[3.5] Artifacts of Creation IC

[Jacior]

@All

You've all been summoned, individually, to appear in the court of one of the most renowned mages in the known multiverse. Lord Timmoth Bale has long ruled over this little corner of the prime material as an example of both the sheer audacity and raw talent of a mortal creature. The tales of his power are as grand as they are varied; Rumors abound of the man taking on the gods, destroying nations with merely a thought and creating the entire continent you now stood upon. Certainly he's been around for a long, long, long time. Almost inconceivably long. The rest of the world seems content to leave Timmoth to his own devices lest the rumors prove true.

But this isn't a story of him, it is a story of you. The Four summoned at the break of an upheaval that will change the very fabric of reality.

You all arrive at nearly the same time in the evening, within minutes of each other, as the sun sets behind you on the empty horizon. It has been a long day on the road, hard and dusty. You haven't seen a single cart or caravan on the road since noon. They don't approach the town that sprang up around the sprawling castle Bale. There was no need as the lands inside the massive walls grow all the food needed by the people within. Enchanted looms weave cloth and leather is available for a pittance even at the finest quality. At least, these are the tales that are told of life within the walls. The grandness of the architecture before you would speak volumes to the truth of these stories.

The guards stop you at the titanic gates, closed, presumably, for a very long time, though no rest dots its surface. Nary even a scratch. First to arrive is Packrat, having woken up nearly a week before with an engraved marble tablet standing on the table of his inn room. It had taken a lot of effort to arrive in the one week time frame laid out on the tablet. It hadn't been terribly clear, but the writing had implied some sort of punishment to occur had you not made it in time. Again, just a feeling that was presented by the words, instead of an outright threat.

Following behind him nearly half an hour later, having met on the road earlier in the day and deciding to continue to travel together, are Era and Luis. The pair of them had each received a letter, dictating to them that they were to arrive here on this day. Luis found his underneath the pillow he had slept upon nearly three days ago when he knocked the fluffy piece off the bed. Era's was found inside a boot nearly a month ago when she stuck her foot onto it and scratched herself on the embossed logo of a dragon on the front. Neither of these letters were demanding, but each were coercive to their respective recipients. Era's implied heavily that her skills would be both sorely need and handsomely rewarded long before the end of anything was to be completed in service to Bale. Luis' merely requested his presence as a man who sought to do some good in the world.

Shaoro is later than the rest of the group by a far margin and it was well and fully dark before it arrived at the gates. Though, the others caught sight of it long before arrival, as the light of the setting sun glinted off the brass armor signally to the rest that something moved out in the wastelands. Shaoro had received no formal summons, merely a pull of purpose that directed it where to go. When Shaoro finally encountered the guards, the pull was broken, like a cord stretched too tight snapping away.

The guards had stood staunch and silent as the group waited, answering no questions and making no motions to try and stop any from doing whatever they liked. Including attacking the guards themselves. This also meant that the group had been stuck waiting outside the behemoth gates until the last of the group had gathered. Tired and weary from travel they were made to wait until the strange being of Shaoro had arrived. Near simultaneously, the guards spoke. "Lord Timmoth both welcomes you and thanks you for accepting his invitation to be here today. Unfortunately, the master is out currently and will not be able to join you until the morning. Rooms have been prepared you at the inn. Please proceed there and rest for tomorrow."

[EdroGrimshell]

Alexander Crow, more commonly referred to as Wanderer, Crow, Drifter, and, most recently, Packrat stretched from his position, having pulled a full sized cot of... questionable quality, from his pack after the first fifteen minutes of waiting, sleeping for most of the time despite the early hour of the time, that is, until a familiar face had showed up. When Luis arrived, he couldn't help but grin at the time, catching up with the incarnum wielder while he waited for the gates, after catching up though, he'd gotten board again, and pulled out a makeshift chessboard and a table from his pack, which shouldn't have been able to fit in said device, and set them up, "anyone up for a game or two?" he'd asked, and played a few rounds with anyone willing to give it a try. When that grew boring, around the time the sun began to set, he broke down the table and board and started practicing with his preferred weapon, his grappling hook and rope, until Shaoro arrived.

"That isn't creepy at all," he comments after the Guards finish speaking.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Era was, and she could admit it, pretty unnerved. Oh, sure, she'd been on an adventure and done well. But to receive a request for aid from very possibly the most powerful mage in existence? Back at the University there had been rumors about this man's rumors.

Still, he knew exactly what to say (write, whatever) to assure she would come. Pretty much the only thing that could encourage Era to lend her powers to a cause faster than telling her she would be handsomely rewarded was to tell her her magic might be sorely needed.

So it was that she waited before the gate, somewhat weary from travel and nervous about what was to come, but in good spirits. She considered the offer for a round of chess from the other man who had been waiting already when she and her chance-met (but, apparently, similarly-motivated) companion arrived, and agreed with a smile and a shrug, making small talk over the game and speculating some on why Lord Timmoth might have summoned them.

When the guards told them the High Archmage couldn't see them, there was a momentary flicker of annoyance in her eyes at the rudeness before she realized just what she was thinking and about whom, and immediately recalibrated her definition of rudeness to not include the most powerful mage in the world standing up a peasant-girl-turned-healer.

"Yep. Not ominous in any way," Era agreed with a deadpan voice and remarkably straight face. Not seeing much else to do, she looked to the others, shrugged, and headed for the inn (asking directions from the guards if she hadn't seen it on the way in).

[dethkruzer]

Shaoro strode on, seemingly unfazed, despite having been on the road non-stop for a good while. As he arrived at the castle gates, he was surprised to find other people there, seemingly waiting? Then, as he reached the group, he stopped. The lights under his visor flickered, almost as if blinking in a confused manner. For the time, he paid little heed to the rest of the group, his slightly confused attention directed at the guards for the most part.

After listening to what the guards had to say, he only replied with a dull. "I understand." Before turning around.

I intended on making this much longer, but let's just say that the combination of a busy day at work combined with a sudden and rather intense nosebleed does little good in terms of having the time or energy to post

[Regalus]

Luis happily greeted Packrat, pleased at punch at seeing his friend after so long, and wasted little time introducing the young man to his current traveling companion. Though he lets Era take the first game Luis contributes to the discussion where he can, being rather surprised that such a powerful mage would take notice of a humble journeyman. Though who was he to deny a request to lend aid to another?

Guranted, given their rather cold welcome; the young hero quite thankful of Packrat for pulling out something for them all to do. Oh sure, he had his deck of cards; but it was always nice to try something different every once in a while...even if Packrat almost always beat him at chess. Really, by the time their newest arrival had arrive he was so relieved that they'd finally be allowed inside that he paid little mind to their strange appearance.

"Better creepy than to be stuck out here in the rain; 'sides id any of you think that receiving a summons by Lord Bale wouldn't lead to something queer?" he questioned of his companions as they enterred the city proper.

[EdroGrimshell]

"Heh, probably asked you, I get the feeling he was trying to threaten me in his 'invitation' for me," Packrat replies with a grin, as if he didn't care for the method at all, "gave me a week to get here from my cabin, that was a pain in the ass, took some creative working to get here in that time frame. Had to make a crash landing when I tried making something to help me down from a cliff in short order. On a more positive note I found out how to mimic a raptoran gliding!"

[Jacior]

@All

You all turn to enter the city, but see that there is still no way inside. Any curious looks pointed at the guards draw no response. It's nearly a full minute before a sound is heard, high over your heads. Those that look up see the massive clockwork mechanisms of the door locks start to shift, only making noise when pieces touch each other, no grinding of the metal against itself. It takes less than a minute for all the pieces to shift out of the way of the massive gates and they slowly swing open, completely silently. The guards suddenly start speaking again. "Please follow the red lanterns to the inn. Do not stray from the path. Master Bale holds no responsibility for the results if you do."

Inside the gates is a similarly massive road leading into the city. The road is paved smooth and is lined by a simply staggering number of buildings, from what you can see. Alleys and other roads split off from the main thoroughfair. A number of red lanterns line the streets, hanging from poles attached to the buildings. They lead down the road a fair way before turning off a side street.

The city is unnervingly quiet. No people are on the streets and no lights are visible besides those of floating orbs that give of bright light and the red lanterns.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Maybe he was just trying to stress the urgency?" Era suggested optimistically, nodding a thanks to the guards and starting down the illuminated path.

[EdroGrimshell]

"At least I learned something from it. Anyone here want to learn how to ride the winds later? The landings are hell but it's fun while you're in the air!" Packrat asks as he follows the lanterns, walking backwards. Anyone else, he probably would have done some exploring, but as it was, he didn't feel like it. Or at least that's what he'd tell anyone that asked him.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Era gave Packrat a...concerned look. She was starting to think she understood why her services had been requested. "I'm, um, more of a 'water' person than an 'air' person. Thanks, though," she replied, and immediately decided that sounded way wittier in her head.

[Regalus]

Luis looked around the area with a small frown, disquieted by the shear silence and lack of any signs of life at this hour of the day,"This place looks dead," he commented rather bluntly as the walked the empty streets, with only the dull sounds of their march across the road to keep them company, "Are they just that paranoid about new people?" he mused to himself in distraction before trying to push the thoughts away.

"Well, the offer seems like fun; but I'd rather wait 'till I've had a chance to Shape something, just in case I suck too much at it," he replied with a bit of forced cheer.

[dethkruzer]

Shaoro follows the given instruction without questioning it, one could perhaps notice that he seemed almost too... confused... to bother questioning what the guards said. By now his mind had cleared enough that he acknowledged he was not alone, but did nothing as of yet to actually interact with them.

[Jacior]

@All

With none of you veering from the illuminated path, you make your way into the eerily silent city. As each of you pass through the gate, perhaps due to your natural sensitivities to magic, you feel... something. The sensation, to try and be put into words, is like a hive of bees buzzing in your teeth. The sensation fades almost instantly as you step into the empty city. To say the city was completely empty wouldn't be necessarily true. Those looking closely would see, despite the lack of lights emanating from the windows, the shades and curtains moving as a fairly obvious sign that someone, multiple someones at that, are peeking out at the group trudging through the silently, brightly lit street.

Assuming the group keeps to the path the whole way, they reach the inn with little in the way of activity. The inn seems to be in perfect condition, almost spookily so. There is light coming from the windows, and the sounds of music. It seems like the typical inn, except for a bit of obsessive maintenance. It's almost comforting, in its familiarity, but there is something a little off about it that stops that feeling from taking fully.



((I don't know if people are just gonna go in or not, so I'll break here just in case))

[Quellian-dyrae]

Era felt a bit unnerved as they walked down the streets and people started watching them through darkened windows. She was thinking Luis had hit the nail on the head. At one point, she even tried giving a smile and a wave to a few of the watchers, though whether it was to set them or herself at ease, she couldn't rightly say.

She'd head straight inside the inn when they arrived. Whatever slightly off feeling there was about it, it was still less creepy than walking down the city streets had been.

It's just been a weird day, she told herself. And it's nighttime. I'm sure the place won't be as creepy once the sun's out.

[EdroGrimshell]

"This place is odd," Packrat comments, which was weird seeing as he'd just walked the whole way to the inn facing the wrong direction, "if you need me I'll be on the roof," he says, further enforcing the fact he was the weird one here. Though it would be impressive to see him jump his way between buildings onto the roof without using the grappling hook he was practicing with earlier.

[dethkruzer]

following down the path to the inn, he momentarily stopped outside of it, and finally decided to open his "mouth".

"Do you feel that? it seems as though all is not as it should be?" Her asks the other, but still follows them as they step inside.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Yeah, the place is kinda weird and creepy, but that's not really too surprising, right?" Era said. "I mean, honestly, I think I'd be more worried if the city run by Archmage Bale did seem perfectly normal."

[Regalus]

"Oy! Don't go off on your own!" he called after Packrat...to little avail, sighing he enterred the inn; appreciating the accommodations cleanliness, after a few recent bad experiences.

"That's true, and it could be a lot worse; they're just really clean and shy," Luis mused to the others as he eyed the Inn, frowning when he couldn't spot anyone waiting for them.

"Hello! Anyone home, three travelers looking for rooms for the night!" he called out into the seemingly empty inn.

[Jacior]

@Packrat

You scramble your way up to the roof, using the walls of the nearby buildings to half bounce onto the top of the inn. As it was only a single story, it wasn't terribly difficult to clamber up onto the top of the structure. It's fairly flat on top, and heavily tiled with what seems to be clay. A small tablet is set into the roof, a small ways from where you're standing. It's engraved with gold filigree and white marble.

Please refrain from climbing upon the buildings, if at all possible.
-Archmage Bale

@Era, Luis & Shaoro

The inside of the inn holds a single table with four chairs around it. A counter and bar sit against one of the walls and a singular hallway leads further into the building. A woman standing behind the counter wears an expression that's a cross between anxiety and excitement. She seems perfectly human, with, perhaps, a slightly elongated face. Her outfit is simple, not cut like most of dresses of barmaid's you've seen before, significantly more practical than alluring. "Welcome, welcome! His Lordship Bale has this inn constructed for your arrival! He allowed me the honor of designing it and your rooms myself so please tell me how you like them!" She seems all smiles. Perhaps the most unnerving thing in the room is a cluster of instruments in one of the corners playing themselves.

[EdroGrimshell]

@Packrat

You scramble your way up to the roof, using the walls of the nearby buildings to half bounce onto the top of the inn. As it was only a single story, it wasn't terribly difficult to clamber up onto the top of the structure. It's fairly flat on top, and heavily tiled with what seems to be clay. A small tablet is set into the roof, a small ways from where you're standing. It's engraved with gold filigree and white marble.

Please refrain from climbing upon the buildings, if at all possible.

-Archmage Bale

Packrat deadpans, "Well there goes that idea, this place is already devoid of any kind of scrap I can work with and he takes away the height advantage..." he mutters as he heads back down, latching his grappling hook so he could get down without injuring his leg, and heading inside.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Era blinked once. He'd had the inn constructed just for them...? This was just so strange. She didn't really know much of the others, but she certainly didn't feel that she deserved such treatment.

Or maybe that's just how an archmage treats the people he hires, she considered. If I hired someone to, say, run a message across the city, it would be trivial for me to fill his waterskin when he got back, or heal a scraped knee he received, or something. But even that simple magic would seem extravagant to a messenger. Maybe having an entire inn built is the archmage equivalent of filling our waterskins.

"It seems wonderful. Thank you so much," Era replied. There was something just a little off about the woman, but Era chalked that up to trying really hard, probably because she had been assigned a task by an archmage (it really was amazing, just how much weirdness could be neatly and conclusively explained away by just one word). In any event, she was the most friendly person Era had seen in this city, which at that stage counted for quite a bit.

Did Lord Bale have anything he wanted us to do? Or leave a message for us, or anything?"

[dethkruzer]

"It has a certain ellegance in it's simplicity." Shaoro replies in a flat tone to the barmaid. "But to have an entire building constructed, especially to house less than half-a-dozen people, seems needlessly extravagant in what is trying to be achieved." He continues in a similar to tone. "Or is this how his Lordship usually treats his guests?"

[Regalus]

"I think a room for each of us will do nicely Miss," he answers before turning slightly to greet Packrat with a questioning brow as he comes in behind them; the man wasn't one to change his mind so quickly, especially when he choose a more...whimsical course of action. Had the ceiling not been to his taste?

Putting off his musings for now, the lad returned his attention to their attendant, "Miss, is it safe to say we're the first visitors this township as had in some time?"

[Jacior]

@All

The woman's eyes seem to light up. "You really don't know? We've never had guests before, at least, not ones that have had to spend the night inside the town walls!" She pulls a tray of drinks from underneath the counter and sets them on the table. "There was no place for our Esteemed Guests to stay while you were here. The homes are all full and Lord Bale had not the inclination to incorporate more rooms into his castle. He had me design this inn and your rooms, after telling me about you, and he just shifted some of the buildings around and conjured it up as quick as a burnished beetle." She braces the tray against her hip as she talks, far more interested in explaining the comings of the inn than any sort of decorum in bartending.

"Most of the townsfolk thought it was a little silly, admittedly. That was before Lord Bale was detained this evening though! It makes far more sense now." The way she says the name of her patron, slightly wispy, leads you to suspect she might have more than a passing interest in the Archmage. She turns strangely, swaying her hips around towards one of the chairs as she pulls out another. She stops all of a sudden and looks behind her. "Oh, silly me. But, no. The Archmage didn't leave me with any instructions for our Esteemed Guests. I'm just to cater to your desires tonight and direct you towards the castle shortly after daybreak."

[EdroGrimshell]

"Any idea why he doesn't want people on the roofs?" Packrat deadpans, "there was a plaque that basically said 'get down' up there, and if he knew anything about me he'd know I like being up high and under the stars rather than cramped into a room," he had the same annoyed expression he'd had since leaving the rooftop.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Alright, well, um," Era said with a shrug, looking to the others. "You guys hungry?" she asked. She was, and it probably wouldn't hurt to get to know the rest of the group the archmage had summoned.

[dethkruzer]

"I see." He replies in his flat tone, nodding to further accentuate his words. "I am most curious to know how such a sheltered society might function in the long run, but I believe such matter are best left for another time.

Shaoro then proceeds to sit down on one of the chairs around the table. his attention turns to Era. "I thank you for your concern, but I am not burdened by the need for physical sustenance."

[Regalus]

Luis eyes the man in enchanted armor briefly before addressing Era, "After how long we traveled, I think a warm meal would be lovely," he responded with a smile, putting aside his own unease for the moment with the potential offer of food before him.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Era cast Shaoro a curious look as she took a seat. "Really? Cool."

She looked to the innkeeper. "So, what's on the menu, I guess? Oh, hey, and what's your name? I'm Era."

[dethkruzer]

"A friend of mine gave me the name Shaoro long ago. it is the elven word for sunflower, which is what some prefer to call me by." His tone remained mostly flat, but there was a slight twinge in his pitch toward the end of the sentence.

[Jacior]

@All

The woman's eyes light up. "My name? It's Adriaak! Thank you for asking." She smiles warmly and heads back behind the bar. "As for a meal, the bar is capable of preparing almost anything you would like! It's one of Lord Bale's creations." She pats the counter like it's a living thing. She looks at Packrat with a blink. "The signs? I believe Lord Bale mentioned something about that... I think he said that you'd probably ignore them anyway!" She smiles and nods like it was completely sensible to ignore the warnings of an Archmage. "As for your rooms... Like I said, I designed them myself. I-I wouldn't put you in a room I didn't think you'd like." Her face falls a bit, turning red as she crouches down and busies herself behind the bar.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"I'm glad to meet you, Adriaak," Era said.

Curious how that worked, she walked over to the bar. She kinda examined it for a moment, then set her hand flat atop it (for some reason she felt like that made sense to do) and said in a voice that sounded more like she was intoning a spell than placing an order, "Salmon filet, broccoli, and baked potato?"

[dethkruzer]

"A pleasure to make you acquintance." Shaoro says in reply Adriaak.

"So, Adriaak, if you will allow me to ask. Could you tell us about his lordship? Any particular things that he might wish us to do prior to meeting him tomorrow?"

[EdroGrimshell]

Packrat raises a brow, "then why put it there? If he expects it to be ignored, anyway," he asks, then shakes his head, "If you can get pretty much anything for food then I'd go for a beef stew and dwarven bread."

"I take it there's a workshop in my room? Or at least space for my tinkering, he asks after a pause.

[Regalus]

Luis offers a smiling nod in greeting to their house, but opts to wait and see how Era's meal turns out before ordering something himself; choosing in stead to address Packrat's own little query, "Probably habit, propriety, or on the off chance people might listen to it," he replies matter-of-factly.

[Jacior]

@All

Adriaak stays quiet behind the counter for a moment before bringing up a duo of covered platters. One she just leaves on the counter for Era, the other she brings to the table for Packrat. Lifting the lid off she starts talking again. "Lord Bale has left no standing instructions other than to be clean, well rested and at the gates to the castle at precisely seven in the morning." She says, rather curtly. "As for your rooms, you may see whether they are to your comfort or not. I did my research very thoroughly." She adds as she walks back to the bar with the lid to the dish. Left on the table is a rather large and hearty looking bowl of soup and a full loaf of crusty bread cut into thick slices.

She pulls the lid off the other one as she gets back behind the bar and sets the lids under the counter, revealing a second and equally impressive meal. "You're more than welcome to do as you like until then. Though... the city becomes much less... safe, after dark." Adriaak leaves that statement as mysterious as possible it seems and busies herself doing nothing in particular.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Thanks!" Era said, taking her plate back to the table.

"So...any guesses what this whole thing might be about?" she asked the others, since there wasn't much sense not making conversation.

That being said, I'm down to skip ahead to the next morning if/when everyone else is.

[dethkruzer]

"Your guess is as good as mine, but seeing how much trouble his lordship went through for our sakes, I imagine it must be something of the utmost importance." Shaoro replies to Era, before standing up, and walking over to the bar.

"Excuse me Adriaak, but you would not happen to have some beeswax and a few rags that you would not mind getting dirty?"

[Regalus]

"Well, he's the most powerful magi on the continent so it likely has to do with something he needs done or found; but can't do it himself due to having to take care of his domain or due to the nature of the problem itself," Luis mused after making his own order, "And given that he didn't just tell us what to do by message, it's a pretty sensitive matter as well,"