Pizazz's Myth Drannor

Having presumably reverted towards the end of the hour of excavation, the spell pushed already to its limit, Xemnez grunted an agreement, but otherwise seemed oddly fascinated flexing his own arms and muttering to himself. But with a bit of time or too much attention noticed from the others, the strange behavior is brushed off in an awkward clearing of the throat. 

"Unless you all require time to rest... Much time than preferred, but... necessary for passing the veil, we should be heading there next. Back to that, uh... base of that bridge thing. Or might it be more materials than simply ash and wood we need yet procure? A poison of some sort given the... actually... hmm.... I think I still have some wine or honeyed libation left in my portable hole. Not your typical poison, but..." He shrugs. "A suitable substitute I would hope."

"Excellent job with the corpse and the knowledge granted. I would suggest resting first before going, we simply don't know what will happen once the work is done, there's always a chance we'll be teleported on top of the bubble."

"We should also discuss a plan for actually performing each of the eight steps. Do they need to be performed by a single person? Would one of our wizards have a spell for each step? Fire, ice, mask, charming a secret out of somebody... etc. Even if that's the case, that is a lot of spells to spend just to get into the tower. I imagine there will be a need for some trial and error too, so that's even more spells to be cast. We'll be at less than full strength upon arrival regardless."

Mirica prodded one of the "dead dead" hands with her foot and shuddered in disgust. "Right. How we do it." It was all good questions and for once she was even agreeing with Simaal. "We still do not know enough and I believe the scope of the ritual is the most important question. One for everybody or do each of us has to make it? That would be a huge problem for the last in line - who is he going to ask about the secret? I do not think we need any spell for any part of the ritual. Maybe for summoning fire but that is not a burden for anyone and we have enough ice around to quench it. Similarly, you do not need to charm someone to coax a secret out of a person. But the poison part is tricky. The wine is a nice and technically correct ingredient, but what if the real poison is meant? We can not waste an attempt. I am sure Russel can share some true poison, the question is to survive it. If we take some rest, I can make sure everyone is immune to any poison, so that part will be safe".

"I say we rest and discuss the possibilities."

Toc listens to the conversation and nods, "Very well. Rest it is."  He steps to one side and begins casting a spell. He smoothly and casually weaves his hands about and mutters arcane words until, with a shimmer, a large double door appears, hanging in the air.  "Shall we?" he says, and pulls the door open to reveal a marble floored mansion.  The mansion beyond is familiar to most of the group though new to the two Leonin's.  The mansion beyond is warm, clean, and smells like baked bread. Semi-transparent servants, dozens and dozens of them, offer to assist taking outwear off and folding it or hanging it nicely. Several offer to clean and properly care for gear. A large doublewide stairway leads up to several doors, while an open doorway on one side down here leads to a large dining hall. The table is covered in all manner of foods, from roasted turkey and cow, to fresh buns, bread, puddings, potatoes, vegetables, gravy, broiled fish, and numerous pies, both savory and sweet. A couple other rooms on the lower floor lead to a peaceful well furnished sitting room, and one room with a steaming bath is visible through a partially open door near the back. 

Toc says, "When we close the door, it will vanish. We should be safe here." 

As everyone moves into the strange, extra-dimensional mansion, and the door is closed, you feel a strange sort of pressure lift from your minds. You hadn't been aware of it, but something had been pressing upon your soul in the city, and now that pressure is lifted and you feel a keen sense of relief and relaxation seep into your bodies.

The shield guardian crouches and steps into the space as well.  Russel slips silently into the place and heads upstairs for a bedroom to sleep almost immediately.

(You can chat as you wish, and eat and rest. You can also hit that "Long Rest" button, and assume 8 hours pass.) 

Seeing all largely in agreement, Xemnez started to rub his chin and furrow his brows, only to then raise one at Toc's action. Further confused at seeing double doors appear from nothing, it is with some faint trepidation that Leonin would follow everyone else inside. Once within the mansion Xemnez is at once taken aback again and lost in the sensory overload that was everything within it. Servants are yet absently waved away as he drifted through seeming intent on exploring the building.

But then his head snapped towards the scent and suddenly all else mattered next to nothing to him. "I am starting to believe I understand why you mages are so attached to learning more magic." With a chuckle and wave to his brother to follow, Xemnez makes his way immediately for the dinning room area. There he intended to gorge himself on just about every delight possible along with anyone else that dared to join him and cheerily so at that!

... Though anyone insightful enough (as well Thyrius) would know the act of carefreeness to be just that. An Act. One that wanes every now and then as the weight of the city as well as the interactions with the hag weighs back in mind. It's also perhaps for the first time that he would be more open to sharing tales about their world, comforted in the magic of Toc's mansion protecting them to some extent from spying souls. Not that he asked for confirmation of this, but the belief is there as assuredly as he was confident in the sharing. Oddly enough, or so it would be to Thyrius, there's never any mention during the tales  Xem winds up sharing during dinner(lunch?) about his greatest accomplishment: The time when the pair, alongside other heroes of Theros, faced off against Typhon.

Simaal absentmindedly picks at various food items and is rather quiet for him during rest. He goes over his backpack multiple times arranging and re-arranging his gear after eating.

Nuzej nearly collapses in relief as he passes into the mansion and smells the food (missing Chen, as it happens), and feeling the weight lifted. He happily eats enough for two people, fitting in some magic theory about the process and ceremony and bubble with Toc around mouthfuls. "That could have taken a lot more time and a lot more sanity and a lot more pain than it did. But we still have a lot more to do. This ceremony to enter. We could all attempt it without spells at the same time. If it works, we're inside with our resources and together. If it doesn't, we try something harder." Later he talks to the brothers and asks them if they will share stolen memories verbally, post-facto, to try to get around the hags' deal. 

Thyrius follows his brother into the mansion and also around its many areas. The very concept of a mansion is somewhat foreign to Thyrius, who was used to vast communal spaces and large tents when it came to any sort of celebration. The various aromas do not go unnoticed, and the black cat enjoys several servings of braised/roasted meats and savory pies... Thyrius never was one for the more sweet tasting ones.

He'll follow all of his brother's cues when it came to merriment, even offering to wrestle and/or arm wrestle the golden lion in an attempt to make the place feel more like home. Thyrius has no chance of defeating his brother is contests of strength, but winning was not the point of it, not tonight, perhaps not ever. Many tales are also shared and enjoyed.

At some point in the evening, Thyrius carves a few minutes for a side conversation with his brother.

Toc seems surprisingly relaxed in this magical mansion, and the elven man can be seen smiling occasionally. However much like Xemnez, it seems maybe he is just "playing along" with the attempt at some light fun. Despite the shallow sense to it, everyone still manage to get "taken in" by the fun and conversation and despite the weight of their mission, they lose themselves in the moment and find themselves all genuinely having a good time.  Except perhaps for Simaal who seems to stay to himself more than usual, with little in the way of strange stories of his past. And of course with the exception of Russel is does appear for brief periods to eat, but is otherwise a dark shadow that slips away unnoticed to go sleep at some point. 

The food is warm, and tasty. For those of you used to Chen's cooking, it's missing that extra nuance of flavor to truly be considered "great"....but warm, fresh food beats the pants off of some cold rations. 

Despite the momentary fun, the stress of the situation, living under constant threat of attack, and knowing you're waltzing around a ruin claimed by a very present and angry goddess has left you all feeling exhausted.  It's with relief that the group finds themselves in their own private rooms, with soft beds and pillows, fresh sheets, and peaceful silence. Sleep finds everyone, a peaceful place of safety lulling even the most alert off to deep rest. 

You awake the next....morning?....whatever time it happens to be, and head downstairs to find a new fresh meal of breakfast foods waiting. Sliced ham, bacon, scrambled eggs, pancakes with syrup, fresh fruit, some cereals, and toast, along with numerous small tasty additions are all ready for the taking.  You find yourselves with a small food baby and a very full feeling after such complete meals. As an aside, the washrooms in this mansion having working plumbing!  You briefly wonder where that all ends up.  Some horrible demi-plane you never want to go to, for certain. 

Over breakfast, the group has a chance to further toss ideas around about the ceremony and the steps, but you quickly realize that the only way for you to answer any of your questions, is going to be to go there and try things. 

Actually, before anyone was about to begin the breakfast, Mirica asked the most important question of the day: "Are we going in - or trying to do so - today?" Because if so, she offered an alternative breakfast, one that everyone had to participate in. She did not insist on it to be the breakfast, it could a launch too, but whatever it would be, it would be a Heroes' Feast.

"Let's assume the worst," optimistically began Mirica over the food. "Say, each of us has to perform the ritual individually. Meaning, we need enough ashes and poison for all of us. Plus masks - that we can craft from paper? The rhyme does not specify what kind of masks and we can only hope make-shift one will work. The rest is mostly words, though coming up with some secret... Again, we can only hope the ritual does not care about "what"s and "how"s and it can be anything, not the confession of mortal sin. What I still worry about is the wand. Say, someone will be teleported immediately - can that someone leave the wand behind? Because we do not have several copies of it. And there is still a problem for the one to enter as that one will be single and unable to "coax a secret" from someone else."

Upon waking, shuffling to the table, and eating another two meals's worth of breakfast, and blinking tiredly a lot at the group, Jezun leans close to Toc and says, pointing to the two newcomers, "do Fianna and Chen look fuzzy to you too?"

Toc looks at Jezun, and glances at the two Leonin's....then back at Jezun....then everyone witnesses Toc groan and slap his hand over his face. Then he stands up and announces to the table, "Jezun, I would like to introduce you to Thyrius, and Xemnez. They are from another realm and are currently working with us. Thyrius, Xemnez, this is Jezun. He is a monk, not a wizard, and he has been distracted for the past few days.  Or...weeks really. Jezun, while you were, um, not paying attention, I'm afraid both Fianna AND Chen parted ways with us. Fianna is back at a small seaside town, I believe she'd decided to run an Inn.  And Chen had to escort some giant chickens across an arctic wasteland so that they didn't die. I'm sure we'll meet up with him later. Um, outside of this magical house, are the ruins of an ancient Netheril city called Ythyrn. There is a force field in the center that stops anything from getting into the central building at to the Mythallar. There is an 8 step ritual we are trying to figure out, to gain us access.  Also. There's an evil demi-god of ice that thinks it all belongs to her, and she's not friendly or chatty, so...keep an eye out." 

Mirica looked at the monk with pity in her eyes but did not say anything. The switch from Nuzej to Jezun complicated things to a degree (magic was counted on in the attack on a diety) button the other hand, you never know when a direct physical attack would be better. "Welcome, Jezun. Not the most pleasant moment to return but we are trying to make the best of it. Ever thought of going against a god?"

Jezun blinks, a lot. He finishes chewing, swallows, looks to Mirica helplessly, then back to Toc, then to Simaal, then to the brothers. He wipes his hands on a napkin and reaches out to shake hands. "I'm sorry we haven't met. Have met. It's confusing. I'm Jezun. Thyrius and Xemnez, do they have sandwiches on your world? Realm?" 

He pauses, looks back to Toc. "Was it something I did that made Fianna decide to retire from this, and Chen to go crazy?"

He sighs. Pauses for a long while. "This is a dream, right? Ritual, force field. No, Toc, you seem serious. Okay. Just tell me what to do. I'll do the ritual. Then we break down the force field and we go make the goddess stop trying to take the whole world?"

The "Night" previous...

At Nuzej suggestion, the golden furred Leonin in question replied with a rueful smile, "Little doubt my brother may wish to, but... There's no getting around such a deal. Even if I were to be made known of the gaps and what filled them, the feelings... the experience... It would not be the same." Believing the answer to be sufficient enough, Xemnez was content to let the evening play itself out with merriment, if not plenty of rest for all. And as he was not one to turn down a challenge, even one with a forgone conclusion, Xemnez happily spent the time enjoying the familiarity of a simple contest, as well as later his brother's company in aside. Though if any had eyes on them at the time, it's clear the Leonin struggled all the more to keep up more than an aloof air during the discussions...

The Present...

Xemnez kinda stares dryly at Mirica in response to her initial question, before then stating flatly, "Yes." Yet for all of his initial agitation over the question, his mood perked up rather significantly at the heroes' feast. But while he would try to enjoy the meal, the flow of worries out of the cleric leaves such a sour taste in his mouth, that he'd just about worked himself up into some speechifying before being cut off with introductions. At which pointed he looked between Toc and "Jezun" a couple of times before raising a brow. "... I have questions. Many, regarding this... Nuzej or Jezun or whatever you would like to be called. But, there's more important matters. Which on that point, Mirica-" He turns to the cleric in question. "Most of your concerns won't be answered without testing the waters, for better or worse. Not unless you wish to speak to the Fox and hope it has more answers. Though if he does, I doubt it will not come cheaply a second time. So, unless you have any suggestions...?"

Thyrius is not going to even attempt to understand the minutiae of whatever is going on with Nuzej... not now at least. Instead, he picks up on the conversation Mirica and Xem are having and offers a suggestion or two: "Including Toc's automaton, there are eight of us. Eight towers. Eight schools of magic. Eight steps to the ritual. I say we all stand in the ritual circle and each attempt a single step. This may perhaps communicate to whatever is checking our steps that we move as one. That said, I am less confident that we can accomplish the steps without magic, given each of the steps are clearly tied to one of the schools of magic."

"We can try that, though I do not think automaton would count - would be strange considering conditions, nor do I think you need eight people to conduct the ritual. But we can try." It still required masks, ashes and poison, with the hope that one wand is enough. "If Thyrius is right and we need eight living thinking beings, Fox might be the necessary evil. We should see."

"Any non-magical volunteers to try out the ritual? That way we won't have any potential stuck non-mages. I don't know what the fox would provide further, while I don't doubt their knowledge may be of import, I'm hesitant for our group to become yet again obligated to strangers." Simaal finally pipes up.

Jezun walks over to Simaal. "Hi, it's me again. Remember we saved that town one time from a bunch of giants and dragon? I almost died. Maybe I did. Anyway. I'm not very magical, and not sure if you heard but I just offered to Toc to do whatever this ritual is. I can take it. Also, where's Russel? Is he helping herd giant chickens across the tundra with Chen?"