Pizazz's Myth Drannor

Thyrius had indeed followed his brother closely, just in case they were pulled into combat. However, from what Thyrius could see, the interaction between the fox and the human-elf was neutral, perhaps even amicable. The hint on the "sixth step", assuming he can read that, is appreciated but left to the scholars in the group to digest.

In his mind, Thyrius thinks the following words in case others can still "hear" it: "I'm not ready to trust these beings just yet, but they are the only living source of knowledge we have come across so far. Should we... Simaal... ask more questions? Perhaps about the owl-goat, the Mythallar, anything really. That said, If your icy deity can be an owl and a goat, why can't it be a fox and a... slippery bird-fish hybrid?"

Toc nods to Thyrius, "I am willing to step out of Etherealness to encourage Simaal to ask more questions if we all agree. That said.....we've barely explored this city. Perhaps there are living creatures in many of these buildings."  He shrugs to Thyrius with a grin.  "Unlikely, just.....sayin." 

(Can we wrote similar messages in the ethereal plane that Simaal can then read?)

Nuzej tries writing a quick note tot Simaal to the effect of: “the others wish you to ask about the goddess, and if it’s seen any other living creatures here.”

He is sorely tempted to read here for ages but he also really wants to explore so will elect to do that, and also verify the inscription, and find more if he can.

Xemnez nodded subtly but in agreement with his brother on matters regarding the fox. Yet as his lips first parted, he pauses for a moment, and then looked to Mirica with a lopsided grin. "Unless you two share a bond that transcended planes, I do not think he can hear you. Even through the mental link, courtesy of Toc." He comments, before regarding the man himself. "Best to do so now before he gets too far all the same. Even a good liar weaves a bit of truth to his words. So there can be more we yet learn here." Xemnez suggests.

Yet, if Toc appeared still reluctant to cross back over, hinting -- or so the Leonin understood -- at the return being a one way trip, then he would proceed to intercept Simmal and stride back into the prime material himself to relay the information. He adds as well if Simmal had a means to peer or communicate across the planes to the others. If not, he'd wait until after the questions are asked to call upon the old spirits dwelling in his helmet to grant him [Tooltip Not Found] and regard the others.

Toc doesn't seem reluctant at all. He motions for his ethereal guardian to follow and he and the automaton phase back into the real world. For all of you in the ghost realm he becomes greyish blue and instinct like everything else.  He seems to have a brief exchange with the fox man that seems as cordial as the one that Simaal had with him was. He makes a few quick motions and then looks back at the group. He points two of his fingers at his own eyes, and then points them at the group of you. As you stand there he makes eye contact. Though you can't hear him or speak into his mind, it's clear he can see you. He turns back to Simaal and the creature for a short conversation. 

The conversation goes back and forth a bit, though is relatively brief. Eventually apparently parting words are said, and Simaal, Toc, and the guardian begin walking away. Toc looks back to ensure you're following. 

They walks over to a stone stairway that leads both up and down and they head down to the first floor. The first floor is taller than the other floors with thirty foot high ceilings. There are less stacks and more areas for gatherings, including what looks like private rooms. From the ethereal, everytihng is quiet and still. There is an open courtyard down here with two sets of double doors that lead outside. One set is ajar. Off to one side they see several large rows of shorter cabinets with small sliding drawers filling the entire face of it, each drawer labelled with some sort of coding system. They walk over to the system and begins looking through the categories. He pokes around for a short time. He and Toc occasionally look at each other and silently exchange thoughts, but none of you are privy to them. 

Simaal, Toc, and the guardian lead the ethereal group out the main entrance on once again onto the streets of Ythryn. There is a brief exchange where they motion between two directions. From the ethereal you can't see beyond 60 feet but they're clearly discussing options, and then head off in a certain direction. 

A short time later they arrive at what you recognize to be the nearby tall, thin tower. (Y11)  The walls of this thin tower are etched with intricate designs of hands and eyes. Silver light flickers from a high window, above which a large, carved eye animates and blinks. Part of the tower’s roof is missing. 

They sneak quietly along their way. Toc seems to leave his guardian just outside the tower door.   They make their way through a tower, glancing at side rooms and so on but finding nothing of particular interest apparently. They finally reach the large upper chamber at the top of the tower. Large gashes in the roof allow you to see 60 feet into the fog of the ethereal out in the cave above.  A glimmering light emanates from a three-foot-diameter glass orb situated atop a two-foot-high cylindrical stone plinth in the center of the thirty-foot-diameter, rubble-strewn circular chamber. Eyeballs drift inside the orb, like fish in a bowl. Some have cataracts, while others are bloodshot or pus-filled, but all turn and gaze at both Simaal and Toc, but also at the group of ethereal travelers as well, as you approach.

"It can see us," Thyrius says mentally to those who can hear it. "Should we try to speak to it, or do these eyes have no accompanying ears?" The Leonin floats a bit closer to the orb and asks using his voice: "Who are you?"

"Etherial used to be such a quiet place," sighted Mirica. She joined Thyrius floating by the orb but did not try to talk to eyes, only studied. "You think it came from beholders? Anyway, I do not see any words written around. Wrong tower?" The priestess left the strange container and began to move along the walls, checking if she missed something here.

Perception: 30

If they eyes can hear Thyrius, they give no indication, beyond their darting jerky movement watching him.

The eyes inside the bowl look like human, or at least humanoid eyeballs. If they're from a beholder (or 3) then the beholder had remarkably human looking eyes in its eye stalks. 

With the large part of the ceiling simply missing, it leaves less surface area for Mirica to scan. Examining the walls and remaining ceiling, she is confident that there is nothing..... hmmm.

Examining a part of the ceiling, right around the missing section, she sees the edges of some artistic engravings.   No letters or something, but some engravings that could. have been part of a larger work, on the now missing ceiling section. Otherwise, she finds nothing of interest.

(Great! Now you do not even need to edit posts to get a dice manipulation warning!)

Mirica floated closer to markings and studied what she could. Then called other "etherials". "Do you see it? The markings around the hole? There was something drawn on that missing part". She pointed out the engravings to Toc and floated higher to look around through the hole - maybe pieces of the roof are peacefully lying around and could be examined?

All that's left is decorations. There's not even a bit of a word or letter to examine. She gets Tocs attention and points at it. As if he already knew, he just gives her an annoying 'thumbs-up' and walks back over to Simaal. 

She looks around, but there is no sign of the roof within the building, and a quick check outside notes that it's not there either. The way the rubble and damage to the city has been, it could be back out in those extensive caves along with the other bits of fallen city the group passed, or it could be miles away out in the tundra. Or it could be underneath the city, or ....  well....the possibilities are unhelpfully broad. 

"Should we try examining the main structure while still in this form, or should we go back into the prime material plane? This schism is growing untenable," Nuzej says.

 "I'll stay like that for a while - easier to check hights. Even if pointless." Mirica returned to the "eyes tank" and this time pointed to the exit for those outside the Etherial, hinting that they can leave that "clueless" tower and move to the next one. "Do hope another part of the ritual or whatever it is was not written on the missing ceiling".

Simaal takes out his writing kit and starts writing after a bit of talking to Toc. "There's sign here on the plinth
”Ask and we shall find.“'.

More talking with Toc and some shrugs, Toc makes some hand gestures. Simaal starts writing again.

"Identify shows "To use the orb, one must place one’s hands on the plinth and speak the name of an object or a person. If the target exists on the same plane of existence as the orb, the character touching the orb experiences a vivid vision of the target’s location and knows how far away it is and in what direction.”.

He seems to think, then more talking with Toc.
"Don't know how often it will work, do we have a single most important item to find right now? We're looking for 7 things so not sure I want to try this 7 times without knowing how often it works. Write down your thoughts for Toc."

Thrusting others are reading the paragraphs that Simaal is writing, Thyrius chooses instead to comment on something Nuzej said: “Toc tried passing through the field protecting the main structure while being ethereal and failed. I don’t think we can simply aim for the central structure, if that is what you meant.”

"If you are to remain on this plane, then I shall as well, Mirica. Twice now we've seen... things with the ability to perceive us on this plane. If by some odd chance in our search that we find a guardian or protection able to lash out across planes as well, or worse yet, can slip between realms, best you are not alone in the vigil." Xemnez, having largely been quiet and contemplative for most of the journey, finally pipes up again.

He then mentally to his brother, not fully understanding perhaps that Mirica could hear the transmission as well, "If you wish to return to the other side brother, do not let me stop you. Your abilities may yet be better suited on the other side, no? If not now, then perhaps soon enough." He suggests, but would push no further than that on the subject. Instead his attention drifted back to the others back on the prime material, idly curious but otherwise bereft of insights to share at the moment.

"Thank you," seriously nodded Mirica. "I do not think we are in danger here, but should the others come across something threatening, we can always just step out." Neither Toc nor Simaal was in a hurry to leave the place and she floated back to her vantage point to check for the next target.

After the party reads the messages and doesn't provide any further feedback to Simaal and Toc, Toc nods, there's a brief exchange with Simaal, and then they depart the strange scrying device, unused. 

Mirica, Xemnez, Thyrius, Nuzej, and Russel float along behind Toc and Simaal as they depart the tower and turn back towards the middle. The hulking automaton follows them from the front door of the tower. 

The two lead the ethereal bunch unerringly in a straight line. Eventually, through the grey blue mists of the ethereal, another tower emerges before the group. The tower's stone surface is engraved with interlocking circles of stone. It reaches up into the ethereal fog.

For Simaal and Toc, they've reached the tower that stretches up nearly two hundred feet. It's length is broken into jagged offset sections and has a curved pointed top. The rather alien architecture style of this entire city. Yellow light spills from its topmost window, and the faint sound of brooms brushing on stonework drifts through its broken doors. Glancing in through the broken doors you see a remarkably clean tower. All signs of rubble and debris are missing. A large main lower floor contains a sitting area with old frost covered couches, and a large empty area with ritual circles carved into the floor in a spread out pattern. 

Leaving the guardian behind to guard the door, Toc heads into the tower with Simaal following. A wide staircase goes up to a landing, where winding stairways cling to the outer curved walls and stretch upwards.  Toc and Simaal have a brief exchange and Toc looks around, but eventually they head upstairs. Several more immaculately clean floors pass including a small library which Toc indicates seems focused on conjuration magics, as well as a shrine to Mystral, some living chambers, and a room that looks like a large classroom, and another that looks like a lab, though...most of the equipment is missing and like everywhere else, all the surfaces are well cleaned. 

Eventually Toc and Simaal climb the stairs to the last floor. The stairs emerge directly into the room at the top which spans the entire upper area of the tower. Glowing orbs are set into the walls of the thirty-foot-diameter circular chamber. Four doorways, one in each cardinal direction, open out to the air, as if they were made for balconies that were never added. Six giant hands made of shimmering force hover motionless next to the outer wall of the room spaced evenly about. In the center of the room is a tiny ornamental tower perched on a pedestal. A quick scan of the walls and the ceiling of the room reveal no engravings. Toc and Simaal have stopped on the stairs, just far enough up to peer around the room. They still have a short flight of stairs to go to get into the room proper. 

Toc looks at Simaal and puts one fist on his other open hand, and then bangs his fist against his open hand a couple times, waiting expectantly. 

"Yes, I meant that we could seek potential manners of ingress and egress accessible only through the ethereal plane that Toc did not have time to search, but we may learn more as we follow along to this next tower," Nuzej says back to Thyrius. He's not impolite, but he seems a bit impatient with having to explain his meaning.

He trails along after Toc and Simaal, looking for anything observable only through the ethereal. When Toc makes his gesture, which seems to Nuzej to be a sign he's ready to fight something, he floats forward, examining one of the hands, then the model of the tower. Is it the same one they entered?

The tiny tower does appear to be a miniature of the tower the group is now within. In ethereal, there's almost like a faint sparkling dust Nuzej can see on the outside of the tiny tower. 

Thyrius shrugs back at Nuzej and then speaks to his brother in their native tongue.