ad-aster-per-aspera

[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 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 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]

"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 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]

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 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]

"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 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 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]

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 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]

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 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]

"...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 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 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]

"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 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."

[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 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."

[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 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."

[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 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."

[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 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."

[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."

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."