Vagrant Tower: Dimensional Orrery
Log Info
- Title: Vagrant Tower: Dimensional Orrery
- GM: Thurid
- Summary: Researchers studying the extraplanar wizards tower that has come to be known as the Vagrant Tower believe they have made a breakthrough- the control center at the heart of the Tower. They have requested a team of adventurers make their way in to disable the heart's security systems.
It's been several weeks since a call for aid from the explorers guild has gone out from the Vagrant Tower research team- the last foray provided a great deal of valuable data for the arcanists to pour over, and much experimentation was required to confirm or refute various hypotheses. Regular contact has continued, though, no surprise visits from ethereal spiders or alien invaders disrupting things. Just the steady, if sometimes slow, march of academic progress.
But a call has gone out once more. Exciting news, for those who have been following developments- The arcanists believe they have figured out how to map the tower, already having determined how to configure it's ingress portal to reach a preferred floor. And in their mapping, it seems as though every thread of magic flows towards a singular, central point. A place they are calling the tower's heart- they've been able to determine that it is in the astral plane. But the journals recovered early during the tower's exploration spoke of potent defenses at the heart of the tower.
And so, the adventurers find themselves on their way to the crater entrance once more- a light snow had fallen, though mostly melted now, making the ground treacherously muddy where it is beaten by feet in and out of the camp. The central portal has all manner of artifice devices connected to it with humming crystals and trailing cables, but its runes for now glow only dully, and it is an empty frame, awaiting a destination.
GAME: Seyardu refreshes spells.
Seyardu stepped into the camp with the others, looking much more brown than usual, with most of the front of their robes covered in mud. They at least had the good grace to wipe off most of their face before actually meeting anyone at the camp.
"So, we are here to test whatever lies at the heart, yes?" They ask the others. "They must be quite concerned about what they may find at the heart of this matter."
GAME: Harkashan refreshes spells.
GAME: Harkashan casts Magic Vestment. Caster Level: 12 DC: 20
Rhar is not an academic. She is not an arcanist. She has not been following developments about any towers, wandering or otherwise. Gurr might be, but hasn't shared any of his hypotheses or opinions on it with her. She only knows that people need help with it. That's enough for Rhar. Gurr is along as the ride, where he can keep an eye on her. And maybe see if any of his theories are right.
"Will heart be strong? Weak? Is that test?" That is Rhar's question, not Gurr's.
GAME: Rhar refreshes spells.
Harkashan has been here a few times now. He's learned quite intimately how dangerous this place can be. And being here without Rune's aid is both a blessing and curse. Less risk of putting her life into danger, but also less ability to rely on someone whose skills he knows intimately.
As his Swiftclaw halts, Harkashan leads it the remainder of the way to the edge of the camp - rather than into it - and ties it up on a nearby tree. Using some simple magical stones to create an area it can warm itself while he's away.
He then approaches the camp itself and takes note of the new artifice devices. "It'll be strong. And we'll do well to respect this place's dangerous strength." He rumbles as he groups back up with the rest of the team and approaches the camp itself.
"Deathsinger Harkashan." He introduces himself to Rhar. They've met before, but never in a proper situation like this. "My focus is keeping you two alive, and bolstering your abilities."
The head reasearcher- the slightly dumpy lucht-siul woman with round spectacles- comes to meet the group. Along with the tall, thin sil man- her partner. He is still thin and pale, but he always was, but the fact he is out and about speaks volumes for his recovery from the traumas he has experienced here. Even if he does seem to have a faintly nervous disposition compared to Harkashan's first meeting with him. Nearly being eaten and used as a spawning ground for aliens will do that to a man.
The taller of the pair offers a simple nod, and adjusts his own spectacles, in greeting. He has a heavy tome under one arm. The shorter of the two offers a much brighter, "Morning! It's fresh, isn't it? At least the snow's stopped." to the group. "We'll get right to it unless..." her gaze wanders over to Seyardu's muddy robe, "You need to freshen up first?" she wonders, as she gestures for them to follow her into the camp proper.
The large wolf turns to Harakashan at the greeting and lowers his head. Probably in acknowledgement, though Rhar stands up and walks to stand on his noggin to get closer. She waves her hands. "Rhar." She scritches an ear (the wolf's, not hers) with her toes and points hands down to him. "Gurr. Both strong. Strongest hearts. More than towear hear. Protect pack. Win test."
While that may not be quite how Gurr would phrase matters, Rhar bobbles some as Gurr nods. He then turns his head and body (and therefor Rhar) towards the arriving researchers. He knows enough to think their words will be important... and its easier for Rhar to notice is she's already pointed in their direction.
"Greetings, shaman Harkashan, peace upon your nest." Seyardu greets. "Likewise, I will do everything possible to aid you all in t his work. And good day to you as well, Rhar."
"Hello, peace on your nests." They bow to those who arrived to greet them. "I am alright, it is just mud from slipping on my way here. Though perhaps freshening up would be a prudent idea, should medical care be necessary."
There's a slight amusement, the way Rhar introduces herself and Gurr. "Peace upon your nests, Rhar and Gurr." He rumbles to the two of them. "I will be relying on you two."
A nod then goes to Seyardu upon her similar greeting. "Shaman Seyardu."
He then looks up as the two approach.
Harkashan is just glad the Sil man is out and about again. "It's good to see you again." The Sith-makar remarks, bowing his head. He'd been the one to pull those eggs from his body, so there's a bit of pride he takes in this man's recovery.
He then looks down at the shorter one. "No freshening up needed. Please, lead the way."
The taller researcher offers a brief smile to Harkashan, "And you, too." he replies. The response is curt, but laden with unspoken gratitude. He lets his companion lead the way though, as the adventurers are ushered towards the portal. "So, we've been able to map out the tower- and it is truly enormous. There are threads of magic extending into almost all of the inner and even some of the outer planes." she explains. "With the journals you recovered, and the readings we've taken from the portal, we think we can take you straight to the heart. It's where these threads of magic tieing the tower together across the planes converge. If we can get in to study it, it could be revolutionary for interplanar travel. And at the very least it would shed light on the magic Adalgund- the archmage who built this place- used to set it adrift on the planes. As for the why, we think we already know. One part because he could, and two parts because he didn't like having neighbours. It's entirely possible he is still alive, you know. If he sent his tower to the astral- there's no reason he couldn't reside somewhere without time. Wouldn't that be amazing? Meeting someone from so long ago, in the flesh?" she wonders.
"Ah, but, if you're all ready." she heads on over towards one of the artifice devices connected to the portal, and tweaks a couple of dials and pulls a couple of levers. Sparks surge through the cables connecting it to the portal- and the stones forming it's frame hum to life, shifting and grinding against one another as they reconfigure. "Now, we don't know much about what you'll find. But it's certain to be a confluence of elemental energies of some sort- since that's where the tower draws it's power from. We do know it's in the astral plane so... be warned, space and time might not be quite what you're used to on the other side. There's definitely air, though, at least- we're almost certain of that."
Harkashan rumbles, then remembers something; "I am prepared for planar troubles. But before we go in, I would like to take some time to have dinner actually." He suddenly remarks, looking to the others. "One that will bolster us before heading in there."
He then looks towards the others in the camp. "You are welcome to join us of course." He's not sure that meeting the one who 'did not wish neighbours' will make a very good conversational partner if they are there in the astral plane. So that may also be trouble.
All in all, better to be fully prepared.
Rhar nods as she listens. Constantly. Continuously. It all makes perfect sense to her... or at least its polite to nod and grin even when it doesn't. She then summarizes it back. "Go to heart. Make safe. Maybe meet builder. Breath air." Hopefully not in that order of priority. Gurr seems to be the one to have more concern on the last comment than she. Then Harkashan speaks of preparation.
"Food?! Rhar eat. Gurr eat." She is convinced of its value to the mission. Her stomach makes a noise of agreement, too.
GAME: Harkashan casts Heroes' Feast. Caster Level: 12 DC: 23
"If time is not the essence, then it would not hurt to go in as prepared as posssible, yes." Seyardu agrees. "It would be interesting to discover they still live there, but also concerning if they have let it fall into such disarray from what I have heard second hand."
"It is a bit extreme to go to such lengths to be alone, no? I hope that any potential isolation has not taken a toll on them after such a long time, if that is the case."
GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+6: (4)+6: 10
The head researchers are happy to partake in the feast- their usual fare out here in the research camp is less than spectacular, although the colder months bring with it the possibility of fresh meat, they certainly won't turn their noses up.
And so it is the group set down to eat up, and prepare themselves for the trial ahead- whatever it may be.
GAME: Harkashan casts Magic Circle Against Evil. Caster Level: 12 DC: 20
GAME: Harkashan casts Telepathic Bond. Caster Level: 12 DC: 22
GAME: Seyardu casts Magic Circle Against Evil. Caster Level: 15 DC: 19
As befits a shaman of the death-singing dragon, the feast is laid out on intricately patterned if sombre mats. Spiced meats, strange fruits and roasted vegetables native to Am'shere materialize themselves, spread across wooden platters and broad dried leaves. Flat breads and sweet drinks compliment the food, and all is delicious and filling- instilling in the group a feeling of robust wellness that is difficult to put into words.
It gives time for the group to discuss plans for how to approach whatever they may encounter, and for the researchers to share their findings- something they are more than happy to do, at length, to anyone who will listen. Extensive and perhaps excessively detailed descriptions of planar threads and entangled strands of magic, a convoluted explanation for how though the tower is in many places, it is at once still intact and interconnected in an abstract way.
Finally, the platters are bare, and it is once more time for work. There is none of the lethargy that usually accompanies such a heavy meal, rather, there is a feeling of vigour and anticipation as the final preperations are made and the portal flares into life- a whorl of blue light surging forth before receeding back to form a shimmering pool at the threshold.
Seyardu takes a seat at the offered meal, thankful for seating better tailored to makari-kind as they tuck into the meal. "Even if it is prepared magically, I can still appreciate food closer to home at times. My thanks, shaman." The silver cleric offers before returning to the meal, listening to all the information being shared.
"I am feeling much better after that I would say, and ready to face what is to come." Seyardu notes as she stretches. "Celestial mother, shield myself and my allies and kin from ailments of the mind and the foul." They pray, reaching for a necklace under their robes and creating further warding around the group.
<Draconic>
Harkashan actually spends most of his time talking to the researchers, archeologists, and other nerdy folk. He's not the smartest and most learned of people, but he's excited to learn more. Listening with intent, speaking only once he needs to speak. Chiming in with little tidbits of thought here and there. Eating away during it all.
Once all is said, done, and eaten, Harkashan rises and touches Rhar, laying a protective blessing upon her. "A circle of protection against evil." He explains to her. "It'll create an area around you. It should hopefully help shield your mind as well if anyone evil were to try and take hold of you." He remarks.
He then nods to Seyardu; "Always glad to share my peoples' food with others." Before he motions to the gates into the unknown, and begins to approach. "Shall we then?"
Ready to step through.
Rhar is determined to prepare well. There is no meet to spiced nor fruit too strange, nor vergetable too-Ok, she passes on those. Gurr seems to prefer meat, to little surprise, though he does snag a morsel of sweet here and there. If they may wind up somewhere with no air, he will be getting his treats prepaid.
Rhar pats her belly as she receives further blessings, and subsequently expels an appreciative belch. "Rhar ready!" She then pats Gurr on the head to make sure he is. "Both ready!" Well, almost. She situates herself and gets her big flat round stick re-strapped to her arm. Now they're ready.
GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8: (7): 7
GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d20: (14): 14
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d8: (1): 1
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20: (3): 3
GAME: Rhar rolls 1d8: (1): 1
GAME: Rhar rolls 1d20: (2): 2
Harkashan is used to the weightless, timeless feeling of moving through the portal by now- and each transfer seems to have been smoother than the last. That is, until this time. He experiences a sensation of violence, of being shunted off course and suddenly emerges, gasping, in a void. No ground beneath him, nor sky above- surrounded by stars and colorful nebulous gas. It is disorienting. Especially when he does not immediately begin to fall.
Rhar and Seyardu experience a much less violent shift, finding themselves at least on solid ground- such as it is. A massive hunk of rock floating in the void. And above them, some sixty feet, a huge sphere of crystal or glass or- no, pure energy, scintilating through all the colors of the rainbow and some others besides. Moving around it are a dizzying array of rings and orbs, some whipping at alarming speed, others lazily drifting in their orbits, all in motion.
Further afield, two hulking figures drift each a giant, one man and one woman. The woman posesse ephemeral beauty, her hair a blaze of starlight, and her skin a galaxy. The man is equally beautiful, lean and graceful. His skin is an inky void full of distant points of light, and his eyes are blazing suns.
Further still, a cloud of bricks and blocks of granite orbit, surrounding this little pocket adrift in the astral, hemming it in against the mysterious forces beyond. The air is thin, but breathable. And gravity has no hold, here.
GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/The Planes+2: (16)+21+2: 39
GAME: Harkashan casts Comprehend Languages. Caster Level: 12 DC: 18
Harkashan is hardly what one might call a planeswalker, but he's visited different planes before. In part thanks to this very tower. But also, through his divine gifts given to him by the Death Singing Dragon.
As they're shunted to another place, then, a void. He is keeping his breath held in that moment, as he floats and hovers through this 'space'.
He is quite close to the giant woman and her ephemeral beauty.
The Sith-makar, taking small subtle 'breaths', realizes the air is thin, but breathable. So he starts to slowly exhale, but keeps parts of his breath at the ready in case he'd need to pull them from the plane immediatley.
Through their Telepathic Bond, Harkashan speaks into the minds of Rhar and Seyardu.
~"Welcome to a stable pocket of the Astral Plane - where you need to Will yourself to move within the constraints of your body. These Aetherial Elementals here shouldn't be here though. They are not native to this place, and are likely being 'held' here. Telekinetic in nature, resistant to physical force, and immune to raw magical force."~ He lets them know.
He then touches his hand to his chest... and bows to the woman near him. Stabilizing his position within this pocket of space.
GAME: Harkashan rolls Diplomacy: (10)+19: 29
Seyardu does not know what to expect going through the portal, but landing on solid ground with one ally and no immediately ill effects was already a positive situation. It was certainly better than meeting Vardama on their home plane and aging decades upon returning.
Though seeing Harkashan floating aimlessly nearby is much more of a shock. "You are alright there for the moment, then?" They ask through the shared bond once she's able to turn and squint enough to see a vaguely Harkashan shaped object in the distance. "That is you there, right? There is a large object above us, here. These elementals, do they seem hostile?"
"Weird..." Rhar both speaks and thinks. She could be completely unfamiliar with thinking at others, not saying what she thinks, not thinking out loud, or D) all of the above. She takes a long time to look around and try to orient herself. Which isn't easy. "Oh! Found heart?!" she points at the large glowy ball above her, in case no one else noticed. Gurr is still trying to get acclimated to the lack of gravity, even if Rhar doesn
"Weird..." Rhar both speaks and thinks. She could be completely unfamiliar with thinking at others, not saying what she thinks, not thinking out loud, or D) all of the above. She takes a long time to look around and try to orient herself. Which isn't easy. "Oh! Found heart?!" she points at the large glowy ball above her, in case no one else noticed. Gurr is still trying to get acclimated to the lack of gravity, even if Rhar doesn't weigh enough for more than barely a notice.
Then Rhar turns to look at the giant peoples. "Are trapped? Should free them. Not right be trapped."
The enormous femenine figure Harkashan bows to at first doesn't seem to notice him- but her eyes open, and within them is a deep darkness that goes beyond any shadow. Her lips do not move, but a single word punctuates Harkashan's mind. 'Leave.'
The spinning and orbiting globes on the giant orrery at the centre of this astral pocket spin and shift, aligning themselves. The scintillating light of its central sphere is reflected in sweeping beams that glide across the void.
Another formless voice echoes out. 'Interlopers detected. Initiating defenses.'
The energies at the centre of the sphere begin to roil and shift.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Thurid has dropped a TIMESTOP!
Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Thurid to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.
For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 32.
It is now Elemental F's turn! Elemental M is next!
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 28.
It is now Elemental M's turn! Rhar is next!
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 13.
It is now Rhar's turn! Astral Orrery is next!
That doesn't sound good. Whatever it is. Whoever said it. It's also not good that Harkashan is way over there. With a nudge, Gurr takes a step or two, though stays close to Seyardu. Meanwhile, Rhar waves hands around encouragingly. At least her words are? "Pack stay strong! Stay stay safe! Protect!"
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 11.
It is now Astral Orrery's turn! Seyardu is next!
GAME: Harkashan rolls Fortitude: (7)+15: 22
GAME: Seyardu rolls fortitude +5: (14)+14+5: 33
GAME: Rhar rolls fortitude: (7)+17: 24
The movements of the lenses and mirrors circling the central sphere of prismatic light shift- their orbits adjust, and the rings align once again, reflecting and amplifying the light it emanates and casting out a dazzlingly bright technicolor outwards. It hurts to look at, but none of the adventurers are blinded by the display.
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 7.
It is now Seyardu's turn! Harkashan is next!
GAME: Seyardu casts Angelic Aspect. Caster Level: 15 DC: 21
GAME: Seyardu casts Righteous Might. Caster Level: 15 DC: 21
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 5.
It is now Harkashan's turn! Elemental F is next!
GAME: Harkashan casts Blessing of Fervor. Caster Level: 12 DC: 21
GAME: Harkashan casts Prayer. Caster Level: 12 DC: 20
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 32.
It is now Elemental F's turn! Elemental M is next!
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 28.
It is now Elemental M's turn! Rhar is next!
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 13.
It is now Rhar's turn! Astral Orrery is next!
"It appears that they are not open to speaking, now." Seyardu admits sadly, drawing the polearm from their back. "If they are not native, I only hope they will return where they belong if we must dispatch them."
"Celestial mother, steel this one against their foes." <Draconic> They pray, finding that they almost instantaneously sprout a large pair of draconic looking wings from their back.
"It seems magic flows more effortlessly, here." They note to the others, pausing just long enough to utter another prayer, growing much, much larger than before.
Harkashan seems to get a sense for moving around in this region... unnaturally quickly. By his description, it's clearly his first time here. But those seeing him from without would notice that there's this natural adjustment to it. As if he has been here time and time and time again.
"Halt!" Harkashan answers the Elementals. "We may be intruding, but we come with no ill will. I have noticed you are trapped here." As he spreads a blessing of protection over his allies.
"Please, I ask of you to explain your situation. Help us understand."
GAME: Harkashan rolls Diplomacy: (11)+19: 30
GAME: Thurid rolls 21: (3)+21: 24
GAME: Rhar rolls weapon25: (9)+23: 32
GAME: Rhar rolls reflex+1: (1)+14+1: 16 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Harkashan rolls Spellcraft: (9)+19: 28
GAME: Seyardu rolls knowledge/arcana: (5)+7: 12
~"That's a prismatic sphere. It has multiple layers of protection if we wish to get at the core within. My question is - do we actually want to do that? If we do - redirect its magic back onto itself by manipulating the outer rings. Or strip them with elemental magics."~ Both things Harkashan himself is not really capable of doing.
~"But again, do we wish to do so? Do we have any reason to untangle this thing and remove its protections? Sure, the researchers can't safely come here otherwise. But on the other hand... for all we know, this tower stops working if we are careless."~
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 11.
It is now Astral Orrery's turn! Seyardu is next!
GAME: Thurid rolls 17: (20)+17: 37
GAME: Thurid rolls 17: (19)+17: 36
GAME: Thurid rolls 17: (15)+17: 32
GAME: Thurid rolls 17: (11)+17: 28
If the two giant floating people are trapped here, and aren't their enemies, that narrows the list of suspects for Rhar. There's only one other thing here visible that isn't packmate or floating rock. "Bright ball! Ball traps them? Is heart?" Free the people, test the heart. Two for one deal?! Rhar, or rather Gurr, makes a careful leap upwards, and Rhar pulls out her sharp stick to wave it at/into the thing. One part testing, one part threatening. "Let them go! And no hurt pack!"
GAME: Thurid rolls 1d8: (2): 2
GAME: Thurid rolls 1d8: (7): 7
GAME: Thurid rolls 1d8: (4): 4
GAME: Thurid rolls 1d8: (1): 1
GAME: Harkashan rolls Reflex: (12)+6: 18
GAME: Rhar rolls will+1: (7)+12+1: 20
GAME: Rhar rolls companionfortitude+1: (7)+13+1: 21
GAME: Seyardu rolls reflex +5: (2)+5+5: 12
GAME: Thurid rolls 1d4: (4): 4
The diffuse, but blinding, scintilating lights of the orb begin to focus as the rings surrounding the orrery align themselves into perfectly concentric patterns, and then begin spinning rapidly. Hair-thin beams of pure elemental energy in kaleidascope colors surge out from them, tearing across the assembled party.
Harkashan's flesh bubbles and melts where the beam crosses it, while Seyardu's blackens and blisters. Gurr seems unaffected, for now, by the beam that strikes his chest- while the violet beam that catches Rhar seems to destroy her instantly. One moment she is there, and the next she is not with no trace left behind.
GAME: Harkashan rolls Spellcraft: (15)+19: 34
The rapidly spinning lenses and mirrors slow, and then stop- and the glowing sphere at the centre of the orrery grows duller.
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 7.
It is now Seyardu's turn! Harkashan is next!
GAME: Seyardu rolls knowledge/arcana: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 5.
It is now Harkashan's turn! Elemental F is next!
GAME: Seyardu casts Death Ward. Caster Level: 15 DC: 20
GAME: Harkashan rolls Cleric+Wisdom: (7)+12+7: 26
Seyardu turned around to see what others were doing with the elementals not immediately attacking them. The cleric doesn't attempt to dodge a burning ray ray from the giant sphere, too dumbstruck by the lucht suddenly vaporizing on the spot, seemingly.
"No, not dead, just, something else." They think, growing increasingly panicked and concerned as they take off from the ground and barrel to where the wolf remained, grabbing on to one limb. "The sphere can wait if necessary, finding what happened is more important."
~"Shit, prismatic..."~ Cut. A beam rips away Rhar and wisks them off to another plane entirely. ~"Rhar just got sent to another plane. And I don't know to which one, or how long they'll last there. But I'm pretty sure they have no way to get back!"~ He calls out to Seyardu.
He feels pain rip through himself at the same time, his scales boiling, vitality ripped away from him. But he's still standing. Or floating. However one wishes to interpret this.
At least the Orrery goes more dull. But Harkashan can't help but feel like saving Rhar is taking a higher priority than what this is right now. He touches his hands to his chest for a moment, trying to draw the attention of his god. But within this place, without the right spell... he fails to break through.
"Back up." He calls out to Seyardu then, motioning for her to retreat at least 100 feet away from the orb, while doing so himself. "I can planeshift. But I have no way to find out where Rhar went off to. Fire or Water plane would be lethal for them. Earth and Air... a bit more survivable on a good day."
He doesn't want the death of an ally on his hands. Not like this. Not when he could have done something about it! So instead, he moves
"My god is not answering... not without the right spell. So... want to gamble? This tower spreads multiple planes. If I get us back to the tower base, we can go across the various planes, and see if the Telepathic Bond re-establishes."
GAME: Harkashan casts Death Ward. Caster Level: 12 DC: 21
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 32.
It is now Elemental F's turn! Elemental M is next!
'Trapped. Yes.' The femenine voice confirms and the masculine one continues, 'We wander, free.' and they continue, taking it in turns to speak parts of the sentence each. 'Between the worlds.' 'Beyond the stars.' 'Caught here.' 'A net of magic.' 'Leave.' 'Leave.' the voices say this in unison. 'Things of flesh do not belong.' 'Minds yet bound do not belong.' they echo- seemingly unaware or uncaring of the plight of the adventurers and their missing companion.
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 28.
It is now Elemental M's turn! Rhar is next!
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 13.
It is now Rhar's turn! Astral Orrery is next!
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 11.
It is now Astral Orrery's turn! Seyardu is next!
The stopped lenses and mirrors and rings of filigree fine metal around the orrery slowly begin to spin again, but they are sluggish- it's violent prismatic assault has clearly drained its reserves of energy, and it is taking some time for it to recalibrate itself before it's able to strike again.
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 7.
It is now Seyardu's turn! Harkashan is next!
GAME: Harkashan casts Plane Shift. Caster Level: 12 DC: 22
GAME: Thurid advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 5.
It is now Harkashan's turn! Elemental F is next!
GAME: Rhar rolls companionfortitude+1: (3)+13+1: 17
"The sooner we are away, the sooner we can find them." The silver cleric answers, gaining some semblance of composure again. "We will find them, if that is what it takes, so be it."
"Come now, with me, we will do everything we can to find your companion." Seyardu attempts to reassure Gurr, guiding them along quickly to where Harkashan indicated, hurried by the enchantments and strange nature of the plane they are on. "When we return, we may yet be able to help these elementals."
The moment Seyardu gets near, Harkashan shifts through the Astral plane a bit and takes hand and paw - Seyardu and Gurr - and immediately begins chanting.
"Let's go get Rhar back. Next time we come back, we'll be much better prepared." He promises. "And it will give us some time to figure out how to best approach this - and maybe save those Aether elementals."
The Sith-makar finishes his spell and looks to Seyardu. "But first, we save our ally."
"Let's go save Rhar."
Meanwhile, on the plane of Water...
Rhar finds herself suddenly underwater in a large, cylindrical room. The floor and ceiling are granite stone, like much of the Vagrant Tower- but the walls. The walls are huge sheets of perfect crystal, concave windows into the watery abyss outside. And inside, for that matter. A whale that looks large enough to swallow the Alexandrian Market District whole slowly drifts past one of the windows- its eye alone is the size of a wagon.
And a swarm of Jellyfish surround Rhar, slowly closing in on her. They making probing grasps for her face with their trailing tentacles. And stranger still, there are people here- two of them. A half-sil and a human man, dressed in the academic robes of the researchers in the camp. They have jellyfish entirely enclosing their heads. They look startled, but their surprise passes to wild gesticulation as they try to convey something to Rhar.
Back on the material plane...
Harkashan, Seyardu and Gurr suddenly pop back into existence near the portal. The lead researcher is still at the controls- and looks surprised to see them. "What happened, you only jus- Oh you're hurt! And where's the wild one?" she asks, alarmed. The adventurers explain in brief what happened, and their plan to return to the planes in search of their missing ally and the researcher immediately begins fiddling with the controls.
PLane of water... Rhar sees a flash of light and then suddenly realizes she's ...dead? There isn't any nice fluffy Gurr under her anymore. No floating lights. Just murkiness and ... water?! By all the gods, she's gone straight to eternal punishment! Ok, so it isn't that murky, except immediately around her; because her layers of protective armor (dirt) are beginning to be stripped away from her!
It takes her a moment to notice the people with jellyfish eating their heads. That's almost as terrifying as becoming clean. And now there's one coming to devour her face! Alot of bubbles are made as she wastes some of her breath yelling, and there is alot of flailing. Which just makes things wash off faster...
Much grappling and bubbling ensues. One of the researchers gets a bloody nose and the other a twisted elbow for their troubles, but eventually Rhar runs out of breath and shortly thereafter, fight. They drag her back to the portal in the centre of the room, and open it back up...
The head researcher jumps back as the portal comes to life even before she's finished putting in the commands, and a pair of battered and bruised researchers fall, gasping, onto the plinth it stands upon- between them is the soggy and unconscious form of Rhar. "She suddenly appeared, she's half drowned!" one of them calls out.