Sigil: The City of Doors

Akh had never before spoken to Skall. She had received commands from them in writing, as well as notifications of promotions, like the latest one. In fact, she had never had a business pressing or important enough to distract the Factol with. But this might just be that, and her newfound inclusion into the First Circle probably made the request a bit more legitimate. So there she waited, within the Mortuary, for the summons or lack thereof.

The chamber is dark. Quiet like the grave. There's a pressure in here, a weight of proportions you can't really make out. You're not sure what exact steps you took to get here, or what drove you to take those steps, but here you are.

It's just a storage space, like any other. Lit by choking candlelight. You stand there, enough for a shiver to pass, and then he's there. Right before you.

A tall form, of dark flowing robes that cast no shadow. Above the empty but still standing robe hangs an ornate mask with eyes that glow with the cold light of eternities.

Skall.

"SPEAK."

And his voice is like a planet's mausoleum. Empty, and dark, and so very very vast.

Some would find this presence deeply unsettling. Akh found it... reassuring. She skipped verbal platitudes. Skall could well sense her deference and respect. She found the words.

"There's a tanar'ri, a nalfeshnee, presiding over a large graveyard in the Fortress of Indifference. The access to it is through the Darkhouse Inn in the Slags. This collection likely contains the remains of a silver dragonling, spawn of Argynvost of Barovia. I have endeavoured to retrieve the dragonling, for either final rites or revival, and the course of action taken so far is to establish trade with the demon. However so many other souls, victims of the Blood War, are denied True Death by the faux-aesthetic notions of that tanar'ri. They are willing to trade for powerful items, or impressive skulls. I was wondering if you could recommend, perhaps even support a course of action that would let us take care of as much of that graveyard as possible." She produced the Wand of Wanders. "This is my bargaining chip."

Skall remains impassive. Hovering for a long moment before slightly inclining his head and speaking.

"TRADE IS TRIVIAL. TRUE DEATH WILL FIND US ALL EVENTUALLY. WHY NOT WAIT FOR THE DEMON TO FACE IT'S END OR SOME OTHER MISFORTUNE TO COME UPON THEM?"

Skall does not sigh, but were this a conversation (between two normal mortals), this pause in his speech is where a sigh would go.

"WHAT IS REALLY AT STAKE HERE?"

"Because the next will come in their place to perpetuate it all. The torment of souls locked there pushes them away from True Death. I know it, I tasted that torment. I'd rather aid them on the way than just sit and watch."

Akh didn't sigh either.

"The dragonling's remains are my first priority though. For burial or revival, depending on the condition of their soul at the moment. I had a glimpse into the manner of their death, and there was no peace in it. I sense a kindred soul in because of how our lives were terminated. There is a possibility that it may join the Dead just like I did." She didn't mention Marian's premonition even as it weighed on her mind. She didn't know how much credit Skall could give to divinations of this kind.

Skall is quiet for a long while. Considering. Finally he breaks the silence.

"I KNOW THE TRUE RULER OF THAT FORTRESS. HE IS... A POOR CUSTODIAN OF A PLANE OF EXISTENCE. THIS... FALSE REGENT AND DECORATOR... HMM."

A curiously mortal pause in his speech. Wheels in motion behind that death mask.

"I SHAN'T LIE. I COULD NOT CARE LESS OF THIS DRAGONLING OR THESE CORPSES. OF COURSE THEIR LACK OF REST IS A REGRETTABLE FACTOR, BUT OF NO CONCERN WITHIN THE GREATER PLANS WE HAVE WROUGHT. BUT AN EMPTY PLANE OF THE ABYSS, DECIMATED AND RULED OVER BY A FOOL... OPPORTUNITIES ARISE."

He waves a hand, and a small metal cylinder pops into existence between you. It is archaic in nature and has a twistable cap on one end. It glows a faint purple, and strange runes and geometric shapes flit about on it's surface.

"GIVE HIM THIS. FOOL HIM INTO THINKING IT IS OF GREAT VALUE TO HIM. GET HIM TO OPEN IT. THEN WHEN ALL IS DONE, YOU MAY TAKE THE BONES OF YOUR DRAGONLING AND GIVE THEM THEIR REST."

Akh considered the implications. At this point it was hard to imagine for her that she could defy Skall. She deployed her linguistic powers to read the runes, helping herself magically if need be to Identify the item.

"How should I advertise this artifact to the nalfeshnee?"

The Identify spell comes up blank. Studying the runes, they appear to flit between Abyssal, Infernal, and Celestial. They are superlatives, proclaiming power and rarity. Trying to make the artifact appear important, mostly. The geometric shapes themselves are... Apparently something else. You may roll Arcana for those.

"WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR HIM TO OPEN IT. THINGS SHOULD...."

A chuckle would go here, in this pause in his speech.

"...TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, FROM THERE."

Akh would try to glean the consequences of the opening.

MA7. Arcana: 2d20k1+12 18