TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

[beowuuf]

Lol, why do I get the feeling kraat is a bad word Will let Ian, money or LB weigh in, then we're going onwards this evening!

[ian_scho]

"Agreed Westian. Removing the big bosses seems like a good idea." He looks over Helm, and thinks it wise not to venture to far from him as he looks almost feeble.

He tries to think of a way to prod the king down the route Westian suggested, but lacks any real ideas. "It would be a glorious battle for a king, to be able to remove the serpent's head."

[raixel]

You guessed it, beo. She's used it before, and I think at one I put the meaning in spoiler tags.

[Lord_BoNes]

Aurek simply nods to Westian in agreeance.

[beowuuf]

The group agreed to move away from the sounds of combat, and take the direction that those who had seen the Trolins rough maps thoguhts was the correct direction. No exploration was suggested, although Westian had perhaps hoped to thin the Trolin herd a little and also perhaps buy some protection by having Karda and his men look towards the sound of the fighting from the northward tunnel. Instead, they all as one - in a manner of speaking - moved away from the sounds of combat, and more importantly directly away from the other corridor that would surely lead them to an even greater sound of combat. Hopefully, where even now Trolisn and blcaskskulls were directly fighting, in a manner that would be distracting the army that had taken occupation of that place. If such action also reduced the strength of the Trolin colony that had taken residence in Mount Anaias, who could say if that was a terrible thing.


It was Falkor who first notced it. Aurek had some basic awareness of dungeons, and perhaps suspected it. The corridor - a very nicely layed out and cleaner corridor than the original ones the party had travelled on this level - had a downwards incline. Falkor had noted that the dungeon floors were not always level before, and that they soometimes flowed with the nature of the dungeon around. This one, however, seemed deliberate, slowly drifting downwards, meaning that if it doubled back, it could well lead to an area below the one the blackskulls actually occupied.

There were the occasional sharp bends in the corridor. for this reason, Karda and his four Trolins stayed forwards. At first, this left the party to go next, as the Trolin king pretended to speak with Pullack and Uumack regarding 'important' matters, his bodyuards staying close. The party were left to set the pace, presenting a cautious yet decent speed. However, that paced slowed as the light of torches indicated that the brickwork - a polished stone now - possessed carvings on the many blocks as the corridor, by literal turns, became fancier. Westian was the first to realise what the carvings were, smaller than those he had seen previously. Haynuus's circlet took a while longer to whisper a reminder to the half-orc that he had seen such carvings too.

Just as the 'waiting room' beyond the Hallf of Champions possessed six carvings representing the six ages of the world, now here were carvings flowing up and down indicatign the various lineages of the races of the world. In time each person could spo and make out the artistic depictions of the originas of their race. Of their common thawing from the ice, and the path their proto-ancestorys took to gain the skills and forms they developed. Some lines of story seemed straightforwards, others were ard to tell. Some were easy to tell, but seemed blasphemous representations of the origins. Westian and Falkor could now easily spot the subtle, playful use of the runes of magic in many places, where they had mostly gone unobserved in the waiting room carvings. The symbol of EW waving at them from various creatures, birds flying on the wings of IR, KU, ROS, DaIN and NETA shaping the interactions of many of the lines of races, and depictions of GOR, KATH and BRO in the background lands. Deephold in particular had an impassive face as he looked to the section fo the wall dealing with dwarves, and other religious matters of origin. He looked to Westian on occasion to point out areas of strangeness, but presented them without comment nor with a break in his impassive facade. The Deephold of the libraries and the halls of the order, for the moment, was back. Westian could have believed he were back there too. Aside from the weapons both carried, and the strong stench of Trolin around. And the anxieties in the back of Westian's mind regarding all that had happened, and must still happen.


Hey guys, if any of you wanna throw in some supposed origina stories of your respective races, or have some fun at the expence of others, now would be the time


It was clear by the very soft singing Petal could hear in her ears, and by the unnatural cleanliness and order of the dungeon they walked, that this was not just another area of the dungeon, another strange little storage area where the Grey Lord worked. That this was an area the Grey Lord claimed as his own. Of course, this made it all the more jarring to see evidence of others having been walkign this place. Skuffs in the perfect floor and chips that spoke of booted feet. The occasional section of the flowing carvings where the brick had been smashed, most likely by a sword pommel. Whether the defacer had hated a section , or had simply been bored, was unknwon.

The Trolin King perhaps realised that danger was not going to leap out at them, and more importantly that there was somethign facinating to see here. He and his bodyguard pushed ahead of the group to look ahead. The supposed origin of the Trolins was hard to see, and luckily the king did not spot the very start of it. He looked in triumph at as he picked up upon the crossing of the Trolin and Antman lines, pointing to areas where the Trolins strength held their strange and powerful foes at bay.

With the king moved forwards, Pullack took the opportunity to move toewards the group. He tried to catch Haynuus's attention, with Uumack in tow. Pullack had not looked happy when speaking to his King, barely disguising his suspicions. Now he was insistant on trying to get Haynuus to tell him more - infact anything - that could tell him what the king might be up to. Uumack seemed to be standing a little back from Puullack, and occasionally threw meaningful looked to Haynuus. Although perhaps Uumack did not trust his king, he clearly was not fully trusting of his own leader either, and did not wish Haynuus to say anythignthat might unintentionally block Westian's plans./ Whatever exactlyu they might be, beyond hackign the head off of the snake.

Not that this was a bad plan - the King was clearly taken with it, mentioing it several times. Perhaps clinging to it, as the upcoming confrontation with the high command of the blacvkskulls - including the grak graks and the dark priest - became imminent.

Helm tried to speak to Ameena, to discover why she was still staying so close to the thief instead of moving to help scout, and chek on her other friends. He almost asked her if she was alright again, but then cast a fearful glance to Haynuus, and a fearful glance backwards where they had come from. The crack was clearly on everyone's mind, and jus tas clearly no one wished to speak on it nor ask further questions about it. Helm instead decided a different track ,and asked Ameena if she had seen or done anythign interesting instead of dangerous after she they had been...seperated. A cloud flitted over his own face of course when he obviously though of his own experiences. Wanly he spoke of how interesting this corridor was, tryign to keep his own voice down so as not to disturb the rest. That, and the peace of the corridor seemed a physical thing, to be undisturbed.

Aurek had not realised that they had lost many of ther air elementals until the last few aroudn him and the group started getting wary of carrying on further, aand by their muted responses it could be spotted their lesser numbers. Clearly this area of the Grey Lord's domain was both sacred and boring. Not a good combination. Apparently several of the other elementals had alreayd went off in other directions by this time. Only one returned, bringing back the green butterfly that had moved off when trouble had started in the library. Although it flittered around Westian as if in greeting, and bobbed and weaved around Ameena playfully, it actually settled on Falkor's shoulder, slowly opening and closing its wings.

Up ahead, the Trolins finally stopped. Aurek, Westian and Deephold could perhaps sense the reason ahead of the others, but the chill in the air was also soon noticeable to all. A branching corridor - that seemed darker than the others - moved off east, while the main corridor continued northwards. The darkness was partially because it would not reflect the light of the torchlight well off of its pitted surface where streaks of dark ice had formed. A door had been forced open here, the lock broken and the mechanism frozen. Clearly, even if Westian, Aurek and Falkor had not seen the Trolin map to know this direction was towards Dolo's own claimed domain, they could have guessed. Westian, Deephold and Aurek could all feel a deeper confirmation though. There was a hollow in their souls, as the power of the demon spider queen Lolth could be felt even from here. Somewhere deep in that place was most likely an altar or temple to her. Perhaps ewven Dolo himself. Certainly his frozen undead, and thoe undead he had stolen from the dead gnome.

Shoudl they leave this path untaken? Leave it still open. Deephold hesitated, but apparently felt that this was somethign for another time. The dark priest dealt in fear. If the blackskulls were removed, then it would - in turn - be that dark priest who would feel the fear. Failure was not somethign a demon understood nor tolerated.


As said, if any of you wish to peel off - as sad asa party split would be - feel free. Or if you wish to attempt some temporary peace of mind that nothign will come from behind to get you, in the shape of some skill checks and ideas to seal the way, or persuading some Trolins not to carry on!


Leaving the path behind, the way seemed to lighten, both in terms of spirits, ambient light that very gentle spilled from the stones of this place, and also to Falkor's notice because the corridors no longer were inclidned downwards. They had shifted as far downwards as they were going to go. At least, to his own senses. The fact that Deephold kept looking back and force at the walls and floor seemed to indicate in some way he were making the same mental calculations.

"Place magic. Grey Lord better gone, never feels right," muttered the Trolin King as his sensaitve eyes became aware of the glowing stones. For some reason, all the Trolins seemed to be affected a little by it, even though Haynuus and the rest of those with sensative eyes were fine with it. It barely registered, and would barely illuminate the way if the party were not also carrying torches. Still, it seemed to stop Karda and his group from advancing forwards too far, and they because the frontguard of the king's little group instead.

Petal could feel that the residual magics of construction and protection against the elementas that had been in the previous corridors now fell away to more powerful magics. The walls hummed with life, each particle of each brick someone connected directly to the mountain itself drawing the solidity and immoveability of the mountain to itself if needed. There were the occasional RA symbols, used as locking mechanicsm for 'doors' that were recessed in the walls at long intervals. They too carried a hidden power as great as the sun they represented, harnessed to protect the ways the Grey Lord did not wish even those he trusted in this place to walk. Yellow shimmering walls of light zig zagged silently in branching corridors, iilluminating nothign of the enticing treasures in the distance.

Both Petal and Falkor spotted somethign else here, thoguh it was subtle and theynoted it for different reasons. It seemed as though the corridor expanded as they walked onwards. As if the place where the Grey Lord habitually strode moved aside to allow its master's wanderings. Did the Grey Lord subconsciously distort this place ashe walked, or was it merely a reaction to the raw power of this sometimes unremarkable looking being?

Westin also had a strange feeling. Before he had been walking with faith only in the maps he had pouried over i nthe King's private rooms. However, now a feeling of familiarity came to him. He had walked this way before, with the Grey Lord and some of the elders of Larethian's order. And Westian knew that - up ahead somewhere - was the large meeting hall that the Grey Lord had held audience in, and also one that the command of the blackskulls now apparently met in. Trecherous little thoughtd swam from another consciousness, another set of memories. Tha blackskull command had been fractured, last time. Picked off one by one by the group as they worked their way to the truth. Had they come here too soon, while the command was so powerful still and still able to meet? Or worse, was there some other reason the command were able to come together? Some greater foe that had disturbed the slowly eroding natural order and bound the dispirit elements once more, with a common enemy.

Ahead of the corridor, the group walked passed one final, strange door. Unlike the walls of force and light, this one was solid and dark, recessed in to the wall. A strange darker, chipped stone was all around. The black door seemed to have no lock nor way to open it, yet it surely had some means to. It appeared to be a corridor that would lead, ultimately, to the remains of Chaos's old dungeon. Falkor recalled tails of the final fighting of the Champions, and the demons and other thigns that had once lain in wait there. There were even rumours of the forge that the Grey Lord had created the Firestaff from. Of the resting palce of the mythical Power Gem.

Petal reacted to the stone around the doorway.

Spoiler

Her small friend - whatever he or she really was, and whatever it meant, had faded in to nothing as Petal had asked quetsions earlier. Now Petal felt strangely ill, a lurch in her chest and a pain around her ankle. It was a small reaction to what the stone of the other corridor represented. The grey stone was not stone at all, it was particles of dust whirling in motion everywhere, going nowhere. Ultimate entophy becoming ultimate stagations, all colours emited beldning in to a dull grey. It was the pure work of Chaos. This was the way to where Chaos had once created his own home in the Grey Lord's domain. It was the place, to Petal's memory, where she had died.

The trolins at the rear, aside from Uumack and Guree, dallied, as the pressure of the place - its understanted majesty - started to permiate their brains. Their nerves were obvious. How certain were they the Grey Lord was gone? How certain were they that the Trolisn and Blackskulls were not allowed to play under the feet of the High Lord. That any second, he might not turn his distracted eyes away from some deep, dark experiemnt and with a wave of his hand chastise every last one of them for treading where they should not be, for bringing thoughts of violence in to his home.

Even the Trolin King had been silent, and the group were able to move alongside the King in the wider corridor. Westian knew where it was all leading. Up ahead, build in him and his fellow devotees of the High Lord, he could feel a swell of peace that came from getting close to the inner sanctum of the High Lord. Petal and even Falkor could feel the gathering of magics being drawn to one point, a point where the blackskull command had decided to meet. Haynuus's circlet whispered to him from ages of low kings who had tales of this place, as if it were here and not beyond where they would go when they died, deep in to the mountain's heart. Ameena could smell, even thoguh it should notbe possible, the scent of the outdoors. A tantalising reminder of the smell of dewy grass when the full summer sun hit it, flowers releasing their own heady scents, with the beckoning call of the greenery of an unexplored forest calling to her nostrils, nticing with the wonder they promised.

Westian led them with assured steps, even though he knew there was one minor obstacle.

Three paths. They spread out like three rays of the sun, forward, diagonally left, and diagonally right. Each had a carving upon them, naming them. The left hand path was called the Path of Truth. It seemed to move off at the same level as the corridor the group were at. Although it seemed as if their torchlight were obscured, not much could be seen. The second path was called the Path of Light. It moved forwards and upwards with a high gradient. Already, the group could see the path was far, far brighter than their corridor. The Trolins already shielded their eyes from it, and thus were not able to motice any of the carvings. The Third path was called the Path of Reason. It seems to move off right with a slight gradient to it, abnd otherwise appeared as the corridor the group were in now. Westian had travelled this path with the Grey LOrd, for it was one he said was his preferred path. Westian knew that it slowly circled aroudn the great meeting hall until it emerged at the top. It was certainyl, therefore, the longest way. However, surely it was also the safest, if he had travelled it before. By extension, that possible meant the path of light was a quick way to the top. And who knew what the path of truth did.


Ok, and very long post ended! That's your tactical deciison point. One last big, mean DM puzzle to figure out and push through before you reach your destination. Unless, of course, you guys wanna check out any of the other areas I've enticed you with!

[ian_scho]

OOC - The first and second path are BOTH called the path of truth? The second path of Light, me thinks!

Haynuus looked with sadness over how the humans had mistreated the etching on the walls. It was typical human, really. They assumed that all orcs did was destroy and desecrate but the orcs he knew at least would leave any ancient cave wall paintings untouched. They had a certain respect in the power of nature and especially in how beings could carefully interact with it. But hewing stone from cliffs to make ginormous cathedrals was not one to set an orc in awe. And besides, he was only half an orc and half a human so thank goodness for losing some of the worst bits of both!

With Pullack and Uumack who approached him he could only scratch his chin in thought. "Do you not trust your king because he seeks power? Or because you suspect he will actually betray you to the Blackskulls?" he whispered. He did not know the ulterior motives of the king. Perhaps he was under control of Dolo directly? How would they know? The only way he could think of was to shove a VI potion down his regal throat and then he could hear that twisted elf's mind burn from 1000 miles away. "You both seem more sincere to me than him, it is true. If you are really afraid of his intentions then position your own trusted comrades next to him and his body guards. Any treachery would be dealt with quickly then."

OOC - Update about the path stuff later

[beowuuf]

Sorry, first path = truth, second path = light, third path = reason

[Ameena]

As the group moves along the corridor with its strange carvings, Ameena looks at them with some curiosity. Lots of pictures of different creatures, she makes out, with all sorts of weird and squiggly symbols interwoven among and around them. She supposes that the person or people who made these carvings must have had lots of time in order to do them.
When Helm speaks to her, she looks up at him as she trots along, and tries to both speak to him, so far above, and keep track of where her feet are going (OOC - Though of course, if Helm wants to pick her up to make communication easier, she'll be happy for him to do so ).
"There seem to be strange and horrible things happening all over the place, down here." she says sadly. "Nothing I'd want to go and sniff at too closely, I don't think. So many strange things keep happening...sometimes I feel like there's more than one of me in my head, and we can't all remember everything together - like we have different memories. When I try to think about things that I sort of remember happening but...differently...it seems like the ground shakes, and...maybe that big crack in the wall was something to do with it. Or maybe that was just coincidence. Anyway, whatever happens, I'll stay with you. I hope we dont get split up again. Not while we're down here, anyway. Not in this place. I'll try and make sure you never get left alone ever again. Well, I already told you that when you were dead, but since you were dead I suppose you don't remember it properly."
When the group comes to the split in the path, Ameena glances at each one curiously, wondering what the strange carvings mean. But then her other matter of curiosity gets the better of her, and she starts to reach into a pouch.
"Um...Falkor?" she says. "And Petal, and Westian...and umm, Deephold too, I think. You can do magic things, can't you? It's just...I took these things from that big box in the room with the altar, and I think maybe they might be magical, because...well, they're strange items that come from someone who uses magic, so maybe we can use their magic to do things to help us...?"
She reaches into her pouches and pulls out the thin black rod, the square of black cloth, and the strange cluster of round grey stones which seem to all be stuck to each other, offering them to those who might want to take a look.

OOC - Ameena will let people take the objects in order to look at them, though if any trolls try to muscle their way in and demand a look, she'll shove it back into a pouch and back away nervously. At all times she'll be staying near to Helm - murafu take this whole friendship thing very seriously .

[ian_scho]

OOC - It was a great update, btw Beo. It was like being back in the dungeon again!

Haynuus takes a look at each path. Unlike the trolins he does not shy away from the bright light.

"Ameena, what do you smell?" he asks her.

[Ameena]

In between talking to people, Ameena takes a sniff around, though she's interested to see what people think of the things she's found, and of course doesn't want to go too far from Helm. Still, Haynuus's inquiry reminds her that far too much tuff is happening right now for her to be able to focus on everything - corridors all over the place, nasty creatures lurking down many of them, blue troll-creatures accompanying the group who don't seem to trust each other (a concept murafu don't really understand), strange carvings all over the walls, the possibility of the world being destroyed if the group doesn't manage to...do something...or maybe not do something...far too much going on compared to what a murafu might normally have to cope with.

OOC - Perception check (which I probably would have done after examining the stuff yoinked from Dolo's chest, but since Haynuus has asked...) = lol, 12 (1+11). I suppose that just goes to show how distracted Ameena is right now .

[ian_scho]

Haynuus sniffed at the air himself, as if showing that he could smell danger. "Hmmm, the path of reason seems the most... Reasonable to me. The path of light is too bright for our trolin friends and it impairs their sight if danger should occur, while the path of truth looks too dark for the humans to see their way forward."

[oh_brother]

The sight of the exquisitely detailed creation myths was a welcome distraction from dark and oppressive dungeon that they had been wandering through. Westian listened as Deephold pointed out some of the finer details. He examined the two lines that had led to his own existence – the elves and the humans. The pictures followed the standard stories of how the ancestors of the elves and the other sylvan races had sprung to life in the first thaw, long before the other mortal races. Many people disagreed with this viewpoint, but surely that was just a product of misplaced ethnic pride? The humans had come in a much later thaw, being one of the younger races, but even this was beyond recorded history.

Sadly he had not enough time to dwell on the diversion as the group kept moving. As they moved Ameena waved some interesting objects in his direction, and his curiosity grew as he examined them. “Hmmm...looks interesting. But I have no idea – these sorts of things are not really my speciality. Perhaps one of our talented arcane friends can help?” he added with a smile, eyeing Falkor and Petal.

When they reached the crossroads memories started to return to the young cleric. When Haynuus mentioned the path of reason he spoke up. “I have travelled this way before”. Even though he was tempted to name-drop the Grey Lord, something told him to hold onto that information for now. “It was a long route, but we encountered no obstacles. I have no idea about the other ways.”

Cool (and long!) update. Check on Ameena's stuff was a 3 + 2 = 5.

[raixel]

Petal frowns at the "stone" around the doorway as her attention is pulled away from studying the carvings of the creation of her people, their tiny winged forms chipped out of the stone as if by a miniture chisel.

"That thing...of Chaos it is. Stone it is not, but rather all and nothing. Grey it looks, f darkness and light both. Chaos." she says quietly as she points to the offending object. "The taint of it, I can feel."

The pixie examines the entrance of each path. "Know not I do of this." she says. "Truth, a test of the self, it seems. Perhaps to show hidden things about oneself, you must face. Things yourself you keep hidden from. Light...Perhaps must face you the darkness within, the things within us all of evil. And reason. Of the mind a test, perhaps? Know I not."

She peers at the frames of the doorway and the walls immediately within, trying to dredge up a memory of studying something like this, or discern something about what the group can hope to face down each path.

Know Arc (or religion whichever is more appropriate they have the same mod)/ Perception (1d20+8=28, 1d20+5=21) WOOO! NAT 20 ON THE KNOWLEDGE!

[raixel]

Ok. What on gods green earth just happened here?

I have no idea, beyond the fact that it seemed to take like 20 mins to upload this post. Uhh, posts ;P. beo or Ameena, if either one of you would be kind enough to delete the excess postage, it'd be greatly appreciated.

[beowuuf]

Yeah, the forum tends to update right away, but then if something happens when serving you the new page it can look like nothing has happened while it takes ages to load! Just good to see you are around, you were quiet this weekend!


As the group had come to the paths, Pullack looked bewildered at Haynuus's words. "All want power!" said Pullack. Uumack had the good grace to look uncomfortable at being included, but Haynuus also recalled that Uumack had crushed the skull of the old leader of Uumack's particular group when that leader - Gogo - had behaved less than honourably.

"King not stupid to see Trolins to Blackskulls," said Uumack uncomfortably. However, clearly he wasnot quite sure. Afetr all, the Trolin King had some odd little human styled affectations he liked. And clearly, liked power beyond anything else. Meanwhile, Pullack drew himself up at Haynuus's comments regarding his trustworthiness. "King suspicious because King will act thinking we move against him, so we much move for when he acts against us!" said Pullack. Clearly, his common speech was still not percect, and the Trolin logic did not help. Pullack turned to hiss a few words to a few of his men, and they indeed moved forwards to be near the King and the front of the group.

Uumack and Guree, instead, moved closer to Haynuus. "You see honour in Pullack too?" asked Uumack. There seemed to be relief and suspicion mixed together there. Celarly the Trolin had misgivings regarding his own ultimate leader, which was perhaps dishonourable in itself. Having Haynuus speak for Pullack seemed to be a double weight from the Trolin's shoulders. The female crossbow wielder Guree, on the other hand, seemed to give Haynuus a look as if she doubted his common sense. And therefore, looked ready to protect him when her turned his back on the wrong person.


Helm looks sad and concerned as Ameena quietly speaks to the group, perhaps the reminder of the horrible thigns around, and also the disturbing speech of Helm having been dead, and ressurected. Helm still rubbed his chest, his breathing not quite right. Perhaps picking up upon Ameena having to watch both the ground and speak to him, Helm does offer a place to be perched. He remarks that he is more comfortable than one of the gnome's creatures, then regrets it, hoping Ameena doens't hate the reference to both her own brush with death and the horrible thigns that held her captive earlier. Helm indicated he won't leave Ameena alone either, but clearly he still recalls both the oddness of not recalling his death, and the fact he had been left alone before.

With the Trolins distracted by their own checks and speeches, all but Haynuus are able to hear Ameen's questions regarding the items obtained from Dolo's chest in his library. Deephold is instantly opposed to the items declaring that if they have any uses at all, they would be aligned to the dark High Lord Lilith or the demoness Lolth. Westian was actually a little uncomfortable with such a protestation, for he was aware that usually items of actual dark magic were rare. Even the utensils of the wicked were more often than not still just magical utensils, with no real flavouring. Still, their purpose could be harmful. Unfortauntely, with Deephold there and spouting such comments, Westian could not see anything that would hint at a usage or purpose. It was Helm, amazingly, that commented on two of the items. "The stones, they look like magnetic mana rocks. They're rocks that have absored the magic of an area, and are attracted to each other. They stick to each other and clsoe metals, but if you pull them apart they will try to pull themselves back together. That ones a shattered single stone, you can see there way it is." He then looked to the thin rod. "I've...I've seen someone play with one before, something similar. They had a thin wand they used to pull the stones apart. It..it had the same symbols on it." So poitned out, the mages realised the wand indeed had, hidden in the grain of the wand, the runes for the spell of retraction - where one could pull something to oneself.


Who knew the thief could roll a decent appraise skill. Still doens't mean he knows how to activate it, though! Still, the rocks might still be useful on their own. Almost liek they were planted there in a certain big fight to be used, and someone decided to leave them :p


Petal had been focused on the items external to the group as the group came to the split in the paths. Her announcement on the black door made the Trolins, at least, wary of getting close to it. The Trolin King especially, a snarl upon his lips at the mention of Chaos. He clearly wanted no part of any investigation to do wit hthe dark High Lord. The Trolins blustered and hawed at the splitting of the path. The Trolin King declared it a simple trick, that obviously the Path of Truth was a lie, because he could not see down its length. And clearly, the path of light would blind them. If Westian had been along this path, the path of reason, before then clearly they must take it.

Meanwhile Pullack came forwards, venturing that an slow path would leave them vulnerable, and any 'safe' path would be the one the blackskulls themselves must have used. Clearly, the Trolin King must gather his courage, and lead them on the path of light - for no true Trolin should fear, and clearly it was the quickest path.

Karda quietly mentioned that he would prefer the Path of Truth, for surely the Grey Lord was no trickster, and would allow those false and stupid to trick themselves. Luckily, this comment when directed at the King went unnoticed.

Haynuus tried to scent the air, but really this magical area was far too clean and sterile. It didn't smell liek a proper dungeon at all. In fact, it was the Chaos door that had been nicely whiffy, a reminder of earlier days in the orcish mines. And of course the previous travels under the moutnain.

Meanwhile, Ameena tried to detect anything on the paths, but could not really scent anything. The path of truth made her nose tingle oddly, in a way she could not identify. Hwer vision and hearing felt strange, too, as she tried. The path of light her nose felt clogged, as if she could not untangle the various scents. The third path seemed to have no scent at all.

Petal bent all her memories to this strange divergence, and also tried to strain her sylvan sight to the limits to spot anything down the various corridors. She thoguht she could see further words, though they were hazy. However, something came to her mind as she searched for tales and facts. Something the Trolin King had said - blinded by the light....

There had been a lesson, in phylosophy, when Petal was younger. One of the many ways that non-sorcerers might view the world. Thinking harder, she recalled the idea of light, truth and reason as being three aspects of a mortal understandign their world. Trith the ultimate goal, but in a mortal's imperfect shell, a mortal had to truly see their world as bets they could, and apply reason.

Thinming upon the 'blinded by the light', and looking down the corridors, her previous thoughts flipped. She could read three wall carvings, barely, and was able to piece together the words as suspicions formed. One carving per corridor:

"Those who seek truth, seek to step in to the bottomless void, while looking up in to the limitless sky."
"The light of the sun is one of the gfreatest tools of mortals to perceive. However..."
"Reason is a bridge. A powerful construct. And yet without a foundation of..."

Petal wondered if, instead of being forced to demonstrate the aspect of each group, upon each path they might be forced to defend against each aspect? Avoid the pull or power of it unbalancing the others?


There we go, something to think about!

[Ameena]

Ameena looks around at the paths before them, sniffing the strange smells. The group seems to be referring to each route by a different name and she wonders why. Then she looks at the carvings.
"Oh, that's writing there, is it?" she says. "The strange carvings. That's...what you call it, isn't it? Writing? Words made visible."
She sniffs again at each path.
"They all smell...different." she says. She gestures to each route as she explains what she can detect. "This one smells...tingly. And it makes my eyes and ears feel strange. This one smells of...too many things. And this one here...it doesn't smell of anything. I'm not sure I like that. What's that you're saying about truth and light and things? Surely truth is...well, the Murafu didn't know what it was till they met races who lied - then we found out that it was something we use all the time. This was a very, very long time ago, of course. And light...well, too much light is bad - it gives no shadows, nowhere to hide from predators, and it hurts the eyes. And reason...well, that's just thinking about things and making decisions, isn't it? But if that's the path that doesn't smell of anything, I'm not sure I want to go there..."

[oh_brother]

Westian was now completely unsure of which way to go with so many contradictory opinions flying around.

"The path of Light might be a poor choice, if we go in blinded. So that leaves Reason and Truth. If Reason is the longest way, we should consider Truth. We have nothing to fear from Truth" he lied "so it is an option."

He was about to ask for a show of hands, but something told him the King would not allow such an explicit show of democracy. Better to just get an informal consensus built up, but without too much delay.

"If Truth is quicker than reason, should we take it?"

[raixel]

Petal is completely focused on the carvings and passages, not really interested in the objects that Helm is looking at. The pixie flits from passage to passage, peering down each one.

"The walls of the passages upon, I see words of these written," she says, as she carefully sounds out the sentences in the unfamiliar language, hoping she isnt muddling up the pronounciation too much.

After sounding out the carved words, she stops and thinks. "Perhaps, not it is that the aspect within us the test it is, but outside of us. Definately a clue, the carvings are to what face in there we might." she muses. "Remember I do, a teachings in my studies. Truth, light, reason. The things they are, of the mind of mortals for the world to understand. To fit within the perception of those three things, used for understanding of the world, they are."

She looks hopefully to the faces of her friends for comprehension, knowing that her command of the Common language wasn't adequate for explaining deep concepts such as philosophy of being and realizing that most likely she would just confuse them. At least she could explain it to Westian if the others didn't understand, who could then translate it properly.

"Agree, i do, with it." she says, pointing at Pullack and frowning at the concept of agreeing with a trolin. "The path of Reason, used by the enemy it most likely is, if safe it is. However, know I do not if Light be the path that is best. After all, taught we sorcerers are that although the darkness is SAR, of evil it is also, and RA is light, of good it is also, that most important the Balance is. Burn and blind light can, if too much of it there is, just as can SAR."

She thinks on the carvings again. "Says it does, for reason 'Reason is a bridge, a powerful construct. And yet without a foundation...' Cuts off there, it does. Wonder I do, a foundation of what? Say I would, on my studies, that the three are all needed, interconnected. Together, balance the three make. So, "without a foundation", say I would that it means without a foundation of truth." she thinks aloud.

She glances around at her companions again, seeing if they had anything to add to her thoughts.

Yeah, I had a busy weekend, and since there have been no updates usually on the weekend, if figured it'd be safe. Figures the *one* time I dont check for updates on the weekend, would be the weekend there were updates

[ian_scho]

"While I agree that reason always takes longer, UNLESS you wield a club in your hand..." He glanced at his own two swords. "... It can't take that long though can it?"

"I always take the middle way(+). Too much light or too much darkness is not good. I will be prepared to hold my sword up high and follow all of you through whichever way that you chose however." Haynuus and democracy did not mix. He would follow Westian.

(+) He was either quoting from the orcish equivalent of Buddah or Conan the Barbarian here but his mind was too dull to remember which one.

[beowuuf]

Cool, so I've got four weigh ins so far - I know money was busy last week, I assume it rolled over in to this week. LB, if you are around, this seems to be one of those critical times for your voice to be heard I'll give you another go around to figure out how you want to go and in what manner. We seem to have two vague votes for light, and an uncertain vote for truth so far?

Deephold listened to what Petal said, trying to exactly understand what was said. "Truth, lgiht and reason? It aseems familiar, but it could be because I have heard reference of these three paths before in here. If reason were definied as a bridge, one of the two must be a foundation. Truth would seem likely, but then what is the destination? Towards light? That seems...oddly flighty for the Grey Lord."

The Trolins were busy posturing, although the Trolin King and the two leaders Pullack and Karda all noted that the pixie pointed to and agreed with Pullack. What that meant, it obviously generated odd undercurrents in the relationship of the three.

[ian_scho]

OOC - lol, it was Reason for Haynuus - the long route.

[beowuuf]

Lol, then there we go - a perfect one, one and one with one abstension so far (tending towards 'eew reason,no smell'! :p

[raixel]

Petal twirls a strand of her black hair around a finger as she thinks on Deephold's comment.

"Perhaps it is that truth the foundation is, reason the bridge is... and light...." She glances at the carvings again. "Hm. Perhaps shine on the truth, the light does, for it to illuminate the truth?" She stops for a second. "Well and good these sentences are for the philosophy of Balance to be discussing, but to find what is down each path, these sentences do not seem to be saying. From the perception of the Grey Lord we must think, for why to put these passages here he did? The purpose of the carvings is what? A test? For who?"

The pixie appears frustrated. "To me it seems 'all three' the answer is. Just one to have, without the others, complete it would not, as needed are all three for percieving of reality. But, no sense that makes. One person down all three paths could not go."

[Ameena]

Ameena doesn't really understand the complexities of what it is everyone seems to be talking about.
"Is it really that complicated?" she asks curiously. "Truth is the way things are. Reason is working things out. Light is the opposite of dark. I don't think light by itself is a good thing - nothing with an opposite is good if its opposite isn't there, because then it's just itself and nothing else exists. If everything was light, we wouldn't be able to see any more than if everything was dark, because it would be like staring into the Bright Eye all the time without being able to look away. I think that if someone made these paths to see what people would pick, for some reason...I think I'd choose the one named after the truth, because...well, the truth is what is, even if you don't like it - it doesn't stop it being there. I suppose you would use reason to work out which truth you liked best, or something, if there was more than one. Reason can change, depending on what you know. But if you know everything about something, that's just the straight truth, isn't it? I know you can't know everything about most things, but you can still try to find out as much as you can...can't you? What do you think?"
This last question is aimed at Helm, in whose arms she is still being carried*, and who hasn't yet said anything on the matter.


*OOC - Or so I assume, as nothing's been said otherwise yet .

[money]

First off the Butterfly landing on Falkor got his attention, twice he had seen this creature and twice when the crack had appeared - coincidence or not he wasn't sure, but landing on him gave him a chance to take a closer look for markings or signs of inteligence that could lead to communication.. 1d20=15. Next he turned his attention to look at the artifacts Ameena had mentioned, after Petal, unfortunately events around him were of greater concern (6) and he failed to take in the findings to any great level.

Looking at the split and listening to the discussions around him he decided to jump across to the Material plane - perhaps Karnadee could help advise them on the correct path. She would certainly have a greater level of insight that the others around him did not! "Give me 2 minutes, before moving on" he called out to the others and activated his cloak.

OOC: If things turn nasty Falkor will instantly return to the material plane... and sorry for absence, work is taking over my life leaving whatever time I have left for family.

[beowuuf]

Helm looked to Ameena, and the rest, spechless. Clearly, he felt out of his depth, though gave Ameena an encouraging nod and smile, blowing off the question with an easy, "oh, truth sounds too easy, doens't it?". What she said had seemed reasonable. Still, he looked with trepidation at the dark path indicated to be the path of truth. Perhaps it was fear that caused him to hesitate in walking that indicated path.

Deephold stirred regarding Petal's question. "A good question regarding the nature of these paths. Certainly he would have taken precautions to protect the soul stone as it once used to sit, unshattered, in the place beyond. However, an odd test to place, instead of merely trapping instead. Perhaps this is as much a representation of the Grey Lord's phylosophy as it is a test, a teaching lesson." Deephold said that with a certain amount of disdain, obviously feeling it a little arrogant, even from a High Lord of the Grey Lord's reputation. "AS you say, noble pixie, his way is of Balance. Perhaps these paths are a demonstration as a test. After all, the place beyond is the one he met many of our order in." Deephol nods to Westian and Aurek as he says this.

[beowuuf]

Split the post below fro mthe post above, seemed silly to do such a major edit!


Edit: Yeah! Money double posted with me, cool! Sorry work is being so full on, hope it leaves your real life commitments and relaxations alone soon! Thanks for keeping up with us if it's that hectic, I'll be sure not to drop Falkor in a pit while you fight for family time!


Falkor had looked to the butteryfly before. It seemed quite bright of colour, and certainly it acted as if it understood Falkor was regarding it, turning to look at him and twitching, even as Falkor looked to it. The air elementas had seemed to hold it precious, and apparently it had navigated around both Westian and Falkor before, and apparently Ameena and the group too. Why it was connected to them, and found them facinating, it was hard to work out. Still, Falkor realised that it did probably have an awareness greater than the animal it appeared to be. And thus, comminucation should be possible with it.

Ameena's speech on the items distracted from his butterfly contemplations. The wand he was sure he could make work, for he now recalled the pull spell easily and could activate it in lieu of his own powers. However, Falkor was reasonably confident that, if he needed to, he could perhaps teach one of his companions how to unlock the spell. How much mana still remained in the wand to use, of course, was not something easily divined.

The black cloth Falkor recognised from the subtle runes woven in to it as a common item. It was used to hold magical items or books of power. Once wrapped, the items inside would both not be able to influnce the outside world, and also not be detectable. It could therefore double as a way to carry harmful items, or protect precious magical items. Unfortunately, while Falkor recognised the elven style of this item, the way of the runes was strange. Likely created by the dark priest himself, Falkor could not work out how to activate the wrap. Usualyl, a certain word or certain orientation of placement was required.

Leaving such matters for now, Falkor moved in to the ethereal plane to seek further aid. However, his travels did not give much comfort, and only led to four curious and unsettling discoveries. The first was that the butterfly had seemed to travel with him. evne htough it only touched the cloak, instead of sitting inside. However, Falkor began to feel a suspicion. If the elementals revered this 'little one', perhaps it had not travelled with Falkor. Instead, perhaps this creature existed in many planes at once. Both the material and ethereal, certainly. And surely the elemental plane too, then? That did not help identify it, but if it could communicate between the planes, was it not an even better messenger to the supernatural aid Falkor possessed, without requiring the danger of these ethereal travels.

The second curious discovery was that Kurnadee and the rest of the ghosts were gone. Perhaps this was not unexpected, for they were, of course, close to the place where Gholst and perhaps the dark priest were meeting. Certainly, that might require more stealth.

The third curious discovery was looking to that direction, and the three paths. While the rest of Falkor's surroundigns and companions were no more than shadowy impressions, walls and floors and ceilings through accumulation of crude ether to the material counterparts, the three paths before him were recreated properly in the material of this place. Not merely shadows of the material plane, the three paths had been constructed out of ether here with every brick and carving perfectly made. And, worryingly, the conditions too. The usual grey light of this palce seemed for too bright on the path of light, and the path of truth seemed to become dull and gloomy far too quickly compared to elsewhere.

The fourth discovery was the least curious and most unsettling. Falkor could feel a dark energy down one of the paths. Which path, he could not be sure. Just as Kardadee had felt light, just as Sergeant Arbrut had felt dark, so too did this presence. It was most likely the dark priest, his awareness close. Did he know the group was here? Was he distracted by the other spirits?

Flakor knew that if they picked the wrong path, they would face the priest though, the presence felt that close. However, he could not tell which one.


There we go, if you've got time to react, that's your lot. If you haven't, everyone else I'm sure can assume Falkor may have reported at least the basics of this, although I don't think it would directly influence anything.

Edit: Sorry, I had forgotten I wanted to splot in that item. It didn't really fit with the Karnadee missing part, and then I forgot to add it to the discoveries at the end!

[Ameena]

OOC - So what's the fourth curious discovery, then?

[beowuuf]

Something to be added tomorrow, thanks for spotting!

[Ameena]

OOC - Lol, np .