The Garden IC

[D20ragon]

Gabriella



As Gabriella was walking back to where Palladian had been she only saw Niles hovering there. Palladian was hovering high in the air investigating the figures that had been carved into the sign post ages ago.


"Gabriella, perhaps you might have better insight than I?"


She had kind of hoped that someone would have stabbed someone else by now to confirm her theory that the sign post was radiating a rage inducing aura, but since that had failed to happen she was going to have do a lot of work. Usually Gabriella liked investigating mysterious magic items, but she was having a hard time getting excited about this sign post. Even if it turned out to be special in some way there was no way they could take it with them.

She talked to Niles telepathically "It's time to go to work." She had a very specific system for investigations like these. First she activated her cloak wrapping it around her shoulders so it covered her entire body. Hundreds of blue eyes lit up immediately looking in all directions. She put on her white gloves. They were immensely useful to someone in her line of work, but due to their nature she only wore them when she needed to. They were also rather difficult to keep clean. Last she took her mask out of her pack and put it on. She had made it when she was younger and the masquerade style of it with feathers arranged around the edges showed how much her taste had matured since then. Still it remained one of the most useful items she had ever crafted. It's construction had saved her several times over the years. "Ascendere." Her feet left the ground. She flew to the statue that Palladian had been investigating, and placed her gloved hands on the rod in the statues hands. Then she concentrated.

Niles was doing his job well. He was flying around the sign post taking in every nook and cranny. He was storing as much of the information in his mind as he could. Everything else was being remembered by Gabriella.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Ok let's get down to business. Gabriella can see all invisible and ethereal objects and creatures within 120ft and in every direction. Every object she touches and focuses on for 6 minutes reveals the last owners race, gender, age, alignment, and how they gained and lost the object as long as the object had an owner within the last 10 years. Right now she is focusing on the rod in the giant's arms that Palladian messed with earlier. She can read anything that is written in elvish, draconic, ignan, abyssal, giant, dwarven, yuanti, and gnomish. She is also going to make 4 knowledge checks.

Cassius Velarious



Cassius sighs a little. "Well now, I'm at a loss." He says quietly.

Heh, good pun Cas. The sword imparts, Cassius rolls his eyes before continuing.

"I'm guessing though that you wouldn't recommend us going down any of the paths," Cassius queries of the small man, "being that your chosen course is to wait." He looks around at the others and speaks up a little. "I think I'd rather be lost than heartless, mindless or soulless."



Cassius looks over at the nameless warrior his eyebrows raised in puzzlement. Being that everyone except the large wolfman has already introduced themselves, he assumes it must be an offer.

"Sure. That would be lovely. Go right ahead..." He says with a small nod.

Sincerity

It was a curious explanation, but she thought she made some sense of it. As the old man spoke a small wind woke, ruffling the surroundings as it dropped a book into her hands, a book that certainly hadn't been anywhere nearby moments ago. After flipping through a number of pages she found the section she wanted. She flipped back and forth between two pages for a time, frowning as she tried to fit the pieces together. "There's... theories on multi-part souls, or perhaps the pieces within a soul. Most make a division between the higher mind and the vital essence. Soul, and life. Normally they aren't thought to separate, except at death. But perhaps with the right magic they could be parted." She dropped the book, only for a breeze to pick it up and close it, slowly lifting it into a gentle orbit around her. "Is that something like what you're saying?" She asked the man kindly.

"I would like to understand better, and I think your amulet might help me. May I touch it?" Sincerity requested, tentatively holding out her hand. As she did she readied a magic to use on it, hoping she might glean a little more from the witch's gift.

Spoiler

Show

If allowed, Sincerity is first going to divine to detect magic on the amulet, to see if it is a magic item or under the effects of a spell.
Spellcraft to identify: [roll0]

Then, she'll use her Object Reading divination, hopefully to get a read on the latest owner (presumably the old man), and then the previous owner (the Nairm witch?), spending one spell point to do so. It should take her about ten minutes to accomplish.

As the familiar shape of her mask cradles her face, Gabriella is given reason to be grateful she's dealt with the extraordinary before. Despite this, she's still left reeling as her eyes are bombarded with sensation.
The air around her is impossibly full of movement, color, texture. Rough orange threads drip through space as though citrus fruit were melting. Yellows like sunshine through thick glass washes over a sudden distant explosion of blue that seems too deep to retain any color, while superimposed atop it great curled horns drift with intention through a gate. Something pushes past, or through her, a woman like a bundle of green wire and glass, fingers clutching simple knife. She vanishes, swallowed into the purple shadows of a hunchbacked giant who rises from nothing to dominate the space. He is walking a marionette dog, but as his fingers twitch, the wooden beast devours it's own tail and vanishes along with the giant, who is replaced by the next twirl of the kaleidoscopic vista, endless bright winds and dark stars competing to stand out against liquid heat that flows along the ground like a serpent, layered over a spinning top the size of a house, which smashes a perfect cube of crystal into shards that shout joyfully as they crumble, or in this direction a swaying, whiskered bird blurs into a symphony, or -
It stops, as if it had never been. The mask is just as snug, her mind just as sound. Around her, the air is cool and clear.


Back on the earth, Sincerity lets out a long breath as the spell winds down.

Spoiler: What Sincerity learned

Show

The man (for as the magic confirms, he is a man) is of no race ever cataloged by magics or science in any world Sincerity or her peers have knowledge of. The word he uttered earlier, Sicigoz, hangs in her mind like a phrase overheard a long time ago, but no more. Pushing further back, the previous owner is likewise not a member of any recorded race, nor will the spell answer the question of gender, though the man did refer the witch as "her". The word "Nairm" seems content to hover here, closely if not directly associated. Smug, if a word could be smug.
Alignment for the man registers like an out of tune orchestra, or a puddle of light grey shot through with veins of color. He seems to mean no ill will, but neither does he care greatly about anything. Perhaps he never has. For the previous owner, things come up blank. A single high note perhaps, slightly troubling to the ear, or a sheet of glowingly white paper.
Two visions present themselves as answers to how the owners acquired the amulet. For the man, a warm, deep blue hand drops the knot to him, as though from a great height. For the being you presume is the witch, a single instant of a silver tangle being plucked from a small tree, then nothing more.

"I cannot advise for or against any road but the one I tried to travel, swordsman" the old man answers Cassius. "I plan to stay here, clinging to some hope that Nafseel finds his way back. It seems a good a landmark as any, really, and better than most. Finally, as long as introductions are being asked, you can call me Bew."

[Scheming Wizard]

Gabriella Velodyne

Gabriella let go of the rod and floated backwards a few feet before hovering there for a moment. She was really starting to hate this sign post. She had examined hundreds of items with her gloves and had never received such a confusing mess of information.

It was more than frustration with the sign post however. She understood part of the vision. A woman with a dagger had owned the rod before having it stolen from her by the hunchbacked giant. What had he done to her after stealing her property? Tormented her, killed her, eaten her? To top it off he had some kind of pet dog he had starved and abused to the point that it had tried to eat itself. Gabriella hated this giant with a burning passion. Gabriella decided that if she met this giant she would kill him to avenge the poor woman and dog.

Niles was disturbed by this line of thought and intimated that perhaps that wasn't what the vision meant at all.

Gabriella conceded that perhaps he was right, but in the back of her mind the giant already stood convicted of horrible crimes.

They still had more to do in their investigation however. "Niles let's keep going." she said aloud.

[Peccavi]

Cassius Velarious

"I cannot advise for or against any road but the one I tried to travel, swordsman" the old man answers Cassius. "I plan to stay here, clinging to some hope that Nafseel finds his way back. It seems a good a landmark as any, really, and better than most. Finally, as long as introductions are being asked, you can call me Bew."

"Very well then, Bew, you do raise a valid point. This does seem to be the only real landmark that I've seen." Cassius said with a gentle smile. "I do hope Nafseel does find you."

Looking around at Sincerity, Nameless and Savasati, "I don't however feel that waiting is our best course." He says with a slight frown. "We've obviously been brought here for a reason, and I'm keen to find out why and by who."

[Lyndworm]

Savasati

"I am taken to agree, Mr. Velarious, though I would recommend waiting long enough for our scouts to return before we march." says the forged man, nodding up towards Gabriella and Paladian. "They could have invaluable knowledge just from their vantage point if nothing else. I would join them, but I do not believe my eyes are sharp enough to make much difference."

[AmberVael]

Sincerity

This was not the kind of result Sincerity was used to. Not only were the answers all obviously beyond her experience, but the very form they came in was strange. Or, at least strange for her own magic. It came to her mind that this was much more reminiscent of the prophecy and divination brought to her by the agents of the Horizons than her own magic, but she wasn't entirely sure what to make of that. Or her own divination, if she turned her attention back to the matter at hand. She stared at the amulet for a moment more, then gently let it go. "Thank you." She said to the man, though she was looking more beyond him than at him.

She stood and looked at the sign once more, examining each of its points. "If these paths all do what they say, I can't see the appeal in any of them." She declared to the others after a moment of thought. "Or a reason to take any of them. I would rather go back and try to find something that might help me find Nafseel, or just keep going without taking a road. After all, if I have to lose something, I'd rather just get lost the normal way. I'm pretty sure that would be easier to deal with."

[Valerem]

The Nameless Warrior

The wolf nodded in response Savasati’s introduction, taking the information offered to him and filing it away for future use. The fact that no one else was willing to other up a proper introduction almost had him rolling his eyes in exasperation. But that really was not worth the effort. So the Nameless Warrior simply waited until the others were done investigating the sign post and deciding what might be the best course of action.

Of course, not everyone seemed to realize the situation at hand.

“Not options.” The wolf said, his growl taking on a clear scoffing growl at Sincerity’s words. As if they could simply just head back the way they came, or even found another way out of this place! Whatever brought them here, gave them a choice, and that was the ONLY way forwards. “Four options alone. Pick one, or become nothing.”

[LoyalPaladin]

Palladian Lightwreath

Hearing Sincerity's words, Palladian descends from above. "I am in agreement with the maiden, although my knowledge of planar workings is limited." He looks at the signs again. "None of these are acceptable routes, should they be taken at literally." Shaking his head, he looks back at the group of adventurers before him. "I will not accept any of these outcomes and will defend any that come to that decision as well."

After a pause, he'll add: "However, this statue is quite intriguing and almost alive. I'd venture to guess there is some sort of time magic placed upon it." He calls up to Gabriella. "Have you found anything of meaning?"

[Scheming Wizard]

Palladian Lightwreath
"Have you found anything of meaning?"

Gabriella


Gabriella descends from the air gracefully touching down upon the earth. "We have to kill all the giants" she yells!" Niles shakes his head furiously at this. His telepathic entreaties to Gabriella snap her back to reality. "I mean no" she says politely in answer to Palladian's question.

[AmberVael]

The Nameless Warrior

The wolf nodded in response Savasati’s introduction, taking the information offered to him and filing it away for future use. The fact that no one else was willing to other up a proper introduction almost had him rolling his eyes in exasperation. But that really was not worth the effort. So the Nameless Warrior simply waited until the others were done investigating the sign post and deciding what might be the best course of action.

Of course, not everyone seemed to realize the situation at hand.

“Not options.” The wolf said, his growl taking on a clear scoffing growl at Sincerity’s words. As if they could simply just head back the way they came, or even found another way out of this place! Whatever brought them here, gave them a choice, and that was the ONLY way forwards. “Four options alone. Pick one, or become nothing.”

Palladian Lightwreath

Hearing Sincerity's words, Palladian descends from above. "I am in agreement with the maiden, although my knowledge of planar workings is limited." He looks at the signs again. "None of these are acceptable routes, should they be taken at literally." Shaking his head, he looks back at the group of adventurers before him. "I will not accept any of these outcomes and will defend any that come to that decision as well."

After a pause, he'll add: "However, this statue is quite intriguing and almost alive. I'd venture to guess there is some sort of time magic placed upon it." He calls up to Gabriella. "Have you found anything of meaning?"

Sincerity

Sincerity raised her eyebrows at the nameless warrior's comment, but her response was mild. "Perhaps." She allowed, before turning her attention to Palladian. "Of course, I only want to keep going out of curiosity. I don't have a destination in mind, and I don't know where we would be headed. This doesn't bother me, but if you or anyone else would rather try and return home, I would be happy to help any of you."

She offers a pleasant smile, then inclines her head towards the distant vistas beyond the signpost. "But I'd also welcome company in my wandering."

[Lyndworm]

Savasati

Looking up at the signpost, the forged man says "This marker must be here for a reason, and I believe it is meant as a warning of sorts. To follow a path is to face the named danger, to risk losing an important part of yourself. Perhaps if one is of strong enough character the danger can be overcome, the risk averted." Turning back to Sincerity, he says "My vote is to wander, I think. With no offence meant, our scouts have learned nothing of value, and I am accustomed to wandering. I have no real home to return to in any case." Pointing a long, armored arm away from his body, roughly between the Lose your Heart and Lose your Soul paths, Savasati says "Any objections to flying between the paths?"

[drack]

Xalk

Finally breaking from his quiet contemplation Xalk gives a quick cursory look at the paths. Humming an old and weary tune he first stands in place, then walks slowly towards each path in turn. The tune itself, was somewhat less of a spell, and more of a repetitious spell chant, but he mannaged to make it sound like a tune anyways.

Spoiler

Show

Dread witch ability lets me get a free first level spell after a short intimidate check on self (which I'm still immune to but still counts.) Using that to get some castings of omen of peril. Omen of perel tells you, if you're following your present course of action (IE each path or remaining at the sign post), within the next hour, will you face
1) no threats to self (traps, monsters, ect.)
2) threats to self
or
3) threats to self of a dangerously high difficulty. (reasonable chance of death)
Spell has a 90% success rate so I'll cast it five times each way and take the most popular result

"Well, glancing about, it seems they're about so dangerous..." Xalk reports to the rest, gesturing down the paths in turn before adding how safe the crossroads are. Xalk was a gentleman, and knew that proper society only works through the contributions of others, however that didn't mean he was going to loiter about with them all a like a gang of punks, so without further adieu he began walking down the path of lost ways with a casual farewell, muttering, as if to himself. "You know, I've always found it quite relaxing to loose one's way, quite an enjoyable experience..." Xalk doesn't beckon the others to join him, but nor does he shoo them away, leaving them each to make their own decisions. In the end he had no intent to help the twerp however, just to enjoy his evening stroll to the fullest.

[LoyalPaladin]

Palladian Lightwreath

The puts a hand on Sincerity's shoulder, a silent sign of support. "Miss Gabriella is a capable wizard and sharp too." He looks over to the wizard maiden. "I would place bets that she can lead us to a place where we can gather information on Nafseel, but not risk the consequences these signs imply." Palladian stands to full height and offers a hand to Sincerity, an extension of friendship and an offer to bring her with.

Regardless of whether or not she agrees, Palladian walks to Gabriella's side. "Offer is open." He scans the adventurers who seem to be choosing paths. "How about you Savasti? Something tells me you wouldn't seem to keen to lose anything on those signs."

Spoiler: OoC

Show

I spoke with Scheming on the phone. He's down with not taking a path and forming a split party.

[Lyndworm]

Savasati

"You are correct, Mr. Lightwreath. I have worked hard to attain each of these things for myself, and I am in no hurry to shed them." Nodding to Bew, the forged man says "I have as much reason to help this man as to do anything else, but I have no indication that these paths will help anyone."

[Peccavi]

Cassius Velarious

Xalk

"You know, I've always found it quite relaxing to loose one's way, quite an enjoyable experience..."

Cassius nods in agreement with Xalk. "Like I said earlier, I don't know if I could get more lost than I already am." He gestures around the swirling impossibilities of the place. "And I do find myself possessed of a powerful curiosity. I'm with you my well-dressed friend!" He gestures to Xalk and the path.

Turning a grin to the others, "Well my friends, it look likes this is where we go our separate ways. It has been marvellous to know you all, and I hope we meet again soon with some fabulous tales to tell!" With that he gives a nod to each and heads down the path with Xalk.

[Scheming Wizard]

Palladian Lightwreath

Palladian walks to Gabriella's side. "Offer is open."

Spoiler: OoC

Show

I spoke with Scheming on the phone. He's down with not taking a path and forming a split party.

Gabriella Velodyne


Nile's invaded her mind with a constant "Can we go, can we please, I want to go with Palladian."

The choice itself wasn't that hard. She didn't know anyone here except Palladian. None of the roads looked promising. Lose her mind or her soul? That was a choice between hemlock and arsenic. The old man had supposedly had his other half stolen by a witch, but who knew if that was true? The man was clearly deranged. She had seen a giant steal the rod from a woman with a dagger in a vision, but again was it real? Was she the woman with the dagger? Everything about this place seemed fake with a tiny bit of reality swirled in like a dream. She'd killed witches and giants before. Why were they both here again? It was like something was reaching through her subconscious and playing all the greatest hits from her collection of memories.


She was still wearing her masquerade mask, but her real mask had always been her ability to tell everyone what they needed to hear. You look great in that armor. You'll do great those giants won't know what hit them. Don't be scared stay behind me and everything will be ok. I promise we are all going to make it back. He didn't suffer. "Sure thing Cassius. We will all be back together before you know it." Her tone was bright and cheerful. It always was. "Niles and I are with you Palladian."

[Valerem]

The Nameless Warrior

The Nameless Warrior had a bit of a conundrum.

The wolf rather disliked doing nothing at all. He was not able to contribute at all to this signpost and what it meant. Nor the place that they had ended up at, and the reason why they had arrived here. This was outside of his field of bounds of knowledge and quite frankly, outside of what The Nameless Warrior cared about. There was also the fact that whilst this man had rejected the aid offered to him, and was unwilling to attempt to seek his own salvation, he had given the Nameless Warrior an objective to pursue. No matter how simple yet open-ended it may be.

On the other hand. The Nameless Warrior was not able to see much benefit to walking down the path that the other had taken. He never had a way or a purpose before. So there was quite frankly no way for him to lose what he did not have. Still, there was an element of risk to walking down the paths that the Nameless Warrior was uncertain of facing without a clear reward for succeeding on the challenges that the path chose to put down before him. Hence the Nameless Warrior’s conundrum: Either stay with a group, where the likelihood of his contribution would be slim. Or go with a group, down paths whose trials were unknown and potentially filled with risk to his survival.

In the end. It was the people of the group that had decided it. The long-winded old man got on Nameless’ nerves, and the happy-go-lucky warrior, who did not understand what a proper introduction meant. Was not looked on so kindly by the wolf. And whilst he did not see the reason for so much examination and hesitation. The carefulness of the females did speak to a strong survival instinct. Plus, both the construct and the paladin had introduced themselves in ways that informed the Nameless Warrior much about whom they were, and what purpose drove them onwards.

So, the Nameless Warrior sheathed his blades and climbed up to his feet. Crossing his arms and speaking one word. “Staying.”

[AmberVael]

Sincerity

Sincerity nods farewell to the others as they departed down the path, wondering if she should go after them or at least try and check up on them later. But, they clearly knew what they were getting into and seemed fairly confident, so maybe she was being overly worrisome. Still, she watched them go until her newfound companions recalled her attention to their own situation.

"Any direction would be fine by me. Flying between would likely help us avoid the effects of the path." She replied to Savasti. Palladian's friendly touch made her start, but she looked up to him thoughtfully. "I may have a suggestion on that front myself. There's a place I know, a tea house. Lots of interesting people pass through, and the owner has very extensive connections. Chances are, we could learn a lot more if we went there. I'd be happy to transport us there, if we'd rather take that course."

[LoyalPaladin]

Palladian Lightwreath

The paladin nods at Sincerity and smiles lightly. "Take us away, miss." He looks at his new party. "This should be an interesting adventure."

[drack]

Xlk

...and so it was that this haphazard team of super-freaks set out, arbitrarily plodding their way across multiverses in their heroic quest to go... well nowhere really, they just so happened to think it a nice day and head out for a stroll. Still, even while aimlessly strolling, our "heroes" did not sit idle, but instead keenly sharpening the nimbleness of their minds with verbal acrobatics as they traded fun factoids with each other.

"Did you know, girls are always the prettiest when they smile?"

"Did you know the average person swallows eight spiders a year in their sleep?"

"Did you know that when entertaining eight or more girls at the same time you have to start alternating so they have a chance to breath?"

"Did you know that when sacrificing girls at the unholy alter of Harkoprthzar it's improper to let them breath, but rather you're supposed to suffocate them throughout the whole ascension of the mountain until they're lying on the alter before you release the magic that allows them to live that long?"

"Did you know that the longer you live, the more techniques and lines you acquire, allowing you to get even more and more girls?"

"Did you know that when a man's life is artificially sustained throughout torture to the point at which you need constantly recapture and reinject the soul, the soul actually begins to degrade?"

...

...and in such a manner they journeyed for several years of subjective time down the winding path of the line when...

Spoiler

Show

Pass!

[AmberVael]

Sincerity

"Relax, let go, and let the wind carry you away." Sincerity recommends, before making a grand sweeping gesture with her arms. A breeze preceded the motion, and a great wind followed after it. The whirling force swept up Sincerity and her erstwhile allies and attempted to carry them off to another place entirely.

Spoiler

Show

Sincerity uses her teleport ability from the Warp sphere, augmenting it with the Planeshift talent and the Group Teleport talent. She also has Ranged Teleport, so no need to hold hands or anything like that. Since she also has Flawless Teleport, she can transport to a specific place on the plane without being off-target.
She attempts to teleport them all to the Starmotes House. In case it matters, I think its fair to say that the Starmotes House is the closest thing to 'home' she has anymore, so it'd likely count as Very Familiar for the purposes of teleportation.

Since you've indicated that there may be interference, I'll note that her caster level for this effect should be 22, her MSB is 22, and her MSD is 33.

[D20ragon]

Sincerity

"Relax, let go, and let the wind carry you away." Sincerity recommends, before making a grand sweeping gesture with her arms. A breeze preceded the motion, and a great wind followed after it. The whirling force swept up Sincerity and her erstwhile allies and attempted to carry them off to another place entirely.

Spoiler

Show

Sincerity uses her teleport ability from the Warp sphere, augmenting it with the Planeshift talent and the Group Teleport talent. She also has Ranged Teleport, so no need to hold hands or anything like that. Since she also has Flawless Teleport, she can transport to a specific place on the plane without being off-target.
She attempts to teleport them all to the Starmotes House. In case it matters, I think its fair to say that the Starmotes House is the closest thing to 'home' she has anymore, so it'd likely count as Very Familiar for the purposes of teleportation.

Since you've indicated that there may be interference, I'll note that her caster level for this effect should be 22, her MSB is 22, and her MSD is 33.

And carry them away the winds do, scooping the travelers from their feet in empyrean drifts and currents, cloaks and hair and fur and jewelry set fluttering and dancing.
They obey Sincerity's command, true, but it is quickly evident that they do so with more than a hint of haughty independence, like young men and women listening to a teacher amidst much muttering and eye rolling. The winds aren't ones she recognizes, usually bound to the compass. These winds spiral and play, laugh wild laughter about depths folded into the corners of discarded paper, the speed of an insects thought, the whistle of light broken by mirrors, the grace of shadows dancing between motes of dust, the cold sheen of silver sand rising and falling in waves.

I can feel the dust on these ones

No stardust either

Soon enough, soon enough

Do you think they know?

The Line will teach them

That it will!

Didn't bother to say goodbye

Terribly rude, terribly rude

They weigh too heavily on me

Off you go then! Don't fall too far!

Fall further!

With that, they sweep off suddenly to further corners and orthoplexes, leaving the party cast loose suddenly. The bright void opens around them, a miasma of geometry and color. Slow, methodical breathing rose and fell an immeasurable distance away, and then vanished. Mountains and forests of clouds and diamonds and steel orbited each other before flowing away to join tides of roiling lightning, jewels bobbing like islands and then sinking from view.
A thread cut through the nebula and color, distant, somehow heavy, thin and iridescent though it was. The only point that didn't twist, or spin, or fold, or vanish, the group falls towards it at no great speed, its pull more of a gentle tug than gravity's insistent grasp. Once they regain their bearings, they find themselves able to converse almost comfortably as they spin downwards. Or rather, they would have been able to, had they anything to breathe. As the last trailing breezes fled, so too did oxygen.

[Peccavi]

Cassius Velarious

Boots buffed to a high shine, cloak shimmering as it swayed in the gentle breeze, silk shirt bright white with not a crease in sight, hair perfect, hat at just the right angle. Cassius looked, and by extension felt, resplendent. It truly was a marvellous day for a stroll. And having an equally well dressed, witty and imaginative conversationalist as a companion ensured it was going to be anything but dull.

Xlk
"Did you know, girls are always the prettiest when they smile?"

"That has long been my opinion! I find myself eager to tell jokes and do tricks just to make it happen."

"Did you know the average person swallows eight spiders a year in their sleep?"

"Now that I did not know, it's a little gruesome actually and kind of funny at the same time. Wow, it must be horrible to be a Drow, they must have to sleep with stockings on their head."

"Did you know that when entertaining eight or more girls at the same time you have to start alternating so they have a chance to breath?"

Cassius blinked repeatedly, trying to get the image in his head right. He shook his head slightly, unable to come up with a possible scenario where this might be necessary. "Not really certain I understand this one. But hey, eight or more? Well done my friend!"

"Did you know that when sacrificing girls at the unholy alter of Harkoprthzar it's improper to let them breath, but rather you're supposed to suffocate them throughout the whole ascension of the mountain until they're lying on the alter before you release the magic that allows them to live that long?"

"O... K..." He said slowly with a narrow sidelong glance at Xalk.

"Did you know that the longer you live, the more techniques and lines you acquire, allowing you to get even more and more girls?"

I like this guy! The sentient sword imparted. Learn from him, Cassius. Learn well!
"Indeed! Stupid human mortality, I'll be lucky if I live to be seventy. And I'll likely only be pretty for another two decades at most."

"Did you know that when a man's life is artificially sustained throughout torture to the point at which you need constantly recapture and reinject the soul, the soul actually begins to degrade?"

"Hmm, I'm not exactly sure that method of sustaining life is really right for me. Sounds painful, and a bit yucky really."

...and in such a manner they journeyed for several years of subjective time down the winding path of the line when...

Cassius eyes suddenly lit up, an impulsive idea flashing. "You know what we need, my friend?"
He said, as he moved his hands through a serious of mystical gestures. A ghostly disembodied hand coming into existence a moment later, and drew his sword to hold it floating in the air a few feet ahead of the travellers.

"A tune!" He said emphatically, "Talanon, if you would be so kind."

The enchanted sword began to sing, a happy halfling travelling song.

[AmberVael]

Sincerity

And then, they were elsewhere. But it certainly wasn't the Motes: there was no teahouse in sight. Or ground, or anything familiar, or air. This last part wasn't actually a problem for Sincerity, thankfully. She had stopped being human long ago; now she was air, she was breath. There was the distinct possibility that her companions, on the other hand, weren't as well off as she was, and Sincerity was used to looking out for others. Her instinctive reaction was first to sweep them away from the harmful environment, but of course, that was how they had got here. How could she rely on her magic when it had put them in this spot in the first place?

But, she was strong of will, stronger than many, and that might prove to be enough. Sincerity focused herself and attempted to take control, asserting herself over her surroundings.

Spoiler

Show

So, as noted in my character sheet. Sincerity has on her permanent elemental transformation, which includes the Breathless trait from the Extreme Adaptation talent. This should keep her alive in this situation.

The reaction I'm describing above makes more sense when you realize that Sincerity is from an entire sphere that consists of Morphic planes, where the planes can be influenced by raw will rather like the Limbo plane. Its quite possible such an effort has no impact here at all, but... well, the Line is pretty weird. There's not a lot of rules on how to control Morphic planes, but Manual of the Planes lets you control Limbo with a wisdom check, so I'll default to that in the absence of anything else.

(1d20+7)[18]

In case it matters, Sincerity's main goal with that attempt is just to provide breathable air. Though ground beneath their feet might be nice too.

[D20ragon]

Xlk

...and so it was that this haphazard team of super-freaks set out, arbitrarily plodding their way across multiverses in their heroic quest to go... well nowhere really, they just so happened to think it a nice day and head out for a stroll. Still, even while aimlessly strolling, our "heroes" did not sit idle, but instead keenly sharpening the nimbleness of their minds with verbal acrobatics as they traded fun factoids with each other.

"Did you know, girls are always the prettiest when they smile?"

"Did you know the average person swallows eight spiders a year in their sleep?"

"Did you know that when entertaining eight or more girls at the same time you have to start alternating so they have a chance to breath?"

"Did you know that when sacrificing girls at the unholy alter of Harkoprthzar it's improper to let them breath, but rather you're supposed to suffocate them throughout the whole ascension of the mountain until they're lying on the alter before you release the magic that allows them to live that long?"

"Did you know that the longer you live, the more techniques and lines you acquire, allowing you to get even more and more girls?"

"Did you know that when a man's life is artificially sustained throughout torture to the point at which you need constantly recapture and reinject the soul, the soul actually begins to degrade?"

...

...and in such a manner they journeyed for several years of subjective time down the winding path of the line when...

Spoiler

Show

Pass!

Cassius Velarious

Boots buffed to a high shine, cloak shimmering as it swayed in the gentle breeze, silk shirt bright white with not a crease in sight, hair perfect, hat at just the right angle. Cassius looked, and by extension felt, resplendent. It truly was a marvellous day for a stroll. And having an equally well dressed, witty and imaginative conversationalist as a companion ensured it was going to be anything but dull.

"That has long been my opinion! I find myself eager to tell jokes and do tricks just to make it happen."
"Now that I did not know, it's a little gruesome actually and kind of funny at the same time. Wow, it must be horrible to be a Drow, they must have to sleep with stockings on their head."
Cassius blinked repeatedly, trying to get the image in his head right. He shook his head slightly, unable to come up with a possible scenario where this might be necessary. "Not really certain I understand this one. But hey, eight or more? Well done my friend!"
"O... K..." He said slowly with a narrow sidelong glance at Xalk.
I like this guy! The sentient sword imparted. Learn from him, Cassius. Learn well!
"Indeed! Stupid human mortality, I'll be lucky if I live to be seventy. And I'll likely only be pretty for another two decades at most."
"Hmm, I'm not exactly sure that method of sustaining life is really right for me. Sounds painful, and a bit yucky really."
Cassius eyes suddenly lit up, an impulsive idea flashing. "You know what we need, my friend?"
He said, as he moved his hands through a serious of mystical gestures. A ghostly disembodied hand coming into existence a moment later, and drew his sword to hold it floating in the air a few feet ahead of the travellers.

"A tune!" He said emphatically, "Talanon, if you would be so kind."

The enchanted sword began to sing, a happy halfling travelling song.

It is impossible and furthermore, extremely useless to any outside viewer to say how long these two traveled for, in said viewers time. But for the swordsman and the god, the Line keeps things, well, linear, and no more than four or five hours pass before the road they are taking, which until then had been clean and straight, a finely worn path through a broad green land which had a way of deadening the eyes so that to view it too long was to lose interest in what was before you, turning instead to introspection, starts to become angled and unruly, doubling back before going on ahead, and making needless swoops and turns.
Then, for a brief moment, the going becomes tough. It is as though one were struggling up the sides of a glass pyramid, feet held to its surface only by friction and willpower. when the inexplicable difficulty vanishes, so too has the monotony of the endless grass.
The travelers, and indeed, the road, find themselves atop the very crest of a long, steep cliff. On on either side, sheer stone, plunging downward through cold, damp air at such an angle that the path is nearly a tightrope, and perhaps only six inches thick. Despite its narrow dimensions, one side of the cliff is limestone, rough and crumbling , the other obsidian, cleft and jagged. The very stone buzzes with the tension of the unnatural pairing, and the path seems all the less safe for it, as if it would tear itself in half lengthwise if given the chance.
Here, the swords song does not echo, but rather, falls away, down, down until it is lost in the mist that conceals the bottom on either side. If, indeed, there is a bottom.

Sincerity

And then, they were elsewhere. But it certainly wasn't the Motes: there was no teahouse in sight. Or ground, or anything familiar, or air. This last part wasn't actually a problem for Sincerity, thankfully. She had stopped being human long ago; now she was air, she was breath. There was the distinct possibility that her companions, on the other hand, weren't as well off as she was, and Sincerity was used to looking out for others. Her instinctive reaction was first to sweep them away from the harmful environment, but of course, that was how they had got here. How could she rely on her magic when it had put them in this spot in the first place?

But, she was strong of will, stronger than many, and that might prove to be enough. Sincerity focused herself and attempted to take control, asserting herself over her surroundings.

Spoiler

Show

So, as noted in my character sheet. Sincerity has on her permanent elemental transformation, which includes the Breathless trait from the Extreme Adaptation talent. This should keep her alive in this situation.

The reaction I'm describing above makes more sense when you realize that Sincerity is from an entire sphere that consists of Morphic planes, where the planes can be influenced by raw will rather like the Limbo plane. Its quite possible such an effort has no impact here at all, but... well, the Line is pretty weird. There's not a lot of rules on how to control Morphic planes, but Manual of the Planes lets you control Limbo with a wisdom check, so I'll default to that in the absence of anything else.

[roll0]

In case it matters, Sincerity's main goal with that attempt is just to provide breathable air. Though ground beneath their feet might be nice too.

Although many locales would bent backwards in order to comply to Sincerity's will, wherever she is now is not one of them.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Roll a spot check and a Will save for Sincerity

[drack]

Xalk

Stepping forth from the rail, Xalk doesn't even bat an eye as he continues to walk forward along the path. Out of idle curiosity he times his steps and mutters a few forgotten syllables throwing a few ravens feathers into the air to see which way they blow. Still, he doesn't forget the game as his turn comes again.

"Did you know that the otherwise lethal poison of some centipedes seeps out into the water when they're boiled rendering them perfectly edible and the water poisonous?"

OOC

Spoiler

Show

Spell is the same one as before, and why not, I'll cast it the standard five times and see if there'll be a hostile encounter or traps in the next hour if we follow this path. Yup, that's right, Xalk's gonna repeat this process every fifty minutes or so so that we don't get jumped by muggers.

[LoyalPaladin]

Palladian Lightwreath

As the wind sets his essence down, he realizes he is not in a friendly environment, as his amulet coats him in a shell of fresh air. He looks to Sincerity, who seems to be calm. Perhaps she meant for them to be here? He gazes at Savasti who, true to his nature, seems unphased by the lack of air.

With practiced control he summons strength from Heaven's Wrath, causing tendrils of light to pour from his shoulders, quickly taking the shape of wings. He rights himself in the air and floats over to Gabriella, pulling his bottle of air from his backpack and offering it to her. Currently, he is assuming he cannot physically speak.

[Lyndworm]

Savasati

Unphased by the sudden lack of air, Savasati returns Palladian's gaze with a nod. He attempts at the command word for his wings, but fails to produce any meaningful sound at all. He resigns himself to floating ever lower for the time being, and relaxes his body and mind while Serenity and Palladian do what they can.

[D20ragon]

Spoiler: Sincerity

Show

As you ground yourself, centering your mind in your body once more after your attempt to assert your will over reality itself, you blink. For a moment, the very air seems fractured and particulate. The whirling points of color still themselves, like scattered dots on sheets of parchment aligning in the right light and angle, and hang motionless across the fragmented void, red-gold, turquoise, amethyst, eggshell, and stranger colors still, colors you may be the first to see...
Just as quickly, all this is gone, replaced by the breathless blur and tumble of the reality you know. Something of the experience remains, however. The slightest of butterfly kisses on your mind, the ghosting of a breeze through your synapses. A lesser creature would never have registered the slight touch, but you do.

[AmberVael]

Sincerity

Sincerity found the lack of reaction to her assertion of will a little disconcerting. Or perhaps it did react, but not in the way that she expected. It seemed like a recurring theme since she ventured into this unknown place, but she still didn't have much idea of what to make of it. Maybe eventually the pattern would become clearer, but at the moment it just felt like everything familiar had become strange, and all her skills and efforts were going awry.

She didn't have a ton of time to think about it though, due to the lack of air. She wasn't sure any of her companions could breathe here, though some of them looked calm enough that it seemed likely. Still, best to work fast. Quickly she sought to test other pieces of her magic; she pulled out a scroll and conjured a small breeze to catch it and blow it in a gentle circuit around her, then attempted a bit of her more esoteric magic, conjuring a small sphere of light.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Sincerity is going to pull out a scroll and use telekinesis to lift it, then put it into orbit around her with her Orbit talent. She is then going to create a glow effect next to her with the Light sphere. If both of these things function normally, she'll move on to the next part of this post. If they react weirdly or differently than expected though, just drop everything past this spoiler.

Once she was satisfied at least some of her magic was working as it should, she took control of the glowing sphere she had conjured and manipulated it. It flashed once, twice, then three times to get the attention of the others as she shaped it into gleaming letters.
Wrong place. Don't know why. She let the message linger for a moment, then created another below it. Will try to get us down. Might be air there.
When she was satisfied that they'd all seen it and no one had strenuous objections, she attempted to seize them with another wind and give them a controlled push down, trying to get them to that distinct thread a little quicker.

Spoiler

Show

Assuming her telekinesis didn't seem to be acting up and everyone is willing, Sincerity will use her telekinesis to lift the entire party (via Divided Mind) and then move them more swiftly towards that line in the distance. She should be able to move them at about 200ft per round, which I imagine is faster than their current drift. She'll slow them down once they get closer so they're not squashed against the ground.

[Peccavi]

Cassius Velarious

Approaching the narrowed path, Cassius turns his head to the side and raises a quizzical eyebrow. "The place never does cease to amaze and astound... I may build a house here, think of the entertaining prospects!" He says as he peers out over one side and then the other.

Oh Gods, Cassius! You know how I feel about heights! I think I'm going to be sick... The sword imparts.

You know you're a sword right?

Being a man of considerable dexterity and balance, Cassius was not overly bothered by the prospects of the narrow path. Besides, should his natural abilities fail him levitation and flight were not beyond his capabilities. With his usual confidence, but slightly less swagger in the hips Cassius continued onward.

Xalk
"Did you know that the otherwise lethal poison of some centipedes seeps out into the water when they're boiled rendering them perfectly edible and the water poisonous?"

"Well there you go, I did not know that. Are they worth eating though? Or are we talking more..." Cassius 'air-quotes' dramatically, "...'keep you alive in a pinch' type edible?"