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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 7792853" data-attributes="member: 6971069"> Of Powers and things (8/22/2019) It is a given that mortals don’t have a full understanding of what immortals want.  Not fiends.  Not celestials. Not Slaadi.  Not Modrons. But whatever we think we know about their desires, we have even less understanding about Powers.  And to pretend we do is folly. And yet we do anyway and miss the truth. We rested by the Elk; the room felt to me clean now that the darkness had been purged.  Daneath both were wounded, but Iesa was worse off.  I moved from my spot at the wall and sat next to him and checked him over.  No cuts, but a lot of bruising from where the musties pummeled him.  But his breathing was steady and easy.As I touched his chest checking for bleeding, he awoke with a start.  He sat up with a wild-eyed look, his head turning around.  Mo quickly screeched in delight and jumped on his shoulder and clasped his arms around Iesa’s neck.  Iesa, turned to look at him and smiled, and ruffled the fur on its head.  I smiled and said, “I’ll leave you two alone,” to which Iesa gave me an amused look but said nothing.I moved to Daneath then and asked, “Anything serious?”He shook his head, “No, but I still feel weakened from earlier.  I want to sleep it off.”“Perhaps we can soon!  These things burst out of the tombs after all.” Beepu said.“I’m not big on robbing the graves here.  And besides, I’m going to guess your father wouldn’t have opened them anyway.”“True!  But there is another door at the end of this passage.  One of oak.  But I admit to being very tired as well.  I do not have much strength to manage any significant magic.  What about you?”“Now that I have rested, I feel better.  I can probably manage more arcana if needed.”“Well, let’s move and avoid things if we can.  I don’t want to die here,” Daneath said somberly.“I second that,” Iesa said quietly.  I turned to look at him, and while Mo had certainly ha lifted his spirits earlier, he seemed distracted.“Then, let’s move,” Daneath said, and I flexed and refreshed the light on the shield.  We then moved into the far passage to look for the door.  As we made our way there, we passed the remains of the two stone doors, shattered on the ground.  Beyond them was only a small alcove, and moldering remains of cloth and leather.  But not far from that stood the oak door.This one was similar to the one we ran into the entrance.  Iesa stepped up to it and examined the lock for a moment, and then retrieved his tools from his pouch and started to work on it. <<SPRONG>>I could see Iesa close his eyes and grimace in frustration.  “Beepu could you…do your trick again?”“More rust?” Beepu said with a smile and was already starting the transmutation.  In moments, the metal lock was now flimsy wood, and Daneath broke it open.“I’m going to have to practice,” Iesa said shaking his head.I touched his shoulder as he put away his tools.  “Well, just think of it of saving it for when you really need it.”“Heh I guess,” and Iesa stood up, and we resumed our exploration.  The tunnel continued straight for a while and then started to widen.  Before the others could see, it was clear that the passage ahead of us descended.  But there was an opening on the left before that.As we approached, I heard a sound.  I glanced at the others and found them returning my glance. “Is that…crying?” Iesa asked in a hushed tone.“From that passage?  Take a look.” Daneath whispered, nudging Iesa forward.“What?  Why not you?”“I’m in heavy armor, do I sound quiet?”“You’re in heavy armor what’s going to hurt you?”“Fine, if you two are going to argue about it,” I said stepping forward, before Iesa caught my arm.“No…I’ll do it,” and he moved down the hall, with Mo following quietly behind him.“What has gotten into him?” Beepu wondered aloud.“I think I have a guess,” I said.  “I have seen this before, after someone gets seriously hurt.  You have proof you aren’t invincible.”I watched Iesa in the distance peer looking into the room, and I saw him stiffen, and then slowly back up.  As soon as made some distance, he started to run back to where we stood in the hall.“What’s the matter?” Daneath asked, almost annoyed.“Well…it’s a woman crying--” Iesa started.“A ghost?” I guessed.To which Iesa nodded, “I could see through her…so…yeah.”“Did she notice you?” I asked.Iesa shook his head.  “We avoid her...I’ll try moving really slow along the opposite wall.”“Wait are you…” I started.“I don’t know if I can handle another fight,”“Ok…let’s go.” I said.  But as we made our way down the hall, I crept towards the side passage, and looked within.The figure was indeed a woman, kneeling in torn furs and homespun cloth.  Her auburn hair was long and braided, and her skin was a dark sun kissed color.  But as Iesa said you could see through her.  She paid me no mind, as all of her focus was on a casket resting on a bier.  It appeared to be damaged from a broken part of the ceiling, crushing it.I looked at her for a moment.  She wasn’t like the other undead; she didn’t seem to want to kill us.  I wasn’t even sure if she heard me at the entrance, or even if she cared. Unlike the other undead, I wanted to help her somehow.  I remembered tales of spirits being laid to rest by helping it.  Completing an unfinished task, a blessing or prayer, and even returning the bones of the dead to their resting place.  I was half a mind to enter the room, when I felt a tugging on my leg.Looking down I saw Mo release his grip on my breeches, and pad back over to Iesa.  Looking at him, he had an exasperated expression on his face, and perhaps a small bit of fear.  I turned to look at the spirit in the room and sighed.  I remembered an old maxim that my mentor, the Speaker told me once:“Remember, while we serve our lord; the needs of the living outweigh the needs of the dead.”I turned my back to the spirit and quietly moved to the stairs and followed the others down.  All I could do was mutter under my breath; “May Kelemvor grant you peace.”  I wanted to do more, I felt I could have.  But the fear in Iesa, the battered Daneath; both came first.We continued down the stairs until it opened into square room, which then led into a large room.  Since I was last in the line, all I heard was a gasp, and Beepu running to the right side.  The brothers turned and followed.  I caught up and looked down at the kneeling gnome, to see what had caught his interest.It was a leather pack, with brass colored fittings.  But on the flap covering the opening, was a rune I didn’t recognize.  But then it dawned on me. It wasn’t old and rotten; it was in very good shape.“This…this is my fathers!” he whispered.  And he opened the pack and looked inside.  I could see papers, similar to the plans he poured over, and I also saw a small book.  His hands were quivering as he undid the clasp that held it shut.  He opened it and started to flip the pages.“It’s a journal, but it was only partially filled out.  But there is a note here…” and he quickly started to scan through it his eyes flashing back and forth, digesting it.  It seemed to be eternity as he read, before finally Iesa spoke up.“And?”“What?  Oh sorry.  Forgot you were here.” Beepu said guilty.“So what does it say?” I asked.“Well, it is a personal letter, but it says a couple of things.  The first is that there is a piece of a device here and the schematics to build it.  It is basically another copy of the device that they have.  The other pieces are elsewhere, and I must find them. “The second is that he is travelling with you father, helping him somehow.  Oh, he calls him Umbra.  It looks he is running from the Kershak, but it does not say why.”“Where were they going?” Daneath asked intently.“Let me see…oh my.” And Beepu looked at me in the eyes.  “They were trying to get to Sigil.”“What?” I asked.  Beepu now had all my focus.  “How?  What key did they have?” I knelt on the floor grasping Beepu’s shoulders, on verge of shaking him.“The device would take them there directly.  It says nothing about a key.”“That…that’s not supposed to be possible,” I said my voice dropping to almost a whisper.“What do you mean Myrai.  You’re here,” Iesa said.“Yes, that was different.  That’s why I was looking for a key and portal to Sigil, or somewhere I could get to that has well known ones, like Sylvania.”“So, what’s the difference?”  Iesa pressed.“This is going to take a bit.  Sigil is called the ‘City of Doors’ for a reason.  It has portals to everywhere in the multiverse.  All you need to find one, and the key and, poof there you are.  The key could be a piece of bone, or something weird like the breath of a cat.  There is a brisk trade for the locations for both.  Some portals are permanent, others are temporary.  Some work in both directions, and some are one way.”“So, this device creates a portal to Sigil.  That is not strange.” Beepu beamed.“No,” I said shaking my head. “Sigil has another nickname; it’s called ‘The Cage,’ by us for a reason.  There are no physical doors or main gate into Sigil at all.  Because of this people like to go to Sigil and hide.  We call it ‘Giving the Laugh.’“Ok.  I think I understand that,” Daneath said, and I watched him trying to work out the implications.  “But if there are no entry ways into Sigil, how do you get there or leave?”“Only by portals that are…created by the Lady,” I said reluctant to say her name, even here so far away from my home.“The Lady?” Daneath asked confused.“We…she has been called the ‘Lady of Pain’ for a very long time…since before there were Tieflings.  But she is the ruler of the city.  Sure, the factions ran…er used to run the city’s services and handle crime and laws about theft, commerce and other stuff mostly.  But she sets the big rules.  You don’t worship her, you leave her Dabus alone, you can’t be a member of a faction anymore, you don’t threaten the city.  But there is a big one that she enforces; she controls all the portals in and of Sigil.  All of them.  There isn’t a spell that can breach that.  Tanar’ri Lords can’t.  Baatezu can’t.  Angels can’t.  Powers can’t.  It’s why the Blood War doesn’t flood the city, or why it isn’t a staging area for fights elsewhere.”“Are you sure that’s true?” Asked Iesa.I nodded, “During the Faction War, she shut every portal down after a bunch of fiends from both sides of the Blood War started killing each other, and then Sigilites.  I guess she did that to prevent more from coming in.  But that also created new problems.  No food, no water, nothing was coming in or out for days.  No one could enter.  No one could leave.  After the war ended, the portals reopened, and a bunch of people left because of her new rule about factions.  At least those with keys did.  I stayed, partially because I didn’t have a reason to leave.  But also; I didn’t have a key.”“So how did you get here then?” Daneath asked.“I…was in the Smoldering Corpse bar, when a fight broke out.  I dove to get behind the bar, and somehow that triggered a portal.  I crossed it and landed on my back on a farm in Triboar.  But I don’t know how I triggered it.  It might have been someone else for all I know.  I found Beepu, followed him to the Dandelion’s bar.  There he told me that his father might be able to help.  But I thought he meant he knew where a portal was or had a spell that could get me close.  Not a device like you are talking about,” I said looking at Beepu.“So I do not see the problem,” Beepu said.“The problem is that the edicts of the Lady are Law.  Its not supposed to be possible.  It would...change a lot of things if it is true,” I said, not wanting to say more.“Well, I do not have all the pieces yet anyway.  I will need a lot of time to read through these notes to even determine how to build it.”“Well, pack it all up.  We should see if there is an exit near here,” Daneath said, sounding tired.I nodded absently, lost in my thoughts.  A device that could get to Sigil directly?  I couldn’t think of anything more dangerous.  Every power and proxy would want it.  No power can set foot in Sigil now, but this…this might change that.  But even if it didn’t the Blood War could spill there, powers could send their proxies at will into the city. Assuming someone with it wasn’t just mazed on the spot by the Lady.  Or worse, flayed body and soul.  Beepu may not realize it, but we might become marked by every proxy from the Abyss to Mount Celestia wanting it.  Some might just want to trade, but a lot just might try to take it by force.  But I suppose it was a problem for later.Once Beepu had repacked his things with his father’s, we continued across the room to the next hall.  This hallway was carved with more shapes into the side of the rock.  Animals, stars, weapons, and people.  Finally, the hall emptied into a large circular room.This room was lit with a cool blue light streaming from above.  There was even the movement of air, and the light bounced off of dust, stirred up by the air.  The walls had more carvings, but these has splashes of colors; crimson, ochre, and indigo the most common.  But here, they were probably a faded reminder of their former glory.  The center had a dais taking up perhaps half of the room, and in the middle of it was a gnarled stump of a tree.  Yet was if it was plucked from the ground, exposing deep inter twining roots and then suspended above the earth.  It was old gnarled and dead; none of the branches above had leaf or flower.  While it was a marvel to look upon, a motion among the roots caught my eye. A figure dressed in tattered robes made of fur and leather emerged from beneath the tree.  As we slowly approached, I could see that he wore a magnificent headdress toped with a rack of elk antlers.  Streaming from the antlers were ghostly feathers and ribbons.  And then I realized, that he too was a ghost, long forgotten in the halls beneath Flint Rock.He stepped towards us slowly, his eyes were featureless, but his head turned to each of us in turn.  He looked at Iesa for a moment, then Daneath.  As he turned and looked at Beepu his head cocked to one side as if surprised, and then he looked at me.  I felt like he was peering deep into me, searching for something.  I was expecting chills or cold, but instead I felt warmth as he looked within me.   And I wasn’t sure if he took longer with me than the rest, but it felt like it nonetheless.  Finally, the apparition spoke.“You have purged the darkness left behind by others.  For this we are grateful,” its deep echoing voice said, resonating within the chamber.  “You have calmed many of the restless souls here, and yet did not disrespect our eternal slumber.  Go forth in peace, living ones; for beyond the veil there are gifts for you.  But do not return again to this place.”  And with the final word, the spirit broke apart into motes of light that scattered beneath the roots of the tree.  As they danced, a doorway of light coalesced and hung in the air shimmering.We looked at each other, uncertain, and perhaps leery of taking the first step.  Finally, I did, as I thought to myself, a portal is a portal.  I stepped beneath the roots and took a deep breath and closed my eyes.  Then I walked into the doorway. It felt warm, refreshing and alive.  That feeling spread through out my limbs and gave me a feeling of peace and calm.  I then felt the warmth of the sun on my face and on the skin of my arms.  Floral smells invaded my nostrils and the scent of cold dust fell away.  The tension of days of toil, of fighting, of surviving fell away from my shoulders and back. It was strange; the feeling was familiar.  Almost the same as when I helped others pass the veil into the Fugue, or the first time I knelt to give myself to Kelemvor.  It was a pure feeling washing over me.I opened my eyes, and found myself alone in a green field, with wildflowers covering the hills in a carpet of colors.  Colors I had never seen and never dreamed of before.  A brilliance and beauty that brought tears to my eyes.  Then I saw…It strode in the field of flowers.  It was of colossal size and my mind could barely hold its image.  It was majestic, perfect in shape and form.  The nimbus of golden light made it hard to look at.  It didn’t just almost blind the eyes, but my mind as everything else fell away from perception.Its head turned only slightly, and it regarded me silently.  It’s impassive gaze saw through me, seeing me for everything I was and could be.  I knew then that I was in the presence of a power.  Something we talked about with disdain in Sigil; far away from their direct influence.  Thinking of them as distant cold beings, unable to comprehend mortals and their challenges.As I stood in the presence of the Elk, I knew then that they were wrong.  I had committed myself to my own power, the one that was there at the end of things.  A point to reflect on all that had been done with your life.  To me I saw that as different than most powers, an exception to the others. But the Elk that I saw before me was for life as the Elk tribe lived in the now.  It cared in the most primal and pure way that anything could.  It was beyond my comprehension.  But even now as I stared at it, I could feel it caring even about me; an insignificant mortal, far from its charges.  And in that moment a brief flickering of…gratitude.  And then the nimbus increased in intensity, blinding my vision.As the light faded from my eyes, I found myself standing on a familiar plain, far less colorful, and far fewer flowers.  I was no longer alone, as the others stood with me.  Beepu too had tears in his eyes, while Iesa and Daneath looked at each other with surprise, each holding an object.  Iesa held a short blade with a wavy edge, and Daneath held a longsword, etched with runes.I looked about, and I realized we were far south, not a day’s journey away from Portstown.  And as the sun was setting in the western hills, I wondered how far we had left to go, and what challenges we would face next.Session notes:So, we all got a reward at the end of this…almost.  My reward was next to that ghost, that I couldn’t convince the others to face it.  All I needed to do was a ceremony.  The DM did feel guilty about it.</blockquote>

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