We discuss our options. We feel the need to capture some of the smarter aliens.
I shall go to Sind, and find out how the Sindhi of old detected shapeshifters and the like.
We shall also try to arrange for clerics in each of the major cities to do divinations to determine if their city is being infiltrated. The meeting is in five days. We shall try to organise this then.
I obtain a spell from the Sindhi diviner, one much like detect undead, but instead detects shapeshifters.
Lani uses this spell, and creates a stone that can detect shapeshifters at will.
The meeting by the Rakastan nobles takes place. We attend the meeting.
Sir Growl's lord, Lord Yokama, leads the meeting. It seems fairly informal. Lani detects no shapeshifters other than those among our party.
The current situation is outlined. Most generally agree that there is enough evidence to suggest something strange is going on. Others have found these stone eggs.
We outline some suggestions to them, such as the priests doing divinations.
There is another player, called the Empire. This empire is much larger than the representatives at this meeting, and covers most of Myoshima. They don't like this greedy empire. The greedy empire controls the void.
They discuss a reward for us. They could cloak our ship from view, and possibly make it inaudible as well.
The sky riders use air masks to survive the lack of air. They also have magical flying collars to move around.
Graarnt talks of what can be found in the void. There are dangerous miles-across creatures with tentacles. Avoid them. Don't investigate them, just run away. There are Heldannic Knights, and otherwise is generally pretty safe.
We will return in a month, as in the meantime it's up to the locals.
I spent a week making scrolls, a week ruling, a week in the cage, and a week bouncing around Sind with my followers, putting humanoids in their rightful place (that being a shallow grave).
We also spend some time analysing Tom, Zim's skeletal mouse. It is in fact slightly magical, and with sufficient spells cast on it, we even observed it moving. It seems to move toward the source of magic. Funky. After a while of casting spells on him, we actually detect him as being magical (in the absence of other magic spells). He can even wander around his cage, slowly, and play with his ball. He acts like a mouse.
Back in Myoshima. Emissaries were sent to the Empire, which "graciously accepted the information for consideration".
The snakemen have not been found in the cities. However, some patrols did uncover some nests near major roads, where they found the grunt snakemen. They do detect as shapeshifters.
Leo does divinations: none of the snakemen are protected from Leo's communes. He later confirms that none of the snakemen are in the major cities, but they are in the wilderness.
Thora then uses her commune with natures to find more snakemen. We find no sign of the smarter-looking snakemen. We feel we've cleansed this country of the snakemen.
Divinations into the Empires status is less cheerful. Many places in the Empire have infiltrators. We have passed on the information to the Emperors representatives.
Our gift is delivered. A massive stone rock, weighing in at perhaps two tonnes. One can feel the magic emanating from it.
The effect is that when one is more than perhaps 80 feet away, it becomes invisible. Except when it has landed.
It is part of the world core. This is why the moon is invisible from sight from any major distance away.
With this in the falcon, objects outside the falcon are a bit distorted. Red light comes through okay, but other light gets distorted. This is why the sun is very red.
We discuss our options. We will do yet another divination.
Commune: The Emperors guys do know, and we would possibly hinder any investigation. The information about the Empire we have obtained is somewhat correct. Moreover, there is currently an assault force on its way: the target being the country we're in.
We try shooting stuff in the Falcon: it doesn't destroy the invisibility, but it does make us more visible whilst stuff is passing through the invisible shield.
We'll go up into the void and go about blasting the eggs. Some flying Rakastans will help.
An egg is spotted. We head to it. The egg is moving very fast.
A disintegrate has no effect.
We dispel it. We then match speeds with it. I cast Wall of Force in front of it, and it shatters.
(later)
Another egg is spotted. We intercept. Unfortunately, they move fast, and as they're stone, they're naturally well protected.
We do our best at blasting it. With a hull breech, it gets past the sky shield. They managed to get a disintegrate off.
However, as Thora managed to dispel it, it didn't land well. It remains intact, but in the water. In the middle of an ocean.
Memorise spells more appropriately.
Search for more invaders whilst they're still in the void.
However, this day we find no incoming.
Rih sees two flying objects.
We approach. They're large flying objects. Ones with sails. One is a galley, the other is like a galley, but without sails. The latter has metal sails. It seems to be designed especially for the void.
We get closer. They are Heldannic Knights.
We get a closer look, using a potion of flying so that we're quiet.
Thora goes to speak with them.
The reaction is not positive. Fighters looking much like hawks peel away from the vessel. We drop back.
The metal-clad ship is the command ship. Thora chats with the commander on board, Captain Rolph, who was caught in the middle of shaving. They seem flustered at the "space druid".
They have seen some "unusual weather" weather conditions, exceptionally nasty ones, apparently. Very large hailstones, incidentally. :)
The captain indicates that we could dine together, and exchange information. They have had difficulty with the rocks. They were rammed by one, for example. We are invited to dinner.