Felwood Spire: A Fell Mood (Part 2)

Log Info

• Title: Felwood Spire: A Fell Mood (Part 2)

• GM: Whirlpool

• Characters: Rune, Harkashan, Fidget, Aelwyn, Ulthan, Reithak, Ravenstongue, Seldan

• Place: Spires of Eluna - Felwood

Going inside is easy, what, with the weeds from last time cleared away.

THe interior of the structure smells ... musty, to say the least, but the lava-stones are right there on the ground, in front of a raised stone with a hand-shaped imprint on it. Looks like someone is, you know, supposed to put there hand there.

And the stones are right there.

Right in front of it. The walls have faded decor, images of stars and the moon upon them, decorated in constellations.

But more than anything else, this feels like some kind of guard post, more than anything else. It just has that characteristic feel. The slits in the walls to peer out, the heavy doors...

GAME: Harkashan rolls Perception: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Harkashan casts Light. Caster Level: 6 DC: 14

"It's alright. I'm just grabbing my Lava-Stones." Harkashan answers, people getting rather worried about him. Stepping inside, he ducks his head a bit, making sure his horns don't get stuck anywhere.

The symbol between his horns continues to glow. "Hey, there's an interesting device in here. Looks like you'd have to put your hand on this. Some kind of magical device perhaps?" He asks to the group behind him, as he kneels down and begins to gather his lava-stones one at a time.

Gather.

Gather.

"What's this weird black opal doing with my lava-stones? That's not mine, is it?" As he picks it up.

GAME: Fidget casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14

At length, Seldan had come closer to the Spire itself, trailing the others in its direction now that the weeds are cleared away. As curious as he is to see an ancient place, he is mindful of the duration of his anchoring spell, and remains just outside the door while Harkashan enters. When the black opal is mentioned, though, he calls, "Leave it, or take only wrapped in silk," he warns. "I have been told of these, that black gems found in the Felwood are responsible for possession of they that hold them. Their true natures, I know not, but I do not doubt that it is demonic in nature. I will study it, do you wish it, but do not allow your skin to touch it."

While most of the party are peeking into the structure, Ulthan is hanging back and keeping a rotating watch of the surroundings.

GAME: Harkashan rolls Will: (12)+10: 22
GAME: Aelwyn rolls perception: (17)+1: 18

Reithak was awkwardly watching the plants on the outside of the tower, when others are entering inside. When Harkashan calls out however, the bird bolts upright, and peers inside. "Heya Hark, maybe don't pick up the stones righr away if someone moved them, okay? Make sure they're all safe, especially if someone is leaving other stuff with them." She warns.

Cor'lana is similarly standing with Seldan as she, too, is all too aware of the short time that their anchoring spells have bought them. When Seldan identifies the stone, her eyes go quite wide. "Demonic possessi--"

She doesn't even finish the phrase before she bites it down and replaces it with an incantation to protect all within her immediate circle. A shimmer of silvered light emanates from her upon the conclusion of the casting. Pothy on her shoulder seems quite perturbed by the whole thing.

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Magic Circle Against Evil. Caster Level: 15 DC: 20

"Oh yeah, so there is." Fidget agrees, her magic sight highlighting the stone with the handprint, and she kneels down next to it to get a better look, having the good sense not to touch it just yet. On the other hand, putting her hand there is definitely on the plan soon.

"Okay. Just... be careful." Rune, walking along with Aelwyn, had not been so keen upon entering the structure immediately. Instead, her eyes aer still scouting skyward, that discomfort a result of the magics that have been cast and the way they seem to impact the energy of the area around them.

And almost as soon as the warning is offered, others are being added to the mix. Rune turns her head, ears twitching with the voices of the others, "Maybe don't touch anything until we're sure it's safe? We don't know how long it has been since someone has even been in this place." Though someone or something has clearly moved some things around, such as Harkashan's stones.

Aelwyn moves to stand near the black opal, and lays his hand on Harkashan's horns, giving them light tug. "Gemstone is right. Those are from creatures beyond." The Dragoon rumbles in a warning, before he gives his glaive a slow sway and moves to inspect the rest of the room. "They do not seem to have good tales to share."

Yet, the Dragoon seemed to keep an eye on the opal - a particularly annoyed look on his face. "Tch," He finally rumbles. Flicking his head away. "Was there another of those beasts defeated here?"

Harkashan's hand is shaking a bit by the time Aelwyn, Reithak and Fidget get inside. There's a huff from him, a tightening in his grip over the opal, before he is soon to drop it - at Seldan's reminder and Aelwyn's tug on his horns. This is not the first time he's found such a stone.

He takes a few of his cloths, and wraps it around the stone. "It wished for me to crush it." He rumbles, before stepping out of the place and bringing it to Seldan in order to show it.

Indeed, it is exactly the kind of stone Seldan believes it to be. "This isn't the first one of these I've found." He then notes, as he reaches into his pouch and reveals a second of those stones. "I've not known where to best keep them so far."

He then looks to the Spire, then the hut behind him. "Shall we try and proceed into the Spire?" He asks. Letting others try their (literal) hand at that stone (with the hand print) in the guard-house like place.

"Apologies for the worry." He then rumbles.

GAME: Fidget rolls knowledge/arcana: (5)+10: 15

"There's nothing obviously dangerous about this, probably opens something? Time to find out." Fidget says, partly as a warning to those nearby that she's going to poke it now, then reaches forward and places her hand inside the handprint indentation, her hand visibly smaller than the depression, and the stone responds by sliding back slightly to her touch.

"Nay. To crush it would be to release the energies contained in the gem," Seldan tells Harkashan, still remaining outside. He does, this time, reach into his haversack and produce a blue-stoppered scrolls case, from which he pulls a sheaf of scrolls. These, he looks through quickly, then nods. "My lady, I am in possession of a scroll of plane shift, do we find ourselves trapped," he tells Cor'lana. "I think it safe enough, do we move swiftly."

With that, he steps inside the place, looking around with wide eyes and a boyish fascination. Reverence, even.

"I am able to cast that spell of my own accord, and I have a scroll of it as well," Cor'lana replies, smiling softly. "Although I doubt my collection of scrolls is as extensive as yours, Seldan--but that can be corrected in due time."

She similarly steps inside with Seldan, the protective magic against evil following her as she moves. The sorceress peers about with those still-glowing eyes of hers from the true seeing spell.

Reithak makes a rather displeased sounding chitter and was about to step out into the ruin where Harkashan was gathering things, only for the makari to return. Reithak sighs. "Careful there, we're looking out for each other." She chides. "So we'll look together and-"

Fidget presses the button. "Hey, Fidget, what I was just saying, please be careful. Don't assume anything is safe here, you know?"

There's a rumble.

The rooftop of the building begins to split open, retracting to within itself to reveal a polished glass surface. It beautifully captures and reflects the moonlight down into the room, as well as towards the nearby spire, which is clearly meant to also capture that moonlight. The full moon being up is assuredly good news for you!

... but nothing happens. Something is clearly *supposed* to happen.

GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Spellcraft: (12)+17: 29
GAME: Fidget rolls spellcraft: (6)+12: 18
GAME: Reithak rolls spellcraft: Trained Use Only: 0
GAME: Seldan rolls spellcraft: (20)+18: 38

It doesn't fully escape Rune's notice that Harkashan's hand had been shaking as he held the stone. She had warning enough from Simony and some others that handling such things could be dangerous, leading to posession or worse. She opens her mouth to say something, but then there is the huff and it is dropped again. "Damnit, Hark. You need to be more careful."

With others all moving towards the building, there is a reluctance from Rune as she finally moves to join them. She may have started to to trust more in the hand of the Sky-singer, but this place had been outside of the goddess' control seemingly for unknown years.

So, when Fidget touches the handprint and things begin to shift, she flinches, looking around with concern.

Aelwyn looks around the room as Fidget presses the button. "Are all of Rainbow's Kin so eager to press buttons?" He wonders, "Both literal and perhaps the insinuated ones?" He flashes his teeth at Fidget, tail swaying behind him.

Levity aside, the Dragoon was still quite annoyed at the whole situation; or perhaps nervous just as much. "Should we not retreat from this place now with stones retrieved, Hotstone?"

Ulthan spares a single glance to the uncovering of the mirrors, shrugs and returns his attention to keeping watch. Goblins, children... You can be certain of only one thing with those, and that's "watch out for consequences".

"I looked first, it probably wasn't dangerous. Unlike that rock that Harkashan touched, which is clearly really dangerous. And yet we always blame the goblins." Fidget emphasises her point by poking the rock several more times. "Also, can I look at your rock later, Harkashan? For research purposes."

"Anyways..." Fidget adds, "since they're supposed to focus the moon's light, but they were closed, maybe we need to open all the towers' moon portals?"

"Once was it meant to collect ambient magic." Seldan speaks after a long moment of silence, of studying the mechanism and the environs, even a quick reach for the crescent and sphere at his neck and a murmured prayer. He releases the symbol, and a shudder takes him from head to feet, rippling down his spine like an inexorable wave. "It collects now from another source. What that source is, I cannot say, for it may be the curse, demonic energies, perhaps even a planar portal. The last, at the least, would I rule out, ere we leave. Still, we should depart this place ere the anchor expires, lest we be caught between realities." Disgust is written across the even features.

<OOC> Harkashan says, "Alright. I say we enter the Spire and have ourselves a good time."

<OOC> Reithak says, "hmm"

<OOC> Seldan says, "That is fine."

Cor'lana stares at the spires for a long moment. Her violet eyes, glowing with the power of her truesight spell, narrow. When Seldan makes the diagnosis, she nods in agreement. "What Seldan says is true," she says. "On all measures. If we continue on, we are dealing with things that I believe may be beyond mortal ken. I warn everyone that this is something I do not take lightly by an inch."

Pothy in particular looks quite nervous about all of this, looking longingly at the entrance like he just wants to get out and go home.

Harkashan apologetically bows his head to Rune. "I will be more careful." He answers her. He means it. He's normally quite careful. But the blinders go on sometimes when it comes to his more religious artifacts.

"And I think we are here for more than just my lavastones, Aelwyn." Harkashan then adds, as he begins to move in the direction of the moonlight - towards that anchored Spire.

He does pause for a moment, drawing a figure in the dirt. Roughly indicating how he thinks all of this is laid out based on observation so far.

"I think if we enter the Spire, and find a way to properly redirect the moonlight again, we will make some progress here." He notes. "Shall we?" He asks Seldan and Ravenstongue first, then the others.

After all, if that is a far-too-foolish move, the more experienced Adventurers will warn him. But it seems Ravenstongue agrees on moving on, and so, Harkashan moves. To the first outlying spire!

Being one of the least magically inclined leaves Rune at a distinct disadvantage here. She exhibits a similar level of anxious energy as that radiating off of Pothy, though perhaps for very different reasons. Her thumb runs along the edge of her necklace, a little nervous gesture.

"Stay or go, let's make up our minds. I'm in agreement with Seldan that I'd rather not be caught between realities." How long they have? Not a clue. What they need to do? Even more uncertain even with Harkashan's drawing offering some insight.

The rogue is clearly a bit over her head, here.

"Well, we did come here to do something, so we should take a look, right? At least, if we have the time for it? " Reithak wonders aloud. "We, Should we go together? I don't want anyone getting lost."

Ulthan shifts his weight, his eyes and ears scannign the nearby forest. Not having a clue about the magics, but feeling them instinctively makes him nervous, but unwilling to opine anything, having learnt a good while ago to let those who understand the magic deeply to call the shots...

Aelwyn rumbles, clicking his teeth audibly as he knicks his head one way. "Let us then proceed. This one's feet grow anxious, claws nervous, and teeth long to sink into something more concrete than dreams." The Dragoon gives Harkashan a firm slap on calves with his tail. He glances towards Fidget, "Tch, cannot fault Rainbow too much then." He flashes his teeth.

The draconian's orange eyes pass over towards the other magic users in the part; but being just a slab of meat, he takes in a deep breath and looks at less so inclined. With a shake of 'this is a bad idea and mages are always behind it', he waits for the smarter people to decide the direction.

"Do we get trapped, we have a means of return, or so I believe. Still should we move swiftly. Come." Seldan's pale blue eyes are alight with curiosity and focus, and he turns to follow Harkashan towards the main spire. "Let us see if we can learn what it feeds." He wastes little time, gesturing that the others should follow.

"And I am with you," Cor'lana responds to Seldan, following Harkashan and Seldan both. She ignores the small noises of anxiety that come from Pothy, her focus on, for the moment, ensuring that she stays alert for what might be awaiting them within the spire.

Ulthan seeing that the boffins have come to a conclusion, brings up the rear, checking that no one stays behind to fiddle with anything.

"Well, if we don't have long, then let's hurry, go fast, find whatever's interesting, and then leave." Fidget urges, and for once doesn't lag behind - sticking close to whoever's leading the way. "Also, can't you just cast the anchor again when it's getting close to expiring?" she asks, as they move on to the next spire.

"Hey, worst comes to worst, and I can jump out the window with someone, if we're strapped for time? But, lets not count on that, please." The egalrin laughs before heading up with everyone else.

Out you go.

...and then towards the spire. There is indeed a door on these spires, though it is presently closed. It doesn't take long to open it and move inside.

The walls here were once resplendent elven design from ages ago. Gold and quarts and marble being blended into the kind of magnificent creation that one, were one to imagine 'ancient elven craftsmanship' just from the sentence alone, would have cause something like this to spring to mind. A spiral staircase rings the interior, leading up to spire top. Each step taken on one of those stairs rings like a musical note by design, leading to the combined sound of your marching to be an interesting cacophony. No doubt this is meaningful in some way to its makers, but it is not one you can appreciate at this time without additional context.

At about halfway up the stairs, there is a a pair of doors leading into an area off to the side. An alcove, it seems, where someone might have once rested. The wall is carved in such a way as to provide a seat, with a raise at one end that gives the indication it might've once served as a bed, were one to put some cushions on it. If there were some, they are long absent now.

A store room, similarly, sits empty nearby, long abandoned and whatever was here has since turned to dust or been stolen by things that managed to get up here.

Finally, you reach the top. Here, a single crystal sits in a complicated array, surrounded by numerous levers that plainly look designed to maneuver its position. This clear crystal quartz is absolutely designed to capture and reflect light, that much is obvious, and the ceiling here looks very much like it ought to open. Presumably, one of the levers on the walls might be responsible for that.

GAME: Fidget casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14
GAME: Fidget takes ten on knowledge/arcana: (10)+10: 20
GAME: Seldan casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 16 DC: 18
GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/Religion: (12)+7: 19

Seldan's gaze, usually steady, stoic, and with little emotion, has shifted into awe, appreciation, and a touch of sadness that is fleeting as he climbs the stairs. "Even so," he tell Fidget. "My lady or I can recast the anchor, do we find ourselves in need, but it is well do we not find ourselves in such need."

He surveys the walls once he reaches the top, the levers, and the crystal in the center, and turns his attention first to the levers on the wall, then to the crystal. A quick spell, and he studies it intently.

With the decision made, Rune nods her head, stepping forward to join the others. She keeps one of her weapons drawn, ready for potential threats, but her other hand remains loose at her side.

Stepping into the spire, there is a low whistle of appreciation, the half-sil leaning her head back as she takes in the spiral staircase and the path that leads up along the inside of the spire. She turns around in place for a moment before moving to follow up the stairs. For the time being, Rune remains near the back of the group, knowing that magical senses will be more useful than anything she can offer at the moment.

And... she may be playing a bit with the notes on the stairs.

GAME: Seldan rolls knowledge/religion: (17)+15: 32

Cor'lana continues to survey with her own spell of truesight, the glowing eyes regarding all with more than an abundance of caution and yet appreciation for what this place was... and is, in still some way. The elven workmanship, the musical notes...

"Of course," Cor'lana says with a soft laugh, almost out of nowhere. "She is the Sky-singer. No wonder there is music here on these steps."

There is always room for appreciation and joy even amidst trepidation and danger in the sorceress's book.

Indeed, they are on the clock. Harkashan helps push the door along with the stronger folk, after which he still manages to take just a few seconds to stand in awe of the amazing craftsmanship that went into creating this place.

He looks up to the spire, the only place to go, and begins moving up. Up, listening to the chimes.

Once halfway up, he glances at the resting place. "This place feels lonely, no longer holding its original task." He rumbles, as they move upwards.

"You have to wonder though, who or what moved my lavastones and the opal? They clearly knew we'd be back. But it's not like they placed guards there. Over and over, it feels like... even with that Opal as a way of warding - all of this is still like an invitation." Harkashan rumbles.

Finally, at the top, that single crystal within its array. Which is... well beyond Harkashan. The levers though. He at least knows enough observational skills to note; "If they aren't rusted, we should be able to open that, and let in the Moonlight. Maybe that will stop this place from shifting and being 'displaced' without the anchor." Harkashan hopes. "After all, it seems like this place is trying to stop the moonlight from reaching the central spire. The curse on the outlying location... all of it."

He then looks to Seldan. "Do you think that hymn on the steps might...?" He doesn't finish that thought.

Ulthan, having helped open the door, stands at the rear, keeping watch, is still impressed by the craftsmanship in the Spire, although not so impressed to be engrossed in it.

"If they knew we were coming back, they would have left the stones where they were, Hotstone." The Dragoon replies to his larger kin, glaive held at the ready. There was a strange step in him now; almost as if he was flowing amongst the group of people, his step light. An occasional bystander might mistake Aelwyn for dancing.

"Yet there they were, ignored, and amongst a black opal. Perhaps from yet another monster." He clicks his teeth. "And if it were a monster - then who killed the monster?"

The egalrin whistles when she reaches the top, peering at the crystal curiously. "If it wasn't so pressing, I'd like to know more about this." Reithak sighs. "It seems like it was a trap to me, but what was the intent, and how is it connected to this tower?"

"Ah, that's what we need!" Fidget points at the quartz crystal, "It needs to be recharged, probably by opening the moon door again. If we can figure out which levers control it. The abjuration magic implies no immediate danger from the crystal, but what it powers, who knows?"

"Only one way to find out?" She adds, gesturing to the levers in suggestion.

"Even so," Seldan glances briefly at the crystal, but much of his focus is on the musical stairs, and after a moment of silence while he searches his memory, he shakes his head and draws the blade at his hip. "Reunion," he calls quietly. "You have heard the stairs. It is in my mind that an ancient hymn greets the moon, and such may unlock the secret of this place. Know you the hymn it desires?"

"I hate when you call us that. It's so disrespectful." The crotchety old man's voice is, as usual, the first to speak. "You have no manners."

"You're a fine one to talk, Kanian." The younger, deeper female voice chimes in.

Indeed, it seems that the blade in Seldan's hand is more focused on arguing about the name for the moment, until the paladin cuts in. "Have you no answer to the question I asked?"

More discussion ensures, but it's soon clear that they don't know either, the argument devolving into _it's this one!_ _not on your life, it's nowhere close._ _It's descended from that. Some of the same melodies._ _Nonsense, Golain, it isn't even in the same key._

"If I had some of the words, rather than just the music, I could possibly be of use," Cor'lana laments as she listens to Reunion's resounding racket. "I _knew_ I should have taken up those offers for private singing lessons. The only song I've got is that of verse and rhyme."

She looks up at the levers. "Perhaps if we open the door, then the hymn will be performed properly for us. A song for the Sky-singer."

"I guess that's true." Harkashan answers Aelwyn, quieting at the revelation. Squinting his eyes for a bit until he's distracted by Reunion deciding to bicker over which hymn may be featured within the stairs' song.

"Fidget... pull the lever." The Sith-makar then decides.

There is a point where multiple people make mention of the musical notes of the steps, which causes Rune to stop her hip-hoping up and down a series of the stairs and leave it to those far more educated in such matters to examine it.

That, however, seems to lead to an argument between Seldan's sword and ... Seldan's sword. This adventure had veen Rune's first experience with them, and it is an experience. "Today is the day I learned a weapon could be multiple people." This is murmured quietly.

Then, stepping out of the way, Rune shakes her head, "I know a few of my mother's old songs but... they were more for the bar crowd than for a goddess." And then there is talk of pulling levers, so she just looks to the enthusiastic Goblin.

"Okay, this one can be Harkashan's fault if it explodes," Fidget preempts any more blame by pre-blaming someone else, "He said-" she adds, getting a good grip on the most likely lever to open the door, and "-to pull the lever." she finishes with a grunt and a hefty yank, the old lever squealing with disagreement as it comes towards her, and then stops with a metal clang.

"Well uh, don't look at me. I may look it, but I'm not a songbird." The large egalrin apologizes. "Don't get me wrong, I'd give it a try, but not in a life or death situation."

It really does squeal. Loudly. It's been stuck in that position for SO long. Fidget may even have to use both hands.

Eventually, it does depress, though, and the ceiling splits open as predicted, once again revealing the moon. The crystal almost immediately starts to glow, capturing moonlight. The crystal starts to rise up, automatically, emerging from the roof top and reflecting moonlight captured and shot towards it from the station below you were at originally and then reflecting it through the crystal to the central spire.

It has no immediate effect, however. It's as if its dissipating as soon as it tries to reach the central spire, like its hitting something that's just absorbing it.

Worrisome, that.

The ground shakes.

The roof opens, a crystal rises, and moonlight is caught and reflected. There's a certain kind of mechanical and arcane beauty to it all. But... they are on a timer.

"For now, I think this is all we can do at this station." Harkashan remarks, as the ground begins to shake and he grabs on for something. Looking at Rune with concern for a moment. "I am afraid you'll have to enjoy the musical stairs another time again." He notes, and then motions towards the downstairs. "Just four more outlying spires to go..." He then notes, and starts taking that lead down the stairs.

Aelwyn starts to flash his teeth open, as the talk of songs and stairs continue. "Perhaps someone then wishes to take this one for a dance?" He asks with an amused hiss. "This one is certain he can lead anyone to the tune." The ruddy sith-makar stills when the lever is being pulled though. Rumbling, and rumination.

"What has occured was perhaps not what we had hoped for." The draconian says, starting to eye the exit. "We should retreat."

Ulthan, having stayed low to guard the door, shakes his head as the roof is opened, then keeps waving at the rest of the party as they scamper down the stairs.

A hiss escapes Cor'lana. "We are _going_," she says. An incantation leaves her lips and magic flows from her fingers that results in quickening magic that makes the group all the faster for their steps.

"Everyone go!" she commands at the top of her lungs. It's surprising for such volume to come from a small half-sil woman--

Oh, that's because Pothy was yelling it at the same time that she was. He's been ready to go since the start.

GAME: Ravenstongue casts Haste. Caster Level: 15 DC: 20

Reunion is continuing to make quite the racket, arguing amongst themselves over this name or that name. None of them appear to have any real musical ability, and thankfully, few try. Seldan looks up, though, at the casting of the spell, and surveys the opened roof, the raised crystal, and straightens. "Reunion, let us consult with the Mythwood for their wisdom in this. For now, we go, ere the spell expires."

With a decisive rasp of leather on metal, he sheathes Reunion, and turns to run swiftly down the stairs, heedless of the jangling cacophony that results with his armor. "Swiftly now, all of you!"

The sound of squealing metal followed by the splitting of the ceiling has Rune's ears twitching again, responding to the sounds as she reaches up to slightly cover one with her hand. Then... the ground starts to shake.

"Not good." She gives a look to Harkashan before racing for the stairs. This is bolstered by a surge of energy as Cor'lana shouts behind her, both magic and encouragement giving the other half-sil more reason to sprint the stairs, at least as much as is possible with everyone going the same direction.

Resisting the order to leave at first, Fidget argues "No, we can figure this out, just a couple more minutes." she says, her gaze glued to the moonlight display, but when people start yelling and running, she reluctantly decides not to be the last one here, and dashes after them, aided by the spell's swiftness.

Ulthan has waited for the gobber to come down, and was already half a step to go fetch her when they come barreling down, so he does what he intended to do, and makes a grab on the gobber, tucking them in the crook of his arm, pivots on place and then dashes through the door at speed rivaling a galloping horse, thank to the magical encouragement to his better than normal land speed.

There's a sound. Like the creaking of a tree's branches in the wind.

As you reach the bottom of the steps, you find egress has been cut off ... by thickened vines that have wrapped around them. With your combined efforts, you're able to make short work of them, but the vines are *still* growing as you emerge through them, choking the tower thoroughly, already vast and growing more so by the moment. Not good. It looks awfully familiar to some of you...

... and then the spire seemingly shimmers in place, untethered once more.

Aelwyn picks up his glaive and does not need further encouragement to start heading out the spire as well; he had been on the edge to do so for a while now. The gobbo-express makes him pause though, but he shakes his head and carries on.

"Tch," The Dragoon hisses, having used his glaive to push aside the growths. He seemed to be particularly wary of getting too close to them. "This one supposes even fire cannot outburn such a growth."

Harkashan assists, hacking the vines with his weapon, tearing through it and helping rip some of the vines away as he makes his way out and offers a way for others to exit alongside his fellow Adventurers.

Once everyone is out, he stumbles back a bit, watching the vines grab and hold the Spire. "Is it... locked in place now?" He asks, curiously. Now that the vines are grabbing hold of it.

Only for it to shimmer. "Ah." That was too much to hope for, it seems. But... they seem to have made progress.

Four more towers, in order to unveil the center one. They have a method. But it'll have to wait for the next full moon.

The large egalrin brings up the rear of there retreat, struggling to push through the overgrowth at the end. They end up tearing away several of the vines with their beak as a wing gets stuck, sending them tumbling to the ground. "Well then, It seems we weren't supposed to get out, where we?" The egalrin sighs. "Good call on the magic, saved my tail feathers, that did. Everyone alright and accounted for? Still got your lava rocks?"

OOC

Spire diagram:

<OOC> Harkashan says, "Whirlpool - so we have something like this going on? https://imgur.com/a/R5ycuOH"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "You still have to check the actual spire -- this is just the station outside it, but it's definitely true that the dimensional anchor dropping might have a bad effect this close to it. Ahaha."
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Whoa!"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Yes, Hark!"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "That seems very likely the design."

A-Pothy:

<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Well, no one here is experiencing any apothy."
<OOC> Seldan says, "Yes, because Pothy is here."
<OOC> Whirlpool XD
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "It's true."
<OOC> Seldan says, "Therefore, a-pothy is not the case."