The First Tower

Asaag and Shaze waited impatiently while the mage they hired painstakingly etched the magic circle necessary to send them toward the tower. The undead arriving in Chamsport was unexpected, and the delay it caused was nearly catastrophic. By some stroke of luck, the noble family they had ingratiated themselves with had some small conncection to the World's Edge University, and were able to manage to send out a request for the service. Of course, the noble family lacked the funds to make the exchange, but the promise of a "magical artifact the likes of which even the University has never seen" was sure to draw some attention, and surely enough, when Asaag allowed their attending wizard to take a momentary look at one of the Stars in their possession, the deal was all but sealed.

"You realize, we're probably only going to get away with this once?" Asaag leaned in to Shaze, speaking under his breath, but left his cold eyes on the wizard as he drew out another curved line.

Shaze only lowered her eyes in response, in an effort to hide her shame.

"We'll still be on a tight schedule for the rest, and we still have to figure out what to do about the Star that was lost as well." Asaag turned toward Derrick, who pored over a large tome near the place the teleportation circle began, "Any progress on where we can find another star, old man? Or are we going to have to go digging through the rubble in Galtar to find it?"

Derrick tensed for a moment at the mention of Galtar's destruction. He looked toward the far end of the circle, where Bruz and Rhoz'Kesk sat on the floor, drawing abstract shapes on the stone with some of the wizard's spare chalk, "Well, some, perhaps. If it's possible, which we can only assume at the moment, given the complete lack of supporting evidence, and any sort of reliable historical accounts, and given the amount of time that has passed since their initial attainment --"

"Details." Asaag's voice pierced through Derrick's monologue, even as it began.

With a shiver, Derrick composed himself, running a hand through what is left of his wispy white hair, "To have even a slight chance, you would have to find a way to the plane where the star you need to, er...copy? Could be found. In this case, that is to say, the Plane of Light."

Derrick paused here for a moment, as though for dramatic effect, which seemed to fall flat under the weight of Assaag's lack of understanding. From the edge of the magic circle, the wizard spoke, like beginning a lecture, "The Plane of Light is, in it's most basic form, the source of all life-giving energies in our world. The place where the Cosmic Fire gives form to all mortal souls. To visit there without proper preparation would be brief...and incredibly painful. We understand vitality, by its nature, to be beneficial to us as living creatures; however, in the volume concentrated in the Plane of Light, it vaporizes the physical form, like a mote of dust that moves too close to a flame." The lesson delivered, the wizard returned to their circle.

"I couldn't have said it better," Derrick sighed, appearing to search the pages of the tome for an answer, "and that still leaves the matter of trying to actually retrieve a Star from the plane. I haven't come across any mention of how it was done, of if it's even possible to get more than one from the same plane."

Another impatient sigh silenced the scholar as Asaag came close, looking over the open page, "Then perhaps we'll be lucky enough that we won't need the final Star. In the meantime, you will search for answers." He stood, and turned to continue observing the circle as Derrick turned a page.

The silence grew tense in the following minutes, until at long last the circle was complete. The old halfling stepped inside with a bit of a flourish and a bow, "After much ado - and I do apologize for the wait - the Jeben Jabberkinsie Express is ready to depart! Would all passengers please board the circle at this time?" He waved one arm to the side, like a coachman coaxing passengers on board a carriage.

Rhoz'Kesk and Bruz came to attention most urgently, Bruz practially bouncing with excitement, "This is so cool! I've never been teleported before." Rhoz patted him on the back silently, directing him to the center, meeting with Shaze, Asaag and Derrick as the circle first began its glow.
Shaze gave the wizard a smile, "We appreciate your help, Jebben. You've been a true professional, and credit to your university." Jebben absorbed the praise gracefully, holding his hands out over the circle.

"Now, there will be a moment of disorientation when we first make ground. Take a moment to center yourselves, and try not to lose your lunch, okay? Here we go!" Without further embellishment, Jeben focused, and the circle beneath them began to rise in a cylinder of light. For a moment, the world lurched under their feet, and the light began to fade, revealing the top of a tall tower, looking out over a coastal landscape.

Rhoz and Bruz heaved for a moment, trying to keep their balance. Bruz wretched with motion sickness. Shaze emerged, seemingly unfazed. Asaag stepped out a moment later, lowering Jebben's body to the floor, "Let's get to work."
With a sad nod, Shaze kneeled, laying a softly glowing hand over Jebben's eyes.