Tale of the Clueless - Chapter 1: On the Seas of Air [IC Thread]

Beni comes back down into the cabin, offering to show you around. He takes you around below-deck showing you some of the items he’s carrying (though interestingly he does not mention anything about the weapon you were hired to protect). He takes you above-deck, detailing the general function of the equipment (how the rigging works and so on). Before long, the Sea Breeze is moving away from Planar-Harbour and slowly heading towards one of the freestanding hoops. The sailors – mostly what you’ve learnt are called air genasi and aasimar – are busy on deck pulling ropes, moving sails around to catch the wind, and generally working. To those of you who’ve been on ships before, there is little if any difference between a normal ship and this so-called planar ship – no air bag holding the thing aloft or strange elemental engines that push it forward. Unlike some of the other ships in Planar-Harbour, which seem to float above the water, the ship you are in seems no more than a normal vessel…

You soon approach the free-standing stone circle and you now see a faint pulsing light emanating from runes carved alongside the circumference of the rings-surface. Derrick mentions something about the craftsmanship on the rings, though his voice is faint as he looks on as though this were his very first trip aboard the ship, which heads towards the portal.

And eventually, the ship reaches the structure, which towers above, dozens of feet high. And, just as you see the ring focussing in your view, you see the water around you disappear. It could have happened in a blink, the change is so quick. In its place, all around you, you see nothing but an infinite vista of clear blue skies and picturesque clouds – and not only in the distance too, but up close, just beneath the keel of the ship, as though it were gliding through the weightless white vapour. It is a strange sight, a bit disorienting at first, but tranquil and not without its own individual charm. Defying what you have for your entire life assumed to be the natural way of things, the ship you are in is floating in this infinite sky and… perhaps stranger still, a large rock floats in the air in the distance ahead of you, perhaps higher up than you are.

But slowly as your eyes adjust to the superb quality or air here (and you begin to realise that you are seeing at least twice as far you normally would be able), you realise that what at first you assumed to be a large boulder turns out to be no less than a mountain, just floating there in the endless sky as though its weight were no concern. As though that were not enough, you can see shrubs and even small trees clinging to its rugged edges. A few buildings, small and lonely-looking, stand in the highest peaks; perhaps the refuge of monks or the studies of capricious spellcasters. Whatever their purpose, you will not find out (at least not today) as the The Sea Breeze passes by the place, heading for some unseen destination.

The air is cool here and a faint breeze flits though the heavens (if such they can be called), giving you a much needed break from the smog and pattering rain of Sigil. At first you feel slightly disoriented by the transition, by the floating mountain, by near-total singularity of what surrounds you, though you quickly get used to it. Beside you, Beni speaks ‘Welcome to my home, the Plane of Air. Savour it, for rarely will you see anything quite as beautiful or exquisite.’

In a way, of course, he is right.​
 

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Vor perches on the bowsprit trying to keep out of the way of the sailors while studying the magical gate they're approaching at the edge of the demi-plane. In anticipation, the little dragon whispers a few words of power to grant himself the ability to directly perceive magical auras. Once the ship approaches within range Vor peers intently ahead, curious to study the strands of the weave of magic enveloping the enormous ring of stone as it propels the vessel and her crew into another plane of existence.

Once through the portal, Vor looks back to see what the gateway appears as on this side of the eldritch passage. The little dragon however is soon caught up in the spectacle of clouds breaking across the bow of the vessel as it plunges deeper into the plane. Anxious to put the half-djin's words to the test Vor unfurls his little wings and, looking upward, attempts to will himself to rise above the ship's bowsprit.
 

Beni smiles at the dragons' actions 'The trick, Vor, is to will down to be the direction to want to travel in. You'll go straight in that direction until you will another down and so on. It'll take a while to get used to. Best try it out now so you'll know how when you need it.'

It's tricky at first, and you find yourselves unable to jump farther than you would normally. Though as you persevere, you begin to jump higher and, finally, you leave the surface of the ship and begin 'falling' upwards. A quick change of thoughts brings you back down with a thud. It will take a bit of getting used to, but best get used to it now before you need it :)

[sblock=Vorastrix]Since you have wings, i'll rule you can fly properly with average manouverability and x2 speed to your normal base land speed[/sblock]
 
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Vor takes Beni's advice and begins practicing. After a few awkward near misses with the deck, the mast, rigging and other crew members, Vor instead launches himself off of the gunwale to have more room to experiment in the wide open sky. The little dragon is soon "falling" horizontally back and forth beside the ship. Unfortunately the sudden reversal of direction at each end causes Vor to at first fly forward and then tumble wildly tail-first as he falls backwards. He keeps trying to twist himself around in mid-fall to be facing in the correct direction but soon ends up tumbling end over end in both directions.

Eventually Vor comes to the realization that the back and forth motion is the problem and instead starts trying to circle horizontally next to the ship. This tactic meets with some measure of success, though the little dragon's turns remain sudden jerky changes of direction; his circles seeming more like squares. Taking joy even in this progress, Vor keeps at it and soon begins using his own wings, tail and natural affinity with flight to help transition more smoothly between direction shifts; at first only zig-zaging through the air. Enjoying this new experience of flight, Vor continues refining his technique until he is gliding smoothly through figure-eights, loops and barrel-rolls around beside, under and over the ship.
 

As Idim tries to adjust to the way things work here, the others see her first sprinting and leaping into the air. While some may have, at first, thought that she was quickly mastering the place, the truth is that she is simply quite adept at leaping even in normal gravity. However, her enthusiam for the activity is evident, as she keeps working until it almost looks natural.

"I cannot believe it, my friends!" she exclaims to her companions. "This is truly amazing. I could grow to love this place. And the air is so fresh and clear." It is obvious that the Shaaryan girl feels more at home here than in stuffy Sigil.
 

Drota watched the little dragon and the other woman cavort in the air, the dragon quickly acquiring grace and performing some daredevil acrobatics. The orc woman watched as Idim casually leaps about in the air many feet above the deck, and finally takes a deep breath. Then she steps over the side of the ship. She stifles a scream as she falls, before gathering her wits about her and trying to will herself to stop falling! You can't be smashed here, there is no ground, there is no place to land, you can't die from a fall here... she repeats to herself over and over, trying to keep Beni's advice in mind.

By that time she was a rather goodly distance "down" underneath the ship, and had to fiercely will herself to fall "up." And fall she did, bypassing the ship, then falling "down" again in a long arc to land in a messy heap. "Orcs aren't supposed to fly," she muttered, picking herself up again.
 

Once above deck, Terrathoin grabs a railing and silently watches the sights pass by. After they pass through the portal, the white Knuckles and kung-fu grip on the railing make it evident this is a very new experience for the dwarf.

Terrathoin remarks as Vor takes to the air."I think I'll just stay here for now if you don't be minding." As he sees Idim and Drota take to the air he begins to release his grip on the railing. He faces lengthwise down the ship, railing close at hand and begins to will down directly in front of him. After some time of apparently just standing there he begins to slide forward and his hand quickly lashes out at the nearest fixed object. He repeats this several times, slowly and awkwardly sliding across the deck's surface. He stops and begins to slowly rise and fall but a few inches each time before solidly landing upon the deck. He nods as if to congratulate himself before turning to see the progress of the others.
 

Beni smiles as he sees you all getting to grips with the plane. 'Only a few of the Upper Planes are as beutiful... or peaceful as the Boundless Blue. It makes me feel good being here, as though true harmony can truly exist in the multiverse. But wheneve rI leave the place... well, relity kicks in again and i remember that places like Carceri, the Abyss, Acheron and Hades exist.

'But do not let the blue skies and clouds lure you into a false sense of security. Few places are truly without peril, and Air is an inner plane after all, sister to Fire and Water, and Ooze and Salt and Magma. The Lords of Air are the Air elementals and Djinni. the Djinni are noble and ruthless rulers who do not suffer tresspasers well. Other creatures, avian predators like sphinxes, griffons, flying rays and sharks make their homes here; all efficient predators.

The weather is not always this ood and planaer pockets can wrek havoc - when fire and Air mix, there is Smoke whgich sometimes blots entire realms of Air in darkness. Hurricanes, storns and other elemental perils exist out here. So make no mistakes: she is a beautiful realm, but no less deadly than others.

Now, I need to see to maps with Drahluut, so mak yourselves at home and don't cause any trouble. You'll soon know if you are needed,'
he smiles.
 

Following Beni up on to the deck Thrumgall stands next to Terrathoin, looking out into the Boundless Blue. "It's unnatural, no ground only sky." He licks his lips nervously and continues "And we just have to think about down which way is down to fly, it's not natural but I better learn to do it." He watches Vox and Idim enjoying themselves flying around for a few minutes. How bad can it be? he said to himself and then begins to concentrate on down being up.

"Morrraadddinnn's Hammmmer!" He shot up from the ship like a catapult shot. Not good, not good, need to slow down he thought and concentrated on down being beneath the ship and suddenly he was falling down past ship faster than before. He continued rocketing around the ship for the better part of 10 minutes trying to learn how to control him self, with very little success. Finally, his flight ended as he flew by the mast and he desperately grabbed a hold of it. For a few moments he hung there like some sort of strange flag before reorienting back to normal gravity. He slowly shimmies down the mast and sits down at the base of mast panting. "Unnatural I tell you, dwarves’ are not mean to fly."
 


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