Twilight of the Abyss, Session 3.1

<WindStrike>	*Last time on ZURPG! You were transported to the Twilight Realm by Bloodwind, for reasons you're still not sure of. You encountered an Interloper, got pwned, then four Twili, got pwned but then forced a stalemate, then ended up in prison. All your artifacts are belong to us- I mean stripped and hidden elsewhere. You then chatted with the warden Xanas, then some imprisoned Light Spirit, Dex got a magic shield by applying a lack of
<WindStrike>	physics to a giant magic barrier. In trying to escape, you befriended (?) some dude through a Gossip Stone, gained some illusion spells, shenanigan'd your way through a hall to re-activate the elevator and do some puzzle stuff, and now you're at the heart of the Twilight Palace, your next step being either to appease the Twili, to get your artifacts back, or just do some exploring.
<WindStrike>	*Storywise, you found out that the Twili hate lightworlders and the Goddesses, because at the end of the Hyrulean Civil War, Hyrule sent their strongest warriors aided by the Spirits of Light into the Twilight Realm and nearly destroyed it, all just to kill the Interlopers. Their leader, Midna especially hates you guys cause her father was killed in that attack. They have three of the Spirits of Light imprisoned. You spoke with
<WindStrike>	one of them, and found out that three of the four Golden Artifacts are still in the Twilight Realm. Retrieving them will not only grant their power, but restore the power of the Spirits of Light.
<WindStrike>	In order to escape the Twilight Realm, you need to restore the Mirror of Twilight. Dex's little mirror fragment was apparently part of that. You also know that Bloodwind is lurking around, but you have no idea where or how. Playerwise, you're pretty certain you know who's speaking to you through the Gossip Stone, but you haven't confirmed it.
<WindStrike>	Up next, expect more stealth shenanigans. Also a note, unlike the rest of the Twili, Xanas does not seem to hate you. Just a slight reminder/hint.
*	DM pokes Orithan to transform.
<DM>	-=SESSION START=-
<DM>	[Gossip Stone]: Darn, they must've changed how their maps work. Whelp, hope you like text-based maps!
<Corsava>	*yawns* Heeey, I'm awake again. Funny, it feels like the Loading thingy took months.
<DM>	*To the West, path to the Armory. North, path to the Library. East, path to the Village. South, path to the Gravity Bridge. The room to the Twilight Council is right next to the elevator.
<DM>	*Corsava, you lose the feeling in your legs temporarily as you readjust to existence itself.
<Corsava>	*plays with her hair idly*
*	Darte wakes up.  It was a delightful dream.  Something about almost becoming a god...?
*	Hal looks around and wonders where Kirran went
<DM>	*Just outside the Elevator door is a crossway path, leading any of your main four directions, as mentioned with the paths.
<DM>	*You see something lurking in the shadows. It might be an Interloper, but then you noticeably see some zzzzzzzz's hovering over it. Yep, that's a Kirran.
<DM>	[Gossip Stone]: I can hear you meandering around in the elevator still. Doesn't the whole Palace know you're escaped?
<Hal>	Right
<Corsava>	Do they?
<Corsava>	Oh, yeah, we should uh...do something about that.
<DM>	[Gossip Stone]: I recall a severe amount of incompetence from your last..... ventures.
<Hal>	Shall we go for the diplomacy route first?
*	Darte doesn't have a head for stealth.  Or the body for it, either, apparently.
<Corsava>	What are you all thinking? Chatting, hiding, or murder and mayhem?
<Corsava>	I don't see mayhem getting us far given the circumstances...
<Hal>	We want to not get beaten up by them.
<Corsava>	But, I mean, I've been wrong before.
<Hal>	Dex is attempting to go for the diplomacy route.
<DM>	*OR IS HE? DO YOU REALLY KNOW THAT? OR DO YOU REALLY REALLY KNOW THAT?
<Corsava>	Well, what the heck, I'll try anything once.
<Corsava>	Sure, let's get our diplomacizing on.
<Hal>	Alright.
<DM>	*You guys start to hear the incoming echoes of footsteps. Seems echoes travel a far way in this palace...
<Corsava>	*suddenly seems skittish* O-Or you know, we could hide...
*	Darte adjusts his glasses. "Right, I'll keep the swordplay to a minimum."
<Corsava>	You know, if the hiding doesn't work, we can always talk after
<DM>	*That is an incredibly valid point.
<Corsava>	*ducks behind something*
<Corsava>	(Corsava the brave, everyone)
<DM>	*You duck instinctively behind the Gossip Stone in the elevator.
*	Darte would reverse-cover Corsava.  IF HE HAD ONE
<DM>	[Gossip Stone]: I suddenly feel violated.
<Corsava>	*looks around for a ventilation shaft or some other means of hidden travel*
*	Hal nods and points to the room to the council. "I say we go there and try to find someone who will listen to our cause"
<DM>	*There is no ventilati- wait what the crap, why would a medieval technology land have a ventilation shaft?!
<Hal>	(brb)
<DM>	*Okay, there is, right outside the elevator, two people that just went afk- whelp.
<Darte>	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV8QO9dZKVc
<Kefka>	YouTube: They've gone up the Ventilation Shaft - Views: 43,312 - Length: 4 - Uploaded: 2010-06-21 - User: ghostofgeek - Likes: 344 - Dislikes: 5
<Hal>	(back)
<DM>	*You do see a hatch at the ceiling of the elevator.
<Corsava>	*climbs up through the hatch*
*	Hal watches as Kirran suddenly wakes up
<DM>	*You attempt to climb up it, but the walls are too smooth to grip, and the hatch doesn't give way.
<Corsava>	"Well, ain't that just the cat's ass?"
<Hal>	"We are going to try to reason with the Twili. I think we should go into the council and try to reason with them"
<DM>	*That shifting shadow in the corner stops snoring and Kirran wakes up! Also, footsteps are coming closer. Seems to be coming from... the West.
<DM>	*Aka, direction of the Armory.
<DM>	to Kirran  - <DM> *To the West, path to the Armory. North, path to the Library. East, path to the Village. South, path to the Gravity Bridge. The room to the Twilight Council is right next to the elevator.
<DM>	*Wanna try and blast the hatch open?
<Corsava>	Hey, anyone else feel the sudden need to check out that library? I'll bet they've got all sort of fanciful literature."
<Corsava>	*tries to knock the hatch open so she can hide*
<Hal>	That would be a good suggestion if we can avoid getting caught.
<Darte>	What better way to diplomacize than to learn about those you're diplomating with?
<Hal>	Can any of us read twili?
<DM>	*Well, thanks to that stone from before, you can understand what they're saying at the very least.
*	Kirran isn't awake enough to be moving from the shadows just now.
<DM>	*Your blobby mass of shadows friend continues to snore it off as his shambling body attempts to follow you all.
*	Hal tries to rally everyone, pointing over in the direction of the library
<DM>	*You point, but your legs aren't moving! Weird.
<Corsava>	*throws rocks at the hatch* Open! Damn! You!
<Hal>	Let's get going. We won't have much time left
<DM>	Roll Power, Corsava! Or... run.
<DM>	*Beat a 15 Successes and the hatch is yours!
<DM>	*Not sure where the heck you're getting the rocks from..... unless you're chipping 'em off the Gossip Stone.
<Corsava>	$20d10
<DM>	20!
<DM>	*Your rocks bust through the hatch! It's only a 10 foot jump through it, should you want to hide there. Or head north.
<DM>	*Hal, I'm guessing you head north?
<Hal>	(Waiting for others to start moving north first)
<Corsava>	*leaps up for it*
*	Hal looks at the vent. "Maybe we can hide there to buy us more time"
<DM>	*You leap for it, and although you get up there, you hit your head on a dark ceiling you couldn't see. Yeah, there's not much space up here. You might be able to scram your team in here?
<DM>	*Also, 2 neutral damage to you Corsava.
<Corsava>	*scrambles up and shimmies to the side*
*	Hal attempts to jump up and scramble into the vent.
*	Hal shifts to his Speed Robes
<DM>	*You get in there! Also, enjoy a headbumping 2 neutral damage.
*	Hal scrambles in
*	Kirran stays in the shadows
<Hal>	16h 19m
<DM>	*Kirran, from your stillness, you see a pair of Twili Guards round the corner at the end of the west path. They head straight in your direction..... though they're not looking at you.
<DM>	*Darte stands still as a shivering fish in the elevator.
*	Darte sighs.  "Weirdest diplomacine ever."  He tries to scramble up into the vent, too
<DM>	*You get up there, though it's a bit packed, so in attempting to do so, you bump your head twice. 4 neutral damage to you.
<DM>	*The Twili reach the elevator, skipping right past you Kirran, and look in.
<Corsava>	*is very quiet*
<DM>	[Twili1]: That's weird, there wasn't always a Gossip Stone there, was there?
*	Hal closes the vent, slowly as to not make a sound
<DM>	*The second one places his hands on the Sol floating above her head and squeezes it slightly, focusing the beam inside of the elevator.
<DM>	[Twili2]: Huh, must be.... wait, what's a Gossip Stone?
<DM>	*DM's note: Oops, error
<Darte>	14h11m | Cramped
<DM>	[Twili1]: I have..... no idea. I meant..... Communication Stone.
<DM>	[Twili2]: Well at the rate you keep spreading fake news over the communications, maybe we should call it a Gossip Stone.
<DM>	[Twili1]: Hey!
*	Darte scribbles that down in a notebook somehow.  So we know his secret vice, eh?
<Corsava>	*bites her lips to avoid laughing*
*	Kirran can't even believe this
*	Hal earperks in the direction of the voices.
<DM>	[Twili2]: Alright, we know they want their Artifacts back. Let's go back to locking down the Armory.
<Hal>	[... Fake news?] he thought to himself.
<DM>	[Twili1]: What if they try taking the back route?
<DM>	[Twili2]: What? Oh please, they'd need Medlora's permission to do that. She may be a nut, but... nah, no way.
<DM>	*The two of them saunter back to the West.
<DM>	*Kirran, you see them wander back, and after some time, they round the corner at the end.
<DM>	*The rest of your party doesn't know this.
*	Kirran taps on the ceiling to let them know it's all clear.
<DM>	*You could just leave them, right now, packed in there, and block off the hatch. It'd be perfect. NO ONE WOULD EVER- dangit.
*	Hal opens the hatch back up and drops down.
<Raine>	BUt then I wouldn't have the entertainment factor!
<DM>	*Funny, the Twili never looked at the broken hatch. Guess they assumed there was no space up there.
<DM>	*Oh no, she's back.
<Corsava>	*slips down and grins*
<DM>	*You hear your bipolar fairy friend pip up from within Kirran's pocket.
*	Hal facepalms at Raine... again.
<DM>	[Raine]: What in tarnation did you all do this time? Where are we? Where's my bloodsoaked cake dangit?!
<Corsava>	Looks like our hiding has found us a back way in.
<Kirran>	Assuming we figure out whoever it was they were talking about is.
*	Darte rolls out of the ceiling sieve, unfolding limbs with painful-sounding creaks and pops. "Assuming we can stick to 'diplomacone', that is.
<Corsava>	I imagine she guards the path looking all spooky and mysterious.
<Kirran>	I'll keep some bread crumbs handy for that Darte.
<DM>	*Time to figure out which direction Medlora might be in-
<DM>	[Gossip Stone]: Did I hear them mention Medlora? The crazy librarian?
<Corsava>	Perhaps we may not get past she unless we answer questions three?
<DM>	[Gossip Stone]: I don't know if I should recommend that one or not...
<Hal>	We now know some leads. We might try looking for Medlora.
*	Kirran turns to the stone.
<Kirran>	Please, do tell.
<DM>	*You hear the distinct sound of silence from the stone.
<Hal>	But maybe we should be careful about how we do it.
<Corsava>	Well, I suppose then it's time to visit our local library.
<Hal>	They did mention that she is nuts.
<Kirran>	(Hello Garfunkel)
<Corsava>	I hope they have romantic books about powerful men who seek to sweep me off my feet...
<Corsava>	*she sighs*
<DM>	*Gossip Stone slowly disappears into the ground.
<Hal>	As for the "fake news" thing, not sure if that was in jest or not.
<Kirran>	Hey, you get back here.
<DM>	*Too late! He's disappeared into the ground!
*	Kirran chases after it.
<Corsava>	*wanders north in search of literary glory*
<DM>	*You bump your head into the floor. 2 neutral damage to you, Kirran!
*	Kirran is very disappointed in the ground right now.
*	Hal follows Corsava onwards "To the library"
<DM>	*Kirran, the ground rumbles and agrees with you.
<Kirran>	You could spit it back out you know.
<Darte>	Next time, you should grab hold of the stone _before_ it sinks.
<Kirran>	Playing along with shananigans like that.
<Kirran>	...
<DM>	*Corsava, you head north, and find yourself in a long hallway. The ceiling seems to reach nearly a hundred feet overhead. The walls are made of a very smooth stone, complete with random teal glowy lights scattered through it, like weird lines.
<DM>	*Not far above you, there's a bunch of spectral fires giving a teal-greenish glow to the area.
*	Hal follows, making sure to keep an eye on Corsava.
<Corsava>	*traces the lights with her fingertips, skipping along like some faeish creature*
*	Kirran follows, continuing to give the ground a very disapproving look.
<DM>	*At the end of the corridor, you see a Twili Guard turn the corner, but then he immediately turns around. You hear the echo of someone speaking, and then the guard disappears from view.
<Corsava>	*blinks*
<Corsava>	Huh...
<Corsava>	*casts Invisibility upon herself*
<DM>	*Wanna peek around the corner?
<Corsava>	*peeks around the corner*
*	Kirran is not following *that* closely behind Corsava. In case things happen, which they tend to do.
*	Hal does the same, making sure he vanishes from view. A small active camo is better than nothing.
<DM>	*Okay, now invisible, you peek around the corner to the left, and you see a pair of Twili Guards talking to each other. Down that path, there's two paths on the left, and at the end of the path, another turn to the right.
*	Hal is also not following that closely behind Corsava either, keeping a watchful eye on where she was before becoming invisible.
<DM>	*Also, the entire pathway is covered in a bright light from above. At the ceiling, you see a bunch of floating Sols.
<DM>	*You hear them speak...
<Corsava>	*slips around the corner, just out of sol-light*
<DM>	[Twili1]: Are you the one messing with the Communication Stones?
<DM>	[Twili2]: The wha?
<DM>	[Twili1]: It's not you?
<Corsava>	*keeps watch for a moment where they might not see her if she rolls past the sol's light*
<DM>	[Twili2]: What are you talking about? I haven't used one since yesterday when the Interlopers failed to breach the Gravity Bridge for the umpteenth time.
<Kirran>	(So there wasn't a dang thing in the long corridor leading up to this corner?)
<DM>	*The Sol light seems to cover the sides of the path. Though, it doesn't seem to reach into the two paths left that are ahead.
<DM>	*It's about a 40 foot distance to get there. You might be able to sneak past in one move, but it might take some extra help or shenanigans...
<DM>	(Nah, the long corridor had no sols up top)
<Kirran>	(-_-)
<DM>	(You're clear at the corner looking into Pathway 2, just not inside of it)
<Corsava>	*bites her lip and watches the two guards*
<DM>	[Twili1]: Huh, gonna have to poke Zuph then. Where is that zippy guy anyways?
<DM>	[Twili2]: Hmm, lemme go check. There's a communication stone in the library, I'll be back.
<Corsava>	*bites her lip and considers throwing something explosive down one hallway and making a break for the other*
*	Hal approaches Kirran and whispers "What are the odds of being able to steal a Sol and them not noticing if we do illusion shenanigans?"
<DM>	*With that, Twili2 marches down the other side of the corridor, disappearing at a right turn.
<DM>	*Twili1 sighs and disappears into the second left path.
*	Hal looks around to see a conspicous lack of Darte with everyone else
*	Kirran whispers back. "Eh, 50-50" They seem ept enough to sometimes notice us, but not all that alert."
<DM>	*Well Corsava, you might be able to just run it now.
*	Kirran sticks his head around the corner to assess the situation
<DM>	*Though, you're welcome to bomb things if you really want to.
<Corsava>	*quietly rushes through the light*
*	Hal goes to too peek around the corner too, assessing the situation.
*	Darte is staying well away from the potentially dangerous sneak zone, as he is sneakless.
<DM>	*Kirran, you poke your head through, and you see Corsava quietly dashing through the light and reaching the first left path.
<Corsava>	*turns and gestures for them to follow*
<DM>	*There are no other Guards there.
<Kirran>	0_o
<Kirran>	>_>
*	Hal can't see Corsava's gesture
<DM>	*Darte, you start to hear footsteps from where you are. Someone's approaching the crossway of paths where the elevator is at.
*	Kirran stealthes after Corsava with ninja grace and subtlety.
*	Hal follows Kirran through the light
*	Darte doesn't feel like being caught like last time, either... time to sprint down the corridor after the others.
<Corsava>	*follows the hall and whispers to herself the incantation of silence*
<DM>	*You get through the light, said light removing any illusions you had on, and the three of you are at the first left pathway. It's a small corridor with only spectral lights, and if you had to guess, it probably wraps around back to the second left pathway.
<DM>	*Darte, thanks to your sprinting, the rest of you notice some echoing footsteps, then Darte joins you.
*	Hal looks around the corners, looking for guards.
*	Hal facepalms at Darte, for rushing through. Of course, nobody can see him as he is.
<DM>	*Hal, you the guard around the backside path, but he immediately heads the other way, disappearing from your view. Checking the other corner, the guard is now in the main Sol-lit path, and heading down it briskly.
<Darte>	... Did anyone else just hear a palm touch a forehead?
<Corsava>	*continues quickly, recasting invisibility*
<Hal>	(I thought invisibilty wasn't broken)
<DM>	*Darte, you say that, annnnd you hear the footsteps of the guard quicken.
<DM>	*Invisibility broke when you passed through the light.
<DM>	*You have the chance to recast though.
*	Hal recasts invisibility
*	Kirran melts back into the shadows.
<DM>	*Might I recommend being careful on your communication habits...
<DM>	*Twili1 rounds the corner, looking and seeing......
*	Hal slips into the backside path, now invisible to avoid a potential guard seeing him
*	Kirran casts illusion of invisibility on the loud ass fish
<Corsava>	*quietly continues forward, careful as a rabbit walking through a nest of snakes*
<DM>	[Twili1]: ... huh, thought I saw something for a moment. Something... blue...
<DM>	*wrong one
<DM>	*Twili2 said that
<Corsava>	(You mean 2ili?)
<Darte>	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qjqysU36tw
<Kefka>	YouTube: Neil Diamond - Something Blue (Official) - Views: 3,475,071 - Length: 4:09 - Uploaded: 2014-09-24 - User: neildiamondVEVO - Likes: 9,844 - Dislikes: 449
<DM>	*He moves his arms towards the Sol floating over its head. Whelp, you guys saw what happened last time....
<DM>	[Twili1]: Maybe there is something here after all...
*	Darte scoots to the other wall of the passage.
*	Kirran does not move an inch
<Corsava>	*presses herself flat against the wall*
<DM>	*It squeezes the Sol, intensifying the light towards the little corridor you're in. Hal hath dodged it thanks to the back path. Darte, now scooting, you feel the invisibility start to fade but you get out of range just in time. Corsava, you manage to narrowly dodge as well.
*	Hal continues moving down a wall of a backside path, pressed flat against the wall.
<DM>	*Kirran, on the other hand, is plainly visible to you all in the light....... yet...
<DM>	[Twili2]: Huh, must've been my imagination.
<DM>	*Twili2 is looking right through you, Kirran.
<Kirran>	(Whose footprints are these?)
<DM>	*As he walks away, back down the Sol-lit path....
<DM>	[Twili2]: Must've been those weird errors with the communication stones everyone's been talking about...
*	Kirran starts scooting himself down the corridor once the guard is out of sight
*	Hal huffed a sigh of relief
<DM>	*You guys narrowly escape getting capture. Hal, being on the backside path, you see a door on one of the walls.
*	Hal quickly examines the door, looking for any bearings on where it might lead.
<Corsava>	*continues down the path searching for the way to la biblioteca*
<DM>	*Well, it seems to be in the direction of the Sol-lit path, but you know there's not a door on the other side. Must be a small standalone room.
*	Darte just follows the one person he can still see.
<DM>	*Corsava, you continue down the path, and you find you reached the Sol-lit path again. It's not far to get to the end of the corridor, though you would have to get through the light again...
<DM>	*Kirran, you notice a Dartefish scooting behind you.
<Corsava>	*sighs*
<Kirran>	<_<
*	Hal slips back into the main hallway, under the presumption that there is a Twili in that room
<DM>	*The guard is currently at the start of the Sol-lit corridor and is not looking at you guys. You could sneak through to the end of the corridor now if you wanted to...
<Corsava>	*draws her bow and shoots at the sol light*
*	Kirran opens the door and peeks in
<DM>	*Roll your bow roll, Corsava!
<DM>	*Kirran, you peek in, and there is no guard in there. Just a sign and a switch.
*	Kirran enters the room and reads the sign, closing the door behind him.
*	Hal turned around to notice Kirran enter the room.
<DM>	*17 on the bow attack! ........ yeah uhh... you remember when I mentioned the ceiling is about 100 feet up?
*	Hal follows Kirran, opening the door and entering the room
<DM>	*Whelp, thanks to you logicking me in voice, it hits one of the Sols! It explodes, pushing the other Sols towards the start of the corridor. That's also causing a bit of a shockwave sound though.
<Corsava>	*eyes widen*
*	Hal is not sure if he could hear the shockwave.
<Corsava>	Uh...that's uh...not what I- uh...
<Corsava>	Fuck.
<DM>	*The guard immediately turns around and rushes towards your position. Though, I'm not sure your invisibility is gonna help if he's point blank...
<Corsava>	*does her best to bolt around the circular hallway
<DM>	*Kirran and Hal, you enter the room, read the sign, and it says...
<Corsava>	to keep on the opposite side from him*
<DM>	*Sign: Kai Rao
<DM>	*Kirran and Hal, the two of you- oh and Darte followed, all three of you suddenly get floored....... to the ceiling.
<Hal>	(Must be more Twili mumbo jumbo)
*	Kirran whispers "Did we ever....oof."
<Hal>	O.o
<DM>	*It's a small room, so no fall damage, but yeah, there's now about a 15 foot difference between you and the...... floor switch.... which is now a ceiling switch.
<Kirran>	"What the hell was that?"
<DM>	*Corsava, you round the corner and hear the footsteps stop.
<Corsava>	*slows down to move quietly*
*	Hal whispers "I don't know and I probably don't wanna know"
<DM>	*The switch has the same symbol as that switch from that earlier puzzle, which required someone to be invisible and step on it. Though..... that might be difficult in your current predicament...
<Hal>	(Does the person have to be pressing on it or do they actually have to be standing on it?)
<DM>	*Sign: Step of Light
<Corsava>	*tries to open the little sealed door, hoping maybe it just needs a woman's touch*
<DM>	*Corsava, as you move around, still invisible, you notice a light approaching you, but there's no footsteps.
<DM>	*From around one of- nah, you're fine. You get in the door, annnnd immediately fall onto the rest of the party.
<DM>	*Kirran, you experience a Gerudo falling on you.
<DM>	*The door closes.
*	DM backtracks.
*	Kirran dodges
<DM>	*You open the door, and you see the rest of your party stuck on the ceiling.
<Corsava>	*blinks*
*	Hal takes his Ocarina out and plays the Song of Soaring after the door closed. He then flies up the switch and orients himself so he would be stepping on the switch with his feet while flying*
<DM>	*From around the corner, you see the Twili round the corner..... except he's floating. Which explains why you didn't hear any footsteps.
<Hal>	*If the door is open, wait unti, the door is closed*
<DM>	*Hal, roll... Power.
<Corsava>	*continues around the corner, not wanting to be spotted, or draw attention to the crew*
<Hal>	$10d10
<DM>	*The door closes, and you manage to dodge away from the guard.
<DM>	*Hal, you soar.... but barely get anywhere. Seems gravity is really strong in this room.
*	Hal lands and disables his wings.
*	Hal puts said Ocarina away.
<DM>	*Corsava, you come back around to the Sol-lit hallway..... except the push of the Sols from earlier has moved them to the start of the corridor. You now have a free route to the end while invisible.
*	Kirran whispers to Hal. "Do that again, and let me chuck you with this power gloves."
<Corsava>	*does a little silent cheer*
<DM>	*The silence applauds with you.
<Kirran>	these power gloves*
*	Hal whispers "Alright"
*	Hal plays the Song of Soaring again.
*	Hal positions himself so he could be thrown up, orienting himself so he could step on the switch with his foot again*
<Corsava>	*continues hiding from the guy by walking in the circle*
*	Kirran preps to throw Hal up there.
*	Darte grumbles.  "I'll kick you with these power boots if it helps.  What else is up here, I wonder..."
*	Kirran whispers "If you can't get all the way up, grab the sign and do your best from there."
*	Hal whispered "Yes. That will be good."
<DM>	*Whelp, roll yo chucking roll, Kirran!
<DM>	wait
<DM>	fyi
<DM>	you don't have your power gloves
<DM>	no artifacts, remember?
<Kirran>	(oh, dammit.)
<DM>	it can still aid Hal's roll though
*	Kirran casts steel shadows on himself and hopes that's enough
<DM>	[Raine]: Ack, I can't even fly up there. I'm stuck in your darn pocket.
<DM>	[Raine]: Also, seriously, where is this? I feel in the dark..... which is fine, if people don't mind their spines ripped out, heheheh...
*	Kirran casts shadow realm, on a hunch
<DM>	*You find yourselves completely blind, thanks to darkness overwhelming the whole room. You also feel yourselves float momentarily, then slump to the other side. I believe you're still invisible, so the switch presses down.
<DM>	*You hear a ding sound, and a moment later, something lands on.....
<DM>	*Kirran, a chest lands on your head. Take 2 neutral damage.
*	Hal disengages his wings again
<DM>	*Somehow, the chest moves at the last second, and instead, it hits Darte in the head. Take 2 neutral damage.
<DM>	*After a bit, the shadow realm disperses, and you guys can see again.
*	Kirran whispers "oooh, treasure."
*	Darte wonders if the treasure is in the chest or in his open skull.
*	Hal quickly applies an Illusion of Invisibility to Darte, for later encounters.
<Darte>	12h11m | Achy-Breaky
<Corsava>	*opens the door when she has a moment*
<Corsava>	(you know, when she can get a good opening where the twili won't see)
*	Kirran opens the chest since no one else seems to be making a move on it.
*	Hal moves to open the tresure chest.
<DM>	*Corsava, you open the door, and you see Darte has a treasure chest for a hat, along with red paint on his scales.
<DM>	*You open the chest, and inside is.... what seems to be a completely empty bottle.
<Corsava>	What...are you lot doing?
<DM>	[Raine]: Ooh, a new bottle! Hey Kirran, can you switch my bottle out with that bottle?
<DM>	[Raine]: This one's old and rusted. So dirty. Cake bits don't clean out that well.
*	Hal is puzzled at the presence of an empty bottle.
<Kirran>	Maybe once it's empty Raine. I highly doubt it's as it appears to be.
<Corsava>	*sighs* Well, I gotta run, the twili's back on patro- How are you lot going to get down from up there?
<Kirran>	Nothing else has been in this place.
<DM>	*They're on the floor now.
<DM>	*Gravity is back to normal.
<Corsava>	(Oh, nvm)
<DM>	*Though, I should've reinstated the gravity field effect with shadow realm gone, buuuut too late. Maybe next time.
<DM>	*Anyone grabbing the pot?
<DM>	[Raine]: Ooh, let's smoke it! It'll be empty faster!
<Kirran>	o_o
*	Hal questions about why a bottle should be called a pot
<DM>	*Shut up and get back to being reluctant of the plot.
*	Kirran is reluctant of the pot
<DM>	[Raine]: Ooh, pot!
<DM>	[Raine]: I mean.... it's an empty bottle. But...... maybe it's pot too.
*	Kirran votes Darte should have it. He'll need something to ease the pain.
*	Hal facepalms and collects the empty bottle.
<Corsava>	*keeps circling around the hall*
<Hal>	"empty"
<DM>	*You pick up the bottle, but.... you feel something swishing inside of it.
<Darte>	Maybe have Raine clean the place out? She seems like she'd benefit from a good housecleaning session.
<Hal>	O.o
<Kirran>	You're assuming she'll stay out of there long enough to do that. She's rather fond of her personal hideaway
<DM>	https://zurpg.sephiroth.ws/thread-1149.html - Hal, enjoy your potion of strong invisibility
<DM>	*Corsava, the light is about to return, but there's a slamming sound in the distance. The light heads away from your area.
<Kirran>	Now we've just got to time our exit to avoid the guard and get the heck out of here.
<Corsava>	*does another invisible silent cheer*
*	Hal whispered "Yeah. And this potion will come in handy"
<Corsava>	*goes to the door and opens it*
<DM>	*You open the door that was.... oh. I guess thanks to DM misunderstanding, you temporarily wall-hacked. Derp.
<DM>	*So, with no Sol light in your guys' way, do you continue onwards?
<Kirran>	Cautiously
*	Hal whispered "Let's continue, cautiously"
<Darte>	Seems like we've gone literally every other direction it's possible to go...
<DM>	[Raine]: Except the end itself! Which is pretty much home to me, and lots of corpses too. Tasty stuff.
<Corsava>	*smirk* Well, then let's find this librarian.
<DM>	*To the end of the previously Sol-lit corridor!
<Corsava>	*of course...nobody sees her smirk...or face...or body...but...you know...the sentiment is still there*
<Hal>	(Someone needs to find a way to shut that fairy up before she reveals our position)
<DM>	*I assume you guys are recasting invis...
*	Hal recasted invisibility
<DM>	[Raine]: Why are you guys being so stealthy? What's there to run from? I thought you guys were capable of owning everything.
*	Kirran gives Raine a piece of cake and asks her to take a nap.
<DM>	[Raine]: Actually, where's your guys' gear- mph hrpmh!
<DM>	*She struggles to speak, but instead enjoy a face full of cake and passes out.
<DM>	*You head to the end of the corridor, annnd with a right turn, you see into Pathway 3, which just seems to be a straight shot to a pair of double doors at the end. There's no excess of Sols at the ceiling, buuuuut both the Twili Guards are chatting it up in the middle.
*	Hal moves into the circular hallway.
*	Hal cancels that action
<Corsava>	*sighs*
<Corsava>	*pulls out a bomb* WHere do you lot want this set for our distraction?
<DM>	[Twili1]: Yep, Zuph has no idea what's wrong with the stones. Though, I thought I heard him mention Zant, but he denied it afterwards.
<DM>	[Twili2]: Zant? Who's that?
<DM>	[Twili1]: Oh yeah, you're newer. He's uhh... you know what, I'll tell ya later. Anything happening on patrol?
<DM>	[Twili2]: Yeah, thought I heard some voices, but... can't see any of them. Also... for some reason, one of the Sols exploded.
<DM>	[Twili1]: What?
*	Hal whispers to where the bomb is floating "Wait until we overhear everything"
<Corsava>	*puts it away*
<DM>	[Twili2]: Yeah, it just... exploded spontaneously. And it pushed the other Sols away.
<DM>	[Twili1]: Oh man, it's gonna be a pain to get those back in place.
<Kirran>	(Just wait until their dialogue loops?)
<DM>	[Twili2]: Can we get Zuph?
<Corsava>	*whispers to the area the whisper came from* You can shoot them with a bow to blow them up.*
<Darte>	(Do we have our usable items?)
<DM>	(all except Artifacts...... and Raine)
<DM>	[Twili1]: Nah, I think he's on the stones now, don't think we can reach him.
*	Darte rolls a bomb down the corridor back the way they came from.  Really chucks it.  Speedball.
*	Hal notes all this important information.
<DM>	*Darte, roll yo power!
*	Hal le sighducks at Darte
*	Kirran sticks to the shadows, thank you very much.
*	Darte is no Ichiro.
<DM>	*Darte, you attempt a speedball throw, but you flub the throw, annnnnd it only rolls about 12 feet away from you guys. And it's about to explode.
<Corsava>	*gets the FUCK out of the way of where their sol light will travel when they investigate*
*	Darte clamps to the side of the inner wall
*	Hal puts out the fuse with a small water cantrip
<Kirran>	(are they looking my way?)
<DM>	*The bomb is midway through exploding when it's put out. It's a half exploded bomb. How the f-
<DM>	*Nonetheless, it causes an exploding sound, though thankfully, it doesn't hit you guys.
<DM>	[Twili1]: What the heck was that?!
<Kirran>	(wat)
<Corsava>	"I hate all of you."
<Corsava>	XD
*	Hal ducks back into the backway
<DM>	*The two of them head down Pathway 3 and turn the corridor, seeing a half exploded bomb. They waltz right past all of you.... though Corsava, that remark was heard.
<DM>	[Twili2]: Did you just say you hate all of me?
<Corsava>	*rushes quietly away from where she was*
*	Hal cancels that action
<DM>	[Twili1]: What? No, I didn't.... what?
<Corsava>	*hastens down the hallway*
<Darte>	"Yeah, that's right, I'm a bomb and I personally hate you all!"
<DM>	*The two of them look around. Corsava, you head towards the double doors, and you're faaaaar away from the chaos.
*	Darte hopes their ventriloquism is up to speed.
<Corsava>	*slips through the doors*
<DM>	*The two of them slowly turn their heads towards the half-exploded bomb.
<Kirran>	(Assuming they aren't looking in my direction)
*	Hal also moves across the hallway
<DM>	*Their eyes widen, and one of them starts to move towards the bomb.
<Hal>	*into the double doors*
*	Kirran quietly heads towards the doors.
<DM>	*Hal, you smack your face into the doors- I'm kidding, Corsava opened the doors, you're fine.
*	Darte scoots as sneakily as he can to the doors as well.
<DM>	*Darte, they're still focused on the bomb, would you like to continue your ventriloquism or- nope, to the doors!
*	Kirran flings a deku nut at the bomb before slipping through the doors.
<DM>	[Twili2]: WATCH OUT IT'S GONNA BLOW!
<DM>	*You guys close the double doors, though right then, you hear some Twili cursing (such vulgar words you never knew existed) followed by the sound of a light explosion.
<DM>	*The doors close, slamming shut. Doubt they heard the slam, thanks to the explosion.
<Corsava>	*proceeds forward quietly*
<DM>	*Alright, you find yourselves in a large circular room that seems to extend upwards into darkness. Around you, rows of books float in the air, bobbing up and down, radiating towards the center. Spectral fires hover all around, giving a faint illumination.
<Corsava>	*mutters to herself* Woah...
<DM>	*From the center, an imp-like figure wearing a broken Sol mask floats into view, then towards your direction. She's got an open book levitating next to her, one eye on the book, the other focused on the recently shut door.
<DM>	*She squints her eye, then calls out.
<Corsava>	*sigh* You uh...you can see us can't you?
<DM>	[???]: ... hello?
*	Kirran doesn't move.
<DM>	*She turns her head towards Corsava's direction.
<DM>	[???]: ... I swear, if Zuph's playing tricks on me again...
<Corsava>	*dispels her invisibility and does a curtsy* It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance
<DM>	*She turns both eyes towards you, the second of which seems to wobble slightly, squinting further until her yellow-lit eyes are almost a pair of lines.
<Darte>	"Greetings, Medlora!"
<Hal>	(that must be that twili the Gossip Stone mentioned)
*	Hal remains invisible for now.
<DM>	*She opens her eyes in exclamation, chucking the book backwards without even touching it.
<DM>	[???]: Woah! That's a... woah, what are you? You're not Twili...
*	Kirran is having precisely none of this. He remains reluctant of the plot.
<DM>	*She zooms in, floating around Corsava and in the process, bumping into Darte, breaking his invisibility.
<Corsava>	No, ma'am. I'm a Gerudo.
<DM>	[???]: Woah hoh hoh! It's like you guys can go sneaky sneaky but without being pesky dark guys. Coooool....
*	Kirran when she's not looking his way, he makes himself as small as possible against a wall somewhere.
<DM>	[???]: Wait, who called my name earlier? How do you guys know my name?
<DM>	*She peers in near point-blank to poor Darte.
<DM>	[???]: Are you...
<Corsava>	Oh, a regretable lack of tact on his part, primarily.
*	Kirran readies some bread crumbs.
<DM>	*She suddenly reels back, placing her arms across her imp-body.
<Corsava>	We mean no harm.
<DM>	[???]: You.... you you you..... you were p-p-peaking on me earlier, weren't you!
<DM>	*She grumbles, eyes twitching.
<DM>	[???]: Prove it.
<Corsava>	*looks her dead in the eyes and replies* I promise you, we were not. A lady never intrudes on another woman's privacy."
<DM>	*She reels in close again... and then high-fives you Corsava.
*	Darte blinks at her.  "We, uh.  Came here because we were told your library was the most exquisite we could find, of course."  A proper adjustment of the glasses to seal the charm factor...
<DM>	[???]: Ooh, we're gonna be best buds already!
<DM>	*She turns towards Darte, glaring intently.... then smiling with glee.
<DM>	[???]: Oh, well that's just dandy then, tee-hee-hee! Well you've come to the right place, Medlora's Medley of Mellow Mooks.... darn, that doesn't work! Mellow..... books, no wait. My books aren't mellow. They're quite tangy... grr!
<DM>	*She points at you, Darte.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Ahoy, you there! Come up with a better name than THAT!
*	Kirran whispers to Darte "Tangy Treatises."
<Corsava>	How about Medlora's Medley of Meticulous Manuscripts?
<DM>	*A pair of glasses levitates towards her, though they don't seem to hold a physical form. They hover in front of her eyes.
<Corsava>	Or perhaps Manuals?
<DM>	*She smiles with glee once more, setting her book down on Darte's head and doing a double high-five with Corsava.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Ooh, that's perfect! Yes, I love it! That's just super awesome!
<Darte>	Uh--er.  Medlora's Medley of Tangible Tortois-- Er, no.  Medlora's Mangled Moro-- no, no, wouldn't do.  Ahah! Medlora's Manor of Macabre and Malacandrian Mellifluence!
<Corsava>	*seems to glow a bit as she feeds on the eldritch energies of girl power*
<Kirran>	o_o
<DM>	*She turns towards Darte, eyes now pointing both up and down simultaneously.
<DM>	[Medlora]: ............
<DM>	[Medlora]: ............................
*	Darte winces at those eyes.
<DM>	[Medlora]: That's pretty cool! I'mma tell Zuph that's what to call his shop. No one will ever be able to pronounce it, it'll be great!
<Corsava>	*eyes narrow* Well, Darte? Doesn't she look beautiful?
*	Kirran turns into a psyduck
<DM>	[Medlora]: Medlora's Manor of Macabre and Maccoroni Malboro Fluent Extrusive Intensifying Flying Madness! Yeah, that's what you said, right?
*	Hal is carefully watching from invisibility. She seems neutral here.
<Darte>	I... yes, perfect. Couldn't have come up with a better use for it myself.  Uhm... Mind showing us around the place? I'm sure you know allll the nooks and most secret crannies by the palm of your hand, yes?
<Corsava>	*smiles, enjoying the rather chaotic aspects of her personality*
<DM>	*She nods thoroughly once, her eyes going two directions, then nods again, her eyes refocusing. Uhhh....
<DM>	[Medlora]: Yup yup, sure thing I can! Whatcha wanna kn- waaaaaaait a minute. Who sent you the recommendation to this place?
<Darte>	Where the best books and quiet reading places might be found? Quick getaways from more... troublesome and noisy intruders?
*	Kirran whispers to Darte again "A rock"
<DM>	*Medlora hovers in closer...... to Kirran's position.
*	Darte gulps.  "Uhhhhm.  Z-Zuph."
<DM>	[Medlora]: ... how many of you are there, anywho?
<DM>	[Medlora]: Zuph? Really? Ooh ooh, tell me, what's Zuph like?
<Corsava>	I uh...
<DM>	*She seems eccentric.
<Corsava>	How many of us are there?
<DM>	[Medlora]: There are....... hmmmmmm. ..... Hmmmmmmmmm.............. HMMMMMMMMMM..............
*	Darte sweats harder.  "Mischievous? Gossipy? Uhhh. But... with a secret... fondness... for romantic... literature."
<DM>	[Medlora]: Hmm.... yes.... yes..... wait...... he..... he's into romance?
<Darte>	Uh-err.  Secretly.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Oh that can't..... no, I could never, no wait, he already turned me down. The queen, nah, no way. Then.... oh. Oh.
<DM>	*She stares into the abyss for a bit.
*	Kirran scans the room for oddities or possible secret passages.
<DM>	[Medlora]: ...... yes, of course he'd keep that secret from his sister.
*	Hal is also scanning around the room, looking for anything that might seem unusual
*	Darte blinks for an uncomfortable beat.
<DM>	*Kirran, you see a path to the west, but it's a locked door. There's also another passage to the east, but before you look further, a flurry of books falls on both yours and Hal's heads.
<Corsava>	*pauses in confusion, Her brother turned her down?*
<DM>	[Medlora]: Ah-hah! I knew it!
*	Hal is now visible
<DM>	[Medlora]: There's four of you! ...... wait...... what are my books stuck on?
<DM>	*She's looking right at you Kirran, but...... can't see you, despite some books bouncing off of you.
<Darte>	"Aurora Borealis."
<Hal>	(Ick!)
<DM>	[Medlora]: What? Aurora..... At this time of year? In this place? Entirely localized in that spot?
*	Hal mentally facepalms at the Simpson's reference. Get out of the fourth wall, Orithan
*	Kirran moves out of the way when she looks back at Darte
<Corsava>	*physically facepalms at the shitty lie*
<DM>	[Medlora]: Okay, uhhh.... blue guy! I believe you!
<DM>	[Medlora]: So, what do you fellows wanna learn about here?
*	Hal waits for his turn to speak.
<Hal>	*since he is now visible*
<Corsava>	*grins wide* Do you have any romance novels?
<DM>	[Medlora]: We have loads of knowledge, going all the way back to..... nah, who am I kidding, most of these books are hollow. Darn lightworlders blew up my library twenty years ago, grr!
<DM>	[Medlora]: Romance? Uhh..... hmmmm....... hmmmmmmmmm.............
<DM>	*She looks away, tapping her fingers together.
<Corsava>	Y-you know, dashing heroes? Powerful ones? With daring chases and escapes and true love?
<DM>	[Medlora]: Oh, you mean..... yeah, like...... oooooh, I thought you meant- okay, yeah I got some of those!
*	Hal wonders what it would have been like if Lunaria was here.
<DM>	*A circle of books starts levitating around her, switching in and out with the ones on the nearby bookshelf.
<Corsava>	*grins*
*	Darte is dripping sweaty bullets.  "I'm not so much picky about which book I'm reading, and more about where I read it.  Somewhere I won't be disturbed by noisy intruders, or spontaneous northern light shows.  Any tips on that front? And books themselves, of course..."
<Corsava>	*shakes her head*
<DM>	[Medlora]: How bout... this one here is called Blade of Twilight, recounting the legend of how a legendary hero pulled the sword of Twilight, owned the Interlopers, and then- aww dangit, that one's hollow! They blew up my fiction!
<Corsava>	"Do you get out often? Have a head for seeing unique and exciting things?"
<DM>	[Medlora]: Get out? Ehh, sometimes. Though, a unique story centered around the Gods has had my attention peaked quite recently. And about a sword that seals the darkness...
<Corsava>	*gives a mischievous smirk* We've been trying to get into the Armory. Some of our things are there. Special things, each with their own story."
*	Hal earperks towards Medlora, intently listening on what she has to say.
<Corsava>	Perhaps there's some item there with a story that will speak to you too?
*	Darte likes this angle a lot better.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Oh, the Armory, eh? Hah, I got a backroute that goes straight there. You might even be able to sneak into the storage locker before Xanas catches you. Yes, yes yes I like that idea! I think... oh yes, I should accompany you!
<DM>	[Medlora]: I'm good at appraising items too. Well, Zuph doesn't agree, but Zuph's not here to dispute, so nyeh!
<Corsava>	"That sounds a delightful idea!" *grin* We should go quietly, won't it be more fun to sneak in right under their noses? Like in a book?"
*	Hal gets Medlora's attention, now that he is visible now.
<DM>	*She snaps her fingers and throws you a mischievous grin.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Yup! It'll be a new tale! The tale of... the.... ...... wait. What do I call you guys?
*	Hal needs to make sure she knows he is accompanying Darte and Corsava
<DM>	*She turns towards you Hal.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Furry guy and co.?
<DM>	*Her head cocks to the side, eyes spinning slightly.
*	Darte ponders.  "We... hadn't thought of a name yet.  Any suggestions?"
<Corsava>	"The Shadowstriders?"
<Corsava>	"Because we're in the realm of shadows, and we're travelling gracefully?"
<Darte>	The Three Amigos?
*	Darte feels dumber for having suggested that one.
<DM>	[Medlora]: The Shadow... striders.... Hmm. The Three... what's an Amigo? Ooh, what about the Three Shadowstriding Amigos! It's perfect!
<DM>	[Medlora]: The Tale of Dashing Medlora and the Three Shadowstriking Amigos!
<Hal>	The tale of the Interloper Hunters?
<Darte>	It, uh.  Practically writes itself.
<Corsava>	*grins and high fives Medlora*
<DM>	*Her gaze switches from silly to serious as she turns her head to Hal.
<DM>	*She nonchallantly high-fives Corsava back, still gazing.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Interloper Hunters?
<DM>	[Medlora]: ..... is that what you guys really are?
<Corsava>	*does a facepalm and shakes her head*
<DM>	*She is now floating towards you slowly.
*	Hal is not good at politics and bluffing
<Corsava>	My friend here usually keeps silent, he's got a flair for the melodramatic and a talent for putting his foot in his mouth."
*	Hal nods
<Corsava>	"It's quite the trick considering that his head is already up his ass."
<DM>	[Medlora]: He can... what?!
<DM>	*Her eyes go wide with delight.
<DM>	[Medlora]: You can put your foot in your mouth? Really? Really really?!
<Corsava>	If you catch him on a good day, you bet.
*	Hal demonstrates by literally curling up and putting his foot in his mouth.
<Darte>	It takes him a month to recover, tho-- OH THREE GODDESSES
<DM>	*She suppresses a snicker, then claps her hands in joy.
<DM>	[Medlora]: It's great! It's beautiful! That's a real talent, furry guy!
*	Kirran trips Darte with a Geodude.
<DM>	[Medlora]: That just made my day. Okay, lemme lead ya to the Armory!
*	Hal nods in agreement and gets back up
<DM>	*She starts floating on over to the west door.
<Corsava>	*grins and gives another curtsey* After you, madam Medlora
*	Kirran is going to have to play red light, green light to follow the party on this one.
*	Hal follows Medlora and the other two guys through
<DM>	*She reaches the door, then wedges some books in between it, forcing it open, unlocking it.
<DM>	*Corsava, you suddenly trip on an inconveniently placed rock and experience 2 neutral damage to the head.
<DM>	*Ahead, seems to be a pathway down to another door. No guards.
*	Kirran follows behind, ready to freeze if she looks back at the party.
<DM>	*She steadily floats down to the other side, then slides it open juuuuuust slightly, peeking through with one eye.
<DM>	*She shuts it quietly, then turns back to you all.
*	Kirran freezes.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Uhhh.... gimme a moment.
<DM>	*She opens the door just enough to slip through, the door closing behind her.
<DM>	*And then she betrays you all. Oh, didn't consider that angle, did you all?
*	Darte has a brief moment of panic, running back to the quickest cover.
<Corsava>	*calmly awaits her, knowing that she won't betray me. I have rapport.*
<DM>	*Kirran, you feel a fishguy on your back.
*	Kirran shoves him back into the game
<Kirran>	(This is my fourth wall, dammit)
*	Hal looks around for possible cover.
<Darte>	 /sad
<DM>	*Just then, the door opens back up, Medlora sneaking through it.
<Corsava>	*waves quietly*
<DM>	[Medlora]: Sooooooooo...... Xanas won't budge. He's uhh..... he's sitting on the storage locker chest thingy, and he won't move. He's also looking directly at the door.
<DM>	[Medlora]: I tried convincing him there's this super special awesome new book I had, but he won't move.
*	Kirran slips through the door before it closes.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Hah, can you guys imagine if someone tried to go in the front route, trying to be all sneaky, and then BAM, caught by Xanas immediately! Bwahahahahah, it's a good one!
*	Hal recasts invisibility and slips through.
<DM>	*Kirran, you slip in, and you find Xanas staring at you.
<DM>	[Xanas]: ...
<Kirran>	Hi there.
<DM>	[Xanas]: ... you're kidding, right?
<Kirran>	Nope. You're about the only guy we've met so far that hasn't immediately gone off the rails
<DM>	*He facepalms, sighing. Floating next to him is a large hammer.
<Kirran>	Thought I might try talking to you
<DM>	[Xanas]: I see.
<DM>	*The door opens again, and Medlora waves.
<Kirran>	We kinda got off on the wrong foot.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Oh hi there Xanas, I forgot-
*	Kirran isn't actually moving while talking.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Yes, I noticed. And it seems Medlora is unaware of who you are, because she's an idiot.
<Kirran>	She hasn't actually seen me.
*	Hal might as well stay invisible. He can't speak diplomacy to save his life.
<DM>	*Medlora looks back and forth between Xanas, and to... whatever is causing that voice.
<Kirran>	Just the rest of them
<DM>	[Medlora]: Um. ..... Xanas, are you speaking to yourself? That's some really good ventriloquism!
<DM>	[Xanas]: What? No I'm talking to the..... ........ what's that mask you have on?
<DM>	*He squints at you, Kirran.
<Kirran>	Guess it couldn't last forever.
*	Kirran takes off the mask
<DM>	*Medlora sees Kirran, then completely freaks out
<DM>	[Medlora]: WOOOOOAAAAAAAAH THERE'S A GUY UNDER THAT VOICE, WHAT WHAT WHAT IS THIS WHAT
<DM>	[Medlora]: Hey, you guys gotta teach me that invisibility thingy sometime! That sounds really useful against Interlopers.
*	Hal looks around the room.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Interesting... mask. Weird, I thought we got rid of all the Artifacts you were carrying. Where did that one..... nevermind.
<DM>	*You look around the room, seeing an array of Gravity Slings and Abyss Rings and other gear you don't recognize hanging on the walls, locked behind spectral chains.
<Corsava>	*casts invisibility and walks into the room*
<DM>	[Xanas]: So, tell me. Who aided your escape?
<DM>	[Xanas]: I know the Communication Stones have been tampered with.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Wait. Escape? ...... waaaaaaaaait a minuuuuuute, are these..... YOU'RE THE LIGHTWORLDERS!
<Kirran>	Don't know. Never told us.
<DM>	*She suddenly glares at you guys. Well, those that are visible and in the - yeah that's just Kirran. Darte's still in the previous hallway.
<Kirran>	But I also wouldn't underestimate the lizard that was with us. Wherever he goes, things get...odd.
*	Darte is happy to stay out here for the moment until he hears things get dicy.
<Corsava>	*slips over to somewhat near Xanas*
<Kirran>	And before you ask, no, I have no idea where he is, but he isn't here.
<Kirran>	He fell through a portal or something.
<Darte>	...
<Darte>	...
*	Darte whispers faintly, "Fish."
<DM>	*Xanas taps his Sol Mask lightly. Two Sols appear from it, hovering over his head. Corsava, you're just out of range from your invisibility dissipating in its wake.
<Corsava>	*closes her eyes. If I do this...they'll know me as an enemy...is it worth that?*
<Corsava>	*sneaks around him, towards the area behind him*
<DM>	[Xanas]: Yes, I recall one of my guards telling me that small fellow went through a portal before it materialized. Idiot.
<DM>	*Corsava, roll either Courage or Wisdom.
*	Hal casts an Illusion Break, suspicious over Corsava's words
<DM>	*Hal, you cast Illusion Break at..... nothing.
<DM>	*Holy disco navi, 35 off a 24?!
<DM>	*Annnd he gets a 23 off a 35.
<DM>	*You sneak around him successfully! Though, your invisibility has worn off in close proximity to the Sols.
<Corsava>	*places her hand on the mask in her pack*
<DM>	[Xanas]: Can you tell me anything about the one that helped you?
<Kirran>	Trust me, that's less than going to stop him. But uh, please be patient. He's about as stable as Maldora appears to be.
<Kirran>	I can't, no.
*	Hal looks around the room, to see Corsava reaching into her pack to grab something
<DM>	[Xanas]: So you know that someone helped you, but you have no idea who it was, and you can't even tell me a single detail about him?
<Kirran>	Like I said, didn't say much. In fact, really wasn't all the helpful at all aside from telling us where our stuff was.
<DM>	'/me does a barrel roll
*	Corsava seems remarkably conflicted and removes her hand from her pack
*	Hal stares intently at Corsava, waiting for her next move.
*	Corsava reaches back in, then puts her hand back out again, she repeats this process several times
<DM>	[Xanas]: Is that so. Alright. Then, what are your intentions being here in the Twilight Realm?
<Kirran>	To get out of here.
<DM>	[Xanas]: ...
<DM>	*He looks towards Medlora.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Have they mentioned anything about leaving?
<Kirran>	We didn't come here of our own will. We got spit here while fighting what we know as an Interloper and a gaggle of really, evil folks that used to be the ancestors of my tribe.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Wh-wh-what? You.... you want to leave?! No, I..... I rarely get visitors in the library, even if it's you DARN LIGHTWORLDERS!
<Kirran>	They're bent on destroying our world, and have already made major steps to doing so.
<DM>	[Xanas]: I see. Well, the only way out is the Twilight Mirror.... except that it's broken.
<Kirran>	Who broke it?
<DM>	[Xanas]: It's been broken ever since you..... no, those of your world with the Spirits of Light, tried to blow up our realm.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Wait, it wasn't these guys?
<DM>	[Xanas]: No Medlora, it wasn't them. Though, keep your guard up for now.
<DM>	*She salutes Xanas.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Aye aye, cap'n!
<DM>	[Xanas]: It broke into three pieces... well, four if you count that fragment we found on the small one.
<DM>	[Xanas]: We have one of them. The other two, we had, but... until we started using Sols in the rebuilt Palace, the Interlopers manage to steal the other two.
<DM>	[Xanas]: I suppose... if you were to somehow retrieve them...
<Corsava>	"You would allow us to go free, if we were to reunite the pieces of the mirror?
<DM>	[Xanas]: Yes, I'll-
<DM>	*He suddenly shakes, then instinctively, his floating hammer rotates around him.
<DM>	*Uhh, you might want to dodge...
<Corsava>	*ducks down*
*	Hal ducks away from the hammer, hopefully staying out of range.
<DM>	*You dodge it at first, but then it swings down at the spot behind him.
*	Kirran facepalms.
<DM>	*Roll... oh boy, that's a power roll.
<Kirran>	Why do I even try to be a diplomat.
<DM>	*Corsava, you feel a hammer strike you, with force that should crush you, but it stops upon contact. It's enough to knock you down.
<DM>	[Xanas]: ....
<Kirran>	Xanas, I am so, so sorry.
<Kirran>	These guys don't answer to me.
<Corsava>	"Hey, I had plenty of chance to kill you, you just had a chance to kill me. Far as I'm considered, we're square."
<DM>	[Xanas]: ... Indeed.
<Kirran>	I can't speak for them, but I'm more than willing to help you put the mirror right.
<Corsava>	*reaches a hand up for him to help me like a gentleman*
<Hal>	I am, too, willing to help put the mirror together.
<DM>	[Xanas]: I'll cut a deal with you. I doubt Queen Midna will allow you roam the palace even with your promise, so... I'll grant you your Artifacts, and then portal you out to the Ruins. It'll be a spot that Interlopers are known to dodge, though we're not sure why. I'll order our Twili to avoid that area.
<Hal>	I will accept this deal.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Retrieve either of the Mirror Fragments, then return to the Palace. It'll be north of wherever you are.
<Corsava>	When we return successful, do you think it would be possible to have an audience with Queen Midna? I have something she may wish to hear."
<DM>	[Xanas]: With any luck, and with a good word, Midna might not order me to arrest you on sight.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Tell what it is.
<DM>	[Medlora]: W-w-what? But... these people... they gave me company! This furry one even stuck his foot in his mouth for me! They gave my library a new name! We shouldn't just throw them out there to the shadows of devilry out there!
<Corsava>	"I can only speak of it to her. Normally I wouldn't be so uptight but...I did swear an oath that I'd not tell another soul on pain of death."
<DM>	[Xanas]: Fine.
<Kirran>	I have a question for you, if you don't mind. Well, two I guess. Why did you guys react so violently to us when we said we're not fans of the Interlopers, even though you hate them as well?
<DM>	[Xanas]: Against my better judgment, I'm also handing you a sack of Sols. I can only spare three right now. They should help you against the Interlopers.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Sorry, not my orders, Queen Midna's. Plus most of the Twili Guard generally just agrees with whatever Midna says, so they all hate you indiscriminately.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Blame the Spirits of Light for agreeing with their warriors for blowing up the Twilight Realm and killing her father. Well, except for one of them...
<Corsava>	*shrugs* Yeah, I'm used to being viewed with indiscriminant suspicion by people I'm trying to help. *glares at Hal*
<Kirran>	So it wouldn't have mattered what we said? Good to know. Sorry all the same for the havoc we caused.
*	Hal earperks, listening intently on what Xanas has to say now
<Hal>	(Which spirit?)
<DM>	[Xanas]: Well, there is one thing you could have said, but couldn't have known...
<DM>	(annnnnd he bounces past that subject)
*	Kirran looks quizzical.
<Corsava>	"That being?"
<DM>	[Xanas]: While you're out there, if you happen to find a Twili betrayer named Zant... I don't recommend confronting him, but if you can tell us where in the Ruins he's hiding... that would go a long way to gaining Queen Midna's trust.
<Corsava>	"We shall double our efforts."
<Kirran>	What's his deal? Did he aid the Interlopers?
<Kirran>	Trying to get a sense of the bigger picture here.
*	Hal racks his brain to find any memory of the word "Zant"
<DM>	[Xanas]: No, not exactly. He's...
<DM>	*He sighs.
<Hal>	(brb)
<DM>	[Xanas]: He stole half of the Fused Shadow, a mask that's supposed to belong to Midna, or more accurately, belonged to her father.
*	Corsava eyes widen
<Kirran>	That sounds likes it's up there in terms of bad things happening.
<Corsava>	"Wait...and...the Fused Shadow mask...is one half- If they were brought together-
<DM>	[Xanas]: He believed that the throne should've belonged to him, but the village council ended up giving Midna the throne. We tried to imprison him after his antics got too haywire, but somehow, he escaped. It was years back, but we know he's still out there.
*	Corsava seems somewhat disturbed and mutters something to herself angrily*
<Kirran>	We'll keep our ears out for information.
<DM>	[Xanas]: If they were properly brought back together, we wouldn't have to rely on the power of Sols to push the Interlopers back, and instead could properly harness our birthright, as true masters of the shadows.
*	Kirran is very, very slightly affronted by this.
<DM>	[Xanas]: We could finally push the Interlopers back and finally gain an edge in our conflict.
<Kirran>	If it prevents them from gaining an edge here or in our world, that's a quest I'm willing to undertake.
<DM>	*He tosses you a nearby bag. It's... kind of blinding to look into it.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Agreed. We don't need the Goddesses forcing their way in here a second time. Though, I do wonder why they haven't already to get the Spirits of Light back... anywho.
<DM>	*He finally stands up, moving to the side. The chest unlocks and opens, revealing a treasure trove of complete and total annihilation- it's your Artifacts.
<Kirran>	Xanas, I hate to ask, but why trust us? You seem to know something more than anyone else doe around here about our world and yours.
*	Kirran gathers up his artifacts while asking this.
*	Corsava gathers her things carefully
<DM>	[Xanas]: Because, quite frankly... we're starting to lose against the Interlopers. Sols.... we're not sure how much longer they'll be effective.
*	Hal reacquires his artifacts; placing them back into his pack.
<Corsava>	"He's trusting us because it means he doesn't have to risk his own men, and they've not been successful in our task."
<DM>	[Xanas]: We really need all the help we can get. I was never fond of Zant, but.... it would be nice if he would aid us. Doubt it though.
<Kirran>	Do you have any idea why they're gaining in power?
<Kirran>	We've already had a taste of what they can do and it was all we could muster to push back slightly
<DM>	[Xanas]: If I had to guess, whatever they're doing in your world is helping them here.
<Kirran>	Against just one, albeit aided by Sheikah.
<DM>	*Darte, you smell something. Really delicious. It's coming from the Armory.
*	Kirran mutters an old Sheikah curse.
<DM>	*Xanas has a slight reaction to that.
<DM>	[Xanas]: How do you know that curse?
*	Darte is stalwartly out here.  His pals will bring his goodies to him, he's sure.  The element of surprise is prime.
*	Kirran looks up surprised.
<Kirran>	It's an old doggrel of language from an era long past. Why?
*	Hal racks his mind, the fox unsure wherever to mention something about the interlopers he encountered.
<DM>	[Xanas]: That's.... a Twili curse.
<Kirran>	0_0
<Corsava>	Dun Dun DUUUUUN!
*	Kirran ponders this heavily.
<DM>	[Medlora]: Ooh, I know this one! So, through the part of the mirror we have, I'm able to look down into the light realm, just a bit. They got their own Communication Stones! But, they got this weird different symbol on them like uhhh.
<DM>	*She points at Kirran.
<DM>	[Medlora]: L-like that one! Yeah! And I think they're called... Gossip Stones down there? That's just...... well, with all the gossip that's been going over the stones recently, hah, that's a good fit, ahahahahah!
<Kirran>	Seems there are deeper connections between our people than I could have known.
*	Hal ponders heavily, thoughts racing through his head regarding the Fairy fountains and the Old Shiekah.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Indeed.
<DM>	*He taps his Abyss Rings, and a portal starts to open.
<Kirran>	When we're less pressed for time, I think there's a lot we could share with each other.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Indeed. Now, try not to get ambushed by any Interlopers out there.
<Hal>	We will try.
<Corsava>	We'll do our best
*	Hal waits for the portal to open fully
*	Darte darts in. "Oi, wait up!"
*	Kirran offers a salute.
<DM>	*Darte, the smell of your delicious artifacts reaches out to you.
*	Hal too offers a salute
<DM>	*Medlora bumps into Darte, tripping him into his artifacts.
<DM>	[Xanas]: ... why are you holding your hands up like that?
<DM>	*The portal finishes opening.
*	Darte makes this a grab and go and dives into the forming portal with the artifacts.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Whatever. Good luck.
<Kirran>	It's a light world sign of respect.
<DM>	*Darte, were you a second sooner, you would've ended up like Dex. What did we tell you about jumping into forming portals?
<DM>	[Xanas]: I see. Uhh...
*	Hal waits for the portal to open fully.
<Darte>	"Rejuvenates your skin...?"
<DM>	*He holds his hand up likewise, though a little awkwardly.
*	Kirran smiles, turns, and walks through the portal.
<DM>	*You kindly get sucked in and get knocked out by the force of the portal.
*	Hal follows Kirran into the portal
<DM>	*You all dive in, getting knocked out on the way.
*	Corsava waits to go last through the portal, signaling to Xanas she needs to tell him something important*
*	Hal kicks Darte out of the window
*	Hal has kicked Darte from #zurpg (You were kicked out of the window and landed in Sheldon Cooper's apartment! Now sign the Roommate Agreement.)
<DM>	[Xanas]: Oops, forgot to tell them without Abyss Rings, they'll get knocked out. ... whelp.
<DM>	*He turns to Corsava.
<Kirran>	(Thanks a lot Xanas...)
<DM>	[Xanas]: You going?
*	Corsava leans in and says quietly "Watch what information you say. There are Communication Stones sent from outside the palace."
<DM>	*He squints at you.
*	Corsava winks "Like I said, I have information Midna may like to hear."
<DM>	[Xanas]: ... I see.
*	Corsava looks at the portal. "I don't suppose I could get one of those rings?"
<Corsava>	"...it's knockout central for me, isn't it?"
<DM>	[Xanas]: Nope, wouldn't help you get back here anyways.
<DM>	[Xanas]: Sorry, I don't quite trust you that much. Yet.
<Corsava>	"Yeaaaaah. Nobody ever does."
*	Corsava walks through the portal with my hands on my cheek so I'll land on them like a pillow
<DM>	*You attempt to do so, but as you're knocked out, your hands end up waving every which direction, flailing like a Magikarp.
<DM>	*Nice try though.
<DM>	*Okay, after some time, you wake up on the other side to meet with darkness all around you. Your senses aren't quite back to normal yet...
*	Hal awaits the cursed Loading Screen
<DM>	*It's trying to rise, but something's blocking it.
*	Corsava sighs and rubs her temples
<Darte>	(It's the DM's hubris)
<DM>	(mwahahahahah)
<DM>	*The loading screen finishes..... loading.
<DM>	-=LOADING=-
<DM>	-=LOADING=-
<DM>	-=SESSION END=-
<Kirran>	(What is this, FFXV Windows Edition?)
<DM>	(no, it's worse - Modnation Racers, before any patches. 2 minute loading screens for each race!