BelGareth
The cart rumbled once again as it slammed back into the hard dirt of the sun baked field, it was still a miracle it hadn't fallen apart, and not for the first time, do you wonder if it was also enchanted to be indestructible along with all of it's other enchantments and perks.

You were sent in, this was a high fast paced, snatch and grab job.

The Vanguard Consortium received a dire request for assistance from a remote village on the outskirts of a war-torn region. The village, known as Havenbrook, has been besieged by multiple hostile factions vying for control of a powerful artifact hidden within its sacred temple. This artifact is said to grant immense elemental control, making it a coveted prize.

You were tasked with retrieving the artifact before it falls into the wrong hands. Simple enough, but then you got sucked into the local politics somehow, and suddenly you were proctoring a truce between these two factions, each side would receive the artifact and they would enjoy peace. But you only had one artifact.

To avoid a direct confrontation with these powerful factions and protect Havenbrook, the Consortium devised a plan for the team to escape with the artifact in a wooden cart, using its mundane appearance as a disguise. The wooden cart is enchanted to be lightweight yet resilient, allowing it to withstand considerable impacts and environmental hazards.

The manner of your leaving the peace treaties is a matter of debate, but suffice to say, it was not...quiet, things got out of hand, and now you are cramped inside a wooden magically enchanted cart, with an unknown artifact, and the two most powerful forces on this planet hunting you, just a few hundred feet away.

And gods damn the Consortium's rules, they were usually a guideline anyway, but not on high level cases, it would take a miracle to explain all of this away.

A fireball erupts next to the cart as you hit another rut, shaking you around like Knucklebones in a bowl.

 
 Spoiler 

You have spent 50% of all your daily uses of everything (feats, powers, spells, abilities, etc)
 
Xanyo
Luna is crammed into a corner of the wagon, perpetually shifting as she tries to find a position where her wings aren't too crumpled or touching any iron studs or fastenings. She hasn't been very successful, and is trying to ignore the burning sensations. She's holding her hands together in front of her face, listening to her bluewood gauntlets as they tell her what's going on immediately outside the wagon.

 "Look at it this way. They were at war before we got here. They were going to be at war after we left. It's a longstanding cultural dispute, the treaty was never going to hold up anyways, especially not as long as the artifact was in the mix. If you think about it we've done them a favor taking it out of the equati-" 

A bump and a blast jolt her, smacking her against the roof of the cart. She puts her hands out to try to stabilize herself.

 "Out of the equation. This way they can continue with their status quo, but with lower stakes. Without that source of conflict, and with a common enemy in us, they might be able to eventually put their differences aside and talk things out without worrying that the balance of power could shift drastically at any moment. Not peace in their time, but perhaps their children's time. As long as the artifact was involved that would have been impossible." 

She hadn't frozen anybody  too  important, she's pretty sure. And if she had it's technically reversible.
Archemist
 "This is BS,"  fumes Xannifer.  "To be running away from these jerks hurts my soul. At least now they're picking on someone their own size, and Havenbrook is no longer a target." 

She gestures rearward, saying,  "But if these two don't know they're beaten, yet, we should be reminding them."  She grits her teeth. Her axes make the small wagon seem even more cramped, and she hits the top of one, turning it into an only-slightly-less-bulky shield. At least Xannifer herself is on the shorter side.

She surveys her own body briefly, checking that none of the blood is hers.  "They haven't even managed to nick me and we're running. Unbelievable."  She grumbles to herself as if in prayer and it seems 50/50 whether she's praying for patience or for divine wrath to flow through her again as it already has a couple times today.
tonberryking
  "Hey, uh, quick question: WHO THE @#$% IS DRIVING THE CART?!?!?"  

Rina squawks unintelligibly as she dislodges herself from the cart's cargo that wasn't nailed down. For most of the departure, prior, she was sliding around in a slapdash pile, until a bump in the road launched her a few inches into the air. Again. The armored, pink frog is almost never happy, but right now she's in a murderously dark mood by the time she's freed and grabs a side of the cart for support.

  "Whoever's in control, keep it on the ground! Whoever's not driving, hold me steady so I can take our pursuers to explosives school with my next spell! It's either that or I dimension door myself over their and start chopping!"   
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

HP:184 AC: 45,

Spells In effect:
 Shield +10 AC ((Cast as a 3rd level spell w/ Empower Spell) +6, +4 from Abjurant Champion's Abjurant Armor feature) lasts 34 minutes
 Resist Energy (Fire)  30 Points
 Bear's Endurance  18 con, +34 HP
 
Auranghzeb
The Bandar-Log grinned annoyed at the latest blast. They weren't really expecting such a reaction to their attempt at a diplomatic solution. They could have come up with a better decoy, however. Not even the Bandar Log's simulacrum had been enough to fool bot sides.

 To hide a deception behind a larger trick is a possibility. To side with one of them against the other, so we are not the common enemy but an ally for one side. We could tilt the balance of power. It is not as if we have followed the directorate's rules so far in this mission.
We need to take a look.  



The Bandar-Log became invisible and peering through a crack in the cart, swiftly teleported a hundred feet in the air, floating above and scouting.


 
 Spoiler: OoC 
Casting invisibility and then Dimension Leap to provide eyes in the sky.

Ongoing buffs: Mighty Wallop on the great club, Elemental Body (both last 15 hours)
 
paradox26
Gruk bounces into the air continually, but his small stature ensures he doesn't hit the roof. So he is not as discombobulated as his companions, but he is still concerned at how the situation stands.

 "This mission certainly could have gone better, I must confess. I am not sure that starting a war with both sides will be the best option for us, however. The Consortium will be dreadfully upset with us if we start killing everyone pursuing us. We could have done that without going to the trouble of stealing the artifact. I can always throw some lightning bolts down range in their direction, though. Not aiming to hit them, just aiming to distract them and hopefully drive them off,"  he says.

 "And if whoever is driving this thing could speed it up a little, that would be magnificent,"  he adds.

He moves to the rear of the wagon, and peering carefully over the side, he studies the pursuers. He certainly won't kill anyone unless he absolutely must, but that could happen.
tonberryking
 "Oh PLEASE!  If this civilization is advanced enough in the arcane arts to where goons are lobbing textbook examples of fireballs at us, they're mature enough to learn about  cause and effect  when angering a much more POWERFUL caster!!!" 

Rina has a good enough grip on the rails to deliver a counter argument,  "And seriously, who's driving the cart??! I should blow them up next if we hit one more--*"  the cart of course hits another bump and she lets out a rather annoyed croak.

 "At the very least can one of you frost maidens throw down an ice slick or a fog bank or something behind us? Let them lose control and crash into a gods damn tree for all I care! Is that low-magic enough for you???" 
Xanyo
Outside the cart two horse-shaped snow constructs and one humanoid one in a burlap cloak are pulling the cart as fast as they can. The horses had been carefully sculpted to look like beautiful white mares, complete with shiny rocks as eyes. The driver is a little lumpier, but covered up to hide it. Animate Snow truly has many uses.

 "Give the snow golems a break, they have no brains."  She leans back and bangs on the roof. No good, Bandar was out of range of her gauntlets, probably a good deal further. She lets out a sigh.  "We aren't fleeing. That would imply that we have anything to fear. We have obtained our objective and are securing it. We don't want to get BOGGED DOWN, BANDAR, SO BE QUICK ABOUT IT! Ah, forget it. I've already thrown down two Arctic hazes, but we're moving too fast for them to do any good. Let me see what else I can do. Gruk, take a look at the artifact and make sure it stays secure." 

She makes her way to the back of the cart to get a peek out. As soon as she gets a sight on their pursuers she casts a Column of Ice right in front of them.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Casting Column of Ice in our pursuers' path. 20 ft diameter column of ice, around 85 ft tall. 10 feet thick(weird considering the diameter, but that's what the spell says); hardness 16; hp 160; break DC 90; Climb DC 30. There's a reflex save to avoid the column, but that's for people that end up on top of it, and I'm using it to block the path. It's a DC of 30 regardless.

There's a concentration check to cast in a bouncy or very rough cart, but the DC is 10-15 and I have a +24 bonus, and this sequence feels roll-lite, so I'll only roll it if asked.
 
watupwithdat
First the cart's too small, forcing Immith to dismiss her faster and more durable animal form, and then it's not even a comfortable ride to boot. She chews her lower lip behind her mask, thinking about their options.

 "So I take it we're just trying to slow them down?" 

She cranes her neck around to see if whoever threw that fireball at them is preparing for another. Evidently the mist and entangling plant life she left in their wake didn't slow them down much.

 "Not sure how effective obscuring us in snow would be, with all the fire thrown our way, but at least it will move with us and make us harder targets."  She pauses for a few seconds, as if waiting for someone to cease their apparent panic to answer.  "Or we could go bigger. Could easily just bury them in snow and debris, or blow them back with high winds. That would stop them, presumably. They  should  survive it." 
paradox26
Gruk grumbles at the request, but he moves back next to the artifact. He studies it closely, wondering what exactly it does, then he starts trying to secure it as best he can to the cart. It isn't easy, as there are few tie points, but he does the best that he can in the circumstances.

 "Going bigger might be the best option. It might be enough to frighten the pursuers away, even if it doesn't kill any of them. What sort of big spells can you cast? I can create darkness, but that won't slow them down for long,"  he asks.


 
 Spoiler: OOC Actions 

 (1d20+22)[ 25 ]  Sleight of Hand check, or  (1d20+2)[ 5 ]  Use Rope check, if it is big enough to be able to be tied down.
 
watupwithdat
 "With some assistance from the spirits of this land, almost anything."  Immith says while observing their pursuers.  "It is the immediate and lasting ramifications that we need to consider in how we handle this." 

She looks at Gruk securing the artifact, and thinks not for the first time that she's imagining it's giving off some kind of energy. But there would be more time to investigate that later.

 "A snow storm could prove effective in slowing them down, but the cart may be caught in it as well. Unless I can precisely position it in our wake."  She absently scratches at an itch below her left ear.  "Not sure I can." 
BelGareth
As Bandar appears up above, he sees the chase, and then a column of ice erupting before the carts chasing you all, several veer off to the sides, but a few don't manage it and smack head on, crumbling into a splintered wreckage of horses and humans.

The others are slowed down just a bit, buying you a little bit of time as they attempt to catch back up.

Looking at the artifact, it looks to be in one shape, at least the shape it was in when you grabbed it.

Recalling the brief, you remember that Magic here is banned, only the God-Clerics are allowed to cast any magic, of any kind, which is what is causing a lot of the hub-bub. But you are almost to the tree line of the Dark Spider Forest, which may deter your hunters
Xanyo
Ah, the quaint taboos of small-time civilizations. They turn up their nose at so much power because it wasn't granted by the right picky deity. What is a deity but a person with power to spare? Or not even a person, a collective could fill the same role. Any entity or force that hoards great power and doles it out by its own standards may as well be considered a deity of sorts. If only they had an idea of just a shadow of the power they eschew. She lifts a hand. She could show them... just a taste...

  No,   she blinks and shakes herself out of it.   These people needn't learn their folly today, nor from me. Not while on Vanguard business. No, this situation calls for a softer hand, a deterrent.  
 "Mush! Mush my snowmares! We aim to disappear in the forest. I plan to give the locals a display at the border to discourage them from following us. I don't know if we'll have roads the cart can handle in there, so we might have to shrink the cart down and go on wing. Clear? Everybody make ready to move." 

Once they near the treeline she plans to exit the cart out the back and take flight. Preparing for the display, she musses her hair and scowls. Looking the part. She would take a vantage point in the air, let them gather, and give them a proper fae scream - and a  Fear  spell for good measure.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Delaying until we're in position. I'm going to wait for our pursuers to rally up as we enter the forest, fly right over them, and hit them with  Fear  (DC 30, 30 ft cone) and Dreadful Wrath (DC 28, 20 ft radius).
 
paradox26
Gruk watches as his companion leaps out and upward from the cart. He isn't sure of her plans, but figures it will have to help the situation. Unless of course it just provokes the enemy even more. As the party gets to the forest, he decides what he will do. He still has many of his shadow powers left, and he plans to drop an area of darkness on the forest once they get inside it, so as to prevent the enemy from trailing them for a while. It will slow them down immensely, and hopefully it will be enough to allow the wagon to escape. He considers using a plane shift spell to get the party away, but he figures that there is too great a risk that the artifact will be left behind, being immune to mortal magic. So they will have to get out the slow way. He watches to see what his companion plans to do in the sky. She seems to be casting spells, but he can't see an immediate effect, so it must be something more subtle than a fireball or similar.
watupwithdat
With the appearance of the pillar of ice the need for Immith's intervention seemed unnecessary. Instead she observed the bear running alongside the cart, inspecting the creature for injuries. Seeing none, she sat back down and closed her eyes. The rest seemed more eager to act, and she just felt tired in any case. The mission parameters made things so much harder than it had to be.

 "It seems we will soon be out of their line of sight." 
BelGareth
You carriage careens right into and through the dense foliage at the base of the forest, blasting through small trees and bushes alike, sending dirt, leaves, snow and detritus into the air like Carynthian Bowling pins in a game of FutFut during the midsummer celebration.

As Luna flies over and descends screaming like a an evil fae wanting to take their children's blood and bones, they all scatter like scree in a windstorm, the persistent threat of revealing yourselves from all this way, washed away like words in the wind, either they really don't like fae, or the forest has them scared, or perhaps a little bit of both, however it is, you quickly lose them in the new dark and strange terrain, you quickly realize those flying above need to lower and come closer, the trees are large and reach nearly 100ft into the air, and their is little to see below through the dense canopy, even worse when you enter the upper canopy to descend, you realize flying in this forest is not a good idea.

You also realize, you have no clue where you are going.
Xanyo
The crowded canopy and shadowy trees force the group close together. Flying through the trees is difficult, with many branches hanging where they can catch an unsuspecting flier in the face. After a few close calls narrowly avoided by a warning from her gauntlets, Luna had taken to riding on top of the cart, using her wings to maintain balance. Their speed had slowed to a walking pace due to the undergrowth.

 "'Dark Spider Forest', huh?"  She had a mirror out and had been spending a few minutes putting her appearance back in order after the frightening act she had put on earlier.  "Feels like the kind of place Lady Aranea would call home. What are the bets on what lives here? Giant spiders? Driders? Arachnid fey? Some kind of shadow spiders? Animated spider exoskeletons? A goth librarian?" 

She chuckles to herself at a joke that she may be the only one to get.

 "Got any stories about creepy crawlies you've tangled with? Arthropods you've axed? I once froze the biggest giant spider I could find because I wanted to bring it to my wife for decoration, but it was too large for me to shrink for transport at the time. Wonder what alternative transport methods could've been used. It was a shame too, because I got bit and spent a week barely able to move. All that effort for naught." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Just noting that I have Blindsight 30 ft
 
Auranghzeb
The Bandar-Log teleported back to the top of the wagon as they entered the woods. They liked woods of dense canopy, the tall shadows reminded them of the Dusklin lands of their dreams and poems. They drifted into a dreamy sopor while observing their surroundings. Well, they weren't the most aware of guardians. Luna had scared the pursuing armies, or maybe it was the woods.

They started humming a tune, composing a poem in their head.


  
Once there was a wood of long shadows....  
tonberryking
As mystifying as it sounds, there are reasons Rina's not allowed back in certain Bard schools.

  "So, see...this one time, I infiltrated a particularly large island under the warty thumbs of a sea hag trinity who lured poor bastards into their clutches by the literal boatloads and set their zombified ogres after anyone who survived their ships wrecking. And tortured anyone who survived THAT. After learning of them, I snuck in in a floating barrel I scrawled "BOOZE" on the side of, just floating in the shallows, and they didn't detect me till it was too late. They never put the fires out once I got started. But there was one REALLY gnarly-ass zombie ogre--it had to have been kept intact with rope, dark magic, and that pitch they use to plug holes in ships with-- who looked like he was wearing big bug carapace armor, but turned out he was just infested with a coiled centipede swarm camped out where his innards used to be. Gods DAMN, but the smell was worse than a trogladyte farting contest when I dislodged the whole thing, URGH..."  

Rina looks like she wants a  real  big barrel with BOOZE scrawled on it as she croaks out a few ungainly gagging noises.

  "Even after I torched it the smell didn't completely go away.  So, already in a foul mood, I decapitated the hags, one by one, and you don't want to know where I shoved the severed heads.  Of course, I realized only AFTER my murderous rampage that I had no idea how to actually escape the island, but I did find a book detailing what bugs on the island were edible until help arrived."  
watupwithdat
It didn't take long for Immith to tune out the frog, instead pondering their next course of action. Their pursuers not following them into the forest could be considered concerning, but she saw no sign of any threat in the immediate surroundings.

 "Anyone with a specific destination in mind, or are we happy just fleeing with the artifact?"  she asked once the frog ceased.  "Not being followed within the bounds of the forest makes me curious about this place." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
No idea what rolls are necessary or needed, so use what's appropriate.
Spot for threats:  (1d20+20)[ 24 ] 
Listen for threats:  (1d20+21)[ 35 ] 
Survival to figure out a suitable direction to go:  (1d20+23)[ 37 ] 
Knowledge (nature) for posterity:  (1d20+26)[ 39 ] 
 
BelGareth
As the team's wooden cart ventures deeper into the eerie expanse of the Dark Spider Forest, the atmosphere grows denser and the foliage seems to close in around you. The trees, shrouded in ominous shadows, cast elongated forms that twist and writhe as if alive. Unsettling whispers of the forest's history and tales of creatures lurking within fill the air.

Navigating the treacherous terrain proves challenging, and before long, you find yourselves lost amidst the twisting paths and deceptive shadows. The forest's eerie aura distorts their sense of direction, leaving you disoriented and unable to find your way out.

Suddenly, an eerie sensation washes over you, a palpable shift in the environment that sends a shiver down your spines. From the depths of the forest emerges a group of shadowy entities, their forms twisted and indistinct like living darkness. They are the very embodiment of the forest's malevolent aura: the Umbric Arachnids.

As the spiders encircle the cart, their shadowy webs emerge, ensnaring the vehicle and its occupants. Panic sets in as the team struggles against the suffocating tangle of dusk, the air growing thick and suffocating. Your attempts to free yourselves are met with resistance, the shadows seemingly alive and intent on subduing you.

In the darkest moment, just as the shadows threaten to consume you entirely, a sudden burst of verdant energy pierces the darkness. A druid, cloaked in moss and leaves, steps forward, wielding the power of nature to dispel the shadows and shatter their hold on the team. With swift and precise movements, the druid unravels the web of darkness, freeing the team from its clutches.

 "Quickly,"  the druid urges,  "follow me if you seek safety!" 

You follows the druid's lead, moving through the forest in haste as the shadows writhe and threaten to reclaim them. With the druid's guidance, you reach the forest's edge, and as they break free from the oppressive darkness, you find yourselves standing in a place of brilliant light and tranquility—the Verdant Nexus.

The druid's magic has brought you back to the Nexus, the place where planar travelers converge and diverge. The druid explains that the Hub is a place of equilibrium, a space between worlds where the laws of the multiverse intersect. It serves as a sanctuary where those who traverse the planes can find respite and guidance.

With gratitude, you thank the druid for their timely intervention. The druid nods and offers a final piece of advice:  "Seek the heart of the labyrinth, where the threads of fate converge. Only there can you unveil the path that leads to both your mission's completion and the salvation of this world." 

As the team watches, the druid disappears into the light, you quickly realize you are unsure if that actually happened, or something....else happened, but here you are, in the massive platform that served as the the Verdant Nexus receiving area, groups of people, adventurers mostly were seen in various forms of preparation, one vanishes as a resident mage casts them into the aether. From here, you are free to travel back to your rendezvous point, which was in the Citadel of Ice and Steel...
Archemist
Xannifer takes a deep breath.  "Thank y-" 
 "And drat, she's gone already."  Xannifer sighs out with the remainder of the breath.  "But here we are at the Nexus, at least. Artifact secure? Let's get back home with it." 
Xanyo
Luna knows better than to trust strange druids in dark forests, but in short enough order they're back where they needed to go.

 "And people think I can be over the top sometimes..."  Whether that was real, a figment, or just an exaggerated display doesn't really matter.  "Let's walk back. I need time to work out how to present this. We have the primary objective, the status quo is untouched, room has been created for cultural advancement at a natural pace. Everything's golden. Right. We got this." 

It's kinda nice to be back in the Nexus where all manner of peculiar characters traffic. Where the strangest of figures barely garner a second glance. Almost like home in that regard. The Citadel is nice too, cool and welcoming. She'd be happy to be back, but she'd be just as happy to get back out from under the inherent supervision of the place again. Eyes and expectations. Such is the way of places like these.
watupwithdat
When the mysterious druid had appeared and so easily guided them to the Nexus, Immith had tried to understand the magic involved, but would be ashamed to admit she did not fully do so. It would be very useful to have magic available that she could herself traverse the planes as easily. But perhaps she did already, and just hadn't thought of that particular application? She would need to do some introspection on the matter when the opportunity presented itself.

 "There will be repercussions."  she said. The why should be clear for everyone, even if she didn't necessarily agree.
tonberryking
  "Uh... yeah. Who the hells was THAT?!"   Rina demanded, swearing and muttering in Abyssal that in another round, she would have started blasting the bloody spiders and shown then what for.  Or at least set herself on fire to make it all the harder for them to have eaten her with any sort of enjoyment.

She stamps her webbed feet.

  "Someone make sure the artifact didn't get all screwy or had something placed on it, or swapped out for a chamber pot or any number of things that could have gone wrong, for the love of Murphy..."  

A thought then occurs to her:   "Zwuck, I'll do it MYSELF! Let me have a gander at the artifact; I've got at least one Dispel Magic left; if someone put a spell on it, I'll shave that right off!  
paradox26
Gruk was actually the only one who was enjoying the shadowy forest, the darkness being his favoured environment, but the arrival of the spiders was a concern. When the druid led them away, he followed gratefully, but he didn't like the light bathed area they ended up in. However, it was the Nexus, the place where they could finalise their mission.

He was glad they didn't have to kill any of the natives, but he was a little ashamed that they werre forced by their rules of engagement to run from them.

When the call came out to inspect the artifact, he immediately went to check it out to ensure it was unharmed and undisturbed.
watupwithdat
Lightly rubbing out her cramping thigh, Immith cautiously observed Rina's surely futile attempts at properly dispelling anything affecting the artifact. More potent magic was needed for such a task, and if headquarters hadn't already planned for it, she knew where to look for it.

She looked at the frog, her eyebrow raised—not that it was evident with her mask on.  "Shave?" 
tonberryking
  "Yes dear, shave. Cut off. Remove. Dethatch. I don't expect to be able to uncurse whatever this accursed item is supposed to be for, but maybe someone in the forest slapped a different spell on top of its extant enchantments and figured we wouldn't notice. Or if I can dispel anything on the damn thing, it would mean someone switched on us and this would be a fake."  

Her answer is only very slightly curt. Which, given that she uses swear words as commas in her dialect normally, is downright gracious of Rina as she waves a webbed hand over it.

 
 Spoiler: OOC/rolls 

Casting detect magic

Spellcraft: (1d20+15)[ 23 ] 
Kn-Arcana: (1d20+14)[ 15 ] 

Trying to determine if anything new or fresh has been added to this thing's magic. If there isn't, or Rina can't find anything I'll just move along, but if there is, Rina will try to dispel the new thing unless it's like a sealing spell that keeps Grothgor the Unspeakble imprisoned inside or something...
 
paradox26
Gruk heads for the Nexus Point, from where they can travel back to the Citadel of Ice and Steel. He is careful not to take his eyes from the artifact for more than a few seconds at a time, looking around only enough to ensure that no one else was eyeing it off to try to purloin it.

 "This is a lot better than the forest, though the shadows were nice. Not too keen on the spiders, though. Here we can freely use magic, though. I doubt it will be required, but keep an eye open just in case,"  he says to the others.
watupwithdat
 "Hm. Shave. I understand."  Immith said. It would seem they had some difference of understanding of magical principles. Or perhaps a language issue.

 "Gruk, when you're ready."  Only having a single arcane practitioner that could plane shift was as always a liability, but if desperate Immith had a tally of ideas on how to solve such an issue. Potentially expensive ones, as they mostly involved coaxing help from outsiders.
BelGareth
The adventurers stand in a tight circle, hands clasped firmly together, forming a connection that transcends the physical. Gruk, the master of arcane arts, stands at the center, his eyes alight with a primal, otherworldly glow. A hush falls over the group as they brace themselves for the imminent journey to the Plane of Air.

Gruk begins to channel the formidable magic of Plane Shift, his fingers tracing intricate patterns in the air. The very fabric of reality trembles, and the atmosphere around them ripples with energy. It's as if the world itself holds its breath in anticipation.

Suddenly, a swirling maelstrom of vivid colors and ethereal winds engulfs the adventurers. They feel a sensation akin to weightlessness, as though they're suspended in a tempestuous whirlpool of energy. A rush of emotions floods their senses—excitement, trepidation, and an undeniable thrill of adventure. It's as if their very souls are being woven into the tapestry of the multiverse.

As Gruk's incantation reaches its zenith, a brilliant burst of iridescent light engulfs the circle, blinding them for a fleeting moment. Then, with a jolt that sends their hearts racing, they find themselves transported to the Plane of Air.

The transition is nothing short of spectacular. They emerge into an infinite expanse of cerulean skies, stretching endlessly in every direction. Towering, cotton-white clouds drift lazily beneath their feet, like colossal, silent behemoths. The air is pure and invigorating, charged with a sense of freedom and limitless possibilities.

Yet, there's a twist to their arrival—the Plane of Air is not the serene, tranquil realm one might expect. Instead, they find themselves in a constant state of free-fall. Wind gusts whip through their hair and clothing, and their senses tingle with exhilaration as they plummet through the boundless sky.

The feeling is nothing short of awe-inspiring. They are surrounded by a breathtaking panorama of ever-changing landscapes—a tapestry of azure and silver. Islands of floating earth and stone drift by, adorned with vibrant flora that defies gravity's pull. Majestic, translucent creatures soar in the distance, their ethereal forms radiating a soft, luminescent glow.

 
 Spoiler 

 Enhanced Magic:  Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create air (including those of the Air domain) are both empowered and enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell had been used on them, but the spells don't require higher-level slots). A cloudkill spell would thus have its range doubled and its damage (to those it did not kill outright) increased by half. Spells and spell-like abilities that are already empowered or enlarged are unaffected by this benefit.
 Impeded Magic:  Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create earth (including the summoning of earth elemental or outsiders with the earth subtype) are impeded. This includes spells of the Earth domain. These spells and spell-like abilities can still be used, but a successful Spellcraft check (DC 15 + level of the spell) must be made to do so.

Creatures that have a fly speed have their maneuverability improved by one grade on the Elemental Plane of Air, from clumsy to poor, from poor to average, from average to good, and from good to perfect. In addition, any flying creature can dive, moving in the same fashion as other, nonflying creatures.

 Subjective Directional Gravity:  Inhabitants of the plane determine their own "down" direction. Objects not under the motive force of others do not move.
 
paradox26
Gruk feels the arrival on the Plane of Air keenly, and being unable to naturally fly, and not having cast his flying spell for the day, he starts to fall away from his companions immediately.

He says a few words of command, and a medium sized air elemental appears beside him. He calls for it, and the creature gathers him up into its arms and ends the fall. He then commands it to the Citadel of Ice and Steel, and watches the other non-moving patches of land to make sure that he is being carried in the right direction, or at least, in any direction other than straight down at high speed.

He studies the artifact he is holding, just to make sure that it is not damaged by the plane shift. He figures that by being carried and therefore having his hands free and mind unencumbered, he was best suited to carrying the artifact.
Xanyo
Luna's wings quickly flick out to catch the wind and steady herself. One hand steadies her dress and keeps it from fluttering too much.

 "Bit of a roundabout trip, but let us not waste further time. I'm ready to give my report now. Let's get going."  She takes Immith by the arm to help guide the woman's flight.  "Bandar, help Xannifer navigate the skies."  The holy warrior in full gear is far too heavy for the noble fey to help along.

She urges the group to follow, and dives towards their destination, the Citadel.
paradox26
Gruk agrees with Luna, nodding his acknowledgement. He then speaks to the elemental carrying him, telling it to follow behind Luna as she flies towards the Citadel. He revels in the feeling of the wind in his face, though as a shadowcaster he feels a little uncomfortable at being out in the open with no shadows in which to hide.
Archemist
Xannifer thrills to the eternal skydive of the Plane of Air.  "Wheee!"  Her long hair whooshes by in every which way, and she pulls out her two axes to act like small wings.

She'll follow Luna towards the Citadel, of course, though once it is in sight she zips ahead a bit as if racing. She twists her axes and does little aileron rolls as she goes.