@Argos

The bag comes hurtling towards you  (it was meant to be quite a light throw, but he miscalculated and sort of hurled it with too much force). Yet you make it! You jump and manage to clasp it in your hands. However, with the momentum, it makes you stumble a bit and it slips. It light thunks to the floor. An empty round glass bottle rolls out along with another bottle you recognize as a potion of climbing. Its brown, silver, and gray layers jostle around from the impact, but never mix together. Among the other contents in the now slightly opened bag is just clothes, some dried foods, and a spellbook.

The tiefling frowns and gestures with one free arm something that conveys 'how did you miss that?'. He doesn't seem to mind the rest of the spilled contents. "You would think that that would help you climb, but it really doesn't." He continues to try to wiggle out his foot from between the fence poles but it doesn't seem to work. He even tries to slip his foot out from the shoe, but its also stuck. This gets him ever the more frustrated as he starts grabbing the fence and shaking it. "STUPID FENCE! ARGGGhh" With that much movement, he loses his momentum and his hand slips and he accidentally lets go.

His body falls backwards and on his way down he hits his head upon another branch that knocks him out cold with only the stuck foot keeping him from falling several feet below to the next branch. 

"Whoops.. heh..." Argos chuckled.

He picks up the liquid, thinking about drinking it. He looked back at the tiefling and its goofy movements. All he did back was gesture "I have no idea"

He watched bemused as the tiefling struggled to get out, then he sees him fall.

Argos rushed to the fence. "Oh dear..."

He sighed, realizing the stuck foot saved him. Then starts tapping him. "You ok? Hey. Heyyy?"

Macario follows Inra out of the kitchen and through the hallway, mulling over everything that has happened so far since his arrival at the hotel. He had grown up in the part of the mortal realm closest to the divine domain of death, which had a certain charge or energy to it, but being here in the mountains so close to the divine domain of chaos was something else entirely.

“There’s definitely something to this place, I can feel it too. I wasn’t born in the ruins like you were born here, but I lived there for most of my life until I turned 17. I remember…a sort of heaviness? Almost like Sesisah was more present there than she was anywhere else.” He takes a moment to look up at the ornate ceilings and consider what his host is presenting to him. “You say something is happening, something related to the battle. Have you communed with Intsana, or Fenya, or Dinesa for guidance? Is there anything to be done about whatever it is?”

@Argos

The tiefling's body lightly swings back and forth as he lays there. Going towards the fence, you can see from here that from the way his chest moves up and down he is still breathing, just completely knocked out cold. Poking him only makes the poles creak even more and his foot seems to be slipping. That shoe won't hold him up for long!

 In a moment of irony, a butterfly seems to land on his nose. It sits there, its wings flapping up and down in front of his face. His nose twitches. The guy mumbles a bit. The butterfly, undeterred, starts to crawl down his face. It lands on his mouth.

"Pfft!" He spits (the butterfly flies away), reaching his hands up to go wipe his face. "Augh?! Why? In my mouth?!" That proves more difficult than he first thought. He swings and he hears the fence creaking while his arms are flailing. And that is when his predicament first sets in. 

"Ahhh! What in the 'side?!" He stretches, trying to reach upper body and hands up to his legs. They flop down when he realizes he can't make it. He curses. "How the- WHAT?!" He struggles to get up, swiping at the pole each time his upper body swings. He looks over to his side where his tail is. A little gleam shines in his eyes. He tries to curl his pointed tail towards one pole. It wraps around. Trying to use this as an anchor, he stains to pull himself up, but the grip is not strong enough and it's at the wrong angle. It's like trying to pull yourself up by grabbing your hair. He grunts.

"I am no monkey." He grumbles to himself.

He then attempts to use mage hand. The spectral hand slides up in what seems like slow motion, winding its way toward the pole. It grips it and he goes to lean in to grab it, but there's no hold. His real hands go right through it. He swings his hands down in disappointment and releases the spell.

"Can- ...." He grimaces and looks away, "Can you help me up? I'm freaking stuck."

((you can do a strength check to see if you can pick him up. use the potion. use rope. alternatively you can also leave him ahah))

@Macario

"A heaviness?" She looks away at the rafters in thought, "Yes... that's how it feels. Like a weight on your shoulders right? That you have to bear?"

"You know death. Yes, you are familiar with it. And Argos... he knows life." Inra sighs, bouncing the rock in her hand gently. "I knew I was right to bring you. Life and Death... and Chaos."

"I didn't think there was anything to it at first. But, yes, the battle. I don't know. There's no like specific prophesy, stars aligning, or anything that I've heard! Just now... now all this is happening. Happening so fast. I'm not sure."

She clutches the rock. "I don't know why." Pacing the room, her hands trace the carved reliefs of the landscape. "I... I haven't. They do not speak to me. I mostly have to read in between the lines. See the signs." She then nods, "What I saw... saw a few weeks ago. When I was traveling back from the ride fields. Was a bird coming out from the mountains. Like out from a volcano. But there are no volcanic tops on the mountains. Then it flew to me. Fast like it was far off in the mountains and then in one second- It was by my side. Landed right on my shoulder. It was a true miracle."

"Then the ground shook." She waves her hands across the floor to mimic the motion, "And a flood of names came down to me. From where I never knew before- including yours. The sky danced with a litany of colors. It was almost... beautiful."

"It said- the voice- it said. I needed to do this ritual. It was now or never. The snow had come. No time to fail. And I knew I just had to do it. Like my hand was acting on my own, I wrote those letters... and now... now here you are." She taps the rock with her claw.

"I think. I need to redirect the chaos not to the ice sculpture... but to myself. For the ritual. I mean. That's why I was quick to drop it earlier... but now. I know." The tabaxi's ears are flat on her skull. "I need to contain the magic somewhere... else. A host of some sorts. I can do it... I want to do it. But I needed people to make sure it goes well. That's where you all come in. I need your help later. To steady Dinesa in."

"I know I've done a lot wrong in my life. I know this one. At least will be right."  She looks up at you and smiles. A real warm genuine one. "... I'm really grateful to have met you."

"Inra!" A breathless Elias comes through the swining ballroom doors. "Your grandfather is here to see you!" 

"What?! No!" She looks frantically at you then wave you down, "Take this." She hands you the rock, then curses in her language. But you know the word anyways.

"I gotta go..." Inra follows along with Elias.

"I'll help I guess?"

Argos decides to use the rope for this rescue!

(Got 13)

Actions without thought or awareness. Containing magic in a host. Steadying Dinesa in. As Macario listens and begins to put together some pieces of what Inra might be planning, he grows a bit worried. As he's about to ask more clarifying questions though, she is pulled away and he is left holding a small stone. He takes a brief look around (perception nat 1 for 6), and seeing nothing out of the ordinary (I assume), heads back to his room to rest from the morning's action. As he waits for the elevator, he takes a closer look at the stone Inra had handed to him (arcana or religion 17 - same bonus). 

@Argos

"....Thanks." The tiefling hesitates. His body still swings from this height. "In my bag, I got some rope." Reaching down and looking through his bag, there you spot it - the aforementioned rope. "Make a- you know those loop things? A lasso? Yeah that's right. Make a lasso with it. I'll show you." He makes the motions for it with his hands, which hopefully you can see from up there. He starts with the 'O' part of it and then down to making the final knot. "You got that right? Right?" He looks up at you funny. By the way his eyebrows are arching, you can tell he is really worried.

"Okay now lasso me up!" He shouts and tenses up. He doesn't actually think you'll make it.

((13 > 10 DC Strength Save)) 

And yet you do! You throw the loop over the edge and he grabs it. With a heave and a grunt, he manages to pull himself up together, using your rope as a handhold as you also pull him up with your mighty grip. Once he reaches the ledge of the bridge, he fully hoists himself up. Then finishes off by scrambling over the top of the fence. He lands with a large 'oof' on the wooden planks of the ground.

He dusts himself off.

"Man. Wow." He blinks and cracks his neck, "Thanks. I really mean it." "Wow..." He continues stretching, "My life has literally been in danger twice today." He cracks his knuckles as he picks up his things, and his tail swishes side by side.

"Hey, why were you up here anyways?" You don't have much of a second to answer.

The ground begins to shake. The leaves and branches jostle about alongside with it. The birds and animals squawk and scatter "- HEY WHAT WAS THAT?!"  The tiefling yelps.

@Macario

Inra gives one quick glance at you, gives you a smile, then is out the door with Elias.

You do not see anything out of the ordinary. At least not in this room. You go out and on ahead to wait by the elevators with the rock clutched in your hand. It is a rock. A pretty dull looking one, being matter of fact. Then you look at it. You see it's not dull, but got a purplish hue. It sort of feels... tingly to the touch. Its warm like a freshly brewed cup of coffee. This rock, you begin to recognize, like an itch in the back of your mind though this knowledge never there before. This thought, it whispers, lets you know it's a gnarlrock. It beholds strange trans-mutative properties. This rocks is one that definitely hails from the Feywild. You feel a sort of strange pull to it drawing you in closer.

The room around starts to feel lighter. Like more at ease. That weight is no longer at your shoulders. You feel... numb. In a good way, like after a spa. The air feels like a mist and a nice minty smell fills the space.

'Diiinnnggg'

Opening the door like in slow motion... this is not in fact the elevator. You see purple, green, yellow auras swishing about. Chirps and chitters echo forth. Branches moves like tendril and swish from the other side. A waterfall flows from somewhere up above. All this despite only being a 8 by 8 ft space. This is in fact the Feywild.

Looking around, you see that the hotel, like as if underwater is shiny and ripply. Everyone is in slow motion. Inra is following along with Elias. A grizzled tabaxi gets up from a chair. His fur was once jet black but now it is graying at the edges. Inra reaches her arms out for a hug but a hand is held out and she winces and draws her arms away. Elias gives a little frown. Inra keeps a straight face and tries to smile. The older tabaxi shakes his head. His mouth opens but you can't hear any words. Tears starts to well up in Inra's eyes.

They don't see to recognize you or for that matter even see you. A young elf kid is running and heading straight for you, but like running into snow, some bits of your essence is flung out but then regroup together yet you don't even feel it. That kid runs straight past.

A voice beckons you forth.

"Macario... it's been a long time."

As Argos finishes helping the tiefling, he dusts his hands off. "No problem!" He said gleefully

"Twice, I'm guessing one was with those weirdoes and two was you being stuck there." He pointed at the accursed fence.

He was actually thinking, yeah he came here by accident wanting to go to his room!

But as soon as he was about to talk, shaking happens, and Argos accidentally falls to the floor. "WHAT'S GOING ON!?"

@Argos

The tiefling had smiled at that. "Thanks man. I really do appreciate it." He looked down at his own feet, wondering how in the world they had gotten stuck. He'd been so used to climbing this ledge. Why now?

At the "WHAT'S GOING ON?!" the tiefling looks just as shocked as you. "NO IDEA!" He shouts. "EARTHQUAKE?" He suggests. It sound about right. The wood planks creak and sway as you two are jostled back and forth on the impact. But the whole hotel itself seems sturdy enough not to topple over. Unfortunately a few trees from you do. He goes over to reach his hand to help pick you up, but as soon as he takes a step, he stumbles so hard that he reaches out to the nearest fence to catch himself.

"This day, man!" Now gripping onto the ledge, trying his hardest not to look down. He realized he hadn't been able to answer the question because of the shaking. "No- act-actually it was some dumb mimic? How in the world it got up here, don't ask me! Nearly bit my arm right off if it wasn't for-" He bites his tongue and his grip on the ledge tightens. The birds overheard squawk about as they fly too close for comfort that even the tiefling who was about only 5'1 ft feels the need to duck. He bats them away in the same gesture. 

"Those GUYS didn't get to find me. They know I live up here." He doesn't even care how pathetic that sounds. "At least when the observatory is closed. But that ledge..." He inhales sharply. And soon enough the shaking stops. After catching his breath, he leans over and offers you a hand up.

A low rumble is heard from far away. Then it gets louder. And louder until-

The tiefling runs to the other side of the observatory ledge.

"What the-? The snow?!" He curses, "I forgot the word. The one- It's falling." He shouts. "AVALANCHE?!"

[[ Insight 23 to see if I recognize the voice or know the best way to respond? ]]

(So sorry, my keyboard just didn't want to work, so I had to get a new one!)

Argos thanked him, but he couldn't help but giggle about how a creature like him could be like that.

He hears the rumble, but Argos isn't bothered.

Until the teifling ran to the edge and said avalanche

"How- when... why..." The words circled his mind, as he tried to find a safe place.

((hey guys sorry I've been so slow to respond to this thread. I've been having trouble on kind of where we should go forth from here because I didn't sturtucre the story as much as I probably should have so I've been sort of trying to figure it out.))

@Macario

The voice is none you have ever heard of before. You can feel it writhe and scatter against the wind, one that billows forth from the space that was once an elevator, almost like it has a tangible form for such a disembodied voice. The world around you pulsates colors and emotions with ever the greater intensity. The voice, it wraps around you like a blanket on cold winters day, it makes you feel that there is no right or wrong answer. Just what is. 

"Macario." It whispers. Its voice is like a breathe of fresh air. "I'm sorry that we had to meet like this."

The words it seems to slither around you. The lobby in the background spirals along with it. "You weren't meant to come here so early."

"This is strange. Yes. Very." The world around you seems to glimmer. "Do not worry you are not dead. Not that you ever worried anyways."

"Death has always been a part of your life, don't you remember?"

"I do."

"Yes. But you have read in between the lines." You feel the world tightening its grip. The voice fills the space in between the words like a chokehold. "Do you know where you are?" The voice seems to delight in its own amusement.

"This is a liminal space. Mortals should not have access to it. But here you are."

"I knew you were special."

"My key."

@Argos

((Oh no! That sucks!!! I'm glad you were able to get a new one!!))

The tiefling looks just as surprised as you are. He struggles to form words out of his mouth when onlooking. Off in the distance the snow keeps rumbling. It starts off with a light cascade of fluffly white, then tumbles down into an unceasing mass of gray turbulence. "We need to get out of here!" Shouts the tiefling. He looks frantic.

He runs over to the door where you came in but finds it locked. He turns back at you with a glare, realizing somehow you managed to lock it, but then looks away just as quickly when he takes into account of how dire the situation is. With a mess and a fumbling of fingers, he manages to pick the lock and waves you down. "Let's go!" He puts his hand on the know. Yet, instead the door opens by itself. The two guys you saw earlier step out. The tielfing scrambles to take a step back.

"We knew we'd find you two here." The elf one sneers, flashing his dagger. He tilts his head over at you. "Harboring a criminal are ya?" 

"Me? Harboring?! No way!" Argos raised his hands.

"I was just... Leaving him behind and was going to tell you I no longer cared!" 

@Argos

The elf looks you up and down. "Oh really?" He puts his hands on his hips, "Then what is this then?"

Then you say it, and his eyes narrow. The sounds of snow echos in the wind. The duo don't seem to care as much as their prize. 

"Eduardo, you know what this is already." The burly human sighs, "You can't run. And you obviously can't hide." 

The tiefling, Eduardo, has begun sweating. Even in this suddenly cold air you can see the sweat beads glistening. 

"Never!" He shouts. In an instant he is hunched over running. He rams into the tall elf with his horns- just like a goat... or a ram. The elf lets out a large 'oof' before doubling back. Yet he catches Eduardo in stride. The tiefling squirms in the larger man's grip. "Run! Run!" He shouts to you.

"Not so fast." Instead the burly man steps out and blocks your path. His immense form standing in between you and the door.

He lunges at you with a grapple.

14

((Please do a strength or dexterity check if you get out of this one))

(20 dex, and I don't even wanna say the str :c)

Macario stands perfectly still, almost afraid to move or breathe as if it would break whatever spell or trance he was currently in. He simply listens, understanding that some great power is speaking to him. For a moment, there is no left or right, no up or down, no elevator or guests or hotel. There's simply the voice. 

He listens to the words intently, afraid of missing a hint or clue at why he is here and what is happening. He can't help but draw a sharp breath at the words "My key." Eduardo had spoken of a key. A key to the Underside, that was supposed to be in his room. But nothing was in his room except for him. "My key." Macario places a hand on his chest in a gesture for reverence of the dead that he had learned many years before, at the very beginning of his training at the ruins, and finally speaks a simple response, as much within his own mind as out loud, perhaps both at once and neither at all. "My Lady."

((hey sorry I haven't replied. yesterday needed some time off mentally.))

@Argos

((broooo niceeee))

You make it out of that grapple like a strongman. The big burly guy looks dumbfounded as you managed to escape his grasp. "What the-?" He shouts. The tall-elf looks just as shocked, "Get him, boss!" He pumps one fist in the air in encouragement whilst still keeping a tight grip on Eduardo.

The tiefling struggles. "Get off of me!" The elf smirks as he places his hand on Eduardo's mouth to shut him up. The tiefling's protests go muffled as the elf muzzles him. Eduardo's eyes go wide. He just straight up bites him. On the hand. "Ow ow owow ow!!!" The tall-elf yelps and nearly howls like a dog, clutching his left hand which is now bleeding. The wind before them all blows stronger as the cascade of snow keeps billowing forth from the cliffs. "You're gonna pay for that!"

Suddenly the elf has a dagger in his hand and the blade goes diving into Eduardo's side. Eduardo coughs and blood leaves his mouth. He doesn't say anything as he clutches his ribs. His eyes glance over at his bag which he dropped on the way ramming in. The tall-elf now has put the blade by Eduardo throat as he squirms. Eduardo puts his hands up.

"Do you want to go about this the easy way or the hard way?" 

((you got some options here. you can roll for perception to see other things around you. if you want to be slippery and escape try a stealth roll, want to be convincing then use any of the charisma roll, or also start a fight really anything))

@Macario

The world twinkles like shimmering tidal pools in the summer when you first say that. It feels like a cool wash of salty water on a hot summer day. 

Then the voice deflates. "Ah, no." It feels like it sprinkled around on the floor like a small puddle. "I am not deserving of that title." 

 Somewhere off in the distance you feel a figure pulsating. It it is both dark and light at the same time.

"I have made many a mistakes long time ago." The encircling lines comes and go in ripples. One circle light the other dark and the same again. "We gods, we only know so much."

"...That is why everything is falling apart." The voice it bristles.

Like weighted blanket, a sudden burden falls onto you.

"You have always served me well, my Macario. Now you have come to me in my hour of need. I have for you a mission."

"But you must have many questions for me."

(its alright, sometimes i need breaks too from summer homework xd)

(Argos gotta escape himself D: Sorry Mr tiefling! Hope you understand!)

(I got an 18)

Macario relaxes slightly at the feel of the words, and listens intently to apparently the second god he's heard from today. "Your hour of....a mission? But...why me? I left the ruins. Turned down that responsibility. And what does this have to do with Dinesa? She spoke to me today too I think." His head spins a bit and the gravity of all of this. Inra had sounded worried earlier, but she also just seemed like the type that was prone to worry. For a god to be speaking this clearly to a mortal, and for them to be having the same concerns? Something must be very wrong. 

@Argos

((hey thanks man for understanding. I tend to come up with this thread more on the fly so it takes me longer to think than my others I'm sorry. but I'm really thankful you're bearing through it with me. haha yeah summer homework sucks. I literally just graduated college but I still have this one 3 credit class on corporate finance I hate it hate finance.))

With your quick thinking and your quick reflexes, you manage to worm your through the burly man's arms. He doesn't even see it coming. The human takes a swipe at you but he doesn't even make it. "What the-?" The tall-elf yelps as he turns his head to your speeding arrow of a gallop. You see him go at another swing at Eduardo, who doesn't manages to duck just in time. You, however, practically vanish as you make it through those gods-forsaken doors. And you run.

You don't even hear footsteps coming behind you. Well you did at first, you have become accustomed to the burly one's steps. But now you are too far gone. And you keep on running. But to where exactly? That is the question. By the looks of it. These stairs have now become almost a maze or sorts...

Hey wait- were these stairs always been spiral? Looking around what do you see?

((Please do a perception check please))

@Macario

"Dinesa?" The voice seems to quiver. "Oh so she has taken a liking to you." She seems to sense your worry. The pulse feels like the cooling drink of water on a summer's day. "No. Do not be afraid. Things will all come together. I hope."

You sort of feel the light brush of a fuzzy tail across your feet. "I know. But you never really left the ruins have you? I've seen it first hand. From the dying patients you've recovered. To the way you stand your ground. You know death is a cycle. Nothing really ever is forgotten. Nothing is ever really left behind." The 'behind' part sort of echoes around the space. Even the Feywild in the background starts to glitter. These is the muffled hollering of creatures from beyond this realm on the other side.

"There is something trying to come out of across the barrier. Not in its place. But I feel that it has never had a place yet before." The voice seems to know what is coming from that. "Yes, this is larger than me alone."

"The Great Battle was one of regret, you should know. There are too many things worth fighting for. And I have lost it. And now it is coming back to bite me."

"Loss is never what we truly think."  The shadows around you sort of warp like fanged teeth. "You have seen the rifts, haven't you?"

"My dear. Things are coming."