Infinite Staircase

Argentarius came up with three different ways to get to the other planes. The first was to ask the gods for help in acquiring a tuning fork of Toril, Exandria or the Plane of Fire. Problem being, that he did not want to depend on them to much and was not sure enough about the possibility of them seeing him as a threat to be eliminated.

Second, he could summon fey, celestial, or devils. Then get them to either bring him a tuning fork or tell him their true names so he himself could open a gate towards their realm. Again he dared not fuck with the devils or even the fey. As for the celestial, well if he were contacted by a stranger and asked to enable him to invade your Plane of Existence, I'd be a bit worried and probably call daddy angel on them.

Third there was the Infinite Staircase which was said to connect all realms and planes. Travelling it was apparently not that dangerous, compared to just jumping into portals or striking deals with unknown creatures. Once you were inside you could get anywhere in the multiverse in a few days. The goddess Selûne palace, the gates of the moon, was said to be at the base. Only at full moon and when fog came from the waters surrounding the palace, would the Staircase show itself. Selûne sent her own servants, the lillendi, to guard the Stairway. As both their alignment was chaotic good, its notable that they hated fiends, he felt that he knew of some creatures that would get along well with them.

Apparently they allowed anyone to travel there, but he needed guidance. Every door was looked by a puzzle of some kind and he had never been good at those. The design of the landing near a door should give hints as to the nature of the plane laying beyond. Luckily he only needed to find one place, the Nowhere Inn. There he could hopefully find a willing guide towards Toril. Now fore the really difficult part. How on earth was he supposed to make the fucking stairs appear on earth?

Argentarius sat in his comfy valet chair and let himself be fed by walking mushrooms. "Do you really have to jump inside screaming!" He hastily grabbed for a cup of water as he nearly choked on a particular eager one. "Eat us master, eat us!" The ones lined up before him had pleading expressions on their faces, well rather their caps. Sitting back down he took his book again in hand and obediently opened his mouth. A little shout of joy came from the little mushroom as it hoped into his mouth. Then it proceeded to shout screams of agony as Argentarius ate it.

Awaking the bloody thing was one of the things he regretted most. After a few weeks he finally understood that the mushroom lived as kind of a hive mind, with its centre in the roots. It had build its entire personality on making sure he, his master, was well fed. He felt as if he became some evil deity demanding sacrifices of his own children. Yet they got mad if he refused to eat them whenever he was here in London.

"Chief librarian Peach." The tree's could apparently now talk to each other and after the other librarians got wind of the title there was not stopping it if he wanted access to his books.

"Yes master, I have not run away since you sat down." And this one was particularly cheeky.

"Have we any other books about the Infinite or Celestial Staircase?" He looked up at the giant tree with hope in his eyes. "No new books sneaked in while you were present master." It slaped a branch at his face. "I believe the instructions were quite clear. Just perform a colossal act of art and the Staircase will be drawn towards it." The thing was now getting on his nerves. "I am the great Archwizard Argentarius! Guardian of this realm! Servant of the god of spells!" "Self-proclaimed." Came the commentary from the librarian. "Why do I have to spent my valuable time creating paintings!" "Music or Theatre should also be fine." "Not helpful." "Well why do you not just do it like with every other problem you have?" Peach leaned forward and lowered its voice. A few books almost hit Argentarius and crushed an unfortunate mushroom who had no time to cry in agony. "Cheat." He glared and contemplated making firewood. Then his face brightened up. He would show these bloody stairs what true dedication to bend rules and an army of himself could do.

Now he knew how to leave, come back and had even prepared some nice bribes for the art loving lillendi after a visit to the National Gallery in Westminster. Next was to figure out with whom he wanted to travel. Constructs were a must, but they had clear limits and it cost him nothing to Polymorph them. The only question was into what? The strongest creature he could manage was the red abishai, a humanoid devil that resembled a chromatic dragon or rather a dragonborn with wings. Taking Selûne's dislike for devils into account he needed something nicer. Something that could ideally endear him towards other travellers and make him preferably not that big of a threat.

One week later Argentarius had found out one more problem with his plans. The call of paradise.

A living creature which wandered the Infinite Stairway and strayed from his party, was prone to find a wonderful and inviting portal. It led straight towards the persons greatest desire and was by definition almost irresistible. To give credit to the makers of that trap there were certainly worse ways to disappear. He needed to create, no forge the perfect companions. If his Polymorphed creations or even his simulacrum were to encounter an anti-magic field they would be, well he did not know what would happen. Yet he was not inclined to find out while facing a beholders eye rays.

Therefore his newest project was born: The Dragonforge.