ToA [IC]

[Tyrann]

The time of offerings is a festival that lasts for a week.

Day 0

On what's commonly known as day zero, the camping terrains near the tower start to fill up. These sites are little more than hilly grassfields between fruit trees, but they are relatively rock-free and serve their purpose well enough. There's no shortage of ale (there is plenty on the carts), and many people see each other for the first (and often only) time in the year.

Day 1

On the official first day of the festival more and more carts arrive. An inventory of goods is made by senior priests in the plaza. The chosen are expected to report to these priests before dusk.

Spoiler: Reporting to the priest

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“Another chosen arrives. Be welcome child! If you'll please give me your hand?” With religious formality and a welcoming smile he takes your right hand and cups it in between his own. You feel the chill of his signet ring pressing firmly down, and when he lets go you notice a stylized blue A has appeared where it touched you. “The mark of the chosen, may it please Abraxis.” He folds his hands and gives you a piercing but friendly look. “Tomorrow morning at dawn by the temple gates. May yours be the beauty that awakens Abraxis so he may once more bless us with his radiance. Have a good evening child.”

All throughout the day volunteers set up cooking stalls and make preparations for the coming week with the produce not going inside the tower.

On the evening/night before the tower ceremony there are several wildlife roasts served in camping fields. Magical fireworks are shot from the tower, which is quite a spectacle. People get drunk. The traditional snack for watching fireworks is roasted nuts, which is served out of stalls all over.

At some point during the evening you are approached by Tinker, a crazy-eyed gnome wearing a metalic hat. He's well known for having lost his mind after coming out of the tower some hundred years ago. People tend to shoo him away if he gets too obnoxious. He reeks, and not just of alcohol. His speech is slurred but understandable. He speaks looking directly at your face, a bit too close. An occasional drop of spit hits your forehead.

“Hey. Hey you! Listen! I wannatellyousomething! Listen. So, when you go insidethetemple... hic! Listen. The holy words.. they fry your mind. I'm telling you, they're looking. But the hat helps. Take that, I have a hat!! Can't see what I'm thinking now, can you?!” he flips off the tower before turning back to you. “Hey, you want a hat?”


Day 2

The chosen are expected to report to the temple (the largest building near the tower) at dawn.
The temple is quite grand. Beautiful white pillars on the front in roman style, and stone stairs leading to a massive wooden door. On the stairs are two lines of junior priests, welcoming you. They inspect your hands and point you inside the temple. Boys to the left, girls to the right.

You enter a changing room, one side of it lined with ceremonial robes. Your peers are stripping naked and leaving their possessions in the room, and leaving through the door on the far side of the room once they're done changing.

[Breitheamh]

As Jorad's cart rolls up into the fields, joining the throng waiting in the shadow of the tower, he can't help but feel excited. Very soon, his life would become something more than just fixing tools and setting horseshoes, and practicing making weapons and armor in between. He smiles at everyone he sees, eliciting responses ranging from giggling teenage girls to scowling crusty old men. He knows a lot of people, since at some point, everyone needs something made of metal, and his father is the best smith. At least, Jorad thinks so.

He even smiles at Tinker, and exchanges him a couple gold coins for a hat, which he promptly stuffs in his pocket. He would be kind if he could, but he didn't want to appear sacrilegious, and there was no telling where that raggedy old thing had been anyway.

On the morning of the big day, he wakes up early, and sits at the tower steps, watching the sun rise over the grass field where the entire world has gathered for this most sacred of traditions. He is one of the first in line to go in, and after he's changed into his robes, he takes deep breath, drinking in the moment, and steps through the doorway.

[Archmage1]

Larissa, released from her librarian duties for the days of the festival, for she was one of the chosen carrying gifts into the tower(An opportunity that fills her with excitement), sets up her camping stuff near the top of one of the towers, and enjoys some of the fruit, as well as meeting old friends, ones she had not seen for a year.
For the second day, she goes to the priests first thing in the morning, happy to follow their directions.
"Thank you! This is so wonderful! If only he'll awaken! We could learn so much!"
Bubblingly cheerful, quite unlike herself, Larissa continues to enjoy the festival, talking with people she had not seen in some time, and that evening, she gets quite drunk, watching the fireworks, munching on nuts, and having some roast wildlife.
Once the Tinker reaches her, she is quite drunk, and it takes her a bit to form her words, and she is clearly concentrating on saying them clearly.
"Your head, ith's shiny. Why is it shiny?"
After he speaks, she shakes her head a couple of times, trying to clear it, before she tries explaining to the Tinker.
"Why would Abraxshis fry our minds? He's our friend! His blood flows in my veins!"

At dawn, she awakens, and immediately regrets it, finding the light to be oppressively bright, and her head aching, and her stomach hurting. To try and remedy this, she eats bread, and drinks water, and it helps, a bit. Stumbling only a little bit, she goes to the temple, trying to not let the priests know that she got drunk. She heads to the right, and takes off her simple robe, and puts on her ceremonial robes, her writing materials concealed beneath it, tied around her lower legs, so she could access them in the robe.

[Qwertystop]

Trent does not arrive until Day One, having taken extra care to ensure that the glasswork he was bringing would not break. No masterpieces, perhaps, but it was the best he had made - simple but colorful bowls and dishes for his more conventional offerings of food. Presenting his cart, he then goes to find a priest - no sense running out of time, not in his first trip in. After leaving the priest's presence, though, his formality breaks - rubbing at the corner of the mark, bending his hand, examining it in the light, even sniffing it. Not ink, it's got no thickness to it... not paint, it doesn't crack... a tattoo wouldn't be on the surface like this, and a brand wouldn't scar blue...

He puts it out of his mind for the moment, to enjoy what of the festivities he can. The nuts are tasty, and the fireworks a personal aspiration. When Tinker shows up, Trent is curious - "Do they fry your mind, or are they looking at it? Seem hard to see what's in it if it's been fried... you can't tell the difference between white and yolk in a scrambled egg" - and gives him some money and a bit of sparkly cullet (one of the smaller dishes broke en route) for a hat, which he examines.

At dawn on The Day, he reports to the temple, goes to the left, and changes quickly, hoping that the small bottle of cold-flame liquid he had left in the bottom of his cart had not been removed. It wasn't exactly a traditional gift, but after all, he had made it for a novelty, hadn't he?

...should have labeled it. Hopefully nobody would think it was a beverage.

[ikbenscott]

Zara and his mother both arrive at the setting of the sun on day zero. His mother is carrying a basket with fresh spices and herbs met for the offerings. Zara sets up the tent and his mother is off socialising with friends she had not seen for a year. Zara has a bit of a struggle with the big pole of the tent, but after some cursing and ranting he finnaly manages to set up the tent.

On the first day, Zara is a bit timid and does not really migle well. He tries to mingle for a bit.."Hey there, fellow cook. I see you are using the l'herbe de provance on your vension there, a good combination. I once cooked a meal for over 40 people, those long ones such as yourself. You know, the ones that eat so much. I slaved in the kitchen for 2 whole days. I prepared my own herbs, my mother gathered them from the local fields. I also went trough some extra trouble for I wanted to use the special salts my neighbour always uses. My neighbour who's sisters I uses to work with in the kitchen, told me a friend of her mothers friend always used a special mixture of salt. This friend of the mother of the girl in the kitchen..."
But as usual, the recipiant of Zara's story does not let him finish, as in he is "busy"
When dusk approaches Zara's is reminded by his mother that he should report to the priest and he complies. Zara's knows he not much of a social type, so he just undergoes the "priestcedure" without talking. He does try to give a smile. After the A appeared on his hand he is a bit nervous because he does not now what this will do and it is a little bright for his liking. Luckely his mother is there to comfort him and reassures him again and again that "Our great lord Abraxis, the benevolent grey one, would never cause you harm my child".

When busy with covering up the A, with a piece of cloth, he meets the tinker and replies "What are you talking about, do you not know that our great lord Abraxis, the benevolent grey one, would never cause you harm? and no I dont need your silly hat! now be gone, shoo. " As he whipes his face and looks disgusted, whilst the tinker can still see it.

The next morning his mother wakes him up really early and she is propably more excited than Zara is. Zara is very compliant and is one of the earlier chosen ones to arrive. Whilst in the changing room, Zara checks out if the others have the same marking on their hand.

[JBarca]

The day before the departs, the breeder closes his shop tightly and ensures that his beasts are well secured.

Mistin arrives early to the site of the festival. His eyes are alight with excitement when he sees the crowds. This many people would have a great many secrets, a mass of gossip. While he dealt with people poorly, he knew how to ply his trade. He shook hands, discussed business, and learned what he could. And while he's aware that every conversation is fascinating to him, not everyone is equally interested. His manner of speech (seemingly frank, mildly sarcastic, and more than a little condescending) put many off. But, he did what he could.

When the priest made his mark, Mistin nodded and smiled, then spent the next hour examining the mark, comparing it to his mental notes. He had heard nothing like this before. Barely an hour here and I'm already surprised. I love it.

He listened intently to the Gnome, but declines to purchase a hat. He does, though, offer a coin to the little being for the information provided.

He awoke on time and made his way into the temple. He nods to his peers as he changes, and listens to any conversations that might arise. He follows the first group through the door, eyes wide, a faint smile playing about his mouth.

[Stegyre]

Etienne watches from his home as the carts arrive and the tents spring up in anticipation of the festival. While it is a time of feasting for most, he has been fasting -- though, strange, he hardly feels any hunger.

He feels vaguely sick, but not for hunger. He thinks of the dreams. Perhaps they mean I am unworthy, an irredeemable sinner, no matter what the priests say, he thinks to himself. Lord Abraxis will know. Perhaps he will smite me down! At least there would be an end to it, if his soul is damned, to be destroyed by God's Own Hand.

Not until the first day, at the marking ceremony, does he see any of the other Chosen. He does not recognize any, except the young woman from the library, whom he has seen from time to time, but they have never exchanged words, and Etienne thinks he has never even learned her name.

That evening, as he sits alone under the stars and fireworks, a little ways off from the crowds, Etienne wonders how the crazy, drunken gnome could stumble across him. He is startled by the fetid breath and even more by the sacriligeous suggestion. Lord Abraxis sees into our hearts. No tin cap would defeat the power of the divine. It would surely be heresy even to entertain such a thing. He stares wide-eyed at the gnome, slowly shaking his head, until the unfortunate creature wanders off to harass someone else.

Not heresy for him, of course, he thinks of the departing gnome. Abraxis has mercy upon the lunatic, who knows no better. But what of me? I have been taught the gospel my whole life. I have no excuse if I am unworthy. He shivers, and not from the cold. It is another night in which he does not sleep but meditates, centering, focusing himself.

The next morning, Etienne is one of the first to arrive at the Temple, for he lives so near. Yet he is one of the last to enter. He is self-conscious in the dressing room, not only turning himself to a corner but pulling the ceremonial robe down over his head and body before letting his daily clothes slip off to the floor. The feeling as he is finally naked beneath the robe is mildly . . . well, such thoughts must be pushed out of mind. Other than the clothes he wore in, he has nothing else to leave in the changing room, for he has brought nothing else.

Finally, he looks at the far door, takes a deep breath, and walks through. Abraxis have mercy . . .

[Tyrann]

Tinker replies to Jorad and Trent "Hey you're smart. I like you! Keep this on so they can't see. They can't see through the metal!"
Also, Trent is informed that the mind would first be scrambled, then fried, and then looked at. Any other order would simply make no sense.
Upon examination the hat is surprisingly heavy. It appears to have been made out of a very thin sheet of lead.

When Larissa mentions that she shares blood with Abraxis, Tinker takes off in an awkward limping gallop while shouting over his shoulder "You're one of them?! You'll never get under my hat missy!"

With the others he just takes off mumbling. "Don't want no hats. Must be crazy.."

--------

The door on the far end of the changing room leads to stairs that spiral down just short of 180 degrees and end in a T-shaped torch-lit cobblestone hallway. Far down the hallway a queue has started to form in front of a box-like man high device. The front of the queue is being managed by priests, who guide a new person in roughly every 30 seconds. With 100 chosen, you can imagine this takes quite a bit of time.

Once it's your turn to step inside the box you notice three rather loud clicks as you put weight on your front leg. The door is shut rapidly behind you.

The doors stay closed for about 20 seconds (18 if you were counting). After that a door on the other side opens and you are led out by another group of priests that first pat you down and then bring you up a flight of stairs and into the grand prayer of room the temple.

Spoiler: Archmage1

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You get away with the papers (I rolled a 2 -_-)

All of you have heard of this room, but none of you have ever seen it before. It is normally reserved for fully trained priests only, but for this one day the chosen are allowed in.

The room is stunning. High white marble pillars, a pristine marble floor with beautifully crafted pillows strewn about, and a high ceiling with frescos. And yet, the eyes of every single person in this room are trained not on the room's magnificence but on the large yellowish stone tablets on the back wall.

Spoiler: They read

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The truths as spoken by Abraxis
1) Everything in life is impermanent and ever changing. Therefor transformation is useful, but ultimately without an end, and as such cannot lead to happiness.
2) A life based on possessing is not without its merits, but is ultimately hollow.
3) You can hide behind veils, but sooner or later you will meet one that sees true.
4) Do not cling to negativity, for it will never lead to eternal peace.
5) Truth does not lie in evocation, and one who is complete need never do it so long as he is mindful of his shadow.
6) Think with your mind, create with your hands. Without both of these authentic creation is impossible.
7) Divine not truths too difficult to grasp, for knowledge is the bane of bliss. Live your life in bliss, and know that God is good.
8) To truly live a life of happiness, Abjure all but that Abraxis is God.
Know that Abraxis is a Champion of Abjuration and to follow the eighth, most noble of truths is to follow in His footsteps.

The way of life
1) To work hard is to be close to God.
2) Treat all sentient beings with love and respect.
3) All sentient beings are born equal.
4) Priests serve as shepherds to man.

Spoiler: Also

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DC 25 will save. Failing means you are charmed by Abraxis (as the charm monster spell).

About ten minutes after all of the chosen enter the room, the High Priest appears. The High Priest is an old hunchbacked tiefling that walks with a staff. He is the only person in the world who is a direct descendant to all five demigods, as well as several angels.

He says a few prayers with you and then leaves, leaving a senior priest to brief you all on the procedure.

"Soon you will be brought to your designated ceremonial delivery carts. There are twenty carts, and groups have been carefully preselected. Please do not stray from your group.

Once inside, you will drive between the sea of history and the sea of dreams. You are free to admire these, but keep in mind you have five minutes until the next cart goes in.

Once you are in the middle of the tower, you will ride over the Tiles of Ascendance, which will lead you to the Magnificent Storehouse.

There you will be met by the Man of Metal. He will point out where you are to place your offerings. Do not be disturbed if you are aided in this by the Invisible Hands. They, like the Man of Metal, are an extension of Abraxis' will. After this is done, you are to present yourself to the Mirror of Inner Beauty. We all pray that one of you will be deemed worthy of meeting our beloved creator."

The wait inside is long, but the tablet makes time fly. You are offered simple sandwiches for lunch.

And then, when it's about an hour until dusk, it's finally time. Your cart is the third in line, and you share it with five others, the rest of the party.

Spoiler: OOC

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Whoever calls dibs on driving it gets to drive.

The cart has a few crates of wine on it, as well as several cured meat legs, and one wooden box with "fine cooking knives" engraved at the top.

When you set off from the temple compound towards the actual tower, it's like the entire world has come out to watch you. You see friends, family, and so many people you have never seen before. All of them singing, cheering and praying for you. A few of them try to shake your hands and wish you good luck.

When you get in front of the plaza, there's a large clearing in front of the tower. No-one but the chosen are allowed here. The first cart goes in and five minutes later the second, accompanied by cheers.

Five minutes later, they are cheering for you. The first thing you notice as you ride through the massive metal doors is the light. There is white light everywhere. The second thing you notice is another set of holy tablets on the ceiling that seem to radiate with similar power.

Map You guys are at (AP, 4)

The ceiling is incredibly high up. At least a thousand feet. The pillars holding it up are beautiful, with dragon carvings curling around them. And on both sides of the room is a sea of whiteness that begins to take form as you come in.

On your right:
You see the history of mighty Abraxis shaping the world. You see him, beard and all, heroically fighting the ancient dragon of old. It feels so real you can actually feel the wind when the dragon flaps his wings, and you can smell the acid in the air when it breathes.

Abraxis charges right through the breath as men fall all around him, striking down on the beast with a thundering axe and ripping through it's entire chest, causing it to explode in a cloud of acid.

Then you see him destroying many younger dragons, rather brutally and heroic, before erecting the tower that reached unto the heavens, upon the top of which he places his throne.

Then you see him create the grass, the trees, the animals, and then the people.

The people bring him offerings and Abraxis looks on from the top of his tower, blessing them.


On the left:
It has a few seconds of delay, but after a while you guys figure out that any thought you focus on for more than six seconds is echoed and projected in the sea of white. It could be memories, it could be fantasies, it could be the wildest thing you can think up. As long as you focus on creating it and try to make it appear.

[Archmage1]

As the gnome moves away, Larissa shakes her head.
Why would I want to be under his hat. Nutjob...
She moves away.

After she finishes changing, and concealing her implements, Larissa heads rather nervously through the door at the end, heading down the stairs, holding her robes up just enough to avoid getting them dirty. Once there, she waits in line to enter the box, noting the clicks. After she departs, she is patted down, and she tries to conceal her nervousness by embarrassment, as the male priest searches her. Once she enters the main room, she sets about memorizing everything she sees, desperately wishing that she could start writing her story now, but with the priests still there, she knew that she would only be caught.
She reads the tablets rapidly, and she knows that Abraxis's benevolence is all powerful, all knowing.
She hardly notices that ten minutes pass by before the High Priest appears, as she is totally focused on admiring Abraxis's glory.
When the High Priest guides their prayers, hers are more heartfelt than they had been in years, and she listens well to the guidance of the priest.
While waiting, she enjoys her sandwiches, and continues admiring the amazing words of Abraxis.

After leaving, Larissa waves to her parents, proud that she was getting to serve Abraxis, proud that he had granted her such a wonderful opportunity. With the hood of the ceremonial robes thrown back, her small horns, and black nails are quite visible, and she is happy to shake hands, and thank them for their wishes.

And then, it is her time, her chance, her oppertunity. And she would not fail.
After they enter, she pulls out her notebook, and her quill and ink, and starts writing her tale, describing the words of Abraxis, besides which, the glory of the temple takes a dim second place. Then she starts describing the room, writing quickly, intending on using the notes more to trigger her memory later than a full description.
On the left, her thoughts are soon seen, with Abraxis the Benevolant showing them his favor, and blessings.

[JBarca]

When the searching begins, Mistin grins. "Not even dinner first? So much for tradition, I guess."

When the text is available, Mistin reads it all, then reads it again. Making sure that no one is waiting on him, he reads it all a third time. Fascinating. Abraxis is truly amazing.

When the times comes for prayer, Mistin listens dutifully and with some amount of reverence, but doesn't seem overly interested.

As the carts are presented, Mistin wastes no time in taking control of the one assigned to his group. He has spent more than enough time working carts of a similar nature, and feels he can handle it well. He eyes the images with more than a little enthusiasm, and, after spending more than enough time studying the story, stares at the thought-projecting surface. He views horses first, then a family. Soon, it is wealth and meeting nobility. He smiles sadly, then turns to his group.

"Well, when we're all ready, I suppose we should advance. I'd hate for on of my group to cause problems for our lord, hm?" He smiles. When others seem ready, he moves the cart onward toward the center.

[Stegyre]

Etienne

Like the others, Etienne's eyes roll over the contents of their cart, noting the "fine cooking knives" among the other things. He follows quietly along with the others, having nothing to say beyond the prayers they chant in unison. Like the others, he feels Abraxis' overwhelming love. There is nothing to distinguish his experience until they and their cart enter the tower. First, he admires the grand creation story on their right.

Then he turns to the "Sea of Dreams" on their left. Prompted by the title, the memory of his dreams floods in as he stares at the blank wall . . . .

[Qwertystop]

Huh... lead? Odd thing to make a hat out of. I wonder where he got it?

---------

I wonder why it clicks?

On entering the room, Trent stares in awe like the others. When he sees the tablet, he stops and stares, and even moves to take off the lead cap in respect before he remembers he left it with his other clothes in the changing room. He shakes hands with any who try, on the walk beyond. In the room of the Seas, he focuses almost entirely on the Dreams - everyone knows those Histories. On seeing that casual thought take form, he follows it with more - I wonder how that works? is quickly followed by Wish I'd kept that hat - might have been able to see if it really does keep things from looking in your head. Not a hint of worry gets into this, though - he trusts Abraxis as everyone does, but that's no reason not to be curious.

One small glance to the History does give rise to a question, though - not a new one, but one he had not thought of since he was a small child, receiving no answers beyond "Don't ask questions."

"But... if Abraxis created all the people, who are those men fighting alongside him in the Battle with the Dragon?"

Can the Sea of Dreams show things I do not know? Sea, what is the answer? Who are the men from before Abraxis made people?

[Breitheamh]

Jorad stands fascinated by the tablets, which slowly take on a more golden hue, the longer he is transfixed by their splendid majesty. Oh, Abraxis, may we sing your glorious praises forever! The sentiment passes through his mind on a loop, and he smiles contentedly.

He waves and smiles to his father, who is pushing forward to the front of the crowd that watches the chosen enter the tower. For just a brief moment, a tear of longing begins to form in the corner of his eye, but the happiness that Lord Abraxis brings overwhelms him, and he wipes it away.

When the cart enters the tower, the young man gasps and gazes around him at the wondrous beauty of this place. He looks to the right and starts bouncing in his seat, riveted as he is by the played out history of the world. His eyes and his smile are wide as he watches his favorite stories in real-time. He looks back to the cart for a second to tell everyone that his favorite part is coming up, but in doing so, he catches a glimpse of something breathtaking in the wall on the left.

He does a double-take and looks on as images of his mother form clearly on the wall. Here she is reading to him, there she is dancing with his father, a few yards along she smiles with the happiness and kindness only a mother can feel as he hands her a yellow dandelion he'd picked. As tears begin to run down his cheeks, he hears his thoughts coming from the ever-changing stele, Here, mommy. I picked a flower for you.

He cries in earnest, and holds his head in his hands, sorrowful as the memories of his loss come flooding back to him, yet overwhelmingly happy as Lord Abraxis shows him his mother. He'd been hoping for this for years.

[ikbenscott]

Upon entering the grand prayer room, Zara is amazed by the sculptures, but when looking at the tablet his interest in the ceiling and the sculptures soon fade. He is totally intrigued by the wise words of our Lord. When the high priest arrives, he feels the need to, more now than ever, actively join in the prayer. Upon receiving the sandwich, Zara is a bit disappointed "I could have done this better, maybe I should apply myself as a cook for the priests, I'll show them what a proper sandwich tastes like..

When arriving at the cart, Zara inspects the goods and they are not to his liking. When he sees his mother in the crowd he beckons her over in order to receive herbs and spices his mother brought with her. As he receives the herbs and spices he wonders "Should I open the box and make a presentable platter of cured meat for our Lord or would I disrespect him if I opened it? Nah, only the best for our Lord, I am sure he would appreciate my effort…. The wondering does not take that long and before the first cart enters he tries to sneakily take out one of the knifes for he knows the priests won’t allow it. But they know nothing of quality food. He put a lot of effort into the presentation of the cured meat and keeping it hidden from the priests. This requires all of his attention and can’t focus on the crowd. When the cart starts moving, he is almost done with the presentation of the what now looks like a seriously nice platter of cured meat. As the moving of the cart impedes his ability to finely slice, he tells the driver "Could you Please make the ride a bit more stable, I might cut someone or mess up the platter for our Lord!"

Upon entering the tower Zara has finished the presentation of the cured meat although he would like to continue perfectioning the plate he can't. As the cart enters the tower he is overwhelmed by its brightness and with so much to see inside the plate will have to do as it is. At first he is astounded by the great deeds of our Lord up until he notices that the other people inside can project their thoughts. He is very curious and the first thing he sees is his mother but when focusing longer the picture changes, his mother fades and the image gets darker and hints of grotesqueness start shimmering trough. As soon as this happens he turns his attention to the other side again.

[Tyrann]

Zara sneaking into the back of the cart elicits a few gasps from the onlooking crowd. But it appears to go unnoticed by the priests (though not by the rest of you).

In the sea of dreams, images start with surface thoughts. Faces you've just seen in the crowd, or the songs they sang. Notable things you saw inside the temple or details of the tower. Maybe even Abraxis slaying the dragon. But soon the images become more guided, following the focus of your thoughts.

Spoiler: DC 10 Perception check if you're looking at what the others are creating in the sea of dreams. DC 15 otherwise.

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You notice something shadowy in the sea, on the periphery of you vision. It was only there for a split second, so you're not quite sure what it was.

Spoiler: DC 13 will save or Etienne

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A hooded creature looks directly at Etienne. It looks disturbing, wrong, and simply not of this world. But you cannot get a good look, because as sudden as it appeared, it disappears a split second later.

Spoiler: Etienne

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This was definitely a creature from your nightmares, complete with shadowy cloak and all. It "looked" directly at you, and it almost felt like it was locking eyes with you. But it disappeared in less than a second. Try though you might, you can't get the sea of dreams to work for you anymore. At all. The memories of your dreams are still very much there though.

When you get to the middle of the floor, you see what must be the tiles of ascendance. A circle made out of mosaic tiles that show a night sky. When the horses go on, they disappear front to back as they get to the innermost ring. Soon after, the cart follows, and you find yourself somewhere new.

The first thing you notice is the stench. Something is definitely rotting in here. The other thing that feels weird is the air. It's cold, but only from one side of the room.

It takes a few moments for your eyes to adjust. This room is much less bright than the previous one. But you can immediately make out a huge reflective shape: the Man of Metal.

You hear a metalic voice

"Greetings chosen. I am the Man of Metal, right hand to Abraxis and extension of His will. We thank you for your gifts, and request your aid in bringing the following items to the following locations.

6 barrels of red wine, Hightree Hill Grand Reserve, Quarter A, Aisle 7 row C unit 52-58."

You notice it's not actually the Man himself that the sound is coming from. It's the pole coming out of the floor next to him. OOC, it sounds a bit like a drive-through.

"10 legs of cured meats, Quarter D, Aisle 24 row F, unit 39.

Set of cooking knives .. .. .. Please deliver the knives next to the kitchen rune in the storage room between Quarters A and D. Do not stand on the runes. The kitchen is off limits."

And then the golem lets go of the pedestal. He is completely oblivious to any communication on your part, as he and a whole host of invisible hands begin helping you unload the cart and deliver the goods.

Quarter A has barrel upon barrel upon barrel of wine stacked, nearly as high up as you can see. It smells a bit dusty, and there are many, many rows of these barrels. Somewhere around the middle of the Quarter, the temperature is off. It's warm almost to the point that it hurts. In the rest of it though, it's nice and cool. The perfect temperature to keep wine at.

Quarter B and C are stacked with fruit, vegetables, and various other edibles like cheese, honey, nuts, herbs and various bottled things. Quarter C has a temperature malfunction, another zone that is so warm it hurts. This is where the rotting smell is coming from.

Quarter D has row upon row of meat hanging from hooks. Almost all of the hooks have three levers below them. One of these three has an odd rune on it. The meats appear to be just fine.

Map

[Stegyre]

Etienne starts at the appearance of the figure in the glass, and then at the suddenly-blank wall. As if that nightmare turned it off. Such an abomination should not have power in the very house of Abraxis, he thinks. He shudders.

. . .

After ascending, Etienne is struck by the stench, as are perhaps the others, he judges, by the look on some faces. "As the Tower of Abraxis is above the earth, so are the ways of Abraxis above our understanding," he remembers the old mantra. Yet why would the Divine Abraxis let some of his offerings rot, when He is so plainly saving all the rest?

Reasoning that, as the Right Hand to Abraxis did not forbid it, as he helps to unload and store one of the haunches in "Quarter D," he detours back through "Quarter C" (holding his breath as best he can against the smell) to see what he can see.

Spoiler: Perception Check

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If needed: (1d20+5)[6]

EDIT: Oh, but don't mind me, I'm plainly doing it with my eyes closed.

Spoiler: Those Who May Have Seen the Image

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If either Larissa or Trent questions Etienne about the hooded figure, he responds in a frightened whisper, "I think They may be here in the Tower. Maybe that is why things are not working right?"

[Archmage1]

Seeing the glorious man of metal, Larissa bows, and starts obeying his wishes, although when she encounters one of the temperature differentials, she investigates, looking for some sort of source, hoping that she could correct the failures of the Mighty Abraxis's servants.

[Tyrann]

For Larissa and Etienne the stench is made extra awkward by an urge to sneeze (and thus breathe in right after) as you get closer to the heated bit of the C Quarter. The area is filled with what looks like rotting and moldy fruit, vegetables and cheeses. The mold has spread even to the parts that are still refrigerated, but in the heated area it's extreme.

You find no mechanism for altering this, and the golem is still completely oblivious to any comments you might make.

[Archmage1]

As the Man of Steel doesn't respond, she tries touching him.

[Stegyre]

As the Man of Steel doesn't respond, she tries touching him.

. . . while Etienne makes the same investigation in the warm part of Quadrant A . . .

Spoiler: Perception

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Because I cannot possibly be any less observant than I was in "C": (1d20+5)[23]

edit: It would seem I am a creature of extremes.

[Tyrann]

The golem ignores Larissa's touch entirely. If she gets in his way too much, he presses a button on a bracer he carries on his arm, and you hear a metalic voice say "Please do not obstruct me in my duties." There are three other buttons on there.

And Etienne, Quarter A seems fine, except that the heat will probably have ruined the wines.

[Archmage1]

Feeling curious, Larissa's inquisitive mind starts trying to put things together. To think that someone would betray Abraxis in this way...
Her blood burns.
She tries tapping on of the other objects on the bracer, already suspecting what would happen.

[Tyrann]

The other buttons trigger other mechanical voices.

"Understood master."

"I cannot comprehend the complexity of this order master. Please clarify."

and

"Your current action is in violation of my Master's will. Please cease this activity or I will respond with force."


After Larissa has pressed all 3 buttons the golem turns to her and presses a button himself.

"Your current action is in violation of my Master's will. Please cease this activity or I will respond with force."

[Archmage1]

Larissa steps back, and speaks.
"What happened to the servants of Abraxis?"

[Tyrann]

The metal giant does not respond, and keeps on working on unloading the carts, seemingly content that Larissa has stepped back.

[Archmage1]

This... this isn't right. How could his servants have failed him so!
Larissa proceeds towards the heated area in the wine storage area, taking one of the barrels with her, to store. Once she stores it, she investigates, trying to see if she could find out what caused the heat.

[JBarca]

Mistin goes about the duties instructed (moving goods) silently. He watches the interaction with the Man of Metal with curiosity, though chooses to not get involved.

[ikbenscott]

Zara is amazed by the metal man, he has never seen something like it before and is a bit intimidated by the size of the man.
He follows the order and walks towards the kitchen, carefully avoiding the runes and places the box of knifes(still one knife missing) on a rune.
He walks back to the metal man and states "objective complete, knifes are delivered
Strangely enough, the smell does not bother Zara that much, the idea of all that food going to waste does all the more. Also he is intrigued by Larissa's curiosity and watches her fiddle with the man of metal(if he is back in time to see it)

[Tyrann]

When Zara places the now lid-less box of knives on the rune it promptly disappears. The box and the knives that is, the rune is still there, giving off the same dull red glow.

The Man of Metal simply keeps on working.

[Qwertystop]

Trent goes to help with the wines first, trying to avoid putting any in the hot area. On the way back from the first barrel, he notices Larissa's efforts with the Man of Metal. As they examine the hot area in Quarter A:

"I don't think he can actually talk. Maybe if we gave him something to write on he could explain?"

Spoiler: Roll

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Perception to see if he can figure where the heat is coming from: (1d20+4)[6]