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[12-16 18:05:09] <Dionysus> Dionysus The Emperor (or High King) of Akazad returned not a week ago from a council of Emperors in the Empire of Madziar. Tonight, a Gift was stolen from the High Temple of Earth, & the Empire is on the brink of civil war.

[12-16 18:05:09] <Dionysus> Dionysus Each faction of dwarves is seeking to gain power, & the elves are putting in their two cents as well.

[12-16 18:05:11] <Dionysus> Dionysus Currently, the deep dwarves are in control, but anything can happen.

[12-16 18:05:45] <Dionysus> dammit

[12-16 18:05:56] <Dionysus> jt, respond to my pm

[12-16 18:06:51] <Dionysus> Anyway

[12-16 18:07:00] <Dionysus> The dwarf says, "Angrum the Wizard?"

[12-16 18:07:01] <the_tree> (I only see one pm telling backstory)

[12-16 18:07:14] <Dionysus> [jt, respond to it.]

[12-16 18:07:17] <Nottik_to_you> "Hey!"

[12-16 18:08:17] <Dionysus> "I heard you, gnome. You, the elf, & Mister Irontoad can come in."

[12-16 18:09:01] * Angrum grumbles before nodding.

[12-16 18:09:15] * Deyn nods in acknowledgement to the robed dwarf

[12-16 18:09:18] <Dionysus> "You know?" he asks, surprised.

[12-16 18:09:20] <Nottik_to_you> "Thank you."

[12-16 18:09:34] <Angrum> "Would I be wasting my time here if I didn't?"

[12-16 18:09:50] <Dionysus> He shrugs, then nods, & says, "Come in, sir."

[12-16 18:09:59] <Dionysus> He seems wary of you.

[12-16 18:10:08] <Angrum> "It's about time."

[12-16 18:10:21] <Nottik_to_you> "I agree."

[12-16 18:10:31] <Dionysus> The gate is opened.

[12-16 18:10:35] * Nottik_to_you walks through the gate and into the temple

[12-16 18:10:41] <Grummer> Are my assistants allowed inside?

[12-16 18:10:47] * Angrum enters, ignoring the guard further.

[12-16 18:10:47] * Deyn follows the gnome

[12-16 18:10:51] <Dionysus> Yeah, he just doesn't acknowledge them

[12-16 18:11:05] <Grummer> Okay. I have to leave in a few minutes.

[12-16 18:11:18] <Dionysus> I'll handle it.

[12-16 18:11:41] <Dionysus> Upon entering, you find yourselves in a huge hall, filled with priests.

[12-16 18:11:48] <Dionysus> Of various races, noless.

[12-16 18:12:21] * Angrum looks to see who seems most important.

[12-16 18:12:30] <Angrum> Which is to say, looks for the high priest.

[12-16 18:12:41] * You are now known as Orah_Yentl

[12-16 18:13:11] <Nottik_to_you> I'm also looking for someone important

[12-16 18:13:29] * Deyn is looking for the one who sent him the summons.

[12-16 18:15:09] <Dionysus> A deep dwarf of about 700 years age in long brown robes carrying a tall staff encrusted with gems walks up to you all. He motions for a gondal who just came in via a different

door to come over, & says to you all, "Follow me."

[12-16 18:15:43] <Dionysus> He begins leading you all out of the main hall to a big central staircase.

[12-16 18:15:44] * Grummer glances around for a bit to find his contact, then decides to follow along for now.

[12-16 18:15:56] * Nottik_to_you follows, glancing up at the others

[12-16 18:15:56] * Angrum follows.

[12-16 18:15:56] * Deyn follows.

[12-16 18:16:00] <Grummer> I'll be back later. Don't have too much fun without me.

[12-16 18:16:03] * Orah_Yentl smiles/bows, and walks after the priest.

[12-16 18:16:08] * Nottik_to_you is now known as Nottik

[12-16 18:16:16] * Angrum grumbles irritably under his breath the whole time.

[12-16 18:16:22] <Nottik> bye ben

[12-16 18:16:31] <Angrum> Later.

[12-16 18:17:07] <Dionysus> Grummer is ushered aside by another dwarf, taken aside into the crowd.

[12-16 18:17:55] <Dionysus> The High Priest leads you all down to a large vault below. He walks past the stacks of wealth of all varieties & enters a second chamber.

[12-16 18:18:12] <Dionysus> Here, he stops. There is nothing in the room except a small pedestal with a red velvet covering.

[12-16 18:18:35] <Orah_Yentl> (Who is who? What race is Nottik, Angrum?)

[12-16 18:19:03] <Nottik> (rock gnome)

[12-16 18:19:18] <Angrum> ( Dwarf. )

[12-16 18:21:10] * Angrum looks around the room. "Huh."

[12-16 18:21:43] * Deyn looks around but says nothing, waiting for whatever's coming next.

[12-16 18:21:49] <Dionysus> "Wizard Hrond, Mister Yentl, Mister Stevig, Mister Amaethon, I am glad you could all come. We are, I am afraid, in dire need of assistance," the high priest says. "Earlier tonight, some person or persons somehow broke into this room & stole the ancient Ring of Tectonics, a Gift entrusted to us long ago by the Champion of Earth himself."

[12-16 18:22:45] <Dionysus> "The only clues we have found so far are these two things:" he shows you a small rock hammer & a note in written in gondal's language.

[12-16 18:23:08] <Orah_Yentl> I raise an eyebrow, "Has it been translated yet?"

[12-16 18:23:43] <Nottik> can we tell it's gondals language?

[12-16 18:23:44] <Dionysus> "Yes, Mister Yentl, it has, though we have not yet sent anyone to the location mentioned."

[12-16 18:23:51] <Angrum> "Angrum. It was good enough for my parents. Good enough for my teachers. Good enough for my students when I had 'em. Bein' favored by the Earthfather doesn't mean it's not

good enough for you."

[12-16 18:23:54] <Nottik> "What's it say?"

[12-16 18:24:40] <Nottik> (is that what it says?)

[12-16 18:25:04] <Dionysus> The High Priest gives you a look, Angrum, that says, 'you're a rude bastard, aren't you?', but doesn't say anything. To Nottik, "It lists a location's coordinates, Mister Stevig."

[12-16 18:25:05] <Orah_Yentl> "It's a set of coordinates, at that is all." I hand back the paper

[12-16 18:26:05] <Dionysus> "The location is far from here, though I can't say for sure where. We have yet not found any significance to it."

[12-16 18:27:17] <Dionysus> "Feel free to look about. I have to deal with more business upstairs. These two," he indicates a greater bat & a rote dwarf, "Will help as much as they are able."

[12-16 18:27:27] <Nottik> "Can you translate it for me?" he asks the gondal

[12-16 18:27:42] * Angrum just looks back at the High Priest when he gets looked at.

[12-16 18:27:55] <Nottik> (what's a rote dwarf?)

[12-16 18:28:04] <Dionysus> [fate based. routine driven.]

[12-16 18:28:09] <Nottik> (ok)

[12-16 18:28:10] <Angrum> ( OCD )

[12-16 18:28:19] <Nottik> (hehe)

[12-16 18:28:33] <Dionysus> [often good at clay shaping]

[12-16 18:28:59] <Nottik> (Rob?)

[12-16 18:29:09] <Orah_Yentl> one sec, typing

[12-16 18:29:15] <Nottik> (ok)

[12-16 18:30:02] <Orah_Yentl> that earns you a warm smile. "Yes, you see, in the Gondol alphabet, every letter is also a number... However, I doubt this message is as cryptic, as to mean, "Pink shuffle or dance, red kick pirite fish."

[12-16 18:30:03] <Dionysus> The room is pretty bare but for the carpet. There're two doors, one in the way you came, from the front of the building, the other to a different vault chamber. There're vent shafts at the ceiling, but they're about 20 feet up. Crystal lamps illumuinate it.

[12-16 18:30:43] <Nottik> "What does it say?" he cuts you off a bit

[12-16 18:31:31] <Orah_Yentl> "Ah, it is a location, 42 by 90 bu 157, which I take to be spherical coordinates."

[12-16 18:31:42] * Angrum walks around, occasionally prodding something with his stick.

[12-16 18:31:52] * Deyn examines the pedestal

[12-16 18:31:54] <Dionysus> [spherical are the only sort of coordinates you would know, orah]

[12-16 18:32:24] <Nottik> Billy, does that mean anything to me? Considering how well I know the known train tunnels?

[12-16 18:33:27] * Nottik grunts to himself and looks about the rest of the room

[12-16 18:33:34] <Orah_Yentl> (he'd still say it, be glad you don't have to read his papers.)

[12-16 18:34:39] * Orah_Yentl goes about, looking along the wall of the room, walking towards the center, then stopping and pausing at the rock hammer.

[12-16 18:36:02] <Dionysus> The rock hammer looks well used.

[12-16 18:36:39] <Orah_Yentl> "Well, dear fellows, when I first heard of the circumstances of the theft, I could not help to sympathize with the clergy's insinuations towards my better character. A room, otherwise undesturbed, and Gondol coordinates left in it's place."

[12-16 18:36:49] <Dionysus> It's about sized for a dwarf.

[12-16 18:37:23] <Dionysus> The two priests still here just kinda look warily about.

[12-16 18:38:14] <Deyn> "It is a puzzle. why would coordinates be left in the first place?"

[12-16 18:38:14] <Orah_Yentl> "This hammer though, it doesn't fit with Gondol transportation. Perhaps they did not know, we can travel with nothing but ourselves and our thoughts..."

[12-16 18:39:32] * Angrum gestures at the Rote Dwarf with his stick. "You there. Where does this go?"

[12-16 18:39:37] * Nottik frowns slightly

[12-16 18:40:00] * Angrum indicates part of the wall.

[12-16 18:40:31] <Dionysus> "To the geode."

[12-16 18:40:42] <Angrum> Does that mean anything?

[12-16 18:41:02] <Orah_Yentl> does it look like a seemless wall?

[12-16 18:41:14] <Dionysus> Yes.

[12-16 18:41:27] <Dionysus> And no, it doesn't mean anything. You know what a geode is?

[12-16 18:41:33] * Orah_Yentl raises an eyebrow

[12-16 18:41:33] <Angrum> Yes.

[12-16 18:41:42] * Nottik shuffles up "What're you on about?"

[12-16 18:41:58] * Angrum taps the wall with his stick. "Hidden door."

[12-16 18:42:00] <Dionysus> Your character would be aware there're huge geodes in existence that have been made into rooms before.

[12-16 18:42:08] <Dionysus> Nottik, you can see it once you get close.

[12-16 18:42:41] <Nottik> what is it?

[12-16 18:42:54] <Nottik> (nevermind)

[12-16 18:42:59] <Dionysus> A hidden door, looks like the wall, but you can see a groove once you get close.

[12-16 18:43:13] <Nottik> "Ahhh. What's it for?" he glances up at the rote dwarf

[12-16 18:43:33] <Dionysus> "It is a shaft down to the geode. It is for special ceremonies."

[12-16 18:44:07] <Nottik> "Any other entries?"

[12-16 18:44:31] <Dionysus> "None."

[12-16 18:44:57] * Deyn looks at the gondal. "Do you know the location the coordinates point to?

[12-16 18:45:16] * Angrum resumes wandering around the room.

[12-16 18:45:42] * Nottik glances at the deep elf before turning back to the priest "Who has access?"

[12-16 18:46:03] <Orah_Yentl> "For a distance of this magnitude, I can only give you general location. I belive it to be located off the main body of Taggarus"

[12-16 18:46:06] <Dionysus> "Only the highest ranking priests."

[12-16 18:46:31] * Deyn looks thoughtful.

[12-16 18:46:35] * Nottik frowns and nods as he thinks

[12-16 18:47:38] * Orah_Yentl goes back to examining the hammer. Any debris left on the hammer tip that might give a clue as to what it has been struck against?

[12-16 18:49:35] <Orah_Yentl> ping

[12-16 18:49:35] <Eklem> pong

[12-16 18:49:57] <Nottik> pong

[12-16 18:50:11] <Deyn> boing

[12-16 18:50:14] <Angrum> Bing

[12-16 18:50:36] <Dionysus> The hammer looks pretty clean

[12-16 18:50:51] * Angrum pauses in his wandering, mutters under his breath, and glows briefly blue.

[12-16 18:50:53] <Dionysus> [i am juggling pms]

[12-16 18:51:01] <Orah_Yentl> (ah)

[12-16 18:51:24] * Nottik bends near the secret door and then straightens again "Where were the note and hammer found?"

[12-16 18:51:35] <Orah_Yentl> "Hmm..."

[12-16 18:52:03] <Dionysus> The greater bat indicates you should hand him the note &hammer.

[12-16 18:52:14] * Angrum mutters louder, a touch more irritably, and glows again for a few seconds.

[12-16 18:52:22] * Nottik rubs his fingers together and puts one to his mouth

[12-16 18:52:59] * Orah_Yentl picks up the Hammer, hands it to the bat as he approaches

[12-16 18:54:02] <Dionysus> The bat takes the note & places it & the hammer near the front entrance, adjusting thme a few times before deciding it's right

[12-16 18:56:10] * Deyn watches this

[12-16 18:56:27] * Nottik nods to the bat

[12-16 18:58:58] * Angrum leans on his stick and begins to concentrate. He glows blue once more, then a swirl of blue and white.

[12-16 18:59:19] * Deyn glances at the wizard, eyebrow raised.

[12-16 18:59:56] * Angrum remains like that for the next ten minutes or so unless disturbed.

[12-16 19:00:00] <Nottik> "Who's been in there lately?" he points to the geode dorr?

[12-16 19:00:11] * Nottik just walks around him

[12-16 19:00:22] <Nottik> door

[12-16 19:00:35] <Dionysus> "It has been unused thesepast few months."

[12-16 19:00:53] <Nottik> "Is this room cleaned often?"

[12-16 19:01:03] * Deyn returns to studying the hammer and note as layed out by the bat. anything noteworthy about how they're set?

[12-16 19:01:13] <Dionysus> "The holy days it is used on occur during the late months of the year. Yes, sir. It is cleaned daily."

[12-16 19:01:28] <Nottik> "Today?"

[12-16 19:01:33] <Dionysus> They're set near the front entrance, & they look like they were carefully placed rather than dropped.

[12-16 19:01:57] <Dionysus> "Yes, sir, but long before the items were discovered missing."

[12-16 19:02:13] * Deyn looks at the bat. "Is that how they looked when found?"

[12-16 19:02:13] * Nottik nods

[12-16 19:02:29] <Dionysus> The bat nods.

[12-16 19:02:36] <Dionysus> "Eckssactly."

[12-16 19:02:38] <Nottik> "is there anything stopping someone entering there if they aren't authorized?"

[12-16 19:03:16] * Deyn kneels to take a closer look, frowning slightly in thought.

[12-16 19:03:27] * Orah_Yentl walks over to Deyn, examining the items.

[12-16 19:03:59] <Dionysus> "The front doors are usually barred shut, & the back doors are sealed as well. The elevator doors lock from the inside, but are sealed at the top above entrances, too."

[12-16 19:04:23] <Dionysus> s/top above/above/

[12-16 19:04:24] <Nottik> "so whoever got in here could just as easily have gotten in there?"

[12-16 19:04:30] <Dionysus> "Sir?"

[12-16 19:04:51] <Nottik> "Nevermind. Is anything missing down there?"

[12-16 19:05:03] * Deyn looks up at Orah. "It would seem that the items were placed here rather than dropped, if this is how they were found. what do you make of it?"

[12-16 19:05:05] <Dionysus> "There is nothing down there to take, except crystlas."

[12-16 19:05:28] * Nottik nods

[12-16 19:06:42] <Orah_Yentl> "I think that it supports your theory of a puzzle. It implies premeditation, and it implies a message they would like us to recieve."

[12-16 19:07:22] <Orah_Yentl> "The name is Orah, the pleasure is mine." He extends a hand.

[12-16 19:07:48] <Nottik> "They want us to 'follow' them."

[12-16 19:08:21] * Deyn nods, then smiles and shakes the proffered hand. "Deyn." he then looks at Nottik and nods. "I think you may be right."

[12-16 19:09:11] <Nottik> "Yes, I know."

[12-16 19:09:28] <Orah_Yentl> "Perhaps. Perhaps the message is a decoy. Perhaps the message is incomplete, and another piece of the puzzle awaits us at the inscribed coordinates."

[12-16 19:10:36] <Deyn> "Aye, that is my thought."

[12-16 19:10:40] <Nottik> "I'm sure it's a decoy."

[12-16 19:11:08] * Deyn looks questioningly at Nottik, waiting for him to continue.

[12-16 19:11:58] <Nottik> "Why else would they leave their presumed location? most thieves don't want to be followed."

[12-16 19:12:26] <Orah_Yentl> do the orientation of the tools have any significance with common poltical/cultural groups? How well written were the gondol characters?

[12-16 19:13:27] <Dionysus> The gondla characters were written sloppily.

[12-16 19:13:48] <Dionysus> The orientation of the tools does not have any significance about that, no, except that it IS a dwarven hammer

[12-16 19:13:56] * Orah_Yentl puts a hand to his chin. "Perhaps this is an attack on the church itself. Maybe they want to send the church, the empire, a message."

[12-16 19:14:17] * Deyn nods. "Good points, to be sure. Yet, why would they leave a location at all, unless they wanted us to follow?" he pauses, looking at Orah. "Perhaps. But what message?"

[12-16 19:14:31] * Angrum stops glowing abruptly and waves his stick at the Rote Dwarf again. "Did you have mages working down here?"

[12-16 19:14:55] <Dionysus> "No.. sir."

[12-16 19:15:19] * Orah_Yentl turns, looks at Angrum, then starts to speak.

[12-16 19:15:33] <Angrum> "There was a battle fought here. Magic."

[12-16 19:15:45] <Nottik> "I already said, they want someone to go there."

[12-16 19:16:41] * Deyn looks at Nottik. "That much we know. The question, then, is why?"

[12-16 19:16:45] <Orah_Yentl> "The goal of any strategy game is to leave your opponent little or no alternative except those you perscribe. In this case, the audacity of the theft and the cryptic message accomplish the task."

[12-16 19:17:10] <Orah_Yentl> "A magic battle? How recently?"

[12-16 19:17:39] * Nottik frowns and doesn't answer

[12-16 19:17:52] <Dionysus> The bat says, "Or maybe the note is the target for the Ring."

[12-16 19:18:14] * Nottik glances at the bat

[12-16 19:18:28] * Deyn blinks and looks at the bat. "...Possible, though I hope that is not the case."

[12-16 19:18:34] * Angrum looks at Orah. "Last month. Would I have mentioned it if it weren't relevant?"

[12-16 19:18:38] <Dionysus> The bat shrugs. "Me, too."

[12-16 19:18:47] <Deyn> [*is amused by the bat*]

[12-16 19:19:02] * Deyn turns his attention to Angrum and Orah.

[12-16 19:19:39] <Orah_Yentl> "So now we know the sanctity of this place has been violated at least twice."

[12-16 19:20:51] * Angrum rolls his eyes. "It was within the last few hours, gondal. Sarcasm. A group teleported in here. There was a fight. They left without magic."

[12-16 19:22:18] <Deyn> "Our thieves, perhaps."

[12-16 19:22:23] * Orah_Yentl gives you a chilly smile.

[12-16 19:23:51] * Angrum doesn't smile back.

[12-16 19:24:15] <Nottik> "I think one of them had been to the surface recently. There's red clay dust near that secret door. I think they went down there."

[12-16 19:24:51] <Nottik> "You're sure there's nothing down there that someone might want?" he akss the rote dwarf again

[12-16 19:25:05] * Angrum gestures to the rote dwarf again. "Open that door."

[12-16 19:25:35] <Dionysus> "It is a geode. They might want the crystals, but it would be impossible to tell if they took any. I can't open it, sir, but I can see if someone who can might come & do so?"

[12-16 19:25:59] <Nottik> "Do it."

[12-16 19:26:09] * Deyn nods in agreement

[12-16 19:26:11] * Angrum makes an 'I don't care how you do it' gesture.

[12-16 19:26:12] <Dionysus> He goes out to look for someone.

[12-16 19:26:31] <Nottik> to the bat, "why can't he open it?"

[12-16 19:26:46] <Dionysus> "It's locked from the inside, & he has no key."

[12-16 19:27:15] <Nottik> "How is it locked from the inside if this is the only entrance?"

[12-16 19:27:30] <Dionysus> He looks confused.

[12-16 19:27:45] <Nottik> (is that astupid question?)

[12-16 19:27:46] <Dionysus> "This is not the only entrance. There are several above, as was said earlier."

[12-16 19:27:58] <Nottik> (okay scratch that)

[12-16 19:28:06] <Nottik> (I read something wrong)

[12-16 19:28:21] <Orah_Yentl> "Perhaps I can be of assistance, shall I unlock the door?"

[12-16 19:28:33] <Orah_Yentl> to the bat. "Would that be acceptable?"

[12-16 19:28:41] <Dionysus> "If you have a key, certainly."

[12-16 19:29:30] <Orah_Yentl> "Hmm, if there is a physical latch that I can manipulate on the other side, I can open the door from there. Otherwise I suppose we will have to wait."

[12-16 19:30:28] <Dionysus> The bat shrugs, "I have never been inside, but I understand it is a mechanical device that requires a key."

[12-16 19:31:42] <Dionysus> Not too long passes before the doors open to a small room, in which stands the rote dwarf & the High Priest.

[12-16 19:32:19] <Dionysus> THe High Priest says, "You wish to see the geode?"

[12-16 19:32:25] * Angrum nods to them.

[12-16 19:32:26] <Nottik> "Yes."

[12-16 19:32:43] <Deyn> "Aye"

[12-16 19:32:52] <Dionysus> He gesutres for you to enter.

[12-16 19:33:17] <Dionysus> Then operates the mechanical device that takes the elevator down.

[12-16 19:34:19] <Dionysus> It opens into a massive cavern, of which you are on the edge.

[12-16 19:34:50] <Dionysus> It is a huge spherical cavern filled with glowing crystals.

[12-16 19:34:59] <Dionysus> It's beautiful.

[12-16 19:36:03] * Angrum looks around and gives an approving, "Huh."

[12-16 19:36:07] * Deyn stares in awe.

[12-16 19:36:24] <Dionysus> The High Priest says, "Don't stare at the crystals, or you will go blind."

[12-16 19:36:31] <Orah_Yentl> "My word."

[12-16 19:36:46] * Deyn half-grins and looks around.

[12-16 19:36:55] * Nottik turns to the high priest after he says that "I'd like to see the other entrances to this elevator."

[12-16 19:37:18] <Dionysus> "All of you wish to?"

[12-16 19:38:02] * Angrum nods.

[12-16 19:38:16] * Orah_Yentl nods

[12-16 19:38:17] <Dionysus> "Will you return to the geode after, or the vault chamber?"

[12-16 19:38:19] * Deyn manages to look away from the cavern and nods as well.

[12-16 19:38:54] <Nottik> "The vault"

[12-16 19:40:41] <Dionysus> He carries you up in the elevator to the other three entrances. One is in a secluded hall high up in the temple, one is in a dark passage that apparently connects the offices of the high ranking earth priests, & the last is in the bell tower.

[12-16 19:42:35] <Deyn> anything particularly interesting about the other entrances?

[12-16 19:42:36] <Dionysus> All of them seem pretty regularly used, except the secluded hall.

[12-16 19:42:57] <Dionysus> The one in the bell tower was very hard to open, though, despite being highly used. This is irregular

[12-16 19:42:58] <Orah_Yentl> any more red clay?

[12-16 19:43:01] <Dionysus> At all three

[12-16 19:43:32] <Nottik> "I think this is how they left. It wouldn't be difficult to bypass this elevator's mechanism."

[12-16 19:44:03] <Nottik> "Where does the hall lead?"

[12-16 19:44:28] <Dionysus> "To a balcony over looking the crevasse."

[12-16 19:45:02] <Nottik> "Will you show it to me?"

[12-16 19:45:36] <Dionysus> He nods. He leads you all that way.

[12-16 19:45:40] <Nottik> is there any clay on the balcony?

[12-16 19:45:43] <Dionysus> More red clay on the balcony, yes.

[12-16 19:45:50] <Dionysus> And the crevasse is immense.

[12-16 19:45:57] <Dionysus> No telling where it ends.

[12-16 19:46:06] <Dionysus> Above, you can see the far ceiling of the city-cavern.

[12-16 19:46:42] <Nottik> "Can you tell if they used magic to leave?" he says to Angrum

[12-16 19:47:06] * Angrum is already beginning to glow blue when the question's asked.

[12-16 19:47:13] * Orah_Yentl looks at where the balcony joins the wall. How climbable are the walls?

[12-16 19:47:44] <Dionysus> The walls of the temple are smooth as butter. The walls below, of the crevasse, are pretty rough & climbable, but they extend for miles downward.

[12-16 19:47:55] * Angrum stops, grumbles, and glows again more brightly.

[12-16 19:49:02] <Angrum> "They didn't use magic to leave, but someone was using it to hide here."

[12-16 19:49:29] * Deyn looks thoughtful.

[12-16 19:49:47] <Nottik> "Just themselves or something else to?"

[12-16 19:51:01] <Orah_Yentl> (assuming that this magical property of gifts is well known amongst scholars) "I doubt any could hide a gift..."

[12-16 19:51:51] <Dionysus> [itis well known]

[12-16 19:51:55] <Nottik> "I was thinking of a getaway means not the gift."

[12-16 19:52:09] <Angrum> "Hmm."

[12-16 19:52:52] <Dionysus> High Priest says, "A Gift will follow you if you teleport while wearing it, & it will become inviisble if you are wearing it while becoming invisible. Depending on the Gift, of course."

[12-16 19:54:35] <Nottik> "But they didn't teleport from here. I was thinking that someone was waiting for those that teleported into the vault and ;eft by a non magical means from that room. namely the elevator.."

[12-16 19:54:58] <Nottik> (sorry bout the typos)

[12-16 19:55:01] <Dionysus> The Priest nods, "But how did they enter the elevator?"

[12-16 19:56:43] * Angrum looks around and the walls and air, then briefly glows blue again.

[12-16 19:57:10] <Nottik> "I'm not sure."

[12-16 19:58:16] <Dionysus> "Magic was used?" he asks Angrum

[12-16 19:59:21] <Angrum> "Back in the vault? Lots of it. Here, just a little."

[12-16 19:59:31] <Dionysus> He nods.

[12-16 20:00:14] <Deyn> "Another question is, is earth of this color found anywhere near here?" he indicates the dust.

[12-16 20:00:24] <Dionysus> "And there is no way to ascertain what prayers were answered, if any."

[12-16 20:00:32] <Dionysus> "No, only on the surface."

[12-16 20:01:29] <Dionysus> He spits the words "the surface" like they are poison

[12-16 20:01:56] * Deyn nods and resumes his silence.

[12-16 20:01:58] <Nottik> "It's all over the floors upstairs."

[12-16 20:03:49] <Dionysus> He nods.

[12-16 20:03:55] <Dionysus> "Now where to? The vault again?"

[12-16 20:04:02] <Orah_Yentl> (should we be rolling awareness for any of this, Billy?"

[12-16 20:04:11] <Dionysus> If you want, do so.

[12-16 20:04:27] <Dionysus> I am leaving that up to the players.

[12-16 20:04:44] <Nottik> "I'm finished."

[12-16 20:04:47] <Orah_Yentl> (ah, good to know. Now.)

[12-16 20:04:52] <Dionysus> [get over it]

[12-16 20:05:50] <Orah_Yentl> was the red dust on the priests's floor?

[12-16 20:06:00] <Nottik> yes

[12-16 20:06:07] <Dionysus> it was on all elevator stops.

[12-16 20:06:19] <Orah_Yentl> if so, "The same red dust was on your floor, Reverend, are you sure that no one heard anything?"

[12-16 20:06:36] <Dionysus> "I shall ask again, but so far, no one has said that they did."

[12-16 20:06:39] <Orah_Yentl> "I would think that movement of the elevator itself would draw attention."

[12-16 20:06:49] <Dionysus> [it's pretty quiet when you ride it]

[12-16 20:08:01] <Angrum> "Hmph. They were using Silence likely since they left the vault."

[12-16 20:08:02] <Nottik> (it could use some rocket boosters. It would make it faster and none of this silly 'quiet, smooth' ride business)

[12-16 20:08:37] <Orah_Yentl> (good gnome answer)

[12-16 20:09:00] <Nottik> (why thank you)

[12-16 20:09:18] <Nottik> "So, now, what to do about it?"

[12-16 20:10:01] <Dionysus> The high priest indicates that that is up to you all.

[12-16 20:10:25] <Nottik> (I wasn't addressing him)

[12-16 20:11:10] <Deyn> "Chances of a decoy notwithstanding, I believe we should investigate the coordinates. They have some import, of that I am certain, but we must see the place to learn more."

[12-16 20:12:34] <Angrum> "Whatever you do, you've got a couple of weeks to do it."

[12-16 20:12:44] * Deyn raises an eyebrow at Angrum

[12-16 20:12:56] <Orah_Yentl> "The location takes us too far out of the way, I believe. Besides, the guard downstairs was probably correct, the location is more likely a coordinate. Someone should bring him up here, have him check for smells."

[12-16 20:13:01] <Dionysus> By train, the coordinates are about 5 days away, if the trains can go close enough.

[12-16 20:13:19] <Orah_Yentl> (oh, nevermind then.)

[12-16 20:14:00] <Angrum> "The Empire'll be done for in two, maybe three or four weeks tops if that ring's not brought back."

[12-16 20:14:16] <Dionysus> The High Priest nods. "If not the entire world."

[12-16 20:14:26] <Nottik> "If they're using it."

[12-16 20:14:37] <Dionysus> "Why steal if not to use it?"

[12-16 20:14:46] <Nottik> "Leverage."

[12-16 20:14:53] <Deyn> "Then we must move fast."

[12-16 20:15:12] <Dionysus> "What leverage would it provide if you will not use it?"

[12-16 20:15:32] <Nottik> "If you wait for an hour or so I will see my employeers. I can probably get us close by rail."

[12-16 20:15:47] <Orah_Yentl> "Perhaps the threat of use will be enough."

[12-16 20:15:52] <Nottik> "What wouldn't you do to get it back?"

[12-16 20:16:01] <Angrum> "They'll use it."

[12-16 20:16:21] <Nottik> "I certaily would. I'm just saying that that is not it's only use."

[12-16 20:16:31] <Nottik> certainly

[12-16 20:16:36] <Dionysus> The High Priest nods to Angrum. "I believe the wizard knows what he is speaking of."

[12-16 20:17:00] <Nottik> "Will you wait or not?"

[12-16 20:17:10] <Dionysus> "Wait?"

[12-16 20:17:22] <Nottik> (for me to talk ot the train head)

[12-16 20:17:38] * Angrum grunts agreement. "I wouldn't be here for a bunch posturing. Spells told me it happens a few weeks from now."

[12-16 20:17:39] <Dionysus> "That is up to you all. I will prepare an agent to join you."

[12-16 20:17:48] <Deyn> "If it gives us a chance, I will wait."

[12-16 20:18:29] * Nottik goes

[12-16 20:18:33] <Orah_Yentl> "If you say there was a battle, we must also consider that the Gift has changed hands. I can't imagine that the note and hammer were carefully arranged during or after the battle, especially if no bodies have yet been found."

[12-16 20:18:57] <Orah_Yentl> "Those that left the note for us to find may not be in possesion of the Gift any longer."

[12-16 20:19:29] * Deyn nods in grave agreement.

[12-16 20:22:10] * Nottik returns

[12-16 20:22:29] <Nottik> "We have permission. Let's go."

[12-16 20:22:55] <Dionysus> The trains are incredibly fast (60 mph!).

[12-16 20:23:47] <Nottik> they could be faster

[12-16 20:24:06] <Dionysus> Yes, but not yet.

[12-16 20:26:12] <Nottik> you all coming or are we still discusing things

[12-16 20:26:29] <Dionysus> The earth agent is joining you.

[12-16 20:27:02] <Dionysus> He is a human, from the looks of him. A monk.

[12-16 20:28:09] * Deyn nods in greeting

[12-16 20:28:21] <Dionysus> He bows back.

[12-16 20:28:25] * Angrum largely ignores him.

[12-16 20:29:01] <Nottik> as do I

[12-16 20:29:18] <Dionysus> Once you arrive, you find a railroad site at the exact coordinates the paper indicated. It is notable because it is a railroad site near the Atanaxan Empire.

[12-16 20:29:50] <Dionysus> This is not only a new development, it either indicates an alliance between the railroad & Atanaxans, or an encroachment by the railroads on the Atanaxans

[12-16 20:30:08] <Angrum> Interesting.

[12-16 20:30:16] <Dionysus> The only people here are railroad workers, all dwarven, gnomish, or the like. Not Atanaxans.

[12-16 20:30:41] * Deyn files it away for later use

[12-16 20:30:48] <Orah_Yentl> (so we get on the train that evening? Immediately?

[12-16 20:30:54] <Orah_Yentl> err, sorry,

[12-16 20:30:58] <Nottik> that's what I was asking

[12-16 20:31:01] <Dionysus> [if you wanted to do something else, just say so]

[12-16 20:31:01] <Orah_Yentl> didn't backspace

[12-16 20:31:57] <Orah_Yentl> "I didn't know that the Engineers had stations this far south."

[12-16 20:32:10] * Nottik grunts

[12-16 20:33:12] <Orah_Yentl> "Hmmm, I see." I go back to looking out the windwo

[12-16 20:34:08] <Nottik> I'm guessing there's nothing here?

[12-16 20:34:53] <Dionysus> There's nothing of note here, at the moment

[12-16 20:35:45] <Dionysus> Except a lot of red clay above you.

[12-16 20:35:57] * Deyn notes this, too.

[12-16 20:36:00] <Angrum> No groups of assorted evil-looking guys running about waving Rings of Techtonics?

[12-16 20:36:12] <Dionysus> The world collpases on you & you all die? No.

[12-16 20:37:42] <Dionysus> My hands hurt from the cold, so I am slow tonight.

[12-16 20:37:47] * Angrum looks upward. "Huh."

[12-16 20:37:52] <Angrum> Make it be warm.

[12-16 20:38:20] <Dionysus> I have no heating devices available to me. Anyway.

[12-16 20:39:11] <Dionysus> Everyone roll perception.

[12-16 20:39:21] <Nottik> r awareness 16

[12-16 20:39:22] <Eklem> Nottik [awareness: 16] 20 22 26

[12-16 20:39:32] <Angrum> r awa 14

[12-16 20:39:33] <Eklem> Angrum [awa: 14] 15 16 16

[12-16 20:39:34] <Deyn> r 11

[12-16 20:39:35] <Eklem> Deyn [11] 18 19 20

[12-16 20:39:37] <Orah_Yentl> r awareness 16

[12-16 20:39:38] <Eklem> Orah_Yentl [awareness: 16] 17 18 21

[12-16 20:40:48] <Dionysus> r diff 13

[12-16 20:40:48] <Eklem> Dionysus [diff: 13] 14 16 19

[12-16 20:41:07] <Angrum> Hee.

[12-16 20:41:13] <Nottik>

[12-16 20:41:22] <Deyn> [*dances*]

[12-16 20:41:57] <Dionysus> You all notice that several railroad workers slipped away as you left the train.

[12-16 20:43:01] <Nottik> from the station?

[12-16 20:43:16] <Angrum> "Huh."

[12-16 20:43:28] <Nottik> where are they going?

[12-16 20:43:31] <Dionysus> From the work-line at the rails.

[12-16 20:43:35] <Dionysus> Into caves nearby

[12-16 20:43:48] <Dionysus> A grubby looking dwarf walks up to you all.

[12-16 20:43:52] <Dionysus> Cave dwarf.

[12-16 20:44:14] <Dionysus> "Hello, folk. I am Branger Drusk, foreman here. How may I help you?"

[12-16 20:44:45] * Orah_Yentl looks to Nottik

[12-16 20:44:57] <Angrum> "We're looking for some thieves."

[12-16 20:44:59] * Deyn narrows his eyes slightly, watching them, then turns his attention to Branger.

[12-16 20:45:15] <Dionysus> "Not much to steal around here, 'cept rails."

[12-16 20:45:44] <Nottik> "We've been sent by the boss and the earth church."

[12-16 20:46:08] <Dionysus> "Boss, eh? Well, look around if you want."

[12-16 20:46:22] <Nottik> "Where do those tunnels go?" I indicate some of the ones that people dissapeared into.

[12-16 20:46:32] <Angrum> "Who was that ran away when we got here?"

[12-16 20:47:13] <Dionysus> "Boys on break."

[12-16 20:47:33] <Dionysus> "Tunnels go god knows where. Streams down them, though. Boys go to swim a bit, cool off."

[12-16 20:47:42] <Angrum> "Any of them new? Got here in the last week?"

[12-16 20:47:45] <Dionysus> "Cool down here, usually, 'cept when yer workin;' the rails."

[12-16 20:48:00] <Dionysus> "Hell, whole damned work force rotates every other week."

[12-16 20:48:30] * Angrum grumbles.

[12-16 20:48:57] <Dionysus> "Got an strange crew, these lots. Mostly deep elves last time, but they scarpered a few days ago."

[12-16 20:49:26] * Deyn smiles slightly at that.

[12-16 20:49:32] <Nottik> "Oh?"

[12-16 20:49:44] <Dionysus> "Damned elves. Can't stay for a decent week's work."

[12-16 20:49:59] <Dionysus> "No tellin' where they got to. Prolly revolooshunaries."

[12-16 20:50:09] * Nottik grunts noncommitally

[12-16 20:50:21] <Nottik> (brilliant)

[12-16 20:50:54] <Angrum> "Huh."

[12-16 20:51:04] * Deyn manages to keep a straight face.

[12-16 20:51:42] <Dionysus> "I tell the bosses not to hire them, but they allus act like I don't know what I talked about."

[12-16 20:52:07] <Dionysus> "I tell you what."

[12-16 20:52:15] <Nottik> "No idea where they went?"

[12-16 20:53:06] <Dionysus> "There's ten thousand miles of caverns around here. Prolly got et by them bugs, rilly."

[12-16 20:53:44] <Nottik> "Well?" he turns to the group

[12-16 20:53:59] <Deyn> "It seems that we have quite a search in front of us."

[12-16 20:54:22] <Angrum> "Huh."

[12-16 20:54:32] <Dionysus> [what stunning dialogue, neal]

[12-16 20:54:49] <Nottik> "What are you going to search for? Seems like a near dead end to me."

[12-16 20:54:50] <Angrum> ( Thank you. )

[12-16 20:55:16] * Deyn smiles slightly. "Indeed. Thus, we have quite a search to find a trail again."

[12-16 20:55:32] <Orah_Yentl> "I say we follow those tunnels, just for a bit. We came too far to come back empty handed."

[12-16 20:55:59] <Orah_Yentl> "Foreman, do you have these tunnels mapped?"

[12-16 20:56:03] * Deyn nods his agreement.

[12-16 20:56:10] <Nottik> "You can't come back empty handed, can you?"

[12-16 20:56:26] <Dionysus> "Just the closest ones, & not very good, I tells ya."

[12-16 20:57:35] * Orah_Yentl turns to Nottik. "It's another week ride back to the capital. That gives us what, 4 days until the end of an empire, Angrum?"

[12-16 20:57:39] <Nottik> "I'll need copies of the one's you have."

[12-16 20:57:49] * Angrum passes out.

[12-16 20:58:01] <Dionysus> "Well, I'll be. He okay?"

[12-16 20:58:11] * Orah_Yentl goes to him. "I, Angrum?"

[12-16 20:58:12] * Nottik nudges him

[12-16 20:58:20] * Deyn blinks.

[12-16 20:58:20] <Dionysus> Branger nods at Nottik. "I'll get 'em fer ya."

[12-16 20:58:27] <Dionysus> Branger goes to get the maps.

[12-16 20:58:33] <Nottik> does he wake?

[12-16 20:58:43] <Dionysus> The monk, Soren, says, "He glowed slightly before he fell."

[12-16 20:58:47] <Dionysus> Yeah, after a moment.

[12-16 20:58:54] * Angrum groans.

[12-16 20:58:57] <Nottik> "What'd you do?"

[12-16 20:59:05] <Deyn> "Are you alright, Angrum?"

[12-16 20:59:15] <Orah_Yentl> "No backlash?"

[12-16 20:59:46] * Angrum pushes himself to his feet with his stick and growls, "I'm fine!"

[12-16 21:00:20] <Dionysus> Branger returns with the maps.

[12-16 21:00:21] * Deyn has to smile.

[12-16 21:00:37] <Dionysus> The earth shakes.

[12-16 21:00:46] <Deyn> "Oh no..."

[12-16 21:00:50] * Nottik is startled

[12-16 21:00:54] <Dionysus> But only a slight tremor.

[12-16 21:01:04] <Orah_Yentl> "Does that happen often?"

[12-16 21:01:08] <Nottik> "What were you doing?"

[12-16 21:01:15] <Angrum> Who's that to?

[12-16 21:01:17] <Dionysus> The railroad workers immediately begin doing routine things to counteract the shaking.

[12-16 21:01:18] <Nottik> you

[12-16 21:01:36] <Orah_Yentl> my question was to whoever

[12-16 21:01:39] <Angrum> "Looking for the Ring, if you must know."

[12-16 21:01:42] <Dionysus> Branger says, "No, this is the first quake we've had here in a while."

[12-16 21:01:48] <Nottik> "I must."

[12-16 21:02:08] <Nottik> "Why'd you faint?"

[12-16 21:03:13] * Deyn looks at Orah. "It would seem time is fast running out."

[12-16 21:03:14] <Angrum> "Because I'm old and magic is hard work, not that it's any of your business."

[12-16 21:03:54] * Nottik glances at the maps "All right. Let's go then."

[12-16 21:04:37] <Dionysus> Where do y'all go, exactly?

[12-16 21:05:14] <Nottik> I'm going to at least go down one where I saw someone dissapearing, then it's up to the group

[12-16 21:05:25] * Deyn will suggest the tunnel/s that the workers slipped away through.

[12-16 21:05:43] <Nottik> "This is one of 'em."

[12-16 21:05:51] <Dionysus> The caves where they disappearedinto do indeed have streams. They seem to be dressing themselves right now, after a dip into said streams.

[12-16 21:06:33] <Nottik> so, not actually running off

[12-16 21:06:35] <Nottik> ?

[12-16 21:06:52] <Dionysus> Nope.

[12-16 21:06:59] <Dionysus> But there's something to note here:

[12-16 21:07:11] <Angrum> Can them as got really good looks tell if they're all accounted for?

[12-16 21:07:22] <Dionysus> What?

[12-16 21:07:47] <Angrum> The workers who ran off. Are they all there?

[12-16 21:07:49] <Nottik> can I tell that some of the people who left are all here and not gone somewhere else

[12-16 21:07:50] <Dionysus> The water is drenched in red clay.

[12-16 21:07:52] <Dionysus> Yes.

[12-16 21:08:03] <Dionysus> I thought you were asking if the good looking ones could tell if they were all there.

[12-16 21:08:12] <Dionysus> They are all there

[12-16 21:08:13] <Deyn> [*amused*]

[12-16 21:08:17] <Nottik> like, the red clay is dissolved in it or it makes up the streambed?

[12-16 21:08:26] <Dionysus> The streams are red with it.

[12-16 21:08:34] <Dionysus> The workers have it on them.

[12-16 21:08:41] <Angrum> Hmmmm.

[12-16 21:08:42] <Nottik> what direction are they flowing from?

[12-16 21:08:54] * Deyn files that under 'red clay'

[12-16 21:09:17] <Angrum> Interesting.

[12-16 21:09:37] <Orah_Yentl> "I thought you said this clay was surface clay..." to Nottik

[12-16 21:09:56] <Dionysus> Soren says, "It usually is. This is unusual."

[12-16 21:10:01] <Nottik> "It is. I didn't know it was here too."

[12-16 21:10:44] <Deyn> "Well, if it is not supposed to be here, it must be coming from somewhere. I suggest we find out where."

[12-16 21:11:29] <Dionysus> Soren says, "It could naturally occur here. We are 6000 miles away from Akazad."

[12-16 21:11:40] <Nottik> "We can ask Branger how far back it showed up when the tunnel was being dug."

[12-16 21:11:57] * Deyn nods and smiles slightly. "Call it curiousity on my part, then."

[12-16 21:12:10] <Angrum> "It was all over the roof. I say we just start questioning workers."

[12-16 21:12:17] <Orah_Yentl> (Akazad = bug empire?)

[12-16 21:12:28] <Orah_Yentl> (bug territory?)

[12-16 21:12:40] <Dionysus> [no, Akazad is the dwarven empire]

[12-16 21:13:02] <Dionysus> [Atanaxus is the insectoid empire]

[12-16 21:14:09] <Angrum> Ping?

[12-16 21:14:11] <Dionysus> So you go question workers?

[12-16 21:14:39] <Nottik> I was going to ask like how far from Akazad it showed up during the digging

[12-16 21:14:41] <Nottik> yes

[12-16 21:15:25] <Dionysus> Earliets seen red clay is about a hundred miles from here.

[12-16 21:15:31] <Nottik> ok

[12-16 21:15:35] <Dionysus> What else do you ask of them?

[12-16 21:16:05] * Angrum is just going to demand of workers to know whether they've noticed anything odd lately.

[12-16 21:17:09] <Dionysus> Most don't have a good answer, but one swears he heard bugs moving about above him a few nights ago on watch.

[12-16 21:17:22] <Angrum> Threaten some of them with Truth spells if they seem dodgy.

[12-16 21:17:23] <Dionysus> Another says he keeps seeing eyes staring at him at night from the darker caves.

[12-16 21:17:33] <Dionysus> Most just seem stupid.

[12-16 21:17:54] <Dionysus> One swears he saw a glowing bug in the stream a week or two ago.

[12-16 21:18:02] <Dionysus> Big bug, too, about 6 inches long.

[12-16 21:18:14] <Angrum> Glowing what color?

[12-16 21:19:09] <Dionysus> All colors, according to him

[12-16 21:19:23] <Nottik> one bug was glowing all colors?

[12-16 21:19:33] <Nottik> or many bugs, many different colors?

[12-16 21:19:35] <Dionysus> That's what he said.

[12-16 21:19:39] <Dionysus> One bug, all colors

[12-16 21:19:52] <Nottik> he's obviously an idiot

[12-16 21:20:01] <Nottik> just kidding

[12-16 21:20:33] <Angrum> Couldn't hurt to look at the spot.

[12-16 21:20:40] <Deyn> indeed

[12-16 21:20:45] <Dionysus> He showsyou where he saw it, swimming up the stream.

[12-16 21:22:00] <Angrum> Anything odd about the area?

[12-16 21:22:03] * Nottik grumbles as he swims

[12-16 21:22:45] <Dionysus> Why are you swimming?

[12-16 21:23:01] <Dionysus> Roll awareness

[12-16 21:23:10] <Angrum> r awa 14

[12-16 21:23:11] <Eklem> Angrum [awa: 14] 18 21 24

[12-16 21:23:18] <Nottik> r awareness 16

[12-16 21:23:19] <Eklem> Nottik [awareness: 16] 17 20 25

[12-16 21:23:22] <Deyn> r 11

[12-16 21:23:23] <Eklem> Deyn [11] 13 14 15

[12-16 21:23:49] <Nottik> (he's swimming, don't I have to, to get to where he is?)

[12-16 21:23:49] <Orah_Yentl> r awa 16

[12-16 21:23:50] <Eklem> Orah_Yentl [awa: 16] 20 25 25

[12-16 21:23:57] <Dionysus> [he's not swimming, it was swimming]

[12-16 21:24:01] <Angrum> Niice.

[12-16 21:24:08] <Dionysus> r diff 13

[12-16 21:24:08] <Eklem> Dionysus [diff: 13] 14 15 16

[12-16 21:24:11] <Nottik> (oh!)

[12-16 21:24:18] <Angrum> Hee.

[12-16 21:24:29] <Dionysus> There's a strange hole in the bottom of the creek wherehe says he first saw the bug.

[12-16 21:24:29] <Deyn> [*is amused*]

[12-16 21:24:44] <Nottik> how big is it?

[12-16 21:25:04] * Nottik goes into the stream to investigate the hole

[12-16 21:25:29] * Deyn blinks and watches, wondering what he's doing.

[12-16 21:25:39] * Angrum peers at the hole from the water's edge.

[12-16 21:26:13] <Dionysus> The hol eis about a foot in diameter

[12-16 21:26:19] <Dionysus> Do you stick anything into it?

[12-16 21:26:25] <Nottik> ummmmm

[12-16 21:26:36] <Nottik> can I see the bottom?

[12-16 21:27:00] <Nottik> are there rocks in the streambed? Loose ones?

[12-16 21:27:31] <Dionysus> Yes, yes

[12-16 21:28:19] <Nottik> well, is there anything in it?

[12-16 21:28:28] <Nottik> how deep is the hole?

[12-16 21:28:43] <Orah_Yentl> Filled with water?

[12-16 21:29:22] <Nottik> I'll put my foot into it, depending on how deep it is

[12-16 21:29:28] <Angrum> Oh dear.

[12-16 21:30:09] <Dionysus> The hole is empty but for water & dark, it is about a foot deep.

[12-16 21:30:23] <Dionysus> When your foot enters it, you feel it come out somewhere dry.

[12-16 21:30:25] <Dionysus> & warm

[12-16 21:30:33] <Dionysus> And you can no longer see it

[12-16 21:30:37] <Nottik> "Huh."

[12-16 21:30:51] * Nottik pulls his foot out

[12-16 21:31:24] <Dionysus> [hahahah]

[12-16 21:31:28] <Dionysus> It's wet again

[12-16 21:31:41] <Angrum> "Well?"

[12-16 21:32:11] <Nottik> "Well. If you stick something in this hole, it comes out somewhere else. Somewhere not under water."

[12-16 21:32:28] * Deyn raises an eyebrow. "Interesting."

[12-16 21:32:35] <Angrum> "Huh."

[12-16 21:32:42] <Orah_Yentl> "Shall I investigate?"

[12-16 21:32:45] <Nottik> am I more than a foot wide?

[12-16 21:32:55] <Nottik> "Have at it?"

[12-16 21:33:09] <Nottik> no?

[12-16 21:33:13] <Nottik> no ?

[12-16 21:33:19] * Deyn nods to Orah. "Be cautious."

[12-16 21:33:39] <Orah_Yentl> "If I find a way down, I'll come back for the rest of you. I shouldn't be gone more than 20 minutes."

[12-16 21:34:31] * Angrum glows briefly blue as he studies the stream.

[12-16 21:34:34] <Dionysus> You're prolly less than foot wide, yes.

[12-16 21:34:40] <Nottik> "Just a second." he kneels in the stream and sticks his head in the hole.

[12-16 21:34:52] <Dionysus> Your head comes out in the midst of a jungle.

[12-16 21:34:59] * Nottik pulls it back

[12-16 21:35:01] <Dionysus> The sun is blinding

[12-16 21:35:12] * Nottik closes his eyes then pulls it back

[12-16 21:35:26] <Nottik> (fucked up!)

[12-16 21:35:29] <Deyn> "Well?"

[12-16 21:35:29] <Orah_Yentl> (Dani, you are playing a great gnome)

[12-16 21:35:38] <Nottik> (really?)

[12-16 21:35:53] <Nottik> "It's the surface."

[12-16 21:35:56] <Orah_Yentl> (hmm, mystery hole? I know, I'll stick my head in it!)

[12-16 21:36:08] <Orah_Yentl> "What?!"

[12-16 21:36:24] * Deyn looks completely stunned.

[12-16 21:36:28] <Nottik> "Lots of plants. Very bright." he sits back on his heels and presses both palms over his eyelids

[12-16 21:36:43] <Dionysus> Vision returns after a minute or two

[12-16 21:36:49] <Nottik> "Shit! Very bright."

[12-16 21:36:54] <Angrum> "Huh. You're lucky you didn't get worse."

[12-16 21:37:10] <Nottik> (Love!))

[12-16 21:37:31] <Deyn> "So...we are standing above the surface?"

[12-16 21:38:04] <Nottik> "Well obviously not. It's bending space."

[12-16 21:38:07] <Angrum> "It's a portal, you barmey elf."

[12-16 21:38:15] <Nottik> (heheh!)

[12-16 21:38:20] <Deyn> [*giggle*]

[12-16 21:38:34] * Deyn ignores Angrum and nods at Nottik.

[12-16 21:38:35] <Nottik> (me too)

[12-16 21:39:04] * Nottik is still half-blind

[12-16 21:39:11] <Nottik> but vision is returning

[12-16 21:39:14] <Angrum> ( Is the worker still here? )

[12-16 21:39:18] <Dionysus> Soren says, "Jungles means Atanaxus or Maraddon. My bet is on the Atanaxans."

[12-16 21:39:19] <Dionysus> Yres

[12-16 21:39:40] <Angrum> "You there. You said the bug appeared here and went upstream?"

[12-16 21:39:42] <Nottik> "How'd it get here?"

[12-16 21:40:30] <Nottik> "Rather, who put it here?"

[12-16 21:40:53] <Dionysus> "Y... Yes sir"

[12-16 21:41:43] <Angrum> "I'd imagine one of the thieves."

[12-16 21:42:32] <Dionysus> Roll perception, everyone.

[12-16 21:42:35] <Dionysus> r diff 14

[12-16 21:42:36] <Eklem> Dionysus [diff: 14] 18 19 19

[12-16 21:42:37] <Angrum> r awa 14

[12-16 21:42:38] <Eklem> Angrum [awa: 14] 15 19 24

[12-16 21:42:39] <Deyn> r 11

[12-16 21:42:40] <Eklem> Deyn [11] 12 17 18

[12-16 21:42:41] <Angrum> Hee.

[12-16 21:42:41] <Nottik> "They're from the surface then?"

[12-16 21:42:44] <Deyn> [bugger.]

[12-16 21:42:44] <Orah_Yentl> r persception 16

[12-16 21:42:45] <Eklem> Orah_Yentl [persception: 16] 19 21 25

[12-16 21:42:47] <Nottik> r awareness 16

[12-16 21:42:48] <Eklem> Nottik [awareness: 16] 17 20 25

[12-16 21:43:59] <Dionysus> Those who beat it: something just popped out & back into the hole.

[12-16 21:44:11] * Deyn is oblivious...again.

[12-16 21:44:19] <Angrum> "What's upstr... What's that?"

[12-16 21:44:24] <Deyn> "What?"

[12-16 21:44:28] <Nottik> "What the hell?"

[12-16 21:44:37] <Nottik> what'd look like?

[12-16 21:44:38] <Orah_Yentl> "In the water, there."

[12-16 21:44:44] <Dionysus> Couldn't tell what it lookedlike

[12-16 21:44:53] * Deyn looks and sees...water.

[12-16 21:44:55] <Nottik> "Something came out and then went back."

[12-16 21:45:01] <Deyn> "Oh."

[12-16 21:45:28] <Orah_Yentl> "Don't stand there, what was it?" Orah starts moving into the stream.

[12-16 21:45:59] <Dionysus> You go to the hole?

[12-16 21:46:00] * Nottik is still next to the hole

[12-16 21:46:17] <Orah_Yentl> I start moving towards the hole, yes

[12-16 21:46:19] <Nottik> "You can't go through, you'll blind yourself."

[12-16 21:46:40] <Orah_Yentl> (can I go through soil?)

[12-16 21:46:44] <Nottik> "You'll have to wait for, what do they call it?, night!"

[12-16 21:47:07] <Nottik> "When it's dark."

[12-16 21:47:35] <Dionysus> Soil is harder than solid stone, but it's possible on a really good roll. (diff 19)

[12-16 21:47:53] <Dionysus> But what soil are you going through?

[12-16 21:48:31] <Orah_Yentl> My character would go through if he thought he could phase into the ground to hide

[12-16 21:48:49] <Dionysus> Ahh. Does he think he can?

[12-16 21:49:49] <Orah_Yentl> if he knows the difficulty, he thinks its outside of his ability. I don't know what common gondol knowledge is about the surface

[12-16 21:50:35] <Dionysus> you'd think it too difficult

[12-16 21:50:51] <Nottik> Did my head come out of the ground on the other side?

[12-16 21:50:55] <Dionysus> Yes

[12-16 21:50:56] * Orah_Yentl stops, mid stream as it were, and nods.

[12-16 21:52:13] <Dionysus> Since yer all watching, you see it happen again.

[12-16 21:52:21] <Nottik> what is it?

[12-16 21:52:30] * Nottik tries to grab it

[12-16 21:52:36] <Dionysus> Water distorts it. Some sort of bug.

[12-16 21:52:41] <Dionysus> Roll.

[12-16 21:52:44] <Dionysus> r dodge 17

[12-16 21:52:44] <Eklem> Dionysus [dodge: 17] 20 22 26

[12-16 21:52:51] <Nottik> I can't beat that

[12-16 21:52:56] <Dionysus> It slips back.

[12-16 21:53:09] * Nottik lunges and lands face first in the stream

[12-16 21:53:22] <Nottik> "Damn bug>"

[12-16 21:53:30] * Deyn can't stop a grin at the splash

[12-16 21:53:44] <Angrum> "Peculiar."

[12-16 21:54:26] <Dionysus> Soren says, "Trap it, somehow?"

[12-16 21:54:51] <Nottik> "Do you know how to trap things?"

[12-16 21:55:56] <Dionysus> "I am no expert, no."

[12-16 21:56:10] <Dionysus> It peaks out again.

[12-16 21:56:15] * Nottik grabs

[12-16 21:56:20] <Nottik> r prowess 11

[12-16 21:56:20] <Eklem> Nottik [prowess: 11] 12 15 19

[12-16 21:56:23] <Nottik> hah!

[12-16 21:56:27] <Nottik> it dodges

[12-16 21:56:28] <Dionysus> It dodges

[12-16 21:56:43] <Nottik> "Well someone else can give it a try."

[12-16 21:56:54] * Deyn moves to join Nottik and whoever else is over by the hole.

[12-16 21:56:56] * Nottik splashes and grumbles his way back to shore

[12-16 21:57:47] <Dionysus> Yet again, it pops through.

[12-16 21:57:53] * Deyn attempts a grab

[12-16 21:57:56] <Dionysus> r 17

[12-16 21:57:57] <Eklem> Dionysus [17] 18 19 27

[12-16 21:58:05] <Deyn> r prowess 15

[12-16 21:58:05] <Eklem> Deyn [prowess: 15] 16 20 22

[12-16 21:58:09] <Dionysus> ...

[12-16 21:58:09] <Angrum> Booyah.

[12-16 21:58:10] <Deyn> [HAH!]

[12-16 21:58:38] <Angrum> Stupid bug.

[12-16 21:58:47] <Dionysus> You grab for it, taking it in between you thumb & forefinger, right as it slips back through the hole. It's so close, you actually feel the warm, dry feeling of sunlight on your fingertips.

[12-16 21:59:01] <Dionysus> It is a flutter. A buttlerfly person. It is six inches tall.

[12-16 21:59:11] <Dionysus> It is squeaking at you

[12-16 21:59:31] <Nottik> "What the hell is that?"

[12-16 21:59:59] * Deyn looks surpised at the feel of sunlight, and then at the squeaking as he makes his way back to the bank. "It's a flutter."

[12-16 22:00:00] <Nottik> (I ran into a flutter with gifted armor once. Man!)

[12-16 22:00:07] <Deyn> "A six-inch tall flutter."

[12-16 22:00:18] <Orah_Yentl> r scholar

[12-16 22:00:19] <Eklem> Orah_Yentl [scholar: 0] 6 8 9

[12-16 22:00:24] <Dionysus> Soren says, without humor, "Full grown, then."

[12-16 22:00:25] <Nottik> "A what?" (unless I have reason to know what that is)

[12-16 22:00:30] <Dionysus> You know of flutters, Orah

[12-16 22:00:31] <Orah_Yentl> what region of Atanaxis is that?

[12-16 22:00:40] <Dionysus> Far, far south.

[12-16 22:00:59] <Nottik> (are flutters from Atanaxis?)

[12-16 22:01:26] <Dionysus> yes

[12-16 22:01:30] <Nottik> (well I guess there bug people)

[12-16 22:01:57] * Angrum squints at the flutter.

[12-16 22:02:10] <Dionysus> "Let go of me, you brute!" it squeaks, finally, in dwarven.

[12-16 22:02:11] <Deyn> "Can anyone understand it?"

[12-16 22:02:21] <Deyn> [before that]

[12-16 22:02:21] <Orah_Yentl> "Ah, there."

[12-16 22:02:28] <Dionysus> It begins to glow. Roll init, all

[12-16 22:02:35] <Orah_Yentl> r pro 8

[12-16 22:02:35] <Eklem> Orah_Yentl [pro: 8] 16 16 18

[12-16 22:02:38] <Dionysus> r init flutter 14 soren 13

[12-16 22:02:38] <Eklem> INIT: flutter [14] 15 17 18

[12-16 22:02:39] <Eklem> INIT: soren [13] 17 21 22

[12-16 22:02:40] <Deyn> r init 15

[12-16 22:02:40] <Eklem> INIT: Deyn [15] 17 20 22

[12-16 22:02:43] <Angrum> r init 8

[12-16 22:02:44] <Eklem> INIT: Angrum [8] 9 13 17

[12-16 22:02:47] <Orah_Yentl> r init 8

[12-16 22:02:47] <Eklem> INIT: Orah_Yentl [8] 13 14 15

[12-16 22:02:50] <Nottik> r init 11

[12-16 22:02:51] <Eklem> INIT: Nottik [11] 12 12 14

[12-16 22:02:55] <Nottik> hah

[12-16 22:02:55] <Orah_Yentl> not last!

[12-16 22:03:01] <Dionysus> r init show

[12-16 22:03:02] <Eklem> (soren 21/13) (Deyn 20/15) (flutter 17/14) (Orah_Yentl 14/8) (Angrum 13/8) (Nottik 12/11)

[12-16 22:03:30] <Dionysus> Soren holds. Deyn, it is about to cast magic. Since you are holdin it, you can easily break its concentration. Just shakeit.

[12-16 22:03:39] * Deyn shakes it.

[12-16 22:03:40] <Orah_Yentl> heehee

[12-16 22:03:46] <Dionysus> It stops glowing & squeaks angrily.

[12-16 22:03:50] <Deyn> "None of that, now."

[12-16 22:04:05] <Nottik> (I'm not the smallest!)

[12-16 22:04:16] <Dionysus> "Curse you filthy brutes! Go back to your sorceror, you monkey!"

[12-16 22:04:46] <Nottik> "Monkey? Who're you calling a monkey?"

[12-16 22:05:09] <Dionysus> "Hmph. I was talking to the elf, not you, runt."

[12-16 22:05:16] <Angrum> ( Snrk. )

[12-16 22:05:20] <Nottik> "Runt!" he explodes

[12-16 22:05:31] <Angrum> "What're you doing here, bug?"

[12-16 22:05:36] <Nottik> "Look at you, pipsqueak!"

[12-16 22:05:45] * Deyn raises an eyebrow at the flutter, and smirks at Nottik's ranting.

[12-16 22:05:53] <Dionysus> "You heard me, you pint-sized pebble of a person!"

[12-16 22:06:14] <Dionysus> "What do you care, beardo?"

[12-16 22:06:38] <Angrum> ( What's the city the High Temple was in? )

[12-16 22:06:52] <Dionysus> Akazad'Kalukh

[12-16 22:06:53] <Nottik> "And hear me! The elf could crush you in one good squeeze if you don't cooperate!"

[12-16 22:07:15] <Angrum> "I'm looking for something. You the one that got beaten in Akazad'Kalukh?"

[12-16 22:07:23] * Deyn smirks again.

[12-16 22:07:23] <Dionysus> "I'm inless danger than you think, pebblehead."

[12-16 22:07:47] <Dionysus> "Beaten? I would have won if that silly sorceror hadn't cheated!"

[12-16 22:07:51] <Nottik> "You're nothing but grime underneath my shoe, bug."

[12-16 22:08:08] <Deyn> "What sorceror?"

[12-16 22:08:15] <Dionysus> "'Bug,' he says. Can't thinkof a better one that that, rocks for brains?"

[12-16 22:08:23] <Nottik> (haha)

[12-16 22:08:35] <Nottik> "I oughta pull your wings off!"

[12-16 22:08:36] <Dionysus> "You ask me! You're the damned elf! You tell me!"

[12-16 22:08:46] <Angrum> "Can't be bothered. I call em like I see em."

[12-16 22:08:57] * Deyn blinks. "I know nothing of a sorceror."

[12-16 22:09:10] <Dionysus> "Like your first glimpse of the sun, stonedome?"

[12-16 22:09:36] <Dionysus> "What, oneof you dashing heroes of elvendom doesn't know his own leader? Pfah!"

[12-16 22:09:45] <Dionysus> "He's got the Ring. Go bother him!"

[12-16 22:09:53] <Angrum> "Where is he?"

[12-16 22:09:57] * Deyn raises an eyebrow at that.

[12-16 22:10:08] <Dionysus> "Licking his wounds, no doubt."

[12-16 22:10:24] <Deyn> "I believe Angrum was wanting a location."

[12-16 22:10:51] * Nottik is furious

[12-16 22:11:08] <Dionysus> "Where the hell do you think? The crevasse, you pointy-eared maggot-eater."

[12-16 22:11:34] <Nottik> "Squash him."

[12-16 22:11:58] <Angrum> "Where in the crevasse?"

[12-16 22:12:10] <Deyn> "Not yet, Nottik."

[12-16 22:12:12] <Dionysus> [Err, he's obviously referring to the one next to the Temple]

[12-16 22:12:33] <Angrum> ( Right. That was a big fricking crevasse. )

[12-16 22:13:06] * Nottik takes out apair of pliers from his pack, "I'm going to pull your antennae out, you little worm! Tell us where he went!"

[12-16 22:13:10] <Dionysus> [oh, where IN, gotchya]

[12-16 22:13:37] <Dionysus> He gives you an exact location. Very panicked.

[12-16 22:14:04] <Angrum> Cave or some such?

[12-16 22:14:05] * Deyn grins. "Shall I let him go now?"

[12-16 22:14:19] <Nottik> "Hell no!"

[12-16 22:14:38] <Dionysus> In the crevasse wall, actually, yes.

[12-16 22:14:42] <Nottik> "Didn't like the thought of that, didya?"

[12-16 22:15:06] <Dionysus> He glows.

[12-16 22:15:06] <Angrum> "I don't care what you do."

[12-16 22:15:14] <Nottik> "Shake him!"

[12-16 22:15:24] * Angrum starts walking back down the tunnel.

[12-16 22:15:35] <Dionysus> Do you shake him?

[12-16 22:15:41] <Dionysus> Roll init for shaking.

[12-16 22:15:42] <Deyn> yes

[12-16 22:15:44] <Nottik> "What about the hole Angrum? Can you get rid of it?"

[12-16 22:15:46] <Dionysus> r init flutter 14

[12-16 22:15:46] <Eklem> INIT: flutter [14] 15 15 22

[12-16 22:15:49] <Deyn> r init 15

[12-16 22:15:50] <Eklem> INIT: Deyn [15] 20 21 23

[12-16 22:15:55] <Dionysus> You shake him

[12-16 22:16:03] <Angrum> "Why should I?"

[12-16 22:16:24] <Nottik> "You really want them coming here?"

[12-16 22:16:28] * Deyn looks at the flutter. "I told you before, none of that."

[12-16 22:16:30] <Nottik> them

[12-16 22:16:36] <Dionysus> "Of course he can't! I spent days on that spell!"

[12-16 22:16:57] <Deyn> "Then you can close it."

[12-16 22:17:03] <Nottik> "Then you get rid of it after going though it."

[12-16 22:17:03] <Angrum> "Not my problem if he wants to spend time here."

[12-16 22:17:10] <Dionysus> "To the Hells with you!"

[12-16 22:17:23] <Nottik> "What were you doing there anyway?"

[12-16 22:17:36] <Dionysus> "Coming back! For the Ring!"

[12-16 22:17:36] <Deyn> "You would prefer I gave you to Nottik?"

[12-16 22:17:48] <Nottik> "Come on worm, start talking." I shake my pliers at him

[12-16 22:17:49] <Dionysus> "Let me go & I'll help you retrieve it!"

[12-16 22:18:03] <Nottik> "Yeah, right."

[12-16 22:18:08] * Orah_Yentl smiles. "Retrieve it for whom?"

[12-16 22:18:19] <Dionysus> "We can decide that after it's gotten."

[12-16 22:18:29] <Dionysus> The earth shakes again.

[12-16 22:18:46] <Deyn> "I do not believe we have time to argue."

[12-16 22:19:04] * Nottik shrugs

[12-16 22:19:46] <Orah_Yentl> "Take him with us. Soren, I imagine your superiors would like to hear about this?"

[12-16 22:19:56] * Deyn nods.

[12-16 22:20:37] <Nottik> "I guess you can keep them for now then worm."

[12-16 22:20:48] * Nottik follows Angrum up the tunnel

[12-16 22:21:45] <Angrum> I'd like to retcon something in, if I might, and I apologize if it's inconvenient.

[12-16 22:21:57] <Dionysus> I'll do it, Neal.

[12-16 22:22:15] <Dionysus> Unless you have something special in mind?

[12-16 22:22:32] <Angrum> If you'd like. I was just being apologetic in approach.

[12-16 22:22:36] <Dionysus> Okay

[12-16 22:22:50] <Dionysus> Remember that hour while Nottik was away talking to his bosses about going to this site?

[12-16 22:23:23] <Orah_Yentl> yes?

[12-16 22:23:26] <Dionysus> During that time, Angrum began glowing yellow & gray for about ten minutes, then spent twenty minutes or so staring at nothing.

[12-16 22:23:49] <Dionysus> After that, he came out of a trance, & that's where we actually are right now. Everything else that happened between then & now has not happened.

[12-16 22:24:08] <Nottik> oh you bastard

[12-16 22:24:11] <Dionysus> Confused?

[12-16 22:24:13] <Nottik> no

[12-16 22:24:20] <Angrum> Sorry.

[12-16 22:24:26] <Nottik> (I'm kidding)

[12-16 22:24:28] <Deyn> [...*blinks bemusedly* ok. 's cool.]

[12-16 22:24:29] <Orah_Yentl> tis fine.

[12-16 22:24:38] <Nottik> we don't remember it either

[12-16 22:24:54] <Orah_Yentl> (one sec)

[12-16 22:24:55] <Dionysus> [beccah, to explain, Angrum cast a fate spell to see what the future held if you travelled down a path. he just found out, & has decided not to take that path.]

[12-16 22:25:05] <Deyn> [aha.]

[12-16 22:25:09] <Dionysus> No, it neverhappened, so you know nothing of what happened during that time.

[12-16 22:25:32] <Nottik> right

[12-16 22:25:38] <Dionysus> Rob?

[12-16 22:25:44] * Angrum says at the end of that, "I'm against following the note unless you want to go chasing bugs while the thief practices with the Ring. I know where he is, though."

[12-16 22:25:49] <Dionysus> You got the second you need or you need another one?

[12-16 22:25:54] * Nottik returns "All right, it's all settled. Let's go."

[12-16 22:26:06] <Orah_Yentl> "If you say there was a battle, we must also consider that the Gift has changed hands. I can't imagine that the note and hammer were carefully arranged during or after the battle, especially if no bodies have yet been found."

[12-16 22:26:14] <Orah_Yentl> "Those that left the note for us to find may not be in possesion of the Gift any longer."

[12-16 22:26:28] * Deyn looks at Angrum curiously.

[12-16 22:26:30] <Dionysus> [well done]

[12-16 22:26:40] <Dionysus> The High Priest brings Soren in.

[12-16 22:26:50] * Deyn nods in greeting to Soren.

[12-16 22:26:51] <Dionysus> HP says, "Ready?"

[12-16 22:26:55] <Angrum> "There's a cave a bit up the crevasse where the Ring's being taken."

[12-16 22:26:56] <Dionysus> Soren bows in return.

[12-16 22:27:12] <Dionysus> The High Priest looks at you. "Sir?"

[12-16 22:27:15] * Deyn looks thoughtful.

[12-16 22:27:32] <Nottik> "What?"

[12-16 22:27:34] * Orah_Yentl looks at Angrum

[12-16 22:28:04] <Angrum> "You questioning me? Saw it all. We follow the note, we find the bug that lost that fight. We go to the cave, we find the elf who won it."

[12-16 22:28:27] <Nottik> "All right then. Let's go."

[12-16 22:28:49] <Dionysus> The High Priest looks startled. "Then by all means, let's go to the damned cave!" He begins shouting for guards & priests.

[12-16 22:29:13] * Deyn just shakes his head, his usual response to passive magic, and looks toward the crevasse. "Aye. let us go."

[12-16 22:29:15] <Angrum> "He's a body mage. Used a lot of spells back there, so he's probably hurt. Might not've had time to heal up yet."

[12-16 22:29:50] <Nottik> "Doesn't that usually leave lots of blood?"

[12-16 22:30:53] <Nottik> "Heard about them cutting off fingers and things."

[12-16 22:30:57] <Angrum> "Depends on how he did it and what he did to clean up. There was a good bit of Water used."

[12-16 22:31:56] <Orah_Yentl> "What does the note mean, then?"

[12-16 22:33:17] <Angrum> "If we go after the Ring now, the note's not important."

[12-16 22:33:43] <Nottik> "Let's go then.

[12-16 22:33:44] <Nottik> "

[12-16 22:34:20] * Orah_Yentl turns to the High Priest. "Reverend, how might I still be of service?"

[12-16 22:34:36] <Dionysus> "Come along, boy! We've a Ring to retrieve!"

[12-16 22:34:43] <Dionysus> s/a/the/

[12-16 22:34:53] <Deyn> "Onward, then!"

[12-16 22:34:59] <Dionysus> Soldiers & priests are gathering

[12-16 22:35:07] <Angrum> Onward and forward!

[12-16 22:35:15] * Orah_Yentl takes off his robe, walks into the wall.

[12-16 22:35:35] <Dionysus> So you travel to the location.

[12-16 22:35:43] <Dionysus> It's hard to get there, takes a day ro so, but you do.

[12-16 22:36:23] <Nottik> ok

[12-16 22:36:34] <Dionysus> On the way,soldiers kill plenty of deep elven rebels

[12-16 22:36:58] <Angrum> Good fer them.

[12-16 22:36:58] <Dionysus> But they kill plenty of soldiers & priests.

[12-16 22:37:00] * Deyn keeps a rather grim expression on his face.

[12-16 22:37:56] * Orah_Yentl avoids conflict, sticks his head out every now and again, acts as scout.

[12-16 22:38:08] <Dionysus> Then you reach the cave, after heavy fighting of the soldiers, about 3 soldiers remain, you guys, & four priests.

[12-16 22:38:14] <Dionysus> s/of/for/

[12-16 22:38:23] <Dionysus> Plus the HP & Soren.

[12-16 22:38:35] <Dionysus> A dozen deep elves are in the cave when you get there. Init

[12-16 22:38:37] <Dionysus> r init new

[12-16 22:38:43] <Angrum> r init 8

[12-16 22:38:43] <Eklem> INIT: Angrum [8] 10 16 17

[12-16 22:38:47] <Deyn> r init 15

[12-16 22:38:47] <Eklem> INIT: Deyn [15] 16 19 25

[12-16 22:38:48] <Angrum> Hahaa. Speedy.

[12-16 22:38:52] <Nottik> r init 11

[12-16 22:38:53] <Eklem> INIT: Nottik [11] 18 19 20

[12-16 22:38:53] <Dionysus> r init deep elves 13 soldiers 13 hp 9 soren 13

[12-16 22:38:54] <Eklem> INIT: deep elves [13] 15 17 18

[12-16 22:38:54] <Eklem> INIT: soldiers [13] 14 14 18

[12-16 22:38:54] <Eklem> INIT: hp [9] 10 11 13

[12-16 22:38:54] <Orah_Yentl> r init 8

[12-16 22:38:56] <Eklem> INIT: soren [13] 17 22 22

[12-16 22:38:56] <Eklem> INIT: Orah_Yentl [8] 12 14 18

[12-16 22:38:59] <Nottik> (do I have explosives?)

[12-16 22:39:14] <Nottik> (nevermind, they would have been used by now if I did)

[12-16 22:40:11] <Dionysus> r inti sorc 14

[12-16 22:40:12] <Eklem> Dionysus [inti sorc: 14] 15 22 23

[12-16 22:40:17] <Dionysus> r init show

[12-16 22:40:18] <Eklem> (soren 22/13) (Deyn 19/15) (Nottik 19/11) (deep elves 17/13) (Angrum 16/8) (soldiers 14/13) (Orah_Yentl 14/8) (hp 11/9)

[12-16 22:40:26] <Dionysus> r init sorc 14

[12-16 22:40:26] <Eklem> INIT: sorc [14] 22 23 24

[12-16 22:40:43] <Angrum> Yeebus.

[12-16 22:40:51] <Deyn> [oh dear]

[12-16 22:40:52] <Dionysus> An older elf in the back, covered in blood, stands & slashes his arm.

[12-16 22:41:03] <Dionysus> r earth 10 diff 7

[12-16 22:41:04] <Eklem> Dionysus [earth: 10] 12 18 18

[12-16 22:41:04] <Eklem> Dionysus [diff: 7] 10 10 16

[12-16 22:41:16] <Dionysus> A little hole in the wall seals over.

[12-16 22:41:16] <Angrum> Bad GM!

[12-16 22:41:48] <Dionysus> Soren attacks a deep elf. Deyn?

[12-16 22:41:53] <Nottik> (so, can we reach them still?)

[12-16 22:42:12] <Dionysus> Yes. The hole was a small hole in the wall. Like, a tiny hole, about 6 inches deep.

[12-16 22:42:18] <Nottik> ok

[12-16 22:42:28] <Angrum> Curious.

[12-16 22:42:47] <Deyn> Hold until one of the enemy attacks me directly.

[12-16 22:42:54] <Dionysus> Nottik?

[12-16 22:43:00] <Nottik> (could I have picked up a weapon along the trip?)

[12-16 22:43:04] <Dionysus> Easily

[12-16 22:43:22] * Nottik roars and jumps in slashing

[12-16 22:43:27] <Nottik> r prowess 11

[12-16 22:43:27] <Eklem> Nottik [prowess: 11] 16 17 19

[12-16 22:43:38] <Nottik> (I'ma gonna die)

[12-16 22:43:39] <Dionysus> r parry 13

[12-16 22:43:39] <Eklem> Dionysus [parry: 13] 14 16 20

[12-16 22:43:44] <Nottik> ah hah!

[12-16 22:43:51] <Angrum> Hee!

[12-16 22:43:52] <Dionysus> Roll stun & wound +5 or 3 or whatever weapon you have

[12-16 22:43:58] <Dionysus> r stun 12 wound 12

[12-16 22:43:59] <Eklem> Dionysus [stun: 12] 13 14 16

[12-16 22:43:59] <Eklem> Dionysus [wound: 12] 13 13 22

[12-16 22:44:00] <Nottik> sword I think

[12-16 22:44:04] <Dionysus> 5

[12-16 22:44:13] <Nottik> r stun 7+5 wound 7+5

[12-16 22:44:13] <Eklem> Nottik [stun: 7+5=12] 15 17 18

[12-16 22:44:13] <Eklem> Nottik [wound: 7+5=12] 14 16 16

[12-16 22:44:24] <Dionysus> lna, nw

[12-16 22:44:46] <Dionysus> Deyn, a deep elf attacks you. Do you interrupt with your move?

[12-16 22:44:46] * Nottik screams in triumph after stabbing an elf in the arm

[12-16 22:44:54] <Deyn> Yup.

[12-16 22:44:59] <Dionysus> r parry 13

[12-16 22:45:00] <Eklem> Dionysus [parry: 13] 17 18 18

[12-16 22:45:17] <Deyn> r prowess 15

[12-16 22:45:18] <Eklem> Deyn [prowess: 15] 17 22 22

[12-16 22:45:52] <Dionysus> stun & wound, str +3 +5

[12-16 22:45:58] <Dionysus> r stun 12 wound 12

[12-16 22:46:02] <Dionysus> r stun 12 wound 12

[12-16 22:46:03] <Eklem> Dionysus [stun: 12] 17 19 21

[12-16 22:46:03] <Eklem> Dionysus [wound: 12] 15 16 16

[12-16 22:46:09] <Deyn> r stun 12+3+5 wound 12+3+5

[12-16 22:46:09] <Eklem> Deyn [stun: 12+3+5=20] 23 26 30

[12-16 22:46:09] <Eklem> Deyn [wound: 12+3+5=20] 22 30 30

[12-16 22:46:13] <Deyn> [ouch.]

[12-16 22:46:15] <Angrum> Teehee.

[12-16 22:46:31] <Dionysus> You run him through.

[12-16 22:46:49] <Dionysus> The rest of you, roll defense, excpet Nottik.

[12-16 22:47:00] <Dionysus> r deep elves 13

[12-16 22:47:01] <Eklem> Dionysus [deep elves: 13] 14 17 17

[12-16 22:47:12] <Angrum> No chance of staying out of the melee altogether, then?

[12-16 22:47:31] <Dionysus> Hmm. How would you attempt it? Stay in the back?

[12-16 22:47:36] * Orah_Yentl would

[12-16 22:47:44] <Dionysus> True, gondal is just fine.

[12-16 22:47:45] <Angrum> Pretty much. Stay behind the soldiers and try to look non-threatening.

[12-16 22:47:52] <Dionysus> Roll rogue.

[12-16 22:47:56] <Dionysus> r read 11

[12-16 22:47:56] <Eklem> Dionysus [read: 11] 13 14 21

[12-16 22:48:05] <Angrum> Against read people?

[12-16 22:48:12] <Dionysus> Yes

[12-16 22:48:17] <Angrum> r resread 15

[12-16 22:48:18] <Eklem> Angrum [resread: 15] 18 18 24

[12-16 22:48:21] <Orah_Yentl> r rogue 10

[12-16 22:48:21] <Eklem> Orah_Yentl [rogue: 10] 13 14 20

[12-16 22:48:24] <Dionysus> You do not get attacked.

[12-16 22:48:36] <Dionysus> Which means that the soldiers & prietss are theones getting attacked

[12-16 22:48:45] <Dionysus> Your go, wizard

[12-16 22:49:21] <Angrum> Hold action for the moment. "Get the sorceror!"

[12-16 22:49:31] <Dionysus> r init show

[12-16 22:49:32] <Eklem> (sorc 23/14) (soren 22/13) (Deyn 19/15) (Nottik 19/11) (deep elves 17/13) (Angrum 16/8) (soldiers 14/13) (Orah_Yentl 14/8) (hp 11/9)

[12-16 22:49:40] <Dionysus> Soldiers attack deep elves.

[12-16 22:49:41] <Dionysus> Orah?

[12-16 22:49:52] <Orah_Yentl> I'm walking into the wall on the side of the hole that the sorcerer closed.

[12-16 22:50:08] <Dionysus> You reahc into the hole?

[12-16 22:50:29] <Orah_Yentl> hmm

[12-16 22:50:31] <Orah_Yentl> yes

[12-16 22:50:38] <Dionysus> You have the Ring.

[12-16 22:50:53] <Orah_Yentl> Thought so.

[12-16 22:51:48] <Angrum> Harry Potter?

[12-16 22:51:54] <Deyn> [*snicker*]

[12-16 22:52:07] <Dionysus> [harry potter?]

[12-16 22:52:12] <Nottik> totally what I've been thinking

[12-16 22:52:13] <Nottik> hp

[12-16 22:52:17] <Deyn> [me too]

[12-16 22:52:35] <Dionysus> ahh

[12-16 22:52:52] <Dionysus> The high priest calls down the power of Baurkhan, Father of Earth.

[12-16 22:52:55] <Dionysus> r faith 22

[12-16 22:52:55] <Eklem> Dionysus [faith: 22] 23 32 32

[12-16 22:53:00] <Dionysus> r diff 19

[12-16 22:53:01] <Eklem> Dionysus [diff: 19] 23 25 27

[12-16 22:53:06] <Angrum> Nice.

[12-16 22:53:20] <Orah_Yentl> well damn

[12-16 22:53:22] <Dionysus> r will 14+6 elves 10

[12-16 22:53:22] <Eklem> Dionysus [will: 14+6=20] 24 25 29

[12-16 22:53:22] <Eklem> Dionysus [elves: 10] 15 18 18

[12-16 22:53:38] <Dionysus> r sorc 17

[12-16 22:53:39] <Eklem> Dionysus [sorc: 17] 22 25 25

[12-16 22:53:47] <Dionysus> Sweet

[12-16 22:54:05] <Dionysus> All the deep elven foes except the sorceror are trapped in the ground.

[12-16 22:54:31] <Dionysus> The sorceror does lose next action, though, because he stumbles.

[12-16 22:55:38] <Dionysus> r init new

[12-16 22:55:47] <Orah_Yentl> r init 8

[12-16 22:55:47] <Eklem> INIT: Orah_Yentl [8] 15 16 18

[12-16 22:55:48] <Deyn> r init 15

[12-16 22:55:49] <Eklem> INIT: Deyn [15] 16 16 24

[12-16 22:55:53] <Deyn> [...]

[12-16 22:55:54] <Dionysus> r init sorc 14 hp 9 soldier 13 soren 13

[12-16 22:55:54] <Eklem> INIT: sorc [14] 16 16 19

[12-16 22:55:54] <Eklem> INIT: hp [9] 12 14 19

[12-16 22:55:54] <Eklem> INIT: soldier [13] 15 16 22

[12-16 22:55:54] <Eklem> INIT: soren [13] 16 18 21

[12-16 22:55:59] <Nottik> r init 11

[12-16 22:56:00] <Eklem> INIT: Nottik [11] 12 13 17

[12-16 22:56:08] <Dionysus> r init show

[12-16 22:56:09] <Eklem> (soren 18/13) (Deyn 16/15) (sorc 16/14) (soldier 16/13) (Orah_Yentl 16/8) (hp 14/9) (Nottik 13/11)

[12-16 22:56:20] <Dionysus> Soren holds. Deyn?

[12-16 22:56:58] * Deyn will go after the sorceror, spurred by Angrum's call.

[12-16 22:57:06] <Dionysus> The sorceror says, "Elf, stop!"

[12-16 22:57:17] <Dionysus> "Would you slay your own?"

[12-16 22:57:46] <Dionysus> [Do you stop or continue?[

[12-16 22:58:06] * Deyn pauses in his advance andglances at the one he ran through, then back at the sorceror, one eyebrow raised. "Will you cease action here?"

[12-16 22:58:23] <Dionysus> "What could I do, now?"

[12-16 22:58:40] <Orah_Yentl> (level 25 spell, level 25 spell)

[12-16 22:58:45] <Dionysus> "I know when I am defeated."

[12-16 22:58:53] * Angrum watches him like a hawk.

[12-16 22:59:14] <Dionysus> r rog 14

[12-16 22:59:15] <Eklem> Dionysus [rog: 14] 21 22 23

[12-16 22:59:24] <Angrum> And the knife specifically.

[12-16 22:59:27] <Dionysus> Those watching him like a hawk, feel free to roll awareness

[12-16 22:59:32] <Angrum> r awa 14

[12-16 22:59:33] <Eklem> Angrum [awa: 14] 16 18 20

[12-16 22:59:35] <Angrum> Bugger.

[12-16 22:59:39] <Nottik> r awareness 16

[12-16 22:59:40] <Eklem> Nottik [awareness: 16] 18 23 23

[12-16 22:59:44] <Deyn> [no way I coudl beat it anyway.]

[12-16 23:00:42] <Nottik> "kill him! He's lying!"

[12-16 23:00:46] <Dionysus> He stabs himself in the temple.

[12-16 23:01:00] <Angrum> Can I use my held action if I was watching the knife specifically?

[12-16 23:01:26] <Dionysus> Not if you failed the awareness roll. basically, he mopved too quick for you to react if you failed it.

[12-16 23:01:41] <Angrum> Fwau. Ok.

[12-16 23:01:45] <Dionysus> r hatred 25

[12-16 23:01:45] <Eklem> Dionysus [hatred: 25] 30 33 35

[12-16 23:01:49] <Nottik> could I have acted?

[12-16 23:01:51] <Dionysus> r diff 19

[12-16 23:01:52] <Eklem> Dionysus [diff: 19] 20 27 29

[12-16 23:01:56] <Orah_Yentl> eek!

[12-16 23:01:57] <Dionysus> [no, you didn't have an action]

[12-16 23:02:01] <Nottik> damnit

[12-16 23:02:06] <Dionysus> Everyone, roll will.

[12-16 23:02:10] <Orah_Yentl> me?

[12-16 23:02:18] <Dionysus> You are within 100 miles of him, yes.

[12-16 23:02:22] <Orah_Yentl> r will 13

[12-16 23:02:22] <Eklem> Orah_Yentl [will: 13] 14 19 20

[12-16 23:02:28] <Deyn> r will 12

[12-16 23:02:28] <Eklem> Deyn [will: 12] 19 19 20

[12-16 23:02:32] <Angrum> You're cursing? This's exactly what I was holding my action against.

[12-16 23:02:39] <Angrum> r will 16

[12-16 23:02:39] <Eklem> Angrum [will: 16] 17 21 24

[12-16 23:02:45] <Nottik> r will 10

[12-16 23:02:45] <Eklem> Nottik [will: 10] 12 14 17

[12-16 23:03:07] <Dionysus> r will 17+3

[12-16 23:03:08] <Eklem> Dionysus [will: 17+3=20] 26 26 28

[12-16 23:03:09] <Angrum> Sorry.

[12-16 23:03:13] <Deyn> [oh dear.]

[12-16 23:03:26] <Nottik> (oh dear indeed)

[12-16 23:03:35] <Dionysus> All right, at this point, doe sanyone think Neal shoulda def. got an action there or no?

[12-16 23:03:50] <Angrum> It's cool. I failed the roll.

[12-16 23:04:08] <Orah_Yentl> i could be talked into simultaneous action

[12-16 23:04:14] <Nottik> meh

[12-16 23:04:22] <Nottik> I kinda want to see what'll happen

[12-16 23:04:25] <Dionysus> beccah? it's your ass, too.

[12-16 23:04:48] * Angrum was, to be specific about it, watching for this with the intent of Breaking the knife before he got it to himself.

[12-16 23:04:53] <Nottik> Maybe the yelling could get him something simultaneous. i'll go withthat

[12-16 23:04:57] <Deyn> Give him the action if he wants it...I dunno what'll happen but dammit Deyn's grown on me.

[12-16 23:05:03] <Nottik> oh, that won't work

[12-16 23:05:25] <Angrum> Which won't?

[12-16 23:05:55] <Nottik> you're intended knife breaking

[12-16 23:06:04] <Angrum> Whyfor not?

[12-16 23:06:30] <Nottik> if you get a simultaneous action I assume that means he already has stabbed himself

[12-16 23:06:41] <Angrum> Ah. In that sense.

[12-16 23:07:17] <Orah_Yentl> ok GM, do your worst

[12-16 23:07:32] <Dionysus> Simultly breaking the knife would cause the knife to break basically while the knife was going in. It'd give him a -6 to the spell, which would make it a tied spell, giving you all +3 to will to resist.

[12-16 23:07:44] <Deyn> [*cringe* never say that to a GM.]

[12-16 23:07:53] <Dionysus> & dropping his +3 bonus

[12-16 23:08:04] <Dionysus> making his roll a 23, & yours all... still too low, except Angrum.

[12-16 23:08:23] <Nottik> fine

[12-16 23:08:27] <Nottik> what happens?

[12-16 23:08:32] <Dionysus> All of you, your blood boils.

[12-16 23:08:38] <Deyn> ow.

[12-16 23:08:44] <Dionysus> Roll stun & wound.

[12-16 23:08:48] <Angrum> Yeah. Ow works.

[12-16 23:08:55] <Orah_Yentl> r stun 11 wound 11

[12-16 23:08:56] <Eklem> Orah_Yentl [stun: 11] 15 20 21

[12-16 23:08:56] <Eklem> Orah_Yentl [wound: 11] 12 15 17

[12-16 23:08:59] <Angrum> r stun 12 wound 12

[12-16 23:08:59] <Nottik> r stun 10 wound 10

[12-16 23:09:00] <Eklem> Angrum [stun: 12] 14 15 17

[12-16 23:09:00] <Eklem> Angrum [wound: 12] 14 18 18

[12-16 23:09:03] <Dionysus> r stun 19 wound 19

[12-16 23:09:06] <Eklem> Nottik [stun: 10] 12 13 18

[12-16 23:09:08] <Eklem> Nottik [wound: 10] 13 17 19

[12-16 23:09:14] <Eklem> Dionysus [stun: 19] 25 28 29

[12-16 23:09:16] <Eklem> Dionysus [wound: 19] 22 23 24

[12-16 23:09:17] <Deyn> r stun 12 wound 12

[12-16 23:09:22] <Eklem> Deyn [stun: 12] 15 17 20

[12-16 23:09:24] <Eklem> Deyn [wound: 12] 13 17 21

[12-16 23:09:36] <Deyn> [*headdesk*]

[12-16 23:09:41] * Nottik screams in rage as his blood boils

[12-16 23:09:41] <Dionysus> Wow.

[12-16 23:09:49] <Dionysus> Did I just kill the whole party?

[12-16 23:10:04] <Orah_Yentl> I don't think so...

[12-16 23:10:09] <Angrum> Nope.

[12-16 23:10:12] <Dionysus> No.

[12-16 23:10:15] <Nottik> wait, I thought Angrum wasn't affected

[12-16 23:10:16] <Angrum> I'm unconscious, DW.

[12-16 23:10:26] <Orah_Yentl> I'm dead.

[12-16 23:10:26] <Deyn> [see, this is exactly why Deyn hates magic...*wry look*]

[12-16 23:10:35] <Angrum> That was a conditional that was never fully passed, I think...

[12-16 23:10:38] <Dionysus> Deyn is also unconscious, dw

[12-16 23:10:43] <Nottik> (oh, I thought it was)

[12-16 23:10:50] <Angrum> GM? Which way did that go?

[12-16 23:10:52] <Dionysus> It's up to neal.

[12-16 23:11:06] <Angrum> Geh. I'll take it, then.

[12-16 23:11:09] <Nottik> good

[12-16 23:11:30] <Dionysus> So Angrumis fully healthy while everyone around him dies, except Deyn, who just passes out & is horrible wounded.

[12-16 23:11:36] <Angrum> How did the HP do?

[12-16 23:11:43] <Dionysus> He's dead as a doornail.

[12-16 23:11:52] <Angrum> The Sorceror?

[12-16 23:12:05] <Dionysus> He has to be dead to have cast the spell.

[12-16 23:12:24] <Angrum> Right. But he's not getting up as undead or revealing that he cheated in some other way.

[12-16 23:12:29] <Dionysus> Nope.

[12-16 23:13:08] <Angrum> Didn't Nottik scrape by too? Diff of 6 on wound?

[12-16 23:13:22] <Dionysus> Holy shit.

[12-16 23:13:27] <Nottik> really!?

[12-16 23:13:28] <Dionysus> He did. Nottik, yer ko, dw

[12-16 23:13:30] <Dionysus> Yep

[12-16 23:13:35] <Deyn> [Woo!]

[12-16 23:13:40] <Dionysus> Sorry, Rob

[12-16 23:13:50] <Orah_Yentl> it's fine

[12-16 23:13:51] * Nottik screamed in rage and then got knocked out rather than died

[12-16 23:14:12] <Angrum> How hard is short term slowing of health loss with Order?

[12-16 23:14:26] <Dionysus> 15

[12-16 23:14:37] <Angrum> Out of reach, then.

[12-16 23:14:50] <Dionysus> Yeah, bodies are difficult to work with with order

[12-16 23:15:02] <Angrum> Delay Fate?

[12-16 23:15:11] <Dionysus> 13

[12-16 23:15:30] <Angrum> I'll take the time to do that for Nottik and Deyn.

[12-16 23:15:45] <Nottik> thanks man

[12-16 23:15:46] <Deyn> [aw, gee, thanks!]

[12-16 23:15:50] <Dionysus> If ye take time, don't bother with rolls. They each got an extra few days.

[12-16 23:15:58] <Angrum> Aight. Then I'll see about the Ring.

[12-16 23:16:03] <Dionysus> What do ya do?

[12-16 23:16:18] <Dionysus> Nottik, Deyn, you awaken, with roaring fevers.

[12-16 23:16:32] <Angrum> Look for it in the immediate area, first off. Small area detect magics.

[12-16 23:16:38] <Dionysus> r 1

[12-16 23:16:39] <Eklem> Dionysus [1] 7 7 9

[12-16 23:16:45] <Angrum> r 10

[12-16 23:16:45] <Eklem> Angrum [10] 13 13 13

[12-16 23:16:46] <Dionysus> It's embedded in solid rock

[12-16 23:17:01] <Angrum> Can I Earth it open slowly?

[12-16 23:17:08] <Dionysus> 10

[12-16 23:17:31] <Angrum> I can afford to take a few minutes with it.

[12-16 23:18:00] <Angrum> Or whatever's necessary to drop it to 4ish.

[12-16 23:18:04] <Dionysus> The rock opens slowly & the Ring slides out.

[12-16 23:18:18] <Angrum> I take it, then see about getting the injured to help.

[12-16 23:19:10] <Dionysus> You have two wounded but conscious folks & yer days from the city.

[12-16 23:19:23] <Dionysus> & three deep elves trapped in rock vines.

[12-16 23:19:30] <Angrum> They're alive?

[12-16 23:19:33] <Dionysus> Wait, no, they got boiled.

[12-16 23:20:23] <Angrum> Still, the vines could be useful. I'll put together a crude litter and spend however long it takes to reach healers.

[12-16 23:20:37] <Dionysus> Dayumn

[12-16 23:20:38] <Angrum> Or where I hope they'll be.

[12-16 23:20:40] <Dionysus> Fine by me

[12-16 23:20:51] <Angrum> I didn't get this crotchety by being afraid of a little work.

[12-16 23:21:09] <Dionysus> You guys reach healers, in the city. Deyn, Nottik, you are well taken care of. Angrum, what do you do with the Ring?

[12-16 23:21:30] * Nottik is not a very good patient

[12-16 23:21:30] <Angrum> I take it to the temple.

[12-16 23:21:50] <Nottik> he's very grumpy and dislikes helaers

[12-16 23:21:58] <Angrum> Actually, probably do the Fate thing again to see if giving it back feels safe.

[12-16 23:21:58] <Nottik> healers

[12-16 23:22:00] * Deyn is very quiet, speaking only when spoken to and even keeping that to the bare minimum.

[12-16 23:22:08] <Angrum> Or if it'll lead to disasters.

[12-16 23:23:11] <Dionysus> The priests will seal it within a diamond within a mithril ball & place it in a lead chest within a stone altar.

[12-16 23:23:30] <Dionysus> Then they will place voidsteel around it & close it off.

[12-16 23:23:34] <Angrum> That works.

[12-16 23:23:40] <Angrum> So I go back to the temple's main gates.

[12-16 23:23:47] <Nottik> haha@

[12-16 23:23:50] <Dionysus> "Wizard Hrond?"

[12-16 23:24:05] <Dionysus> "Where is the High Priest?"

[12-16 23:24:14] <Angrum> Angrum. He got himself boiled by a sorceror.

[12-16 23:24:25] <Dionysus> "Boiled?"

[12-16 23:25:04] <Angrum> "From the inside. Do you want more description or are you going to let me in?"

[12-16 23:26:07] <Dionysus> He lets you in.

[12-16 23:26:18] <Angrum> I go in and head for the higher ranking priests.

[12-16 23:26:34] <Dionysus> You find them easily enough

[12-16 23:26:56] <Dionysus> "Wizard Angrum. Did you retrieve it?"

[12-16 23:27:45] * Angrum holds out the ring. "Take it. I recommend better security this time."

[12-16 23:27:55] <Dionysus> They nod. "The others who went with you...?"

[12-16 23:28:18] <Dionysus> One of them takes the Ring, gingerly, then uses it to fuse Ansulym to Ranu. But not the lats bit.

[12-16 23:28:26] <Angrum> Teehee.

[12-16 23:29:25] <Dionysus> You explain about the others?

[12-16 23:29:26] <Angrum> "The Elf and the Gnome are at the Healer's temple. The rest're dead."

[12-16 23:29:30] <Dionysus> Ahh

[12-16 23:29:36] <Dionysus> They look grim, & nod.

[12-16 23:29:46] <Orah_Yentl> (should have used it to turn all the continents over, flip the crusts into the mantle.)

[12-16 23:30:06] <Dionysus> Oneof them stands & says, "Sir, if you will join me."

[12-16 23:30:06] <Angrum> "Don't skimp on the voidsteel. There's a bug mage might be coming after it in a few days."

[12-16 23:30:10] <Dionysus> Heleadsyou away.

[12-16 23:30:22] <Angrum> "If it won't take long."

[12-16 23:30:56] <Dionysus> He's leading you OUT, actually.

[12-16 23:31:04] <Angrum> Ah. That works.

[12-16 23:31:25] <Dionysus> He asks you what reward you would find acceptable?

[12-16 23:31:33] <Deyn> [curious: what's voidsteel?]

[12-16 23:31:43] <Dionysus> And likewise, Nottik & Deyn, you are asked what reward you would like.

[12-16 23:31:52] <Dionysus> Void is nega-energy that cancels out magic & faith.

[12-16 23:31:58] <Deyn> [ah, k.]

[12-16 23:32:06] <Angrum> "Proper dirt. It's good for my garden and takes too long to get it myself."

[12-16 23:32:14] <Nottik> a job, caude I think I'm gonna be fired

[12-16 23:32:23] <Dionysus> http://www.livejournal.com/community/merukis/33772.html <--explains voidsteel

[12-16 23:32:46] <Dionysus> Ha. Angrum, you get all the dirt you could possibly want

[12-16 23:33:00] <Dionysus> Nottik, they employ you, happily, to make plans for theirown railroad.

[12-16 23:33:03] <Angrum> Good. I wasn't planning on asking for anything, but never look a gift horse in the mouth eh?

[12-16 23:33:07] <Dionysus> Deyn, what reward do you ask for?

[12-16 23:33:18] * Nottik is happy to be employed

[12-16 23:33:35] <Dionysus> err, i lied, it's called ravensteel, not voidsteel.

[12-16 23:33:36] <Deyn> [did angrum bring Deyn's saber along, or is it still back in the sorceror's cave?]

[12-16 23:33:52] <Angrum> It's probably still back in the cave, I'm afraid.

[12-16 23:33:56] <Deyn> [ok]

[12-16 23:34:04] * Deyn shrugs. "A new saber. I seem to have lost mine."

[12-16 23:34:10] <Dionysus> Oooh.

[12-16 23:34:18] <Angrum> Teehee. Nice.

[12-16 23:34:30] <Deyn> [*grin* Had to be sure he didn't still have his.]

[12-16 23:34:32] <Nottik> you're gonna get a fancy un

[12-16 23:34:37] <Dionysus> You get a mithril saber, with 7 earth blessings on it.

[12-16 23:34:43] <Deyn> niiiiice.

[12-16 23:34:45] <Nottik> jeebus

[12-16 23:35:01] <Dionysus> write this down.

[12-16 23:35:02] <Angrum> Sexy.

[12-16 23:35:21] <Deyn> ok

[12-16 23:35:29] <Dionysus> It can cut stone, I know. Any suggestions for theother six blessings, people?

[12-16 23:35:45] <Angrum> Open passages?

[12-16 23:35:57] <Dionysus> Nahh,too similar to cut stone

[12-16 23:36:10] <Angrum> Cause earthquakes?

[12-16 23:36:26] <Nottik> gemstone sense?

[12-16 23:36:34] <Deyn> ooh, I like that one

[12-16 23:36:36] <Orah_Yentl> pass through steel?

[12-16 23:36:44] <Nottik> oooo!

[12-16 23:37:02] <Nottik> you're gonna be a badass

[12-16 23:37:02] <Angrum> How unbreakable is mithril?

[12-16 23:37:08] <Dionysus> very

[12-16 23:37:09] <Deyn> heehee

[12-16 23:37:17] <Angrum> No point adding more, then.

[12-16 23:37:26] <Angrum> More Unbreakability, I mean.

[12-16 23:37:29] <Orah_Yentl> petrify?

[12-16 23:37:34] <Deyn> that's a good one

[12-16 23:37:38] <Dionysus> okay, so it passes through steel as if it weren't there, it can sense gemstones if you will it to, & it can cause an earthquake once, but only onc.e

[12-16 23:37:54] <Dionysus> no petrify, i don't think.

[12-16 23:38:04] <Nottik> 2 more

[12-16 23:38:27] <Dionysus> cut stone, gemstone sense, pass through steel, & earthquake.

[12-16 23:38:30] <Dionysus> 3 more.

[12-16 23:38:42] <Nottik> it's double-edged though because defending will be difficult

[12-16 23:39:06] <Dionysus> passes through steel at will, then.

[12-16 23:39:14] <Dionysus> so defending is possible

[12-16 23:39:16] <Nottik> create chasms?

[12-16 23:39:50] <Dionysus> nahh, too much

[12-16 23:39:57] <Nottik> i know

[12-16 23:40:05] <Orah_Yentl> hmmm

[12-16 23:40:06] <Nottik> find faults?

[12-16 23:40:24] <Dionysus> maybe. try to think of something better

[12-16 23:40:31] <Orah_Yentl> raise terrain?

[12-16 23:40:32] <Nottik> i'm trying

[12-16 23:40:37] <Orah_Yentl> summon rocks?

[12-16 23:40:38] <Angrum> Shapeshifting blade?

[12-16 23:40:42] <Deyn> *blink*

[12-16 23:40:47] <Dionysus> shapesifting blade?

[12-16 23:41:01] <Angrum> Blade can be reshaped to suit the users needs.

[12-16 23:41:09] <Dionysus> what think you, beccah?

[12-16 23:41:19] <Deyn> As in, if I need a pickax it'll turn into a pickaxe?

[12-16 23:41:35] <Dionysus> it'll be the blade of a pick ax, or similar enough to work

[12-16 23:41:40] <Angrum> Yeah.

[12-16 23:41:41] <Deyn> Sounds good

[12-16 23:41:51] <Dionysus> 2 more

[12-16 23:41:59] <Dionysus> summonrocks is a bit pointless underground.

[12-16 23:42:07] <Nottik> raise terrain is cool

[12-16 23:42:23] <Dionysus> i don't follow what that means

[12-16 23:43:00] <Nottik> I was imagining it would create little hummocks about five eet high. Definitely throw off your enemy

[12-16 23:43:18] <Angrum> Glows blue, vibrates, gives some sort of warning in the presence of unstable earth?

[12-16 23:43:23] <Deyn> Insta-cover. nice.

[12-16 23:43:23] <Nottik> Rob was thinking you could raise the sword and be lifted onto a 20ft column

[12-16 23:43:33] <Dionysus> raise the ground, then?

[12-16 23:43:34] <Orah_Yentl> in the most grandiose sense, I imagined someone raising the sword in the air and being lifted up on a column of rock

[12-16 23:43:43] <Angrum> Sexy.

[12-16 23:43:47] <Deyn> That's what I was thinking. kinda like a mini-mountain.

[12-16 23:43:48] <Dionysus> i like that

[12-16 23:43:48] <Nottik> i like that Neal

[12-16 23:44:10] <Dionysus> so unstable earth sense & raise groun, done!

[12-16 23:44:13] <Deyn> yay!

[12-16 23:44:21] <Nottik> awesome

[12-16 23:44:27] <Orah_Yentl> so what are all the blessings again?

[12-16 23:44:27] <Deyn> I love this sword.

[12-16 23:44:29] <Angrum> Groovylicious.

[12-16 23:44:40] <Deyn> cut stone, gemstone sense, pass through steel at will, cause earthquake[once only], shapeshifting blade, unstable earth sense, raise ground

[12-16 23:44:47] <Nottik> so, was that hole a cosmos spell?

[12-16 23:44:47] <Deyn> 's what I have down.

[12-16 23:45:02] <Dionysus> order, actually

[12-16 23:45:08] <Nottik> net

[12-16 23:45:20] <Nottik> neat

[12-16 23:45:50] <Dionysus> excellent.

[12-16 23:45:59] <Dionysus> so what'd y'all think?

[12-16 23:46:03] <Deyn> that was cool

[12-16 23:46:03] <Nottik> good

[12-16 23:46:04] <Angrum> That was fun.

[12-16 23:46:08] <Dionysus> i pulled this entire thing out of thin air as i went along

[12-16 23:46:18] <Nottik> pretty good

[12-16 23:46:21] <Deyn> Some of the ebst games are done that way. As was seen here.

[12-16 23:46:30] <Nottik> so what was the paper for?

[12-16 23:46:44] <Dionysus> the elves left it there so you would go find the portal

[12-16 23:46:58] <Dionysus> the hammer was left there as a threat against dwarves

[12-16 23:47:00] <Nottik> so he'd have time?

[12-16 23:47:06] <Dionysus> yeah, basically.

[12-16 23:47:09] <Nottik> ok

[12-16 23:47:14] <Angrum> Teehee.

[12-16 23:47:25] <Nottik> good job Neal

[12-16 23:47:28] <Deyn> indeed

[12-16 23:47:37] <Angrum> Thank you ^_^ I had fun with Angrum.

[12-16 23:47:43] <Orah_Yentl> I got a little fustrated during the game, the pull model of discovering mysteries always makes things difficult, especially online where question and answer are so slow

[12-16 23:47:50] <Nottik> the flutter seemed much more attached to his antennae then his wings

[12-16 23:47:56] <Deyn> *amusion*

[12-16 23:48:11] <Dionysus> his antennae are how he could feel. pulling them off woul be like cutting into you clit.

[12-16 23:48:11] <Angrum> It'd be like choosing between eyes and legs.

[12-16 23:48:24] <Nottik> owww

[12-16 23:48:25] <Orah_Yentl> I liked all the characters, and I liked the flutter

[12-16 23:48:28] <Orah_Yentl> eek

[12-16 23:48:42] <Nottik> the flutter was hilarious

[12-16 23:48:48] <Dionysus> heh.

[12-16 23:48:48] <Deyn> It was cute

[12-16 23:48:53] <Angrum> The flutter rocked.

[12-16 23:48:59] <Dionysus> i never even named him

[12-16 23:49:13] <Deyn> I was gonna ask him his name, but then we retconned and had fun with the elves.

[12-16 23:49:16] <Dionysus> but he is now dubbed "Bazik"

[12-16 23:49:25] <Angrum> He's still alive.

[12-16 23:49:29] <Deyn> Bazik it is, then!

[12-16 23:49:30] <Dionysus> & will likely appear as a villain in the main campaign

[12-16 23:49:34] <Deyn> whee

[12-16 23:49:38] <Angrum> Excellent.

[12-16 23:49:50] <Orah_Yentl>

[12-16 23:50:03] <Angrum> I will steal his magic, and then steal the Ring of Tectonics.

[12-16 23:50:12] <Dionysus> Hhe

[12-16 23:50:18] <Dionysus> that could plunge the world into war

[12-16 23:50:25] <Deyn> Eek.

[12-16 23:50:27] <Angrum> Damn straight.

[12-16 23:51:01] <Deyn> It usually takes me longer to get attached to a character. Deyn surprised me.

[12-16 23:51:02] <Nottik> hehe

[12-16 23:51:26] <Nottik> I liked Nottik. It was strange, playing a gnome.

[12-16 23:51:27] <Dionysus> I can do a lot with Deyn, I think

[12-16 23:51:34] <Deyn> yay!

[12-16 23:51:46] <Dionysus> I shall email you, Beccah. I have the beginnings of a plan for Deyn.

[12-16 23:51:47] <Nottik> He'll become pretty powerful with that sword, I imagine.

[12-16 23:51:53] <Orah_Yentl> Orah had a neat backstory, I made up a neat backstory for Orah,

[12-16 23:51:54] <Deyn> Excellent. I look forward to seeing it.

[12-16 23:51:58] <Nottik> and he's still very young

[12-16 23:51:58] <Angrum> Oh yeah.

[12-16 23:52:06] <Deyn> hee...the irony of him having a magical sword is that he's not too fond of magic.

[12-16 23:52:10] <Dionysus> Tell the backstory, JT

[12-16 23:52:18] <Angrum> It's faith, not magic.

[12-16 23:52:20] <Nottik> it's not magical, it's blessed

[12-16 23:52:22] <Dionysus> It's not magical,it's blessed.

[12-16 23:52:23] <Deyn> Yeah.

[12-16 23:52:24] <Dionysus> Right

[12-16 23:52:40] <Dionysus> The difference is subtle, but important. Especially on Shem, I think.

[12-16 23:52:41] <Orah_Yentl> he had some scars on his arm, from where he scratched notes into his arms during an expidition

[12-16 23:52:53] <Deyn> Forgive a layman[laywoman?] her errors.

[12-16 23:52:54] <Nottik> crazy motherfucker

[12-16 23:53:04] <Dionysus> It's cool, Beccah.

[12-16 23:53:20] <Nottik> it's cool. Just educating you. Deyn would know there was a difference. he might not like either.

[12-16 23:53:26] <Deyn> He doesn't.

[12-16 23:53:30] <Nottik> hah!

[12-16 23:53:35] <Deyn> *amused*

[12-16 23:54:01] <Nottik> Feel sorry for ben though. Hopefully he had a good dinner

[12-16 23:54:26] <Dionysus> me, too

[12-16 23:54:32] <Orah_Yentl> did the Earth faith gain any points in his eyes by giving him a sword to beat all swords?

[12-16 23:54:47] <Deyn> Some. Not much, but some.

[12-16 23:54:51] <Nottik> well I'm sure he didn't have to pay and he'll eat anything. Sure it was great.

[12-16 23:55:29] <Deyn> He's got no problem against faith as a rule. It's seeing the priests in action he's not fond of. Pretty much anything supernatural he's not a fan of.

[12-16 23:55:35] <Dionysus> ahh

[12-16 23:55:53] <Deyn> May change now he's got the sword, though. we'll have to see.

[12-16 23:55:57] <Angrum> What'd he think of Angrum?

[12-16 23:56:03] <Deyn> He liked him.

[12-16 23:56:20] <Angrum> Teehee. Excellent.

[12-16 23:56:56] <Angrum> Even before the carrying for days bit?

[12-16 23:57:24] <Deyn> Yeah. Angrum didn't use magic that much, it was passive, and Deyn just liked his attitude.

[12-16 23:57:31] <Nottik> Nottik liked you. Thought you were the only one in the proper mindset.

[12-16 23:57:44] <Angrum> I boggle. I didn't expect anyone to like Angrum.

[12-16 23:57:51] <Nottik> what got you roped into it?

[12-16 23:57:57] <Deyn> hell, I liked Angrum. He reminded me of my grandfather.

[12-16 23:58:08] <Nottik> I mostly liked him cause he was a crotchetty bastard

[12-16 23:58:14] <Deyn> That's what I said.

[12-16 23:58:15] <Angrum> What got Angrum roped in?

[12-16 23:58:36] <Nottik> into the whole 'save our ring' business

[12-16 23:58:44] <Nottik> and Deyn and Orah for that matter

[12-16 23:58:52] <Nottik> nevermind Orah, I remember yours

[12-16 23:58:54] <Dionysus> Deyn was hired by the church

[12-16 23:58:56] <Deyn> Deyn's a merc.

[12-16 23:59:01] <Nottik> ok

[12-16 23:59:19] <Angrum> Angrum regularly checks the future for looming disasters and he would've been caught up in this one if it hadn't been stopped.

[12-16 23:59:33] <Nottik> ahhhhh

[12-16 23:59:34] <Deyn> with sympathies for the elven rebels, in case that didn't show.

[12-16 23:59:38] <Nottik> so you came on your own?

[12-16 23:59:46] <Nottik> mmmm

[12-16 23:59:56] <Angrum> Yep.

[12-16 23:59:56] <Dionysus> he did indeed. that's why the gate guard didn't let him in at first

[12-17 00:00:04] <Nottik> ahhh

[12-17 00:00:18] <Deyn> heehee

[12-17 00:00:26] <Nottik> what did you think of us Billy?

[12-17 00:00:34] <Dionysus> very cool to have a mysterious wizard show up in the time of crisis

[12-17 00:00:42] <Orah_Yentl> yes

[12-17 00:00:47] <Nottik> yeah

[12-17 00:00:50] <Dionysus> i regret orah didn't get to be more active. my fault, i think

[12-17 00:01:34] <Dionysus> nottik & angrum had some excellent interactions. i rather liked them both quite a bit. orah had some cool dialogue, & was typically rob-nuts. i liked it

[12-17 00:01:49] <Nottik> cool

[12-17 00:01:52] <Dionysus> deyn was good, but a little quiet. i expect beccah is still gettingher feet wet with shem.

[12-17 00:02:00] <Dionysus> however, i can do a lot with deyn, i think.

[12-17 00:02:01] <Nottik> yeah.

[12-17 00:02:02] <Dionysus> more than the others.

[12-17 00:02:07] <Deyn> Actually, Deyn was meant to be quient.

[12-17 00:02:11] <Dionysus> cool.

[12-17 00:02:14] <Nottik> well, its understandable

[12-17 00:02:19] <Orah_Yentl> he didn't fit into an expedition. He was a scholar, best in stuffy rooms

[12-17 00:02:36] <Nottik> I've been avoiding gnomes for a while. I'm glad I played him

[12-17 00:02:45] <Dionysus> yeah, i shoulda given you more obvious chances to use your unique abilities

[12-17 00:02:54] <Nottik> I'm not really an expedition man myself.

[12-17 00:02:56] <Deyn> I liked Nottik.

[12-17 00:02:59] <Angrum> Why avoiding gnomes?

[12-17 00:03:01] <Nottik> thanks!

[12-17 00:03:08] <Dionysus> because they carry all sorts of bad diseases

[12-17 00:03:13] * Deyn is amused

[12-17 00:03:16] <Nottik> I didn't think I could play one like they should be played

[12-17 00:03:19] <Angrum> And there's the musking, I suppose.

[12-17 00:03:21] <Dionysus> faugh

[12-17 00:03:43] <Nottik> Only gnomes I've seen are Nathan's and Ben's. you have to admit, they're some mighty fine gnomes.

[12-17 00:03:47] <Dionysus> Neal needs to play a gnome.

[12-17 00:03:51] <Nottik> hah!

[12-17 00:03:58] <Angrum> I may someday.

[12-17 00:04:00] <Dionysus> So does Rob, but he has one planned for a future game.

[12-17 00:04:02] <Nottik> (or have you played one Rob?)