Planescape: Center of All - IC

[Cavir]

"Good. If Antis or another know the command words they may reactivate the mirror. Better for all of us to know the words and not all of us face the mirror, just in case."

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash nods at the wisdom in Avakuss' words. Quickly, she mentally rhymes off the fourteen command words she has learned for the activation and deactivation of the mirror, and the freeing or conversing with the six occupants.

She smiles grimly.

*I see no particular point in trying to investigate this further while still in this place. If you want to return to Sigil to pester Rule of Three some more, let's go now. I am eager to get to Bavia, today if we can.*

[Archmage1]

Eilyra nods, memorizing the command word that Ash spoke, before she responds. "Interesting. But I do agree, this is not the place to examine it further. Have you been satisfied that we have explored Pandemonium adequately? It might be worthwhile looking at the library with the robes, I suppose." She quickly tucks the proffered cloak into her bag, alongside the rest of the captured robes.

[Cavir]

Avakuss puts the commands to memory then nods in agreement. "I'm ready to go back. Rule should know a portal to Bavia."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Using Autohypnosis (+33, DC 15) for the command words.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash nods.

*The library's more or less on our way back to the Sigil gate. That's a good idea, to test the robes there first.*

[Cavir]

Avakuss takes the lead to the library.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra follows, keeping a wary eye out for surprises along the way.

[kinem]

You proceed to the former library (now bereft of its books) which is as you left it. Those who wear the black robes don't see any new revelations there.

[paradox26]

Taric removes his purple robe when he returns to the library. He takes note of the command words, as that is all he can realistically contribute to the study of the mirror. He fears his willpower isn't sufficient to look into the mirror again, just in case he is captured by it.

[Archmage1]

Reaching the library, Eilyra pulls out one of the black robes, and puts it on, before taking a look around. After a few minutes of searching, she shakes her head, and takes it off. "There doesn't seem to be anything here either. Perhaps the cold-like effect, that spirit, and the robes are linked? Regardless, if we are done with Pandemonium for the moment, it would seem to be time to decide to either return to Sigil, or resume our search for additional cultist locations."

[Cavir]

"Onward to Sigil then." Avakuss heads to the initial portal, happy to be leaving the land of chaos.

[Toliudar]

Ash

With a final glance around the library, Ash drifts out of the cavern and back toward the portal.

[Archmage1]

With the expedition to Pandemonium wrapping up, Eilyra too heads back to Sigil.

[kinem]

During the trip through the tunnel back to the gate, there is a gust of wind that produces a very loud howl!

OOC: Fort DC 15 or be deafened.
For Center: (1d20+22)[33]

Once back through the portal to Sigil, all appears normal, though the soot in the Lower Ward air hits you with a nasty smell as soon as you set foot in the city. Once there, you always notice it, but you do get slightly less sensitive to it after a while ...

Spoiler: Ash

Show

With your mindsight, you notice that there is an Outsider of slightly above human-average intelligence in the building across from the gate, near the wall facing it and probably watching through cracks in that wall. Most likely, this is what Rule-of-Three meant when he said that he's having the gate watched.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Especially after the shrieking windstorms of pandemonium, a little fetid Sigil air is exactly what Ash needed to settle back into herself. She touched down on what might charitably be called "ground".

She sent mentally to her colleagues.

*There's an outer-planes resident watching us from that building across the lane. I'm going to ask if he's working for Rule.*

She reaches out mentally to the figure across the street.

*Hello. If we have a one eyed friend in common, would you happen to know the best way to get in touch?*

[paradox26]

Taric is ready for the deafening winds, and they don't affect him too badly. Despite this, he rapidly departs through the portal to Sigil. He steps through, and is assailed with the smells of Sigil, which are almost like home after so long, despite his homeland being one of nature and beauty. At news of a watcher, he remains wary but unalarmed. He returns his weapons to their storage place, but knows that they can be re-drawn in a moment if required. He is concerned that the watcher may be an enemy spy, instead of one of Rule's servants. He knows that they shouldn't offer anything of importance using telepathy, or even normal speech. But he knows that warning is likely unnecessary. So he waits silently, ready to charge across the intervening space in order to attack the watcher if they turn out to be hostile.

[Archmage1]

Gritting her teeth against the final surge of the legendarily howling wind of Pandemonium, Eilyra seems to almost relax in relief after she returns to the relative silence of Sigil, and removes her earplugs, before she casts prestidigitation to clean them, and herself off, removing the sand, dust, and grit that had built up over the windblown trip.

Important tasks completed, she looks around, taking in the surroundings, and looking for changes to the immediate area as she activates one of her pearls of power.

[kinem]

Spoiler: Ash

Show

You get a reply from whoever's peering out of the building: Huh? Oh. At the Styx Oarsman.

Everything in the alley where the portal opens appears to be the same as last you saw it.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash sends back to the unseen.

*Thank you. All the best on your watch.*

She sends next to her colleagues.

*They report that Rule is at the Styx Oarsman. I suppose it's easiest if we head there directly.*

[Archmage1]

Eilyra shrugs. "That seems reasonable. If the information we're seeking isn't there, we can try a sage or two, see if they know." Presumably, if they had an issue with us stopping by, they'd have told us. And after that debacle with selling items, they didn't comment on us not visiting, so if that gets them killed, a happy accident.

With that, Eilyra will lead the way to the Oarsman.

[kinem]

Along the way to the Styx Oarsman, you encounter the usual mix of humanoids with a few outsiders and others, but no trouble. The bladeling bouncer looks over the group, nods, and lets you in.

Inside is the usual menagerie. Drinking at his usual seat at the bar is Rule of Three; he waves you over.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash steps over to the table. She's still in her gold-skinned, black-winged appearance, and wishes that she'd thought to shift to something a little less glaring. Well, at least she didn't look like herself.

Settling quietly in a seat, she focused her attentions on the interplay of the minds in and around the bar, watching for patterns. She does manage to add mentally to the conversation a bit.

*I'd forgotten how difficult travelling could be. The insects on some worlds are just horrid. Have you learned anything about our friends from the library?*

[Archmage1]

Sweeping into the room in her green, gold, and white dress, Eilyra doesn't bother with a disguise, simply heading to the bar, and cleaning an empty seat before sitting down, and ordering a drink.

[kinem]

The marilith bartender pours something green for Eilyra. Or is it blue-green? Blue? Then blue-green again. Then green. This cycle repeats about every 30 seconds. When she tries it, she finds that the flavor varies along with the color, although it remains fruity with a kick. The bartender says "Three-keen."

Rule-of-Three sips from his own mug and responds telepathically.

Didn't I tell you guys to only visit me one at a time so as to not draw attention?

Well. Insects, eh? Where have you gone, and what did you find?

As for our friends as you call them, I have no leads as of yet. However ... one of my contacts has heard a rumor about something in the Waste. Some kind of power source. It could have something to do with those gates the books told about. I'm checking into it.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Mentally, Ash rolls her eyes. The man sits night after night in the middle of the tavern he owns, and then complains that they're somehow blowing his cover. Well, she supposed that next time, she wouldn't even need to enter the tavern to speak with him.

*The power source seems promising.*

She glances at her companions, wondering what else there was to talk about.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra nods in acceptance, and offers the barkeep a smile as she enjoys the drink.

[kinem]

Center is in his usual human guise.

Ash’s companions can’t reply telepathically due to the Mind Blanks.

Rule prompts Ash So? Other than insects, I suspect you found a thing or three...

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash offers a mental grunt of assent.

*A set of three portals.

*One leading to a place in the Outlands, with the aforementioned swarms of insects and a ruin where someone had recently plucked something from an old skeleton.

*A second leading to some kind of stronghold of Tharizdun on the astral plane. An insane research subject, a cavern of supernatural darkness and cold, a cursed altar, and a portal leading to a place full of tentacled horrors. We've recovered several cloaks that may be of use at other sites dedicated to his service.

*And a third portal blocked from the other side.*

[paradox26]

Taric gestures to the barmaid for a drink, not much caring what it is, as he has accustomed himself to drinking anything not actively poisonous. He sips at it, and finds it surprisingly pleasant, whatever it is. He then listens in to Rule's discussion with Ash, as he knows that he can't mentally join in, and doesn't want to say anything aloud. He does wince a little at the mental calling of the name of the Dread God himself, as he would not personally use such a name even in mental discussion, in case it brought the Dark One's attention. But he understood that just using it mentally should be safe enough. Just in case, he prepares for a fight, though he keeps his weapons hidden from sight in their magical homes.

[kinem]

Rule-of-Three takes a few moments to digest Ash’s summary and his drink.

He replies Very interesting. I will keep it in mind. Return in one day, and I may have more information for you.