Teana nodded and took the rope. "Well, I can get the rope to the top," she said, and quickly kicked off the ground to head to the top of the column.

Finding a spot where she could land, she did so, and tied one end of the rope to a convenient stalagmite, then dropped the other side of the rope down to the ground. "Zenna, can you climb up after me? Davor should be able to carry the rest of us."

Zenna nodded to Teana, "Sure, I can come up after you. I also have 50 feet of rope if we need another line." Then she knelt down next to her wolf and motioned for him to stay here and guard the area. "You'll have to stay here, Vash. Stay safe and I'll be back soon." She gave him a good head rub before grabbing the rope and hauling herself up.

OOC: Taking 10 on her Climb skill gives her a total of 17
This message was last edited by the player at 01:57, Tue 15 Sept 2020.

Zenna can climb up without too much difficulty, while Vash stays below.  While he is still on the lookout for danger, he does keep glancing up at Zenna.  This is, after all, far different than a tree.  Once at the top on the edge of the city, Zenna can see the exquisitely detailed homes or other buildings that form the outer perimeter, including a wall and gate that stands open.  The place is... oddly clean.  No evidence that the creatures of the Low Road have been using it as places to nest or den, not even a smell of bat guano or mold.  There doesn't even seem to be dust.  Indeed, there is a faint smell of perfume, incense, and fresh flowers.

Occasionally she can spy the faintest outline of people as they go through activities of daily life: someone walking through a street, two neighbors conversing, a child chasing after a bright bird, only the briefest of outlines before fading.

There is a fountain here in what would have been the plaza right inside the gate, an elaborate one with five bowls that sprays water like a peacock's tail, and falls with a musical sound from the top to the bottom basin.

Down below on the ground, Davor waits for a signal with noticeable impatience. He toys with a piece of leather pulled from his pouch of spell components as he tries to see Zeanna in the darkness above. More than once he cups his hands to his mouth as though preparing to shout up at her, but then thinks better of it. Under his breath, he mutters: "Hard to see details in this gloom."

Helena too watches with bated breath....

Urle turns to Demetria and talks to her.
Trying to explain what the group was doing and what was going to happen.
The horse seemed a little unsure but the two put their heads together in what clearly was bonding trust movement.

Urle turns to Davour.
Demetria is ready.  As best I could she now understands what going to happen.

Urle smiles a little and adds.  It seems for Helena's amusement.
Demetria did point out she has notice the herd we join is very strange.  That they want to do very strange things.  She respect my decision but she did ask if this was a good herd to be in and maybe we should go back to the last herd we were in as they where full of normal horses.

Jerec had been quiet as the others had spoke and moved into action.  He stroked his beard as he listened to what was said; but seemed to be looking around at the animals in the area.  Birds, insects, bats, and anything else he could see.

After a moment, he cleared his throat.

"I have a spell that lets me change into a small or medium creature.  I could fly in or walk in as a local animal would.  Also can speak to animals.  May be handy if we need to get any information or ask a favor of one if we offer it some food or a reward."

Making a blanket statement seemed to be all the wizard was doing.  He gave a brief smile to those who looked at him and continued to look around and take in their area.  Life had a tendency to change on one in the blind of an eye.  Jerec seemed cautious and quiet as he looked around.

OOC: Hello all.  Getting into the character slowly.  I have a lot to read and catch up on.

Davor eyes Jerec, returning the smile with a somewhat manic one of his own. "Changin' into somthin' that can fly would be helpful. Ain't gonna be easy gettin' all of us up there. Don't know how long it lasts, if you wanted to do it now and go up to check things out."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:52, Mon 21 Sept 2020.

Jerec nods and thinks for a moment.

"I'll go as a giant raven.  Something you all can recognize and strong enough to carry one if not all of you up there if need be, one at a time mind you."

Looking up above, Jerec goes through a ritual and caws like a raven.  Then he begins to cast and changes forms into a large raven.

Looking up, he flys toward the city to check it out.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:29, Wed 07 Oct 2020.

Jerec can fly up near where Zenna went without difficulty, seeing what seems to be a city arrested in time, lights on in homes, fountain flowing, even fresh flowers in its gardens, the welcoming square ready, but bereft of all but the faintest ghosts of its people.  And, of course, upside-down.

Zenna climbs up to the very top and touches the "ground" of the city, but it just feels like normal stone to her. Sighing, she climbs back down to join the group.

Upon reaching the ground, Zenna rubbed Vash on the top of his head and then turned to the group. "It literally seems like an upside down city up there. It's clean with no signs of animal life. Lights on, fountains flowing... upside down, so there's something magical going on there... and I could even smell perfume in the air. Nothing moving that I could see, though. I was rather hoping that the upside-downess might extend to us once we got up there, but I got to the ceiling and there was no effect. Do we have a plan on how we're going to move around up there, or do we just need to move the rope to a door so we can climb up and then go directly into a building?"

Davor's eyes twinkle mysteriously. "The spirits tell me that the secret is in the water. I don't know if the world's gonna magically reorient when we drink it, but I figure that's what we gotta try. See what happens."

Unable to speak to the others, Jerec tried a few experiments.

First, he landed on a house roof to see if he was able to stay standing or if he would fall.

Then he would look around for any sign of life.  Was anyone here or were they all inside hiding.

Lastly, if no one was visible, he would do a fly by of some houses and look inside to see if he could see anyone through the windows or any open doors.

Trying to land on the roofs only find Jerec slipping, gravity still holding its usual sway.

Jerec can see faint flashes of people, like faded illusions, going about their daily business.  A brief, translucent glimpse of people sitting by the fountain, or (while looking through windows) lounging in the room of one of the houses on furniture that is no longer there.  A few moments of a child playing with a wooden dog magically animated to gambol and play with her.  Dishes float from a kitchen to a dining table, then vanish again.

Urle waits.  The whole situation was beyond anything he could deal with.
He had to rely on the others.  This was again something he would only be doing because he had to protect Helena.  Where she goes he goes unless she says otherwise.

So holding Demetria reins and he waits.

After seeing all he has, Jerec flies back to the party and reverts to his normal form.

"Well that was interesting.  Gravity still works the same as it does here.   I could not land on the roof without falling back down below.

He exhales as he things how to word the next words.

It seemed that there were people there, but they were illusions or ghosts of what once was.  They sat on furniture that was transparent like they were.  They also disappeared for a time.  As if the illusion or ghosts flicked out of existence and either restarted or the magic that held them there was waning.  I was unable to cast spells to verify or investigate, but that is what I saw.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:35, Wed 07 Oct 2020.

Davor considers what Jerec says. "Did you try drinkin' the water?"

Teana simply listened, not knowing much about this place's magic.

He chuckles at Davor's comment.

"No, I didn't.   What I am telling you is true.  Question is how we go about getting up there and scouting better.   Think there is a different way than a direct route?"

Davor looks around, seems to come to a decision, then starts to chant and wave his hands. One of the eyes on his wolf skull pauldron starts to glow and then all of a sudden, he is floating up into the air. "I'm gonna go take a drink. If I'm not back before too long, try somethin' else I guess." At a much more sedate pace that the others who have gone up, Davor floats towards the upside down city and looks for a fountain.

Davor can find a fountain easily enough - they seem to be in every square and courtyard.  The water smells sweet, even fragrant, and if he wishes, he can drink some and find it quite pleasant.  Then he feels things shift slightly, and suddenly the ground is the city and his traveling companions are standing, most strangely, on the ceiling!

Momentarily throwing caution aside, Davor shouts triumphantly "up" to the rest of the party. "Easy enough! Just drink the water! Doesn't taste half bad either! Do I need to come up there and get folks?!" He begins to stride around the fountain, testing things out.

Jerec looks surprised by Davor's transformation.

Nodding to Davor, he addresses the party.

"I can become a giant crow again and slowly ferry you all up there one at a time.   Would not be able to bring the horse though."

He left it open and waited to see what everyone though.

Teana shrugged. "I recommend most of us drink the water," she said. "I can do it or not, myself."

Those who drink (however they were ferried up) find themselves standing firmly on the ground of the city, the ceiling below now just a peculiar sort of sky.  The ghostly figures seem to become a little stronger as more members of the group drink and "enter" the city, until a translucent parade of people going about their daily business bustles all around them (and in some cases, through them). People appear at the gate to enter the city seemingly out of thin air, though those guarding the gate seem to be unsurprised for their arrival, so perhaps they are seeing beyond what you are able to view.  Those that enter the city through this gate mostly seem to be very well-dressed and with several servants and guards, that act and posture like nobility.  They talk amongst themselves, the faintest ghosts of words audible.  Little gets through the distant veil, but one word is repeated enough that you do hear: "coronation"

It seems this is a noble's quarter and a noble's gate, and many of the guests are here for a festival.  They laugh and gesture extravagantly, some of their jewelry or robes glowing or even slightly moving with wearable magic or illusions.  A few of the nobles are in palanquins, their curtains barely parted, being bourn by a number of liveried servants.  Several of these are heading towards the center of the city, where the largest buildings and broadest courtyards are arrayed.