Chapter 1: Home is Where..?
Only a couple of weeks before the disappearance of Tir na Og, a new portal was discovered in the Market Ward, located in the doorway of one of the shops of the Great Bazaar. Normally, a new portal showing up wouldn't cause too much fuss, but this one leads to perhaps the worst place it could: the gate-town of Tradegate, a hub of ethical trade rivaling the variety that the Bazaar has, with fairer prices and with a lot less cutthroat business practices. As one can imagine, a lot of the local merchants are not happy with development, and multiple attempts have been to made to either destroy it or find a way to profit of its usage.
All of you know this because you were told so - by Lissandra the Gateseeker. Over the past week, this woman has made each of your acquaintance individually. She was the first person to greet Aaliyah as she walked through the portal into the City, immediately asking the younger girl where she had perhaps come from. Upon hearing about her plight, she offered to show her around in exchange for stories about her home and even find other people who could accompany the girl to Tir na Og so she wouldn't have to brave the Outlands alone. After asking around, Lissandra eventually located both Mariel and Beigeiros separately and asked for their aid, likely recognizing them as members of the Plane-tenders and feeling that Aaliyah would be save in your hands. She then asked all of three of you come meet her in the Market Ward on this day, where she would show you the portal of Tradegate, as it is the gate-town closest to where Tir na Og once was.
It is afternoon and things seem no more or less busy than they have any previous times have you have made your way to this part of the City. Beings of all sorts of races, from all corners of the Planes, wonder around you, making their ways towards the many services the Market Ward has to offer. However, even in the crowd, you can easily see Lissandra standing at the entrance to the Bazaar. She is a rather tall human woman somewhere in her late thirties or early forties, very pretty with long blonde hair barely restrained by a thin lavender hair band, and never seen without the trusty logbook tucked under her arm which she uses to make record of all portals in Sigil. She's not the only person to attempt to this, but she is one of the few who readily shares this information with the masses, thinking it should be everyone and not just the nobles and faction higher-ups.
You notice a couple of men lurking around, seemingly trying to chat her up. However, she alternates between just staring at them rather coolly or turning her gaze elsewhere in search of who she's actually here for. When she spots at least one of you, her face immediately lights up and she starts waving. The two men follow her gaze, see one or maybe all of you, look disappointed and then walk off, leaving Lissandra to focus her full attention on the rest of you, as her waving grows more frantic.
What do you do?
Ubiquitous Wayfarer, Lower Ward, Sigil@rush99999 @Fading MemoryWhile Sigil is abundant in planar portals - it wouldn't be called the City of Doors otherwise - the highest concentration of these portals can be found in the Ubiquitous Wayfarer, a three-story tavern located in the Lower Ward. A lot of them lead to other areas within the city, allowing its patrons to get around faster, but there are still plenty leading elsewhere, including a few to the Outlands.
Because both your factions are located on either side of the Lower Ward, this tavern was the best bet to get where you need to go. Fyodor specifically is accompanied by three other bleakers, a scarred gnoll factotum called Ulgad and two other factioneers, a halfling man named Jarret Greyskies, who quickly has shown himself to be bad-tempted and lacking an indoor voice, and an eladrin woman named Wynvere, who is perpetually within her wintry state and often can be caught staring into the distance at something no one else can perceive. This group has been told to find a specific portal leading to the gate-town of Ecstasy, providing you with the gate-key - a polished greenish-grey pebble, which Ulgad has allowed Fyodor to carry. Ulgad has been the closest thing to a mentor Fyodor has had following his acceptance into the Bleak Cabal, and the gnoll has shown himself to be one of the cheerier and more encouraging members of the faction. This is one of the few times Fyodor has actually seem him outside of the Gatehouse as he often prefers to help around the place rather than do any external missions, but he's made an exception when he heard Fyodor was assigned to this particular expedition.
Upon entering the tavern, you find that it is particularly busy day, with a bubblegum-pink tiefling woman - who seems to be serving as some sort of bouncer - passing by you as you arrive, holding a cursing pixie in one hand and using her other to drag a very, very drunk satyr behind her. Once she reaches the door, she proceeds to practically toss the pair out before coming back inside. One of you might even manage to hear her muttering to herself, "I do
not get paid enough for this."
While pretty much all of the tables are full, there is only one person sitting at the bar: a dark-skinned human woman sitting at the bar with a rather handsome golden brown tabby cat sleeping around her shoulders. Behind the bar is another human woman, much older as shown by her grey hair and much more severe looking, as she glances over in your direction as you enter - her eyes lingering on Zaraknyvr in particular with some suspicion. It's likely she recognises him as a member of the Mercykillers and is already expecting him to be trouble. She doesn't react otherwise, just kind of watching you all as you enter.
What will you do?
Former site of Tir na Og, the Outlands@Digizel @Rune_AlchemistYou both enter the area where Tir na Og once stood from opposite sides: Tanrith heading from the direction of the gate-town Faunel, while Raella came from the direction of Excelsior. Tanrith was around Faunel when he received a message veer Sending from a familiar voice.
"Hello, Tanrith, I require your assistance. Tir na Og has gone missing, please investigate for me. If anyone asks, you are just collecting new sensations."
Tanrith immediately recognises this voice as Cuatha Da'nanin, a half-elf wizard from the Society of Sensation and Factol Erin Montgomery's loyal second-in-command and romantic partner. He was the one who freed Tanrith from his mysterious captors and gave him a place in the Sensates. Apparently, he had been in a similar position himself at one point in his life, and desired to help the kobold. Even though Tanrith generally kept away from Sigil, Cuatha still did his best to support him and send him on any expeditions he felt Tanrith would either be interested in or would benefit him.
Raella, on the other hand, was originally in the Outlands on other business. Accompanied by her servant, a gloomy-looking human man by the name of Arndell, she had traveled to Thebestys in an attempt to gain access to the Great Library. While she was allowed to enter, some shenanigans lead her to being asked to leave... and then eventually forcibly removed. After being kicked out, she and Arndell instead start to head to Tir na Og, hoping to gain access to the Oghma's House of Knowledge.
You both arrive at your destination at roughly the same time, just as a light fog starts to roll in, adding an extra sense of ominousness to the whole scene. Whether you've been near or not, you can clearly tell that something is missing, as the area is a long stretch of undisturbed meadow that doesn't seem to quite fit in with the business of the rest of the Outlands. There are quite a few people around the area, all scattered off into different little groups, most of whom you can see sporting badges of various factions and sects. In particular, the following groups of people are most notable:
By the body of water where you know the realm of Tir fo Thuinn to reside, you notice a bit of a commotion. Three armored figures lead by an elderly firbolg woman are standing by the water's edge, their leader having a heated discussion with younger firbolg man dressed in druidic robes. The other two armored figures are watching this confrontation with something akin to amusement. All the while, the water near them seems to be moving slightly, as if something is lurking just beneath the surface.
Near them, you can see a group of people wearing similar druidic clothing, most wearing a badge with a tree symbol on it. They are all discussing something and pointing into the distance. They seem to be gesturing towards the far side of the field. While it slowly being swallowed up by the fog, you can clearly see a very large industrial workshop, with a thick flow of smoke coming out of its many chimneys. You would know that this is Wonderhome, the realm of Gond the Wonderbringer, god of crafting, smithing and invention. What you don't recognise is the tent that has been pitched alarmingly close to the workshop, where you can see the vague shape of soldiers milling around. Their presence seems to be upsetting the druids.
You also several people in martial arts attire, seemingly patrolling the area and constantly surveying around themselves as if searching for something. Occasionally, one or two of them will start conversing, but it doesn't last long before they continue searching around the area.
What will you do?
rush99999,
Guardian Angel Haruki,
Kaithe Dame,
BlazingBark,
Rune_Alchemist,
Abstract Proxy,
Crimson Flame,
MrSkimobile,
Raineh Daze,
Lurking Krog
