"Aye, i heard the sound. T'was a door opening. Seems we may have some company. T'is a surprise that is, we havna had any thing follow us so far." Cor thought for a moment. "Be on guard all of ya, but hold until we see what it is. No sense going off half-cocked."

"Maybe our good druid friend would like to scout this one? Quiet as a mouse perhaps lass?"

Kenji nodded at Cor’s word and moved a little further away from the group towards the far door but to the side so that he wouldn’t be seen by any standing in the room beyond. He didn’t draw his Katana but kept his hand upon it just in case it was needed. The Samurai’s skill with his blade allowed him the luxury of drawing and striking with the Katana in one stroke; one of the reasons the Katana was curved in such a way. This useful technique often made strangers unfamiliar with the Samurai ways a little too cautious in his presence, often to their mistake if they intended him any harm.

He waited for the druid to ‘transform’ into some small animal as he assumed was Cor’s meaning. He was still not real comfortable with the strange magic which allow such transformations, but he had seen no evil intend thus far and it had proven most useful. He stood ready to rush to the aid of Cynil if she was attacked by whatever, or whomever, was following their path.

BACKPOSTING AT BIT TO INTERACT WITH MAGGOT…

When their rest was done, Allanan felt quite refreshed. He looked over at his companions and smiled inwardly. Such a short time… and already… He had grown fond of the aloof druid. He had found deep compassion hiding just behind the cover of her cool eyes. It was alluring for the golden-haired man. She was in tune with the world and yet not so lost in it.

And while it had been only a day perhaps, Allanan had come to enjoy the company of the odd half-breed. There was a simple joy about the man as he seemed content to enjoy the simple things life brought his way. No false pretense…
Seeing his companion bundle up the pipes and the fill, Allanan smiled openly, “A fine idea, good sir!”

Gathering his pack together, Allanan joined Sirene and Maggot to leave their resting spot. Not more than a few steps out, however, Maggot stopped abruptly and handed Allanan the small bundle of pipes.

“I dare not look to see if the pipe and filler is still there. So I will let you look… You look for me and tell me not of the out come until we rest again. Then we will see if we smoke another bowl of Winters Wine and let those who we seek try the King’s Ransom.”

Allanan laughed out loud and clapped the half-elf on the back. “As you wish, my good Maggot!” Taking the bag, he indeed looked inside, careful to hide his emotions as he check. Without a word, he stopped and eased off his pack, adding the bundle carefully to his possessions. As he did, the golden haired man noticed his extra set of clothing. With no hesitation, he withdrew them and handed the breeches, shirt, and doublet to Maggot.

“Ah, and I have something to trade in kind, good sir! Whether you choose to wear them or not, that I leave to you. But I have no room for them in my pack, what with this bundle you have given me to secret away.” He smiled warmly at the half-elf and gave him a wink. “Do with them what you will.”

[OOC: Tag KYLE! Maggot has received a doublet, breeches, a shirt, boots, and a cloak. If he doesn’t take them, Allanan will be casting them aside.]


MOVING ON UP AHEAD… TO ROOM 5

Allanan was caught up in the carnage around him. Whomever they were following behind had not left this site long ago, of that he was sure. Indeed, it seemed the party ahead of them was close at hand, for Lady Sirene had detected their presence.

“We are not alone,” she whispered.

Maggot put his finger to his lips, indicating that they ought to be quiet now. And as quietly as he could, being in plate mail and all, Allanan followed after the half-breed, wincing at every creak his armor made.

[OOC: Following after Maggot, drawing his weapon as they move towards the door.]

Conall arose from his prayer as a sound pierced the silent air. He couldn't tell exactly what it was, but Cor identified it as a door opening. And that spelt trouble. Because that meant something was coming for them, not just waiting for them.

"Alright everyone, on guard is right. We need to be ready for this. Maybe though... I wonder..."

Conall searched into himself, and found the link to the divine inside him. Using his innate ability to notice evil, he casts out his ability in the direction of the sound, hoping to detect something.

(OOC: Detect Evil towards the sound, and drawing weapon and shield.)
(DM OOC: Just to speed things up no hostile evil detected, but you do still detect evil in the room just left.)

Halia looked over at Cor when he spoke. The noise of the door opening had stopped them all in their track and she gave a slight nod to Cor. Not only letting him know that she had heard him and was listening to advice but also a small reminder that she still considered him their leader.

Carefully she drew her sword and held it at her side while keeping her eyes on the door from whence they just came.

Following Maggot's lead Siréne made her way out of the banquet hall into the tunnel. Shattered crystals littered the floor. The elf quietly sighed to herself. This journey into the mountain was not a return to the womb of the telluric mother as she had hoped, there was an unnatural air to the place and it unnerved her to no end.

Before her Maggot opened a door at the end of the tunnel and stepped through into the next chamber. Sparing one last glance for the mountain tunnel Siréne stepped through the doorway and into the next room. The hissed as her blue green eyes fell on the scene before her. It was a massacre. Bloodied corpses of tiny rock like creatures lay strewn across the floor, of them all only one had survived and even it had not escaped the slaughter. The creature lay against a stone column with blood pouring from where it's fingers once had been. Siréne could only shake her head and move on.

As they neared the eastern door the she elf caught the muffled sound of a woman's voice coming from the other side. In a quick whisper she spoke out to her companions.

"We are not alone..."

As soon as the words left her lips Maggot sprung into action. Pressing a finger to his lips the half blooded man moved ever closer to the door, Allanan was soon to follow, blade on the ready. Siréne stood in silence behind to two men. Slowly she moved toward the door calling forth the power of the unseen world to ready one her most powerful spells of compulsion.

Cynil was up with the Staff of the Woodlands in hand, she stood half behind Conall and tried to still the beating of her heart. She had a good reason to fear the inhabitants of this place, almost getting killed on a number of occasions.

It can to her that she longed for the privacy to lay with Conall, she wanted to bear his children and she was afraid that he might die in here, fightening to protect Althena and the rest of them so that Althena would make it to the sword.

It was not a easy thought, but she had to tell him that Althena was more important than her.

Rayne had pray for her spells the night before. She had taken mostly healing spells since she had few offensive spells of any worth. Wen Althena called out Rayne froze and listened staining hard to catch whatever sounds were made. Thankfully most of her party had stopped to listen too thus ceasing their own movements or at least moving as silently as possible.

Rayne saw others move forward so she moved only so she could get a shot at anyone coming out the door. Knocking her arrow and drawing it up ready to shoot if necessary.

DROW MOUNTAIN
So as it has been written in history and scripture that all roads lead to the same end so it was at this moment in time as two parties, one of 7 the other of 3, were about to meet. Both parties ready to fight, evil detected by one, sound by the other, something was about to happen, something no one could have perhaps foreseen.

With only a door standing between them it seemed no one wanted to be the first to open it and as the seconds ticked on the door remained closed. Then a strange thing happened, call it more a feeling, but the one known so far as Allanan was hit by a wave of compulsion and with his sword at the ready he reached out and before he could be stopped the door was opened and with it a wave of memory.

Allanan the Wanderer in that moment of time ceased to be as memory upon memory returned, and with them the powers of a class granted him by his god, and a love for a women thought lost to him forever.

That women even now standing ready to attack and be defended by the 6 others around her as she gazed at one thought dead, her voice breaking the silence in stunned disbelieve…………

“Alasdair”...................

(DM OOC: Ok short post but I hope still a good one. Good posting by everyone this week and I hope each and everyone of you has a Happy Thanksgiving.

Kyle, Nimu, Aryn check the Trilogy character thread as your full character sheets are now posted. Check them over and let me know if there are any mistakes on my part.
Ok Spellcasters I still need your new spells I need the following.
1 7th LvL spell from Merideth
2 1st, 1 3rd, 1 4th and 2 6th LvL spells from Keeper
2 1st, 1 3rd LvL spells from Dragon Mistress
3 1st, 1 4th LvL spells from Brianna
And lastly 1 3rd LvL spell from Vesper.
Ok Next post, Next Sunday night.)

[OOC... you pass out at the sight of her! ]


It was hard to describe what overtook him. Common sense told him otherwise, but the urge to open the door overpowered Allanan's common sense.

The golden-haired man threw open the door, unsure of what he would find, but sensing goodness just beyond.

He found himself staring at a number of faces, all vaguely familiar. And then came the voice... the voice that had been calling out to Allanan in the landscape of his mind... the sweet, melodic voice of a lover beckoning him closer...

"Alasdair..."

Allanan's eyes found the source of the sound -- a woman. But not just any woman...

"Althena..." the golden haired man gasped.

And then, as if a dam had burst from the pressure, a flood of memories swept over him. It was too much for his mind... wave after wave of memory... like a hurricane inside his head.

Alasdair collapsed to the floor.

[OOC: TO ALL PLAYERS... Alasdair has returned, however, he has also passed out. For those characters that check, he is still breathing fine and heart rate is rapid but returning to normal.

I imagine him being out for only a minute or so. I hope to post a "mindscape" sequence for him as well, and maybe end with Althena cradling him? (YES! I get the girl!)

Tann, is this kind of thing okay?]

(DM OOC: Yes sir feel free to run with it I can then post off of that for her in my next post)

DROW MOUNTAIN
Althena had been the one to have heard the opening of the door behind them and even now stood ready to attack and be defended by the party around her. Then another door was opened and with it her life once more changed as she gazed at a golden haired man thought dead, her voice breaking the silence in stunned disbelief…………

“Alasdair”
"Althena..." the golden haired man gasped and with that name Allanan the Wanderer, now revealed to be in truth one Alasdair MacKenzie, collapsed to the floor.

Within seconds her shocked mind still reeling Althena was at his side, his head quickly cradled in her lap.
“Cor, here, quickly make sure he is ok, oh my God he is alive, everyone Alasdair is alive…”

The tears the party could see were flowing, tears not of sadness or shame, but of a heart finding itself once more full of happiness and love. Rocking him slowly back and forth she waited, hoping, praying, knowing this was no dream. Alasdair Mackenzie love of her long life and her psionic soulmate lived once more.........

With every step the sylvan enchantress heightened her awareness searching for any warning of what lay beyond the doorway. Although she stood at the ready she could do nothing to stop Allanan as he carelessly pushed the door open and strode into the chamber beyond. Siréne hissed and quickly moved to follow him, she had not healed him from the brink of death only to watch him die again.

Beyond the doorway her blue-green eyes fell on the strange grouping of travelers before her. Human, dwarf, halfling, and even elves stood with blades ready. Instinctually her gaze focused on the two elven women. Like most elves they were fair colored like sunlight and starlight whereas she herself was darkly colored like the twilight shadows of the forest. The sight of other elves, even those as different from her as these two, lessened her wariness some.

Siréne took in the rest of the band with a calm gaze. Her eyes passed over first the halfling, then the dwarf and the three humans until finally settling on the strange flame haired woman. The woman's face seemed frozen in a look of shock and her brilliant green fixed on Allanan.

"Alasdair..." the lone word left the strange woman's lips and the world spun into chaos.

Siréne heard Allanan utter a word that sounded like a name before he fell to the floor. In but an instant the flamed haired woman joined him on the cavern floor tears streaming down her cheeks.

The woman spoke again this time addressing her companions behind her, "Cor, here, quickly make sure he is okay, oh my God he is alive, everyone Alasdair is alive..."

It was not Cor that answered, but Siréne. If Allanan needed healing it would be done be her hand at this hour and none other. Those that stood in the cavern chamber were standgers to her. How could she entrust to any of them such a task? She was surprised by her vehemence, he was only human. Yet in the short time she had known him they had become friends. Moreso the Queen of Heaven had joined their paths, and for that she would see to it he lived long.

Sitting in silence across from the other woman Siréne felt for a pulse with outstretched fingers. Though soft and faint his heart beat steadily. He lived. In three short breaths she summoned the power for a simple healing and let it flow through her own body into Allanan's unconscious form.

As the divine power of the Great Goddess flowed through her the elf studied the face of her friend. Was Alasdair his true name? Had they unwittingly stumbled on his past?

((OOC: Casts Cure Light Wounds))

Cynil takes Conall's arm and hugs it, she sees, she hears and tears course down her face as Althena run to her love was dead and was now alive.

She wanted to run up and hug them both, she settled for Conall, time for that later, right now it was their time. ANS she watched and clung to Conall.

"Alasdair?" Cor could not believe what he heard. "What happened to you and who are your companions?" Cor put away his axe. "Perhaps introductions are in order all around. I am Cor, knight-cerlic of Odin and herder of this bunch of cats." Cor waited for the others to introduce themselves and then added. "If you wish to travel with us you are more than welcome. Of course if you do you have to swear an oath on all that is sacre that you will obey my directives; unless you don't agree with them. That should put you on even ground with the others here." Cor laughed. "Well everyone take a few minutes to deceide and get acquanted than then we must press on."

Kenji watched as the Lady Althena stared at the man who had opened the door; the exchange of words gave the impression that they had known each other. Kenji stayed alert and when the Lady Athena moved into the previous room to the man’s side where he had collapsed, the Samurai moved through quickly and took up a protective position next to the Lady as she knelt next to the man.

He didn’t touch his Katana though his left hand rested on it's scabbard while the right rested at his belt sash. He seemed at ease but in fact he was poised to defend the Lady if these people were not friendly. He didn’t know who Alasdair was but apparently the Lady knew him and considered him dead.

He surveyed the other party, sizing them up and determining which might be the biggest threat if the need arose. He stood stock still within reach of the Lady as Cor entered and introduced himself to the others. It seemed the name Alasdair meant something to their leader as well.

"Alasdair?" Cor could not believe what he heard. "What happened to you and who are your companions?" Cor put away his axe. "Perhaps introductions are in order all around. I am Cor, knight-cleric of Odin and herder of this bunch of cats." Cor waited for the others to introduce themselves and then added. "If you wish to travel with us you are more than welcome. Of course if you do you have to swear an oath on all that is sacred that you will obey my directives; unless you don't agree with them. That should put you on even ground with the others here." Cor laughed. "Well everyone take a few minutes to decide and get acquainted than then we must press on."
Kenji raised an eyebrow at Cor’s last words about them not agreeing with his orders. Kenji recalled that he had made no such statement when the orders to bind them had been questioned. While he had found the orders as strange as the others, he did understand their leader’s reasoning behind it, though he didn’t think it wise to have most of the party tied up in case they were assaulted during the night.

Kenji didn’t introduce himself, he simply nodded to the other party if they looked to him for his name. Their friend or foe designation had yet to be established in his eyes and he wasn’t as sure as the others about this party that everyone seemed to accept all because someone in the group looked like this ‘Alasdair’.

As soon as recognition of Aldasair hit her she sheathed her sword. Things moved quickly after that, he fainted dead away at seeing his love again and Althena rushed to his side in tears. Halia herself stood back not wishing to get in the middle of this reunion. Her thoughts drifted to Divot for a moment but she pushed them away and tried to focus on what was happening now.

Cor was busy making introductions between this party and the other and getting straight down to business with them. Which is, she supposed, why they had made him the leader of this little band, he was good at getting down to business.

Quietly she nodded when introductions came to her she gave a slight nod "Halia" she said plainly enough and swept a lock of her cornsilken hair out of her eyes.

If they decided to join them it would be beneficial to their journey, and having Aldasair back would make Althena not only more enjoyable to be around but also more useful in the long run.

If only Halia could determine what would make her more enjoyable to be around. Inwardly she sighed and waited for the cheerful reunion to finalize itself so they could move on and get out of this forsaken dungeon.