Atty, the Meteorologist

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 8]

[x]

Atty, overwhelmed by the mixed company he now found himself in, pondered the parting statements made by the group he had been accompanying through the tower. While not his first time seeing portal techniques in use, it still felt almost supernatural to him.

"Ahem- uh, hello!" The meteorologist gave a small bow to the pair of half-breeds, nervously maintaining eye contact with the shorter goat. "Forgive my intrusion, I was not planning to involve myself with your struggle, but I suppose that is beyond us now."

[foresight-botgd]

Milae put a hoof to his chest, then gestured at the deer half-breed beside them, still clutching the stacks of papers and books to his side with his other arm. His moving sleeves revealed the web of Wyrd scars in his fur to Atty. "Milae. Dario. It seems we will be accompanying you. How much do you know of what is occurring right now?"

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance!" Atty glanced around, noting the sheer state of disrepair much of the city had fallen into not only over the decades, but within the last few hours. It was a sobering sight. "If I'm being honest, not much. I am- was a meteorologist here, but that time has now passed. I was also studying much of what kept the interest of the Grand Illuminar, you know... demons and what-not. I don't imagine it would serve us well at this point."

He realized in this moment that he had not grabbed his suitcase before being pulled through the portal. His heart sank, knowing he may not be able to go back for it.

"I planned on leaving here, but I see now that option may no longer be on the table."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 8]

[x]

Atty, overwhelmed by the mixed company he now found himself in, pondered the parting statements made by the group he had been accompanying through the tower. While not his first time seeing portal techniques in use, it still felt almost supernatural to him.

"Ahem- uh, hello!" The meteorologist gave a small bow to the pair of half-breeds, nervously maintaining eye contact with the shorter goat. "Forgive my intrusion, I was not planning to involve myself with your struggle, but I suppose that is beyond us now."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 6]

[x]

"A-Aster... it's Aster..."

He mumbled under his breath before motioning for Brandt to follow. The next floor was fairly unremarkable, with a similar layout to the observatory below - rather than research devices and papers, there were clearly decaying sections of floor, signifying that this portion of the tower had not been occupied in a significant amount of time. Not much time or consideration was given to this area, as they quickly progressed to their final stop.

"Here you have it." Atty took a few steps into what once was a far more regal display of wealth and elegance, now showing clear signs of wear and unkemptness. "Forgive the mess, I've spent much of my time here when I'm not researching. Tons of great stuff to read in here!"

The group could easily identify books strewn across various surfaces; some open, some collecting hefty amounts of dust on their covers. The ones that were open displayed seemingly endless notes on demon research, with some of the pages torn out entirely and collected together in piles.

Beyond literature, the most captivating sight in the room were the miniature Construct-like prototypes that were in various states of completion. The largest one was nestled in the corner, propped up against a large bookshelf.

"I have had quite a bit of time to read and learn about all sorts of topics... but I really did take an interest in these specifically." Atty walked over to the prototype, running a hand along it. "It's not anything fancy, but I hope I can make it work someday. Most of these were already here after the Grand Illuminar... departed. I've made every effort to try and replicate what was already done."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 5]

[x]

It took Atty longer to realize what they were referring to; given his frequency in coming into contact with the contents of this floor, he had grown used to the sensation and could easily disregard it.

“You get used to it!” His voice was surprisingly cheery in contrast to the sounds of war in the distance. “I felt that for a few weeks when I was here; I suspect it’s some sort of magick energy, but that is not my specialty by any means. Someone with more knowledge on the subject would be better suited to inspect it.”

[hubwalker1]

“But it is not dangerous?” She asks.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

“Could be?” Atty shrugs. “Again, I’m a meteorologist. Not my field of study.”

Atty unclamped his portion of rope, hoping the action would sway the rest of the party to do the same.

[hubwalker1]

Lila nods and unclamps the rest of them as they continues up.

[central-is-growing]

The ascent continued normally until they were high enough to see out of the hole and across the western half of the city. Lila was suddenly blinded by an afternoon golden hour, her ears rocked with the sounds of waves of pure force rolling outwards and crashing through the interior of the tower’s walls. She felt a massive tug in her gut like she had missed a step going downwards, and sputtered voices broke through the noises of pure chaos. Kezia’s, and another unknown female.

“You impetous beast–you dare–”

“–what are you–doing to me!? Stop!!”

“Show me who–orchestrated this–show me!!”

“STOP!! AAAHH–”

It felt like a crowbar was prying the top of Lila’s very head off. The very air slowly began tearing itself apart, as though two enormous hands had gripped it and began to roughly twist. Along with the sound came the jingling of chains, too numerous to count, rattling and stretching to dangerous tensions.

“I can see…I can see you–I can see all of you!! WHO ARE YOU–”

“LET ME GO–BITCH!!”

“SHOW ME–”

The sunlight brightened until it was unfathomably white. No sensation, no feeling, no smell, no taste. Everything went silent, broken by a single new voice.

“Seems like your time is up, darling. Some things just weren’t meant to last, were they? Come along…Eir.”

Preceded by a bassy whump, the explosion tore open the wall before them, Kezia’s agonized scream deafening Lila, and it took a moment of reorientation before she realized that the vision had faded, and she was standing back in the moonlight, the others standing in concern around her while also trying to keep the lift steady.

[hubwalker1]

Lila was breathing heavily, down on her knees as the pain began to ebb away, her sword had clattered to the floor of the carriage next to her with her forehead pressed to space next to it. It took her a second to shakily get to her feet and grab her sword. “Wh-what was that? Did anyone else see that?”

[lbigreyhound13]

Grey and Brandt watched as Lila suddenly doubled over and fell to her knees. They both felt concern for her niece, and Grey quickly clamped her portion of the rope while Brandt held onto his and knelt down in front of Lila. “See what? What happened?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

[hubwalker1]

“I-I don’t… I don’t know… Let’s… Let’s talk about it when we get in there.” She says as she continues to pull on her rope with the others.

[lbigreyhound13]

Grey nodded before going back to pull on her portion of the rope. She couldn’t help but feel a nagging feeling in her gut that something was wrong.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Atty had watched the scene unfold before him; not knowing the true intentions of this group, he hesitated to offer any assistance out of fear that they would misinterpret his involvement. He continued to pull at the rope, occasionally glancing at the affected woman in his peripheral vision. Given the circumstances, he elected to halt their lift at the 13th floor, where his observatory was located. The room they were particularly interested in would be just two floors above that; easily accessible now by stairs.

“Right, so this is where I do the aforementioned research.” Atty had already began speaking before the tour group had fully stepped off of the lift. “Many of these instruments have been here for as long as the tower itself has… really is a shame.”

[hubwalker1]

“Mhm.” She says disinterestedly looking around for some stairs.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"O-oh. Well..." Atty turned to the rest of the party, hopeful to keep at least some of his audience. "Much of what we know of weather patterns in this region is housed here."

Seeing Lila's inattentiveness, he sighed in resignation.

"It's two floors up, stairs are over by the map rack right there."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 5]

[x]

It took Atty longer to realize what they were referring to; given his frequency in coming into contact with the contents of this floor, he had grown used to the sensation and could easily disregard it.

“You get used to it!” His voice was surprisingly cheery in contrast to the sounds of war in the distance. “I felt that for a few weeks when I was here; I suspect it’s some sort of magick energy, but that is not my specialty by any means. Someone with more knowledge on the subject would be better suited to inspect it.”

[hubwalker1]

“But it is not dangerous?” She asks.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

“Could be?” Atty shrugs. “Again, I’m a meteorologist. Not my field of study.”

Atty unclamped his portion of rope, hoping the action would sway the rest of the party to do the same.

[hubwalker1]

Lila nods and unclamps the rest of them as they continues up.

[central-is-growing]

The ascent continued normally until they were high enough to see out of the hole and across the western half of the city. Lila was suddenly blinded by an afternoon golden hour, her ears rocked with the sounds of waves of pure force rolling outwards and crashing through the interior of the tower’s walls. She felt a massive tug in her gut like she had missed a step going downwards, and sputtered voices broke through the noises of pure chaos. Kezia’s, and another unknown female.

“You impetous beast–you dare–”

“–what are you–doing to me!? Stop!!”

“Show me who–orchestrated this–show me!!”

“STOP!! AAAHH–”

It felt like a crowbar was prying the top of Lila’s very head off. The very air slowly began tearing itself apart, as though two enormous hands had gripped it and began to roughly twist. Along with the sound came the jingling of chains, too numerous to count, rattling and stretching to dangerous tensions.

“I can see…I can see you–I can see all of you!! WHO ARE YOU–”

“LET ME GO–BITCH!!”

“SHOW ME–”

The sunlight brightened until it was unfathomably white. No sensation, no feeling, no smell, no taste. Everything went silent, broken by a single new voice.

“Seems like your time is up, darling. Some things just weren’t meant to last, were they? Come along…Eir.”

Preceded by a bassy whump, the explosion tore open the wall before them, Kezia’s agonized scream deafening Lila, and it took a moment of reorientation before she realized that the vision had faded, and she was standing back in the moonlight, the others standing in concern around her while also trying to keep the lift steady.

[hubwalker1]

Lila was breathing heavily, down on her knees as the pain began to ebb away, her sword had clattered to the floor of the carriage next to her with her forehead pressed to space next to it. It took her a second to shakily get to her feet and grab her sword. “Wh-what was that? Did anyone else see that?”

[lbigreyhound13]

Grey and Brandt watched as Lila suddenly doubled over and fell to her knees. They both felt concern for her niece, and Grey quickly clamped her portion of the rope while Brandt held onto his and knelt down in front of Lila. “See what? What happened?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

[hubwalker1]

“I-I don’t… I don’t know… Let’s… Let’s talk about it when we get in there.” She says as she continues to pull on her rope with the others.

[lbigreyhound13]

Grey nodded before going back to pull on her portion of the rope. She couldn’t help but feel a nagging feeling in her gut that something was wrong.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Atty had watched the scene unfold before him; not knowing the true intentions of this group, he hesitated to offer any assistance out of fear that they would misinterpret his involvement. He continued to pull at the rope, occasionally glancing at the affected woman in his peripheral vision. Given the circumstances, he elected to halt their lift at the 13th floor, where his observatory was located. The room they were particularly interested in would be just two floors above that; easily accessible now by stairs.

"Right, so this is where I do the aforementioned research." Atty had already began speaking before the tour group had fully stepped off of the lift. "Many of these instruments have been here for as long as the tower itself has... really is a shame."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 5]

[x]

It took Atty longer to realize what they were referring to; given his frequency in coming into contact with the contents of this floor, he had grown used to the sensation and could easily disregard it.

"You get used to it!" His voice was surprisingly cheery in contrast to the sounds of war in the distance. "I felt that for a few weeks when I was here; I suspect it's some sort of magick energy, but that is not my specialty by any means. Someone with more knowledge on the subject would be better suited to inspect it."

[hubwalker1]

"But it is not dangerous?" She asks.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"Could be?" Atty shrugs. "Again, I'm a meteorologist. Not my field of study."

Atty unclamped his portion of rope, hoping the action would sway the rest of the party to do the same.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 5]

[x]

It took Atty longer to realize what they were referring to; given his frequency in coming into contact with the contents of this floor, he had grown used to the sensation and could easily disregard it.

"You get used to it!" His voice was surprisingly cheery in contrast to the sounds of war in the distance. "I felt that for a few weeks when I was here; I suspect it's some sort of magick energy, but that is not my specialty by any means. Someone with more knowledge on the subject would be better suited to inspect it."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 4]

[x]

"That I can help you with!" Atty motioned for the group to follow him as he slid out the door, exiting Kezia's tower. "I was up there earlier today, so the lift should be ready to go already!"

Not too far from the entrance, he pulled at a massive sheet that was clearly covering a large rope pulley system. At its base, a decently assembled wooden box sat vacant.

"This system utilizes tension already built into the rope, as well as notches carved into the tower's outer wall, to pull us up to the higher floors. The stairs have been compromised for a long time, so I had to make this myself. Once we get up there, we just have to loosen the tension so we can get back down."

[hubwalker1]

She blinked as she watched him pull off the sheet and stared up at the top of the tower. She was impressed to say the least, one thing bugged her though.

"Why was that under a sheet of you just used it?" She asked, not out of distrust but more out of confusion.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"...earlier today." The remark from Atty was made more out of exhaustion than frustration. "Not sure if you noticed, but there have been a lot of explosions today. Thought protecting it was a good idea."

[hubwalker1]

"...With a sheet." She said incredulously.

[lbigreyhound13]

Brandt coughed trying to cover a snicker. “I’m afraid you would need more than just a sheet, sir,” he said with a small smile.

Grey didn’t say anything as she stepped forward to get a closer look at the young man’s invention. Shadow followed her sniffing around curiously. So far during this battle, she had found herself become more and more fascinated by the inventions and technology High Central utilized their city. It was such a shame it came from a place that was filled with such hate and evil for others. As much as she loved her island, it was clear that Haligan Island and even other parts of Aidorin would take quite a while to catch up. In a way, she wondered if it was because Haligan Island had such limited access to the mainland after Chief Hroar led them to the island. She prayed that one day they could utilize the technology the way High Central did without the hatred they had.

“I have to say…” she said turning to Atty, “this is very impressive. I can only imagine how long it took to make.”

Shadow sniffed around the entrance trying to see if she could fit into this contraption.

[hubwalker1]

"I think he just wanted to show off to whomever happened to come by." She says as she steps into the carriage.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

With a slightly bruised ego, Atty stepped into carriage alongside the crew holding him hostage. He gave a very brief rundown on how to operate each individual rope and harness system before demonstrating the motions needed to lift them. It wouldn't be long before they had ascended roughly halfway up the length of the tower.

[lbigreyhound13]

Shadow attempted to step onto the carriage. However, it was very quick to see that she was not going to be able to fit on with the rest of the group. Both Grey and Brandt cringed as they watched Shadow slowly come back out and croon sadly.

“Aw, I’m sorry, girl,” Grey said taking Shadow’s face into her hands. “It’s a bit too big for you.” She looked up at the tower trying to figure out how to remedy this situation so that Shadow wouldn’t feel left out. Then she had an idea. “Why don’t you climb up to the top and meet us there? You can keep an eye out in case someone gets funny ideas.”

Shadow perked and chortled in agreement. She nuzzled Grey’s cheek and quickly bounded up the tower while Grey and Brandt boarded the carriage.

[central-is-growing]

Though it made many noises that implied otherwise, the makeshift lift was sturdy and thoughtfully made, and it began to ascend through the floors, passing leaps and bounds of staircases that they saw were in disrepair, one especially a little over halfway up the ascent. As they drew closer, it was clear that a massive detonation had occurred from the inside. Over ten feet in diameter, its mouth was jagged with shattered mortar and rebar, and scarlet moonlight poured through like a spotlight, along with a strong, stiff wind.

Lila's ears twitched as a memory came to mind. Between the reports of scouts, as well as Darien's research and Milae's first-hand accounts of countless timelines, she recognized the spot. This was where Kezia had supposedly been assassinated twelve years ago. Its height ensured that most of the city had witnessed the force that had blown the wall apart. With every foot they drew near, everyone present began to feel a slight hum that reverberated in the base of their skulls and deep within their lungs, and heard the faintest sound of a tightly coiled wire as though it were being tapped with a mallet.

[hubwalker1]

"Stop the machine. Now." She demands, unsure how it works otherwise she'd do it herself. "Do you all feel that?"

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Atty couldn't place if the woman's sudden outburst was related to the safety of the lift, or to something else entirely. He instructed the group to fasten their ropes with the chained clamp at each of their feet.

"I can assure you, this pully is perfectly safe. This is how it always sounds." His gaze was pulled towards the hole; a sight he had seen many times at this point. "I'm afraid I'm not sure what you're talking about."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 4]

[x]

"That I can help you with!" Atty motioned for the group to follow him as he slid out the door, exiting Kezia's tower. "I was up there earlier today, so the lift should be ready to go already!"

Not too far from the entrance, he pulled at a massive sheet that was clearly covering a large rope pulley system. At its base, a decently assembled wooden box sat vacant.

"This system utilizes tension already built into the rope, as well as notches carved into the tower's outer wall, to pull us up to the higher floors. The stairs have been compromised for a long time, so I had to make this myself. Once we get up there, we just have to loosen the tension so we can get back down."

[hubwalker1]

She blinked as she watched him pull off the sheet and stared up at the top of the tower. She was impressed to say the least, one thing bugged her though.

"Why was that under a sheet of you just used it?" She asked, not out of distrust but more out of confusion.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"...earlier today." The remark from Atty was made more out of exhaustion than frustration. "Not sure if you noticed, but there have been a lot of explosions today. Thought protecting it was a good idea."

[hubwalker1]

"...With a sheet." She said incredulously.

[lbigreyhound13]

Brandt coughed trying to cover a snicker. “I’m afraid you would need more than just a sheet, sir,” he said with a small smile.

Grey didn’t say anything as she stepped forward to get a closer look at the young man’s invention. Shadow followed her sniffing around curiously. So far during this battle, she had found herself become more and more fascinated by the inventions and technology High Central utilized their city. It was such a shame it came from a place that was filled with such hate and evil for others. As much as she loved her island, it was clear that Haligan Island and even other parts of Aidorin would take quite a while to catch up. In a way, she wondered if it was because Haligan Island had such limited access to the mainland after Chief Hroar led them to the island. She prayed that one day they could utilize the technology the way High Central did without the hatred they had.

“I have to say…” she said turning to Atty, “this is very impressive. I can only imagine how long it took to make.”

Shadow sniffed around the entrance trying to see if she could fit into this contraption.

[hubwalker1]

"I think he just wanted to show off to whomever happened to come by." She says as she steps into the carriage.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

With a slightly bruised ego, Atty stepped into carriage alongside the crew holding him hostage. He gave a very brief rundown on how to operate each individual rope and harness system before demonstrating the motions needed to lift them. It wouldn't be long before they had ascended roughly halfway up the length of the tower.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 4]

[x]

"That I can help you with!" Atty motioned for the group to follow him as he slid out the door, exiting Kezia's tower. "I was up there earlier today, so the lift should be ready to go already!"

Not too far from the entrance, he pulled at a massive sheet that was clearly covering a large rope pulley system. At its base, a decently assembled wooden box sat vacant.

"This system utilizes tension already built into the rope, as well as notches carved into the tower's outer wall, to pull us up to the higher floors. The stairs have been compromised for a long time, so I had to make this myself. Once we get up there, we just have to loosen the tension so we can get back down."

[hubwalker1]

She blinked as she watched him pull off the sheet and stared up at the top of the tower. She was impressed to say the least, one thing bugged her though.

"Why was that under a sheet of you just used it?" She asked, not out of distrust but more out of confusion.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"...earlier today." The remark from Atty was made more out of exhaustion than frustration. "Not sure if you noticed, but there have been a lot of explosions today. Thought protecting it was a good idea."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 4]

[x]

"That I can help you with!" Atty motioned for the group to follow him as he slid out the door, exiting Kezia's tower. "I was up there earlier today, so the lift should be ready to go already!"

Not too far from the entrance, he pulled at a massive sheet that was clearly covering a large rope pulley system. At its base, a decently assembled wooden box sat vacant.

"This system utilizes tension already built into the rope, as well as notches carved into the tower's outer wall, to pull us up to the higher floors. The stairs have been compromised for a long time, so I had to make this myself. Once we get up there, we just have to loosen the tension so we can get back down."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 3]

[x]

Atty removed the deep burgundy coat that had begun to weigh him down, as the additional time spent in the tower hadn't been accounted for. He pulled up the sleeves of a beige tunic that was visibly too large for him as he looked back to the woman questioning him.

"Oh! Nothing of relevance, if I'm being honest. I do not usually spend much time down here if I can help it. Various belongings of the Grand Illuminar and those who served her over the years can be found strewn throughout this place." He adjusted his thick-lensed frames on his face, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Please forgive me, I do not believe I caught your names."

[hubwalker1]

"There can be time for introductions later." She says as she pokes her head into the room.

[lbigreyhound13]

“What’s in there?” Brandt asked while being careful not to use any names to tip off Atty.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

The Rebellion guests were slow to enter the room; Atty quickly squeezed by them, traveling to the opposite end of a dimly lit expanse that appeared to have once served as a compact ballroom for smaller gatherings at the behest of the Grand Illuminar. Despite its lack of upkeep in recent times, it was not difficult to see that no expense had been spared in its creation.

"See? No traps!" The man's voice was lighter as he shuffled through papers scattered across a table. "If anyone would have inadvertently found them, I can assure you that it would have been me."

The man pulled the pile of papers together, aligning them with a few taps against the wood table before walking them back over to the large doors at the entrance.

"Do you wish to see my research facility? It is quite a ways up from here, but if you insist on exploration, I do not mind being your guide."

[hubwalker1]

Lila walks around the room, examining it thoroughly. "Stay by the door." She says as she inspected the space for anything hidden.

[lbigreyhound13]

Grey and Brandt both nodded as they watched her walk around the room inside making sure to stand between Atty and the door.

“Be careful,” Grey said.

Both the Chief and her husband watched Atty making sure that he didn’t try anything to stop them from investigating. Shadow meanwhile sniffed around the room outside trying to find something that could potentially be a trap, which Grey was thankful for.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Lila left no proverbial stone unturned - Atty watched from a distance, while also cautiously observing the movements of the Night Fury sniffing along stairs.

"Ahem, if I may..." Atty's voice was nervously louder in an effort to help it carry to Lila as she searched. "...the statistical probability that traps would both not have been triggered by me accidentally and not have decayed into disrepair is minuscule at best. If there is something you seek, I certainly believe I can assist."

His eyes caught the massive doors down a ways from the group before returning to his suitcase, still propped up against the wall next to the entrance to the ballroom.

"If nothing is needed from me, I do not wish to stay here longer than is required, and I would advise the same for your group. I fear the worst is yet to come."

[hubwalker1]

She returns to Atty and holds out her hand, looking at him expectantly for the papers he had just collected.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

It took Atty an uncomfortable amount of time to understand the cue, but once it clicked, he hurriedly dropped the meager stack of papers into the woman's hands.

"T-these are schematics!" His hands trembled as he shoved them into his pockets. "My mentor and I... w-we worked on these for many years together. When he... he died, I made a promise to myself to see it through."

The man wasn't lying. Combing through the pages, Lila could see rough sketches of large tower-like structures, capped with blades and gears in a complex apparatus. Technical jargon filled the margins in two different sets of handwriting; the more proficient writing was faded and clearly more thought out, while the less refined scrawls seemed to be fairly fresh by comparison.

The final page held a letter - from a glance, the first thing to catch the eye of an observer would have been the signature of its author in large strokes at the bottom: Julius Gudrun. The letter was affectionately addressed to a protégé, Aster Winquist.

"He was sick... for a long time. I moved into this tower to help him initially, but found myself learning from him. When he passed, I didn't have the heart to leave this place."

[hubwalker1]

"What is this for?" She asks. "It's a machine of some kind but what does it do?"

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"Oh, yes!" His eyes lit up at the question, and the shaking in his voice began to subside. "This is all theoretical, with much more research to be done before we- I mean, before I can reasonably conclude that the science is sound, but it is an early mockup of what we hope is a device that can harness the power of wind to automate certain functions at a larger scale."

Atty carefully stepped closer to Lila, pointing at one of the diagrams on the page she was presently looking at.

"I haven't been able to solve the issue of weight distribution with machinery of this size. This is why I planned to take these with me. I want to continue this work, no matter where I end up from here."

[hubwalker1]

"My sister made a device like this. Mills our wheat." She hands him the papers back. "You're coming with us for a bit. Until we find what we're looking for or until we don't." She says as she begins heading towards the door he was eyeing earlier.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Atty rushed ahead, walking backwards just in front of Lila as to not stop her forward progress out of fear of her attacking him.

"You're leaving? Already? Did you want to see my research facility?" He turned on his feet, now walking next to her. Lila's pace was faster than his usual. "It is absolutely fine if not, but you still haven't told me what it is you are looking for."

[hubwalker1]

"anything... everything." She replied with a sigh considering just how much to tell this stranger. "We're looking for anything that the grand illuminar would have touched, or used, or written down. Anything that might give us a hint of what her plans are."

[lbigreyhound13]

“Can you think of anything that could help us figure that out?” Grey asked.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"Anything and everything is certainly... specific." Atty cocked his head slightly to the side in confusion. "I know this tower well, so if there is any way that you can narrow that down even just a bit, I am sure I can be of service!"

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 3]

[x]

Atty removed the deep burgundy coat that had begun to weigh him down, as the additional time spent in the tower hadn't been accounted for. He pulled up the sleeves of a beige tunic that was visibly too large for him as he looked back to the woman questioning him.

"Oh! Nothing of relevance, if I'm being honest. I do not usually spend much time down here if I can help it. Various belongings of the Grand Illuminar and those who served her over the years can be found strewn throughout this place." He adjusted his thick-lensed frames on his face, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Please forgive me, I do not believe I caught your names."

[hubwalker1]

"There can be time for introductions later." She says as she pokes her head into the room.

[lbigreyhound13]

“What’s in there?” Brandt asked while being careful not to use any names to tip off Atty.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

The Rebellion guests were slow to enter the room; Atty quickly squeezed by them, traveling to the opposite end of a dimly lit expanse that appeared to have once served as a compact ballroom for smaller gatherings at the behest of the Grand Illuminar. Despite its lack of upkeep in recent times, it was not difficult to see that no expense had been spared in its creation.

"See? No traps!" The man's voice was lighter as he shuffled through papers scattered across a table. "If anyone would have inadvertently found them, I can assure you that it would have been me."

The man pulled the pile of papers together, aligning them with a few taps against the wood table before walking them back over to the large doors at the entrance.

"Do you wish to see my research facility? It is quite a ways up from here, but if you insist on exploration, I do not mind being your guide."

[hubwalker1]

Lila walks around the room, examining it thoroughly. "Stay by the door." She says as she inspected the space for anything hidden.

[lbigreyhound13]

Grey and Brandt both nodded as they watched her walk around the room inside making sure to stand between Atty and the door.

“Be careful,” Grey said.

Both the Chief and her husband watched Atty making sure that he didn’t try anything to stop them from investigating. Shadow meanwhile sniffed around the room outside trying to find something that could potentially be a trap, which Grey was thankful for.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Lila left no proverbial stone unturned - Atty watched from a distance, while also cautiously observing the movements of the Night Fury sniffing along stairs.

"Ahem, if I may..." Atty's voice was nervously louder in an effort to help it carry to Lila as she searched. "...the statistical probability that traps would both not have been triggered by me accidentally and not have decayed into disrepair is minuscule at best. If there is something you seek, I certainly believe I can assist."

His eyes caught the massive doors down a ways from the group before returning to his suitcase, still propped up against the wall next to the entrance to the ballroom.

"If nothing is needed from me, I do not wish to stay here longer than is required, and I would advise the same for your group. I fear the worst is yet to come."

[hubwalker1]

She returns to Atty and holds out her hand, looking at him expectantly for the papers he had just collected.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

It took Atty an uncomfortable amount of time to understand the cue, but once it clicked, he hurriedly dropped the meager stack of papers into the woman's hands.

"T-these are schematics!" His hands trembled as he shoved them into his pockets. "My mentor and I... w-we worked on these for many years together. When he... he died, I made a promise to myself to see it through."

The man wasn't lying. Combing through the pages, Lila could see rough sketches of large tower-like structures, capped with blades and gears in a complex apparatus. Technical jargon filled the margins in two different sets of handwriting; the more proficient writing was faded and clearly more thought out, while the less refined scrawls seemed to be fairly fresh by comparison.

The final page held a letter - from a glance, the first thing to catch the eye of an observer would have been the signature of its author in large strokes at the bottom: Julius Gudrun. The letter was affectionately addressed to a protégé, Aster Winquist.

"He was sick... for a long time. I moved into this tower to help him initially, but found myself learning from him. When he passed, I didn't have the heart to leave this place."

[hubwalker1]

"What is this for?" She asks. "It's a machine of some kind but what does it do?"

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"Oh, yes!" His eyes lit up at the question, and the shaking in his voice began to subside. "This is all theoretical, with much more research to be done before we- I mean, before I can reasonably conclude that the science is sound, but it is an early mockup of what we hope is a device that can harness the power of wind to automate certain functions at a larger scale."

Atty carefully stepped closer to Lila, pointing at one of the diagrams on the page she was presently looking at.

"I haven't been able to solve the issue of weight distribution with machinery of this size. This is why I planned to take these with me. I want to continue this work, no matter where I end up from here."

[hubwalker1]

"My sister made a device like this. Mills our wheat." She hands him the papers back. "You're coming with us for a bit. Until we find what we're looking for or until we don't." She says as she begins heading towards the door he was eyeing earlier.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Atty rushed ahead, walking backwards just in front of Lila as to not stop her forward progress out of fear of her attacking him.

"You're leaving? Already? Did you want to see my research facility?" He turned on his feet, now walking next to her. Lila's pace was faster than his usual. "It is absolutely fine if not, but you still haven't told me what it is you are looking for."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 3]

[x]

Atty removed the deep burgundy coat that had begun to weigh him down, as the additional time spent in the tower hadn't been accounted for. He pulled up the sleeves of a beige tunic that was visibly too large for him as he looked back to the woman questioning him.

"Oh! Nothing of relevance, if I'm being honest. I do not usually spend much time down here if I can help it. Various belongings of the Grand Illuminar and those who served her over the years can be found strewn throughout this place." He adjusted his thick-lensed frames on his face, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Please forgive me, I do not believe I caught your names."

[hubwalker1]

"There can be time for introductions later." She says as she pokes her head into the room.

[lbigreyhound13]

“What’s in there?” Brandt asked while being careful not to use any names to tip off Atty.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

The Rebellion guests were slow to enter the room; Atty quickly squeezed by them, traveling to the opposite end of a dimly lit expanse that appeared to have once served as a compact ballroom for smaller gatherings at the behest of the Grand Illuminar. Despite its lack of upkeep in recent times, it was not difficult to see that no expense had been spared in its creation.

"See? No traps!" The man's voice was lighter as he shuffled through papers scattered across a table. "If anyone would have inadvertently found them, I can assure you that it would have been me."

The man pulled the pile of papers together, aligning them with a few taps against the wood table before walking them back over to the large doors at the entrance.

"Do you wish to see my research facility? It is quite a ways up from here, but if you insist on exploration, I do not mind being your guide."

[hubwalker1]

Lila walks around the room, examining it thoroughly. "Stay by the door." She says as she inspected the space for anything hidden.

[lbigreyhound13]

Grey and Brandt both nodded as they watched her walk around the room inside making sure to stand between Atty and the door.

“Be careful,” Grey said.

Both the Chief and her husband watched Atty making sure that he didn’t try anything to stop them from investigating. Shadow meanwhile sniffed around the room outside trying to find something that could potentially be a trap, which Grey was thankful for.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Lila left no proverbial stone unturned - Atty watched from a distance, while also cautiously observing the movements of the Night Fury sniffing along stairs.

"Ahem, if I may..." Atty's voice was nervously louder in an effort to help it carry to Lila as she searched. "...the statistical probability that traps would both not have been triggered by me accidentally and not have decayed into disrepair is minuscule at best. If there is something you seek, I certainly believe I can assist."

His eyes caught the massive doors down a ways from the group before returning to his suitcase, still propped up against the wall next to the entrance to the ballroom.

"If nothing is needed from me, I do not wish to stay here longer than is required, and I would advise the same for your group. I fear the worst is yet to come."

[hubwalker1]

She returns to Atty and holds out her hand, looking at him expectantly for the papers he had just collected.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

It took Atty an uncomfortable amount of time to understand the cue, but once it clicked, he hurriedly dropped the meager stack of papers into the woman's hands.

"T-these are schematics!" His hands trembled as he shoved them into his pockets. "My mentor and I... w-we worked on these for many years together. When he... he died, I made a promise to myself to see it through."

The man wasn't lying. Combing through the pages, Lila could see rough sketches of large tower-like structures, capped with blades and gears in a complex apparatus. Technical jargon filled the margins in two different sets of handwriting; the more proficient writing was faded and clearly more thought out, while the less refined scrawls seemed to be fairly fresh by comparison.

The final page held a letter - from a glance, the first thing to catch the eye of an observer would have been the signature of its author in large strokes at the bottom: Julius Gudrun. The letter was affectionately addressed to a protégé, Aster Winquist.

"He was sick... for a long time. I moved into this tower to help him initially, but found myself learning from him. When he passed, I didn't have the heart to leave this place."

[hubwalker1]

"What is this for?" She asks. "It's a machine of some kind but what does it do?"

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

"Oh, yes!" His eyes lit up at the question, and the shaking in his voice began to subside. "This is all theoretical, with much more research to be done before we- I mean, before I can reasonably conclude that the science is sound, but it is an early mockup of what we hope is a device that can harness the power of wind to automate certain functions at a larger scale."

Atty carefully stepped closer to Lila, pointing at one of the diagrams on the page she was presently looking at.

"I haven't been able to solve the issue of weight distribution with machinery of this size. This is why I planned to take these with me. I want to continue this work, no matter where I end up from here."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 3]

[x]

Atty removed the deep burgundy coat that had begun to weigh him down, as the additional time spent in the tower hadn't been accounted for. He pulled up the sleeves of a beige tunic that was visibly too large for him as he looked back to the woman questioning him.

"Oh! Nothing of relevance, if I'm being honest. I do not usually spend much time down here if I can help it. Various belongings of the Grand Illuminar and those who served her over the years can be found strewn throughout this place." He adjusted his thick-lensed frames on his face, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Please forgive me, I do not believe I caught your names."

[hubwalker1]

"There can be time for introductions later." She says as she pokes her head into the room.

[lbigreyhound13]

“What’s in there?” Brandt asked while being careful not to use any names to tip off Atty.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

The Rebellion guests were slow to enter the room; Atty quickly squeezed by them, traveling to the opposite end of a dimly lit expanse that appeared to have once served as a compact ballroom for smaller gatherings at the behest of the Grand Illuminar. Despite its lack of upkeep in recent times, it was not difficult to see that no expense had been spared in its creation.

"See? No traps!" The man's voice was lighter as he shuffled through papers scattered across a table. "If anyone would have inadvertently found them, I can assure you that it would have been me."

The man pulled the pile of papers together, aligning them with a few taps against the wood table before walking them back over to the large doors at the entrance.

"Do you wish to see my research facility? It is quite a ways up from here, but if you insist on exploration, I do not mind being your guide."

[hubwalker1]

Lila walks around the room, examining it thoroughly. "Stay by the door." She says as she inspected the space for anything hidden.

[lbigreyhound13]

Grey and Brandt both nodded as they watched her walk around the room inside making sure to stand between Atty and the door.

“Be careful,” Grey said.

Both the Chief and her husband watched Atty making sure that he didn’t try anything to stop them from investigating. Shadow meanwhile sniffed around the room outside trying to find something that could potentially be a trap, which Grey was thankful for.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Lila left no proverbial stone unturned - Atty watched from a distance, while also cautiously observing the movements of the Night Fury sniffing along stairs.

"Ahem, if I may..." Atty's voice was nervously louder in an effort to help it carry to Lila as she searched. "...the statistical probability that traps would both not have been triggered by me accidentally and not have decayed into disrepair is minuscule at best. If there is something you seek, I certainly believe I can assist."

His eyes caught the massive doors down a ways from the group before returning to his suitcase, still propped up against the wall next to the entrance to the ballroom.

"If nothing is needed from me, I do not wish to stay here longer than is required, and I would advise the same for your group. I fear the worst is yet to come."

[hubwalker1]

She returns to Atty and holds out her hand, looking at him expectantly for the papers he had just collected.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

It took Atty an uncomfortable amount of time to understand the cue, but once it clicked, he hurriedly dropped the meager stack of papers into the woman's hands.

"T-these are schematics!" His hands trembled as he shoved them into his pockets. "My mentor and I... w-we worked on these for many years together. When he... he died, I made a promise to myself to see it through."

The man wasn't lying. Combing through the pages, Lila could see rough sketches of large tower-like structures, capped with blades and gears in a complex apparatus. Technical jargon filled the margins in two different sets of handwriting; the more proficient writing was faded and clearly more thought out, while the less refined scrawls seemed to be fairly fresh by comparison.

The final page held a letter - from a glance, the first thing to catch the eye of an observer would have been the signature of its author in large strokes at the bottom: Julius Gudrun. The letter was affectionately addressed to a protégé, Aster Winquist.

"He was sick... for a long time. I moved into this tower to help him initially, but found myself learning from him. When he passed, I didn't have the heart to leave this place."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 3]

[x]

Atty removed the deep burgundy coat that had begun to weigh him down, as the additional time spent in the tower hadn't been accounted for. He pulled up the sleeves of a beige tunic that was visibly too large for him as he looked back to the woman questioning him.

"Oh! Nothing of relevance, if I'm being honest. I do not usually spend much time down here if I can help it. Various belongings of the Grand Illuminar and those who served her over the years can be found strewn throughout this place." He adjusted his thick-lensed frames on his face, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Please forgive me, I do not believe I caught your names."

[hubwalker1]

"There can be time for introductions later." She says as she pokes her head into the room.

[lbigreyhound13]

“What’s in there?” Brandt asked while being careful not to use any names to tip off Atty.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

The Rebellion guests were slow to enter the room; Atty quickly squeezed by them, traveling to the opposite end of a dimly lit expanse that appeared to have once served as a compact ballroom for smaller gatherings at the behest of the Grand Illuminar. Despite its lack of upkeep in recent times, it was not difficult to see that no expense had been spared in its creation.

"See? No traps!" The man's voice was lighter as he shuffled through papers scattered across a table. "If anyone would have inadvertently found them, I can assure you that it would have been me."

The man pulled the pile of papers together, aligning them with a few taps against the wood table before walking them back over to the large doors at the entrance.

"Do you wish to see my research facility? It is quite a ways up from here, but if you insist on exploration, I do not mind being your guide."

[hubwalker1]

Lila walks around the room, examining it thoroughly. "Stay by the door." She says as she inspected the space for anything hidden.

[lbigreyhound13]

Grey and Brandt both nodded as they watched her walk around the room inside making sure to stand between Atty and the door.

“Be careful,” Grey said.

Both the Chief and her husband watched Atty making sure that he didn’t try anything to stop them from investigating. Shadow meanwhile sniffed around the room outside trying to find something that could potentially be a trap, which Grey was thankful for.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Lila left no proverbial stone unturned - Atty watched from a distance, while also cautiously observing the movements of the Night Fury sniffing along stairs.

"Ahem, if I may..." Atty's voice was nervously louder in an effort to help it carry to Lila as she searched. "...the statistical probability that traps would both not have been triggered by me accidentally and not have decayed into disrepair is minuscule at best. If there is something you seek, I certainly believe I can assist."

His eyes caught the massive doors down a ways from the group before returning to his suitcase, still propped up against the wall next to the entrance to the ballroom.

"If nothing is needed from me, I do not wish to stay here longer than is required, and I would advise the same for your group. I fear the worst is yet to come."

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

Ad Astra [Pt 3]

[x]

Atty removed the deep burgundy coat that had begun to weigh him down, as the additional time spent in the tower hadn't been accounted for. He pulled up the sleeves of a beige tunic that was visibly too large for him as he looked back to the woman questioning him.

"Oh! Nothing of relevance, if I'm being honest. I do not usually spend much time down here if I can help it. Various belongings of the Grand Illuminar and those who served her over the years can be found strewn throughout this place." He adjusted his thick-lensed frames on his face, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Please forgive me, I do not believe I caught your names."

[hubwalker1]

"There can be time for introductions later." She says as she pokes her head into the room.

[lbigreyhound13]

“What’s in there?” Brandt asked while being careful not to use any names to tip off Atty.

[ad-aster-per-aspera]

The Rebellion guests were slow to enter the room; Atty quickly squeezed by them, traveling to the opposite end of a dimly lit expanse that appeared to have once served as a compact ballroom for smaller gatherings at the behest of the Grand Illuminar. Despite its lack of upkeep in recent times, it was not difficult to see that no expense had been spared in its creation.

"See? No traps!" The man's voice was lighter as he shuffled through papers scattered across a table. "If anyone would have inadvertently found them, I can assure you that it would have been me."

The man pulled the pile of papers together, aligning them with a few taps against the wood table before walking them back over to the large doors at the entrance.

"Do you wish to see my research facility? It is quite a ways up from here, but if you insist on exploration, I do not mind being your guide."