Act 2 Session 1 - Portal Power

General Summary

Having restored the tower, long rested, and gained access to planar spells and the ability to gain portals, the party regrouped. With 13 floors of a tower now belonging to them, they can outfit it as a home base and discussed which floors could be used for what. They can bolster the economy of the nearby town to hire workers, or even go to the slums in Sigil and hire homeless people. When they create a portal, they can bind it in place with a portal key which can be given to workers to easily access the tower.

Wanting to understand how their portal powers work, Tech and VV were the first to experiment creating them.

An impossibly dark space that absorbs no light. Before you lays a path outlined in simple white that seemingly has no bottom, but lets off ripples as you walk forward. Turning around, you see the portal back to the tower is also outlined in a flat, simple white triangle with unknown glyphs around it. Still close to it, you can see the inside of Gaia’s tower, however as you walk away from it the portal turns to black. Following the path straight leads to a circular portal, and all around you are other portal circles in the distance. Paths wrap around the space disregarding up and down and side. There is a misty sphere formed around this space, almost like a protective dome made of a light dusting of sugar.

Things discovered about portals and the Space Inbetween

• Time in the Space Inbetween does not match the outside world. No matter how much time is spent in the Space Inbetween, the time spent between entering and exiting a portal is almost instantaneous.
• The exit to the portal does not activate until entered. So no, Varix can't use it to launch items at foes.
• If an item is thrown into a portal, it's reasonable to find it there later.
• Paths between portals are not always straight.
• After creating several portals... there's now a small crack in the sugar-like dome

Tech also asked Gaia the Mimir for information about Axani and the Space Inbetween, and she said she'd have research done within one day.

Having satisfied their curiosity, the party heads off to follow up on the lead about Stannach Rilmani "seeking similar end."

Road to Dendradis

The Rilmani city of Dendradis is built around the base of the Spire in the Outlands. The Spire causes ill effects to any non-Rilmani who spend excessive time nearby, so the small town of Presage Point was built just outside of Dendradis. It serves as a hub for magical trade and is flush with taverns and hostels for visitors to Dendradis to spend the night.

Approaching the city, visitors are struck by towers and observatories reaching towards the sky while also being dwarfed by the impossible height of the Spire behind it. Off in the distance to the right of the town, the reshaped Realm of the Norns can be seen, glinting in the sunlight. > Well-maintained cobbled streets deliberately wind visitors through the small town. Even those who have never cast a spell in their life feel the tingle of enchantment coming off the buildings where wooden facades are carved with symbols of divination, celestial bodies, and mystical creatures. Vibrant tapestries hanging from windows make a soothing fluttering noise and spread the scent of incense and herbs. Stores and market stalls hum with energy from mystical artifacts on display. There can be a few tense words heard when passing the stands - "fairtrade," "prices," "taxes." You are hustled forward by the crowd to a town square where a man performs on stage. The crowd is riled up, and some shout "Fuck the Rilmani!"

The group talks to the performer, Hilmarr Vaucasy, in an alleyway. He works with the Stannach who said he can trust them to do a quest. There's a safety deposit box in the Bank of Abbathor Dendradis branch that contains evidence of a plot in Sigil between either individuals or groups to tilt the powers in their favor, including possibly summoning the Architect for their own gain. As all bank accounts are protected by portals, they need to learn the portal key to the deposit box. The only one who has that information is ex-con Ash Angler of the Octagon Gang. They are to talk to his son about getting that key.

The Old Octagon Gang

Bartholomew Angler, son of ex-con Ash Angler, a 13 year old boy genius studying at Strixhaven. He needs access to the vault of the Octagon Gang's treasures to pay for his tuition by tomorrow night, and he honestly swears that that's all he needs as once he graduates he needs to make a name for himself without assistance. Ash went crazy 10 years ago when the vault was sealed, and no one was able to find the key. He enlists the team to find the other members of the gang and ask if they remember any details about the vault key, encouraging them to bring Ash to try to jog either their memories or his father's. However there's bad blood between the members so it's probably best to not mention they're talking to the rest of them.

Rewards Granted

The party will earn 500 gold per ex-member of the Octagon Gang they gather information from, potentially totaling 3500gp. They will also gain the item containing information about the portal key to the safety deposit box

Character(s) interacted with

Hilmarr Vaucasy - pro-Stannach and vehemently against any other being or group that tries to meddle with the balance of the multiverse

Bartholomew Angler - boy genius and son of ex-con Ash Angler. On track to be a legendary wizard... if he can pay the tuition.

Ash Angler - Ex leader of the Octagon Gang who lost his mind 10 years ago after a vault to the gang's fortune was sealed

Notes

The Octagon Gang

GRIFFIN, HALF-ELF

NOTES: He's been seen pit fighting for gold behind a local temple and loves winner-take-all bouts. Primarily because he nearly always wins.

IVE: Consider facing him one-on-one. If he loses, he agrees to tell you what he knows.

MARCO PARAGOTO, HALF-ORC

NOTES: Believe it or not, this steely, one-eyed scoundrel has taken a vow of silence at a local temple-probably to avoid having to testify someday.

IVE: He's not really the devoted type. And his temple's elders would certainly be shocked to learn about his past. Unless they approve of larceny, adultery, battery, forgery, perjury, bigamy...he's done most of the y' crimes.

JEMMA "LOCKPICK" WHISK, GNOME

NOTES: She's one of the best safe-crackers in the realm. But for some reason she's having a tough time breaking out of captivity. Sister to Eloise Whisk.

IVE: Find a way to get in and talk to her face-to-face.

ALTON OTSON AND ELOISE WHISK, HERENGON

NOTES: These two lovebirds finally got hitched. They also like to foster flumphs. They all live in a small house outside of town.

IVE: They love those flumphs and would do anything for them. Not suggesting threatening the little ones, but that might work Simply asking might work too. They need money. Might be glad to hear Jemma is out of trouble if you're able to pull that off.

ROPRICK "THE TOOT" MERRIMAN, DRAGONBORN

NOTES: A well-regarded musician as well as a complete lout, he's likely to be found at one of any number of taverns in town tripping over his own tail. Try The Glorious Lantern or the Ample Wand. 

IVE: Buy him a drink or offer to pay his tab.

HATTIE WALTERS, HUMAN

NOTES: Difficult to track down-is effectively homeless. You'll likely find her in Wretchtown.

IVE: Surely any reasonable person living in Wretchtown can be plied with the promise of enormous wealth, though I suspect living there has done a number on her ability to reason. Please don't hurt her, I have reason to believe she's my mother.

Report Date

16 Mar 2025

Primary Location

Presage Point

Related Characters

• Hilmarr Vaucasy