"In the end it doesn't matter as far as I am concerned at least.." Ulthok said decisively. "I'm still the lightest group member and the only one on the ice. Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. I'm crossing this bloody room right now."

Decision made and his intent vocalized, Ulthok hugged the wall as he made his way across the shelf of ice towards the far side of the chamber.

"By Odin that is the key Ulthok; the tiles are breaking the ice! You had the right idea just the wrong substance. Ice is too weak, let me add another layer so when the ice is gone my wall will remain." Using his helm Cor summoned a wall of iron such that it would grow upward from the ice wall and raise Ulthok onto a platform of iron. Calling to the others, Cor ran onto the newly formed wall. "Quickly everyone, get across the room. Those who wish can stay and debate whether or not to trust me or if they believe there is a better course of action but I am telling you to take the word of a wise old dwarf on this one." Cor looked at Maggot, "Bet I can beat ya acoss!"


Edited to correct spelling errors.

Kenji listened as the others discussed a way to cross the room without touching the stones... his attention upon the way they had entered this room.

When a plan was put into action he raised and eyebrow in slight fascination at the wall of ice that grew out of the air and then Ulthok began to walk across... the fascination was short lived as the sounds of the ice cracking came to the Samurai's ears.

THen Cor put a plan into action that would bolster Ulthoks.. a wall of iron was conjured to support where the ice was about to give way.

With a cry to follow him, Cor began to cross the newly reinforced 'bridge' .. Kenji waited for the others to follow suit before he would cross... he would bring up the rear guard and be the last to cross.

"For once our "ally" is supporting the group instead of just criticizing it. Well done Ulthok. You've brought out the Cor that was buried deep within. The one we once knew."

Alasdair begins to usher his lover across the bridge (assuming no further weaknesses appear) then everyone else, intending to cross last.

Alasdair's praise brought a childlike grin to Ulthok's innocent face. "You know what Uncle Trapspringer always said! "Halflings are small because they're meant to do small things, and it's the small things that make a difference." I mean it isn't your fault your only human Alasdair! I'm sure that if you were blessed with the good fortune of being a halfling you would have done the same thing for Cor! So no worries my friend! We'll both just have to keep doing our part now wont we!?"

Pleased with both the returning unity of the party and with the success of his plan thus far Ulthok continued to lead the way across the reinforced bridge.

"Aye lad, the small things are oft the most inportant and the easiest to overlook. I guess being separated from contact with Odin weighed more heavily on me than I thought. My grandfather always said 'don't count dragons when you are surrounded by goblins'. I have no idea what that meant be he did say it alot."

Ulthok couldn't help but chuckle as he compared sayings with Cor. "Well your grandfather may have trade tales with ole Uncle Trapspringer then! I've certainly heard some cryptic sayings out of him after all.. like every time he used to go fishing he'd tell me "Sometimes you have to put the cat out of the house, lock the door, put the key under the mat, then head down the road." I could never really decide what he was trying to tell me when he'd say that.."

Losing track of the conversation Ulthok pursed his lips and tapped his chin as he slowly became lost in thought, "Fact is I'd usually end up sitting there all day thinking about it till he came home. I mean, what did he expect the cat to do for lunch while he was gone? And if he let the cat out every time he left then how was it always in the house the next time he left? But then again he didn't have a cat so was I supposed to be the cat? So was he telling me to get out? But why tell someone to get out when they are already outside? Or was the cat just some kind of metaphor so he could actually tell me how to get in so I could borrow his things? But then what kind of halfling bothers with locking a door? That defeats the purpose of doors all together! And seeing as how Uncle Trapspringer was the one who taught me about such things as doors and what not, he'd know better then to insult the purpose of doors like that, so maybe it was supposed to be some kind of message within a message.. now that I think about it, I don't think he had a mat either.."

Cor laughed, there was just no use trying to follow halfling logic. "Lad, that has me more confused than elf with a mining pick." Seems grandfathers are always coming up with weird saying; wonder if we will suddenly spout of weird saying ourselves when we get old?" Cor scratched his head. "I mean just because a tadpole turns into a frog doesn't mean the dragonfly has to fly over the marsh all the time."

Ulthok gave Cor a sagely nod in response to his saying before he continued across the bridge.

Still nodding to himself Ulthok waggled a finger in the air as he spoke over his shoulder, "If the milk is spilt, the cat will lick it."

"Reminds me of a funny story about a halfling who put butter on his feet to make them soft and fell asleep. Poor fellow woke up with several cats licking his toes. He was laughing so hard he could barley breath."

"You heard about that?! That was my mother's uncle's second cousin twice removed, Barlo Hamflinger!" Ulthok exclaimed before reminiscing. "My mother always thought he had some gnome blood in him but that is neither here nor there I suppose. Fact is he had some mighty strange notions, and not nearly enough sense. I mean if you think the foot butter was funny then you should have seen what he tried in his hair! Not only did he whip up egg meringue twice a week to use as a hair treatment, but once he actually forgot he had it in and went outside still wearing it! As it turns out we learned a valuable lesson from him that day however, it would seem that crows really like meringue. To this day they say no halfing has ever run so fast into a river as ole Barlo! Though that must have been a shock to even him I would think, considering he is both rounder then a barrel and he can't swim. But anyway you look at it, it was indeed a good thing that he took that plunge with all those birds circling and pecking at his head. I did hear he couldn't grow hair for nearly a year after that though.. can you even imagine a soft footed halfling with only a few patches of scraggly hair? Quite a sight, or so I was told!"

The paladin smiled to himself, glad to see his comrade seeming to return to his old self, once again brought out by the halfling's antics.

"Enough chatter gentlemen. We have to get everyone across before the magic fades."

He waves them across, and further urges the rest on.

"Halflings and dwarves can walk and talk at the same time ya know. Not many blond dwarves." Cor laughed and continued across the room.

Agreeing with Cor Ulthok chimed in with a grin, "You know what Uncle Trapspringer always used to say! 'If you can't ride two horses at once, you shouldn't be in the circus.'"

"My grandfather warned my sister to stay away from the circus. Something about grandma running away to star as a bearded lady. Of course she had a beard; what dwarven female wouldn't. I don't understand what all the fuss was about."