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Westian prepared to move, realising that he had passed this way not long ago in the company of Soorec's grak-graks. He idly considered the short-cut they had found into the cavern, but quickly dismissed the idea of mentioning this to the Trolin guides. The memory of the terror he had felt falling down the cliff was still fresh in his mind. He had no desire to repeat the experience, nor to show any fear of high cliffs and narrow, damp ledges.

As they began to move he made his way to Falkor's side. There were still a lot of unanswered questions about what had happened earlier. "So, Falkor. Where have you been all this time? How did you make your dramatic exit last time? It left all of us quite confused. Especially Soorec."

Obviously, Falkor can reply to Westian, and vice versa - before or around thie update below.

The Trolins moved forward with an odd mixture of emotion. Clearly Tosca was nervous of carrying onwards, but had also commited to going this way. And so he was trying to bluff importance, while allowing Uumack to lead.

Uumack and the others were clearly intimidated, although they were trying not to show it. There were several mentions to 'not being enough' that came to Falkor's ears, and it took a few moments for Falkor to realise the group of Trolins had been much larger. And, in fact, it sounded as if Uumack had not been the leader for that long.

Falkor could perhaps tell through the chatter that none of the Trolins had been through this way since Soorec had blockd off the access to the lower dungeon with his room. It seemed to take them a few moments to familiarise themselves, once more, with the way.

Both Westian and Falkor kept their own council as they passed the alternate ways to go. Falkor had no wish to go back through the discovered teleporter in the broken-doored room, for there was no guarantee where it led to. And Westian had no wish to repeat the tumble of Aurek into the waters of the lake. Even though Aurek had proved to be alright, in the end. Infact, Aurek had fared better than the rest of the group, who had managed to fall on hard ground, and then been attacked by wasps and leeches.

The Trolins led the group to the corssroads beyond the room, and unnerringly lead them forward (to Westian's relief). The corridors twisted a little bit, and then the Trolins came to a halt.

"Be careful," said Uumack, pointign forwards. There was an obvious yellow shape glinting in the torchlight being borne by Farel and Aurek. The Trolins seems uncomfortable with such light, and seemed to try and stay ahead of it normally. However, they had fallen back into its bright glow.

The thing half-blocking the way was obviously a giant scoprion - or at least what was left of one. It had been torn literally limb from limb, with black ichor slowly flooding the corridor.

"This not the work of swift death," said Uumack with concern. "No claw marks. Just been ....torn...by something."

Farel came forward, obviously uncomfortable about his surroundings. "A tall soldier, obviously the soldier leader, dressed in shining blue armour came to the room of Brighteyes....Soorec. He was the one who took the soldiers out of the room, I assume back down this way. He mentioned encountering one of the scorpions, and claimed to have dealt with it alone. I...I cannot imagine this is his work though. Could it be?"

With that, the knight - and the Trolins - lapsed into a concerned silence.


Ok, so you guys are on the road. This is just a little pit-stop on the way forward. Now might be a time to ask Farel about anything else that happened in the room. And feel free to check out the surroundings or the scorpion corpse before committing to just blindly walking forwards again

Westian recognised that the mess of remains were of a creature similar to the one they had seen in Soorec’s room. A most unpleasant and unnatural creature. He tensed slightly, hoping that they were not a common problem in this area. He edged forward, examining the corpse as he moved. In addition he kept an eye out for any sight or sign of whatever had done this.

“A soldier? Surely a soldier could not have done this, he must have been lying. Unless there is another scorpion corpse around here somewhere.”

As the group got closer and examined the corpse Westian began talking to Farel. “So, did this soldier leader say anything else? Or did he look in anyway strange? If he was humanoid this surely cannot be his handiwork.”

As they quietly chatted he took the opportunity to find out more about the gnome. “Tell me about that vile gnome. Where did he go? Did he say anything else other than the deal being broken?” Westian still wished that they had left the gnome dead. But for some reason Ameena had brought him back to life. He wished he knew why, but whenever he had tried to ask her bad things happened, both to Ameena’s psyche and to the stability of the world around them. Still, whatever the reason he just hoped they would not meet him again soon. As much as he hated the gnome and wished he could destroy the revolting grak-graks they had bigger fish to fry.

Perception on the corpse and surrounding area was 6 + 4 = 10.

As Westian had walked passed the semi-hidden passage the grak-graks had created, he spotted the green butterfly from earlier. For a moment it alighted on his staff, and then twisted around Falkor's head. However, then with a final hovering, it disappeared in the direction of the cavern, apparently.

However, the Trolins were alreayd moving by that time. Coming to the scoprion's corpse, to Westian's eyes, even with the gift of his elven vision, there was not much of promise. The corridor seemed to continue on, and the chattering of the various people around did not aid him listening in.

Farel nodded to Westian as the priest found excuse to talk to the knight. "The soldier was not a usual soldier. Soorec seemed genuinely angry about some test of strength incident with a grak-grak in the past. And the gnome made some allusion to the armour of the soldier bolstering him. Certainly, the blue armour had a glow to it, and did not seem natural. I woudl swear the soldier had ichor on him the others did not, as if from this poor creature now I see it."

Farel tried to consider something. "Now I try to think upon him, I cannot recall his exact voice, nor exact appearance. He was certainly large of frame. And there was something abotu his voice..." Farel shook his head. "There was a strange subtext to how he talked to Soorec and Drommal. Odd antagonism disguised as light conversation, and strange standoffish speaeches on loyalty. However, as the other soldiers under Drommal's command returned aswell, Soorec and Drommal seemed to stop whatever undertone and acted with more civility. It is hard to describe.

"The soldier claimed to be Gholst, but only when the lesser soldiers were around. He had been drawn both by the madness of the grak-graks, which apparently occurred throughout the mountain at Soorec's death, and something else. He seemed to imply that it had forced a meeting with Theron to be called, and he came directly because of both. At that, he certainly had Soorec's and Drommal's full attention, and certainly seemed to be uncomfortable about it himself. Drommal pulled all his soldiers to him without comment - even that brutish soldier he had threatened when they split up, and the soldier we had captured and relased, whom sadly had came back to Soorec's room too. Although the Captian seemed uncertain to allow him back.

Soorec took all his grak-graks with him, and the blue-armoured clad soldier had only two bodyguards. None seemed to care they were leaving us alone. Soorec was so focused on leaving, he did not even seem to care that he had left his charm behind. And I am afraid the gnome seemed to consider us an inconvenience once we were imprisoned. He seemed far more interested in pressing Drommal for information once he found the Captain had encountered us. Especially he seemed delighted that Falkor had - temporarily of course - been struck down.

Farel looked between Weastian and Falkor to see what the story was there. Farel then lowered his voice even more, speaking to Westian withotu trying to allow the others to hear.

"The brutish solder had returned from the front door, I am afraid. He had captured your friend Helm." Farel paused. "I am afraid they did not have your other friend Ameena with them."I am sorry for your loss. I understand you are trying to bolster the sound of the endeavour to the Trolins, and I shall say nothing further. However, beware what Helm might say when you save him, if Trolins are near."


The Trolins at this moment seemed to grow restless. They both wished to move around the scorpion corpse, but also seemed skittish. Certainly, the huddle of humans was noticeable.


Sorry, long section again

Money, feel free to roll some knowledge (dungeoneering) or knowledge (arcana) - choose which about blue armour. Similarly, feel free to retcon about what Westian asked, or ask Farel a question or two.

"It's a long story, once I made my exit - I was very much removed from the party and Soorec. I believed that Soorec wanted me dead by whatever means possible and that removing me from his presence would allow you all to move on - safer than before. Along the way I encountered an Elf spirit who had passed on to the ethreal plane. He helped me understand more about the creatures of Chaos and the pain they suffer. He also assisted me with a small matter for which i promised to take his two most treasured possesstions to his kin when we get out of here - assuming i find them"

Falkor looked around, they were moving back down the corridor towards the junction he had previously visited and had no desire to return to, they passed the route and continued down a new path - he was relieved, although this was only momentary and is wasn't long before he caught a glimpse of the tortured scorpian. He had seen these creatures and had a sense of remorse for this creature had obviously suffered such pain in it's death.

Falkor placed his hand on the scorpians remains, hoping that somehow, the soul of the creature would pass, he spoke quietly under his breath "you must pass into the next realm, your torture at the hands of Chaos - your creater - has passed. You are free".

As the others spoke he heard the mention of the blue armour - he was sure he could recall this, from his earlier days (Arcana - 10).

“You might have been right; Soorec did want us to leave you with him. Since we could not do that, disappearing, by whatever means you employed” - Westian left the obvious question as to how he had disappeared hanging – “was probably the best option. Soorec decided that you must be a ghost,” Westian laughed slightly as he remembered the gnome’s confusion “and we did nothing to change his mind. So don’t be surprised if he throws holy water over you next time you meet.”

As Farel discussed the blue-clad soldier confusion crept over his face. “Gholst? I thought Gholst was…never mind. Ameena was safe last time I saw her, she and Haynuus went a different route to Aurek and I. But Helm, have you any idea where they have taken him?”

When Farel mentioned grak-graks Westian looked annoyed and spoke loudly. “Those damn swift-deaths” he snarled. “It would be a service to the entire mountain if we destroyed them all. Later, first I have other things to do.”

Not wanting to appear to be plotting Westian moved around among the other group members. “We better continue, how much farther to your king?” Westian asked Uumack.

Cool, it's nice to see the lighter/more spiritual side of Falkor.


Some things jogged memories in Falkor. Blue armour - for some reason it reminded him of Theron and Anaias, but his mind moved on. There was a famous set of armour in the annals of the various mage's guilds. It was said an ancient sect of mages, ones who were taught by the High Lords themselves, dwelt in the lost city of Ya-Brodin. They were the Brotherhood of Enlightenment, and they forged a powerful set of armour for the warrior-king who ruled Ya-Brolin. The Taza armour was said to be the reason Ya-Brodin fell, although that always sounded like nonsense to Falkor. Still, the blue armour was a fariytale on a level such as the Firestaff of the Grey Lord. Certainly the stories and truth of its existence seem to crop up in the writings of various mages over the centuries. It was rumoured that the Grey Lord himself had recovered the armour, keeping it safe, perhaps knowing its powers could make any despot an unstoppable king of all.

Even if it was a fairytale, certainly Falkor could worry at what a warlord of the reputation of Gholst - even dead - could find in the laboritories and libraries of the Grey Lord. Perhaps a way to not only come back to life, but come back stronger than any who might oppose him? Especially if Theron was aiding the man, willingly or not.


Farel shrugged meanwhile, as he spoke to Westian. "The soldiers were goign to the lowest level. Some experience the brutish solder had, something whispered to Drommal, seemed to convince them to take Helm with them instead of trap them with us. I would say the man will be with them even to the meeting. That meeting sounded as if it were to be held deep down in the mountain."

The Trolins looked shocked at Westian's outburst, Tosca a little slower on the uptake as he obviously did not fully understand all the priest said. Still, Tosca fell back furthest as the cleric strode across.

"Far," confirmed Uumack. "King deep in old dungeon of Chaos. far from short-cuts minions of Grey Lord could use. And now far from where soldiers can reach. This place is place of giant carrion eaters. Scoprions, rats, worms all feast on kills of the death eyes. We have to find them to keep them from intruding, they kill some of us, they get strong, they start intruding, we kill them and push them back. Circle of death." Uumack nods, almost sounding proud of the ugly life cycle that seemed to keep the beasts of Chaos's dungeon alive now their master was gone."

Uumack pointed onwards. "My kind smash most of tricky parts, create paths. One place still strong in magic. We call it Mind of Chaos. Beyond that, winding tunnels. Find stairway down to where the king lives." Uumack then looked nervous, and cast a glance to Tosca. "We could let Tosca speak to my kind when we find them, get us to King." Uumack then looked to Westian conspiratorially. "Or I know ways to get closer to king first. Ways like where my group first found your orc. Found you."


So there you go. A modified level 10 trudge, and time to guess what the 'Mind of Chaos' is in the middle of it After that, you need to figure out if you politick your way to the top of the Trolin society, trusting Tosca, or if you wanna be sneakier and give Tosca less room to betray you. Though of course, sneaking up to a king never engenders too much trust!

"Westian, the blue armour" Falkor told Westian all he knew, he wasn't sure if this would help or not, but at least it would be no surprise if they came across it... not prepared, no-one could be, but at least aware!

As the Trolins spoke to Westian, Falkor used the opportunity to check their integrity (15) - were they really being sincere and helpful or did they intend to decieve us all? He hoped that by working out the option they were being most deciptful with they could opt for the alternative - however bad the choice was.

Falkor was amazed to tfind that this Uumack Trolin seemed to talk to Westian as if an equal. The comments seemed neither hooded nor holding anything back. What had Westian done to deserve such respect? Had he encountered a Trolin whose manner was not as brutish, or had Westian adopted a more brutish persona to gai nthe respect?

Of course, the worry was what could Westian - or the rest of the group - do that might derail this respect?

Westian listened as Falkor explained the probable nature of the armour. It was indeed worrying that one of their enemies had an item of such power. He felt angry that the Grey Lord had allowed this to happen, where in the hells was he? "Let us hope we do not meet this blue-armoured warrrior" he said to the halfling.

Westian listened politely to Uumack's description of life and death in the dungeon, nodding as he spoke. But the mention of a different route to the king really caught his attention. "I like that idea" he said. "Maybe we should go that way, get as close to the king as possible." Working the way through the entire Trolin society would be difficult, all you needed was one person as bad as Tosca and the situation would quickly become hopeless. They would not be able to overpower them in their homeland as they had overpowered the fat Trolin and a few guards.

Uumack neither indictated that Westian's plan was a good or a bad one, merely seemed to accept it as 'the plan.' Falkor spotted that Tosca, the fat Trolin, actually seemed relieved about that direction. Strange. Was the shame of being in the group greater than the chance to betray them to the first group of Trolins?

"We not avoid the Mind, but we can avoid much of this place then. Find Stairs of the Dead again, go deep then come back up near king." Uumack nodded, and ensured the other Trolins were ready to go. Tosca moved aside as the crossbow wielders shouldered their weapons and moved forwards.

Once the group got back underway, Aurek came forwards, having also heard Falkor's comments to Westian regardign the armour.. "If you recall, Farel and I discovered writing in the cell area we were in. I took some scrolls, and copied more, but both seem to have been compromised when I fell into the lake of the elementals." He seems a little crestfallen, after all he had spend some time taking that information at the risk of being recaptured.


Once you guys rest, or while walking along, either or both of you are welcome to try and decipher the now soggy and running scrolls in Aurek's backpack. Roll whatever knolwedge you are looking for. The writing is mostly celestial, so Westian will pick out words, but Falkor is also more likely to spot still preserved pictures and runes better than reading the ruined text.

If you have any other questions you think some Grey Lord knowledge might aid with, you can use this as a chance to do some research too.


The group moved along the dim, rocky corridors. There was the occasional noise that the Trolins shushed the group before investigating. They seemed to hate Farel's rattling armour, and Farel seemed to take the hint with good grace to guard the rear of the group. However, for the moment something's passage seemed to have scared all the wildlife into hiding. The Trolins were not relieved except Tosca, and the other three seemed to get more and more tense as if waiting for the other show to drop.

Finally, the group arrived at a t-junction, although there were odd echoes and shadows that seemed to imply that both left and right corridors twisted and split quite soon afterwards. Uumack held up his hand as if to restrain the group. He first pointed to a sign at the end of the corridor.

More of my humour.

Uumack then drew with his toe a line at the very edge of the corridor and pointed down to it. "Not pass this line unless we say. We at Mind fo Chaos."

There was an ominous pause as no one spoke. And then a longer pause, because a noise could be heard. THere was a strange dull, flat noise coming from the left hand side.

"Watch out," saud Uumack, taking a step backwards, as did the other Trolins. Tosca had conspicuously actually come back level to the rest of the non-Trolin group.

The dull noise got louder, it was a strange heavy thud, and sounded organic. And odd echoing roar grew louder and louder...

From out of nowhere a magenta serpentine neck flew out of the darkness, circular maw with needle sharp teeth snapping near Uumack. The group had no chance to react to it before the shredded top half of the purple worm slammed violently into the wall at the side of the corridor. Green sticky ichor sprayed onto the upper bodies and faces of those gathered.

As quickly as it had appeared, something invisible in the t-junction somehow pulled the trailing ripped body of the purple worm, yanking it and the now inert and burst head back out of the corridor and sweeping it down the t-junction to the right hand side. The dull wet thuds grew quieter.

"MInd of Chaos," repeated Uumack, looking back at the group and wiping the muck from his face.


And there we go. It's like zoom, if, you know, zoom actually could slam you into a wall with increasing speed if you weren't careful

So, put your thinking caps on - how do you want to try and get passed this one. Trust to luck? Do some experiments? Take some precautions? And if the laast one, what?

Obviously, your Trolin guides must have a way through it, but, you know...Trolins. Wanna trust to their methods, really?

Just to be clear before I even think about jumping in...did the teleporters rip the worm apart? Or was he ripped apart already? Or is that not immediately obvious? In the meantime...

Westian had a preference for working on one thing at a time, so walking and reading was difficult. It meant that any conversation was limited to nods and murmurs, ranging from preoccupied to mildly irritated.

Knowlede (arcana) was 11 + 2 = 13. Westian will look for any mention of the soul stone. Do I have to roll a dice for language? If so I rolled a 1. Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear

Sorry, I was too busy all day to post until now. Monday is a bank holiday here and I will be away so it will be Tuesday before I get a chance to update again.

Westian looked at Uumack. "How do you normally get past this...thing?" As he spoke he began throwing small stones beyond the line the Trolin had drawn to try to get a feel for how it worked.


So, Westian is going to try to see how things move on the conveyor belt. Do they move in a straight line until they hit a wall, and then make a turn? Or is it something different? He will be putting small (very small ) pebbles and watching where they move. Maybe throwing them at different points on the track, i.e. some the way the worm came, some the way he went. Asking Uumack what he does just to see if he has any insight, I don't necessarily think that we should follow his advice!

As Westian tried to discern the mechanics of the area he rubbed the worm goo from his face and arms as best as he could. He was surprised at how little it bothered him, perhaps if you were to become an adventurer it was a necessary step to be willing to crawl around gutters and get splattered with blood from time to time. Westian only a few hours ago would have been far more squeamish at such thoughts; he had changed much in a short time. Maybe this adventuring thing was actually his calling: Larethian had set him on this path when no one else would have thought that the young cleric could have survived. But the High Lords know people better than they knew themselves, Larethian must have seen something hidden and known that Westian would be able to take whatever was thrown at him. He must have known that Westian could handle what he had been asked to do; and this thought provided a great deal of comfort.

“It appears that objects on the belt move forward at high speed, and then hit against a wall. If that is so at least we will know where the next hit is coming from: it will be from whatever our direction of travel is. So as soon as we move if we turn to face our direction of travel, brace, and hold something like a shield in front of us - close to our bodies - it could take some of the impact at least. Especially if we could find some sort of padding.” He looked at the small, disparate, group around him. “Or does anyone have an alternative?”

I'd also waited for money's input on the scroll checking,. Will say what Westian discovered unaided, and if Falkor has any insights I can retcon some more info, since Westian only got basic stuff...

Uumack had been lost in discussion with Tosca, and then had been issuing orders to the other two Trolins.

"Not hit into wall if not too heavy, and if travel in centre. Need to jump properly, get to centre. Need to leave quikcly, or else get faster and faster going round. Worm show you - go too fast, be too heavy, and you smashed into wall not turn corners well."

Uumack gestured to where the others went. "You can jump to the other side, if you powerful. More time to go round. Others go get some stones for weight. When see place to exit, drop weight to get thrown clear. If miss..."

Uumack trailed off, and pointed to the smear the worm's body had left. He then drew his finger across his throat.

On the subject of padding, the Trolin seemed unconvinced, but once Aurek and Farel understood what was goign on, they seemed to agree with Westian's assessment. "Certainly, it will be better than the alternative," said Farel, reacting to catching the comments on going to fast.

As if to highlight the comment, the group had the forune to catch Westian's speculatively thrown pebble whizz past much faster than it was taken before. It did not re-appear again, but Westian coudl swear he heard the 'crack' of a pebble shattering on a wall. There was also a conspicuous absence of worm.

"You move fast," explained Uumack about the possible exits from this place, "instinct and keep jumping to get to where want to go. Maybe four or five exits. Exit to get to Stairs of Death have left-turning corridor. Tricky to get to, not at turn in floor. Sudden'y appears on side of wall on long straight bit. If my memory is still good." Uumack shrugged. As a guide, he was not completely reassuring.

Speaking of a lack of reassurance, Westian had found nothing solid about the soul stone in the ruined parchments. All of the scrawls of the Grey Lord were all but destroyed, and Westian had no hope in reading them. He was versed with enough rudimentery magical knowledge to spot an odd collection of runes and non-celestrial words around what - if you squinted - could have been a round egg shape radiating lines of ...something. It could have been a stone. Or a portal. Or a smelly egg.

REally, why did Aurek have to get pulled into the water? While it had served them in the short term, perhaps the destruction of the scrolls could cost them in the long term.


Ok, I will leave it there. I think I saw money log on on Monday, so hopefully he's at least scanned the previous stuff and I'm not flooding the narrative! So, sounds like zoom is a run and jump and pray. Still, you have a party with some equipment, and you have a better brain than the Trolins. Perhaps you can figure out some elegant solution to safely negotiating the place for everyone!

"How far to the exit? And how much rope do we have?" Westian scratched his head while he thought. "How about one person goes through and jumps at the right point. He leaves a trail of rope behind him. Then the next person holds the end of the rope, and can be guided to the exit."

No worries about the delays, as I said I was away for the long weekend anyway!

Uumack shook his head. "Mind of Chaos pulls all that gets inside it. Rope would be whipped around track. You could tie better jumper to worse jumper. If you not go too fast, worse jumper can get pulled into corridor before Mind takes him." Uumack pauses. "Leave long enough gaps in rope, might pull more people around. Not sure where exit is thouh. Think over there." Uumack pointed o te left somewhere. "Exit on left as go round. So Mind must snake once before jump. Many edges for rope to catch on."


Have answered your question, but will give money the weekend to post.

** apologies - been away for a few days and work is manic, not here Wed/Thursday neither - Job interview **

Falkor was distracted, the scrolls he had read earlier in Soorec's room held great knowledge - if he could understand the scrolls Aurek had they could help them in the near future... He carefully checked the scrolls for signs of runes or strange verse that held magic...Arcana (6).

They came to a stop just as the worm was being smashed off the walls - not a sight he treasured and the thought that the only way to progress was through this trap - this did not sit comfortably with Falkor. Westian was in discussion with the Trolin, if anyone could figure this out he expected Westian to come up with a way. While the discussions continued he carefully investigated the mechanism - perhaps some distant knowledge would be trigured in his memory through closer inspection (2) the smell of severed worm was not helping!

Understandable! Good luck with the interview...is this another internal one, or a job intterview elsewhere?


To Falkor, the drawing of the Soul Stone was surrounded by words and blurry runes that he finally resolved into four shapes. The first two were NETA and DAIN. It appeared the stone bridged the gap between a religious and magical item. Did that mean either path could use it, or did that mean that both paths were required to fully command it?

The second set of runes were OH and YA, air and earth that were two elements usually opposed. It seemed a powerful item if these two elements could be blended together seemlessly. Of course, it was a worry to figure out how to get those two elements to combine again if the stone was indeed shattered.

There did seem to be a fifth rune, but it was destroyed beyond the ability to guess or figure out.


Falkor at least figured out that the mechanism was purely magical, although the means of propulsion he could not figure. He recalled tales of foot triggers that activated teleporters being told in tales, however it did not seem to be exactly what was happening here. The speeding up seemed to indicate that the effect was not being xcontrolled. Were teleporters instantly leading to other teleporters? If so, wouldn't that lead to an infinite loop right away? Perhaps it was some form of harnessed air.

While the mechanism alldded Falkor, he at least spotted the magic and realised one thing. If the path came from magical power, it would be possible to disrupt the magic - even if for a moment. While Falkor had slept his mind had been working, perhaps aided by the cloak he wore. Falkor was sure that the spell of dispelling - DES EW - was his to command should he wish it. Other spells were coming teasingly to his mind....


Eh, poor rolls, but hopefully I've still given you a few clues to use. Also, as I've introduced a spelcaster with no memory block, and as you guys get towards the end of the story, you and Westian will start to find your magical recollection coming back to you stronger and faster. So if there are any spelll effects - like DES EW - you'd like to use to make this easier, feel free to suggest them!

Uumack's underlings came back, both having filled their side-sacks with loose detritus.

"Heard something back there...should not delay long," said the male Trolin to Uumack. Tosca looked visibly ill and started glancing nervously to where thye had come from.

Uumack took a sack, and held it infront of Westian. "Jump in. Overshoot. Hold sack. Should See exit on long corridor, remember way. Let self go round once. Will move to centre of passage. Seee corridor again. Drop sack, get thrown towards exit. Grab on to edge. Try not to die." Uumack nodded, as if the tricky, scary and potentially suicidal manoeuver was perfectly logical.


Incase you guys don't read the OOC right now, I'll be distracted by my mother coming down from Thursday afternoon to Tuesday morning. Previous experience has shown I now am very unlikely to post more than question answers over that time. We'll see if that alters. I know I made the rope idea seem less cool, but it is still possible to use that - especially if you think you could grab the rope at the end of the first loop around...

Then again, you might want to figure out a way to do it on the first try...or you might want to get that padding idea underway for the 'become lighter and get thrown clear' idea of Uumack

“Well we better go soon. Someone can go through first, someone good at jumping. I am willing to volunteer for that job” he said, absent-mindedly twirling the ring on his finger.

“I can carry something heavy with me – a sack, or a rock, or something – and try to get off at the right point, first or second time. If I light a torch and shout at the exit then the people coming behind will have a better idea where to get off. When the rest of you are coming through then the people who are less athletic or less confident” – he avoided looking at Ardur as he spoke – “can tie themselves onto someone else. If that person jumps then he, and whoever is on the other side already, can drag the person following in. We could combine it with dropping weight also. And indeed getting some padding would be a good idea too, just in case.”

Westian strapped his shield tightly onto his left forearm as he spoke. “Now Uumack, just remind me again...how I will recognise the jump point?”

Okay, Westian is ready to take a ride! I did not narrate him jumping in just in case there was any disagreement from the group, but if not he is good to go. No problem with delays, enjoy the visit! And good luck with the job interview money!

Aurek looks as if he wants to object, however the Trolins are already looking to Westian impressed, cutting off that avenue of dissention.

The group scrounge up what padding they can, although all that y realy have is what is left of Farel's possessions buried at the bottom of Aurek's backpack. The rest ae spare clthing taken off to reinforce whichever areas are consdered vital.

Farel's squire Ardur puts himself forward to go with Westian, tied on, however Farel objects. It is clear that partially he fears for the boy's safety, and partially hee seems to fear impeding Westian with sch a tricky task. Neither insinuations are lost on Ardur, and both cause the boy to treate back into himself sullenly.

It is clear that Tosca is none too happy with the whole event, but Uumack makes it clear that Tosca led them this way, and can either go forwards willingly, or can be pushed in. With a bolt through his head.

"You not dare!" hisses Tosca in Trolin, so only Falkor can catch it.

"Rock smash you good. No one know how you meet end, assume walked in," said Uumack with a shrug.

Uumack takes a stick and draws a rough circuit on the floor, speaking of where the exit will roughly be, and which false exits to beware of. It is clear Uumack is only half remembering. Also, as Uumack talks it is suddenly very clear about one thing - torches would be instantly extinguished - or worse flare and catch people on fire. Uumack warns they will need to be unlit to go around.

Suddenly, it is very clear that anyone not a Trolin going aroudn this circuit will be doing it blind!


Sorry for the lack of update, anyway, time for you to decide what order people will go through. The preparations will be as you have outlined, if you have any final clever ideas for security, detaching weights, or padding, speak them now to get any applicable bonuses when this happens. Also, any last minute precautions you wish to make.

Like Falkor, Westian will start to have better recollection of his potions, etc. Make a knowledge(religeon) check if you see anything in the spell list that you think you might like to try and recall the use of.

Obviously, the lack of light is a serious problem. Westian can risk looking weak by suggesting a Trolin goes throuh first, or trying a Trolin/Westian combo.

If money is around, Falkor can try to recall the proper 'light' spell with a knowledge(arcana) roll, that spell could be used to put light on an object Westian carried or wears. Or money could cast FUL and go instead/aswell as Westian.

Or, Westian can do something clever to estimate the location of the exit, or detect it by another means, or risk hurt by trying to only roughly aim for where the exit is and get expeled after a few bashes.


Good luck! Maybe throw in some dice rolls when Westian is ready to go through - one for any weird plan Westian has, and three actual rolls for the journey through the Mind!

Money, if you read this - same thing. A roll for any idea (assume you can get to do it, jus tthe dice roll will be how well. I might be leanient with the DC or harsh, depending on the activity. And 3 d20s for the actual attempt, whenever Falkor would actually do it.

Falkor pondered, he recalled runes that could disperse magic - but he wasn't too confident it would work here or at least not end up crashing pointlessly against a wall at some point and he was consious that he may need his magic soon in any case. At that point Westian volunteered himself to lead the way.. "one minute, I can use some magic - I will no longer appear to you for a moment so bare with me"

Falkor's idea was simple - he looked at the drawing on the floor and decided that if he used the cloak and went into the haze - if he timed the jump wrong or the exit was actually at another location the worst that could happen was that he would be pushed 'through' the wall. He activated the cloak and stepped forward and counted before leaping...

OOC: Interview went well thanks Not sure if roll required but based on previous experiance I could use the teleporters when cloaked and in the ethreal plane i move through walls - so seemed a logical step???

Westian looked with confusion at Falkor. "You can use some...magic? Will it help?" This halfling was full of surprises. "Well if you did manage to get through it would help to have some light at the other end. What were you planning to do?"

With that Falkor simply vanished. Again. How in the hells is he doing that? "Falkor?" The halfling must have found some method of teleportation, perhaps he was on the other side already. "Falkor?" he called out again.


Westian is going to wait for a awhile to see if Falkor reappears or if he hears anything else. After a while he will jump on himself, looking out for any light that Falkor will have made. Padding is shield held in direction of travel, tight against his leading arm (Westian is going in kind of side-on: one arm leading. He will face the direction of the supposed exit, so if the exit is on the left he will lead with his right arm.)
A rock in the other hand, ready to drop when he sees the exit (and hopefully the light).
I rolled 4 dice, all pretty awful: 2,7,1,6. Hey, that was the extension number of my old office, I assume there will be a significant bonus because of the coincidence?

Good to hear about the interview money. A roll would be needed, except for the way the corridor will interact with wehat you are doing...

Falkor leapt into the corridor, waiting to feel the explosion of magic. There was the odd lightheadedness from losing gravity's pull, and the expectation of movement, and the lack of it, was actually disorienting for a moment.

That was not true, there was a pull from somewhere. It was like a fell wind was blowing down the dim, grey corridor that Falkor could perceive in the ethereal world. It caused Falkor to stagger from the initial surprise of the ethereal plane, but after that he could keep upright.

This was strange, magic should work in the ethereal plane. And force contined here too. It appeared that Falkor's inability to work out this puzzle earlier was because it had strange parts acting in strange ways. The main part apparently did require some physical prescence in the real world. Choosing to enter the corridor in the ethereal plane meant he had not triggered it. However, there was still a force component, hence the air movement that was doing nothing - for now.

Did the force get multiplied by the teleportation effct to create the speed, or did the magical affect actually build the force. Certainly, given the flying worm, no matter what physical trigger was needed to start, a constant pressure on the floor was not required to keep it going.

Still, it highlighted two dangers - Falkor could probably not come out of the ethereal plane in the corridor without being subject to the affects instantly, and it was possible if he was in the corridor while someone else travelled, the force would act in the ethereal plane and catch him anyway.

Still, he knew where Uumack had indicated the corridor was supposed to be, and moved onwards. It was disconcerting to go into blackness, however it did not seem to be too arduous a task to come out of the walls the other side, ands find a long corridor. Closeby was a corridor going onwards out of it.

Falkor was able to safely walk to that point, standing in the corridor beyond. His companions could not do this so easily. Should he stay here, and provide a light? Or should he make sure this was the right part? Could he explore further before somene started coming onwards?


Ok, so I'll let you decide if you want to quickly check down the corridor to see if it looks like it is the correct one, or you can do whatever you feel is appropriate to help when Westian leaps in. If you want to ready an action, let me know. You shouldn't need to roll for anything quick, anything that relies on Westian getting very close will need a dex check or a combat roll.


Westian was left with the silence, and the expectant Trolins behind him. "Naog daka!" one had said in shock. Westian had once again apparently managed to convince the group that he was a force to be reckoned with by possessing disappearing companions. Of course, it would be better if he knew exactly what was going on himself.

"I hear nothing!" said Sir Farel, perhaps having seen magicians become invisible, but not used to it causing no further noise nor interaction in the world.


I've sort of assumed Falkor's gone onwards, we can retcon if not.


Westian waited for as long as he felt he could get away with, but there were questions from humans and Trolins likely any second now he could not answer. It seemed that it was now or never. With his preparations made he stepped forwards.

"I will look for you and pull you back in if you come around," said Aurek. He said it quietly, so the Trolins apparently did not hear. Therefore, there was no indication if this was a wise or foolish idea from the paladin.

Westian then followed - not realising it - Falkor's actions...

"Wait!" said Uumack, realising what Westian was doing, "need bag of rocks!"

However, it was too late, and Westian leapt into the corridor. Or at least he tried to. The last minute warning put aa minute hesitation into the leap. Westian realised he undershot the centre a second before the ZAP of magic that caught him. There was a jerk that threw Westian off-balance, and then it felt as if a hand pushed him forward again and then there was another jerk. Only a few jerked and pushy steps were needed before Westian was turned around, bumping into the side of the wall. The slight gaps in perception of moving, plus the unstable movement, were unpleasantly like walking home when drunk. Or at least, so one could imagine...

The speed of the jumps and movement picked up, and combined with the sudden jump into darkness at some point, Westian was disoriented and would be quite understandably allowed to panic. He was starting to slam into the wall with more regularity and pain, the shield constantly being pushed into his face. It was even worse when he kept taking a corner, banging into the edge and being spun by the more insistant pushing.

However, there was at least one small chance - Westian realised he hadn't been twisted for a moment, and he could see what looked like a glow in the distance. Was that Falkor?


Ok, it is indeed Falkor, although Westian could understandably not want to trust his life about that. BAsically, will Westian chance his arm dropping the stone and see if he bashes around into the corridor? Or does he want to try dropping more items (probably his sword and shield are the only easily detachable, a club too if he has one)? Or does Westian want to keep going around for another loop to see more and perhaps get better oriented - or even get grabbed by Aurek.

Obviously, if Falkor is at the entrance, he can attempt any aid too. It's all exciting... what to do, what to do....