Session 68 - Local Exploration

GM Observations
- After all of this time, Grant and Ethan have never mapped out the landing area outside of their Home Realm. There are ~24 Doors to be explored which are proximate. This session is a bit slower pace as we flesh out ‘Grand Stairway Section 0’. Many of these realms have plots ready to be tripped in them, but Grant and Ethan may not encounter all of them.

Part 1 - Quiet Time
Realm 0 - Shadow Earth 1988 (Brown Door)
- A few days pass. Macavity adjusts very quickly to being back home, returning to his normal habits of sleeping in the sun just like a normal cat would. Grant notes that Ethan doesn’t seem very interested in going to Manchester, so he stays in Westgate cottage to keep an eye on him. In the meantime, Grant goes through the numerous souvenirs and trophies that he has acquired on his many adventures and he attempts to sort his room out. It takes him a considerable amount of time given the amount of stuff that he has picked up in his travels.
- Meanwhile Ethan potters. He goes ‘for some air’ (flying to a significant altitude, doing his ‘Superman’ thing). He works on his speeder bike. He sees Grant sorting through his room and decides to do the same, although it takes him less time as he has acquired far fewer things. Then one evening he asks Grant about Marindar. Grant confirms what Sophia told him - that Marindar is poorly defended and vulnerable. Grant asks Ethan if he’s going to go back there, and Ethan admits ‘probably’, but he’s non-committal as to when. They go to the Tipsy Elephant pub in Fiveways and have a quiet beer. (On the way, they see three signs reporting missing dogs in the area. Ethan wonders if the cats from Westgate cottage have been up to something) After a pint, Grant asks Ethan how he’s faring and Ethan shrugs. He admits to having used Wayfinding to at least know what direction Abbie is, and he might have been worried if he couldn’t at least sense which direction she was.
- Ethan asks Grant about what he wants to do next. They talk about recovering Fiorin and following up as to what happened at Heldon’s Pass. Grant also mentions a place that he needs to return to. Curious, Ethan asks if a girl is involved, and Grant admits that there is. (GM’s note - Grant is referring to the Princess of Glass Mountain, Realm 30) Ethan laughs.
- With nothing decided, Grant is surprised when Ethan comes to him the next day with a plan. Ethan has decided that he wants to explore the 24+ Doors between their home realm and Marindar. He wants to know what resources are nearby, where there may be a threats and even opportunities. Ethan proposes that they spend between 30 and 60 minutes in each realm, and they are not to separate. Once they have done a reconnaissance of each realm, they can decide which deserve further scrutiny.
- Grant is pleased by this idea and they decide to start the next day (Saturday morning), beginning with the closest Doors. Macavity also expresses interest, but then he sleeps in and cannot be roused when Grant and Ethan want to start - so they go without him.

Part 2 - Exploring
Grand Stairway Section 0 - Proximate to Home Realm
- Grant and Ethan are fully equipped when they step out onto the Stair, but they are not carrying much food because they are not expecting to be in each Realm for very long. They agree that they are not to linger in any of the Realms, and they plan to return to Westgate the same day.
- They decide to take it in turns to choose a Door. Grant chooses the Middle Kingdom and opens the Red Door.

Realm 1 - The Middle Kingdom (Red Door)
- Grant and Ethan step out into the rebuilt Temple of the Four Winds. The fields in front of the temple are full of yellow flowers. All seems peaceful until they emerge from the structure, at which point they are spotted by the guards. There is a cheer amongst them and the “Ambassador to the Gods” is summoned. The ambassador is a young man named Gao Ling. He has been waiting at this place for nearly two years (as directed by the Emperor) and he is simply delighted to finally meet ‘the gods’. He does them both homage (much to Grant’s and Ethan’s embarrassment) and offers ceremonial gifts. A messenger is quickly sent to inform the Emperor of their arrival.
- Grant notes that the great black hole which formed during their first battle is still present. Ethan is keen to leave, but Grant wants to know whether the Emperor has taken his advice (GM’s note - way back in Session 10) to heart. So they talk at some length with Ambassador Gao at the Lake Palace (which has been recently built on the edge of the lake). Gao is gushing in his praise of the Emperor, and speaks of how the Emperor has expanded the borders of the Kingdom. Grant did not expect this outcome - he strongly encouraged the Emperor to ‘look after his subjects’ - the Emperor has taken this so strongly to heart that he is actively trying to expand his kingdom to acquire more ’subjects’, to bring ‘civilisation to the barbarians’, so to speak.
- At the prodding of Ethan, Grant agrees to leave. Despite the protestations of Ambassador Gao, Grant and Ethan leave and Grant promises to return ‘in the near future’.

Grand Stairway Section 0 - Proximate to Home Realm
- Back on the Stair, Ethan is relatively pleased with their first foray. Any realm where they are welcomed can’t be that bad. This, Grant agrees with. 
- Ethan then chooses to return to Middle Earth.

Realm 2 - Middle Earth (Grey Door)
- The catacombs beneath Minas Tirith have not changed, and the pair quickly make their way to the streets of the White City. It is morning, the sun is up and all is peaceful. Even though their dress is a little odd, they do not draw much attention. 
- Grant and Ethan wander the streets, buying freshly baked bread and a bottle of spiced mead with some spare coins from Grant’s wallet. All seems to be well in this place. There is no sign of trouble so they decide to return to the Stair,

Realm 3 - Tyndam (Green Door)
- The last door in the cluster is Tyndam. Expecting trouble, Grant opens the door which opens out into the secret garden. It is quiet. There is no sign of the Spider Tower that was here before. All is still. They can hear the sounds of birds but apart from that it is as still as the grave.
- Grant uses Umbral Sight but can’t see any of the ‘creatures’ nearby.
- They retreat back to the Stair.

Grand Stairway Section 0 - Proximate to Home Realm
- The two of them set off to map out this section of the Stair. Neither of them have paid much attention to the surroundings before, but every cluster of Doors here is almost trying to remain hidden. The corridors themselves are made of normal brick, as is the floor - but there are dog-legs and acute angles to the junctions which make this section of the Stair appear to have dead-ends when the corridors actually continue or splice off in a different direction. Even the section of Stair closest to their Home Realm has multiple twists and turns. As to whether this is natural or has been somehow constructed, neither Grant nor Ethan know.
- Taking their time, Ethan is surprised to find a Door in one of the alcoves about 200 metres from their Home Realm. The alcove contains a pedestal without a statue, which is not uncommon in this section of the Stair - but the light fitting above the pedestal is connected to a trap Door in the ceiling. In order to reach it, they need to stand on the pedestal and then jump up. Grant and Ethan talk quickly and they agree to explore this realm first because it is the next closest realm.

Realm 60 - Oasis Seven (Trap Door)
- Climbing, they find themselves in a large chamber with metal container-sized boxes. There is a faint vibration in the floor. Reasoning that they are in some sort of ship or vessel, Grant leads the way as they look for a bridge or control deck. Along the way, they meet a man who has off-white (beige) skin and wears an orange/yellow jumpsuit. He is big - over eight feet tall, but otherwise appears human. Ethan asks the man where they are, and he tells them that they’ve somehow wandered onto the cargo decks (the C-Decks). He suggests that they return to the guest levels (the B-Decks). Ethan asks for help in reaching the B-Decks, and them man shows them to an elevator and pushes some buttons for them.
- They travel from Floor C137 to one of the B-Decks. There are many many more people. The floors are still high (about three metres high) but there are a myriad of non-human races here, some of them armed but none of them appear threatening. Ethan can sense two other Doors here. As they wander around, they find that this is an orbiting space station called Oasis Seven - it is a floating bazaar where all sorts of trading occurs. 
- Grant and Ethan watch the interactions of the traders with interest. They see jewellery being traded, and what looks like ruby-crystal cards about an inch thick. But then some people swipe cards, others trade valuables. It appears to be a barter-economy rather than an economy based on a single currency.
- Ethan locates an information booth and he listens to a recorded message which details the function and layout of the station. He requests and is given some printed materials (which he takes with him for further reading). Ethan wonders if there could be another Lord of Gossamer here, but he cannot sense one. Strangely, the recorded message says that “The Commander” is not available - it sounds like this person has been absent for some time (over thirty cycles).
- The two of them decide to extend their stay by an additional hour, and they watch further. Grant notes that the people on this station are very wealthy, or important, or both. There is nothing obviously valuable here for either Grant or Ethan, but the people who buy here are clearly looking for unique items - acquiring ‘trophies’.
- At last, the two of them decide to return to the Stair and explore further.

Grand Stairway Section 0 - Proximate to Home Realm
- Carrying on another fifty metres, there is a turning to the right which almost immediately dog-legs off; and another further on, arcing off to the left. Ethan decides to head right, and after two dog-legs, the corridor ends in a dead end and a new cluster of three Doors. One of faded wood, one made of weathered granite, and another looking like an office door.

Realm 61 - Red Rock City (Faded Door)
- The faded Door is the back door of a wooden house. It is sandy and dry here. A tumbleweed slowly bounces along. There are only a few wisps of cloud in the sky. As Grant and Ethan explore, they find a small township - the city of Red Rock. Consisting of two streets lined by wooden structures, a group of water towers and then a great sandy expanse beyond, there does not seem much of a ‘city’ here. However, there is a train line, and a massive steam train twice the size of any engine that Grant and Ethan have ever seen is waiting at the station. It is a monster, puffing white smoke that takes on face-like qualities as it drifts away. 
- The people of Red Rock are dressed as if they have come straight out of a western movie. The women wear long dresses, the men dress smartly but carry six-shooters. Some of the six-shooters are not revolvers but long six-barrelled weapons. 
- A steam-powered horseless carriage drives slowly down the main street. Ethan suggests that they check out the station to find out where the monster train goes. They find that heads west to the city of Dodge. The other way, apparently the bridge is out and it is under repair. Surprisingly there seem to be no other stops or connections. The train travels one way and only to one destination.
- Walking back slowly to the Door, Grant spots a flash of magic in the saloon, but they do not investigate. They pass a shambling man who tries to avoid Ethan’s gaze. Grant points out that the man is dead, but still walking. This is not an alien concept to them and they let the fellow go.

Realm 62 - Shifting Sands (Granite Door)
- Opening the next Door, Grant and Ethan find themselves in a stone chamber with smaller exit corridors only four foot high. They are definitely not underground and Ethan uses Wayfinding to navigate the short distance to the exit. As they travel, they marvel at the architecture - whoever built this place hollowed out massive stone blocks. At the end of the low corridor is an open stone door. Beyond there is a nearby river, and then an expanse of sandy desert. They spy large termite mounds, some up to ten metres high and a congregation of tents in the distance.
- Crossing the river at the nearby ford, Grant and Ethan find that the sand is easily picked up by the slightest wind, and it stings exposed flesh. It is not particularly hot here, but it is very dry away from the waterway.
- The people from the nearby encampment are very surprised to meet strangers but Grant and Ethan are welcomed. The natives have head-coverings to protect them from the sand, but beneath they have big smiles and they appear very happy people. Everything here is colourful, from the fabric of the tents to the fabric of their clothes. They offer Grant and Ethan food - they are roasting some giant ants with the intention of then stripping the skeleton and adding the ant meat into a curry.
- Grant and Ethan spend a few hours with their hosts, and Ethan offers the bottle of spiced mead (from Minas Tirith) to his hosts to thank them for their hospitality. The curry is good, but it is such a different flavour that it is not something that either of them would probably choose again. The people tell stories of ancient times, of the ‘little people’ (dwarves) and their wonderful structures that could withstand the shifting sands. But now the dwarves are gone with the ‘changing of the sun’, and when the lands boiled, the insects took over. Grant and Ethan are warned not to head to the West as there the humans serve the insects. 
- After a pleasant time, one of their hosts, a man named Belim presents them with a glowing gemstone each. They are clearly magical - crystallised magical power. Ethan protests and says that they have nothing to give in return, but Belim is insistent. To his people these are merely trinkets, and it is good luck to give them. Grant and Ethan accept, and then choose to depart. Ethan promises to return, and he starts wondering as to how he could help these people to build structures which would withstand the sand.

Realm 63 - Metro City (Office Door)
- Opening the office door, the last in the cluster of three, Grant and Ethan find themselves in a modern office with personal computers on the desks. The ground shakes, and they note that some of the people are at the windows, looking outside. Curious, Grant and Ethan are just in time to watch a pair of giant metallic legs marching by. 
- While they are still wondering what is going on, the Public Address (PA) system crackles to life, warning civilians to stay indoors as a Giant Robot on the loose but advising people not to panic as “The Commander” is on his way. As the PA goes silent, some of the people that Grant and Ethan are standing with complain that this is the third time this month - apparently this sort of thing happens quite often.
- The blonde-haired Commander, dressed in a red suit with a blue cape swoops down and does battle with the Giant Robot, eventually knocking him down but causing significant property damage in the meantime.
- Amused, the duo decide to head to street level and find a place to eat (partly to get rid of the taste of curried ant). They find a small diner, and Ethan picks up a Metro City newspaper. Grant pays using his wallet which produces local currency. To Ethan’s surprise there is no mention of superheroes on the front page - it’s only on page five that it mentions Mighty Man and Doctor Maleficent. Apparently this happens so often that when it happens, it isn’t really noteworthy.
- The waitress at the diner gives Ethan an odd look when he asks for tea, and instead she serves him ‘Merican’ coffee. Ethan tries it but it tastes dreadful. He then decides to stick to water. As Ethan reads further, Grant notes that the cars here are almost silent, and they use some sort of reactor to power them. Ethan raises an eyebrow. Even though this place looks like modern America, some of the technology here is more advanced than their home realm. Ethan thinks over the possibilities for advancing his speeder bike, but decides to park the idea. They head back to the Door before the offices shut for the day.

Grand Stairway Section 0 - Proximate to Home Realm
- Back on the Stair, Grant and Ethan leave the right-turning and decide to explore the left one. This corridor is even shorter - it curls back on itself and then ends with four Doors, three on the walls and one heavy iron trapdoor. Ethan decides that the trapdoor in the floor should be explored first.

Realm 64 - The Vault (Trap Door)
- The Door is heavy. Lifting it up with their considerable strength, they then spy a large ladder leading down. Climbing down, they find it very dusty and dark. Ethan lights his torch and climbs down. Below him is a tomb of statues but these are not human sized. They are large, and made of metal.
- As Ethan reaches the metal floor, he realises that these are war machines in hibernation. He can tell that their power sources are not exhausted, merely dormant. The ladder is big and sturdy enough for them to climb out. As Grant and Ethan explore further, they find that these are not robots but massive battle suits. 
- The chamber that these weapons are stored in is large, but Ethan advises that they should not explore further. It is late in the day, and they have gone far enough. They decide to return to Westgate cottage and return the next day.


…. in actual gameplay one of the Doors was a blank Door, and they explored one more Realm in this cluster but I think it makes sense to ret-con this.