Yggdrasil (Afina, Moore, Jaela)

[Corwin]

Jaela takes point as she swims ahead, relying on a combination of her blindsight and the light she gives off to alert her to any dangers.

[Anastasia]

You swim along the tunnel for a time, before it ends. A drainpipe that empties into a steamy sauna room, benches all over to sit on along with buckets of water.

[Ebiris]

"This place doesn't have at all the sort of theme I'd associate with the World Tree," Afina says, clambering out of the pipe and looking around the admittedly pleasant sauna.

[Anastasia]

Crystal wipes her face clean, "How could it? It's artificial? No, this is simply a defense, not part of the actual World Tree. A shield to protect what lies ahead, and perhaps deceptive on purpose, for is not the way of the moon to potentially mislead into madness?"

[Corwin]

"I just know I'm enjoying this sauna a lot less after getting here through a drain pipe," Jaela notes.

[Anastasia]

"Enough," Queen Ilsenine clears her throat, "Ideas on how to proceed?"

[Ebiris]

Are there any doors? "We could just enjoy the sauna in the traditional fashion? Most of the rooms here offer a way to proceed when we fulfill their purpose."

[Nephrite]

"Thus far, when we've been presented with thematic rooms, the way forward seems to appear when we indulge in that particular theme." Moore says. "So perhaps in this one it's to... I suppose the best answer is to enjoy the sauna?" Moore looks around to see if there's a towel or anything. "I'll volunteer since it's probably easier for me to get out of the clothes than the rest of you."

[Anastasia]

No towels, just the buckets of water.

"Yes, but each room has had some sort of meaning, even if we do not grasp it," Crystal says, "The previous room I confess is lost to me, but the hall of portraits is obvious that is shows us the failings of others. Only when we made an ally and aided another did the way ahead appear."

"That's right!" Tree agrees, "The way ahead did appear!"

Ilsenine flushes ever so slightly, "You need not disrobe, Moore. Magic can dry you."

[Ebiris]

Afina would roll her eyes if it were anyone but her Queen. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the symbolism inherent in saunas," she says, having no other ideas to put forward. Oh dear, are they going to be lost now until someone finds their portrait?

[Nephrite]

"I'll be honest in that I feel like that's not in the spirit of this particular lesson, but let's give it a shot." Moore flies over to a bucket to lift it up and just pour it on himself. What's the worst that could happen? Well, lots of things, but that's not fun to think about.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+12 Ilsenine Int
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+12 Ilsenine Int --> [ 1d20=19 ]{31}

"Is it not obvious? We have gone through the waters and come out polluted from a drainpipe. We will stand here and sweat, dirtying ourselves further." Ilsenine says, "The buckets of water, how better to purify ourselves than to cleanse all that away with them? How better to prepare for Yggdrasil? If Crystal is correct, then it only follows."

Moore dumps water over his head. It's bitingly cold, washing away the previous water and the humidity of the sauna. A door on the side appears, followed by a stairway going up on the south wall.

[Ebiris]

The water didn't seem dirty to her, and she knows her water! But she also feels a bit shamed by Ilsenine calling her dirty so Afina grabs a bucket to rinse herself off with as well.

[Anastasia]

Crystal does the same as Afina, a downcast look as she does so. As the two of you do, the stairway going up vanishes away.

[Corwin]

"Nicely done!" Jaela says cheerfully, her magic already working overtime to clean her. Meanwhile, she heads out the door while resummoning her armor and spear.