Shadows over Sigil - The Eternal Boundary

House of Visions

"Public violence is strictly forbidden at all times and in all places in Sigil. Any kind of violence against inhabitants of the City of Doors will be punished immediately by the responsible authorities (Harmonium or Mercykillers). (note: by the Mercykillers only if there is no Harmonium nearby.) Assaults on the inhabitants of Sigil will result in shame sanctions, corporal punishment, imprisonment of varying duration or even the death penalty, depending on the severity of the crime. Acts that indirectly and negligently endanger or harm inhabitants are punishable as well."
point 1 of "The Five Major Violations in Sigil", as enacted - 496 HR

Third Low Day of Regula, 126 HR

Thoughts raced through Naghûl's head as he climbed the stairs to his factol's Private Sensorium for the second time in a few weeks. Actually, everything had started quite well. Marinda. The Harmonium's factol's daughter had been the subject. She was a little too enthusiastic about the Blue Jay. And since the latter was fortunately - though widely unknown - the same person as Naghûl Ka'Tesh, the Sensate could have a little influence on what Marinda got to see of him. What exactly she was to see, was an affair of the musician with a handsome young fellow. That should make her wonder at least a little bit whether the man should really be the focus of her interest personally, or whether she'd rather just concentrate on his music. Raralia, his wife's sister, had warned him, of course. Possibly this might stimulate a young girl's imagination all the more and even increase her interest. Well, he couldn't see into Marinda's heart, but he had to try something so as not to test Sarin's patience too much. So he decided to chance it. He got a young actor and explained to him - in the Blue Jay persona - that he was going to turn away a young admirer through a staged but passionate and very public kiss. Thanks to Marinda's roster, he also knew when and where the interlude would best take place. When the time came, he positioned himself at a fountain in the Guildhall Ward in his flamboyant costume, along with his alleged lover. Sgillin had made it a point to watch the scene from the nearest street corner, feeling deliciously entertained even before it began. He had also brought his girlfriend, a young woman named Lereia. At first glance she seemed quiet, almost reserved, but Naghûl knew that there was more to the delicately built, pretty woman with the long white hair: she was a white weretiger. The Sensate had already seen her transformed and had been very impressed. But that afternoon, she stood by the half-elf in her more inconspicuous human form, watching the scene at the fountain as intently as the half-elf. At first, everything went according to plan. Marinda passed the square with another triaria on her patrol, spotted the Blue Jay at the fountain, was about to run to him excitedly and then saw at close range the passionate kiss Naghûl exchanged with the hired actor. Sgillin, who had closely observed her reaction as Naghûl had requested, later described her as amazed and slightly confused. The girl exchanged a few words with the other soldier, then they continued their patrol, not without casting a glance or two back to the fountain. So far, so good. Naghûl thanked the actor, who left in a good mood after the successful performance. After Marinda was at safe distance, Sgillin and Lereia came over, a few friendly words of greeting and some jokes were exchanged. With that, it could have been good. They wanted to go to the Limbo Bar and let the early evening end comfortably. But no ... Fate had other plans. A dabus approached them - and to their great astonishment, he spoke to them. If one could dabus language even call speaking. The little pictures and symbols that floated luminously in the air above his head kept swirling around, as he apparently tried to arrange them into a riddle, the solution of which would have revealed his purpose to the three at the fountain. The very fact that the dabus was actively approaching them was eerie. Normally, the dabus did not pay attention to the inhabitants of Sigil - as well as vice versa. Only rarely did one speak to a dabus, but almost never was one approached by one. As if that wasn't enough, this one also seemed to be excited or nervous. Since the behavior of the dabus was said to reflect the mood of the Lady, this was really a reason to be alarmed. Lereia and Sgillin were too inexperienced in Sigil's ways to understand dabus language. But Naghûl also had his difficulties. On the one hand, because he had never liked riddles - and the dabus were known to speak exclusively in riddles. On the other hand, because the images and symbols above the dabu's head were constantly moving and changing position. A house ... two eyes ... a question mark ... hands that covered the eyes ... Then look away, Naghûl advised the dabus, annoyed, when he just couldn't figure out his message. Then the dabus seemed to give up and floated away. When they did not follow him, however, he stopped and turned to them. They were obviously supposed to follow him, and curiously they did. The dabus led them to an older house not far from the Great Gymnasium. At the door, various images appeared above his head again, but the three friends still could not make sense of them. The dabus looked confused and worried. When no one understood him, he finally shook a key from the sleeve of his long robe, which he dropped clattering on the pavement at Naghûl's feet. Then he simply floated away. The invitation was as clear as it was haunting. With mixed feelings, Naghûl picked up the key and, as feared, it fit the lock of the front door. The friends did not enter a residential house, as one would have expected in the Guildhall Ward, nor a workshop or storage room. It was a cool, old masonry of gray stone - and it was completely empty. Just bare walls and bare floor. And yet there was something alive in the house. A scorpion about the size of a cat scurried out of a shadowy corner. They recoiled in alarm, but the animal did not behave aggressively, calmly crawling back and forth in front of them. On closer inspection, they discovered a humanoid eye on its back ... Now and then it would close briefly, but otherwise it seemed to scrutinize the visitors intently. Naghûl loved new experiences, but this one sent a shiver down his spine. And he could tell by the look on Sgillin's and Lereia's faces that they felt the same way. The scorpion crawled conspicuously slowly to a door that led into another room. Like the dabus, he seemed to want them to follow. They entered another empty room - but here, something was different. A vortex of white energy swirled in the center and suddenly strange things happened. On the wall opposite the door, Naghûl could clearly see three numbers glowing slightly in a bluish light: 3 - 5 - 3. But it turned out that neither Sgillin nor Lereia saw them. Lereia, on the other hand, was sure to perceive the scent of wilting white roses. But neither of the other two noticed this. Sgillin, at last, suddenly seemed confused and excited. I swear to you, I just switched bodies with that scorpion, he assured. This is no joke! I was in its body, for a very brief moment! But before they could even try to make sense of these strange happenings, seven tombstones appeared before them out of nowhere. Each one bore a carved inscription, the three read with a shudder: Grave of the Factions - Grave of Reality - Grave of the Gods - Grave of Time - Grave of Dreams - Grave of Life - Grave of the Planes. And then, like a breeze, a voice wafted through the room, whispering: Who is the Seeker and who is the Keeper? Who is the Dreamer and who is the Thinker? Who will create and who will destroy? Who will see the past and the future? Who is the Dancer? And who, yes, who is the Healer? Just as the voice ended, so did the rest of the haunting: the tombstones, the vortex, the scorpion ... everything was gone, the strange house completely empty again. Only the key in Naghûl's hands proved that they had not simply dreamed all of this. As much as the Sensate loved new experiences, this one was too bizarre and felt too meaningful to keep to himself. This had to mean something, and something important, he realized, even without really understanding it. He needed to talk to his factol about it. And since Sgillin and Lereia were obviously in on it, too, he took them straight to the Festhall. Lady Erin was not to be found in the main hall, but as usual her consort, the half-elf Cuatha Da'nanin, usually just called Da'nanin, was present. He greeted Naghûl in a friendly manner, but quickly realized that something important and also disturbing weighed heavily on the tiefling's mind. Without much ado, he brought Naghûl, Lereia and Sgillin upstairs to the Private Sensorium. Factol Erin was surprised but pleased to see the two men and to meet Lereia as well. She asked the three to sit across from her while Da'nanin took a seat at her side. Naghûl took one deep breath and then told in detail what they just had experienced in the mysterious house. Lady Erin and her deputy and companion exchanged meaningful glances several times during this report, but did not interrupt the tiefling. Then Lady Erin - as surprisingly as relievingly - was able to give them at least a little more insight into what they had experienced. She eyed the group seriously and with some excitement at the same time.