It was while all were preparing for the next big action in our path to the sword Maggot had a thought, "I will use my Dispel Magic while these two use their mind. Perhaps the door will be more concerned about me then them." Maggot looked up at the door, "Yes the more fronts we attack upon the door the more it must defend overwhelm the evil before us." Maggot dropped his staff upon the top of his left foot and began to move his hands and chant in a long forgotten tung.

OOC will cast dispel magic upon the door at the same time as the other two attack the door with their mind.

The enchantress stood away from the door as Alasdair and his lover joined their minds against it. Perhaps they would prevail where magic had failed. Perhaps they would not. Only Haila's attempt to dispel the magics of the door had any affect and to that end little it had been. Still the spell had done something to the door. Maggot might well be right in his suspicions.

Readying herself Siréne stepped up beside the unkempt bard and began to spin a spell of her own. There was hope, slight though it may be, that with all their efforts combined the door would give way.

((OOC: Cast Dispel Magic at the door in tandem with Alastair, Althena, and Maggot's efforts.))

The party had faced hard trails and other tests before and working together had been successful in defeating them. This time was to be no different.

With Alasdiar and Althena locked together mind to mind the two psionic able party members assaulted the magically locked door before them. At once both could feel the intense magic guarding the door turn to stop the attempt, the magic almost as if alive or sentinent somehow. For a moment they seemed to gain headway, the magic a little weaker. However again as with Haila's spell the magic, though weaker then at first, was too strong to penetrate. It was here that the correct level of power needed to gain past the door's guarding magic was used.

Maggot, with Sirene in support, both did cast Dispel Magic at almost the same time. Both said spells hit within seconds of the other and just like that the guarding magic was gone. Though Maggot and Sirene were as yet unaware of this, Alasdair and Althena were not, having still been held at bay. With the doors magic gone Althena turned to the rest to speak of it.

"The door's guarding magic is gone thanks to Maggot and Sirene's spells. Ulthok you may apply your talents with no fear of magical attack."

For the rest it was now once again up to the parties lone thief to unlock and if needed detrap the door before them.


(DM OOC: Ok shorter then I wanted it to be but yet again my computer is on the fritz as it will not even load and I'm forced to use Mother's old one. Next post hopefully next Sunday, Halloween, as my comp goes back to the repairmen's house tommorrow.)

Clearing the after effects of their combine battle with the door from his head, Alasdair offers his love an embrace and turns to the rest of the group.

"Well done my friends. Assuming the door will soon fall to Ulthok's talents we have one less obstacle before us. Remember the plan we made for once we get inside the room. We have assumed that the treasures will attempt to ensnare us, but we have been wrong before. Stay together, and be prepared for something unexpected, as always."

That being said he stepped away from the door to allow Ulthok room to work his own form of magic.

With the doors magic gone Althena turned to the rest to speak of it.

"The door's guarding magic is gone thanks to Maggot and Sirene's spells. Ulthok you may apply your talents with no fear of magical attack."

Alasdair spoke up then .. "Well done my friends. Assuming the door will soon fall to Ulthok's talents we have one less obstacle before us. Remember the plan we made for once we get inside the room. We have assumed that the treasures will attempt to ensnare us, but we have been wrong before. Stay together, and be prepared for something unexpected, as always."
Kenji turned for a second to glance at the door through which they must pass… it didn’t look any different to his eyes as before… he turned and laid a hand on Ulthoks shoulder before he approached the door.

“If you fly back again I will try to catch you this time.” He smirked slightly at his rare joke and then turned back to keep an eye on the rear… now would be a worst time for something to come upon them.. he did keep and eye upon the door and Ulthok’s efforts.. just in case.

When the magic battle was won Maggot flipped his staff up into his right hand and then once more used it to lean upon, he took a few heavy breaths and then gave a smile to the Siréne, "Thank you for trusting." He then stepped back to allow Uthlok, Master of Shadows room to work.

"Well done lads and lasses! Seems teamwork has once again shown itself to be the key. Since Master Ulthok should make short work of any wee locks or traps on the door I suggest we partner up for the next room. I beleive the plan was to attempt to simply walk straight through the room to the far door touching nothing."

Cor looked to Kenji, "Would ya walk with me lad?"

Kenji turned to look at Cor when he spoke to him.. he gave him a blank look.. as usual and then nodded, "Hai!" He had no objection to walking with Cor.

"Well hello to you as well lad, but I believe we have already met." Cor winked at Kenji and hoped the warrior appreciated the joke.

Rayne took up her new bow, at Alasdair's words, notched an arrow and made ready to advance with the others. "It would be good if one with Divine Magic worked with fighters or magic users in their pairings." she reminded the others of the decision to go in twos or threes inc case of non-physical attacks.

"I recommend we decide before moving into the room. Those with fighter abilities ar Kenji, Cor, Conall, Haila and myself. Those with divine or arcane abilities are Cor, Conall, Cynil, Sirene, Haila Maggot, Ulthok and myself. So we overlap a lot. Also before we go in there I want to cast bless on us all. So gather into your your groups and let me do that first." She prays to her Deities for Blessings on her companions--her friends. The Ranger Cleric then speaks the words of her prayers so that blessing is cast on them all. Hopefully given defense against whatever else awaits them."

"Well done everyone." Cynil says as Alastair announced the for'smagic being gone. As Raye suggests, she moves up up and joins with Conall. He was her choice of partner in so many ways least of all this one. She already had in mine what animals she might change into. IF strength the Elephant who was not only strong but had the oh so mobile truck that could snatch and grab. If safe passage was needed across the floor and owl who also had sharp talons. If ferocity and strength,then a cave bear would be useful.

"You all know we cannot let our guards down just because the door's magic was negated. We need to let those best able to discern magical, physical and mental traps do their work. and everyone keep alert. There could be magical, mechanical or other dangers still active in this place."

The enchantress nodded to Maggot as he walked away from her. His suspicions had been correct and the combined power of their spells had banished the magics guarding the door. There was still the matter of actually opening the it but that was already in Ulthok's capable hands. Soon they would be entering the room and facing whatever trials within.

According to what Alasdair had seen it seemed likely that the sword they sought lay within the room. It might mean an end to these trials and a return to the open air. Siréne longed to be under the open skies again. Although she had only entered the mountain a few days ago her elven soul ached for freedom. Her people were not meant to be underground.

She took a deep breath and readied her mind for whatever trials might lay beyond them. The sword would seek to manipulate tempting them with their deepest desires. All would have to be strong. Utter focus was needed. So she waited stilling her mind to a single purpose.

"Well hello to you as well lad, but I believe we have already met." Cor winked at Kenji and hoped the warrior appreciated the joke.
Kenji's eyes narrowed slightly.. not getting the joke at all. He wasn't sure why Cor winked at him... whatever it was he only raised and eyebrow in wonder.

Cor saw that Kenji had not understood the joke. "T'was a joke my friend. 'Hi' is what we oft say when meeting new people and your 'Hai" of agreement sounded very similar. No offense was intended."

Cor watched as Cynil took Cannal as her walking partner. "I do not mean to be rude las but I think perhaps a diffenat partner would be more appropriate. Since the goal of teh partner is to keep the other from acting according to their own desires you might find that your desire for Connal to be happy would cloud your decision." Cor thought a moment and added, I suggest Kenji and I, Ulthok and Alasdair, Maggot and Halia, Connal and Sirene and lastly a group of three including Rayne, Althena and Cynil. Are there any objections to this?"

Trust…” A nod was returned to Maggot from the Enchantress Siréne. Maggot noticed at he moved away. He knew his smell must still be offensive to others who are so ripe with civilization still.

As the Lady Rayne listed off those with the ability of sword she left out Maggot’s name. He sheepishly began to raise his hand as if a schoolboy had just been pasted over for a part in the fall play. Then he heard his name among those who control the arcane arts. His hand fell back down to his side and he puffed out his chest just a bit, “To be named among the great moving up in the world Maggot old man,” he whispered to himself.

Maggot then heard Rayne was to also bless them. ‘It had been a long time since one had blessed him. He had forgotten what it was to be blessed by another. How would his god of old take it? Oh the look on her face if she knew that Maggot had fallen in with such a grand crowd.

As those began to pick whom they wish to walk with Maggot saw pairs he did not understand… “I don’t mean…” Cor began. Maggot then realized another had seen what he had seen. Then came the list, the pairing of the party. The Lady Halia was to walk with Maggot, ‘Poor woman, now that is a bad joke.’ Came a voice from deep inside Maggot. He glance over his shoulder and gave a slight chuckle.

If the lady Halia agrees to this list and approaches Maggot he will ask, “Do you wish to walk on the left or right?”