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Message: <blockquote data-quote="haiiro" data-source="post: 1798474" data-attributes="member: 1891">In the tower...Artemis and Cupric both approach the shimmering man.Cupric strums his lute, playing a lilting melody with soothing tones, and walks towards the figure with a helpful expression on his face. Between verses, he comments to Artemis about the shimmering man's arm, keeping an eye on the glowing form the whole time.Though his song has power behind it, the drawn-out shriek does not abate, nor does the being's expression change.Artemis responds back that he doesn't think the arm is related to the one they're carrying. Trying to block out the noise of the continuing scream, the wiry barbarian notices that he doesn't feel any different after the pulse passed through him.When he shouts a question at the shimmering man, Artemis might as well be speaking to a wall: there is no change in his posture, and no sign that he has noticed the Follies.Tuggle comes up beside Cupric and casts learn heritage on the shimmering form -- receiving the same result as in the past: his race is "portal network," and he has no family or ancestry. As he continues to writhe, it's clear that he isn't trapped in the wall per se: it seems as though that's simply where he happens to be, and his limbs pass freely in and out of the stone.OOC: Cupric and Artemis only: [spoiler]Just at the edge of your hearing, you catch a snippet of speech: "Uroboran will be pleased. Tell him we have found the fifteenth gate, and --" The voice is sibilant and muted, and sounds as though it is coming from very far away.[/spoiler]Even focused as they are on the shimmering man, Tuggle, Cupric and Artemis all notice something odd: Jaehn, Olo and Milo have not moved since the pulse passed through them -- it's as if they're frozen in place.Olo is the easiest one to see, and it's clear that something is happening to him. Where he stood moments ago there is now an Olo-shaped outline in the air, limned around the edges with pale blue light, and Olo himself appears to be shrinking -- or receding -- into this space.Stranger still, the outline seems to be a portal of some kind: through it, the Follies can see a collection of slender spires of elven design, set against the backdrop of a glittering sea. Olo doesn't appear to be falling into this landscape so much as he is transitioning into it.A quick sidewise glance confirms that the same thing is happening to Jaehn and Milo -- and everyone has heard enough Harper tales to recognize the spires in the background: Evermeet.To make matters stranger still, a gleaming wall of energy has popped into existence at the end of the hallway opposite the door-panel. It is partly translucent, and through it the Follies can see...Tal? Tal and a dwarf standing on road with the sun shining and a forest behind them?OOC: I've updated the <a href="http://3d6.org/tools/01_elite_quarters.gif" target="_blank">map of the area</a>.On Owlbear Path...Arweil looks nearly as surprised as Tal when Marduke hauls himself to his feet, somewhat unconvincingly cinching up his pants and making crude remarks. They both recover quickly, Arweil's eyes narrowing and Tal responding to Marduke's question as though nothing odd had just taken place.As Marduke comes abreast of Tal, the cleric says Arweil's name -- and the man's eyebrows shoot up."I've a tremendous memory for faces, friend priest, and I'm certain I'd remember yours. But I don't," he adds, his hand straying back to the base of his ponytail. "And by-the-by, that's strange company you keep -- venison, eh, friend dwarf? Offloading that greasy tripe, I'm surprised you weren't shaking those bushes a bit more --"-- at which point Arweil is cut off by a low, sonorous bzzzzrrrmm noise from just behind Tal and Marduke.As all three of you glance around to see what it was, you're faced with a surprising sight: a giant-sized "doorway" of glowing energy, sunk partly into the road (where it dispappears seamlessly) -- and through it, a blue-litten stone corridor -- in which you can see what looks like several figures, caught in a strange tableau.To Tal, the surprise is compounded by recognition: it's Tuggle, Artemis and Cupric, as well as the enigmatic figure of the shimmering man, dancing or writhing half-in and half-out of one wall.Marduke recognizes none of them, of course, and has never seen anything quite like the shimmering man before. There's far too much going on for him to take it in completely, at least all at once -- but one thing's for certain: that doorway is an active portal.Behind them, Marduke and Tal both hear what sounds like the scuffle of Arweil's feet as he breaks into a run. No sound whatsoever emerges from the portal.OOC: Marduke only: [spoiler]Given the nature of Driven's carnival, some of his Players have knowledge about portals. Based on your experience, it's a safe bet that Arweil knows what this one is and what it does, if nothing else.[/spoiler]----Tuggle's Listen check was a 5 ([1]+4) (from the first post).Marduke's Bluff -- to convince Arweil that he'd been crapping in the bushes -- was a 4 ([2]+2).</blockquote>

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