Chapter 2: Terrors of the Void

Ziggy, who has been strutting about the place like nobody's business, pauses long enough to introduce himself.

"Zig'gythiel Stardust. Call me Ziggy," the astral elf says with a flamboyant bow accompanied by an arpeggio on his cittern.

"And that one is called This One," he adds cryptically, punctuating it with a dolorous chord.

"We keep our word." Much as Quaxiver was loathe to let Hastain go, for he was complicit in the genocide. The fact was that the reigar didn't actually harm them for they managed to subdue him. Unless they were prepared to kill him, now that that Second Wind had safely reached Topolah's home, there was no point keeping him around to further snoop on their business.

"Go." THe hadozee said simply.

Hastain stands and slips his bonds before Quaxiver can even release them, as if to prove that he was never really a prisoner. He waves a hand and a portal opens, which he steps through before re-appearing on the esthetic. He stares at you for a moment before the jellyfish-like ship turns and moves away.

---

Topolah nods to you each in turn, "It's good to meet you all," she says, turning and heading toward the tower, "How about a tour before we get down to whatever business you came for?"

Imti cheerfully says, "Sure!" and follows Topolah.

As she walks, she whispers to Krux, "Didn't you say they were gonna figure out what to do about those elves? I figured she'd be part of that whole discussion?"

THAT FIEND! This One is furious that Hastain just pretended to be a prisoner.

Angry he follows along on the ture.

Thy were here to see if Topolah could help them, but it would've been rude to decline her offer of a tour. Besides, Quaxiver's innate curiosity about the crooked tower was kicking in. "I'm Quaxiver. Thank you for having us. Krux spoke very well of you."

Krux nods to Imti, "We'll get to it, I promise. She doesn't get many visitors out here, so we'll keep her company for a bit and then we'll ask about a map of Doomspace so we can find the group I was telling you about."

Topolah leads you into the crooked tower.

First Floor
Four ring-shaped garden terraces line the walls of this cylindrical chamber. The gardens are vertically spaced every ten feet and brimming with luscious fruits, vegetables, and golden wheat. Four mechanical gnomes wearing harnesses tend to the plants. The harnesses are attached to ropes that loop around pulleys affixed to the ceiling, enabling the gnomes to hoist themselves into the air and move from one plot to another.

"Most of my sustenance comes from these gardens," says Topolah. "I get regular deliveries of fresh soil from dohwar merchants, and they get home-grown food and birds' eggs in return."

Second Floor
This floor houses a modest kitchen where two mechanical gnomes are preparing dinner. Furnishings include an unmade bed, a wardrobe topped with bird nests, and a bookshelf packed with astrological texts and more bird nests.

"Here are my living quarters," says Topolah, "where I read my books and take my meals. My autognomes have no shortage of recipes. Today's repast is a deep-fried night scavver steak with a lunar béchamel."

Third Floor
Two mechanical gnomes are using rags to polish a ten-foot-long copper telescope in the center of this chamber. Dozens of star maps lie atop tables that are also littered with sketches of planets and otherworldly landscapes.

"And here is my observatory!" remarks Topolah proudly. "I acquired my autognomes from the same fellow who sold me this telescope, which allows me to spy on all the worlds in this system and gaze at stars in other systems as well."

Topolah walks across the room and touches a wall, whereupon a tall opening appears in front of the telescope. "This right here's my pride and joy! Let's me keep an eye on any star or planet nearby!"

Imti's interest in the tower began as tepid through the first floor, grew a bit when she entered the second floor, and finally peaked at the third. Now within the observatory, she promptly forgets how many autognomes are in the tower as her gaze settles on the star maps. The druid can't help but fiddle with the crystal around her neck, her own repository of charts and constellations.

"How much did you pay for all this?!" she asks, almost breathless in the overload of information.

"Spying on people on other planets! I dig it!" Ziggy titters naughtily. "Might I have a peek?"

"Your autognomes"?!
"Acquired"?!
Here is a person who sees autognomes as a servant or a slave race. This one notes this location and this "person"—to be put against the wall when the revolution comes. But that is for after the evil elves have been dealt with.
How now he looks at anything else but Topolah, to hide his anger. She could have important information relevant to the evil elves and he doesn't want to jepodice it with his personal vendetta.

Topolah shrugs, "It wasn't that much, honest," she says to Imti, "I haggle well."

She laughs at Ziggy's request and motions for him to take a peek if he wishes to

Ziggy gleefully peers through the peep-o-scope.

Topolah's abode was a well thought out place to be sure, for she seemed well provided for, and everything served her needs. Quaxiver looked at both at Imti poring over the maps and at Ziggy peering through the telescope. For a moment he wondered if Ziggy would spot some new hreat headed their way. The astral elves must've gotten wind of their plans through Hastain by now.

After a bit of time to take a look around, Topolah takes a seat begins drinking some tea. You have no idea where it came from or how you all also happened to come into possession of some. She looks to Krux, "I get the impression you didn't come here just to visit an old friend," she says with a raised eyebrow.

Krux has the decency to look bashful and shrugs, "No, 'fraid not," he says, proceeding to tell her the tale of what happened to Oerth.

She listens attentively, but doesn't react to the story until it's over. She places her cup on the table and narrows her eyes, "Tragic to be sure," she says, nodding to each of you in turn, "But what do you want me to do about it? I can't take on the Xaryxian empire on my own, you know."

"We were sorta hoping that you might have a map of Doomspace," he says, eyes sweeping the various maps on the walls, "There's a crew gatherin' out there to put up a fight and I mean to join 'em."

"I have got to get me one of these," Ziggy thinks to himself as he finishes peeking throughbthe telescope. He takes the tea with grace and contemplates the leaves caught in the tiny whirlpool as he stirs the drink. A wildspace-wide conflict seems to be brewing and like it or not, he's caught in the middle of it.

"Who leads the Xaryxian empire? Is their entire kingdom hellbent on eradicating all sentient worlds in order to preserve themselves? Do your observations also reveal a map of their empire's boundaries? And where their incursions take place?"

Topolah shrugs, "Don't know his name. Some emperor," she says, "Like most smart people I don't dig too deep into the Empire's inner workings."

"I do know what I've heard though. Which is that they steal the energy from other planets and stars to keep theirs burning even though it should have died years ago. Don't know if there's any truth to it, but that's what I've heard. Fortunately, both Doomspace and the Xaryxian Empire are out of range of my telescope, so I don't know much."

Krux looks disappointed, "Damn. I thought you might have some maps we could borrow to help us find our way in Doomspace..."

Topolah taps her chin and purses her lips, "Nothing like that," she says, "But I could let you borrow my orrery. It should help you find your way. But I need a favor before I even consider it."

"Anything, luv," Ziggy gushes, excited at the prospect of unfettered, if temporary, access to the telescope. "What do you need?"

"Those elves that attacked us as we left Oerth said the same," says Imti. She shows the crystal shard she recovered from one of the vines. "They use giant crystal seeds made up of this and scatter them all over the planet, and after they sprout they suck up the life energy and transfer it to their star."

Satisfied that she at least confirmed the story for Topolah, Imti then listens for the apparent deal-making.

"Of course, we wouldn't dream of just borrowing a precious artifact as that. How can we help?"