**morning 1027/01/25**
Tess skulked away from the Fortune's Wheel in his Rikail disguise, then 
removes his disguise once he's away from trouble and goes to see the
modron sage of magic. As the modron's impassive black face stares at
Tessrael, Tess asks several questions:
- for information on the Chronosphere of Lagos
- whether a glove of storing would destroy a Bag of Holding or
  other extradimensional device? Answer: no.
- "there is supposed to be a gate to Darokin from the modrons plane ... is
  it likely to be a problem for Tess to travel through there, would he like 
  me to deliver anything?"

Modron: "For information about the chronosphere, I will charge 50 standard 
gold pieces. The information on the glove is free: no. For your last 
question...I do not know, I am considered a rogue by my kind. I know little 
of the chronosphere. It is reputed to be a clockwork device which enables 
limited time travel. It is considered a legend. The chronosphere is quite 
apparently quite small, small enough to fit into your hand."
**Tess pays 50 gp. <- subtracted off**

Tess: "The rumor I heard was that it makes the wielder immortal. Any idea 
what it looks like? and who Lagos was?"

Modron: "Is not the ability to travel to anywhen like that of a god?
According to the legend, it is about this big (puts two of it's appendages 5 
inches apart) and spherical. The legends are unclear as to the operation of 
the device, or how it is enabled. They report the presence of the device on 
several travelers, who apparently traveled through time from the distant 
future. How they activated the device is unknown. The device is silver in 
colour and clockwork. Other than that, I do not know ... Lagos? I do not 
know that name. Perhaps you would be better seeking a teller of untrue 
facts. Sorry, that is not the right name. Bard? Is that correct?"

Tess: "Thank you for your honesty - rumors are often just that, which is why 
I come to someone knowledgeable ... ah yes I see what you mean. In the event 
that I go to the modron plane - is it likely to be hospitable to one such as 
myself, or should I avoid traveling through there?"

Modron: "The device may not even exist. For a flesh being, you are not 
overly untruthful or chaotic. It is likely my kind will ignore you. The 
formians may not. It is not a matter of like or dislike. The formians may
see you as usable material, and put you to work. Or, they may ignore you.
They speak their own language, although their taskmasters and the like are 
75 percent probable to understand cage common."

Tess: "One other query: there is a permanent gate for which they key is not 
registered ... ah there any knowledgeable people, beside the Hall of 
Records, which might be aware of it for a price? It goes to Mystara."

Modron: "Most factions attempt to find portals and control them. If you 
belong to a faction, I suggest you ask them. The guvners are said to log all 
shifting portals, but that is yet another tale of the bards."

[OOC: The guvners is another name for the Harmonium?
 DM: No, it's another faction, also lawful. While the hardheads are the 
 enforcers, the guvnors form the judiciary.]

Tess: "What factions control near the Trioptic Nic'epona ....? the Harmonium?) 

Modron: "Yes, the guvners to use the vernacular control it." The sage isn't 
exactly one for small talk, and is pretty awkward at it.

---

Tess heads off. Somewhere discreetly donning his Danesh Bidwani disguise, 
and then try and go and talk to some guvnors who won't object to enquiries 
from an honest mildly bewildered merchant, seeing to get back to Mystara.
Tess goes to the Triopic Nic'Epona and make enquiries near there, asking to 
speak to someone of their faction who is knowledgeable about the portals 
there. He ends up chatting with a friendly bariaur, who tells Tess the 
Guvnor faction headquarters is the city court in the Lady's ward, and most 
people don't _choose_ to go there: "well, many people that go there are 
cross-trading knights (thieves in cage slang) in the company of the 
hardheads. If you want to know about public portals, you are best going to 
the hall of records."

Tess: "I heard that the Guvnors were informed about the gates ... I don't 
know who else to ask ... the Hall of Records doesn't know the key ..."

Bariaur: "Of course, the guvners have their own recoards, as do factions, 
some temples, and the best planewalkers. Ah, well in that case, try joining 
a faction. Don't think they have a faction for clueless primes though." The 
bariaur smirks like he thinks that Tess won't understand what he just said.
Tess feigns looking suitably clueless. "Try the various bars and taverns and 
the like to find planewalkers. You might be better off finding a better 
known portal, unless this portals takes you straight back to where you want 
to go."

Tess: "Which bars? Well are there well-known portals to the prime?"

Bariaur: "Well, there is the Greengage, more your style I would think. It's
a teahouse. Maybe a bit small for you, but friendly-like. Portals...well, 
aside from this one (gestures at the statue). See those three plates on it's 
base? They are portals. One goes to a prime somewhere. The guvnors only 
allow bigwigs to use them. You looking for work? Try Tensar's Employment 
Service down the road there."

***Conclusion: one of the Triopic Nic'Epona gems is a gateway to Darokin, but
very hard to gain access to***

---

Tess wanders off to the Greengage Teahouse. When he gets there, he sees some 
people drinking tea on the curb. Literally sitting on the curb. The doorway 
kinda gives away why. The door is about 5 foor tall. It seems to be a place 
catering to gnomes and halflings. Tess will buy some tea. The Greengage also
specializes in cider, which is pretty popular. Plenty of friendly, chatty 
gnomes and halflings around. Tess expresses his appreciation for their 
delightful tea. The halfling barmaid shows her dimples in response. The 
gnomes and halflings here don't know who exactly has the authority to use 
the gates, but the Doomguards stop people experimenting. The people who have 
been seen using it are some dignitaries within the Cage and their direct 
representives. Given how heavily it's guarded, some people think it might go 
straight to some of the powers homes. The dignitaries who've used it are all 
high ups in the guvners, although one reckons that the factol of the 
sensates was seen using it; the rest scoff at that idea.

They all suggest Danesh (Tess) join their own factions of course. The factol 
(Head) of the Sensates is called Erin BTW. The Sensates headquarters is across 
the street. The Sensates like sensations, especially new ones. They 
have an art gallery in there, plus often hold performances. The hq is called 
the Civic Festhall. Only the sensates can get tickets to the best 
performances though. 

---

In due course, Tess takes his leave and switches back into Tess disguise and 
then heads over to the Sensates headquarters. The guards at the door looked 
Tess over but didn't say anything. The buskers look you over harder. Inside 
it's like a shopping centre. Lots of jewellers, taverns, wine shops, etc, all 
top notch stuff. Tess enquires of the guards where to register to perform,
and is directed to an area behind some of the shops.

Tess speaks to someone who is willing to see his tumbling and tightrope
walking performance. They are interested, but would prefer if he was part of 
a company. Tess is given a permit to perform outside if he wishes (busking), 
or he can take part in an organised performance in a few weeks. There are other
performers lined up soon who Tess can talk to to ask to join their
performance.

Tess finds some info out about the Sensate factol. They often stop and browse 
in the shops themselves. Given that getting the factol's help will be hard,
Tess spends some more time asking around for alternate gates in the worse
parts of the Cages. (The Zactars don't know of any gates to Mystara.)

Tess finds out that there is a place in the Hive, called the Bottle and Jug.
Apparently the back room has boxing. The prize? The use of a series of 
gates. It's fairly unique in the cage. The Bottle and Jug has black granite 
walls, barred windows, and steel spires. It looks more like a fortress than a 
tavern. The bouncers/waitresses/brewers are some kind of troll, apparently 
female, although that is hard to tell. Inside, there are soiled red carpets, 
flickering oil lamps suspended from the celing, and wooden partitions. The 
partitions keep the demons and devils separated. The room is divided into 
three areas, one for newbies, one for regulars, one for special guests. It's 
not hard to get into the back room though, for which the tickets cost 5gp.
**5gp - paid**

The back room is a pit with seating around it. Inside, Tess sees a cyclopskin 
rip some poor basher into shreds with his bare hands. Those losing bets in
the audience groan as the basher is defeated. Tess watches the next
match, a half-orc warrior against the cyclopskin brute called Akra. Akra 
doesn't look that skilled (BAB around +6) but he is strong. The orc warrior 
obviously isn't skilled at unarmed combat, but more skilled with a weapon.
The orc gets taken out and dragged off. They're fighting without any gear.
They use leather gloves with metal studs on their hands, no armour or other 
magic. Any unarmed combat is allowed: punching, kicking, biting, you name it.
Akra didn't seem to grapple in the fight Tess just saw, just punched. (Tess
will almost certainly lose versus a stronger and larger opponent that 
grapples him.) The rules are: no weapons, armour or magic. The combat lasts 
90 seconds (15 rounds) or until death. That last loser was beaten 
unconscious, but not dead. The rules don't say he couldn't have been beaten 
to death though - clearly this place isn't exactly legal. Whoever has 
suffered the least beating after 1.5 minutes is declared the winner, if no 
win has already taken place. If the challenger surrenders or leaves the pit, 
he automatically loses. If you lose, you forfeit the entry fee (50gp) and can't 
have a rematch for at least a month. If you win, you and up to 5 
companions are taken to the portal room. The gates lead to the prime, and the 
four elemental planes. Tess asks the owner, Hoxon, if the prime portal can
exit to Mystara, to which Hoxon replies yes.

Tess enters, wearing his Ring of Protection +2 which has no aura due to
Tess' Detection Damper ability. Hoxon looks Tess over, smiles, and then 
announces it to the crowd. The crowd roars with laughter. "Him? Against Akra? 
He'll rip 'im in half he will!" Tess will try and look suitably tough for a 
small guy, but underplaying his skill a little before fight starts. Heavy 
betting starts taking place, the betting changes a bit, then Hoxon calls and 
end to betting. Hoxon yells, "Into the ring, challenger!"

Akra glares are Tess with his one eye, and roars, showing off his muscles.
Tess starts out fighting defensively. As the fight starts. Akra roars, and 
circles, watching Tess and studying him. He is playing dumb, but you can see 
in his eyes he is smarter than most give him credit for.

Tess feints a weak punch, rolling out of the way, Akra grins, taking a whack
at Tess landing a good punch. Clearly, Akra thinks this will be an easy 
fight. "Huh?" exclaims Akra, as Tess bounces around and lands a glancing 
kidney punch to Akra. Akra swings a foot at Tess as Tess dodges in close, but
Tess ducks under it.

Akra oofs and glares at Tess. Akra punches, but Tess dodges out of the way. His
other fist is quicker, landing a solid blow to Tess' stomach.

As Tess comes in to thump Akra, Akra grabs Tess' arm, and twists Tess' arm,
throwing Tess off-balance and Tess' blows miss. Akra misses, then stomps on 
Tess' foot. Tess misses again and Akra tries to headbutt Tess, but Tess leaps 
backwards out of the way. Then Akra roundhouses Tess for 6 points. Tess
punches Akra twice, with two really hard blows to the cut. The crowd yells.
Akra roars with pain, although it seems mostly an act to Tess.

Tess switches from defending to trying to punch Akra as hard as possible.
Akra swings wildly. Tess lands a vicious kick straight to Akra's knee,
Akra wobbles. Hoxon sits up.

Akra punches Tess again, and Tess misses his next round of punches. Akra's 
foot catches Tess, sending Tess flying up against the wall of the arena with
a loud thud. This is the do or die round, Tess is looking battered, dusty,
and bruised. Tess leaps up, catch Akra with an uppercut to the chin. With 
considerable surprise...Akra lurches forward...and crashes to the ground. The 
crowd goes wild. Tess bows to the crowd. Hoxon shrugs. A few of the crowd 
toss coins to Tess. Tess collects his equipment and Aldara who was keeping an 
eye on it. (The entry fee of 50gp is not returned.)

A few people clap Tess on the back, waving the money they won off Tess. Hoxon 
moves over, says "We have a winnnaaa! Come and claim your prize, winner."
Hoxon gestures Tess to a back room. Tess smiles briefly to the winners, then
goes to claim his prize. There is a cluster of five red granite arches,
each rises about six feet from the floor. Hoxon says, "Well done. You coming 
back anytime soon?"

Tess smiles, "Possibly. Are these one way?"
Hoxon: "Yes, one way only." Tess nods and tells Hoxon he wants to go to
Mystara. "Prime? Ok. This will take you to an elemental merge point. Don't 
worry, it's just a placewhere the elements are balanced, so it's safe. From 
there it's up to you. If you know of a particular elemental merge point, I 
can send you there, otherwise it's random. It's on your prime. That is the 
definition of a prime, a place where the elements are balanced." Tess 
mentions Akesoli in Darokin. "I don't know that place. I hope you can make it 
there yourself. As I said, if you know of a particular balance place, I can 
send you there."

Tess: "A balance place on Mystara?"

Hoxon: "Between the elements."

Tess: "Where there is fire, water, earth and air? Exactly. Well, ready to 
go?" Tess mentions beneath Aengmoor city, where it is hot (from the seething
lava below), there is water, air and earth.

Hoxon: "Ok, well if it matches then you will go there, if not, you will go 
somewhere else nearby. Good luck." Hoxon mutters some words, being very 
careful to say them while turned away from Tess so he can't hear correctly.
The portal opens, shimmering with multiple colours and Tess walks through.

Tess appears in a cavern. It's warm, and water flows around Tess' feet.
It could be in or around Aengmoor City, it looks similar. Tess hides and 
changes his disguise to Shadow Elf then he and Aldara scout around. After a 
while Tess finds the way up to the top of the city, and finds that it is in 
fact Aengmoor. Tess will go to Eye of the Serpent headquarters there and 
arrange for healing and a report. The damage was subdual, so it comes back
pretty quickly, though Tess does sport a black eye.

Tess suggests that the Eyes of the Serpent talk to the Modron in the Cage for 
information on how to make magical items that travel forward in time. Other 
than that, Tess mentions nothing much of significance and avoids mentioning
the Chronosphere of Lagos. They note the information down in their copious 
files. Tess also tells them about the portal he just came through.

---

**morning 1027/01/26**
Tess teleports to Whitehart and makes arrangements for the blessing for
his wedding and spends two days there. Tess catches up with Amora and anyone 
else he knows there and find out how much payment they need for a good 
blessing. Given it's Whiteheart, the cost is pretty trvial for Tess, 
most people pay in cows. 4 cows is a good wedding. Tess is happy to pay
10 cows worth (100gp) - a grand feast. They will even slaughter one of them 
to feed everyone.

**~morning 1027/02/01**
Tess teleports to Baratkand and visits T'zaz briefly and gets her to check the 
magic item identifications. 

The shield from the Cranium Rats was a +3 Metal Shield of Bashing. Tess
also gives T'zaz the information on Alamir, which T'zaz is rather interested
in:

"Dead he is, but his tongue has life. Dead he is, but his daughter has life. 
 Dead he is, for that was the price." 
His name wasn't in the Dustmen's Book of the Dead, but that was the 
divination to Hades. Tess' guess is that the tongue is the sword and the 
daughter is indeed T'zaz. 

T'saz is very interested. "If I have life, and I do, and his sword has life 
... maybe his spirit is in the sword?"

Tess: "Actually, I suspect his spirit may be in you to some extent. You are
very talented. Regards the sword ... I was speaking to some celestials ...
To permanently kill a mortal who has the power of coming back, gifted by the 
dark powers, it would take special material or weapon to prevent them from 
returning to life again."

T'zaz: "I have the same talents as him, but I not anywhere near as talented.
Oh. The sundered man?"

Tess: "It's not clear that the sword was fully completed, though it is now 
functional. Yes."

T'zaz: "I think I would know if the sword contained a spirit, and it does 
not."

Tess: "I suspect that (killing the Sundered Man) is the most likely reason 
that Alamir was making the sword. "

T'zaz: "The sword isn't complete, and I don't believe I can complete it yet."

Tess: "I am more than a little disappointed at some of the Seekers being 
undead and their ... acceptance if not like of this. And Grey ..." Tess sighs
and shakes his head, "...  making a bargain of such magnitude ..."

T'zaz: "Yes!"

Tess: "Any idea what it would take to complete it?"

T'zaz: "Not completely sure what it would take."

Tess: "I would be happy to help you in any way that I can be of assistance."

T'zaz: "I've been considering making a trip to the Hollow World."

Tess: "There is an artifact there that could bring the undead back to life 
without them dying ... it is called the Staff of Life."

T'zaz: "Although maybe I would be better trying to find more information 
about my father. I could do both. If I got the staff, maybe I could bring my 
father back."

Tess: "I would also be interested in any information that you find out about 
the Schatten Alfen ... they may pose a danger outside the Hollow World, and 
they are very warlike."

T'zaz: "The information is likely to be not in the Hollow World, but 
elsewhere, although the enchanter could help. He would know something about 
my father, they commincated regularly. The schattenalfen? Ok. I've talked 
about making the trip...enough talk. Time to act."

Tess buys some equipment from T'zaz and the alchemist in Serraine.
Eyes of the Eagle: **2500gp -- from Security funds -- not paid**
Potion of Swimming from alchemist **150gp - paid**
Glove of Storing for other hand. **1320gp paid, and paid 88 xp**

Tess will mention it is okay if T'zaz doesn't attend the blessing if she 
leaves before then. T'zaz replies, "Oh no, I won't be leaving before then, 
you can count count that."

---

Tess heads back to Baratkand and work for Grey - pre-trade conference 
security checking. Tess will at some stage find out what he can about the 
Sightless Ones (double-checking Hiresh's info that there is a secret 
organization hunting shapeshifters). Tess discovers over a fairly lengthy 
time that the Sightless Ones do exist. Most people (that have heard of them 
at all) consider them to be a band of honourless assassins, since everyone 
knows there aren't any shapeshifters left in Sind.  So obviously they have 
the cover of hunting shapeshifters, but all they really do is hire out for 
money to kill random people.

**~morning 1027/02/02**