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Characters: Valentinian
Location: Darqua, Evomere

Being a wanted man by the Imperium, after the events of the The Longest Fall, isn't an easy burden to bear. Even as that Imperium has problems of its own, now, and can’t spend all of its prodigious resources looking for Valentinian. Still, ambitious local Imperials looking to make a name for themselves are something he has to watch out for, and make deals with local grey-legal powers to keep him from getting chased yet again from another world.

Living in a small cabin on the planet Darqua, a planet about as unlike his home of K'Ehleyr as one could manage, a mostly glaciated world known for its exports of rare minerals, its cold weather, and a lot of ferocious predators, the Imperials here are more inclined to want bribes and kickbacks from the mining conglomerates and combines than actually looking for anyone on the run. It wasn't such a backwater as the Theatrum Maximus was unknown here, although the custom was to show productions (even re-runs) inside of communal buildings, old time movie theaters.

People saw productions here, and drank together too. Such as at the bar that Valentinian was currently in. It was also the only decent import spot for off-world snack items- local sundry stores carried only the basics. It was places like the Yellow Snowball that he could get something that was actually worth eating and not made of the barley-like crop they grew here. At least the beer they brewed from that crop was worth drinking.

Given his size and demeanor, most people left Valentinian alone, especially when his body language suggested to give him space. People usually wouldn't sit at a table next to him, if they didn't sense he wanted company. Strangers didn't normally know this rule the first time, but there weren’t many strangers on Darqua.

So when two figures came walking toward Valentinian- two non-regulars- it was something for him to wake up and pay attention. Both were women, the older of the two a dark haired woman, the shorter and younger blond. Both were wearing crisp uniforms of some sort, but they certainly weren’t local or even Imperial officials by the look of them. The bar was relatively cold, and while the unbundled uniform on the dark haired woman did make her look uncomfortable, the blond was clearly not discomforted.

"Good evening" The dark haired woman began. "We'd like to join you for a drink."

"Or buy you one." the blonde said.

"I always look gift blondes in the mouth," Valentinian quipped by reflex his eyes narrowing as he assessed them. "Brunettes too. Especially in pairs. I'm not that pretty."

On Darqua, the food wasn't the only thing bland, and to an adrenaline junkie like Valentinian, it was pretty close to hell, so he figured he'd play the game for a little while.

"So, unless you can convince me that I'm not the mark here, this isn't the type of ride I'm looking for," he said flatly, if not dismissively.

"Not the mark" the Brunette said doubtfully. She glanced over at the blond. "I should have brought Glandive, not you, Corrina."

"No help for it, Leyvne." Corrina said. "He was already assigned."

"Truth." Leyvne said, turning to Valentinian. "We're not quite here to physically seduce you, V." she continued. "We're here to make you a job offer. One that we already know you are suited for."

"One that will take you off of this miserable rock." Corinna jumped in. "We're not terribly impressed with it either, and wouldn't have come here if you weren't here already. You need and deserve something more than to drink and hide here. If I am bold enough to say." Corrina added. "We can provide that."

Valentinian watched the interplay between the women, his mind working the angles. The first thing that was obvious was that they hadn't really offered him anything as to intent- just talked around it. The second thing was that in all honesty, there really wasn't anything they could offer. He was introspective enough to know that the signs of paranoia were settling in after a long time on the run. The third thing- well, he would have to leave no matter what. They'd found him, so there would be others.

But the real point that swayed him was very simple. He was bored. Even being on the run had stopped being challenging. He wanted to go back to Critixia, and sitting here wasn't getting him any closer to that particular goal. There was nothing left for him here. He stood up, adjusting the strips that bound his forearms.

"So, how does this scan, fems?" he asked without further preamble.

"It's easier for you to scan this." Leyvne seemed unsure of the idiom. "Given that this world already has discovered interdimensional travel. And more importantly, because you yourself have engaged in it."

"Critixia" Corrina clarified. "You are aware that it exists in another universe, with different physical laws. You've gone there and back again. What if we told you, Valentinian, that there were an infinite number of universes. And that only certain people had the talent to access them. I myself do not have the talent, although I can follow another that does..." she looked at Leyvne.

"I do have that talent." Levyne said. "I used it to bring myself and Corrina here. And, if we are right, you do as well, Valentinian"

Valentinian's eyes narrowed as she said that last bit. "You know... it seems that quite a few people want and have wanted me for talent that I possess," he said. "I've heard every song and dance before- including this one."

"But it's not really about me, is it?" he asked, shrugging. "So, you can either skip to the part where you tell me what you want, or we can just leave, and I'll figure it out as we go along."

"Straight up." Levyne said. "It is about you. We want to confirm you have the talent to be a Warden of the Stair,, and then invite you to journey on the Grand Staircase with us, to come see our universe, the Dragon Empire. And, there, to hear our sales pitch to help our House, our Empire. There aren't many people who can do this, as I said, and there is an Enemy. An Enemy seeking conquest dominion over our universe, and all others connected to the Stair. The Empire opposes their efforts."

"They will come here, too. And to that world you visit, if they can."

"You're not the only one being located and recruited, Valentinian." Corrina put in. "You're just the one we've managed to locate. Our counterparts are doing the same elsewhere, with people like yourself."

"So... why are we still here?" Valentinian said, shrugging. "Because I already said 'Yes'."

Leyvne looked surprised, almost agog at Valentinian's remark.

"Let's be off on this grand adventure you're talking about. It's better than staying in this shithole."

"That was relatively easy" Levyne said, as she recovered and stood. She shot a look at Corrina.

"I told you this universe's denizens were receptive to the idea." Corrina said. She stood up too. "Let's show him what we have."

"The Dolica Movie theater, Valentinian" Leyvne said. "Two streets up and once across. That's where our access point is." Corrina and Leyvne move toward the door, grabbing their coats from the hooks at the entrance. "Coming?"

Shrugging, Valentinian grabbed his thermo-coat as they headed out the door.

Though the name "Yellow Snow" could be taken to refer to a certain phrase, it was actually a name of two meanings. Darqua was a frigid environment to be sure, but all of the snow was tinged yellow with a rotten-egg smell from the main reason that the planet was even colonized- the sulfur pits and mines. Though once fairly common, the radioactive sulfur naturally occuring in the death traps was worth more solaris than the lives wasted in the mines. And so it went.

Stepping out into the frigid cold, the driving yellow snow was only rivaled in its annoyance by the noticeable smell that came with it. As the precipitation seeped into fabrics and other materials, it left behind that smell. And you never got used to it! It was one of the reasons that Valentinian had invested in the thermo coat that he wore- military issue, it didn't take on the smell. It was the one luxury he had allowed himself.

If these fems were telling the truth, he might finally get off this dirtball. If not... well, he'd handle that when it happened. Trudging along in the slush, they arrived at the theater. He normally stayed away because of the remote risk that someone would recognize him. Hopefully, today he wouldn't see that risk realized.

"This planet is not the most pleasant one we've found through a Door." Leyvne said.

"Not in the least" Corrina said. "Useful, but not pleasant."

Leyvne lead all three into a service corridor and to a storage closet door. She stopped in front of it. "Here it is. Appearances are deceiving."

From around the next corner, a janitor, mop in hand, came around and stopped short. "You're not supposed to be here." he said, his wrinkled face creasing further with confusion. He stopped and looked at Valentinian. "Hey, aren't you that guy?"

"Open the door." Corinna hissed. "There isn't a closet there. Know that the Door doesn't lead to a closet, and Open it." The word is capitalized.

Valentinian paused, his hand outstretched. For him, there was no doubt, no hesitation.

At one time, there might have been- but he learned that lesson the hard way.

He took a quick look upward to make sure there were no spy-eyes around then followed that with quick shuffle step to take him past the two fems. By the time he reached the janitor, he was at full speed. Valentinian slammed one elbow into the man's temple. Before he could actually fall, Valentinian's other forearm fell across his neck, jerking him further into the alley before he let him fall.

Valentinian's brutal attack was quick and effective. the janitor putting up no resistance. The two women neither blanched nor commented, save for perhaps a slight smile on Levyne's face.

Without checking his vitals, Valentinian strode past the two women to the door. Without stopping or considering what he was doing- just that he needed to be off this rock, he turned the handle and opened it.

Beyond the Door, however, there wasn't a janitor's closet, just as Corinna promised. Instead, there was a moderately large wooden walled and floored room, with a blue rug covering most of the hardwood floor in the center. The room, tapering to a seed or tear shape, held a staircase going up to the left, a staircase down to the right on the bulbous end, and a door on the far side of the tear. Recessed lamps provided a pale yellow glow.

Five men (and one woman) stood guard here, they came to attention and hands went to arms. They appeared to be armed in a manner out of date even for Kardatha, much less the empire. Swords, crossbows, some sort of armor.

"They're our men." Corinna said. "Stand down, Lieutenant Byerly." she called out. "We're all right." The men relaxed at the sound of her voice.

"After you." Levyne said.

Valentinian didn't know what he'd expected- but it wasn't this. Taking in everything silently- especially the positioning of the soldiers, he walked through. This might be where the other shoe dropped, but at least it wouldn't be dull.

"Welcome" Lieutenant Byerly said, as Valentinian made his way through the Door and onto the landing. Leyvne and Corrina were right behind him, and closed the door shut.

"Welcome to the Grand Staircase, Valentinian." Leyvne said. "The extradimensional artifact that connects to a myriad of myriad of myriad of universes.She gestured back at the now closed wooden door, painted red. "That's the door back to that planet. Every door on the stair opens to a universe. Many universe have multiple doors that run to them, but they can be physically very far apart on the Stair." Levyne explained. "The nearest door that also opens to a planet in your world could be very far away indeed."

"Perhaps" Corrina said. "We should show Valentinian what lies beyond a nearby Door, just to prove to him the concept." Her eyes looked to Valentinian for his thoughts.

"Hmmm?" Valentinian responded after a short delay. He looked over to Corrina, his eyes registering more confirmation than acceptance- the look of someone that sees practical application made to something theoretically known.

"No," he said, almost absently, walking towards the stairway and looking down and up.

Twenty steps above this one, the staircase ended at a tear shaped platform, and beyond that, another staircase, and another, and another. Below him, twenty stairs lay to the next platform, identical to the one on which he stood, and the succeeding ones as well.

"The room," he said after a moment more. "I'd not... imagined there would be ... rooms," he said, his brow beetling at the thought. "What determines their structure? Or is it set?"

"We call these Expanses, actually" Levyne said. "Expanses of the Grand Staircase. An Expanse can be small, or stretch for miles, before it changes to another form. Staircases of metal, areas connected by ladders and platforms. Complicated sets of metal platforms. The variety is endless."

"Whoever and whatever created the Staircase created it to change, grow and evolve." Levyne continued. "There are many theories among the thinkers back home about such questions. New areas appear, old ones shift away, Doors to new worlds appear and old Doors move or are even lost. We have a whole branch of scholars who try and keep track of it all, but its really people like you and I, who have an affinity to the Stair, that handle it best."

"Other than opening the door, and of course, memory... is there any way to know what lies beyond?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"In some senses" Levyne said. "A warden has a sense of what kind of a world a Door opens onto, especially if its a place she's been. The attributes of a world reflect for a small distance on this side of the stair, you see."

"We're all along for the ride." Corrina confirmed. "Levyne knows the way home. You can find your way back home, now, and to many other kinds of places once you are trained."

"Trained?" he asked. "Ah yes, the other shoe. I'm assuming that you're not showing me this out of the kindness of your hearts," he said, his attention fully engaged. "I believe there was mention of an 'Empire', an 'Enemy', and 'Your House', which would seem to imply that there are others."

"So can we fill in this sketch with some color? Especially with the details of what the price is for this," he motioned absently, "'consideration'?"

"Joining the Empire, being adopted into one of the Houses." Levyne said bluntly. "The Empire lost too many Dragon Bloods, and Wardens, in the latest War with a race called the Dwimmerlaik. The Dwimmerlaik are an ancient race that have Wardens and powers of their own, and they seek the destruction and dissolution of the worlds on the stair, and dominion over it. Five years ago, we stopped their latest attempt at taking over territory on the stair and key worlds on it, but at an extremely high cost. One of our Great Houses, Tepet, lost the majority of its wardens and Dragon Bloods in a terrible battle where they kept the Dwimmerlaik from swarming into the Empire itself. We've lost allies, satrapies, and more. Were the Dwimmerlaik to strike again, we do not have the resources to stop them again."

"We need warriors, ambassadors, mages, explorers, adventurers and emissaries, and need them badly, Valentinian. We need allies and friendly Gossamer worlds that we can use as shortcuts, staging points, and just places to stop for a rest on the Stair. And so the Empress constructed a set of artifacts to detect and find lost members of her bloodline, those who could be awakened or will awaken, as Dragon Bloods and Wardens."

"People like you, Valentinian." Levyne finished.

"If you'll forgive me saying so," Valentinian started, "I'm not inclined to look favorably on any sort of Empire these days, and definitely not pledge allegiance to one. Especially not one in the middle of a war."

"Told you" Corinna said to Levyne.

"So I guess that brings us to the other shoe," he said. Suddenly, the intensity around him and his stance was almost a palpable thing, as he queried, "If I choose to remain unaligned, what happens? I'd assume that you don't just want 'talented',unaligned individuals roaming this grand stairway of yours."

"The Grand Staircase is far older than the Empire, and extends, as far as anyone can tell, infinitely. Even within the areas of the stair that the Empire knows, it holds sway, but not absolute power. And there are dangers on the Staircase, and potentates other than the Empire, and the Dwimmerlaik. Wardens come from all backgrounds, all races, as far as we can tell. Those Wardens, for the most part, do not show the marks of the Dragon Blood that indicates their blood tie to the Empire. Given enough time and experience, you'll meet them, especially at places on the Stair that attract a lot of traffic and attention.

"In addition" Leyvne said, continuing. "Her Supreme Highness said that any adoptions by Houses had to be of mutual agreement, and any who rejected the Empire offer be allowed to leave. You will find, Valentinian, that even a untrained Warden like yourself is rather difficult to imprison."

"Or to kill" Corinna said. "On the other hand, the multiverse can be a dangerous place without allies, especially if you don't have training. You could always go back to that iceball back in your Gossamer World, of course, and forget we met you and forget all this."

"Its not unknown." Levyne conceded. "Met a Lost Egg, a powerful guy with metal in his skeleton and an ability to heal his wounds. He told us to leave him alone or he'd perforate our lungs. So, we left him alone." She shrugs."It happens."

"I can't say whether you're being serious, or just having a go," Valentinian said, looking at her askance.

"You can't imagine the variety of what's out there" Levyne said. "But hopefully you will help find it."

"I must say that your response is a more... enlightened one than I'd expected." Leaning back against the wall, he looked around at the soldiers... thinking... assessing. "So I think I scan what you're selling- but what if I just want to test out the waters? Is there some hard stop on this deal?"

"Hard stop would probably come once you meet the Empress and are made the final formal offer" Levyne said. "Which would involve the trip to the Empire, your introduction to it, the Great Houses coming and making offers and getting to know you, and the like before the Empress gives you an audience. In all of that, there is plenty for you to see, and pick up and learn."

"Like your elemental imprint!" Corinna said. "You're a Lost Egg Warden, but that means you're blessed by the Elemental Dragons, too. The Empire won't want to let you go far without your First Manifestation. We wouldn't want your first to be at a play and you wind up injuring half the people in your part of the theater because you didn't know to control it. You'll be certainly taught that."

"Unless you HAVE manifested before?" Levyne put in.

"Why would you ask that?" Valentinian said casually. "Is that a common occurrence?"

"First Manifestation usually occurs by puberty." Levyne said. "Although its happened as early as age 9 or 10. If it doesn't happen by young adulthood, and it is still fated to happen, it usually occurs in the middle of trauma or Need. Like, for example, something offscreen for that reality show set in the inner universe, for example. That seems to be a higher mana place than the Empire, and if you had manifested there while you were playing the part of Shiv, it wouldn't have been terribly surprising. It was like a trip through Malfeas, some of the stuff you went through."

"And it would make a lot of sense for you to hide it." Corinna added. "Especially if you had no idea what it was. The Empire, too, I could see them keeping that offscreen if they saw you do it. You WERE on that forsaken planet we found you on for a reason, right?"

Narrowing his eyes, Valentinian waggled his finger at the two women. "I was on that planet because the Empire and I don't get along for varied reasons," he said. "And that's not one of them."

"If they knew _any_ thing like the preposterous bit you two are suggesting, a bit of planet hopping wouldn't be enough to keep them off my tail." He shook his head, chuckling. "Our disagreement is more... personal."

"The political is personal." Levyne said, nodding. "Very well. suggestion withdrawn, and any offense is apologized for."

"Didn't mean anything by it."Corrina added.

"You two have _quite_ the imagination," he finished, leaning against the wall.

"So... what next, if I don't have to make any permanent decisions right now?"

"Travel with us back to the Empire, to meet representatives from the various Houses, to see the Empire for yourself." Levyne said. "It's about a day and a half of travel to get there from here. "This will give you a chance to see what travel on the Stair is like and what one might find, and what one might do, and what one might face."

"So I guess begins the first lesson," Valentinian said, shrugging off the apologies. "How do you know, if the stair is so vast, which way to actually go?"

Corinna held up a hand. "This is all her ballpark, here. I'm just along for the ride."

"You might explain that, as a baseline." Levyne said, looking at her. "I can then start to show him how a Warden can do it." Corrina considered this, nodded.

"For an ordinary person who manages to get onto the Stair, such as myself, it can be bewildering." Corinna said. "Indefinitely long staircase, innumerable worlds. Few signposts. If you aren't with a Warden, then you need to keep track of Door exits, entrances and where they go. Wardens do it, too, but they have an easier time, and can find *new* places. A map to locations is something we call a Carta."

She dug out a small leather skinned notebook and offered it to Valentinian. Opening it, Valentinian found a set of diagramic maps, annotated in characters that he didn't recognize. The general sense of a linear map, and the symbols of doors, and staircases was easy enough. There were other drawings and icons too, particularly dragons.The book seemed to have a fair number of these maps, most of them beginning with the same dragon symbol.

"You might draw one of these for yourself" Levyne said, having given Valentinian a few more moments to study the maps. "To outline the route outward from your world to the Empire. Although, your next lesson will show that while its extremely useful, its not strictly necessary."

"Useful is good, even if not strictly necessary, " Valentinian responded as he handed the notebook back to Levyne. "And it is always wise to listen to those with more experience.," he added.

"So, to that next lesson..."

"Let's walk a bit further, since its a bit pointless to try it here." Levyne said. She started ascending stairs and crossing landings, ignoring the Doors that dotted each one. She walked with purpose like this for ten minutes in total, and then stopped on the platform.

"Now, the most important thing for a Warden is to be able to find her way to locations." Levyne said. "You can always find your homeworld, for example, which means that you could always return to your Empire. You just have to reach for the feeling of your homeworld, for how it makes you feel. how it forged and created you. You should feel it like a magnetic pull that will draw you through the staircase to the nearest Door that opens onto it. Here, it will just draw down the staircase to where we were, but if you travel far and further, it will draw you to another Door, the nearest Door."

"Try it." she added. "This technique will also let you do other things, but let's establish technique first."

Valentinian started to close his eyes, then stopped as he realized that he wouldn't be able to do that all the time. Figuring that it would be easier to focus on something smaller. First, he thought of the staging area that he spent a lot of his time waiting for the next adventure. But he found that he didn't feel anything for that representation of Vaer Saagt or that life. For a moment, he was at a loss for anything that he might feel anything for. His apartment was sterile and paid for by his producers.

After a moment, he started to remember the ash from his parents' farm. The feel of the grit and detritus. And not just that... but the bitter feel and taste of failure. Maybe that was all that he had in way of memories of the Empire at the root. But if it was or not, it was real, because he felt a very real pull down the staircase.

"What now?" he asked, as the feeling became more intense.

"You can follow that feeling all the way to a Door that opens onto your birth world." Levyne said. "Not useful in this instance, it would just lead you back where we came from. But were that Door to be destroyed, for instance, or you were in a distant portion of the Stair, that ability would lead you to a Door that could get you to some world in your Empire."

"However, perhaps you don't want to go home." Levyne said. "Perhaps you want a Door that opens onto a tropical beach where they serve alcoholic drinks with coconut milk in hollowed out coconuts."

"You need a vacation." Corinna observed.

"Perhaps but that is not for today" Levyne said. "But Valentinian, you can find a Door to a world with the criteria you desire. It may be a *long* walk on the stair, or it may take you to a Door to that world and direct you overland for some distance, but you can find your way to it if you conjure and focus on the desired type of locale. It works even better if you have a specific place in mind that you've visited, or know a lot about."

Valentinian was silent for a moment, nodding. He felt his hand twitch, and a _particular_ pain behind his eye as he forced himself *not* to think of a locale. Better to hold that for another time.

"You said criteria that you desire... so you could be led to one of many possibilities? And is that door... that world... created if none exist that match your criteria? Or are all of these worlds... all of these doors... already in existence and of a limited- though seemingly limitless- variety?"

"There's a lot of debate and study on what the real nature of the Staircase and the worlds it connecs are" Levyne said. "Did all of these worlds already exist and the Staircase just connects them? New Doors do appear in the Staircase, sometimes in well trod areas--are the worlds beyond them always there, or are the 'brand new', born old with histories and backstory that the inhabitants think is real?"

"No one knows for certain." she said. "But you can find a debate among the more scholarly Wardens about what its all about and what it all means. I think the Gossamer Worlds predate the Stair and that the Stair was created to connect them together, but there is really only thin and contradictory evidence any which way.

"Some worlds manage to travel to others without a Door, such as yours has." Levyne added. "And there are other methods to do so. They have their disadvantages. If we were to use an Icon and return to the Empire straightaway, you would be at a linguistic disadvantage, without having gone through the Door to get there."

"You'd have to rely on a language spell." Corinna said. "Such as I used to speak your tongue. Wardens." She glanced at Levyne. "Can speak the major languages of any world they enter through its Door. But only through its Door."

Valentinian nodded silently, looking around as they traversed the stairs. A seemingly infinite opportunity was opening in front of him- by way of stairs and doors. But this enemy... but that was for another time.

"Any more tidbits or lessons?" He asked instead.

"There is a lot to teach you, about what you can do as a Warden, about the Empire, about the polities we know about that interact with the Staircase as we do. Lots you will have to learn on your own." Levyne replied. "Especially if you decide to go it alone and stay an independent agent. The work of your extended lifetime."

"In some ways, your world was almost too easy to find, Valentinian, its a straight walk up through several regions of the stair to Threshold and the Empire." she added. "No shortcuts or anything fancy to get to your world from the Empire. Just a lot of stair climbing."

"So, how much more stair climbing do we have?" Valentinian asked, his interest piqued enough that he was now looking forward to the end more than the journey.

"Eight hours." Levyne said. "One thing about the Stair...there are worlds out there where exercise machine simulate climbing up stairs. Here on the staircase, you get to do that for reason, and find worlds in the bargain. But it must be said that its not just endless tear shaped rooms. The areas of the Stair vary from rather grotty metal stairs to wide salons with only the gentlest notion they have any vertical arrangements. And, always, Doors. We're actually due for a change in Stair type shortly. About twenty more flights of this."

All of this conversation took place as they continued to ascend the wooden staircase from tear shaped platform to platform. Corinna dropped back a bit, giving Valentinian and Levyne a chance to continue to speak, and spoke quietly to the men who had silently followed them. The few words that they had spoken that Valentinian had heard did not make any sense to him.

"There are other ways to get around the worlds, spells and Icons mostly, but for its pedantic and slow nature, even with shortcuts, there really is no substitute for the Stair, which goes, eventually, everywhere."

Valentinian turned her words over in his head for a moment. "So, is the stair merely the source of conflict, or is it a battleground, also? And if it is a place where battles occur, how... resilient is it?"

"Battles here are uncommon because of the restrictive rules that are usually in evidence." Corinna said. "Usually firearms don't work, or work inconsistently. Higher order technology, electronics, explosives, usually don't work at full capacity or at all, except in some areas. Spells usually work, but sometimes only to a limited degree. The only reliable thing in the stair are things powered by muscle. So it is in the Gossamer Worlds that conflicts usually play out, with the Stair the way we move between them."

"The Stair fixes itself too." Levyne added. "The Stair is difficult to damage, but if managed, it repairs itself over relatively short pieces of time. In the last War, for example, in a running battle, the Dwimmerlaik managed to wreck portions of Threshold, that's the region of the Staiar closest to most of the Empire's doors. All of the damage repaired itself within a couple of months, and now its impossible to tell there ever was a battle there."

"Gossamer worlds themselves." Corinna added unhappily. "aren't so lucky."

Though he seemed well adjusted to the idea, internally Valentinian was still trying to digest the somewhat infinite nature of what he'd been given. And as much as he was still trying to wrap his head around it all and force himself to remain focused, his mind still wandered to somewhat random questions as they climbed. "What happens if you fall off?" he asked, looking over the edge of the stair. "And how continuous is the space here? Can you jump from on space to the other, bypassing the stair in-between?"

"If you were crazy to go jumping up and down the staircase, and had the capability, you certainly could." Levyne replied. "And if you fell down that gap, you'd fall until the form and shape of the stair changed. It does do that--there are section breaks, changes in the format of the stair. A fall here would not be for eternity, since the form would change and you'd hit something."

"There are no Coriolis forces." Corinna added absently. "Drop an object into that void and it goes straight down to the next section. Which, since this area is new to us, could take any form or shape."

"Most of the Stair isn't amenable to flyers." Corinna continued. "Although I suspect some air aspects with flight spells would love to try and experiment, here. Knowledge to tell my cousins in Ledaal." she added, looking at Levyne. "I promise not to delay us by trying it now."

"Heads in the clouds, the lot of you air aspects." Levyne replied, good naturedly.

"On the subject of different aspects, and different houses," Valentinian began, trying to pass the time, "I know that the Dwimmerlaik are the primary enemies... but what kind of internecine struggles are there internally? Do aspects... resent others? Especially of opposing elements... and houses. With limited resources, surely there are struggles between houses also." Though Valentinian gave the appearance of being a brute, his thinking and vocabulary betrayed depths that would not be obvious.

"How are these handled in a way to keep the whole of the Empire together against the larger threat?"