Planescape: Tales of the Darkened Planes

[Benjuri]

The darkened profile of the ruined chapel stands at the corner of two intersecting streets, neither of which hold any appreciable traffic at this period of the evening and had likely seen less in the hundreds of years since Cronos had been slain by his eldest son, Uranus. Bits of graffiti have collected on the boarded over windows and walls of the building in the past few years, little collections of epitaphs running the gamut from crude jokes about ‘Cipher Quickies’ to random names, faction symbols scrawled, defaced and scrawled again in various substances. A few scraps of paper rustle in the wind, all of them advertisements for shops and other still successful churches located in the ward. The fact that this small temple to the deceased Power and Titan of Time is still standing is testament to the longevity of the city itself and a grim reminder to everyone that time waits for no one.

Smog drifts around your head, all but blotting out the fires and lights of the Clerk's Ward far above your head on the opposite side of Sigil's torus. The church's once golden doors are shut, just as covered in filth as are the marble pillars in front of them.

[Athaleon]

Kalis Arkaneth trudged through the deepening gloom to the old temple described in the letter. He pulled the document from his pocket for the dozenth time since leaving the inn, just to make sure this was the place. His stomach fluttered with trepidation as he anxiously scanned the temple ruin and its surroundings. Kal saw no one, so he called out:

"I'm here, as you can plainly see. Now what do you want from me?"

[Benjuri]

A mouth opens in the stone above the door.

“You were instructed to arrive at the stroke of Antipeak. It is not yet antipeak, and this door will not open until that time. In the future you will pay attention to orders more closely. It is currently twelve minutes till the time at which you were instructed to arrive. Patience is expected by your employer.”

[Xealot7]

Phane, Fetchling Rogue

Hiding in the shadows Phane makes no movement and no sound. The best someone could hope to see from him would be his bright yellow eyes shining out of his hood, or the outline of his black clothes. He listens intently to the speaker inside as well as those gathering outside.

He remains silent and hidden unless spotted and called out by the others.

Stealth:[roll0]
Perception:[roll1]

[Benjuri]

Phane sees nothing out of the usual about the building or the lanes upon which it is perched. A Dabus floats silently along, trimming away at the razorvines that line the various walls, it's feet skimming just above the ground. The chapel is built in a classic Olympian structure, with pillars along the outsides. It appears to have two levels and is not out of place in size for a shop or an inn.

[Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick]

Stealth[roll0]
Ride[roll1]
Across the roof of ruined buildings, a faint clicking is swallowed by the mists…
Gora Tulic, King of Hearts, adjusts his seat on the back of his steed, reaching forward to caress her broad and rugose head. The texture beneath his hand is smooth velvet; at his touch her neck rotates…a porcelain mask comes into view, and cracks a smile- quite literally.
The pair reach the edge of the wall, and lean over, gazing down just in time to hear the mouth’s cryptic pronouncement.
”Well, here’s the thing…”
His soft, slightly unctuous voice echoes out of the smog.
”..an employer is generally a provider, not- no offense meant, of course- a taker.”

[Makiru]

Denk peeked out at the temple from behind an alley corner, remnants of a charred rat-on-a-stick sticking out between his tusks. He scratched his head, causing layers of filth to cascade from his hair, only for it to be scattered in several directions by flitting gusts of wind, some back into his eyes. Biting his tongue and muttering a much deserved curse to his forefathers, he looked back up at the temple gate, where...an elf?...seemed to be talking to the door while some...thing responded from the rooftops.

"...yep. Knew something was strange about that threat."

[Athaleon]

Kal rolled his eyes and sighed. "Early" means "on time", except when you actually get there early he thought. Typical of this sort to call you out and make you wait, just to show off that they could. It wasn't as though people just hauled water clocks around with them as they went about their day.

He kept his mouth shut in spite of his irritation, there was no point hacking off whoever had threatened to disappear him. Just as well, or else he wouldn't have heard the other arrivals. Kal couldn't see them, but they could certainly see him standing in the open. No point trying to evade, he simply stood there and awaited what would come.

[whiskytangofoxt]

Desh slinked forward, his hopes of being alone in this most unusualendeavour dashed by the other figures collecting around the ruined temple. At least, such a motley assortment of bashers don't seem the type to worship a dead Power...

Clutching at his bag, packed with his books and odd reagents, he steps forward into the dank light, announcing his presence in the smallest and least-threatening way he can.

"I, uh, greetings. A-am I to assume you have been called here by some... mysterious benefactor?"

He nervously runs a hand over his smooth head, ejecting a fine mist of sand and dust that seems to dissappear before it can join the assorted detritus of the street below.

What if they're ruffians?

A small pang of cowardice clips the back of his head, but he continues forward regardless.

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

Phane continues to eye those gathered around the door and especially the one on the roof, with caution. They are here for the same reasons as him, yet if they knew his secret they would likely use it for leverage. Or kill him themselves. Phane's ears perk up at when one of the refers to those inside as benefactors. Phane thinks to himself, "Benefactors? They are worse than the demons and devils I deal with. Benefactors."

[Makiru]

A rather sizable group had gathered in front of the church, whom Denk observed intently from his "hiding" spot. Something strange was definitely going on if all these guys were here for the same reason he was. Why blackmail so many people, especially at the same time? It's just asking for trouble in the end.

Or maybe he was just overthinking. Granted, while smarter than most of his family line, Denk was still only of average humanoid intellect. Regardless, he had a gut feeling that something was very wrong with the situation, beyond what was already wrong. That, or the grilled rat was disagreeing with him.

[Athaleon]

"Benefactor is not the word to describe an extortionist, to be sure."

So, the plot thickened. Whoever was pulling the strings behind this meeting was obviously wanting some disposable, deniable henchmen. Kal paced restlessly as he pondered the few clues he had.

[Beowulf DW]

Making no significant attempt at subtlety or stealth, Cormac Gyorgeson stomps moodily down the center of the street. Assuming that the people gathering outside the temple are the blackmailers, he hails them from a dozen yards away and continues forward in a manner that suggests the young half-orc is in no mood for nonsense.

"All right, you sneaky lot. What do you have on me, and what do you want me to do? And don't try to get smart with me. I have a bad temper, a sword that's bigger than me, and I'm not afraid to use either of them."

[Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick]

"I imagine getting smart with you would be significantly harder than getting smart without you, yes."

Having revealed himself- theatrically, as is his wont- Gora makes his way down the side of the temple, Clymenestra's clawed hands digging divots into the stonework to ease her vertical progress.

As they reach the ground, her tongue- the precise texture of black leather- lashes out to lick her lips, obscenely, and her hand reaches out to pat the orc-blooded newcomer on the cheek. The eidolon's voice is a breathy whisper, carrying a faint odor of spoiled perfume and incense.

Oh, isn't he nice? So angry, yes. Poor dear. Can't we keep him? Although he doesn't know were what we are, no, he doesn't, I don't think...

Her hand withdraws at Gora's warning touch, and the halfling, pulling slightly at his collar in a pantomime of embarrassment, addresses the company.

"It is certainly not benefactors with whom we have to deal, no. And I suspect, good sir, that we are all victims- none of us victimizers. An unpleasant turn of affairs."
His face twists into a rueful grin.

[Benjuri]

Seconds after Cormac arrives, there is a pronounced click and the sound of iron bars being pulled back from behind the golden doors. Above them, the magic mouth appears again.

“It is now Antipeak and your employer is expecting you. Proceed inside to the main worship chamber, do not tarry.”

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

When the door opens Phane steps out of the shadows, revealing himself for the first time. He says nothing to those around him and walks in the church without glancing at any of the others. His clothes, armor, weapon and even skin are all black as midnight. The only color that can be seen are his haunting yellow eyes.

He walks with a purpose heading towards the main worship chamber.

[Athaleon]

Kal trudges in with a weary sigh, resigned to this turn of events. He had seen so much in just a day that his brain was nearly numb to emotion.

[Beowulf DW]

Make people wait then tell us not to tarry?" Cormac growls. "I've had less arrogant clients, I'll tell you that!"

Cormac proceeds inside, eager to end this business and get some sleep.

(I'm imagining Cormac speaking with a heavy Scottish accent. Just wanted to let you guys know.)

[Benjuri]

What you find inside the sanctum seems bizarre. In the middle of the the room are the remains of a cracked and decaying marble statue of Cronos and around it are dozens of tables with chairs, laid out like a restaurant or a bar. On the far side of the chamber stands a red-robed fire genasi at a table large enough for all of you. He is flanked by two rail-thin, blind beasts, each ten feet tall.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/_/rsrc/1295030028770/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/daemons/astradaemon/PZO9209-Astradaemon.jpg?height=400&width=272


"I would apologize for the circumstances of your employment, but I don't have to," he says with a smirk. "Welcome my little puppets. As you’ve all read my scrolls and seen my sigil upon each of them, my proper name is Bartol Trenevain. Suffice to say, I’ve selected you all for various reasons that I needn’t share with you. But you’ll all work well together to obtain something of mine that was lost and I would most dearly like back.”

[Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick]

"The duties of courtesy know no surcease nor repeal; regrettable that this truth seldom occurs to those of low breeding."

The fire-hued gentleman- despite his intimidating bodyguards- doesn't appear to disconcert Gora at all. Nonetheless, Clymenestra, obedient to mental command, swiftly moves to his side- in fact, a little in front of him, her front paws resting on a table, her hands clenching and un-clenching.

"Nonetheless, do let us attempt to conduct ourselves as gentlemen. What are the particulars of your...lost item?"

As he speaks, Gora takes a look around the table, studying each of his fellow victims in turn- more to disconcert them than from any hope of discerning their secrets, whatever they might be.

[Benjuri]

"I had a particular ally who was incarcerated... Quite unjustly too. We... I had been planning to free her, however she has been abducted from her cell by a cleric of Loki and I have determined they have taken her to Bytopia, although the ends remain uncertain. You will get her back."

[Beowulf DW]

Cormac eyes the beasts as a cat would a caged bird: desperately wanting to try his luck, but unsure if he could get away with it.

"As the posh halfling said, there's no excuse for forgetting "Please" and "Thank you." My old Auntie could teach you a thing or two."

Cormac keeps an eye on the beasties as he continues to address Trenevain.

"You either needed our particular talents, or you're desperate to have gone through the effort of blackmailing us. Which is it, eh?"

[Benjuri]

"Shut up boy," snarls Trenevain, "I am you master now, and you'd best remember it. You will find her using this planer compass. It is attuned to her, or at least several of the items in her possession. When you have successful fulfilled your required duties, it will also point you to the proper portal to deliver her to a safe location where we can make our final transactions. The compass itself will act as the portal key."

As he speaks, he waves a hand and a small crystal ball with red cone inside it levitates over from one of the tables behind you.

"Are we clear on terms of your employment?"

[whiskytangofoxt]

Desh eyes up the beasts on either side of his "benefactor".

Some curious elemental beast, perhaps? I must research further...

What Knowledge Skill would I need to roll to identify these creatures? I'd guess (Planes)...

"I will require a contract. Employment, even that which is... less than salubrious, should be documented and proper decorum maintained. Should you wish, I can run some up for us all...?"

[Benjuri]

That would be the one.

Trenevain rolls his eyes, muttering something that suspiciously sounds like "bloody literal minded Guvners." Everyone is caught off guard when one of the beasts snarl loudly, and the genasi looks back at them with an odd expression on his face.

"Yes, well I require succubus love-slave to feed me grapes to have a happy life, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen. I am bored of this now. Do your duty and return to me when it is done. There is a portal to take you where you need to go in the doorway through which you entered. Goodbye."

With that, he abruptly stands and turns to exit through a chamber in the back.

[Beowulf DW]

Cormac steps forward as Trenevain begins to make his exit.

"How are we suppose to know whether or not you'll release us?! I need some assurance that you'll destroy any information you have on me once this task is done!"

[Benjuri]

Before he makes it even halfway past the table, Cormac runs face first into an invisible wall of force.

"You really didn't think I'd let you get to me, did you? Stupid barbarian. You are in no position to make demands. You will be free when you have performed well enough to have earned it. The sooner you accept that, the sooner we can be acquit of each other. Now deal with it."

[Beowulf DW]

Cormac falls back, more surprised then hurt.

Oh, I'll 'deal' with it."

[Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick]

Gora's mouth quirks up slightly as his companion strikes the wizardly manifestation, and studies the two beasties as their 'employer' departs- nothing he's seen before, probably...but then again.

Knowledge: Planes[roll0]

"Oh, I think some honey-peelers could easily be arranged...if that's all you wanted. But it isn't."

He steps forward, and gently prods the wall of force.

"You've gone to an exceptional amount of trouble. I think this is reason to believe that your passions are engaged."

His eyes seek out the genasi, even as he walks away, and his soft voice echoes through the ruined temple, sonorous and sorrowful.

"Of course, we're entirely under control. Entirely safe to make use of... But that's what the young wizard says when he calls up the imp, isn't it?"

Clymenestra begins cleaning her toes, and nods in agreement as he continues to speak.

"You have a choice to make, in how your task gets done. Either you send us forth with inadequate information, and run the risk that we'll fail- and your lost item pays the price, in destruction or at least lost time; or you tell us just a little bit more, and we do the job well, and if your cause is an interesting one, perhaps even willingly. And, as you say, we can then swiftly take our mutually beneficial leave of one another."

Gora gently strokes the stone of his milky-white ring, and a faint keening echoes forth, emphasizing his doleful and sympathetic tone.

"So, what's it going to be, Trenevain? Does it mean more to you to keep us in line- or to get back what you lost?"

Diplomacy [roll1]

[whiskytangofoxt]

Knowledge (Planes) - 22 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3425765/)

"... What a thouroughly unpleasent man. Ah well," Desh smiles nervously. "So, we have to do a little travelling. I'm sure I have my notes on Bytopia somewhere... Gnomes, right?"

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

Phane glances at the two creatures and tries to remember every little detail he can about them. He seems more annoyed than concerned with being here. "Let's quit standing around like a bunch of wet-behind the ear, prime cutters, and go get our target. I'd just as soon complete what is required of me and be on my way."

Assuming no one else has, Phane will pick up the compass which doubles as a portal key, turn around and walk purposefully out of the church, not waiting on the others.

OOC:I'm not trying to be a pain, I'm just RP'ing the fact that Phane wants to be through with these people as quickly as possible and figures doing what they ask is the simplest way.

[Benjuri]

While Gora does is not familiar with the creatures, Desh recognizes them as having a fiendish nature, although of which specific type, he has no idea.

Trenevain freezes in place, clearly enraged. For a second, you could swear that one of the creatures is suppressing the urge to snigger at him, but just as quickly it is gone. Trenevain breathes deeply for a few seconds and regains his composure.

"The woman you are looking for is a human with white hair and eyes like quicksilver who goes by the name of Lorilai. She is powerful in and of herself and Jotun-slave would not be able to take control of her without the aid of minions. They likely have some way of suppressing her not inconsiderable talents as well. They may have another agenda on Bytopia as well, I cannot imagine a priest of Loki going their willingly, even before he went off the deep end and got himself chained up by his son's entrails. Now get out. You try my patience."

With that, the wizard storms through the door in front of him, slamming it on the way out. The creatures make no overt move, simply fading away into nothingness.

As approaches the door, a swirling portal of pastel greens and yellows opens up. Stepping though, you arrive in the middle of a bright deciduous forest. Looking up, the sky is the open blue you'd expect with such light, but a jagged mountain range. You quickly realize that the light of this place comes not from the sky, but from all around you, a soft yellow glow that exudes from ever rock, leaf and tree.

Looking at the compass, you are slightly irked to see that the cone that denotes the direction you need to go is pointing almost straight up.

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

"It seems we mst go up" he says as he looks up. The rogue shakes his head. Nothing is ever easy.

[Athaleon]

All this was causing Kalis' mind to race. An obviously powerful arcanist needed his help in rescuing another allegedly powerful arcanist? The fiendish looking bodyguards were by themselves enough to make Kal shudder. He decided to stay quiet, go along with the others, and pretend he knew what he was doing.

[Beowulf DW]

Cormac hefts his sword and sighs.

"Well, let's get this over with, then."

[Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick]

"Much obliged, good sir."

The halfling sketches a bow at the departing wizard, his expression also seeming to hide a chuckle.

Rooting around near his companion's saddlebags, Gora unwraps a lance and mounts to the saddle once more, donning a flamboyant bicorne hat and striking a consciously heroic pose as he enters the portal, and tipping a salute as he emerges from it into the pastoral glory of Bytopia.

"Cheer up, lads; we've only got to defy an insane god and rescue a presumably beautiful lady magus, with eyes of purest quicksilver, no less. A gentle forest evening's yarning, I have no doubt."

He tips the point of his lance downward, and Clymenestra paws at the ground.

"Of course, we're a dark and dangerous group of miscreants, ne'er do'ells and fools, so there's that. But still."

[Beowulf DW]

"Yes, dangerous. When this is over, I'd like to show that self-important slave-driver just how dangerous."

[Makiru]

Denk woke up with a start, still at the corner. Quickly looking back at the church, he saw it was open and the group that had gathered was entering some kind of planar gate.

Knowledge: Planes [roll0]

It didn't look like any other individuals were in the church, meaning that the mysterious puppeteer had left without realizing one of their number had not entered the building. He could join the group and present an unknown variable to the berk in charge!

Getting a firm grip on his toad, Denk broke into a full run, bounding through the courtyard at breakneck speed, before leaping through the open portal, sliding across the ground and impacting headfirst with a large fir.

"Ow...sorry to trouble you all, but what are we doing?", he blurted out sheepishly.

Diplomacy to not immediately be on the wrong foot with the party: [roll1]

[whiskytangofoxt]

So, "Up" on Bytopia means the other side, right? Can I roll to see how much I might know about the Plane and its "unique" geography?

Knowledge (Planes) - [roll0]

Seeing the others rush off, Desh takes one last look at the fiendish servitors, and makes a mental note to do some more research later. Forewarned is forearmed, after all, and dealing with a mage who dabbles with such beings... you never know what manner of trouble they might pull.

Following behind, he hears the Halfling discussing the group.

"You may be a miscreant, sir, but some of us are simply here through lack of choice. I'm a scholar, not a ne'er do'ell or a fool."

He smiles as he walks through the portal - it had been a while since he had went Plane-hopping for anything other than trade and buisness. Hopefully, he would get some new sketches in his book today...

[Beowulf DW]

Cormac raises an eyebrow at Denk as he hurtles into the tree.

"What are we doing? We're getting screwed over and played like a violin, that's what we're doing."

[Benjuri]

Absolutely. The information below is just a general overview Bytopia's geography, which a DC 15 is good for. If you want to know about someone specific, give me a more refined idea of what you're looking for and roll again.

The most notable geographic feature of the Twin Paradises is that Bytopia's two layers face each other. Exactly between the two, gravity reverses and starts pulling towards the other layer. Shurrock is the wilder of the two layers, with many mountain ranges, and it is from here that most of the raw metals and clays are gathered. Dothion is somewhat more civilized, and it is here that raw materials are processed by craftsmen into finished goods. The vast majority of populations larger than a family unit are found on Dothion.

[whiskytangofoxt]

Desh look up, and sees the problem.

"We have to get... I see. Any suggestions, anyone? I vote we find a local and ask how they manage it..."

[Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick]

In response to Desh' first sally, Gora smirks, and intones a quotation of some description in a professorial baritone.

"Let none compel the virtuous save in the cause of virtue; only the wicked can be bound to wickedness."

Turning to Cormac, he nods, with a companionable, bright-toothed grin; Clymenestra extends a paw to help Denk upwards, although in so doing she turns her lamprey jaws in his direction, rather ruining the effect; just visible on her hand are scrawled words, endlessly repeating.
I can't, I can't live without you, please don't go...

Adjust his saddle primly, Gora turns once more to the self-avowed scholar, and shrugs agreement.
"Oh, quite. And perhaps they're friendly; we're not in baator, after all."

[Benjuri]

You can see the faint outlines of smoke rising through the trees. It looks like there may be a settlement within a mile from your location.

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

The shadow looking creature looks very displeased. "It seems we must ask for assistance. Let's head to this settlement, this is taking too long."

[Makiru]

Denk accepts the help getting up; he'd seen worse since joining the Dustmen, and before that, in the mirror. Mustering up the limited amount of common sense that he had, he put forth a proposal.

"We could just climb a mountain and reach really hard."

He turned to the smoke coming from the trees.

"Or we could wander into an unknown forest and take a chance that the smoke came from some nice cutter and not some big, fire breathing thing."

"At least I know what to expect with the mountain."

[Athaleon]

"Aren't mountains generally home to big nasty things as well?" muses Kal as his neck gets sore from looking up. Had it not been undertaken in duress, he would have been content to spend years, decades, just exploring the planes to see what wonders the friendlier ones had in store.

[whiskytangofoxt]

"I find everthing is home to big nasty things. I believe in a form of self-enlightened cowardice, you see. I vote for the settlement - never was that good at climbing..."

[Makiru]

"Good, me neither! Supposed settlement, it is!"

He turned back to the group, matter-of-factly.

"What? I was just laying down the options."

[Beowulf DW]

"Don't insult big nasty things. They have made me quite a bit of money over the years," says Cormac with a slight grin.


"Let's see what's making the smoke, eh?"

Cormac sets off towards the smoke, ahead of the group.

[Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick]

"We are a big nasty thing, aren't we love?"

Clymenestra hoots her agreement, a sound somewhere between a soft, feminine sigh and a hideous ululation.

"And clambering about on mountains is for berks. So let's hurry do, like the grumpy fellow and the tusky fellow seem to have agreed on."

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

Phane shakes his head at being called grumpy. Grumpy? More like pragmatic. Phane stays silent nonetheless.

OOC: Yes, Phane is very grumpy. I've never played a character like this before so it kind of puts me out of my comfort zone. If he starts annoying you guys, let me know and I"ll lighten him up just a bit.

[Benjuri]

The way through the enlightened apple trees and oaks is pleasant and easy. You quickly approach what seems to be a small frontier town, with a mill, blacksmith, beekeepers, foresters and rangers. And gnomes. Lots of gnomes. It seems like the perfect, self sufficient forest civilization. Upon seeing newcomers, one of the towns folk, a human, approaches you.

"Ah, always good to see a new face around near. Ah, and there are half-orcs amongst your party, it is always good to see my brothers! Welcome to New Inspiration."

[Beowulf DW]

"Thank you. I can't speak for these lads," Cormac jerks a thumb toward his fellow "puppets" then continues, "but I'm a bit new here, and I think we need some directions."

[Benjuri]

"Oi, indeed? Where is it that you need to go? There has been quite an exodus to the Golden Hills of late."

[Beowulf DW]

Cormac points up and without the slightest hint of irony says, "We need to go that way."

[Benjuri]

"Ah, yes that one can be a stumper when you first arrive on Bytopia. I've gotta ask you two questions first though. Why are you on the plane in the first place, and are you planing on transporting any goods or materials to or from Shurrock?"

[Beowulf DW]

"We were sent to pick up a package for a demanding client. Don't know if that qualifies as "goods."

[Benjuri]

"That would be anything you intend to sell as a merchant at a later date either on Dothion or in Sigil or any other planer metropolis."

[Beowulf DW]

"Ah, aye, well. We certainly don't intend to sell what we're looking for. We're addicted to living, you see."

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

"No, we are not here as merchants. We are recovering a lost item, nothing more."

[Benjuri]

"Excellent," he says, "then I can get you on your way without any extra charges or paperwork. Please come with me."

He leads you from the fringes of the settlement into its very core.

"Portals that lead directly between the two layers are rarer than you'd think, although I suppose that's because the Twin Paradises know that there are more mundane ways of traveling between them. Either way, the portals are a valuable economic feature around here, and it just so happens we've got one. I had to make sure you weren't planning to transport competitor's goods, that's all, since there's a healthy tariff on taking commodities though the portal. Anyhow, it comes out right by Windwrath, the domain of Lady Tefnut, so it is quite useful."

"Hey, Fat Tom? How much for travelers going through the portal these days?"

Your guide speaks to an enormously fat gnome, perched on a stool under an equally huge apple tree inn the middle of town, with apple cores littering the ground around him.

"They not moving anything Bill? Twenty silver stingers, and I won't let'em try to pawn off the electrum crude on me either. You never know with off-planers."

Turning back towards you, Bill says, "Well there you have it bloods. I wish you safe travels and I hope your journey is fruitful in its endeavors. Don't be put off by Tom, he was a trader in his mortal life, but he'll get you where you need to be."

[whiskytangofoxt]

Desh stays quiet at the middle of the group.

He feels unexpectedly... scared. He'd travelled, but never doing something that could be considered criminal.

"Thank you, Bill. In case we need to know, what are the "mundane" methods you speak of?"

[Benjuri]

"Well, the gnomes are always experimenting with these bags of hot air to transport goods from one side to the other. Problem is, at least for people, that they have a tendency to rather plummet once they pass the gravity boundary and start to cool off. There are a number of mountains that bridge the gap as well and act like giant pillars that you can climb."

"Or you could just sprout wings and fly."

[Athaleon]

Kal shook his head in disbelief... These people were natives here, but still — Mountains acting as pillars to a parallel world just hanging in the sky, gravity reversing and the whole bit, was considered mundane? Hell, for all Kal knew, the man was serious about sprouting wings and flying.

The idea of the portal caused some trepidation as well. His last encounter with one was extremely unpleasant. But now that he thought about it, his unwanted "client" probably had something to do with yanking him through it. No way his random flailing could have activated something like that.

"Pardon me, but I'm still new here. Is there any risk or drawback to using the portal? Why would anyone resort to risky experimental technology, or a long trek up a mountain and back down again, even if they did have to pay a toll?"

[Benjuri]

"If there were any danger to it, I don't think that anyone would dare live in the City of Doors. Time is a big factor in it, since almost all the Planes are infinite and Bytopia is no exception, hence the tolls for transporting goods through a portal can be very steep. If you want to move several hundred pounds of metal ore from Shurrock to Dothion, it is far, far cheaper to use the balloons since the ore won't be damaged if it falls a quarter mile or so. Honestly, almost no one uses the mountain passes unless they have to. Treacherous doesn't even begin to do them justice."

[Beowulf DW]

Cormac adjusts his sword slightly muttering, "'Scuse me, lads. Damn straps really start to dig in if I don't move 'em every five minutes or so."

Cormac stops fidgeting after a few seconds. "There we go. These portals sound like the fastest way to go, and the sooner we get this over with the better. This might take a wee while, though. Is there anywhere that we can buy supplies? I left my lunchbox at home, you see."

[Benjuri]

"Ay, what are you looking for? Dothion is home to the finest craftsmen on the planes, although we're a little lacking in the magic department."

[Makiru]

Denk stood slack-jawed in amazement. You could just climb the mountains and jump? He had been right? The denizens of this plane were obviously made of much sterner stuff than he'd first thought.


"You wouldn't have any odd-jobs a couple of guys hard on their luck could do to pay for portal fare? Coming from a family of carny folk, I realize how hard it is to tough it out in the wilderness, and you could probably use the help."

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[Beowulf DW]

"Ay, what are you looking for? Dothion is home to the finest craftsmen on the planes, although we're a little lacking in the magic department."

I'm just looking for some rations and basic equipment. Ropes and such. Never know when you might need to hog-tie something.

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

The Fetchling isn't smiling, in fact he wears quite the scowl on his face. "If'n I weren't Twixt the Lady and the loths you can bet I wouldn't be pay'n ya price." Phane reaches inside his heavy tunic quickly pulls out a coin pouch. He checks to make certain it is silver. Wouldn't have for him to try and use gold here in the upper planes. Might get the wrong idea and think he worked down in the lower planes. Doesn't matter that they'd be right. Would just mean more trouble he didn't need.

"Here's ya stingers."

[Benjuri]

If anyone wants to pick up equipment, list it in a spoiler in your next post. You should be able to find any basic or mastercraft non-magical gear.

Bill points off in the a direction just a bit off opposite from the one in which you came.

"There's an open air market just off that away. You should be able to find what you're looking for there."

Fat Tom responds to Denk's inquiry. "Not as it were, but we'uns be appreciating it all the same. That kind of decent will go along ways while you are in the Heavens of the Upper Planes."

Tom gets up and takes Phane's stingers carefully, then takes big bite of an apple. Suddenly, he spits the seeds right at the Fetchling's face, but they never connect. Instead, a portal opens between the gnomish petitioner and the planetouched, through which blows a warm, moist wind.

Tom waddles around from the other side, saying, "I'll need the stingers from the rest of you, but you are welcome to use the portal once you've paid."

[Athaleon]

"I'll go with you to the market, I could use some provisions myself. Maybe see if I can get my gold converted to the local currency."

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

"What say we all hurry up and get through this portal, eh?" The Fetchling, with a hand on his scimitar still in its scabbard, steps towards the portal. "How do we get back here? Is there someone on the other side we can pay to bring us back?"

If his questions is answered in the affirmative the Fetchling will step through the portal.

[Benjuri]

"There's about a dozen different guards on the other side, I think most of 'em are sphinxes of some sort. Holler long enough and you'll get one of their attention if them'un's ain't around. They usually ask a toll to open their side too, but sometimes they'll let a clever blood just pass through."

Stepping through, Phade finds himself stepping out through a stone arch covered in hieroglyphs in a much darker location on the plane. Reeds and grasses grow beneath his feet in sandy soil. Above him, he sees massive storm clouds constantly gathering and shifting around. Turning, he realize that the storm centers on an impossibly huge pyramid that rises from the sand ground some miles away. The planer compass points away from this place, however, into the rugged and forested mountains ahead of you. Far above, the gentle rolling hills and mountains of Dothion hang where the mountains of Shurrock once were.

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

Phane waits patiently for his companions to join him. He ducks down, hiding in the reeds and shadows, somewhat more in his element.

Stealth: [roll0]

[Makiru]

"I only asked because I don't have any silver handy, just gold bits...well, and some onyx, but I was saving that for other uses."

While riffling through his pockets, a short gust of wind spills the contents onto the ground, including , but not limited to, onyx gems of varying size and value, a small amount of gold "kliks", and his toad. Damn those dead grandparents of his, yet again. The presence of the petitioner had twitched his nerves as well. Petitioners were probably the closest beings to the True Death out on the wheel, but there weren't any in the Cage, so this was Denk's first.

"Suppose I should get some rations and a waterskin, anyway. Just cause I look like death doesn't mean I don't need food."

Denk saunters off into the market after picking up his belongings, hopeful to find a moneychanger as well.

EDIT:
Does my Dead Truce seem to have any effect on the petitioner?

[Benjuri]

Denk is able to find a cleric of the Gnomish god Flandel Steelskin, the Master of Metal, who is exchanging standard currencies for small, round gold ingots which bear the seal of the pantheon's head Garl Glittergold for 5 gold and gold ringed coins with a mithral center and Steelskin's own sign, a flaming hammer, for 2 gold.

No, the truce effects only the undead, whereas petitioners are more like incarnated souls.

[Athaleon]

Kal pops into the market to pick up some food, as well as to exchange some of his gold coins for the... what was it? Stingers? Anyway, he left a lot of his gear behind due to his abrupt departure, and he had no idea if they would need to camp out in the wilderness, so he might as well load up. Leaning on his companions' largesse was sure to make him unpopular.


Tent, Bedroll, & Blanket
Flint & Steel
50' rope
Food and a Waterskin
Hatchet
Waterproof bag, as well as a mundane notebook

Base price for the above, if we're treating food as a non-issue, is 20g, plus whatever he needs to convert to pay the toll. After he buys the items he'll head straight back. If he has to wait for others, he'll prepare a few spells based on how much time he actually gets.

[Beowulf DW]

After making his purchases, Cormac hands over the portal fee and steps through.

[Makiru]

OOC:
Swap 40 gp for "stingers". Too lazy to figure out cost of conversion, so just tell me how much it is and I'll deduct it from my sheet. I'll go through the portal immediately after.

Denk does his stuff and goes through.

[Benjuri]

Stingers are just straight up silver pieces, so called since silver bypasses most fiend's DR, so if you pay a fiend in silver, it litterally will sting them. Not a good thing to do if you have any sense of taste, diplomacy or life expectancy. Anyhow 40 gp = 400 sp.

[Athaleon]

Kal had to chuckle inwardly when he realized that "stingers" referred to silver, because it literally stung the palms of many of these extraplanars. He had dimly imagined the actual stingers of some rare animal being used as a currency, or at any rate a valuable barter item, on this frontier-looking plane. He exchanges some of his gold pieces for silver, more than enough to pay the toll.

[Benjuri]

The mountains on this side of the plane are far more rugged than those that now hang above you, and it is far chillier on Surrock as well. Snowy glaciers sit like kings upon the rocky peaks... All except one, which is predictably the one that the planer compass points you towards, at least to anyone who believes that the laws of theatrics govern the planes. Likely they're Signers.

This peak is slightly taller than the rest and by the tall crown of spires that ring it's peaks, it is or once was, volcanic in nature. Indeed, it is warmer on this mount and hot springs well up from below as you traverse the ridges. At the peak, you find a shallow caldera filled with grey pumice sand, which the compass points straight into while the mountainous crowns hang like claws in the sky.

[Beowulf DW]

"Well, I've never tried cutting through a mountain before, but there's a first time for everything."

Cormac hefts his adamantine greatsword and swings at the ground.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

As a chaotic neutral barbarian, I'd imagine that Cormac would tend to act without running things by you guys, for now anyway. Feel free to speak up to tell him to stop, or to let me know that this is becoming annoying.

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

Phane rolls his eyes. "One would think they wouldn't pick such a place. It is so... cliche', eh? Does anyone have a proposition for how to get their now?"

[Benjuri]

:smallconfused: Okay, I worded that poorly. Let's roll with it.
The massive sword bites through one of the thinner spires which rise only twenty odd feet above your heads as opposed to the hundreds that many of the others. It collapses inwards giving you a stone bridge into the caldera, which is about 200 feet across.

[Makiru]

Denk gives Cormac a hearty pat on the shoulder. "Well met! Facing the problem head on, like a true member of our race." Taking a few test steps to make sure the bridge was stable, Denk began to cross, only to feel an all-too familiar shove right between his shoulders.

Grandmother strikes again. Pitching forward, he tumbled down the spire like a clumsy gymnast, landing in a heap at the bottom.

[Benjuri]

The inside of the caldara walls are pocket marked with bubbles and holes in their black surface and the sand is fine, but rough and warm. Once you are at the bottom of your "bridge" the compass points towards the middle of the hollow peak and slightly below parallel.

[Beowulf DW]

Sorry, Benjuri. I miss understood your description. I'll just file this under "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

Cormac gives a nod of thanks to Denk before following him down the bridge. At least for the first few steps.

"Well that's one way of getting down."

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fetchling Rogue

Phane shrugs and follows on the path, keeping to the shadows as much as possible.

Stealth: [roll0]

[Benjuri]

Phade is able to find some shade amount the rocky outcrops that dot the sandy caldera, and by the increasing cloud cover above you as a storm begins to brew. Indeed the lightning seems to be reaching toward the peak rather ominously.

Roll for Initiative and Perception

[Athaleon]

"I'm no expert, but whatever that is can't be good."


Initiative: [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

[Beowulf DW]

"Here we go, laddies!"

Perception: [roll0]
Initiative: [roll1]

[Xealot7]

Phane, Male Fethling Rogue

From the shadows, Phane looks and listens, ready to pounce in a moments notice.

Perception: [roll0]
Initiative: [roll1]
Stealth Roll from last round: 28

[Makiru]

"This certainly bodes ill.", Denk says, gripping his flail.

Init: [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]