to be the actual target of the spell) looks up and cocks an eyebrow. She reaches over to give the man a little shove and then points up, seemingly directly towards the priest's prying view.
Gavin passes all observations on to the others.
Gavin continues to observe the revelers, eager to see how they respond to the intrusion.