Void by the Sea (Part 1)

Outskirts of Alexandria, midday

The perpetual menace of the void hangs over the world like a sword, but fortunately the adventuring community has been up to the challenge of disposing of any void-spawned menaces. The unpleasant return of more than a few villains has been disturbing, but so far, manageable.

Which is why -this- return is so... peculiar. It's a house. One story, looks like something from the University District to be honest. There's something vaguely... off about it, though. Like it's not all there. There's a sense of foreboding about it -- if this is a void-spawned villain from the past, it's definitely a weird one. Occasionally it seems to shudder, as if settling on its foundations... despite the fact it was never built on any. The guards keeping a perimeter are distinctly uneasy, and it's only the iron discipline of their sergeants and officers keeping them focused on the task.

Still, it hasn't stopped onlookers or non-adventurers. The most visible being a trio of men in gray tunics and trousers, who have set up a tripod with a telescope as well as some kind of arcane theodolite. One is taking notes while the other two inspect their instruments.

<OOC> Murder says, "May Murder make an appropriate roll to determine what this house might be?" <OOC> Skyler is gunna do a perception check on it. "Can I sense motive on the house too? >.>" <OOC> Telamon says, "So: You can roll Perception, Knowledge/Local, and/or Knowledge/Arcana."

GAME: Murder rolls knowledge/local: (6)+11: 17 GAME: Murder rolls knowledge/arcana: (3)+18: 21 GAME: Murder rolls perception: (12)+27: 39 GAME: Cesran rolls perception: (3)+25: 28 GAME: Cesran rolls knowledge/local: (1)+28: 29 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Cesran rolls knowledge/arcana: (4)+38: 42 GAME: Skyler rolls knowledge/local+5: (17)+4+5: 26 GAME: Skyler rolls knowledge/arcana: (17)+1: 18 GAME: Skyler rolls perception: (20)+17: 37

The Goblin runs down the street, having watched the ... house? ... burp out of the void above. She squints at the building, noting the odd shiver. Her nose wrinkles as she approaches the guards.

"I'm calling it now. It's a big mimic. A void mimic of gigantic proportions.", she comments idly to Alexandria's finest.

Grinning toothily, she wanders over to the ... surveyors? Scientists? Wizards? It's probably wizards. She sticks her face right at the other end of the 'telescope' and clears her throat. "Is this thing on? Check one two three."

Murder's nose twitches, and she turns before they can answer, moving slowly towards the house, snifing louder and louder. "Hmm, something not quite right here." A hand goes up as if to touch it, but she reconsiders. "It's ... not quite in sync with us. It is definitely ... hmmm. Wish Magpie were here, she'd be all over this like a Gobbo on hot sauce." She rubs at her chin.

"Is.. this the house that vanished a few years back? Guy... a wizard, of course!..." She spares a glance at the people who appear to be studying the house. "Tried to expand his house using magical means, and the Guild had to send in a rescue party. If I recall... the house went POP shortly after everyone got out... never to be seen again... til now."

For once, Skyler Skywalker, former Pirate of the Skies and current Gentleman Adventurer of the Society, is not here out of the kindness of his heart or idle curiosity. In point of fact, he's here at the behest of the Society Council, meaning he is on his best behavior.

And more importantly, has access to resources! Such as the Society's informants and civilian contacts. It also means he doesn't have to bother with a disguise or attempt to avoid any random street urchins that might be spying on him on the behest of a certain Captain Nut Allergy. The result is him standing in his usual adventuring gear. He purses his lips as he stares at the house. "Gods, I hate dimensional wibbly wobbly shit." He mutters, rubbing the back of his neck, "We could always just burn it down. I bet there's a butler in there, and fuck those guys." His lips thin, and he gives Murder a grimace, "Any reason we shouldn't just soak it in oil and throw some fireballs at it?" Cesran heard about a house suddenly appearing outside of Alexandria and he came over to look at it. He flies in slowly, carefully, taking in the scene before him on his carpet of flying before he lands near the three men in grey tunics and trousers. He inclines his head to them in greets, “Greetings. Word has gotten out about this strange house that has appeared. Might I ask what you have learned so far?”

Cesran turns to look at the house and he tilts his head just a little bit and rubs his scarred chin for a moment, “Ah yes that makes sense now. I had heard that a wizard was trying to expand his house with some sort of relative dimension in space artifact. Probably missing one very key component. No wonder it is just a touch out of sync with the rest of reality.”

Cersan smiles and nods politely to Murder, “Good day Lady Murder, it nice to see you again. Yes you are right I remember a report by Telamon about this house. It did not react well with the Alexandrian wards, perhaps that’s why it’s here now with the spell cannon being fired and the rift in the sky, perhaps it is now like a soap bubble on the edge of Alexandria’s wards.”

Cesran nods politely to Skyler, “Good day to you as well Master Skyler, I would agree with you, but this might pose a danger if we are to just pop it. It could be like a soap bubble gliding on top of Alexandria’s wards. It might pop harmlessly or take the bigger bubble with it. It might also offer some sort of backdoor past the wards which would be problematic.”

Murder grins toothily at Skyler, "I am way ahead of you, I am merely pondering which of the many means of fire I have, to use. But uh..." She strikes a pose that would make a teenage girl jealous, crossing her arms. "Given that it's just fallen out of the sky from a void torn in the sky, and the fact that it is indeed a wizard's house and we have no idea of what's inside... I'd give the chances of a catastrophic explosion and fire at..."

Her expression grows thoughtful as she does the mental gymnastics of mathematics. "About 1. It will happen."

She looks to Cesran then, and shrugs, "No need to call me a lady. Maybe when I become queen of my tribe I would accept that accolade, but Murder is perfectly fine for now."

She nods in agreement. "We should probably investigate. But first... let me see if I can't throw it back into the void."

The man at the telescope yelps at Murder. "Hey, hey, careful! These are expensive, you know." Round faced and cheerful, he runs a hand through his brown hair. "Sven, Vank, you got anything?" Vank -- dark haired with a widow's peak -- looks up from his notes and shakes his head, while Sven -- blond haired with spectacles -- glances up from the theodolite. "It's real, Stanislau. At least, it seems to be. Not a spirit or an emanation of some kind." Sven straights up, taking out a cloth to clean his glasses before replacing them. "Definitely doesn't fit the pattern though of void-villains."

He looks somewhat sympathetically at the adventurers. "Which means you may have to go in there." "Hey, Cessie!" Skyler greets the archmage cheerfully, giving him a perky grin and a salute at the corner of his hat before he turns back to Murder, "I don't recall reading anything about anyone left in the house. Any reason we can't just blow it up, if it's real?" That last is directed at the three people in grey, "I mean, if it's real, it can burn, and I don't know about these two, but I have bad experiences with houses."

He scratches his jaw consideringly, "What do you say, Murder? Want to try and destroy it before we go in? Cessie, what about shrinking it to save on fuel costs?" He asks the archmage, as he ducks down and picks up a rock to try and throw at one of the windows.

Cesran nods, “As you wish Murder, I am not to overly fond of titles myself, at least not anymore. Please go ahead and try, but do be careful, touching it might have unintended consequences.”

The wizard listens to the three grey men talk about their conclusions, “Yes I think they we will probably have to do that.” He does offer his hand to all three, “I’m Cesran, it’s nice to meet you all.”

Cesran turns as he hears his new nickname from Skyler and that sends Ral-sara, his staff into a laughing fit. He clears his throat, “Ah yes, well I’m not sure that we could burn it does as it’s not fully in sync with this plane of reality, it looks like as if it’s caught in between or in two places at the same time. We can try to throw fire and spells at it from the outside, but it might do nothing or it might destabilize it so that it’s a bigger problem. If Murder can’t throw it back into the rift, I would suggest that we head inside, perhaps we can fight the solution inside. I don’t recall if the artifact that the wizard was using was recovered or not, that could be the source of this disruption.”

The Goblin frowns. "Are you serious? I just said the chances of a catastrophic explosion and fire is 1. That means it will happen! It's in the middle of the city. There's all kinds of wonky stuff going on as it is, I am quite certain no one in the city wants a big assed explosion and fire in the middle of the city!"

She sighs.

"Even if that's the most expedient and efficient way to remove it." A bit of wistfulness is present in her tone.

"But no, that's not a viable option right now." She makes a few attempts at lifting the house to vo avail. "I can't get a grip on this thing... It feels solid but not... quite. Kinda like tryin' t'catch an oil-covered hog."

A beat, before she glances at Skyler. "I'm certain you know what that's like." Snorting, she looks to the 'scientists'. "And why, exactly, do we need to go inside? I mean, it's obviously not a spirit... something of that nature and size would have the temples here with a veritable army of young priests and old priests, and inquisitors and paladins, all trying to expunge the stain from Alexandria. At least, that's what better happen if a spirit house drops into the city."

"And I thought you were fun. It's Alexandria, I doubt anyone would blink considering the bizarre shit that happens." Skyler's rock bounces off, and he frowns at it. "Are we sure we want to go into something that rocks bounce off of and you can't lift?" Skyler asks Murder, tilting his head to the side, "Granted, leverage is kinda hard at your size, but you do kill demons."

Anyone else, that'd be fightin' words, but Skyler says it without an ounce of sarcasm or a mocking lilt. The player, though...

He adds, "I mean, usually when I catch the grease up hog, I buy him dinner first. But the house doesn't look hungry. Is it safe to go into? I don't exactly relish the idea of getting popped into some other dimension."

He glances towards Cesran, "I don't recall reading anything about that in the briefing I got. But there were a lot of big words and I got bored watching a caterpiller chase a butterfly from the window."

GAME: Murder casts Enlarge Person. Caster Level: 18 DC: 17

Cesran watches with some disappointment as Murder’s direct method to solving the problem doesn’t work, nor does Skyler’s rock throwing solution. “Well it seems that we can’t interact with on the outside, perhaps we can continue our investigation on the inside. If you would like I can cast a spell on us that will allow us to remain in telepathic communication with each other, incase we get separated.”

Cesran looks towards the three men that are examining the house from the outside. “I can loop one of you in as well so that we can see if we can communicate with the outside while we are inside. Perhaps working together, we might solve what is going on here.”

Cesran looks to Skyler, “The alternative is that I get to do research with these three while you and Murder just hang out. I doubt either of you would want to spend your time doing that. Besides, it might be only here for a limited time, so it might behoof us to get in, find out what we can, and either fix the issue or get out and get everyone away from here.”

"I do have about a decade of experience burning things here in Alexandria. I know full well how they will react. You're speaking to the only person, that I am aware of, who not only asked permission to set a part of the city on fire, the sewers, I got it." The comment about leverage being hard at her size has her making several precise gestures, and uttering something in the squeaky language that is Goblin-talk. At the utterance of the last syllable, she quickly grows in size, until she's over seven feet tall, and in the hundreds of pounds. "I am not merely a demon slayer, I do also command some ability in magic. Leverage is not and never has been an issue, it is merely finding a long enough lever and place to put it."

She snorts heavily out her nose, and looks to Cesran. "Tell me you have some capability to deal with dimensional travel. I hope it won't be necessary but... but uh, sure, if you want to do some eyeballing of the building and..." Murder sighs at length. "Great, you want to yell inside my head... is it necessary?"

"No offense!" Skyler holds up his hands in their white leather gloves soothingly to Murder, even as he squints at the house, "I'm sure you could break me over your knee without breaking a sweat!" He tells the gobbo, before noddin at her comment. "An exit might be nice." He says, when she mentions dimensional travel.

When Cesran brings up telepathic linking, he blinks, and warns, "Um. If you do, I apologize in advance. Last time someone did that, they said they had a headache for a weak. Apparently I sing off key telepathically." Well, that's ominous.

Almost as ominous as when he suddenly grins. "You know what? Life's a sprint to the end, not a marathon. Let's go!" And he abruptly darts for the door, prepared to shoulder-check it to burst his way in.

Cesran nods, “Yes I know the Gate spell although I did not prepare it today, I can use my staff to cast it if we need it. I also have prepared other spells incase of emergencies. I can get us out of there if we get in, hopefully. If the inside of the house is covered in an area of anti-magic we might be in trouble.”

Cesran hmms, “It’s not, I just thought should we be separated from each other or we need to talk in front of someone that it would be better than trying to awkwardly whisper to each other. I will try my best not to yell.” He says as he takes out the egg shell of a duck and that of a chicken before he crushes them in his hand and casts the spell. He gets it off just in time as Skyler sprints towards the doorway and he starts after him, “Looks like we are going in.” He calls out to Murder.

With preparations complete, the trio enters the strange house, the door swinging open easily. As the three of them cross the threshold, the telepathic link to Sven becomes... not broken, but oddly distant. Suggesting that yes, this house is not entirely 'in synch' with reality.

Inside, it seems to look like a fairly normal, if slightly dull home. The air inside is chilly though, with a faint tang of metal. Threadbare rugs cover the wooden floors, and a flight of stairs lead upward. The windows seem oddly blurry, as if coated in frost.

GAME: Cesran rolls wisdom: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Murder rolls wisdom: (5)+4: 9 <OOC> Murder says, "I would like to reroll, since we do not yet know the result." GAME: Murder rolls wisdom: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Skyler rolls wisdom: (13)+2: 15

"Phew.", Murder says as they step inside, her nose wrinkling, "This place smells awful." She squints, looking out one of the windows, then taking in the stairs.

"Stairs going up... in a one story house. I have a bad feeling about this. What is with you wizards and having to magically fuck around with everything. Can't you be happy with how things are naturally?" She rubs at her face.

<OOC> Telamon says, "Everyone make a Wisdom check."

GAME: Cesran rolls wisdom: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Murder rolls wisdom: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Skyler rolls wisdom: (13)+2: 15

<OOC> Telamon says, "Anyways. You all realize this house from the outside only has a single floor. It doesn't have a second story. But for some reason there are stairs. Also, if you peer through the windows, -none- of the views match what you should see outside." <OOC> Telamon says, "Continue :)" <OOC> Cesran says, "Are the views in each window different or the same?" <OOC> Murder says, "My guess is, different. The owner of the house was messing with extradimension stuff, think making rooms of the house into different pocket dimensions or on different planes of existence." <OOC> Telamon says, "Different."

"Phew.", Murder says as they step inside, her nose wrinkling, "This place smells awful." She squints, looking out one of the windows, then taking in the stairs.

"Stairs going up... in a one story house. I have a bad feeling about this. What is with you wizards and having to magically fuck around with everything. Can't you be happy with how things are naturally?" She rubs at her face.

<OOC> Cesran says, "Any other exits or is this an open floor plan?" <OOC> Telamon says, "More or less open floor plan."

As the telepathic bond settles, there's a humming noise that invades the linked minds. Is it a side effect of the sorcery that's causing the house to appear out of nowhere?

Dum dum DUUUUM dum dum dum dUm!

An off tune whistle is added to the humming, and it becomes clear what's happening. Skyler's brain has a constant singing to it, off key and off tune. He turns to Murder, and shrugs. "I think most wizards were bullied as kids, so they're compensating." He says mentally, "Oh shit. Can everyone here this? Or just Murder? Oh no! I apologize in advance, coz this is gunna get awkward and shit and I can't help it but did you see that one wizard pick his nose and wipe it on his fri..." And then the mental babble is broken off, and Skyler closes his eyes, a bead of sweat on his temple. The humming continues though. He doesn't have *that* much self control. "Sorry. Do we want to focus on floor by floor together? Or split up and rely on the telepathic bond?"

Cesran tests the link with Sven and in his head he reaches out, including everyone on the conversation, “Sven we have made it inside, everything looks like a normal house the most part. We’ll continue on and let you know what we find.” He hmms, “I’m getting some weird feedback when I try to talk to Sven. Besides Skyler’s voice.”

Cesran starts to look around and he relates to Sven on the outside about the windows that seem to have a different landscape as well as what appears to be a second story to the house. He shrugs, “I can’t attest to this wizard’s motivations, but most of the time it’s just to see if they can. I’ve tried to outgrow that particular motivation.”

Cesran continues to look around carefully, “I would like for us to stay together if possible. If we need to make a quick escape it will be easier with everyone close to me. So shall we continue to explore this first level or head upstairs to the floor that shouldn’t be there.”

From the aforementioned second floor, a voice can be heard, calmly speaking as though in a lecture hall.

"The nature of art is to question, to challenge. To transgress, one might say. The greater the art, the greater the transgression, the riposte against conventional thinking. One simply cannot create true art without stepping on a few toes."

GAME: Murder rolls stealth: (12)+8: 20

The Goblin stares daggers at Skyler as he starts humming and then whistling. She rolls her eyes and gives her head a shake. <<Yes a telapathic bond is shared by everyone who is bonded by the spell. So stray surface thoughts will also get messaged to everyone, so focus on the task at hand.>> Her tone is clear.

Her ears perk up slightly. <<You guys hear that? Sounds like a lecture... or a manifesto. Is it possibly the wizard in question? Trapped here and gone mad? Let's make as little noise as possible...">> She begins treading a bit more slowly, and she carefully puts her foot down on the first stair, at the point where the stair meets the wall.

GAME: Cesran rolls stealth: (1)+25: 26 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Skyler rolls stealth: (13)+5: 18

<< Oh god even worse than a crazy wizard: a frustrated artist. >> Skyler's brain practically sings with horror at the idea, interrupting the song he's humming quietly in his head like the background music in a tavern.

Briefly, at least.

It starts back up as he reaches up to grab his sword hilt to prevent it from rattling as he tippy toes after Murder, << Do we engage with him? I mean, subjectively speaking, his art lacks any appreciation for balance and, like, sucks. But he might get mad if I tell him that. >>

Cesran hears the voice coming from upstairs and he switches over to telepathy as well, << Agreed let’s keep our thoughts in line and use this for communication purposes only. >> He nods his head, << I did, it could be both or a rant or the ravings of a madman. Agreed, I’ll follow your lead. >>

Cesran starts to go carefully as he can up the stairs, but his long robes drag along the steps and kick up dust as he moves. He feels the twitching of his nose and he tries to ignore it. He wrinkles his nose, and he tries to as quietly as he can rub his nose, but that only makes it worse. He finally must bury his face in his robed elbow as he tries to muzzle the sneeze the best he can. Cesran freezes and looks around to see if he just gave them away or if the ranting will continue, << Sorry. >> A very contrite message passes through the bond.

The stairs up to the second floor don't creak. They feel kind of... strange in fact. Halfway up they transition from wood to stone, as the group ascends to the shouldn't-be-there second story.

This floor is round, walls, ceiling, and floor all made of fitted stone. Looks like the floor in a wizard's tower. A large window dominates the west wall, but it doesn't look out onto the Alexandria outskirts. It's just... dark. But not empty.

A humanoid figure, clad in black, stands there outside at the window, staring in with a cool, almost blank expression. At the arrival of the heroes, though, his head turns minutely, and something vaguely approaching interest makes its way onto his face.

The Goblin turns to stare at Cesran, an open-mouth frown forming on her face. << I could have just brought my one-man band outfit, yanno, if you wanted to announce our presence. >> she thinks, mostly at Cesran. Once at the top of the stairs, she looks around, and then locks eyes with the figure //outside// the window.

<<Uh oh, tall, dark and ugly looking our way...>>

<< Why do they always wear black? >> Skyler mentally sighs, even as his brain (somehow) continues to provide a constant soundtrack to the situation. << Just for once, can the mysterious wizard wear mauve? Or chartreuse. A lovely chartreuse would look good against the stone! >>

He doesn't criticize Cesran for his loudness; but he does give the wizard a sympathetic wince and a shake of his head, before adding, << I think stealth is out of the picture. Let's just brute force this. >>

"HI! So your little cottage is kinda creepy, man." He says brightly, stepping out and offering a friendly little wave, "So are you okay, or are you some sort of void-sent abomination we need to kill? Between Corpse Eater and that Kol freak, I'm ready to meet a friendly void-sent abomination." Beat. "Also, if this is your art, it's kind of derivative of other people's work. Have you considered getting into embroidery?"

Cesran sees the transition from wood to stone steps, and he privately wonders if they are going to another plane of existence, perhaps a pocket dimension like a magnificent mansion. He has seen this type of decor before in other wizards’ towers. He grimaces at Murder’s thoughts and he too spots the wizard gaze on them, << Well let’s introduce ourselves then, perhaps we can talk to him and find out some information. Or I will and try to distract him. >>

Cesran straightens up to his full height and steps out into the room, “Greetings. I am Archmage Cesran from the city of Alexandria. Your home appeared just outside of the city. Are you in need of any assistance? I’m aware of the tragic accident that happened in this house. Perhaps we could find a way to anchor this house back to reality and allow you to depart from it.” He winces a bit as Skyler starts to talk about the man’s art, but he continues to watch the other wizard’s expression.

<OOC> Telamon says, "If you have Knowledge/The Planes, roll it :)"

GAME: Skyler rolls Knowledge/the planes: (18)+1: 19 GAME: Murder rolls knowledge/the planes: (15)+23: 38 GAME: Cesran rolls knowledge/The planes: (2)+28: 30

As the group approaches, details become clear -- although they aren't good ones. The humanoid standing 'outside' is bald, his pale face and head lined with disturbing symmetrical scarring, suggestive of jagged edges or a stylized skull superimposed over his patrician features. His eyes are completely black orbs, flanking a narrow nose. The robes he wears are black, and an array of adamantine-tipped tools hang from his belt.

This is no void-spawned creature. This is a kyton. And when it is addressed, it nods its head, before looking at Skyler with a knowing gaze before its voice, low and rumbling, sounds in their heads.

<< This place is not my doing, for it stinks of the -nothing- that I abhor. Know this, mortals, I am Zenofon, and it is my wish that you purge the void. >> The kyton raises one long fingered hand, tipped with black, razor-sharp nails. << The void would consume all, leave nothing behind. Without flesh, how may I perfect my works? >>

The moment the cloak is thrown off, Skyler's brain goes silent...

And then the horrors start. Memories of a woman scarred and pierced, flesh wet with blood that gleams in a pale, grey-green light. Eyes staring at Skyler, pupils dilated with pleasure. Her hands are wrapped in ropey lengths of guts as she laughs, "I can feel your love. This is but a taste, a taste of the joys you could experience!"

The laughter is interrupted with a wet gurgle as Skyler's blade slices trachea and artery, before continuing wetly.

Skyler then leaps into action, sword tearing out of the baldric across his back as he lashes at the creature with a snarl. And in his mind, the Kyton woman's voice, singing a sweet little song: << Flesh so fine, so fine to tear, to gnash the skin; skin to strip, to plait, so nice to plait the strips, so nice, so red the drops that fall; blood so red, so red, so sweet; sweet screams, pretty screams, singing screams, scream your song, sing your screams.. >> The swashbuckler's pale grey-green eyes are black as his pupils are blown out with terror and something nastier, something not entirely sane...

GAME: Murder rolls strength: (12)+5: 17

Murder's gasp is audible in the shared connection of telepathy, and she sighs, reaching up to slowly pull her blade from its place on her back. The weapon immediately begins to glow a pale blue. <<And people thought /I/ had issues.>>

The Goblin steps to Skyler, and reaches up for his belt, tugging on it as hard as she can. "Hold on a second while we get crazy pants sorted here, fiend...", she voices out loud.

Cesran’s eyes go wide as he see the figure before them. He instantly knows what he sees and thankfully until now has only read about them. The name of Zenofon sends a chill down his spine as that is the name of one of the kyton demagogues, a being of such vast power and cruelty that even archdevils are wary of them. He has no wish to insult such a being. He tries to reach Skyler telepathically as Murder goes to restrain him physically, << Skyler if you fight this being you will die or worse and we need you to be with us. They are not the cause of this house, if they were we’d already be dead. We need to move on, please. >>

Cesran waits to see if his words do anything to bring Skyler back into focus as he readies a spell to try to restrain the swashbuckler. He does eye the spiral staircase that goes up, << Murder if you get a hold of him try to bring him towards the stairs, I think we’ll have to climb. >>