"Well... I guess since we are all still here we had better get going."

She keeps her sword out.

"I didn't see anything down the hall, but after what we have seen already in this forsaken place I think we need to stay on our toes. We will need to rest soon though."

Moving out with the others she tries to prepare herself for whatever might be awaiting them.

DROW MOUNTAIN INSIDE The party fully healed and ready only awaited the word of Cor to move forward. However instead of giving a command of that nature he instead posed a question.

"What spells have we left? tis a big decision we make now. Shall we press on or spend time here in the hall to attempt to rest and recover spells. We know that it can be dangerous to sleep in these tunnels but then again it can be dangerous to press on not fully prepared. What say ye?"

With the question asked all that remained was for each member to answer in the yay or nay. For the moment the only one to answer right away was Haila.

"Well... I guess since we are all still here we had better get going. I didn't see anything down the hall, but after what we have seen already in this forsaken place I think we need to stay on our toes. We will need to rest soon though."

DROW MOUNTAIN OUTSIDE Morning 2nd Day
With the appearance of not 1 but 2 strangers, Sirène and Allanan found themselves having front row seats to a quick and bloody combat between two almost identical half-elves.

Within moments the fight was over and the dirtier of the two Half-Elves approached as the winner.

“I will not move any closer for my stench may offend, but if I might ask are you two going to go in or just camp outside?”

“If you are concerned about your stench might I suggest a bath?, To answer your question, the Great Goddess has called us to the mountain, but if you are in need of healing we can wait until the morning to go forward."

“We are wasting time My Lady let us just drop this Half-Elf and move on we have no need of his company.” Allanan spoke up his hands still holding his sword at the ready, having drawn it the minute the first stranger had appeared.

For now it seemed as if a standoff was at hand for the three of them as clearly Allanan felt the half-elf’s presence was a risk, Sirène had offered to heal him and possibly by doing so implied that he would travel with them.

And then of course there was the stranger himself who had as yet given no name and had really given no clue as to his true intentions other then the killing of a doppelganger of himself. Did he wish to travel with them or was he just inquiring out of curiosity, nothing had been said about that as well.

For now for both parties, one inside the mountain and one outside, a few questions had been asked and unasked and all were at present, unanswered.


(DM OOC: Ok, main party, short post as you did not give me much to work with in the case of moving on or staying put. I take it as 1, Haila, for moving on and resting later.

Outside party, ok Nimu as Aryn stated he is gone from the Inn this Sunday through next Sunday so its up to you to decide I guess if the Stranger joins you. Its clear that Aryn's character as stated in the Q/A does not trust nor want this Half-Elf with you two and until Aryn‘s return I will play Allanan as such.
Ok Next post next Sunday, so get your posts in.)

“Oh dear Lady of the wood, it is not I who am concerned with my stench, but only that fact that I might offend the two of you.” The half-elf looked at the drawn sword and the one holding it. “The stench of civilization no longer clings to my skin and it has been a very long times since I have tasted bread that is with out mold but I do still remember manners.” The half-elf brings his gaze back to the Lady Elf, “You might ask your friend if I shall need healing, for he is the one with the sword, and I bare no weapon unsheathed.” The half-elf looked at the one with the sword again, “Nor wood I against you. For in your face I see some one I once knew.” The half-elf looks puzzled and with great thought on this topic, but only for a moment.

It was then the half-elf whispered over his shoulder, “Yes, perhaps his uncle or could have been we knew his grand father… Yes! But not while he has a sword at me will I ask for a name or a family crest… Yes! But now is not the time for a history lesson. Now shhh!”

The half-elf looked back at the two with an awkward smile on his face “Now if he will be so kind as to put his sword away, perhaps the lady will not have to heal either of us. Yes?”

Cor's words of wisdom, as they had done so many times already, rang true in Conall's ears. He had used his magic to heal himself earlier, and he had not been doing as much of the spellcasting as the others had. His urge was to get out these caves and be in the open air once again... But he was also smart enough to see when staying here would be advantageous. Resources needed to be at their full potential in order to make it out with everyone alive.

"Haila, I believe Cor has spoken true. I think it would be most wise to rest and recover some of the magical energy which has been lost. It will be most beneficial to our party, and we must not throw caution to the wind, risking another encounter like the one we just faced any less prepared."

"Oh, and Cor... You owe me a silver, my friend!" Conall grinned from ear to ear at the dwarf. If he had to be stuck underground, separated from all of civilization, he would gladly choose Cor as his only companion. Well, maybe he would choose Cynil first, then Cor as a close second. And maybe a woman for Cor as well...

Rayne Listened to Cor when He s[pke. She recoynts her remainng healing Spells.

"I have 3 Cure Light, 1 Cure Serious, 1 cure Critical, and 1 raise dead. If necessary we could go on but I would prefer being at full strength.

"Haila, I believe Cor has spoken true. I think it would be most wise to rest and recover some of the magical energy which has been lost. It will be most beneficial to our party, and we must not throw caution to the wind, risking another encounter like the one we just faced any less prepared." Conall said.
Kenji looked down the passage and for the moment saw nothing threatening but he knew that deadly encounters remained ahead.

“I believe Conall is correct!” The Samurai stated not taking his eyes off the passage as he stood near the doorway, “you magic types need rest and time to recover your powers. If it is the wish of our leader Cor that we rest then we should rest. It is sound advice.”

He waited to hear what the decision would be, either one he would follow but he agreed that the magic casters were near useless without their spells.

If the order is to stay and rest, Kenji will sit down seiza style in front of the doorway looking down the passage his sheathed Katana resting across his knees.

“I will watch first,” he states and meditates as he watches down the passage. While meditating his senses are acute and aware of what sights and sounds there are around him. He listens for anything out of the ordinary.

If the order is to proceed, then he will take up a guard position behind Ulthok as the halfling checks their way for any signs of traps or other dangers.

Cor listened to the others. Tey had a good bit of healing left and the mages had not used many spells but would it be enough to see them through the next test. "I shall think a bit and return with my answer shortly"

Cor went off on his own and prayed to Odin; as he did he cast 2 augury spells. First he asked "Is it wise to rest before the next test"? No matter the answer he cast his second augury asking "Is the next test physical or magical in nature"?

He would give his guidance based on the answers to these questions.

OOCM, if you can PM me the answers I can post more direction for the party before your next post and save a week waiting for an answer.

Cor opened his eyes. As usual the answers were seemingly helpful and vague at the same time. Such was the way of the gods.

"We shall rest here and replenish spells. If you have any that woul dbe useful now cast them but do not do so lightly incase our rest is interrupted. Fighters will stand watch. Bind all of our hands before we sleep for I want no one to be influenced by the sword and free to cause mischief. No one is to open the next door until we are rested and awake."

As Allanan spoke Siréne turned her head slightly to face him. The golden haired man stood at her side with steel bared to the half elf, obviously wary of the strange man's presence. They knew little of the disheveled stranger and he had done nothing yet to inspire trust, nor had he done anything to warrant distrust. It had been the Lady whose voice had led them to the mountain and it was not inconceivable that the Queen of Heaven had sent another to sojourn into the mountain, even if that someone was born of mixed blood.

The raven haired elf returned her focus to the unkempt half elf who met her cool gaze and addressed her, "Oh dear Lady of the wood, it is not I who am concerned with my stench, but only the fact that I might offend the two of you. The stench of of civilization no longer clings to my skin and it has been a very long time since I have tasted bread that is without mold, but I do still remember manners."

"You might ask your friend if I shall need healing, for he is the one with the sword, and I bare to weapon unsheathed. Nor would I against you, for in your face I see someone I once knew."

At this the strange half elf began to mutter to himself. Siréne watched him with narrowed eyes. How did he know Allanan?

Taking a step closer to the half elf she spoke in a silky cool voice, "It was you who came to us. Still you remain nameless and you speak of previous knowledge of my companion. Such does not inspire trust. Perhaps that is why unsheathed steel points to you?"

"Oh dear Lady of the wood," replied the disheveled half-breed. "It is not I who am concerned with my stench, but only the fact that I might offend the two of you. The stench of of civilization no longer clings to my skin and it has been a very long time since I have tasted bread that is without mold, but I do still remember manners."

Allanan stared down the half-elf, an air of noble bearing quite evident to all.

"You might ask your friend if I shall need healing, for he is the one with the sword, and I bare to weapon unsheathed. Nor would I against you, for in your face I see someone I once knew."

The comment caught the golden-haired man off guard, and for a moment his resolve faltered. ...someone he once knew?!? Allanan was about to question the half-breed about it, but the man was busy speaking to someone unseen.

Siréne seized the opportunity presented by the distracted half-elf and stepped in towards the man. "It was you who came to us," she spoke truthfully. "Still you remain nameless and you speak of previous knowledge of my companion. Such does not inspire trust. Perhaps that is why unsheathed steel points to you?"

"Aye, good sir... if that be true" added Allanan. "A name, if you please, and the name of the person behind you, the one you were muttering to. I shall consider it a gesture of good will, if you please, sir."

The Lady stepped forward, “It was you who came to us. Still you remain nameless and you speak of previous knowledge of my companion. Such does not inspire trust. Perhaps that is why unsheathed steel points to you?"

As the Half-Elf thought, "Aye, good sir... if that be true" added the one with a blade. "A name, if you please and the name of the person behind you, the one you were muttering to. I shall consider it a gesture of good will, if you please, sir."

The Half-Elf lifted his finger in a motion of ‘oh yes’ he then bowed low, “I am…” the half-elf stood up and became very flustered, “My name? Well you see it has been so long as to have need for a name that I have forgotten my proper name but I can give you the name that some call me so it is like a given name as others have given it to me.” The half-elf bowed again, “I am Maggot.” The half-elf then stood tall, “And as for me coming to you. No! You see that thing over there,” pointing to the now blob of goo on the ground, “that came to you trying to be me, and doing a very poor job at it. Then a fight broke out and well you two were still here when it was all over. So here we all are together. Neither of us coming together for the purpose of coming together but still here we are.” The half-elf then remembered the pack he took from the goo thing before it was goo. So he sat down and looked at the pack, “As for knowing Companion, I said no such thing. I merely made a comment, ‘in his face I see some one I once knew.’ Meaning that I once knew some one that looked like him or he,” Maggot points to the one with the sword, “looks like some one I knew a long time ago, perhaps a father or grandfather.” Now looking back at the backpack, “Wonder what those things carry with them on a long journey?” Maggot then looked up, “Now do you two have a name and perhaps some unmolded bread?”

DROW MOUNTAIN INSIDE
With this 4th test over and completed once again the question of whether to rest or continue was brought to the forefront of the parties next choice. Cor, voted the leader of the group was himself unsure of which option was the better, turned to his god Odin and proceeded to cast two auguries.

The first would resting be beneficial, an answer quickly received, yet as always vague.
The second would the next test be magical or physical in nature, again a quick answer, but this one more vague and more unclear then the first.

But with answers, such as they were, given it was time to issue the command to move out or to rest and the parties leader did just that.

"We shall rest here and replenish spells. If you have any that would be useful now, cast them, but do not do so lightly incase our rest is interrupted. Fighters will stand watch. Bind all of our hands before we sleep for I want no one to be influenced by the sword and free to cause mischief. No one is to open the next door until we are rested and awake."

“No I will not allow my hands to be bound, I will offer up all my weapons and magic but you will not bind me” This came to Cor in a low but determined voice, heard by all, from the Thief/Mage Ulthok. His gear, weapons, and all but his bedroll and a blanket quietly left at Cor’s feet the Halfling made his way to a close corner and prepared to rest, his eyes on Cor’s expecting a reply, he laid himself down.

(DM OCC: OK there is my post for this week I did not update the outside party as there is some really good RPG going on and I think the players themselves need to play it out with no interference from me.
As for the inside players, feel free to post as if the 8 hours have been and past as nothing disturbs it
Ok next, post next Monday night as my Cowboys play on Sunday Night Football. Good posting by everyone that posted this week please keep it up.
(DM OOC: Ok edited post to reflect that the party has yet to lay down and sleep. Will repost same edited passages at that time.)

Cor looked at Ulthok. "You have sworn to obey my commands when I was named as leader of this band. I asked not for the position you all gave it to me and I gave ya all free and fair warning that my decisions might not be liked by all at times. This be one of those times lad. Ya have but 3 choices; do as I have said, stay awake the entire night and get no sleep or walk back into the other room and I will seal you in there. Make your choice quickly." There was a fire in Cor's eye for he did not take lightly to the sowing of disent. Do not deign to disobey me again lad."

If Ulthok agrees to binding then all is well. If he choses to stay awake then Cor simply tells those pulling watch to not allow him sleep. If he chooses teh other room then Cor will place a wall in front of the doorway once Ulthok is on the other side.

"....Ya have but three choices; do as I have said, stay awake the entire night and get no sleep, or walk into the other room and I will seal you in there. Make your choice quickly," Cor's ultimatum had came to an end, "Do not design to disobey me again, lad."

Lad. He actually calle me lad; like I'm some sort of child. Ulthok's smile grew bigger as he thought of the stupidity the dwarf was displaying. Weren't priests, even battle-priests, supposed to be oh so wise and full of knowledge. Well Cor seemed not to have enough to even know the toe of his boot from the heel at the moment. Ulthok stepped up to within a couple of inches of the priest's chest and stared up into his eyes with arms crossed in grim determination.

"You know," Ulthok spoke, "we did elect you as our leader. The group did anyway, not I. I had no care as to who led, as long as we did what we came to do. I may not be but a third of you age at half a century and may at times to LOOK like a child, but I have seen my fair share in this life and more besides. Never again will you refer to me as a child. Lad indeed."

"Now, to the business at hand," Ulthok took his first breath since beginning, everyone knew that halflings could be long winded when they really wanted to. "I am no longer going to offer to give up any of my belongins; weapons, spell components, or what not. Also, I do not any of the above options and will go with option four, and here's why --

Ulthok made an exagerated motion as he put up a single finger, "One, no matter how well you bind me, I will inevitablyy be able to get lose; persons much more capable than yourself have tried and failed. What makes you think you think that you can do any better."

A second finger went up, "Two, if we are bound, the we'd also be helpless against any critters that happened to come upon us. I would rather be unbound along with all the others for that matter in case this did happen. Being helpless is not something that I would care for, even if it is for the few moments that it would take me to unbind myself."

A third finger joined the other two, "Three, even if we are bound, the sword could still compel us. The sword does not consume us, its enchantment does not work in that matter. It simply puts a strong wanting on us to do its desires, to make its desires our own. Thusly, we would still have all the skills we previously possessed, and I would still be able to get free after rendering myself unseen and then the sword would simply give a mental image of where to go and vwahlah, teleportaion and instant arrival. I seriously don't think it would keep all of its wards up to keep someone under its enchantment out."

"So now you have two choices, dear Cor," it was Ulthok's turn to give the ultimatum, "Either let me go rest soundly and unbidden or pick a fight that you may not win, for I will not allow you to be the death of me or any others in our company. I have yet to lose a fight against another individual person, for to do so would mean certain death in the circles I used to tread. I would hate to have to humble or possibly worse."

So there it was, the choice to be made be one dwarf that could possibly affect everything that was to come.

(OOC: So here it is, hope you like it. BTW, this was a pain in the rear to post up on my blackberry and I seriously hope I get real internet in my barracks room soon.)

Cor listened to Ulthok rant and rave esp the part about him not voting for a leader and his very childish vow to share nothing with the party. "Very well you have shown your true colors to not only me but to all here. Selfish, hot tempered and arrogant to the last. Because of your refusal to listen to me you have forced me to take the path I most wanted to avoid. It seems the sword may have found an unexpected ally." There was much sadness in Cor's voice.

Looking to the others Cor continued, "By his own words Ulthok has forsaken us and will seek to preserve himself alone. I will respect that wish and believe that from this point on he will do wahatever he sees fit whenever it suits him. As such he has placed us and our task in dire peril. Aid from him will not be asked and none shall be offered. He walks alone now; beside us but not with us."

Cor then moved to the door to the next room. "I cannot afford to risk him being held in sway by the sword unbound and free to act before anyone notices. Therefore we press on without rest." Looking straight at Ulthok he added "Good luck ta ye lad." Cor opened the door and stepped into the next room.