I decided that after hearing the screams of rage and explosions that came from upstairs when Sapphira went to her room, that perhaps staying at her place wasn’t the best idea tonight. I said a quick good-bye to the Tiefling and made my way back to the Celestian temple to see if I could find a cot or something with Lenata.

I didn’t want any of those mushroom things creeping up on my when I tried to sleep anyway.

~~

These acolytes of Celestian definitely have a different feel about them than the usual temple dwellers at home.

Home…I have no idea where that even IS anymore.

But anyway… these people seem much more reserved than the priests I know. They don’t dress in the flashy way of the Osiran priests, and they seem to prefer keeping to themselves more than far-reaching political machinations. Then again, I haven’t exactly gone wandering too far around here to find out. Unobtrusive as they may be, they do have a tendency to stick to you like burrs once you pass through their territory. Maybe once this one gets me to Lenata I can find a chance to explore?

Heh… I think the acolyte was just as glad to get away from me as I was from them.

I may have traded one mess of books and papers for another… but at least Lenata isn’t screaming about the many ways she’s going to torture her father. They were rather creative, I grant her… but I’d rather take notes when Sapphira’s not so eager to demonstrate them.

The priest still seems wrapped up in finding this Spelljammer thing, apparently. I don’t know how a flying fish carries a city on its back and travels the stars… but the Gods have made stranger things in their time. Maybe it’s the strangeness of it that keeps them from wanting to talk about it? Lenata claimed it traveled to ports in the stars. I wonder… are there cities like my home where many such ships from all over the sky reside?

As much as I wanted to hear more of her stories of these ports… I couldn’t help but notice that the priest has found yet another shiny wonder… a gold skull she called a… Mimir, I think. What really interested me, though… was how she said it answered questions. Would IT know why our Gods left us, or where they went? Even if she says it hasn’t helped her, I will never know unless I ask it…

Humph. I was truly hoping it could tell me what I wanted to know instead of making me actually consider delving into dusty tomes like the priest. There must be something better to do around here…

… ah yes… I know just the thing.

Lenata was more than eager to show me this strange device she found on the werewolves. Seems to me the Gods like their games of chance too, if they would make a gambling die that can change the rules with a roll. I prefer to create my own escape plans rather than rely on their whims, however. I had to stop her just so I could ask about what I really wanted to see… those shiny noise makers hanging on her belt.

Apparently the priest was getting bored of books too… because it didn’t take nearly as much cajoling as I thought it would to convince her to let me it. I know I promised I’d only look at them while she tried out my bow… I just want to look at these “guns” firing at least once.

Illustration by Syreene

Oh what a joyous noise that was… and what a rush! It kicks like a camel and fires with such speed! I must get myself guns like these. Perhaps if I learn this…poker…I can win some too?

Apparently the noise wasn’t appreciated by the acolytes too much. Seriously…I just think they need to loosen up around here. What happened to worshiping the gods with joy and passion for life? Perhaps the elders teach them to keep it hidden here… because unless my eyes deceived me, some of the younger ones appreciated my efforts.

Speaking of hidden passions, it seems Vedis has finally returned from visiting her sleeping gods. Did we find anything interesting? Oh yes, stony one… I found something quite wonderful!

~~

Darkness is falling in this strange city, and Sapphira and Ef Utan are still absent. I’m not too worried, though… those two actually know their way around this place. I figured it would be our chance to go exploring now… but all they want to do is stick around this stodgy place. I don’t think Lenata is going to let me see her gun again… and I’m not nearly so bored to try my odds with that strange die.

… I guess wine it is, then. Thankfully acolyte Devon has been nice enough to help us with a few bottles and perhaps a map of the city.

~~

Ah-hah… I knew there was some fun hidden in these priests somewhere! Apparently it’s summoned with the right combination of alcohol and feathers applied forcefully about the head and shoulders.

The stony one, however… seemed to require more advanced tickling techniques; little did she know that my father was an expert at it!

From the chuckles at the door, I do believe our erstwhile warrior has returned…

Oh, my aching head. I don’t care what kind of drink Devon brings us, as long as it gets the taste of feathers out of my mouth. Contrary to the priest’s popular belief, Catfolk actually prefer to eat the meat and avoid the feathers.

From the looks of the bags that Devon has brought us, it looks like last night’s festivities have caught up with us. Thankfully the priest has enough guilt for us all to take care of the niceties… because I don’t regret a moment of it.

Well… maybe the third bottle of wine, anyway.

Apparently Ef Utan is ready to take us sight-seeing, and it looks like we’ve got our day free. Bytopia sounds interesting…I don’t know what his obsession with cheese is about, though.

_~

Oh this is rich.

There’s nothing like a lovely day on a new plane full of bustling people that you just happen to tower over like a giant. I will have to watch my tail just to make sure I don’t knock the Gnomes over; probably bad form in their own afterlife.

I would love to go exploring in this place. Gnomes are supposed to be smart, aren’t they? Maybe they’d know something in their libraries?

Then again… we’d probably be like oxen in a pottery shop. Maybe it’d be better to just stay in the park and enjoy the scenery with the others.

Ah… even better, the stony one has surprised me with her ability to sing. I had assumed from her usual dourness that perhaps she’d only sing dirges… but apparently there is a layer underneath that is capable of more than I expected. It is a shame Lenata doesn’t play an instrument…butVedis’ voice will do nicely for a chance to finally dance again.

We managed to make a few pieces of Bytopian silver that Ef Utan says could make a pretty coin in other places. Spoken more like a trader than a bodyguard to me…perhaps there is more to him as well? Perhaps if he stops teasing me about my home, I will be interested in discovering it.

It seems like we’re headed back to Sigil so Lenata can carry out her kitchen duties. She probably blames me for it… but hey, I’m not the one who let me see them. How can she blame me for wanting to try one myself?

~~

When my guide stops short and tells me to hide, he doesn’t need to do it twice. It seems the goddess of Sigil still walks amongst them… and when she does the populace hides in fear. From the looks of what she did to those Flayer creatures when she floated by, it looks like they’ve got good reason.

This Lady of Pain is someone I am sure they all worship from very far away whenever possible.

Back to the temple again for…big surprise, more talking. Why must they always plan… why can’t we just go? Apparently we’ve got to go find others who might know more about this Spelljammer than the acolytes do.

~~

So much for this Gith… for all his cost he hasn’t given us anything more to go on than more hearsay and legends of a Shattered Sphere where The Spelljammer was born.

Lenata believes it’s enough to ask Lyssandra the Gatekeeper about, however. Thanks to Vedis’ friendly guide Kylie, we should be able to get there soon.

~~

By Ammet’s fang I think this tiefling led us through a portal to a plane of Hell… for only it would have lines like this. I was fully prepared to fake a case of fleas of it meant getting some of these people out of the way… but thankfully we just had to leave a message and come back later.

Since we’re staying at the temple again… I wonder if that Mimir thing would know where the oldest library in existence would be. It seems to me that if this Spelljammer is so old… perhaps it would be better to get information about it from a place that might have been around at the time.

Heh… the Library of Thoth… I should’ve known. I wonder what the instructors at the school in Gheldeneth would think of me if I told them that I was going to the actual library of the gods instead of their re-creation at home.

I hope that Sapphira can settle her legal matters quickly with her father so that the real adventure can begin.