Lost Palestra (storyline)/2026-02-01 - Inspector Gadget Studies Bleakstone Statue (log)

Synopsis

Harrower Vortelis Infernebrus Faendryl of the Extrachthonic Cartographer's Guild arrived outside Moot Hall to be shown the bleakstone statue of Lylia in the Bleaklands. This is in the part of the Bleaklands near Darkstone Castle, which is accessed from a portal on the far side of Melgorehn's Reach. (This portal is powered by a device that was devised by Magister Remuliad during the North by Northwest storyline.)

Vortelis did not explain the underlying reason why he wished to study the statue until near the end. This turned out to be because the statue had held the soul of Gabriela, a dead brothel worker from Talador, that had possessed Thadston when he was wounded and unconscious in the Bleaklands after the end of the Witchful Thinking storyline. More specifically, the records showed she was referred to as a "bleakwalker," and that same term had also been used for cold power-draining shadows entities in the Bleaklands much like the ones that have been invading recently.

Lylia offered to lead everyone to the statue of herself. Xorus was arrested by the night watchman, but sprung almost immediately by powerful benefactors. Everyone then followed to the portal by Melgorehn's Reach. The portal then split everyone up into random locations around the shadow plains of the Bleaklands. They eventually found each other and grouped up, and brought Vortelis to the bleakstone statue.

Vortelis noted that his panoptic could see a lot of haunted souls, mostly dead humans, and that the bleak soil has oculoth blood in it. (Specifically, ebon-swirled primal demon blood, also known as epochxin.) Vortelis also used his panoptic at one point to make the ground under the bleakstone statue semi-transparent, which showed the threads reaching out of the base of the statue into the ground.

Vortelis fished around in the bleak soil, having noticed something buried in it with his panoptic. He produced a canopic jar. There was then a hovering lampric leechling (Vortelis mistakenly called it "vampiric" instead of "lampric"), which got frozen mid-air by Vortelis's magic, and sealed up into the canopic jar. He said they are specific to the Bleaklands, and that he's read accounts of them from people who come to study dangerous fauna.

Vortelis also found a bleakstone in the soil. He produced a multi-vialed veil iron extractor, which he said does "fractional distillation" of materials, breaking them up into the constituent essences. He disintegrated the bleakstone in the device, filling some of its vials. He explained that this was a baseline comparison for the bleakstone statue, so he would be able to tell if anything pulled out of the statue is specific to the statue rather than the bleakstone material itself.

When Vortelis used the extractor on the bleakstone statue, it produced nothing new, and he checked soulstone related vials on the device and surmised that Gabriela in fact had previously been siphoned out of the statue and was no longer inside it. He had explained that the statue had azure veins when she was put into it, much as Thadston had when she possessed him, which were now missing and the statue now has cracks. His reports indicated that Octaven had a bane coffin in her Gattrof mountains lair that had a spectral human woman in it that people had speculated was Gabriela, and that Octaven had removed her from the bleakstone statue as Octaven had stolen the statue and was using it for her schemes in weakening Melgorehn's Reach to access the Eonforge within the mountain.

Vortelis then produced a prismatic aranthium contraption, which he said was an essences prism, similar in principle to the extractor except for splitting apart raw radiations into pure modes of component essences. He said the Extrachthonic Cartographer's Guild uses these for multiple purposes, such as calibrating their panoptics and exposing materials to pure energies. They are designed to couch these urglaes "quasi-spheres", which can bleed through the veil and bring in extraplanar energies to the contraption.

Vortelis said (again) that the shadows are mostly a combination of darkness and chaos, but that for the current purposes it is more useful to not filter the shadows. He put a hazy tenebrous orb in the seating of the contraption, which had previously been described as loosely analogous to the low-grade "plinite" found when slaying powerful elementals. He then fitted the mouths of the extractor and the contraption, after disabling the extractor's suction, so that the extractor broke apart the hazy tenebrous orb and the shadows were sucked into the contraption.

Vortelis tested the probe of the contraption using Aralyte's soulstone, which siphoned up some shadows energy released from the contraption. This established clearly that hazy tenebrous orbs could be an (inefficient) way of charging the soulstone if other methods prove too dangerous. Vortelis then expended most of the orb's shadows at the bleakstone statue to see if it would absorb the shadows.

The shadows seeped into a few of the cracks of the bleakstone statue, which is already unnatural cold and unapproachable. These cracks solidified into darkness, then glowed dark red. The bleakstone in those cracks began mending and healing. When the glow dimmed away, the cracks were gone, replaced with smooth bleakstone.

Vortelis at that point explained the reason he was studying this was about Gabriela and the extent to which she was a shadows corrupted possession entity. Possibly even a shadows entity like what has been invading. Because if it were the case that those shadows have Ithzir essence in them, that they originate in dead Ithzir, it might make more sense of the Shadow Realm being involved, as Althedeus had Ithzir servants thousands of years ago. He said that they can sometimes see the souls of dead Taladorians through Bleaklands monsters with their panoptics, but it's indeterminate so far if such a thing might be true of the invading shadows masses.

Vortelis also theorized that the reason Thadston was seen as a desirable host by the bleakwalker Gabriela is that at the time, he had a necrotic wound from a cursed weapon of shadows, and he had recently gotten a bunch of anti-magical kroderine fused into his arms from the destruction of Sir Osment's gauntlets in closing the portal to the Bleaklands at the end of Witchful Thinking. This mixture of anti-magic and necromancy is similar in nature to the shadows. Vortelis said much as sorcerers use shadow essence to repair the damages to reanimated corpses, he speculated that Gabriela expended much of her shadows in healing Thadston. Then the bleakstone statue of Lylia became a desirable vessel, after it was anointed with Lylia's blood. Which is when Thadston "married" Gabriela and she was convinced to leave him to have the bleakstone statue as her new body during the A Knight To Remember storyline.

Vortelis said that he and Moravius will want to go into the deeper Bleaklands soon to look at the "sinkhole" rifts to the Shadow Realm near the city ruins. Moravius wants to see if they are viable for traveling to the Shadow Realm, as they do not want to reopen the Lake Eonak portal or bring the soulstone back there unless it is necessary. Vortelis also wants to see if he can more efficiently charge the soulstone directly off the Shadow Realm rifts.

Vortelis said the cycling of the Reach's mana storming is "quasi-periodic" and they think there is likely to be a storm surge on Leyan. Since the Reach, Bleaklands, and Shadow Realm are entangled, the storming will widen the Shadow Realm rifts in the Bleaklands, and likely open rifts to the Bleaklands around the storming of Melgorehn's Reach. He said the storm's pseudo-cycle is such that it is likely to mostly die down for the rest of Fashanos (i.e. February Duskruin) and intensify again in Charlatos.

KST

Unrelated to any of this, it began snowing, and Fynric of the black roots / verdant fruit storyline in KST walked by everyone in the Bleaklands. The group followed Fynric, finding him holding a vial. (When Fynric was first met months earlier he was collecting soil from the blighted tree in the Lower Dragonsclaw where "the Bleak" had once spoken, and was also importing soil from "old Talador." The Bleaklands is the current Talador.) Fynric changed the subject by saying how everyone is invited to dinner at their home on Niiman. Mayor Alendrial is also still missing. Fynric did not want to stay long in the Bleaklands, on his unspecified errand for his wife Briselle, because the Bleaklands is dangerous.

Previously on Lost Palestra:

• 01/17/2026: Lost Palestra (storyline)/2026-01-17 - Vortelis Explains How Aralyte's Soulstone Works (log)
• 01/25/2026: Lost Palestra (storyline)/2026-01-25 - Vivisection, Triangulation, and Strangulation (log)

Log

Most noises and actions and unrelated speech have been cut out, except for the initial greetings, and normal Bleaklands ambients have been italicized.

Initial Greetings

[General] Vortelis thinks, "Good evening."

[General] Lylia thinks, "Good evening to you."
[General] Hecuba exclaims, "Evening!!"
[General] Cryheart thinks, "Good eve all."
[General] Lylia thinks, "It is always a good evening when we hear your thoughts."
[General] Ardwen asks, "What's good about it?"
[General] Dumfraus thinks, "I appreciate the fact Ardwen been bitter for 20+ years heh."

[General] Vortelis thinks, "I will come to your Moot Hall in some five or ten minutes."

[General] Ardwen thinks, "I am pragmatic and a realist, not at all bitter."
[General] Lylia thinks, "You already have a bit of an audience."

[Town Square, East]
Here in the center of a broad plaza near the commercial area of the bazaar stands the impressive facade of the slate-roofed Moot Hall, where the citizens of Wehnimer's Landing hold various official, religious and social functions. Facing the square are some of the town's more prosperous shops, still doing business with the many customers who still frequent the streets at night. You also see a pale-faced coppery barn owl that is flying around, a lazy wild deep red dog, the Regwen disk, a forest wolf, a bushy charcoal cross fox with whiskey-toned markings, an inquisitive frosty white imp, the Grumblewhacker disk, a huge deep black gnarled root, a wood-framed message board, a large purple wooden barrel and a huge dark wagon with a glowing blue-white pylon on it.
Also here: Magister Raelee, Sinistral of Tyranny Daenamaryllis, Sir Cryheart, Bathcwyn Missoni, Skulligei, Sister-at-arms Regwen, Puptilian, Perigourd, Xorus, Imperatrix Lylia, Grumblewhacker
Obvious paths: north, east, south, west

Raelee says, "... greetings."
Speaking to Lylia, Missoni says, "Unless perhaps you decided to wear them, and then the entirety of the court would show up in them the next tay."
Lylia chuckles.
Missoni says, "Day, rather."
Perigourd glances between Lylia and a bushy charcoal cross fox with whiskey-toned markings.
Missoni nods to Raelee in greeting.
Lylia gazes fondly at Missoni.
Skulligei's cigar begins to smoke badly. Ash build-up!
Perigourd reaches out and pats the charcoal cross fox on the head.
Speaking to herself, Missoni says, "Myself included."
Lylia nods in greeting at Raelee.
The dog suddenly turns and focuses its eyes upon Cryheart.
Speaking to Missoni, Lylia replies, "And you would make even rat hides look like whimsical grace personified."
Cryheart grins at a lazy wild deep red dog.
Missoni blushes a dark red shade at Lylia.
Skulligei studies his vellum map closely, trying to determine just where he is!
Speaking to Lylia, Missoni says, "Rat hides for the masque, then."
Cryheart glances between Lylia and Missoni.
Lylia whispers something to Xorus.
Lylia winks.
Missoni says, "It is settled."
Lylia raises her voice in merry laughter.
Cryheart waves to Xorus.
Xorus nods at Lylia.
Speaking to Missoni, Perigourd says, "The Booga costume was mostly rat."
Perigourd nods thoughtfully.
Exhaling slowly, Skulligei sends a stream of smoke into the air to pool around him in a heady cloud.
Hecuba just arrived.
Xorus waves to Cryheart.
Missoni agrees with Perigourd.
Hecuba pulls the blue-violet teadragon to her face and whispers something in its ear. The teadragon leaps from her hand and ambles across the ground, out of sight.
Skulligei nods to Hecuba in greeting.
Hecuba hoots.
Hecuba smiles.
Hecuba just went west.
Raelee glances around the area.
Earthdiver just arrived.
Moving his left hand around idly, Skulligei leaves a wavy line of black apple-scented smoke in the air.
A fluffy white cat pads in.
Skulligei nods to Earthdiver in greeting.
Earthdiver surreptitiously glances around the area.
Lylia pets a fluffy white cat, which nuzzles her hand softly.
Earthdiver waves.
Lylia waves to Earthdiver.
Cryheart waves to Earthdiver.
Earthdiver smiles.
Lylia says, "Good evening."
Lylia smiles.
Earthdiver says, "Hello, everyone."
Perigourd turns toward Earthdiver and renders a sharp salute with his dark maoral pipe.
The white cat gazes at Perigourd.
Perigourd taps his dark maoral pipe gently, causing the burning embers within to glow briefly as he brings it to his lips and puffs deeply upon its bourbon-scented smoke.
Cryheart says, "Good eve."
Missoni nods to Earthdiver in greeting.
Missoni smiles.
Cryheart nods at Earthdiver.
Earthdiver ponders.
The dog wanders over to Earthdiver and sniffs at him suspiciously for a moment.

Vortelis Arrives at Moot Hall

There is a brief tear in the fabric of reality, then Harrow Vortelis steps through it before it collapses.

You see Harrower Vortelis Infernebrus Faendryl the Guildmaster of the Extrachthonic Cartographer's Guild.
He appears to be a Dark Elf.
He is taller than average.  He appears to be ancient.  He has silver-flecked brown eyes and ashen skin.  He has shoulder length, thick dark brown hair worn in a single braid.  He has a bony face, a sharp nose and tall upswept pointed ears.  He is wearing an intricate twisted faenor headband with a murky shadowglass orb over his face.
He is in good shape.
He is wearing a shadowy black hood, a suspended void black urglaes sphere with misty veins of crimson, a writhing vortex of shadows, a veniom-threaded grimoire satchel, some incarnadine vathor skin leathers enruned in burning glyphs, some enruned fitted ebon gloves, some tailored dark leather trousers, and some deep black vruul leather boots.

Perigourd nods in greeting at Vortelis.
Skulligei nods to Vortelis in greeting.
Missoni nods respectfully at Vortelis.

Vortelis glances at a huge deep black gnarled root.

Lylia inclines her head.

Vortelis says, "You should probably do something about those."

Cryheart glances at Vortelis.
Cryheart nods at Vortelis.
Skulligei agrees with Vortelis.
Perigourd puffs rapidly on his dark maoral pipe, some thick wisps of fragrant bourbon-scented smoke dancing about him.
Lylia says, "We have been working on that, albeit with limited success so far."
Cryheart waggles his fingers at a huge deep black gnarled root.
Missoni agrees with Lylia.
A pained expression crosses Missoni's face.

Lylia says, "But I might speak to Harrower Ersix Severus about it."

Skulligei raspily says, "We have yet to get to the 'root' of the problem."
Missoni sighs, "They are rather stubborn."
Skulligei ducks his head.

Vortelis says, "Ersix so far does not think they are coming from the Deadfall."

Vortelis says, "He has been a hard one to catch."

Lylia blinks.
Perigourd nods thoughtfully.
Earthdiver nods to Vortelis in greeting.
Thrassus suddenly fades into view.
Lylia says, "Really, now? Fascinating. And useful to know."
Her hand lowered, Missoni gives Thrassus a subtle wave.
Lylia waves to Thrassus.
Skulligei squints.
Thrassus nods once.
Skulligei nods to Thrassus in greeting.
Missoni muses, "Then I wonder *where* they are coming from."
Skulligei glances down.
Speaking to Missoni, Perigourd says, "Or who."
Thrassus asks, "Which they are we referring to?"
Cryheart nods at Missoni.
Speaking to Thrassus, Perigourd says, "The roots."
Speaking to Thrassus, Missoni says, "The roots."
Missoni adopts an agreeable expression.

Vortelis says, "There are other black trees where we are going, regardless, I would have you show me this bleakstone statue."

Lylia nods at Vortelis.
Lylia removes an intricate clockwork staff tipped with a black-cored crimson despanal from in her wrap.
Skulligei agrees with Vortelis.
Thrassus nods at Vortelis.
Thrassus says, "It's rather easy to find."
Missoni nods thoughtfully.
Thrassus cocks his head.
Lylia nods in agreement.

Vortelis asks, "Will someone lead the way to it?"

Lylia says, "Feel free to join me. I think I can manage it."

With a flick of her wrist and a near-silent whisper invoking fire and ash, Raelee's lor staff vanishes from her leather staff sling in a sinuous helix of white flames, only to rematerialize in her hands!

Thrassus joins Lylia's group.
Skulligei joins Lylia's group.
Missoni nods appreciatively at Lylia.
Raelee joins Lylia's group.
Vortelis joins Lylia's group.
Perigourd takes a moment to observe Lylia.
Perigourd joins Lylia's group.
Earthdiver joins Lylia's group.
Earthdiver nods at Lylia.
Cryheart joins Lylia's group.

Lylia gazes in amusement at Perigourd.
Skulligei carefully folds his vellum map, taking care not to tear it.
Speaking to Lylia, Missoni says, "It is in your likeness. It is only appropriate."
Lylia asks, "Are we all together?"
Lylia admits, "Well, there is that."

Vortelis says, "My understanding is it is not far from the portal by the Reach."

Missoni flashes a quick grin.
Lylia nods at Vortelis.
Lylia says, "You are correct."
Thrassus says, "That is correct."
Speaking raspily to Vortelis, Skulligei says, "Correct."

Traveling to the Bleaklands

Imperatrix Lylia's group just went west.
[Town Square Central]
This is the heart of the main square of Wehnimer's Landing. The impromptu shops of the bazaar are clustered around this central gathering place, where townsfolk, travellers, and adventurers meet to talk, conspire or raise expeditions to the far-flung reaches of Elanith. At the north end, an old well, with moss-covered stones and a craggy roof, is shaded from the moonlight by a strong, robust tree. The oak is tall and straight, and it is apparent that the roots run deep. You also see a speckled tree frog, a large white-bellied hawk that is flying around, the night watchman, the Korpacz disk, a golden brown fox, the braided Dumfraus hamper of green and beige river reeds, a glinting stygian scarab beetle that is flying around, the Takamine disk, a large acorn, an agitated spring spirit that is flying around, the woven brass Drizdark disk, the purple Unax disk, a large acorn, a large acorn, a large acorn, a large acorn, a large acorn, some wide stone benches with some stuff on it, an herbal remedy donation bin, a round silver-banded barrel and a trail of aster-wreathed silver hedgehogs leading southwest.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Magister Raelee, Sinistral of Tyranny Daenamaryllis, Sir Cryheart, Bathcwyn Missoni, Skulligei, Perigourd, Xorus, Earthdiver, Emissary Thrassus, Imperatrix Lylia, Lord Silencieux, Carburide, Korpacz, Glugorek, Lord Scyf, Valandsa, Rioja, Hecuba who is sitting, High Lord Dumfraus, Harbenjer, Legendary Lady Aspyre, Bilburn, Cirevan who is sitting, Quinzella, Lord Takamine, Xanthirra, Lord Vorpian, Dolcariu, Jemisha, Zephineus, Mirsodron, Tonari, Legendary Lord Drizdark, Zoru, Unax, Lord Ahseetah
Obvious paths: northeast, east, southeast, southwest, west, northwest

With great ease, the night watchman grabs Xorus and shackles his wrists.
"Ah-ha! The boys at Helga's said I might find something interesting here," says the night watchman.
With a keen eye, the night watchman glances over Xorus quickly. He says, "We'll not have you dying before sentence is carried out. Let's get you healed up, though there will of course be a slight charge for it." With that, a demure looking city official, evidently an empath, comes forward and heals all Xorus's maladies.
The night watchman then drags him off.

Xanthirra blinks.
Dumfraus laughs!
Missoni blinks.
Earthdiver gazes in wonder at his surroundings.
Thrassus raises an eyebrow.
Dumfraus says, "Watchmen gottem."
Perigourd scratches at his beard.
Lylia blinks.
Dumfraus says, "Ha."
Xanthirra gives Lylia a friendly hug.
Hecuba gasps.
Xanthirra frowns.
Lylia gives Xanthirra a friendly hug.
Thrassus asks, "What's he been up to now?"
Earthdiver says, "The law comes for us all eventually."
Skulligei whistles tunelessly to himself.
Lylia sighs.
Missoni says, "That fellow came after me last night! I think there must have been some sort of mistake."
Dumfraus says, "Dun act left if you dont act right."
Missoni innocently says, "I did nothing wrong."
Carburide says, "I have the strength for one more cast."
Perigourd glances skeptically at Missoni.
Cryheart rubs Lylia.
Hecuba says, "Probably jumped out of the tree."
Xanthirra nods at Lylia.
Hecuba says, "They don't arrest the murderers."
Hecuba turns to Lylia and cheers!
Cryheart says, "Perhaps the watchman has got stung by the roots."
Hecuba ponders.
Speaking to Cryheart, Missoni says, "He got stung by something."
Xorus just arrived.
Lylia says, "There clearly is. Xorus is careful to maintain the very letter of the law."
Xorus joins Lylia's group.
Xorus says, "Misunderstanding."
Lylia says, "Excellent. We can continue."
Missoni nods.
Hecuba rubs Xorus.
Speaking to Xorus, Missoni says, "I knew it."
Speaking to Xorus, Hecuba asks, "Did you jump out of the tree?"
Xanthirra curtsies to Xorus.
Lylia turns toward Hecuba and renders a sharp salute with her clockwork staff.
Xanthirra nods at Xorus.
Missoni glances skeptically at Hecuba.
Xanthirra curtsies politely to Lylia.
Lylia says, "Come along, then; we have a statue to see."
Lylia winks at Xorus.
Speaking to Lylia, Xanthirra exclaims, "Always lovely to see you!"
Carburide says, "So that I can rebuild my strength."
Lylia kisses Xanthirra tenderly on the cheek.
Lylia says, "Likewise."
Lylia winks.
Imperatrix Lylia's group just went northwest.

(walking and walking until reaching the portal)

Imperatrix Lylia's group just went southwest.
[Melgorehn's Valley, Grasslands]
Melgorehn's Reach towers off to the southwest. It dominates the valley, a constant presence in the waving grass. The ground is broken and ill-lit by the wan moonlight, causing you to trip and curse several times. No insects buzz through the area, giving you an uneasy feeling. You also see a rippling ethereal green portal.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Magister Raelee, Sir Cryheart, Bathcwyn Missoni, Skulligei, Perigourd, Earthdiver, Emissary Thrassus, Xorus, Imperatrix Lylia
Obvious paths: northeast

Lylia nods with satisfaction.
Lylia asks, "Are we exepecting anyone else?"
Skulligei points at a rippling ethereal green portal.
Skulligei taps his cigar, knocking a clump of ashes to the ground.
A lesser burrow orc pops out of a burrow.

Vortelis glances at a rippling ethereal green portal.

Shadows dance between Lylia's outstretched fingers as she issues a command in archaic Faendryl.
Lylia gestures at a lesser burrow orc.
Lylia stares at a lesser burrow orc.
 CS: +551 - TD: +21 + CvA: +19 + d100: +36 == +585
 Warding failed!
The burrow orc drops its short sword.
The burrow orc drops its wooden shield.
The burrow orc lets out a blood curdling scream!
The lights in a lesser burrow orc's eyes dim and finally go out.

Missoni casually observes her surroundings.

>look portal
The portal stands as a rippling tear in the fabric of reality, its edges shimmering with an otherworldly iridescence. Waves of green energy cascade across its surface, casting an eerie glow that dances upon nearby surfaces.

Speaking to a lesser burrow orc, Lylia says, "Not the time or the place."
Cryheart agrees with Lylia.

Lylia steps into a rippling ethereal green portal, disappearing!
Thrassus steps into a rippling ethereal green portal, disappearing!
>go portal
You step into a rippling ethereal green portal and an eerie chill passes over you. The air crackles and green tendrils of energy dance around while echoes of hushed whispers flood your mind before you emerge on the other side, greeted by a desolate wasteland cloaked in otherworldly hues.

[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
Remnants of a building that once stood proud now tumbles in ruins, the fragments of a home left covered in ash. Sculpted rocks litter the pathway, leaving a trail of demise across the plains.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Emissary Thrassus
Obvious paths: northeast, southwest

Thrassus nods at Vortelis.
Raelee suddenly walks into view, small arcs of viridian energy dancing around her body.
Raelee glances around the area.
Thrassus says, "The portal scatters folk."
Raelee joins Thrassus's group.

Vortelis nods.

Vortelis joins Thrassus's group.

Skulligei suddenly walks into view, small arcs of viridian energy dancing around his body.
Thrassus nods once.
Thrassus adds Skulligei to his group.

Emissary Thrassus's group just went southwest.
[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
A rampart of basalt-sheened smoke competes against the turmoil of the ever-changing atmosphere. The sterile span of earth is bathed in shimmering effervescent golden hues before returning back to its unimpressive state.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Emissary Thrassus
Obvious paths: northeast, southeast

Emissary Thrassus's group just went southeast.
[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
Occasional gales of gold motes crackle and fizzle in and out of existence. The landscape rolls and undulates for miles in every direction, providing no end in sight of the bleak environment.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Emissary Thrassus
Obvious paths: southwest, northwest

Sir Cryheart strides in with fluid grace, each footstep leaving behind a faintly glowing, misty green owl feather that twirls in his wake.
Thrassus adds Cryheart to his group.
Cryheart says, "We lost a few it seems."
Cryheart gazes in wonder at his surroundings.

Vortelis says, "Unstable portal."

(walking and walking)

[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
Cracked charcoal clay runs in haphazard patterns along the floor, the ground lacking moisture or life within it. Despite this, the air seems to hum with a low frequency, adding an odd element of vibrancy to the area. You also see a short sword, a bushy charcoal cross fox with whiskey-toned markings and a gnarled oily black tree.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Sir Cryheart, Emissary Thrassus, Perigourd
Obvious paths: southeast, west

Perigourd furrows his brow.
Skulligei raspily says, "That portal tends to spit you out seemingly random places."
Thrassus adds Perigourd to his group.
Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "... we could likely do better."

(walking and walking, finding the other group that formed)

[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
The expanse of fragmented loam sprawls in asymmetrical pieces as far as the eye can see, the stillness every so often disrupted by a juddering of sentiment. You also see an emaciated black horse, a fluffy white cat, an inquisitive frosty white imp and a lazy wild deep red dog.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Perigourd, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Sir Cryheart, Emissary Thrassus, Bathcwyn Missoni, Xorus, Earthdiver, Imperatrix Lylia
Obvious paths: south, west

Cryheart glances at Perigourd.
Lylia nods with satisfaction.
Thrassus says, "Ah, just who we were looking for."
Thrassus joins Lylia's group.
Lylia says, "Disruptions while passing through the portal."
Vortelis joins Lylia's group.
Raelee joins Lylia's group.
Skulligei joins Lylia's group.
Perigourd furrows his brow.
Perigourd offers Missoni a glistening black apple.
Cryheart joins Lylia's group.
Missoni looks thoughtfully at Perigourd.
Missoni accepts Perigourd's black apple.
Perigourd joins Lylia's group.

With an extraplanar invocation in susurrous Faendryl, Missoni's surita staff vanishes from her hands in a glittery vortex of grasping ephemeral shadowlings, only to rematerialize in her baleglass-bound sling! As it leaves her hands, the illumination of its sigils slowly ebbs away.
Missoni produces a lustrous midnight black apple from the depths of her airy robes.

Vortelis gazes in wonder at his surroundings.

Imperatrix Lylia's group just went south.
[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
Craggy peaks loom in the distant hazy smog, their summits occasionally accented by gold highlights. A droning buzz repeats as the luminosity continues before decrescendoing and restoring the land to quietness.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Perigourd, Emissary Thrassus, Bathcwyn Missoni, Xorus, Earthdiver, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Sir Cryheart, Imperatrix Lylia
Obvious paths: north, east

Missoni glances between a glistening black apple and a lustrous midnight black apple.

Imperatrix Lylia's group just went east.
[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
Cracked charcoal clay runs in haphazard patterns along the floor, the ground lacking moisture or life within it. Despite this, the air seems to hum with a low frequency, adding an odd element of vibrancy to the area. You also see a short sword and a gnarled oily black tree.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Perigourd, Emissary Thrassus, Bathcwyn Missoni, Xorus, Earthdiver, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Sir Cryheart, Imperatrix Lylia
Obvious paths: southeast, west

Speaking to Perigourd, Missoni says, "They are not quite the same."

The very air seems to hum with a malevolent energy.

Skulligei agrees with Missoni.
Speaking to Missoni, Perigourd says, "The same as the first root we encountered."

(walking and ending up at the bleakstone statue)

Arriving at the Bleakstone Statue

[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
The volatile heavens spark flares of gold, the brilliance streaking across the sky as if they were falling stars. The ground ahead trembles, the terrain splitting apart violently before the turf settles and is left uneven. You also see a cracked bleakstone statue.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Perigourd, Emissary Thrassus, Bathcwyn Missoni, Xorus, Earthdiver, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Sir Cryheart, Imperatrix Lylia
Obvious paths: southeast, northwest

>look statue
The statue has been formed of polished bleakstone and shaped into the image of a slender Faendryl woman. Smoky grey thunderstones are fashioned into a pair of wide-set eyes, while the coils of waist-length hair have been chiseled meticulously down the woman's back. The woman's angular face looks on stoically, her lips pursed ever so slightly as if mildly amused. A full gown of darkest night wraps about the statue and several small cracks have formed along the base.

Missoni looks thoughtfully at Perigourd.
Speaking to Missoni, Perigourd says, "But no, not the same as the ones being sold."
Skulligei raspily says, "And different again from the apples in the landing garden."
Lylia gazes with interest at a cracked bleakstone statue.
Cryheart glances at a cracked bleakstone statue.
Missoni murmurs, "So many apples."
Skulligei gazes with interest at a cracked bleakstone statue.

Vortelis glances between Lylia and a cracked bleakstone statue.

Lylia says, "My statue has feet of clay."
Thrassus grins at Vortelis.
Cryheart approaches the bleakstone statue and shivers.

Vortelis says, "That is quite the gift."

Skulligei tugs on the end of his scarf and straightens the various folds.
Raelee gazes thoughtfully at a cracked bleakstone statue.
Perigourd approaches the bleakstone statue and shivers.
Lylia agrees, "It was a surprising show of appreciation...but of course we know its other purpose."
Thrassus says, "It was a rather loaded gift."
Raelee nods faintly at Lylia.
Lylia says, "It was used to spread a blight, but I shall take both that and the excellent likeness as a backhanded compliment, given the source."
Skulligei puffs slowly from his thin cigar.

Vortelis says, "It must have been her sense of humor, building a city of marble and all that."

Lylia smiles wryly.
Cryheart grins.
Lylia nods at Vortelis.
Missoni nods sympathetically at Lylia.
Lylia says, "Just so."

Vortelis adjusts the murkey shadowglass orb in his intricate faenor headband, as he slowly looks around surveying his surroundings.

Lylia gazes with interest at Vortelis.
Missoni cocks her head at Vortelis.

Thrassus asks, "How thin is the Veil here?"

Skulligei glances around the area.

Vortelis says, "There are spectral forms of dead humans, mostly humans, all around, most of the time you cannot see them with your eyes."

Thrassus nods slowly.
Skulligei nods at Vortelis.
Thrassus says, "That makes sense."
Missoni murmurs, "It does."
Thrassus says, "The victims of the prelate."
Skulligei raspily says, "Sometimes you can see brief glimpses of them."
Earthdiver surreptitiously glances around the area.
Lylia says, "We have encountered a few of the bleak spirits at times, hearing them or catching glimpses."

Vortelis says, "It is thinner in the depths, closer to the ruins of the city."

Thrassus ponders.
Skulligei appears lost in thought.

Vortelis says, "But we have rifts all over the Bleaklands forming up near the storm when the Reach is volatile."

Thrassus says, "Then I wonder if the epicentre of the effect is totally breached."
Lylia says, "Distressing thought, Thrassus."

Vortelis says, "Moravius will wish to look at those sinkholes in the veil soon."

Thrassus nods.
Earthdiver inclines his ear, listening intently.
Thrassus leans on his staff.

Vortelis looks around the horizon.

Vortelis says, "They are tainted by the corruptive power of this wasteland. But with unequal severity."

Sir Geijon just arrived.
Lylia smiles at Geijon.
Geijon nods.

Vortelis says, "Some haunt as ghosts.  Others were transmogrified into monsters."

Missoni nods thoughtfully.
Thrassus nods at Vortelis.
Thrassus says, "That is correct."
Lylia says, "How fascinating."
Thrassus cocks his head.
Perigourd folds his arms over his chest.
Cryheart says, "Interesting."

Bleaksoil and Leechlings

Vortelis kneels down.

Cryheart gazes in wonder at his surroundings.

Vortelis pinches the bleak soil through his fingers, making some of the runes glow on his dark gloves.

Missoni asks, "Why the variation? Is it simple chaos, or is there a measurable reason?"
Lylia says, "I have heard tales of the heart of the Wizardwaste. Monsters there as well, it is said."
Geijon says, "It would be good to see Malvernus again, but he's a bit enigmatic."

Vortelis says, "There is demon blood in this soil."

Speaking to Missoni, Raelee says, "... there is a measurable reason. The question is whether we know how to measure it."
Geijon and Cryheart bash their forearms in greeting.
Thrassus nods at Vortelis.
Cryheart frowns.
Missoni tilts her head down.
Skulligei raises an eyebrow.
Missoni nods thoughtfully at Raelee.
Cryheart asks, "Demon blood?"
Perigourd says, "One is not surprised by the fact."
Skulligei snaps his fingers.
Missoni curiously asks, "What sort of demon?"
Skulligei nods.

Vortelis says, "Yes.  Oculoth."

Missoni nods once.
Cryheart frowns.

Thrassus asks, "Those proto-oculoths, yes?"

Vortelis glances at Thrassus.

Lylia says, "Like the primal entities we sought some years ago."

Vortelis says, "That is correct.  It is a primitive variety of oculoth."

Thrassus says, "Ebon swirled or the like."

Vortelis nods.

Skulligei gazes up into the heavens.
Skulligei cackles!
Cryheart asks, "Is this the same blood that Finch put into the soil for his apples?"
Geijon says, "Th' explosion probably doesn't help my memory of th' place."
Thrassus shrugs at Cryheart.

Vortelis fidgets with his headband and scans his gaze all around toward the ground.

Thrassus says, "He's an abject idiot or malevolent actor if so."
Speaking to Cryheart, Perigourd says, "Fynric, and I think he was using samples from before this happened."
Cryheart nods at Thrassus.
Vortelis says, "All of it. Everywhere."
Cryheart says, "Fynric, thanks."
Lylia narrows her eyes.

Vortelis tilts his head down.

Vortelis narrows his eyes.

Skulligei raspily says, "I knew those shiny strawberries were no good."

Vortelis says, "What do we have here..."

Earthdiver surreptitiously glances at Vortelis.
Raelee narrows her eyes slightly, studying Vortelis with a cool, analytical gaze.
Thrassus cocks his head at Vortelis.

Vortelis removes a solid crystal canopic jar from in his vortex of shadows.

Lylia says, "He was awaiting samples of the soil from before this happened; that doesn not mean he was using the unsullied soil. It was presumably normal then."
Cryheart says, "I am concerned then regarding the folks eating those apples."
The dog suddenly turns and focuses its eyes upon Xorus.
Thrassus asks, "What did you find?"
Lylia nods knowingly to the deep red dog.
Cryheart glances at Vortelis.

Vortelis gestures with his hand over the ground, shifting the soil with rippling force, swirling it and churning it over.

Magical energies explode across the sky in a dazzling display of vibrant colors, illuminating the bleak expanse with their transient brilliance.

Skulligei raspily exclaims, "You worry about the APPLES? Nevermind the whole fruit cart grown from this stuff!"
Missoni looks thoughtfully at Vortelis.
Earthdiver asks, "More oculuth presence?"
Skulligei flails his arms about.
Cryheart says, "Likewise."
Skulligei raspily says, "Slander."
Cryheart nods at Skulligei.
Skulligei draws lightly on his cigar.
Skulligei parts his lips and blows a steady stream of black apple-scented smoke into a cloud before him.

Suddenly, a small tubular form spits up from the soil, rapidly lunging for Vortelis's hand!

Earthdiver says, "It seems so."
Perigourd moves over to Vortelis and stands ready to guard him from attack.
Skulligei blinks at Vortelis.

The tubular insect thrashes around, frozen mid-air in the rippling force.

Thrassus says, "Interesting."
Missoni glances appraisingly at Vortelis.
Earthdiver asks, "A worm?"
Lylia takes a few steps back.
Skulligei raspily says, "Very interesting. I have never seen anything like that in the months I have spent around here..."

Vortelis says, "There we are..."

Earthdiver says, "There were many insects here when I last looked."
Missoni asks, "Some sort of larva?"

Vortelis shoves it into his canopic jar and seals it.

Lylia says, "It looks like a small rift crawler."
Lylia wrinkles her nose.

Vortelis drops a solid crystal canopic jar.

>look jar
Inside the translucent canopic jar is a hovering lampric leechling. Half the size of a leech, it is a tubular-shaped, dusty brown chitinous insect. Its lamprey-like mouth menaces with over a dozen rows obsidian teeth, as it keeps throwing itself at the walls of the jar in the direction of whoever is near it. It hovers in the air without wings or any visible manner of propulsion.

Perigourd says, "Hmm.."
Thrassus asks, "Perhaps a mutated leech or the like?"
Missoni squints at a solid crystal canopic jar.
Lylia says, "Small enough that I could eat it instead of it eating me. Not that I would wish to."

Vortelis says, "Nasty little things."

Missoni says, "It does look a bit leech-like."
Skulligei raspily says, "Might make interesting fishing bait."

Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee asks, "... 'nasty' in what way?"

Perigourd says, "Hmm..."
Cryheart says, "It is contaminated."
Missoni remarks, "Quite a lot of teeth."
Thrassus says, "Who knows, it might have been a rabbit previously."
(Lylia taps the jar's lid with a manicured fingernail.)

Vortelis says, "They burrow deep inside the flesh, they have to be burned and frozen out.  More likely amputated."

Thrassus asks, "Oh, you've seen these before?"
Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee asks, "Have you a name for them?"
Thrassus cocks his head at Vortelis.
Missoni mouths, "Swell."
Missoni frowns.
Thrassus asks, "I assume they are not from this valence, then?"
Cryheart frowns.

Vortelis says, "I have read that these are called hovering vampiric leechlings."

(note: Vortelis is misstating the name, it is "lampric" and not "vampiric." Common is a fourth or fifth language for Harrowers.)

Cryheart says, "Whoa."
Thrassus says, "Apt name."

Vortelis says, "They are specific to the Bleaklands."

Earthdiver cocks his head and examines the canopic jar.

Thrassus asks, "Wait, who's been writing books about this place?"

Speaking to Thrassus, Raelee says, "... I had a similar question."
Raelee nods at Thrassus.
Lylia says, "They remind me of something else I have seen here. But much, much larger."
Earthdiver asks, "How large do they can get?"
Thrassus says, "Oh, yes. That."
Lylia nods at Earthdiver.
Thrassus nods at Lylia.
Speaking to himself, Earthdiver says, "Perhaps they can be tamed and ridden."

Vortelis feels his gloved hand around the soil and pulls up a bleakstone, which is black with dark golden blobs, and puts it away into his writhing black shadows.

Lylia says, "If they are the things I recall, they are to this thing as all of Darkstone Bay is to a glass of water."

Vortelis says, "Foolish fortune hunters who look for these stones. Others who come to study the dangerous fauna."

The wind whispers mournfully through the skeletal remains of twisted trees, carrying with it the scent of decay and ancient sorrows.

Lylia nods at Vortelis.

Vortelis stand back up.

Earthdiver gives a slight flick of his wrist, and a silver-lidded round glass jar suddenly appears in his hand!

Vortelis puts a solid crystal canopic jar in his vortex of shadows.

Removing the lid of his round glass jar, Earthdiver easily plucks a mottled chestnut stinkbug out of it and then seals it back up.
Earthdiver glances at a mottled chestnut stinkbug in his hand.
Earthdiver says, "Invasive."
Earthdiver sighs.
Earthdiver drops a mottled chestnut stinkbug.

Vortelis removes a dark gold-splotched bleakstone from in his vortex of shadows.

Missoni asks, "Can they survive elsewhere? These leechlings?"

Speaking to Missoni, Thrassus asks, "You recall that rather titanic monster that attacked the town some while back, yes?"

Vortelis says, "They likely do not enjoy, or perhaps even would not survive, outside of their warped wasteland."

Lylia says, "We may get to find out, if that creature does not die in its jar."
Speaking to Thrassus, Missoni says, "I think you will have to be more specific."
Thrassus says, "The one we had to use the pylons on."

Vortelis says, "Much as things in the Wizardwaste."

Vortelis removes a multi-vialed veil iron extractor from in his vortex of shadows.

Thrassus says, "The floating leech monster that was hundreds of feet in length."
Earthdiver glances at Vortelis and rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Speaking to Thrassus, Missoni says, "I think perhaps I was not fortunate enough to make its acquaintence."
Skulligei gawks at Vortelis.

Vortelis says, "Those floating behemoths are immense."

Lylia says, "It was gigantic. Like another moon hanging above us."
Thrassus nods at Vortelis.
Speaking to Lylia, Perigourd says, "Stab it, many times."
Perigourd nods in agreement.
Thrassus says, "It died all the same, though."
Cryheart gazes in wonder at his surroundings.

Vortelis says, "They are drawn toward rifts when the Reach storms."

Speaking to Perigourd, Missoni says, "Hence the pylon."
Lylia says, "We would need a larger knife."
Missoni nods thoughtfully at Vortelis.
Speaking to Missoni, Perigourd says, "If one prefers the easier way."
Lylia nods at Perigourd.

Extracting and Distilling Bleakstone

Vortelis kneels down.

Cryheart glances at Vortelis.

Vortelis tilts the extractor upside down, allowings its veil iron to form a bowl. He slides the bleakstone down the side, which audibly settles at the bottom.

Vortelis rests the extractor on its head.

Vortelis drops a multi-vialed veil iron extractor.

>look extractor
The extractor is a dark cylindrical tube of kroderine with an ivory aranthium core that ends in a metallic icosahedral head, which has various fittings for filter lenses that feed into attachments of absorbing medium vials.  The bottom of the cylinder is a kind of clamp of conjoined veil iron pieces, flexibly inter-hinged with pure urnon.

Lylia gazes with interest at Vortelis.

Thrassus asks, "What's that device do?"

Earthdiver cocks his head and examines the veil iron extractor.
Thrassus gazes thoughtfully at a multi-vialed veil iron extractor.

Vortelis says, "It is a fractional distillation of the constituent essences of matter."

Vortelis says, "I would advise not looking directly into it."

Thrassus nods understandingly.

Vortelis says, "You could burn your eyes out."

Cryheart says, "Hmmm."
Thrassus closes his eyes for a moment.
Perigourd surreptitiously glances at Raelee.

Earthdiver asks, "Into the individual spectra?"

Vortelis says, "Yes."

Speaking to Perigourd, Raelee asks, "Hmm?"

Faint echoes of forgotten voices linger in the air, their words lost to the passage of time yet haunting in their resonance.

Earthdiver nods.
Perigourd shakes his head.

There is a keening shriek that grows louder until reaching a piercing pitch. It is followed by sounds of cracking and crumbling, with dark essences briefly flitting above the veil iron, but these get sucked back down and vanish within the extractor. Various vials off the head of it shift in color.

Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee asks, "Are you looking for something specific? Or is the intent general observation for now?"

Missoni inclines her ear, listening intently.
Perigourd glances at Vortelis.
Perigourd gazes thoughtfully at a multi-vialed veil iron extractor.

Vortelis says, "It is a base of contrast.  Whatever is peculiar to the statue, rather than the material itself, will be extracted into the still empty vials."

Earthdiver says, "A useful device in this size, for sure."
Skulligei agrees with Earthdiver.
Missoni glances expectantly at a multi-vialed veil iron extractor.

Vortelis says, "This statue has housed, I suspect no longer houses, the soul of a brothel worker from Talador."

Lylia narrows her eyes.
Lylia says, "I wondered about that."
Thrassus says, "Correct."
Lylia says, "Whether she fled the statue after it was 'wed' or not."
Missoni asks, "If it no longer houses this soul, where is it?"
Lylia dryly remarks, "The friendlier version of me certainly does get around."
Lylia glances suspiciously at a cracked bleakstone statue.
Cryheart grins at Lylia.

Vortelis says, "The records I was able to find suggest the statue acquired azure veins when it housed the soul."

Vortelis says, "But now there are these cracks and no such things."

Missoni nods once.
Lylia asks, "No. I dislike the look of them. Is it just a natural degradation of the material?"
Speaking to Lylia, Raelee says, "... I suspect not."

Vortelis says, "There was a temporal stasis coffin, devised by this same Naimorai Kestrel, that Arwenia.. that is, Octaven... had in a lair in the Gattrof mountains."

A draft of wind swirls the cigar smoke around Skulligei, bringing with it the disturbing scent of black apple that is sickeningly sweet with metallic undertones of flesh and blood.

Skulligei glances at Vortelis.

Vortelis says, "These reports suggest it had the soul of a human woman in it."

Thrassus nods.
Thrassus says, "That was the case, yes."

Vortelis says, "Which some of you surmised was Octaven siphoning the soul out of this statue."

Cryheart says, "Interesting."
Raelee nods slowly at Vortelis.
Lylia nods slowly.

Vortelis says, "So I do not expect to find that soul still in it."

Perigourd asks, "What do you expect to find then?"

Magical energies explode across the sky in a dazzling display of vibrant colors, illuminating the bleak expanse with their transient brilliance.

Earthdiver glances up.
Missoni says, "Oh, that lair..."
Lylia says, "Good question."
Speaking to herself, Missoni says, "I wonder if she is still there."

Vortelis says, "It might well be that she is still in it. Or it may be that it pulls out other energies, with this statue acting as a conduit for whatever else in the Bleaklands."

Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "... have you considered interviewing Octaven? She is still imprisoned and... hypothetically available."

Vortelis says, "After all, it was used to trigger, or perhaps create a blight."

Missoni adopts an agreeable expression.
Lylia nods at Vortelis.

Speaking to Raelee, Vortelis says, "It is something to consider.  I do not know to what extent I could trust what she says."

Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "Even lies contain a truth."

Earthdiver looks lost in thought.

Vortelis picks up the extractor.

Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "... you cannot trust her at all, but information can likely still be gained."

Thrassus says, "If she is even of sound enough mind to interview."

Vortelis nods at Raelee.

Lylia holds up her hand and tilts it side to side in a so-so gesture.
Lylia nods at Thrassus.
Perigourd asks, "Is she still being held by the town or is she in imperial custody at this point?"

Vortelis says, "She may fear us more than the Turamzzyrian authorities."

Thrassus smirks.
Thrassus says, "If she is wise, yes."
Speaking to Perigourd, Raelee says, "She is still here. Most of my attempts to see her have been denied."
Missoni frowns at Raelee.
Speaking to Perigourd, Raelee continues, "... I likely ought to stop requesting permission."

Siphoning from the Bleakstone Statue

Vortelis presses the veil iron end up to the abdomen of the bleakstone statue, which shifts its pieces to mold snugly against it.

Speaking sympathetically to Raelee, Missoni says, "You ought to be able to see her, really."
Lylia says, "I find it hard to imagine her fearing anything."
Speaking to Raelee, Perigourd says, "I would have thought the Hall would have had her returned to konw the depth of what she'd done."
Perigourd shrugs nonchalantly.
Earthdiver gazes with interest at a cracked bleakstone statue.
Lylia glances between a cracked bleakstone statue and Vortelis.
Missoni cocks her head.

There is a hollow humming from the mouth of the extractor.

Speaking to Perigourd, Raelee says, "Historically, convincing this town to give up an Imperial prisoner is exceedingly difficult."
Speaking to Perigourd, Raelee says, "You speak as if they have not tried."
Thrassus glances up.
Speaking to Raelee, Perigourd says, "I'm fairly certain from a legal standpoint, they have no chioce."
Perigourd chuckles.
Missoni inclines her ear, listening intently.
Perigourd says, "But perhaps they don't wish to create an issue of it."
Lylia says, "That statue has a home. Eventually. Please do take care."

Shimmering visages of ethereal faceless figures wander through the misty distance, their ghostly forms shifting and wavering as if caught between realms.

The hollow humming grows louder.  It reverberates.

Earthdiver raises his arm to shield his eyes as he glances at a cracked bleakstone statue.
Thrassus covers his eyes with his hands.

Vortelis taps a few empty vials around the icosahedral head of the extractor which look like soulstones.

Missoni says, "I do not supposed we know the resonance at which bleakstone shatters."

Vortelis says, "The soul of the brothel worker must have been siphoned out."

Lylia bites her lip.
Missoni nods understandingly.

Vortelis pulls the extractor away from the statue, with trailing wisps of dark essence flitting behind.

Speaking to Missoni, Earthdiver says, "You would only need to ping it with some energy and listen for the frequency at which it normally resonates."
Earthdiver rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Missoni agrees with Earthdiver.

Vortelis says, "I do not wish to risk damaging it further with this method."

Earthdiver's lips move soundlessly.
Lylia nods appreciatively.

Thrassus asks, "Did it extract anything at all?"

Earthdiver gestures at a small piece of blood marble.
A small piece of blood marble vibrates slightly.
Earthdiver says, "Like that."
Missoni wiggles her fingers.

Vortelis says, "If it was pressed harder, it might well have pulled other powers through."

Missoni cocks her head at Vortelis.
Speaking to Missoni, Earthdiver says, "It could be quite dangerous if there was not enough dampening..."

Vortelis reaches up to his headband and adjusts it, causing it to shine a cone of light at the base of the statue. The ground below it is now semi-transparent, showing numerous threads reaching from the statue into the ground.

Speaking to Earthdiver, Missoni agrees, "I would not be keen to push it."

Vortelis says, "Whatever was most immediately inside the statue would have been ripped out."

Vortelis puts a multi-vialed veil iron extractor in his vortex of shadows.

Essence Prism and Quasi-Spheres

Lylia leans forward.

Vortelis removes a prismatic aranthium contraption from in his vortex of shadows.

Vortelis says, "This is somewhat similar to that extractor, but it is not used to rip out of materials."

Earthdiver glances at Vortelis and rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Earthdiver says, "You have all of the fun toys."

Vortelis says, "It is a kind of prism for extraplanar essences."

Vortelis nods at Earthdiver.

Speaking to Earthdiver, Lylia says, "I was just thinking that."

Vortelis says, "We are well funded."

Earthdiver says, "Aranthium is such a rare material."
Earthdiver praises Vortelis.
Lylia says, "It is fascinating to see so many brought to bear."
Missoni smiles.
Raelee frowns.

Magical energies explode across the sky in a dazzling display of vibrant colors, illuminating the bleak expanse with their transient brilliance.

Vortelis drops a prismatic aranthium contraption.

>look contraption
The contraption has a veil iron cusp fused into a strange crystal that is bottomed with protrusions of myriad materials, whether exotic metals or pure gemstones, which are held in place with aranthium fittings which cap the ends of each probe. The metallic casing supporting the protrusions has correspond glowing runes, and the whole head of it is flexible to rotation.

Earthdiver asks, "Does this prism also spectrally decompose the extraplanar essence for analysis?"

Vortelis nods at Earthdiver.

Earthdiver asks, "And stores them in the aranthium divisions?"

Missoni gazes thoughtfully at a prismatic aranthium contraption.

Vortelis says, "Yes.  That is essentially how it works."

Earthdiver says, "A similar device to the one earlier, I suppose, but for different spectra of energy."
Raelee lets out a long, contemplative breath.

Vortelis says, "The extractor is for ripping out of materials, whereas this takes raw energy, and splits it apart into its more fundamental elements."

Earthdiver nods at Vortelis.
Lylia gazes admiringly at Vortelis.
Earthdiver exclaims, "An essential tool!"

Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee asks, "When you say 'elements' - do you mean that literally?"

Vortelis says, "It has various uses to the Extrachthonic Cartographer's Guild.  Calibrating our panoptics, for example, or identifying the modes of sorcerous elements."

Speaking to Raelee, Vortelis says, "It can be used for the ordinary elements.  More often we are using it to discern the properties of extraplanar energies."

Lylia nods at Raelee.
Missoni adopts an agreeable expression.
Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "... the common tongue continues to fail us."

Earthdiver asks, "And are you interested in tracking the source of these energies?"

Vortelis says, "Shadows is substantially made of darkness and chaos, but for our purposes it is more relevant unfiltered."

Lylia says, "For what it is worth, some of these conversations involve abstruse subject matter in native Faendryl as well."

Vortelis says, "Generally, yes.  We would like to know sources, as they have a polluting effect on the environs."

Earthdiver nods at Vortelis.
Lylia nods at Vortelis.

Vortelis says, "But this is also useful for exposing materials."

Earthdiver says, "I have been designing a device to do exactly that. Perhaps you would be interested in looking over my designs."

Missoni nods encouragingly at Earthdiver.

Vortelis says, "What they allow us to do is bring in otherworldly energies, and expose samples of materials to the pure modes, which may transmute or reactor or absorb those specific energies."

Vortelis nods at Earthdiver.

Earthdiver rummages through a black satchel searching with intent, but it quickly becomes apparent he's not got a clue where to look.
Earthdiver says, "Hmnm. Let's see."
Earthdiver removes a watermarked white blueprint from in his black satchel.

Vortelis says, "When other energies build up or bleed out of its crystal, it is apparent to us through our panoptics."

Faint echoes of forgotten voices linger in the air, their words lost to the passage of time yet haunting in their resonance.

Earthdiver says, "Ah, here they are."
Earthdiver taps a watermarked white blueprint, which is in his right hand.
Earthdiver says, "When you have a moment to look them over, of course."

Vortelis says, "Ah, yes."

Earthdiver says, "I was told that it could be of interest to the Guild."

Vortelis says, "I will study it later."

Earthdiver nods at Vortelis.

Vortelis put a watermarked white blueprint in his vortex of shadows.

Vortelis says, "These essence prisms are built for our 'quasi-spheres', which bleed through the veil into other valences."

Vortelis taps a suspended void black urglaes sphere with misty veins of crimson that he is wearing.

Missoni nods slightly.

Earthdiver asks, "Quasi-spheres? Why are they called quasi-spheres?"

Earthdiver rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Vortelis says, "But that would take a very long time to be truly exhaustive."

Thrassus nods in agreement at Raelee.
Earthdiver says, "That...is very high purity urglaes."

Vortelis says, "They are nearly spherical orbs of urglaes.  We use them as anchors for tethering ourselves to this world when traveling to other valences."

Earthdiver nods at Vortelis.

Vortelis says, "What I am interested in right now is what is the relation of this statue to absorbing the shadows."

Lylia raises an eyebrow.

Vortelis says, "The soul it held was called a 'bleakwalker.'  But the other times that phrase was used, was in the context of shadows entities much like the ones that have been invading."

Lylia says, "Like the soulstone."

Cryheart asks, "If it is absorbing the shadows, does it mean the shadows cannae get out?"

Vortelis says, "I will see what happens when shadows are directly put to the statue."

Missoni smiles.

Lylia says, "As much as I would love it if the statue were able to absorb shadows and entrap them, as it would be a sort of cosmic justice for Raznel's jest, I do not think it is so."

Vortelis says, "Your mayor marshal Thadston, the Northern Sentinel, was possessed with it like a ghost."

Lylia furrows her brow.
Thrassus nods.

Vortelis says, "But if it was somehow transmogrified into a shadows entity, being a soul of the dead, that would have some interest in itself."

Extracting and Diffracting a Hazy Tenebrous Orb

Vortelis removes a hazy tenebrous orb from in your vortex of shadows.

Perigourd scratches at his beard.

Vortelis thumbs the veil iron extractor in his hand.

Vortelis places the hazy tenebrous orb in the bowl of the extractor, and twists the icosahedral base by a right angle with an audible click.

Missoni leans forward.

Vortelis picks up a prismatic aranthium contraption.

Vortelis flips over the contraption and puts it on top of the extractor, fitting their veil iron mouths together which encompasses the hazy tenebrous orb.

High pitched shrieking is followed by sounds of cracking and crumbling from the devices.

Earthdiver gives a short little hum of surprise.

Chillness fills the air as shadows move through the strange crystal.  The shadowglass shard of the contraption becomes darker and it corresponding rune burns brightly.

Lylia grits her teeth.

The sound dies away and goes quiet.  Vortelis removes the contraption, with wisps of shadow trailing off.

A solitary church bell tolls with an eerie resonance, its mournful peals echoing across the desolate landscape like the lament of a forgotten deity.

Skulligei grins.

Vortelis puts a multi-vialed veil iron extractor in his vortex of shadows.

Missoni ponders.
Perigourd leans softly against Missoni.

Vortelis manipulates the head of the contraption, retracting all of the other shards and probes.

Vortelis removes a pale red soulstone suspended by a frayed leather cord from in his vortex of shadows.

Lylia asks, "Was that an expected result?"

Vortelis nods at Lylia.

Geijon shifts his weight.

Vortelis says, "These orbs have a certain minor amount of concentrated shadows."

Lylia nods.

Vortelis prods the aranthium probe of the shadowglass shard.  Writhing dark shadows wisp out of it, immediately getting sucked into the soulstone, which faintly pulses red.

Vortelis nods.

Vortelis puts a pale red soulstone suspended by a frayed leather cord in your vortex of shadows.

Lylia bites her lip.

Vortelis says, "In principle that is one way, though inefficient, to recharge that soulstone."

Missoni nods slightly.
Perigourd asks, "How inefficient?"
Thrassus says, "It would take quite a while I assume."
Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "... perhaps of some value as a test case, however."

Perigourd asks, "Are we talking hundreds or orbs, or thousands?"

Perigourd takes a drink from his amber Wildwood whiskey.
Perigourd looks rather relaxed.

Vortelis says, "If we have to resort to that, it could take weeks or collecting those hazy orbs."

Missoni grins wryly.
Perigourd glances appraisingly at Missoni.
Perigourd folds his hands behind his back.
Missoni gives Perigourd a gentle pat.
Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "And a better way is likely to be found within that timespan."

Vortelis says, "It is difficult to say precisely."

Thrassus says, "We'd likely run out of townsfolk in that time."
The charcoal cross fox sniffs at Lylia.
Perigourd reaches out and scratches behind the charcoal cross fox's ears.
Lylia nods to a bushy charcoal cross fox with whiskey-toned markings.
Geijon says, "It's something we can do."
Perigourd nods slowly at Lylia.

Vortelis says, "It would be faster to charge it from the Shadow Realm rifts, or possibly through the Lake Eonak portal, but both of those could be exceedingly dangerous."

Absorbing Shadows into the Bleakstone Statue

Vortelis glances at a cracked bleakstone statue.

Perigourd nods understandingly at Lylia.
Missoni ponders.

Vortelis brings the contraption toward the bleakstone statue, then puts the probe up against the middle and triggers it.  Coldness surrounds you as writhing shadows are ejected.

Lylia says, "We have seen Lake Eonak used, and it was indeed perilous."
Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "... nothing about this, in the broad sense, can be expected to be safe."

Shadows stretch and contort across the barren landscape, casting a dark veil over the ashen earth below.

Perigourd casually observes his surroundings.
Geijon chuckles.
Missoni passes a hand over her richly toned, olive brown face.

The shadows seep into a few of the cracks in the bleakstone statue.

Lylia murmurs, "Glad I wore the fur."
Skulligei glances at a cracked bleakstone statue.
Verdant light flickers across the surface of Missoni's surita staff.

The shadows fuse into the cracks of the bleakstone, which glow dark red like bloody burning veins.  The broken stone of the statue slowly mends and heals itself.

Thrassus raises an eyebrow.
Skulligei approaches the bleakstone statue and shivers.
Thrassus says, "Interesting."

The fissures dim into solid blackness.  Smooth bleakstone remains where cracks have vanished.

Lylia gazes admiringly at a cracked bleakstone statue.
Missoni nods once.

Skulligei raspily says, "Ayyy it's all fixed now."

Skulligei raspily says, "Nice."

Vortelis says, "Part of it."

>rub statue
You approach the bleakstone statue and shiver due to the utter cold.

Vortelis says, "Fascinating statue."

Vortelis puts a prismatic aranthium contraption in his vortex of shadows.

Skulligei agrees with Vortelis.

Lylia says, "I think so, but I may be biased."
Lylia smirks as a haughty expression flits across her face.
Cryheart grins at Lylia.

Vortelis says, "Shadows and blood magic."

Thrassus nods at Vortelis.

Vortelis says, "I am much more of a demonologist than a necromancer, I only understand its blighted aspects so well."

Missoni nods in agreement.
Lylia nods understandingly at Vortelis.

Bleakwalkers and Shadow Entities

This explained why Vortelis was studying the bleakstone statue this way. It continued until a KST storm started on the Storm Plains.

Vortelis stands back up.

Vortelis says, "When this Thadston was possessed by the bleakwalker, he had a necrotic wound from a cursed blade, and had just recently fused shards of kroderine in his arms."

Cryheart nods at Vortelis.

Faint echoes of forgotten voices linger in the air, their words lost to the passage of time yet haunting in their resonance.

Vortelis says, "It makes me think this shadows corrupted entity was drawn into him by that combination of qualities."

Skulligei appears lost in thought.
Lylia says, "I recall. You have diligently studied the local situation. I had hoped our letters found their way home."
Earthdiver folds his arms, appearing to listen intently. He nods from time to time.
Speaking to Vortelis, Geijon says, "Before that he was a bit loose with brutality already."

Vortelis says, "Then it would seem it desired to be in this statue, provided that the statue was anointed with Lylia's blood."

Speaking to Lylia, Missoni whispers aloud, "The statue was annointed with your blood?"
Geijon nods.
Lylia dryly remarks, "Lylia-blood is a rare and precious ingredient."
Raelee surreptitiously glances at Lylia.

Vortelis says, "I suspect its shadows were expended healing Thadston, much as we repair reanimated dead with shadow essence."

Cryheart grins at Lylia.
Skulligei nods at Vortelis.
Speaking to Missoni, Lylia murmurs, "I was generous enough to share."
Missoni nods slowly at Lylia.
Thrassus says, "Oh, I am sure he would be overjoyed to learn that."
Lylia says, "Thadston owes me. Twice over."
Lylia says, "Good thing he is aware of that too."
Cryheart says, "Logical as kroderine absorbs."

Vortelis says, "Perhaps the bleakstone can act as a shadows filter.  Unless that absorption is more peculiar to this statue."

Earthdiver asks, "Filter, as in block, or filter as in refine?"
Lylia says, "I wish I could say. I wanted it brought to the Spire where it could be studied more closely, but she keeps wandering away."

Vortelis says, "Strip the shadows away from an entity."

Earthdiver nods at Vortelis.
Missoni agrees, "They do seem drawn to it."
Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "It likely ought to be tested with a separate sample. The variable in play is that the status was designed to contain."

Vortelis says, "We can sometimes glimpse Taladorian souls in these Bleaklands monsters with our panoptics."

Vortelis says, "What I am curious to know is if there is Ithzir essence in those writhing shadow masses.  Maybe dead Ithzir at the core of them."

Skulligei nods at Vortelis.
Lylia gazes with interest at Vortelis.
Lylia says, "Oh, I see."

Perigourd asks, "Will that change the pursuit much?"

Lylia asks, "And is this connected with your interest in the pyramid as well?"
Skulligei raspily asks, "Did you check out the one at the Lake?"

Vortelis says, "But I do not know for certain that this brothel worker, Gabriela, was transformed into such a thing.  My suspicions were based on the common use of the word bleakwalker."

Perigourd says, "Whether ithzir or shadow, one presumes the intent is to find Aralyte and close the incursions into our valence."

Lylia adds, "Obviously it is of interest; how could it not be? But I wondered if the concern was more direct."
Lylia nods at Perigourd.
Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "... a notoriously imprecise language."
Lylia firmly says, "This is what must be done."

The sky fills with a blanket of low clouds, pale and unmoving. Sounds seem muffled and the air feels thick, taking on a quiet stillness.

Cryheart gazes up into the sky.
Perigourd carefully surveys his surroundings.

Speaking to Perigourd, Missoni says, "It makes a difference, though, in how we approach exterminating the Ithzir."

Earthdiver glances up.
Geijon ponders.

Vortelis says, "It would have sense for knowing how to end this threat."

Vortelis nods at Missoni.

Lylia nods at Vortelis.
Skulligei shakes his head.
Skulligei gazes up into the sky.

Vortelis says, "If they are some kind of transmogrification of dead Ithzir, that could possibly make more sense of the Shadow Realm being the source of it."

Vortelis says, "As the primordial demon had Ithzir followers many thousands of years ago."

Thrassus nods.
Lylia narrows her eyes.
Missoni leans softly against Perigourd.
Perigourd casually glances at Missoni.

>tap statue
You approach the bleakstone statue and shiver due to the utter cold.

Shadows stretch and contort across the barren landscape, casting a dark veil over the ashen earth below.

Speaking to Vortelis, Lylia says, "She has a standoffish personality."

Vortelis says, "This material is fairly opaque, it would be difficult to observe a whole shadow entity inside bleakstone, we will likely use some other material for that."

Missoni adopts an agreeable expression.
Lylia nods at Vortelis.
Perigourd suggests, "Glaesine perhaps."

Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee asks, "Have you an idea as to what?"

Speaking to Perigourd, Missoni says, "Or baleglass."

Vortelis nods at Missoni.

Lylia nods at Missoni.
Skulligei gazes up into the heavens.
Thrassus says, "Baleglass would be more hospitable to such an entity."
Thrassus nods at Missoni.
Skulligei sways as if the ground shifted, though nothing moves.
Missoni agrees with Thrassus.
Skulligei glances down.

Vortelis says, "Vaelfyren.  Shadowglass.  It might be sufficient to just keep it surrounded with light."

Lylia nods slowly at Vortelis.
Missoni agrees, "That is what I had supposed, too."

Vortelis says, "I do not want to keep you all indefinitely.  Moravius is hoping to go deeper into the Bleaklands within a few days."

Speaking to Vortelis, Raelee says, "... so long as the light source is uninterruptable. There is merit to a solid boundary as a failsafe."

Thrassus nods slowly.
Lylia says, "I look forward to that expedition."

Vortelis nods at Raelee.

Speaking to Vortelis, Missoni asks, "What will he be looking for?"

Skulligei takes a drink from his black apple juice.
Skulligei put a bottle of disturbing black apple juice in his black cloak.

Faint echoes of forgotten voices linger in the air, their words lost to the passage of time yet haunting in their resonance.

Vortelis says, "We think the mana storm's cycles.. they are not true cycles, more chaotic, but quasi-periodic in some ways... will build up, but then drop off for most of Fashanos, before intensifying again in Charlatos."

Earthdiver glances at Vortelis.

Vortelis says, "So the hope is that the storm will intensify once before that happens."

Missoni lifts her chin slightly in a nod of acknowledgement, the sharp incline of her head setting the thistle earrings dangling from both of her earlobes to swaying.
Earthdiver says, "Quasiperiodicity is a fascinating mathematical study."
The sky is full of billowing snowflakes.

Vortelis says, "The Bleaklands and Reach and Shadow Realm are entangled. The rifts to the Shadow Realm in the Bleaklands should get wider during the mana storm."

Speaking to Vortelis, Perigourd says, "It may do well to give a forewarning to the town if you can pinpoint more closely when this cycle may take place."

Lylia says, "Then it is good to have some time to prepare for such a venture."

Vortelis says, "We are thinking it will be Leyan."

Missoni adopts an agreeable expression.

Earthdiver asks, "Is not the nature of quasiperiodicity that it...is not quite periodic and not quite predictable?"

Vortelis says, "Moravius wishes to test those rifts for viability for harrowing into the Shadow Realm."

Vortelis nods at Earthdiver.

Missoni nods approvingly.

Vortelis says, "Because we would prefer to not open the Lake Eonak portal, and bring this soulstone back to it, unless it is truly necessary."

Lylia asks, "Not entirely predictable, but with some reasonable idea as to when the peaks and valleys of activity might be?"

Vortelis nod at Lylia.

Lylia nods at Vortelis.
Missoni rubs her viridian eyes.
Speaking to Earthdiver, Raelee says, "... I always prefer to phrase it as 'not quite predictable... yet'."
Lylia nods at Raelee.
Earthdiver nods at Raelee.

Vortelis says, "I will also wish to see if that place is practical enough for more efficiently recharging the soulstone directly with shadows."

Vortelis says, "Because the shadows are more intense in that region. Especially with the sinkholes they are forming into the Shadow Realm."

Lylia says, "I am sure something as simple as magic looks unbelievably sophisticated to those who do not know of it. Chaos is just a word for what we do not yet see the patterns of."
Speaking to Lylia, Raelee says, "Precisely."
Perigourd chuckles.
Perigourd says, "Sometimes the inverse is also true."
Earthdiver says, "But chaotic and quasiperiodic cycles are in their fundamental motion, a type of pure order. Well, depending on what kind you are talking about, at least."
Speaking to Perigourd, Missoni says, "Patterns can be comforting."
Lylia glances up.

Conquerer of Reim Beleghorn just arrived.
A young dwarven child arrives, following Beleghorn.
Conquerer of Reim Beleghorn just went southeast.
A young dwarven child just went southeast.

Missoni glances southeast.
Lylia glances southeast.
Lylia nods at Missoni.
Lylia looks thoughtful for a moment, then shrugs.
Thrassus says, "Folk really need to keep a better eye on thier children."
Missoni says, "That fellow should be commended. So many rescued children."
Cryheart agrees with Thrassus.
Earthdiver nods at Missoni.
Cryheart nods at Missoni.
The sky all around is white with falling snow.
Missoni gazes up into the sky.

Speaking to Vortelis, Lylia says, "Would you like to return to the portal, then? I do not want to keep you all night either, and the weather is turning grim. Well, more grim."

Missoni shifts her weight.
Skulligei raspily says, "Wonder what sort of experiemnts they were working on ..."
Raelee glances up.
Skulligei appears lost in thought.
Missoni mutters, "Bleak snow. I am sure that is just fine."
Skulligei raspily says, "The weather from the Landing tends to blend in here as well."
Thrassus says, "Be glad it's not rain."
Skulligei nods.
Missoni frowns at Thrassus.
Snowflakes flutter to the ground.

Vortelis gazes up into the heavens.

Thrassus says, "This place can turn into a vast morass with too much unfrozen water."
The charcoal cross fox paces uneasily in a circle around the bleakstone statue.
Skulligei runs his tongue along his teeth, his jaw tightening briefly.
Missoni tilts her head down.
Missoni slowly empties her lungs.

Vortelis rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Snowflakes flutter to the ground.
Skulligei rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Log: KST

The event transitioned directly into the KST storyline with the black roots and verdant fruits. Fynric walked past everyone in the Bleaklands. When he was first met months earlier, he was collecting soil from the blighted tree in the Lower Dragonsclaw where "the Bleak" had once spoken, and was also importing "old Talador" soil. In the preceding log Harrower Vortelis notes that Harrower Ersix so far does not think the black roots in town are coming from the Deadfall forest.

Fynric just arrived.

Fynric just went northwest.

Perigourd glances northwest.
Vortelis glances northwest.
Raelee glances northwest.
Cryheart glances northwest.

Imperatrix Lylia's group just went northwest.
[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
Tremors pulsate throughout the ground making it difficult to stand. Tiny specks of dirt and rock bounce as the quakes reach their full strength before abruptly coming to a stop and calming again. You also see a bushy charcoal cross fox with whiskey-toned markings.
Also here: Harrower Vortelis, Emissary Thrassus, Bathcwyn Missoni, Earthdiver, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Sir Cryheart, Sir Geijon, Imperatrix Lylia, Perigourd, Fynric
Obvious paths: southeast, southwest

Perigourd raises an eyebrow.
Earthdiver mutters suspicious.
Missoni says, "Was that not..."
Thrassus frowns at Fynric.

>look fynric
You see Fynric Branthol.
He appears to be a Human.
He is average height and has a broad-shouldered build. He appears to be middle-aged. He has weary hazel eyes and sun-browned skin. He has short, unkempt sandy-brown hair streaked with grey. He has a square face, a straight nose and a close-trimmed beard. He has calloused hands from years of farmwork.
He has a series of smoke-hued feathers on his arm.
He is in good shape.
He is holding a corked vial in his right hand.
He is wearing a polished red apple amulet, a weathered dark leather pack, a sweat-stained linen tunic with rolled up sleeves, a carved ivory wedding band, a mudstained scroll satchel, a leather belt hung with small pouches of herbs, some dusty brown breeches, and some muddy workboots crusted with soil.

Lylia says, "Fynric."
Raelee says, "... somehow, no part of this is surprising."
Skulligei raspily says, "It definitely was."

Fynric says, "Oh, good evening."

Missoni nods to Fynric in greeting.
Speaking to Fynric, Perigourd says, "Fair eve.."
Lylia says, "Good evening to you."
Speaking to Fynric, Earthdiver says, "What are you collecting this fine night..."

Vortelis raises an eyebrow.

Skulligei squints at Fynric.

Fynric stretches to scratch his back, trying to reach that pesky itch.

Speaking curiously to Fynric, Perigourd asks, "What was in the vial you had in your hand..?"
Lylia smiles at Fynric, her eyes darting briefly to the vial in his hand.
Missoni shifts her eyes to Fynric.

Fynric asks, "Well, when your wife asks for a favor, you don't say no too many times. Am I right?"

Speaking to Fynric, Earthdiver says, "Right you are."
Perigourd asks, "She sends you to the bleaklands?"

Fynric says, "It's pretty dangerous here, we likely shouldn't linger. I don't stay long."

Earthdiver surreptitiously glances at Fynric.
Cryheart raises an eyebrow.

Fynric says, "Oh, but, I am glad we did run into each other."

Fynric exclaims, "Dinner!"

Fynric says, "Finally."

Vortelis glances at Thrassus.

Missoni interestedly asks, "Dinner?"

Vortelis says, "I believe I will leave you all to it. Watch out for the vampiric leechlings."

Fynric says, "Yes, or as I like to call it..."

Fynric says, "The Branthol Dinner Party."

Thrassus nods at Vortelis.
Missoni says, "I have just come from dinner, but I could eat."

Fynric says, "One of many to come I am sure."

Skulligei bows to Vortelis.
Lylia bows to Vortelis.

Fynric says, "No, not tonight."

Speaking in Faendryl, Missoni wishes, "Honor and Glory to the Patriarch."

Vortelis rips open a rift and steps through it.

Fynric says, "She's too exhausted, too busy, but she promised this week."

Perigourd glances out.

Fynric says, "I think it was.."

Skulligei frowns.
Cryheart says, "Apparently he is just gathering."
Missoni nods understandingly at Fynric.
Geijon nods.
Skulligei raspily says, "Shame...I'm starving."
Skulligei bursts into tears!

Fynric counts on the fingers of his empty hands.

Geijon looks thoughtfully at Fynric.
Sir Geijon just went southeast.

Fynric says, "Niiman."

Missoni agrees, "Niiman."

Fynric nods.

Speaking to Fynric, Missoni says, "I shall mark it in my diary."

Fynric says, "Before we leave for awhile. Well, I am at least."

Perigourd scratches at his beard.
Missoni cocks her head.
Thrassus asks, "Leaving?"
Speaking to Fynric, Perigourd asks, "Where are you leaving to?"

Fynric says, "Might bring some of our product to Bloodriven."

(Earthdiver searches futily through the soil.)
Raelee squints at Fynric.
Lylia says, "Oh? Interesting, and I would think you had more reason to stay now."
Speaking to Fynric, Missoni asks, "The fruit?"

Fynric says, "Oh, only for a day or two. I'd help oversee a shipment. We'll see."

Fynric says, "It was more my idea than hers."

Fynric says, "So spread the word. Dinner at our home, late evening of Niiman."

Fynric says, "You're all welcome."

Speaking to Fynric, Perigourd asks, "Should we bring anything?"
Missoni nods appreciatively at Fynric.

Fynric asks, "I think someone mentioned that yes. Kayse?"

Lylia asks, "Niiman's eve, this week?"
Lylia nods at Fynric.

Fynric says, "But yes, bring whatever you wish."

Skulligei nods at Fynric.

Fynric nods at Lylia.

Speaking to Fynric, Missoni asks, "You will send along your address?"

Fynric says, "Just days away."

Lylia says, "I shall be sure and spread the word."

Fynric says, "Of course, I'll personally escort you."

Raelee takes a slow, deep breath then pinches the bridge of her nose.
Lylia says, "Yes, good idea to know where we should meet you."
Lylia chuckles.
Raelee quietly mutters, "... that is one ball and two dinners in less than a week."
Skulligei removes a bottle of disturbing black apple juice from in his black cloak.
Missoni brightly says, "Even better. Thank you."

Fynric says, "I am not good at all things, but hosting I can do."

Cryheart smiles at Raelee.
Skulligei takes a drink from his black apple juice.
Speaking to Raelee, Lylia says, "Reminds me of the campaign trail."
Speaking to Raelee, Missoni exclaims, "Is it not wonderful!"
Speaking to Missoni, Raelee says, "It is not."
Missoni frets.

Fynric asks, "Do you have any food requests?"

Skulligei drools.
Speaking to Fynric, Missoni says, "I like fishcakes."
Speaking to Fynric, Perigourd says, "Whiskey."

Fynric nods.

Lylia firmly says, "But not fish and whiskey together. That would be abominable."
Perigourd glances at Lylia.
Speaking to Lylia, Perigourd says, "You.. haven't heard yet."
Perigourd folds his arms over his chest.
Missoni shifts her eyes to Perigourd.

Fynric asks, "Nothing else?"

Lylia narrows her eyes.
Speaking to Lylia, Perigourd says, "Perhaps I will bring some to the dinner."
Perigourd nods at Lylia.
Missoni says, "I only ask that you avoid monkeyflower, as I am allergic."
Lylia says, "I am an adventurous diner; whatever you choose for your table will likely suit me well."
Skulligei raspily says, "I like to try new things."
Skulligei nods.

Fynric nods.

Lylia agrees, "Monkeyflower is vile."

Fynric says, "Perfect."

Cryheart says, "Honey mead."

Fynric says, "I am excited. It's the least we can do for all of the help you've provided."

Raelee glances skeptically at Fynric.

Fynric says, "We invited the Mayor too, but no response yet."

Skulligei clutches his chest briefly, jaw clenched.
Lylia says, "I am looking forward to this as well."
Skulligei takes a drink from his black apple juice.
Missoni furrows her brow.
Thrassus says, "The mayor is missing. We told you this before as I recall."
Skulligei glances at Thrassus.
Skulligei raspily asks, "Still?"
Skulligei places his hands on his hips and casually surveys his surroundings.
Thrassus nods at Skulligei.

Fynric asks, "I thought she might have returned?"

Fynric shrugs.

Fynric says, "I can't keep it straight."

Speaking to Fynric, Perigourd says, "It's been a bit hectic, what with these roots in the town all over."
Raelee squints at Fynric.
Skulligei squints at Fynric.

Fynric says, "Well, I should return. This area is dangerous, and kind of ugly. and we've got a lot of work to do before dinner and Briselle needs some good rest."

Fynric nods at Perigourd.

Skulligei scoffs.
Skulligei glances around the area.
Speaking to Fynric, Missoni says, "It was nice to run into you."

Fynric asks, "Mind if I follow you out?"

Lylia says, "Please do."
Perigourd joins Lylia's group.
Lylia smiles.

Fynric joins Lylia's group.

Wisps of shadow dance in the corners of your vision, teasing glimpses of things unseen.

Fynric says, "Strength in numbers."

Skulligei whistles tunelessly to himself.
Cryheart nods at Fynric.
Skulligei raises an eyebrow.
Perigourd says, "And in armor."
Perigourd grins.
Imperatrix Lylia's group just went southeast.

[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
The volatile heavens spark flares of gold, the brilliance streaking across the sky as if they were falling stars. The ground ahead trembles, the terrain splitting apart violently before the turf settles and is left uneven. You also see a mottled chestnut stinkbug and a cracked bleakstone statue.
Also here: Emissary Thrassus, Bathcwyn Missoni, Earthdiver, Perigourd, Fynric, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Sir Cryheart, Imperatrix Lylia
Obvious paths: southeast, northwest

Lylia glances at a cracked bleakstone statue.

Lylia says, "Still too many cracks at its base."

Imperatrix Lylia's group just went southeast.

Missoni agrees with Lylia.
Skulligei agrees with Lylia.

(walking and walking to the portal)

Imperatrix Lylia's group just went south.
[Bleaklands, Storm Plains]
A rumbling of fuliginous clouds billow in the distance, brief flashes of gold light illuminating their edges. Momentarily, the ground seems to expand before returning to its lifeless state. You also see a rippling ethereal green portal.
Also here: Emissary Thrassus, Bathcwyn Missoni, Earthdiver, Perigourd, Fynric, Magister Raelee, Skulligei, Sir Cryheart, Imperatrix Lylia
Obvious paths: north, west

Speaking to Fynric, Earthdiver says, "The sky can be quite pretty here, I thought."

Fynric says, "We all have cracks, nothing stay polished forever."

Lylia looks like she was about to say something to Fynric, but she hesitates, obviously having changed her mind.
Missoni scoffs.
Skulligei raspily says, "Could be an interesting effect if you illuminateit from below."
Lylia says, "That begs a comment I shall not share."
Lylia tries hard to stifle a laugh and covers her failure with a loud clearing of her throat.
Skulligei agrees with Earthdiver.

Lylia steps into a rippling ethereal green portal, disappearing!
[Melgorehn's Valley, Grasslands]
Melgorehn's Reach towers off to the southwest. It dominates the valley, a constant presence in the waving grass. The ground is broken and ill-lit by the wan moonlight, causing you to trip and curse several times. No insects buzz through the area, giving you an uneasy feeling. You also see a rippling ethereal green portal.
Also here: Imperatrix Lylia
Obvious paths: northeast

Missoni suddenly walks into view, small arcs of viridian energy dancing around her body.
Thrassus suddenly walks into view, small arcs of viridian energy dancing around his body.
Fynric suddenly walks into view, small arcs of viridian energy dancing around his body.

Fynric slowly empties his lungs.

Fynric says, "I never get used to those echoes."

Speaking to Fynric, Missoni asks, "Are you often sent to the Bleaklands?"

Fynric says, "No."

A sharp blue line traces its way through the air before you into the shape of a doorway, which opens to reveal a starlit blackness as vast and endless as the midnight sky.
Perigourd steps out of the starlit doorway.
Skulligei just arrived.
Earthdiver steps out of the starlit doorway.
A pulse of intense blue light overwhelms the starlit doorway. When the light recedes, the doorway is simply no longer there.
Earthdiver dusts himself off.
Missoni says, "Then I suppose you would not get used to them."

Fynric says, "Well, goodnight. See you soon."

Fynric says, "Come hungry."

A pale-faced coppery barn owl flies in.

Fynric waves.

Lylia inclines her head.

Fynric just went northeast.