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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hairy Minotaur" data-source="post: 4092112" data-attributes="member: 11574">Something ventured, Something gainedAs the ethereal veil is lifted, the Isle of Croy comes into focus. A large platform emerges underneath the party’s feet, arcane runes glow a soft blue and then fade. The island proper then comes into view as the glistening water reflects the high sun. Xanthos notes that most buildings have no roof and are open to the sky. The School of Ancient Knowledge representative heads off to the east as a dozen clay golems move in to surround the party.“Take the one in all black and the elf to Krizz’t’ck’s lab, the rest are to be move into quarters.” A copper-hued half-dragon commands from the right of the party behind the line of golems.Xanthos and Eeyore are taken immediately inside a tower-like structure, within are eleven archways arranged in the interior marble wall of the tower. They look to be decorative as there is nothing but marble on the other side of them. Each arch protrudes from the wall about a foot and all are covered with arcane symbols. The golem lead Xanthos and Eeyore to an arch just to the right of the entrance, with a slight shove the two men are pushed towards the wall at the back of the arch, a momentary flinch in anticipation of their face hitting stone goes by unanswered as they are teleported again to a hot and dark room with a small stove fire burning.“Come lay down on the tables.” A voice speaks to their mindsThe light increases in intensity and grows to illuminate a pair of thick wooden tables to either side of the stove fireplace. The golems don’t move to prod the men to the tables; Xanthos and Eeyore stare at each other for a moment before complying with the request. After tentatively seating themselves a large bug creature with long stick-like arms emerges from behind the stove and moves in-between the two men. “I am Krizz’t’ck and I have heard you are afflicted with one of my people’s toys. Tell me, how was it that you came to possess these things.” The slithilar requests“To move about the island, you will need to possess a gate key. Otherwise you will be forced to stay in a guest room until the completion of your friends’ surgery. There are many keys, however only one opens all the doors. The key I give you today will allow you to visit the marketplace and the above ground parts of the island. Do not lose your key as a replacement will not be granted and keys become inert after you leave the island and are not rechargeable.” The half-dragon states.Adokul is given a small skull of a pixie and is told to wear it around his neck to pass through doors. Any doors he goes through will lead him to the marketplace, above ground on the island, or back to his own room. A golem approaches Haimish with a similar skull.“Wait.” The half-dragon orders, “That one already possesses a key.” The words confused Haimish, maybe it was the bleeding rock they found? Or some other item? Or maybe the dragon was mistaken for whatever reason. Haimish was sure none of the items he’d cast detect magic on resonated with anything that could be used as a teleport key.The dragon next spoke to Kourk, “You are not arcane and therefore not allowed free reign in our city. You will be confined to your room and made to wait there. You may request a guide to show you the above grounds, but that is all.”“How xenophobic of you. I appreciate your respect for my power.” Kourk responded.The half-dragon merely scoffed and waved the golem to lead Kourk to his room, “The rest of you are free to go where your limitations restrict you.” And with that the golems and the half-dragon blinked away.“You never mentioned you had been here before. Where are the places one should see while they are here?” Adokul asks HaimishHaimish didn’t readily answer as he was going over his inventory in his mind, trying to locate what the key might be, “huh? Oh sorry. Um, try the oracle. I’ve heard the readings she gives you will move you to switch convictions.” “Sounds interesting, I think I’ll try that first. Let’s see how does this thing wor..” and with a thought Adokul to teleported to the steps of a great shrine. Massive pillars support a dome of night, in that the very night sky could be viewed from within the shrine. Resting within a mound of pillows lay a six-armed woman with the body of a snake. Haimish wanders off the platform with no clear goal and walks among the residents of the island, he sees stone giant runecasters, mind flayers, ghoul sorcerers, elementals of all shapes sizes and even some that appeared to be only rumored in texts attributed to hacks. It wasn’t until his first hour on the island had passed that he noticed all the wizard eyes floating about. They seemed to be everywhere, small disembodied eyeballs floating in midair, constantly watching and recording everything that went on in their field of vision. Even though he had been told to freely wander the outside island, Haimish couldn’t help but think this was more like prison, and with that thought Haimish was whisked away.Kourk found his room to be simple yet functional, his found he liked that. He couldn’t remember why he liked free from art so much, heck even a week ago he was battering for an exclusive piece of “living” art when the slaad craftsman he was dealing with became insulted with his offer and decided Kourk should pay for the piece with his life. He had also done some soul searching in the past 24 hours and thought that his faith might be better served under the thumb of a deity who wasn’t so fickle. Maybe a good dwarven god would do the trick? Someone who appreciated a good day’s work and had simple rules that were easily discernable and followed. Kourk sifted through his knowledge of divinity searching for a good candidate to switch his allegiance to, he never considered that his current deity would be upset by this, after all Kourk had logically thought this whole process out and it just made sense to him and that should be all the convincing his current god needed. After Xanthos and Eeyore relayed their stories to the slithilar, the bug-like creature stroked what amounted to its chin in contemplation of what might have corrupted the devices. “It is clear to me that the grafts will have to be removed, spider-shifter you will have to remain unconscious in a growth tube while a new organic skin is regenerated to re-clothe yourself, this will be a minor inconvenience for me and should conclude two days hence.” The slithilar communicated“Druid your extraction will be a little more of a hassle as I shall have to re-implant a functioning device where your current one is removed, I hope to avoid death, but grafts are usually not meant to be swapped as if one was in a market.” The creature relays to XanthosXanthos sends a quick sending to Adokul to have him pick up a belt of healing while he shops on the island, before the slithilar psychically knocks out the patients and begins his surgery. Adokul slowly ascends the white marble steps that sharply contrast with the dark interior ceiling of the shrine. His steps resonate with a low moaning sound that unnerves him and he stops midway up the steps. Taking a deep breath he looks around for any other visitors hoping to see he wasn’t the only one hearing the noise. “Adokul, pick me up a belt of healing from a merchant on the island.” Xanthos’ voice echoed through the mage’s head startling Adokul and causing him to stumble forward falling on the steps two thirds of the way up.Cursing to himself, the sorcerer readies to lift himself up, but several hands grasp his robes and heft him off the steps completely. Adokul tries to squirm his way free, but his whipping head snaps forward and he looks into the demonic eyes of the maralith.“I grow tired of waiting for you to produce enough testosterone to finish your climb. The oracle does not like to be kept waiting, there are several other suitors who are waiting to paying for her services.” The maralith states“You’re not the oracle?” Adokul asks“No, I am a handmaiden. The oracle waits below in the melancholy below the sky.” The maralith speaks and tosses Adokul skidding into the shrine. Dust clouds kick up as the human missile tumbles over the stone floor. Adokul coughs out what dust was breathed in during his travel and shoves himself off the ground. It wasn’t until his head was receding from the floor that he realized the floor was made of compacted bone ground to dust. The taste caught the back of his tongue as he coughed it up. To someone with spellcraft the taste is unforgettable. Large black bat wings unfurled from the center of the pillow pit and a stunningly beautiful woman rose with the wings. Veins of red ran over the wings giving Adokul the impression of a field of lava on a black landscape. He’d only read about succubi before and from what his brain was scurrying to bring back paled in comparison with the real thing which stood in all her glory before him. “You seek the Oracle of Croy to aid you in a matter of importance?” The succubus cooed Adokul’s brain screamed “danger!” but his heart had already surrendered and was sewing a white flag with his soul, “Sure, can you help me with my question?” *chuckle* “What do you have in payment for this mighty knowledge that I will bestow upon you?” The succubus answeredAdokul shook off the effects of the succubus’ hold on his will and he turned his back to the creature and tried to imagine annis hags eating gelatinous cubes full of pus. However the image of the succubus kept overlaying anything vile and disgusting his brain could dream up. Adokul willed his legs backwards, shuffling his feet across the bone dust floor.“Leaving so soon? We haven’t even negotiated my rate yet. Please stay for a while, I’ve no one else to talk to and the maralith is nearly useless as a pleasure toy and it’s been so long since anyone has paid the price of my knowledge.” The succubus’ words peel away Adokul’s resolve in layers as he slows his retreat.“Hey Adokul! Did you get my message?” Xanthos’ shouting shattered through Adokul’s skull and the distraction enabled him to refocus on fleeing and he picked up his feet and ran out of the shrine never looking back.“I need a brothel.” Adokul thought to himself and instantly he stood inside an underground cavern full of store fronts and all manner of arcane beings as they went abut battering and shopping for sundries. “Looking for a good time are you?” A pixie startled Adokul’s senses back to his immediate surroundingsThe building to his left was dark inside and an overwhelming smell of incense wafted outside of it. The sign on the door merely said “professionals” in about twenty different languages.“Well? Are we dealing here? Cause if you’re not then you need to get a move on you’re blocking others views of the place.” The pixie saidAdokul focused on the pixie that was obviously interrupted on her way to or from the shower as her lack of clothes indicated. Adokul’s danger meter was broken and it would take several therapy sessions to get it to work right, and with that Adokul reached into his purse and shoved a handful of gold in the pixie’s face.“That’ll do nicely human.” And the pixie motioned for Adokul to follow</blockquote>

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