Sra tries to do some research

*Sra takes a deep breath as she enters Apsu's grand repository. She approaches Darmal, one of Apsu's consorts and the chief librarian of the Ambulatory. After a few formalities, Sra explains the purpose of her visit. Darmal nods along, remarking that mind-magic is not the most well-understood variety within her collection, but that she is certain that she would be better suited here than in any mortal library near the realm of Babel. Shortly, a few score of smaller scalykind book-keepers, mostly Pseudodragons and Silver-scaled Kobolds are at Sra's disposal, and begin scouring the library for tomes and documents relevant to Sra's description. She places herself in a somewhat private study where she pours through these provided texts. This continues for some time. Akkonaa and Pirr occasionally visit, providing supper for Sra and Darmal. She leaves with him in the evenings to return to their island within the Ambulatory and returns without him the following morning. This continues for many days.*

*...*

*...*

*...*

*Until she is brought a single page. A letter... thanking Avanostryx for promising to safeguard some sort of dream-totem. The details within the letter are sparse, and there is no other portion of the correspondence available for review, but it seems... well, it is a lead. And it means she can stop reading for a bit. Thank goodness. She leaves her study and asks Dormal to arrange for an appointment with Avanostryx. Dormal furrows her brow, and asks if Sra can... if she can just, you know, do that. Ask for an appointment. Sra frowns. Uh... well, she isn't certain, but do so anyway, and we shall see what happens.*

*Sra lands upon the low gardens of Avanostryx's island within the Immortal Ambulatory. She walks, as all guests are required to, towards the Eternal Watchtower. Avanostryx's honor guard, a unit of miraculously talented Pseudodragons, fly about and stand guard thereabouts. The moment Sra sets her foot upon the stairs leading to the grand entrance, the massive bronze doors part. She pauses briefly as the chief of the Avanostryx's sentinels, the Faerie Dragon General Lopr, exits through the doors. He stops at the steps, and welcomes Sra. He claims to have been expecting her, and asks her to follow him inside to be seated for her appointment with His Holiness, the Seraph Avanostryx. Sra is quite surprised, having expected to wait a while, especially seeing as she only asked for the appointment a few hours ago. She tries to look austere as she nods. She is brought inside and is soon sat in a perfectly sized armchair. General Lopr departs, and only a minute afterwards Sra is met with Avanostryx! She swallows nervously as they exchange formalities. The topic turns to the letter that she discovered earlier. Sra asks about the 'Dream Totem' that Avanostryx's correspondent mentioned. The Angel divulges that it was a relic from a  tribe of scalyfolk, one quite ancient, at a point where they were brought nearly to extinction. This was actually one of his first interactions with a blood-in-veins mortal, though, to be fair, he was not terribly involved with mortal affairs in the Age of Creation. In any case. Would Sra like to see it? Sra nods eagerly. Avanostryx folds his arms, then reaches under his wing, procuring the relic from his hoard. He sets it at the coffee table before Sra. Sra stares for a few moments. She glances to Avanostryx, who gestures to grant his permission, before she reaches to pick it up. The moment her claw makes contact, the totem is enveloped in a fierce glow!*

*Sra recoils, thinking she might have broken something. When the totem remains visibly unbroken, she spares a nervous glance to Avanostryx, who is giving the totem a strange look.*

"That is not normal. I think you may have activated it."

"Really? What did it do?"

"I am not certain. It almost certainly has something to do with the phenomena that you were studying."

"It does? Can you say for certain?"

"Well, I can offer conjecture, but I think that may be unecessary."

*Avanostryx looks to Sra. He thinks for some time on matters that are a mystery to the Lizardfolk.*

"Why don't you take the relic and investigate the matter yourself? I realize you noted that it was impossible for you or even your husband to enter the faux realm, but perhaps you should try again with the totem in your possession?"

*Sra looks between the totem and Avanostryx. She nods and stands.*

"Is this a promotion? Are you my new commander?"

*Avanostryx freezes. He rolls his eyes behind his bonded armor.*

"I will see what I can do."

**An Encounter occurs.**

*Sra sits back in one of Avanostryx's armchairs, trying to breath deeply. The Empyrean eventually does enter, silently sitting across a coffee table from Sra as he reviews a few notes summarizing the findings shared by others pertaining to the island.*

"This does explain a few things. If we had known of the Daemon's involvement with the island, we certainly would have arranged for more oversight surrounding your visit. You will be relieved to know that the magic of the totem is still fully operable, despite the damage it appears to have sustained."

*Sra does appear visibly relieved by this, but only slightly. She asks,*

"I did wish to ask about this Aspect. I wanted to know why this is the first I am hearing of this. Why are Aspects not detailed in the Draconic Apsu?"

"They are not Dragons born from the salt or fresh water. They come from another realm. With that said, if we can make contact with this Dreamer, there would indeed be an interest in asking them to return home to the Ambulatory, for, wherever they hatched, the Ambulatory is their rightful place to nest. We have no solid knowledge of their status, but if they are an Aspect, they would do well to rejoin us here. More immediately, the church is greatly concerned with the present situation within the boundaries of this island. The barrier preventing entry for you and other agents is a great frustration. The isolation of a follower of Death within a heritage site for scalykind associated with Aspect worship is incredibly alarming. Given the time frame that the fiend has been within the realm, we are still estimating the worst-case scenarios depending on which Aspect's worship, if any, lies within the barrier."

*Sra considers this.*

"It occurs to me that we know exceptionally little about this set of circumstances. We don't know nearly enough about the artifact to begin with to truly understand if its current state has resulted in reduced functionality. I want to speak with Apsu about this. Perhaps he refrained in the past from parsing through your treasures, so numerous were they, but it is clear that this one has come to be rather important."

"... O-oh, yes. Apsu. I will... see if I can schedule an appointment then. Have you been to his cathedral?"

"Yes, with my husband, but we did not enter."

"I see. You will need a blessing to walk between the arches, which I shall now provide."

"A Draconic demigod from a foreign world is currently under threat by an agent of Death. I do believe this matter might demand his full attention."

"There is... a great deal of inertia about such things, but I cannot help but agree. I will ensure that he knows that the matter is urgent."