The center of this facility is a dingy network of tunnels, containing mushroom labs, long since abandoned and left to the overgrowth.

"Needs a touch of fire, I should say."

She laughs. "Might release toxic spores!"

"More than a touch, then."

"A proper inferno, for a new start?"

"If the mechanisms can withstand it, I suppose."

"Let's investigate that, then."

And how does this test work?

Seems to be a lot more hands-off than the last. Portal in over yonder, mushroom forest between the weak spot and the gate into the Shivering Isles proper, and the facility they teleported into as a lab to cultivate new mushroom varieties. There's supposed to be two locked doors on the gate, with the keys hidden in the forest, but they've fallen into disrepair. (The people who live in this section of the Isles are reclusive, and don't seem to want to talk to the party.)

"So it seems we need to either repair the gates, or devise a new trap to bar the way."

"Hm! Probably whichever's fastest - and I don't think we need something that can be gotten through easily for now? We don't want to close off the people here, but I can suggest they evacuate into the mainland for now."

"Eliana and I can set wards, perhaps. It will take me a day to do the work."

"I can lay assorted explosive runes, though making resetting ones is hard. I think we have a day? It sounds like they're trying to free-teleport in, which's caught by Split, and it'll take them a bit to figure out how to route around that. Though it might make sense for Mora and I to split off and go take care of Blood Bay."

"True, especially if it won't take as long."

"I'll scatter some runes in the forest, then, to help those defenses and so I'm not getting in you guys' way, then we can split up?"

"Sounds fair."

"You want to meet back up here or in New Sheoh?"

"Let's say New Sheo. I'm not sure how fit this area will be to occupy."

She laughs. "That'll be fun! And yeah, it'll be easier to find each other there, anyways. I can also let the locals know to clear out while I'm laying runes, so's they don't get squished by the Knights. Getting squished by Order just seems sad."

"Indeed. Especially for a denizen of this place."

"Good luck with the murder wards, then!"

"Try not to drown."

"I'll be careful. Promise!"

And off! To lay an assortment of traps in the forest, and coordinate an evacuation of the peninsula with some unfriendly locals. She even gets everyone out alive! Probably.

Well. Acceptable casualties, of course. One understands. Elatra and Eliana will move outwards from the gates as people evacuate.

And slightly more than a day later, the pair will make their way to the city.

There's crystals springing up, some places. The chaotic world becoming set. Orderly. Symmetrical, almost, in an unnatural way. Trees should not look like they've been mirrored no matter which angle you view them from. Clouds should not look like the platonic ideal of a cloud, repeated endlessly.

The gates of the Dementia half of New Sheoth, Crucible, depict shadows and blood and sharp angles. The corruption is less, here.

Glint's pacing near the palace, Mora sitting nearby. Glint seems anxious.