Maggot saw Kenji move on, more caution in his steps and alertness was about him. Maggot whispered back to the others, "Well is seems it is our turn to watch the back of our friend from a far off land," Maggot also began to move forward. With a whisper to Kenji, "It is our turn to fallow you, lead on Kuroi osu ushi." Maggot hopped he said those last words correctly. It had been a long time sense he had used them.

"I wonder if we nae might meet undead squirrels next at this rate?" Cor lauged. Tension was in the group were high and he hoped to break it. Let us move on but keep eyes open for naught has been as it appeared so far. But Kenji is right; standing around here will nae do us any good."

"Undead Squirrels?" Maggot gave a shutter, "I hope not. To many times in my past I have been called nuts."

Cynil keep a wary eye about her in this place as she soars upwards the trees. Her wings flap vigorously while her cries echo to keep her aware of where she was and if anything took flight towards her as she investigated this strange phenomenon of the trees down here. Truly by there size alone, they were ancients of their species. If they were now dead it would be a sad loss.

first she flew around and between them then flew to their branches so that she could feel if there was life still in them.Though to her own understanding it would not be likely being so long shut off from the light.

Rayne played her silent role, a watch wariness in a place full of dangers both suspected and unsuspected. Team work had brought them this far. the had suffered loss, and made gains both of what was thought lost and those who had come late to this quest. However they had arrived to this point or returns, they were her companions and those she would work with to achieve their goals-to finish these tests and for Althea to gain the sword to whatever end it would have. Such evil should never be allowed to see the light of day.

Of course that is why they were here to put and end to that sword and it evil. Rayne's thoughts strayed to the the end of the quest and her return to the upper world. Her companions.

No she could not let such thought or longings take her away form here and now or there might not be the end she desires.

Putting those thoughts away for now and until this was done, Rayne returned her full attention to her surrounds and her companions. She took Maggots words to heart and warily scans the dark murky pool.

"Well, it seems we have no choice but to move forward. I agree that we should beware the pool though, since we know not what may lay in its depths."

Sword drawn and at the ready, the paladin/psionicist begins to make his way across the room towards the opposing tunnel.

With no indication that the 5 tree’s before them bore any sort of threat, the party this time with Kenji in the lead, started moving towards the exit on the rooms far side. Though the small walkways bordering the tree’s were quite slippery, both Maggot and Conall coming close to falling into the pool of brackish water at the base of the dead tree’s, the whole party managed to make it across without incident. The easiest of course being that of Cynil yet in bat form, that form also allowing her to reach the opening leading out of this area first. With her bat senses she was able to detect a new passage running east then turning to the south. However not wanting to out distance the rest of the party she waited for them to catch up.

With the party once more together, the 5 dead tree’s having not been a trap or some such threat in disguise, the party, with Ulthok once more in the lead, moved further yet following this path. Shortly they once again found themselves in a second cavern empty but for a number of bubbling pools of awful smelling liquid, a smell clearly unhealthy for anything alive. Wasting no time in wondering if there be danger about the 8 humanoid party members and 1 bat moved quickly across the large area.

Then back to following a stone tunnel with many a twist and turn, that Cor being the parties only dwarf, knew after about 10 minutes began to slant ever so slightly upward. With 20 more minutes of traveling the party found themselves standing on a 20’ by 20’ ledge in yet another large underground opening, the largest they had been in by far and quite humid for so far underground. Though bigger then normal eyes could gauge, thanks to Alasdair’s psionic ability, the party’s torches, and a strong source of light within they saw below them in almost the center of that strong source of light a sight of wonder.

Before the party of 9 a few miles away was a silver and gold colored pyramid incased in a glowing sphere of magical light, clearly the source of the cavern’s light, and the likes of which none of them had seen before. Though in many ways like the Great Pyramids of Desolation in the Ageless Desert, this one was clearly different in size and make, for instead of stone, this pyramid was made of pure steel bricks inlaid with gold and tiered to appear to have, unlike the Great Pyramids with their 10 floors, only 4 floors within it.

Continuing their examination of the sight before them the party could see a pair of side by side entrance doors, appearing unlike the rest of the pyramid to be made of bronze and incased in their own bright glow of magic separate from that of the magical sphere surrounding the pyramid. The possible twin bronze doors themselves were flanked by a number of stone columns, 8 in all, depicting nude women in various poses, all of them holding swords. Outward from the Pyramid, thanks to the magical light, itself quite bright, the party could see perhaps a mile or so from the entrance doors a large ravine type opening appearing to encircle the structure and disappearing into the darkness to the rear of the pyramid itself. The width or the depth of the ravine for the moment unknown due to distance, none of the party could see a visible way across from where they did gaze.

Again thanks to the strong light from the pyramid the party could see that from where they stood upon the ledge the floor of the cavern closet to them was as if a jungle. A jungle consisting of twisted tree’s, clinging vines, multi colored flowers, and hip high grayish grass covering everything right up until 30 feet from the ravine’s edge. This last 30 feet seemingly clear of anything living. To the parties right, Ulthok was the first to spot a walkway 15 feet wide leading from ledge to ground. The twisting stone slope a travel distance down of roughly 400 yards, ending at the jungles edge.

Now Cynil, as yet still in bat form, decided at her own discretion to take the opportunity to fly across the whole of the open area, her words telling the others as to her plans, only sounding to them as squeaks. Off she went with her bat senses going strong and in 10 minutes of flight was able to judge it to be from party till the caverns far sided end roughly 3 miles long by 2 miles wide. The total distance she sensed from the parties position on the ledge to the pyramids front doors, not counting the sloping way down, was roughly a mile and a half away, with the half a mile being from ledge to ravine and all jungle infested landscape. Sensing life below her she flew closer to the ground on the inside of the ravine towards the temple to sense quite a number of large slug like creatures roughly 9” in size perhaps 150-200+ in all. Her senses on full alert Cynil could tell what ever these slug like creatures were they were clearly quite carnivorous as some appeared to be eating on a number of their own dead.

Back upon the ledge as the rest of the party continued to gaze on the building before them, a soft, yet strong voice spoke from the back, intruding on the silence of the moment, the voice belonging to Althena, her gaze fixed upon the pyramid before them.

“The Sword, the Sword, it’s in there”.............

(DM OOC: Ok we have come to the yearly Christmas/New Years 3 week break from Monday Dec 20th till Sunday Jan 9th and as you can see your goal is in sight!! The Sword that this party and various players have been seeking in some form or other for over 6 years is finally attainable. Now feel free to post and interact among your characters as much or as little as wanted, but please get at least 1 post in before Jan 9th so I know what each of you is doing.

Also I will be putting up a Recruitment thread to fill the empty slot of Ulthok once more so if you know someone maybe interested in the character have them post a sample of their writing on that thread and I will get back to them. Also I have decided not to fill the character slot of Sirène as to bring the player count of the game back down to 8 and make it a little bit more manageable once again.

Ok then, I wish each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and I hope this year finds each of us in good health and spirits. See ya back here in January

Alasdair gazes out from the precipice in awe. That a place like this could even exist so far below ground was simply beyond his comprehension, let alone the sheer intensity the pyramid below them seemed to radiate. They were close, like Althena he could feel it, but he would not rush to the end.

"All too often it is when the goal is within sight that failure is just as near. Be careful all, and let us not rush to our doom."

After looking out over the scene before him for a few moments and listening to the incomprehensible squeeks of his friend-turned-bat an idea began to sprout in his mind.

"The forest below likely holds any number of dangers we cannot see from here. If at all possible I would like to avoid it. The only way I can think to do that is to fly over it to the pyramid."

He ponders the possibility a bit more in his mind.

"I am simply thinking out loud here, but I imagine those who hid the Sword would not make it that easy. Is there a way we can find to detect any manner of magical field surrounding the pyramid that would prevent us from flying to it? If of course, we can figure out a way to fly us all there to begin with... Perhaps the edge of the forest below would give us the supplies to make wings, of a sort, to allow us to glide to the pyramid like our bat friend. In any case, I suggest we rest a bit here, where we can easily see any threat that approaches. If we have to enter the forest, even if only for vines and timber, I for one, would like us to have every spell, power, and well-rested sword arm at our disposal."

He looks to the others for further suggestions or disagreement, then moves away from the edge a bit sits down to rest a bit.

Rayne had seen many things in her long life,, uyet standing her on the edge of the precipice and staring down at the pyramid shedding light that illuminated this underworld so that things could be clearly seen was right up there with the top contenders. was one of the most awesome sights she had ever seen, Perhaps it was the contrast that made it so. They had been in dark and dim places for so long that to see such a sight enlightened the soul.

The ranger/cleric was mindful that what they sought was not every close at hand. TI had been such a long and arduous journey, Many lives lost, some to a known end some unknown. that thought saddened her. She would, if she got out of here alive have a bard write of the exploits of all who had taken part. Those who were lost before she had joined at least she had a few that had started this quest that could tell of those so that story would be complete. With the worse behind the the worst was yet to come.

Rayne was ready to get this done.

Kenji, the Samurai, is not easily amazed, yet he gazes out at the sight of the vast underworld and it’s pyramid at its heart with a expression of awe and wonder. He quickly regains his composure and glances around a bit as if to see if anyone noticed the slip in his countenance.

“The Sword, the Sword, it’s in there”............. Althena said to the party her gaze fixed upon the pyramid.
“I would imagine that would be the place to keep it,” Kenji nodded his agreement though he knew that Althena’s words came from her strange connection to the evil sword they sought and that if she said it was in there then there could be no doubt.

"All too often it is when the goal is within sight that failure is just as near. Be careful all, and let us not rush to our doom." Alasdair was the next to speak.

"The forest below likely holds any number of dangers we cannot see from here. If at all possible I would like to avoid it. The only way I can think to do that is to fly over it to the pyramid."
Kenji blinked at the man’s words, “Fly?” he said softly. While the man feared nothing, even death, he had some ‘apprehension’ about the thought of flying over that vast openness. He turned to look out at the pyramid and while he would silently admit that to ‘fly’ would indeed bypass the dangers that would no doubt be lurking below; he didn’t know how they would accomplish that feat. Also, he still didn’t like the idea of flying; since he couldn’t fly he knew that if he was to do it then it would be with the assistance of magic from one of the casters and then he would not be in control. That fact is what caused him to feel the idea was not one that he would like to attempt.

Alasdair continued .. “If of course, we can figure out a way to fly us all there to begin with... Perhaps the edge of the forest below would give us the supplies to make wings, of a sort, to allow us to glide to the pyramid like our bat friend. In any case, I suggest we rest a bit here, where we can easily see any threat that approaches. If we have to enter the forest, even if only for vines and timber, I for one, would like us to have every spell, power, and well-rested sword arm at our disposal."
Wings? Kenji frowned at the thought; now he was talking about making wings? Out of what? Kenji liked this idea not one bit, but for now he kept to himself and waited to see what the others thought. Maybe they would come up with some other idea that didn’t involve lunacy!

He did think the idea of resting was a good one; as Alasdair moved to the edge, Kenji took up a position behind the group and lowering his pack to the ground he laid out a blanket and sat down upon it. Removing his swords he set them next to him yet within easy reach and sat facing the tunnel from which they come. He still had the feeling something was following them and right or wrong he wasn’t going to let his guard down now. He rested but did not sleep now, but keep his vigilance.

Maggot stepped out into the light with the others, the sight was beauty to behold after the darkness that had filled the last few days. It was then he heard the gasps and awes from the others. He quickly turned and beheld the look upon his companions’ faces. Joy, happiness, fear, wanting filled all their faces and yet none at the same time, “If eyes are the windows to one’s soul, yours are filled with uncertainty.” Maggot then turned and looked back out over the vastness that was, “But what an uncertainty that is.”

"Perhaps flying is a bit ambitious but surely our arcane casters can teleport. It may take a few trips to get us all across but it will be quicker than walking." Cor looked to the casters for a response.

Cynil had returned to her own form as they left the trees and theil mysteries. The saw the evidence of the light in the darkness before they beheld the great monument that the light was shed by. This is what they had be striving to get to This was the place where the final stages of their quest had brought them to. All the trials and tribulations, the losses had been to get to here. However their quest was not finished the final end was not known. Unconsciously Cynil pressed herself against Conall as the groups stood rather quietly for a long moment, each with their own thought about the implications of what this all meant and perhaps even in wonder of this place so far underground. A light in the Darkness. And they were going to try to end that Dartkness.

Cynil had no solutions for the decent except for herself.

With the parties present goal before them, ways to reach it were discussed with flight seeming to be the top choice, teleport a close second. However for the moment the spell casters were not equipped with enough spells of either.

“If you want us to try to fly or teleport I for one will need to relearn my spells. However though I do have the spell Teleport, I do not have Flight and I do not have such a spell to mass Teleport us. Ulthok, Sirene or you Maggot, do any of you have such a spell, do you have some type of Mass Teleport?” Asked Haila of the other spell casters, hoping for some positive feedback.

“Though I have flight I do not have the spell of Teleport available to me, it is not one that I know at this time.” Replied Sirene to Haila’s question. The two female spell caster’s then turned to look at both Maggot and Ulthok awaiting any reply from the two male Mages of the group. During this time Cynil had returned to the rest of the party and once again resumed her normal Elvin form. After telling all, of the creatures and sights she had seen, she pressed herself to Conall’s side and awaited a choice to be made. For now the party as a whole was quiet pondering the task of what lay before them and how to reach this new goal in sight.


(OK everyone we are once again active the holiday break yet again done!! Ok get your posts in and let me know how your going to try to get from point A, your present locale on the ledge, to point B, the Pyramid of steel. Next post next Sunday and I hope everyone had a good pair of Holidays.)

"I would caution against teleporting too near to the pyramid. I admit to not having too much knowledge about things arcane but I would imagine that it would be protected against such relatively simple methods of reaching it. That is why I suggested a more mundane approach. Perhaps we could teleport into the forest near the edge of the pyramid's clearing. Though that would put us in danger from the slugs, and we would be more likely to teleport into something solid. That is one experience I hope never to have."

His tone is not at all condescending, simply thoughtful and questioning.