Ring of Fire (Part 2)

In the wake of the demon's smoke is a map which is... odd looking to say the least. It shows several circles intersecting one another with a little x marked in one section. That's it. Not even a foot print of the infernal beast has been left behind. Well, there's the statuette also; horrible thing that it is. With it you can summon the demon again. Only thing you need to do now is retrieve the Forlorn Hope and the information you desire will be yours.

Kravar picks up the map and holds it out flat for the others to look for it. "X marks the spot," he guesses. "But what are these circles? Why do they cross one another?" He turns and scans the surroundings quickly. "And where do we start?"

Mikilos shrugs, looking over the 'map'. "Detection spells, maybe? Each circle an area of effect where there was a positive result. Where the results overlap is where the item must be found? Not a lot of help without some other point of reference."

Now that the demon returned to whatever hole it was banished to, Aya steps forward to examine the lifted map. “Given the source, I would hardly be surprised if they were territories of other demons, dragon's nests, or lairgrounds for some other menace..."

GAME: Mikilos rolls knowledge/the planes: (18)+14: 32
GAME: Kravar rolls 2: (14)+2: 16
GAME: Aya rolls knowledge/the planes: (8)+3: 11

Mikilos frowns mildly, eyeing a few of the symbols and markings. "....planar designations. That's the elemental plane of fire, and that's the Astral Plane... and I think that's the Abyss... but there in the center? Pretty certain that's meant to be the Celestial Plane. Which would explain why he wasn't able to get it himself."

Kravar's cloak ruffles and waves. The feathered garment spreads and stiffens into a pair of wings. Kravar rolls up the map and offers it to Mikilos. "Then maybe we'll have a chance to plead our case, or to offer something in trade."

Aya's brow arches. "That would explain a great deal.." She considers the significance, and possibly the matter of travel to the celestial realm. "Very well. When shall we depart?"

Mikilos shrugs. "No time like the present, though I'm not sure how to go about getting there. And there is the issue of where exactly. Knowing the correct planes narrows things down form the entire universe, but that's an entire plane to explore. We may need something a little more detailed. Or at least some sort of guide."

Kravar says, "Magic? Some sort of scrying spell?" He glances at Mikilos. "Do you have the Sight?"

Aya nods in agreement, considering further. "I am not immediately familiar with the item, but perhaps you could discern more details once we are on its plane? I can bring us that far, at the least."

Mikilos considers. "I have some divination spells, but little that works across planes, and little that ranges across even the same plane. I'm inclined towards research. Find out more about the item, who had it in the past, who's likely to have it now, and where to find them. But we're sort of in a hurry. I can't say I've any real contacts on the Celestial Plane to even start to ask."

Kravar turns to Aya in surprise. "You can take us to the Celestial plane?" He looks at Mikilos and then muses, "Then maybe we would be close enough for your spells to work..."

"I can," Aya assures, "though it is not instant. Also, I trust that none of you are afraid of the dark?" A brow arches with her ..warning? Addendum?

Mikilos frowns mildly. "I'm not even totally certain how all my spells will works on a different plane at all. Well, I know some planes work differently, and how a few of them go. Celestial Plane, I've not been to, let alone researched how magic is different there. But anyway, I favor light, but the dark doesn't bother me."

Kravar nods in agreement. "This sounds interesting."

"Very well," Aya extends her hands out to her companions and bids they take hold. The dim about them then seems, for them, to grow moreso, as dusk and shadow are drawn to Aya and company. The effect may seem smothering...

...yet only for a moment. It then dissipates, leaving them in ... well, it is still dim; a shadowy reflection of where they are (were?).

"Come, and stay close. There are many dangers in the realm of shadows, but it is a convenient gateway to all others."

She then begins to walk the journey, which may take them some time, though it is still far shorter than attempting to walk to another realm via mundane means.

Kravar follows along. He keeps a hand on the hilt of his curved sword but doesn't draw it. "I had no idea you had such a power," he asides to Aya as he walks. "Can all of your kind learn it?"

Eventually you reach what looks to be the plane you are looking for though it is difficult to be certain how long you've been traveling. It feels like it's been hours. Then with a single step you are suddenly there; in the celestial plane. It's clear that you're in the right place now, though you have no idea where in the plane you are. There are few near you, and though you draw a few curious glances so far no one seems inclined to interact with you; moving on about what is assuredly very important work.

Mikilos hrmmms, and stays close. "Another realm I didn't expect to visit today. I'm passingly familiar, but again haven't deeply researched." Upon reaching the other plane, the wizard offers a few curious glances of his own.

"Not all, no," Aya answers Kravar before they reach their destination.. or the vicinity of it. As the difference is quite literally night and day, it is easily enough to recognize. Once there, Aya seems even more alert than she was before. She is far less familiar with this realm than the former. "Now we need to determine our path."

Kravar peers at the denizens. "Perhaps we can ask one of these people." He adjusts his hat, casting a simple disguise that makes his wings turn white, and his armor become almost mirror-like in it's gleam. His sword also changes from a khopesh, back to a straight long-handled bastard sword. Then he glances at the others, Mikilos with his cloak practically dripping with Neutrality and Aya, well, shadows and darkness are probably as far as she could be from a good fit for a Celestial plane. Kravar sighs.

Mikilos shrugs. "They seem busy, but worth a shot. I do have someone I've worked with before, a Hound Archon I summoned a while back. no idea how it would work to try and summon when already here, but know he's at least willing to work with people from the Prime Plane."

Aya is well aware that she is rather out of her element(al plane), and is not a master negotiator at any rate. She is quiet content to allow another to make initial contact.

GAME: Kravar rolls diplomacy: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL)

Kravar proves to be far worse at talking to the locals than his companions could ever be. Maybe it's that he is so much more used to intimidating and bullying his way through conversations. Or that he resorted to illusion an trickery which are also not his strong suits. Finally he shrugs. "If you can find the hound archon," he says to Mikilos, " Perhaps he can at least give us a starting point."

Mikilos proceeds to summon the celestial being in question whom appears rather oddly with a stumble right in front of him. "Hey! What's with...!" The hound archon stops in mid-sentence and looks around at you all. "Well. I didn't expect this."

Speaking of the map in fact, it's changed. Now it shows city streets and buildings with an x marked on one particularly large building. <celestial>

Kravar looks up from the map and smiles broadly. "Well well, it looks as though our luck is changing." He shows Aya and Mikilos the updated map. Then he looks around, turning the map upside down and then rotating it a bit more as he tries to line it uo to landmarks around them. "I think it's that way," he gestures.

"Excellent," Aya nods approval at both the change in map and the alignment. She now has no issue with stepping forward, as they have an initial course.

Kravar starts to head in that direction. But then he pauses. He glances back at the Archon. "What did he say? Did he say -- Sandy?"

"I said... Well what I said doesn't matter." The hound archon looks a little befuddled and shakes his head. "You summoned me so I assume you want something?"

Kravar lowers the map. "Ah. Yes, well. We're here to pick something up. The Forlorn Hope." He nods his head in the direction of the building that corresponds to the x on the map. "It's in that direction, right?"

"We are in search of a city," Aya explains, "or, rather, an item within one." She gestures to the map and nods with Kravar. "A guide, especially a skilled tracker, would be immeasurably helpful."

"The Forlorn Hope?" The archon is following along after you as though you're headed in the right direction as you are. "What are you looking for one of the sacred objects for?" He looks at the map. "You must be headed for the museum where it's kept. A couple of tourists are you?"

Aya's lips curl as the guide proves even more useful than she might have hoped. "Yes, we are certainly that. We had only heard limited tell of it recently, but it seems very interesting. Do you know more of the relic?"

Kravar mouths thw word 'tourist' but then shakes his head and leads on. Or follows at times. He listens to the conversation though, interested as Aya in learning more about the relic.

"Not very much, but then nobody does know very much about it." The hound archon shrugs. "I'd be happy to take you in though, it's just around this corner here. After that I've got some of my own business to attend to." He leads you to the building in question. There he gets you a ticket, offers a fond wave and leaves you to be.

"Thank you," Aya is grateful for the small amount of information, even if it is just confirmation that they aren't the only ones with limited information. The ticket to the museum is simply a minor bonus. She looks to Kravar. "It looks that finding it was anything but the difficult part. I expect that leaving with it may prove difficult."

Kravar returns the wave with a smile. The expression fades as soon as he turns away. "No wonder there are so many turn to evil," he mufters to Aya. "It's so easy. And convenient." He looks at their tickets and then at the building. "Now let's go rob the museum of its priceless artifact."

"..."

Sandy's been here. Quiet, of course, but she's been here. And she's not looking thrilled about any of this, actually. Especially the 'potentially taking something from Celestials' bit. Of course, she's looking like she's ready to, well, get whatever over with as quickly as possible.

It's not hard to find the Forlorn Hope. Firstly the map has changed again, becoming a floor plan of the museum so that you can simply follow the layout right to it. Second of all it's on display. With a little label and everything that says 'Forlorn Hope' in bold italic letters swooping and swirling. The Forlorn Hope as it turns out is a mirror. It looks rather ordinary really, with a lovely round frame, and it's little more than the size of a hand splayed out. It's even sitting out on a black velvet stand, no sign of any sort of box or protections around it.

Sandy stops and leans forward to inspect the Forlorn Hope for a time. "I'll be honest. I'm not sure what I expected out of a celestial city but it wasn't all this." She inspects it some more. Looks around. "What say we talk to the folks in charge of this, uh, museum?"

Kravar walks around the stand. "Can we just take it?" he wonders. "It is for a worthy cause. I'm sure they would understand." The he pauses. He thinks. "I wonder if our friend the pit fiend even knows what it looks like. Perhaps we could give him a fake.”

Karelin scowls, arms crossed across his chest. "Something tells me that handing over a fake will lead to fake information." He looks at Sandy. "Can you see the magic on it? And yes, we should talk to someone, even if we have to explain that we're restoring balance to the fabric of worlds."

"Taking it is probably just a bad idea and promise or no promise, I'm not sure I want to just hand this over to that stupid fucking demon." Sandy makes a face. "Let's find someone and talk to them. See what kind of mess we're in."

"Restore the balance?" Kravar echoes. "Will that work? If we disrupt one balance to restore another..." he senses somehow they may have to do even more favors.

Karelin grunts, nods. "We need to know more." He pauses. "I hope that this damned tower is worth it."

It's no more difficult to locate the curator of the museum than it was to find the Forlorn Hope. This is because the curator is labled as well. It's on his shirt and it says 'Curator: Gabrienel'. He notices your arrival before you draw up to him and he glances over the group of you with undisguised interest. "Hello. How may I help you all?"

Sandy shrugs her shoulders and says, "We're here to talk about the Forlorn Hope. Can you tell us its story?" she asks, "More than what's out there." A gesture over her shoulder back to the direction of its display. "We'll explain why."

Karelin keeps his arms folded on his chest. He looks like one of those pissy, demanding visitors to a museum who wants to know everything in five minutes and leave. It's all in his demeanour.

"Of course! That's the Forlorn Hope, one of the prized pieces here. It was stolen a hundred years ago by a thief named Yoko along with a few of our other precious artifacts. It was returned later somewhat broken but we were able to repair it with some effort." He smiles a little. "As for the artifact itself not much is known about it. It says that it reflects the desire of the one that holds it, and that it can grant the user a single wish - but only at a price. Unfortunately only those that have used it know the price that it exacts and of course none of us have used it." The curator laughs.

Karelin nods. "What /is/ the mandate of this institution, out of curiosity?"

The curator tilts his head slightly to the side. "This institution stands so that those who wish to can view the many unusual artifacts that we have here in the celestial realm. Of course some of them hold cultural or historical significance which holds value to us, while others are more mysterious and we keep them to insure they are not used for ill gains."

Kravar looks at the others. Then he looks back at the curator. He really can't tell if this is going to work. "Ill gain," he rubs his chin thoughtfully. "But what if someone wanted to use one for the greater good."

"Do you know of the supposed 'Archduke' Eclavdran?" asks Sandy, "He seeks the Forlorn Hope. He's holding it as the price for information that will end a plague in the mortal lands of Alexandria." Sandy scowls. "Not that much like dealing with such a beast, but countless lives are in danger."

"Then the person would have to talk to the council. And the director of course. To get permission." The curator nods and then stares at Sandy. "Eclav... who? No can't say that I have. What's he the archduke of? And why is he holding information hostage?" The man shakes his head. "Sounds like someone we would certainly want to keep the item out of the hands of."

Karelin nods. "Who is the director? And who is on the council?" He scratches his chin. "Some as-- one that thinks the Forlorn Hope is worth trading for the lives of many people."

"Of the hells. HE's a demon, I'm afraid, and he wants the hope as his price for helping. Certain restrictions were placed on him but we all know how much those are worth to creatures such as he. Can we speak to this council?" says Sandy. "We wanted to see it with our own eyes before we spoke to anyone about it directly. We're hoping that the wisdom of the Celestial Host might help us deal with this... unenviable predicament." She is not happy, nope.

"Alright, alright. No need to get fussy." The curator looks at Sandy with disapproval. "The director is Mathiel, and the council is made up of various celestial bodies whom oversee the museum. I can pencil you in for a meeting if you really insist." He pulls out a little... it's a small rectangle of some sort and he pokes it. Prods it. Pokes it again. "Alright... How does a meeting in... One hundred and twelve years, thirteen days and sixteen hours - planar time."

Karelin just looks at the curator. "It doesn't. We're mortal; we're impatient."

Kravar puts a hand over his eyes. He spreads the fingers to peer at the curator from between them. "More people are growing sick with the plague on our world, every hour. Nothing we've tried will help them. We can't delay. Or be delayed."

The curator shrugs. "I'll pencil you in for that date and time. Who knows? Maybe there'll be a cancelation and we can get you in sooner. We'll send you a message..." And then Sandy is in his FACE. Poking him with her finger and making him blink. "See here now! If you can't handle yourself I'm going to have to kick you out. You mortals are /always/ dying of something. It's none of my concern. Find a summoning celestial if you want help, or better yet pray to the gods for the help you seek. Just, keep. Your fingers. Off. Me."

Karelin steps forwards. "Maybe you don't understand. This is a conversation that is necessary, and necessary on mortal time scales. If you don't wish to do this, we'll take it that we have your tacit permission to act, since it's not important enough to you to bother your superiours with the conversation. I'm sure they'd be happy to hear that."

Kravar nods in approval. He thinks they're starting to get the hang of this.

GAME: Karelin rolls intimidate: (20)+25: 45

The man pales and looks around. "Just... just /take/ it." His tone is hushed and he looks half petrified. You're not sure why. It's not like you threatened him with bodily harm. Did you? "Just don't tell my boss /anything/. There's no alarm on it. Just pick it up and walk away okay?"

"/Fine/. You know what? We'll go find your council ourselves. That's right. You heard me. We're going over your HEAD," says Sandy, stepping back from him with obvious annoyance! ANNOYANCE!

Kravar is already at the pedestal, one hand outstretched and reaching for the mirror. His other hand holds his haversack, the main pocket opened to stash the artifact inside as soon as he's lifted it off of the stand.

"...we really don't want to take it just to take it. What say you get us with your council SOONER than a hundred and twelve years 'coz we could use their advice and wisdom, HMM?" She had actually hoped to talk to the,. That'd be great!

...unfortunately, Karelin seems to've made him wet his pants in fear and Sandy is giving the warrior a dirty look over that. "Wait, where's Kravar?" she asks.

Kravar has the mirror of course, and there's no alarms going off, or anything. Not even the barest hint of a security guard. Seems that the curator has been telling the truth. In fact, seeing that nobody's looking at him for the few seconds that Sandy's turned away, the curator in question bolts.

Kravar returns to the group, adjusting the straps on his pack that is now slung from his shoulders once more, flap closed. "Well this has been an interesting visit," he says casually. "I feel like I learned so much. Shall we be on our way?"

Karelin looks at Sandy. "Do you want to start shit for the fun of it, or just get this over with?"

"What I /want/ is the wisdom of some of the celestials to make sure we're not walking into a host of bullshit, but it seems their renowned, legendary such, wisdom is not on display here. We have a petty pisswit of a functionary instead." Sandy scowls darkly at the director. "I also don't want a host of them coming after us later for 'violating the integrity of the museum' and what not. They'll know where to find me, though, so tell them that we want their help." She scowls even more! Then she turns to eye Kravar. Eyes him hard.

Kravar puts on his most innocent face. "We really should hurry," he prompts. "The plague. Citizens falling sick by the hour."

"Fine, fine," says Sandy, waving her hand. And then she waves her hands and begins to CAST THE SPELL.

-TBC