Tear Down the Wall

[Darth Ultron]

Souls that are unclaimed by the servants of the gods are judged by Kelemvor, who decides the fate of each one. Some are charged with serving as guides for other lost souls, while others are transformed into squirming larvae and cast into the dust. The truly faithless are mortared into the Wall of the Faithless, the great barrier that bounds the City of the Dead, where their souls slowly dissolve and begin to become part of the stuff of the Wall itself.

Many folk make offerings both to gods they revere and to dieties of opposite alignement, to ward off spite and divine whim. This is so because all the powers of the Faerûn pantheon are deeply enmeshed in the functioning of the world's magic, its ecology and the dealings of its beings - civilized or not. Even orc children know that to die without a patron diety is to spend eternity writhing in the Wall of the Faithless, and begging for demons to claim one's soul.



Torilian faithless end up in Kelemvor's City of Suffering only if they they have faith they will (ironically). People who have been taught that those who reject the gods will be tortured for all eternity will end up in exactly that situation. This is the power of belief: you get the afterlife you expect, more or less. That's not to say that an evil person who thinks he's doing Tyr's will will end up rewarded by Tyr in his Court in Mount Celestia - the belief of one person isn't enough to change Tyr's personality. Tyr will do whatever Tyr does with evil souls. But if you believe the dead go to the Greek Underworld to be judged by Minos, you get that. If you believe the dead go to the Court of Judgment to stand before the proxies of Yen-wang-yeh, you get that instead. If believe there is no afterlife, your soul may simply dissolve.

Vazen Bressin, The Year of the Moonlight Tapestry




Feel free to do an introduction and then place your character somewhere to start.

[Dacia Brabant]

In Parnassus, somewhere on the Astral Plane:

What will you do?

The thought sprung into Jathal’s mind as she leaned over a large wooden table that appeared to have grown right out of the floor, but she ignored it as she pondered the contents of numerous texts scattered about the table’s surface. It was a thought she had many times since she'd retreated to her demiplane weeks ago for uninterrupted study--and soon would have again.

What will you do?

The thought echoed in Jathal’s mind as she read a collection of notes containing obscure facts and strange rumors pertaining to the role of yugoloths in prolonging the Blood War. Varied and diverging historical accounts of the rise and fall and rising again of the gods of death and the dead. Treatises on the Great Wheel and the power of belief to move and shape it. Tracts on the nature of faith and the soul--and the transactionary relationship between gods and mortals with respect to these things. And a peculiar book of folk tales, including one from Rashemen where a soulless creature purportedly stalks the land devouring the spirits and even minor deities who call that place home in order to feed its insatiable hunger.

Hunger. She'd nearly forgotten what that was like. She'd been going at it for weeks, perhaps months on end, poring over every bit of lore that could possibly pertain to her--to their--dilemma, sleeping no more than the requisite two hours a week and eating just the fruits Parnassus had provided that would otherwise fall off the vine and go to waste, and that only out of her genuine appreciation for her astral home. But there was something about that word, that concept of hunger, that gave her pause.

What will you do?

Jathal sighed, rolled her eyes and continued her research, until some time later she leaned back, looked up through her sky window at the swirling blue and purple hues of the Plane Above that made up the firmament in this otherworldly home of hers, and spoke.

"Hmm. I wonder..."

What will you do? the thought returned in apparent response.

For a while she just stood there, silently gazing up at that sky, until she finally voiced the cause of her wonderment.

"Starve the beast."

No response. The thought that had long been plaguing her--that Darsha'an had long been plaguing her with--had been silenced. His thoughts themselves, however, would not be silent forever, and indeed a new one quickly formed in her mind.

How?

The near-permanent look of serenity on Jathal's face shifted ever so slightly into a smile.

"How does a siege work? How does a city break a siege? How does an invading army demoralize and defeat a much larger population on its own soil? How does a defending nation trap an invading army? By cutting off their supply."

Another long pause as again there was no immediate response--until this latest thought showed that it, too, had an echo.

How?

Again Jathal sighed. Her slight smile faded into a slight frown and she looked back down at her research materials, hoping to find an answer. Instead she found many--too many--and she suddenly felt quite weary.

"I... must sleep on this."

She climbed her tree tower's naturally occurring stairs to her bedchamber and promptly dropped onto her unmade pile of cushions, pillows and sheets. After sleeping her two hours for the week as was normal ever since she paired her Everwake Amulet with her Ring of Sustenance, Jathal spent an entire day recovering from her exhaustion by laying deep in thought, weighing each possible course against each other. The Blood War, the builder of the Wall, the Factions, the Tablets of Fate, the Spirit Eater. Where to begin?

Where does everything begin?

In her mind's eye she pictured a place where all roads--and all the beings who traveled them--converged. A tavern? No, that's silly, the only such place is of course Sigil, but maybe there was something to that thought.

"Hmm. The Factions it is then. Low risk, low immediate reward, but it may well pay off in the long term."

Fully rested, Jathal got up, packed her sack with her essential items, cast her essential spells, and bid Parnassus essentially farewell--though she did hope to return in her present body.

"Thank you, friend. I will see you again, though I know not how long it will be."

So saying, she opened up a flat, shimmering field of blue and vanished into it, the passageway through the planes closing right behind her as she stepped onto a landing somewhere on the plane aptly named the Infinite Staircase.

"All right, let's find a door to the Cage."



Casting Mind Blank, Moment of Prescience, Contingency + Break Enchantment (triggers if she is subject to a hostile spell effect that alters her physical, mental and/or emotional state), Overland Flight, Planar Adaptation, Endure Elements and of course Plane Shift.

Also, I made a few slight changes to her sheet: I bumped the Scroll of Restoration up to Greater Restoration (and am leaving it with her clone just in case) and got rid of a few expensive spell components (and almost all her savings) in order to do so.

[Darth Ultron]

There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to infinity
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for
Oh oh oh oh and she's buying a stairway to infinity

Music comes from all around...

Through the portal is indeed a staircase. Roughly twenty feet wide, but only ten feet tall the stairs go up and down as far as you can see. The stairs are made of humanoid skulls, neatly packed together with sliver.

You find yourself on a small landing of black marble. There are two black doors on either side of the landing, each with a humanoid skull painted on it.

Several white wispy semi humanoid like forms drift around the landing, but don't go up or down the stairs. The forms take no notice of your arrival.

[Dacia Brabant]

"Hmm."

More curious than anything else, Jathal went about assessing her new surroundings while her subconscious mind--ever careful with regard to any perceived dangers--wordlessly shielded herself (themselves?) from the denizens of this place should they turn hostile.


Casting Protection From Evil.

Also I'd like to make a few Knowledge checks, along with a Perception check.

Knowledge (The Planes) to identify which plane she's on: [roll0]

Knowledge (Nature) to identify the humanoid type or types the skulls belong to: [roll1]

Knowledge (not sure which) to identify the wispy semi-humanoid forms: [roll2] +11 (if Religion/Nature/Dungeoneering) or +30 (if The Planes) or +32 (if Arcana)

Perception to inspect the immediate area, especially the doors: [roll3]

[Darth Ultron]

Planes-You are differently on the Infinite Staircase demi plane. Nothing else in the Know Multiverse looks like an ''endless stairway''.

Nature-The skulls are a mix of every humanoid you can identify: Human, Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Gnome, Orc, Goblin, Kobold, and so on. There are no ones larger then medium size, so no ogre skulls for example.

Religion-They are Phantoms, a weaker form of a ghost.


The immediate area is clear of anything, other then the wandering Phantoms.

The doors are made of wood, painted black, and have white skulls painted over that. The doors and paint look quite old, but are still sturdy and strong. Still plenty of paint has faded and chipped away. The doors do not have handles or locks, but are on hinges that will open if the doors are pushed outward.

The song in the background changes

Brother, take this badge from me
I can't use it anymore
It's getting dark, too dark to see
Feels like I'm knockin' on heaven's door

[Dacia Brabant]

Satisfied that she was in the right place, or at least on the right plane, Jathal turned her attention more fully to the phantoms.

"Hail, spirits. These two doors, where do they lead?"

If they still take no notice of her or do not appear to understand her, she'll restate her salutation and question in every language she knows until they do.

[Darth Ultron]

"The Stair Lost rarely speak. Though I can help, if it is within my Song."

There is a slight shimmer in the air and a figure apparels. She has the torso, arms and head of a human-like female, but her lower body is a golden scaled snake. Her hair is long and blonde, going all the way down past her tail. Her skin has a golden tan to it, with flakes of glittering gold spaced around. Some of her torso is covered by a couple strips of white cloth that make an 'X' across her front chest, but leaves her sides and back mostly open bare skin. She has a simple belt, with three small pouches, but has nothing that looks like a weapon.


Khristinastürmer " I am Khristinastürmer.

The door on your left opens to the edge of the Fugue Plain, the door on your right opens to the Dead Dance House in Sigil.

When the Walls come crumbling down, two hearts living in just one mind, we will be together until the end of time."

[Dacia Brabant]

Jathal gave the lovely serpentine woman a slight smile upon her arrival, but her eyes went wide at her answer as to the doors' destination--only to narrow slightly at her choice of song lyrics.

"Tell me, Khristinastürmer, from whence comes the inspiration for your song? I am wondering, do you consider it prophetic?"

It had better not be.

She couldn't disagree with her mental co-inhabitant's grumbling, as while they had formed a mutually beneficial union of their respective powers, it wasn't something either of them wished to continue into perpetuity.

The doors.

"Mmm. On the topic of inspiration, I am given to understand that this demiplane extends wherever creativity might be found, hence why your species--and you are a lillend, I presume--act as guardians over it, yes? Perhaps this is overly academic a question, but are you aware of whether it might also respond to especially potent instances of creativity and thus alter itself--or be altered--accordingly?"


Thanks for expanding her response a bit, it definitely helped.

So I'd like to use Sense Motive to get a hunch as to whether Khristinastürmer is trustworthy or not: [roll0]

[Darth Ultron]

Khristinastürmer "Yes, I am a lillend. The words to the song come from the Song. The Music of the Spheres. My kind can hear it. Songs and music tell us who we are now, what we were before and what we might become...but they are not prophetic.

And yes, the Staircase does respond to travelers.....much as if you were to swim in a lake, you would make waves. As, after all, you are it's inspiration.

After all, when your here, your a part of the Staircase....and part of the Song.

You've got troubles, and I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together and can see it through
'Cause you've got a friend in me


Khristinastürmer seems trustworthy and innocent.



"You're the meaning in my life
You're the inspiration" comes the song from around.

[Dacia Brabant]

"Hmm. You have been open and genuinely helpful, and music is regrettably a gap in my otherwise expansive knowledge base, so I have no reason to disbelieve what you say. If what you say is indeed a true reflection of the reality of this plane, however, I am... curious as to what it may mean."

Jathal left unsaid "for me" at the end of that sentence. She paused a moment and listened to the Song, turning over in her head the implications and possibilities rendered by a plane that was at once so receptive to individual will and infinitely connected to all other planes of existence--including one not normally accessible to the living.

The door.

Yes, the door. It was right there, the Fugue Plane. She knew it in her heart as soon as she laid eyes on it, on where and upon what they were standing, but her head needed confirmation--and confirmation of fact lay within mere footsteps. But what would she do, argue with a god? In his own domain? By herself? God, power, whatever, while she neither doubted the rightness of her cause nor her capacity to advocate for it, it would be a trifling for a being such as Kelemvor Lyonsbane to oust her from his domain. Now was not the time.

What is the time?

"Time for peace. I swear it's not too late."

Jathal blushed slightly as she realized she had said--no, sung--that out loud.

"Khristinastürmer, you have been most helpful. I wonder if you might help an old philosopher even further." Old? "My name is Jathal, also known as Darsha'an, and I seek to collaborate with all those who believe in freethinking and individuality and who have the power to project their will upon the multiverse. What does the Song speak to you of that?"

[Darth Ultron]

Khristinastürmer Smiles "The Song does not work like that. Facts, figures, numbers, notes on a scroll and that sort of thing are not part of life. That is stuff we add to life. A tree lives just fine without knowing anything ever.

But then the Song is not all there is in existence.

And that is just one of many reasons the Infinite Staircase exists. It can take you to such a place. You just have to make the journey.

The straight and narrow path she showed me turned into a thousand winding roads, your foot steps will carry you away, but in your mind you will always be going along.

Song around- Roam if you want to, roam around the wheel. The trip begins with a single step and willllllll.....

[Dacia Brabant]

Jathal pursed her lips at the lillend's response, at least the first part of it. She held her tongue in check, however, at least the sharp side of it, as she did not wish to offend a potential ally.

"You are wise in the ways of the Infinite Staircase, and I don't doubt your insights into the nature of the Song, but on the rest we shall have to disagree. Thank you, Khristinastürmer, for your assistance. As I intend to make future visits to this place--this plane--I suspect we will meet again, but for now I must bid you farewell," Jathal said with a nod before turning from her new acquaintance and floating over to the door on the right. It was time to make her return to the City of Doors.

[Darth Ultron]

The door on the right opens into endless empty darkness

Until you cross past the door frame.....

.....In to a well lit walk in closet. The room is well lit by six glowing, floating glass globes. Three of the globes float up near the ceiling, the other three float around the room. The room is all wood, walls, ceiling and floor. Long racks line each wall, and small tables fill the midle of the room. The room is filled wall to wall with clothing; male clothing to the right and female clothing to the left. The clothing in general looks well worn and used, but still well maintained. In general the clothing has a fancy look to it, but it's clear it's all made from common fabrics and metals.

You step out of a small alcove, with a framework, in the back of the room, where a couple brooms, mops, buckets and rags are stored.

There is no one in the room that you can see.

The room has a single closed wooden door on the far side of the room.

[Dacia Brabant]

Seeing no one present, and taking little interest in the clothing and other mundane items, Jathal extended her mental senses outward, approached the door and, whether she sensed anyone on the other side of it or not, she will open it.


Casting Thoughtsense.

[Darth Ultron]

Thoughtsense, as it is like Blindsense, does not go through walls or other solid objects.

As you approach the door you can hear music, slow, sad music coming from the other side.

The room beyond is a massive ball room, full of dancing people in couples. One of each couple is a human, but the other one is a human zombie. A small stage off to the side has several musicians on it each playing an instrument: half are living humans and half are zombies.

This large room has several exit doors.

[Dacia Brabant]

Doing her best to not attract attention to herself or appear judgemental toward the dancers' choice of living-impaired partners, Jathal nevertheless found it distasteful and so she made her way toward the nearest exit.


Thanks, I forgot about the line of effect rule on stuff like that. I'll still cast Thoughtsense though. Does it ping on the zombies? Just curious.




Sorry for going MIA there for the past week or so, I was having some health problems and needed to go offline for a while, but I'm doing better now. I'll go ahead and edit my in-character response into this post a little later today, I just wanted to let you know beforehand that's what was going on.

[Darth Ultron]

The zombies do not 'ping' any thoughts (not even 'brains!'). The live people to ping thoughts about dancing, dance moves, and lots of odd, creepy thoughts about love...

Everyone is dancing or otherwise doing something, so no one overly notices Jathal, but you can be sure a couple people do see you, but they don't overly react.



The closest door leads to a small cloak room, filled with cloaks on pegs on the walls.....and an open door leads right outside to the street. There is no one in the cloak room.