Felwin unlocks the door, and opens it. He steps aside as you enter, and begins humming and skipping down the steps. Inside the room are several bookshelves lining the circular walls. Two staircases that follow the curve lead up to a raised platform, where a single lantern is lit. From the light, you can see a shadow of a man moving. Various instruments and mechanical contraptions poke out of the roof in various places and lead back in one way or another, to the platform.

Grix smiles at the manner in which Thorin is addressing Felwin and follows the rest of the party into the room....

[OOC: Nice narrative Thorin]

(OOC - haha thanks @Muggs)

"Who is there? Your presence bothers me." A voice says from up on the platform.

"Oh hey there, master wizard!" Thorin calls up to the platform, "Yer 'prentice let us in, but no blame him. Hallowgazer sent us here ta see ya," the dwarf looks to the others a moment, then continues, "Said you'd know somethin' about dimension jumpin' beasts an' the like. One o' them tentacled ones ran off with the Rod o' Nankon." He stops again for a moment, scratching his beard and takes a swig of ale from his water skin. "Do ya think 'haps we can come up there or you down here? Save us callin' out ta body-less voices an' talk a bit more about this beast an' a way ta get the rod back?"

You hear a deep sigh, then a chair scraping against the floor. A robed half-elf can be seen standing now, and he begins to descend the steps. His expression is one of boredom. "Hallowgazer, you say? Oh yes, that oaf." Trajeon says. "What 'tentacled beast' are you talking about? Please be specific. The multiverse is home to dozens of them, Krakens, octopi, Mind Flayers and any of their spawn, Aboleths, Displacer Beasts, Flumphs, Grell, Grick, Otyugh, and of course, who can forget about the thieving Morkoth? So, which one is it?" He asks.

"The last one, the morkoth." Abzerilan replies. "Damned thing ran the moment it was caught red-handed."

"Aye, that's the one! Weird lookin' thing leavin' goop everywhere." Thorin trails off and looks around the room at the books, diagrams and notes.

Seeing the chance to add some detail Grix pipes up "Yes....Hallowgazer sent us down into the Old Vaults and we came across what looked like an island surrounded by water....but the creature, this Morkoth, saw us and ran, and the island disappeared leaving an empty room....the Rod must be found!" Grix has grown up hearing the stories of the dragon, so he is noticeably agitated when talking about it

"Yes, the island is standard. They travel around the multiverse on them, using them as a means of travel. They also store their collections there. If you're looking for the Rod, it'll surely be there. Problem is, though, where is the Morkoth now? You said it disappeared. what did you see before it was gone completely?" Trajeon asks.

"Now that you mention it..." Abzerilan crosses his arms and ponders for a moment. "I did see lakes of lava, burnin' rocks, an' volcanoes erupting everywhere. Even the air seemed ta be on fire! For lack of a better term, a real hellscape."

"It was bloody hot, almost like being next ta the forge in the smithy when I was a lad. Actually, now I think on it..." Thorin scratches at his mohawk, "Was it somethin' like fire? No... lava?" He turns to his companions, questioning his own memory.

(OOC - you must have posted just before me @Drache haha)

"Lakes of fire, volcanoes..." Trajeon scartches his stubble beard. "You're right that it's a hellscape, but it certainly isn't Hell." He says finally. He moves over to a bookshelf and shuffles through some parchment. "Ah ha!" He exclaims, and he shows you a piece of parchment with four strange, mountain looking formations on it. At the top, in an ornate handwriting, is written, "The Bleak Eternity of Gehenna". "This is what you saw, friends. More specifically..." He points to the second tallest of the mountains. "You saw Chamada, only the worst of the layers of Gehenna. Even if you weren't after a Morkoth, which fight viciously to keep that which they collect, you would have very little chance of surviving Chamada. Unless..." He trails off and begins opening chests and dressers, drawers and cupboards. He grabs five cloaks made of a soft, pale blue silk, and five strange bubble objects. "Unless you had these."

Thorin looks at the blue silk cloaks, "Ya know, blue silk ain't exactly me style, master wizard. Any chance yer cupboard o' tricks there has somethin' in grey or black?" He laughs heartily at his remark. "Well then, what do these do ta help us in this Chamada? An' what in the blazes is a layer o' Gehenna?"

"Oh master dwarf, you do have much to learn." Trajeon says. "These cloaks will reduce the effects of the extreme heat, allowing us to survive there." He then holds up the bubbles. "And these are breathing apparatuses. They will allow us to breath the same as we do now, because Chamada's air is very sulfurous and noxious. It would kill us within minutes if the heat didn't first." He puts on his cloak and breathing apparatus. "I suggest you all get yours on before we leave." He comments, before adding, "A layer of Gehenna is one its four layers. Much like the Abyss, which is infinite in layers, or the Nine Hells, aptly named because there are Nine Layers, Gehenna has different environments built into itself. Chamada happens to be one of the most inhospitable."

As the wizard hands him the cloak and bubble Grix blurts out "Wait....wha'....Gehenna, Chamada, the Abyss.....you can't be serious.....a few hours ago we were just guards.....and now you want us to go with you to Hell!" Grix finishes and just stares at Trajeon, then at the others, holding the cloak and helmet type bubble device in either hand at his sides.

"What we need is a meal and some sleep, followed by a lot more information about Chamada and why you are sure that this is where the Rod has been taken, before we madly follow you to hell...." 

OOC: We have now been up for over 24 hours and should pause to take a long rest before departing (assuming that we even agree to the mad wizards plan).  Even if they end up going, Grix will want to get some healing potions (even more so now) before they leave.....

"Well, you came to me. I assumed you would want to leave right away, especially with the risk of Xymminen waking up soon. You can rest in the guest rooms on the lower floor if you wish. I will have Felwin prepare a meal in the meantime." Trajeon says as he takes of his robe and bubble mask. He walks past you all and exits the room, descending the steps.

OOC: Are you all good with grabbing the long rest - sounded like we need it - and grabbing as many healing potions as we can afford....

OOC: Do we still have Trinity with us - I don't think I have seen a post in some time

OOC: Jumpier - Is the current party number and mix sufficient to carry on without looking for a couple of additional PC's - or are you just adjusting as you go.....?

(OOC - happy with a long rest, and I know Trinity needs it too.)

(yes Trinity is still here, just not sure what she would be adding right now, sorry)