A chill rushed through Siréne as she released the invisibility and its magic was ripped from her fingertips. The enchantress hissed, her brows knitting in concentration. Magic came to their call, but just as quickly it slipped from their fingers. Was it the tower that stole if from them?

She needed to know more, if it was all magic or if there were spells that would survive the tower's hunger.

Opening herself to the divine feminine, Siréne felt immediately the Dark Mother's presence flowing through her. There was power there, but hidden deeper within those black depths was knowledge. Even a novice priestess could ask the Goddess for a sign or omen of the future. Perhaps such a simple trick would be too small for the tower to notice. Perhaps it would be all they needed.

Raising her head high, Siréne intoned her prayer, "Dark Mother. Lady of Mysteries. Keeper of the Deep. Does the center door before me hold the passage back to our own time?"

Speaking the words, she waited for some sigh, a rustling of the dust or a change in the air. And if the tower stole her prayer, she would have an answer to another question...

((OOC: Casts Augury))

Rayne quickly sketched out her map, then turned back to the rest of the party. Roan's spell seemed to not work inside the tower, as if the tower itself was absorbing the magical energy. Sirene's spell too, seemed to have a similar effect.

As the spellcasters began to test out what nagics the tower would absorb, Lothor spoke up.

"If anyone has some extra cloth I can use it to sweep a part of the room where we can rest. I'd rather not use my cloak."

Rayne replied, "I have a towel in my backpack, if you would like to use it?" If Lothor did want to, she would hand it to him as he swept away some of the dust. Hopefully, resting in here with the dust would not have the same effect as the big dust cloud that they teleported past.

As the party continued on what they were doing, Rayne slowly paced around the room. She listened for any possible indication that something may be outside the 3 remaining doors; though, she doubted she would notice anything. With all the dust, it was more likely that they would remain undisturbed should they remain here.

The party had searched the room and found no more clues. Ulthok listened as Roan asked his god for direction.

"Oh Lord Odin, I come to you now in my hour of need. I and my party seek a path to our home time. The one called Allenan spoke of a place steeped in powerful magic, enough that we may be transported back. If you favor us, all father, and I pray you do, Show Me the Path."
For a brief moment a light appeared within the flying dust pointing directly down, as if to show the path led below their feet, then it was gone.

With brief laugh Ulthok commented," Well at least we know we don't have to go up the tower. Perhaps you should have been more specific and asked which door should we go through."

Lothor then volunteered to start cleaning the room so they might rest and take a meal. "If anyone has some extra cloth I can use it to sweep a part of the room where we can rest. I'd rather not use my cloak."

Rayne replied, "I have a towel in my backpack, if you would like to use it?"

The Halfling raised a hand to the fighter Lothor," Rest easy friend, this dust will be gone in a moment. As a young apprentice we are drilled with simple task spells to keep us busy , give us practice and keep our teachers lab clean. There is simple Cantrip called of all things "Clean" that will serve nicely for us now."

With that the small mage swirled his hand and exhaled in an audible whoosh.

(O.O.C. If all went well there will be a large clean area of the floor where the party can rest.)

"Now I suggest before we venture through one those we eat and rest. We don't know what may await us in the lower chambers. I for one need to study to regain my spells or I will only be of value as lock pick and very small fighter."
With that Ulthok made a place to rest for him and Peri and brought out his Tome of Magic and began studying again.

With Ulthok's reminder of needing to rest to regain his spells the party focus turned to creating a semi-livable space.

Cor, not one to take anything for granted, began a more intensive search using his natural dwarven ability to search for secret or sliding stones. However after five minutes of concentrated searching he found nothing.

As Cor searched, and Rayne drew her map, Lothor knew that a space had to be cleaned of the setting dust and called out for something to move and clear the dust. Before Rayne could hand him an offered towel Ulthok spoke up. Though having no spells the Halfling mage still had a thing or two up a sleeve. A hand gesture and a blown breath and quickly a dust cleared area big enough for the seven to rest.

As each claimed a space and begin setting up their gear to clean and eat. Cor returned from his finished search the Lady Sirene was beginning another one. Raising her head high, the Elf Enchantress intoned her prayer.

"Dark Mother. Lady of Mysteries. Keeper of the Deep. Does the center door before me hold the passage back to our own time?"

Woe and death before you lay
Center path straight night and day
Sweat music of death the price we'll pay
Priceless blades of destruction
At the place of power lay.

Then as the spell faded everyone could hear a last line spoken bringing un-asked for chills to each member.

Evil Red Eye glorious.................

(DM OOC: Ok here's my post for this Sunday. I'm assuming your gonna bed down for the most part with Ulthok re-memorizing his spells. If there are any other spell changes let me know. If not then spell lists will remain as is.
Ok next post next Sunday the 29th of May.))

As the final breath of her prayer left her lips, Siréne felt the divine essence of the Dark Mother wrap around her and embrace her wholly. There in the dark depths she found light. Reaching for it, Siréne breathed in the illumination, letting it fill her being.

From deep within the light shone through and she sang of its glory and doom. The words poured from her lips in a voice that was her own and yet not. As if with one voice and a chorus of one thousand, Siréne sang the prophet song.

"Woe and death before you lay
Center path straight night and day
Sweet music of death the price we'll pay
Priceless blades of destruction
At the place of power lay
Evil Red Eye Glorious..."

With a final utterance, the Dark Mother left her and Siréne deflated, a fey priestess once again. The weight of her words hung heavy in the air like a suffocant threatening to swallow hope. This dark place wanted nothing more than to consume them. Yet within this darkness there was a light still dawning. Like a single star in the night sky, it would light their path.

I thank you, Great Mother. From the depths of my all, I give thanks.

Turning once again to face her companions Siréne spoke, "You have all heard the words of the Dark Mother. We have a path before us, we have only to take it." Pausing the enchantress let her watery cerulean gaze pass over all. "Let us rest for now, and with the dawning day take our first steps towards home."

Ulthok looked up to the Enchantress," Well here we go. Sounds like we take the center door. Look for more enchanted swords and try to avoid death.... Well we best prepare."

Ulthok opened his Tome of Magic and began pouring over the pages while Peri snuggled next to him. Soon the the Halfling heard the peaceful breathing and light snore of the little creature. The Mage nibbled at his rations as he studied and had set out an apple for Peri where she woke.

(O.O.C. If I don't send any different spells to you Tann then I'll just use the set we started with.)

Lothor didn't understand magic. He knew he didn't. That bothered him. He was well aware that there others in the group smarter than he was, but he was far from a dullard. So being so completely ignorant about a topic made him uneasy. This was probably the source of his earlier dislike of magic. He disliked what he didn't understand. But as time had gone on (And now back, but whatever...) he had learned a thing or two and with familiarity had come, not comfort, but at least a reduction in fear and dislike.

But this spell fizzling made him uneasy. One spell had failed. But the invisibility had worked. And the cantrip to clean up (See, magic could be quite useful!) had worked. And the augury spell had worked. Why did some spells work and not others? Were they of a different type? He wondered, but knew this was an answer that was beyond him.

Interpreting the words of a goddess was also probably beyond him as well. But since when had he let a little ignorance stop him from trying? The words were not pleasant. Swords, death and an eye. Hmmm. That sounded like just about every other day in this groups life. Had any of them really expected anything different? So the goddess had told them to expect exactly what they had all been expecting anyway. Bad stuff. But at least they knew which way to go to find it.

Apparently his search of the floor had found nothing, just as Cor's search had. Finished, and with no need to clean the floor, Lothor took his turn on watch and otherwise took his rest. they would head out down the central path when the others were ready. His trusty sword was never far from his hand.

When magic failed it was time to turn to other methods. "Seems we will have ta do this the old fashioned way; explore. The middle door is as good as pick as any." Cor made ready to move.

With 4 of the 7 party members in agreement the center path to the north was taken. With Ulthok once more at full spells and the Ranger/Cleric Roan in the lead they headed through the crumbled wooden door and down the stone constructed hallway. As they moved they passed a number of empty rooms covered in dust and long empty anything of wood rotted away to add to the debris on the floors.

After an hour of walking they found themselves before another wooden door in the same shape as the rest crumbled and rotted in time. As Ulthok still checked for traps and dangers the party entered the room. For the first time since entering the Cyclops tower the room was not empty.

Before them the party could see rested ten box shaped objects, of a heavier type of wood, seven feet long by four foot wide. Even covered in dust the party can tell the surfaces worn away to nothing, any writing, runes or markings lost. The room empty but for these ten wood shaped boxes.

((OOC: Ok here is this weeks post and finally you found something. Ok next post next Sunday (Keeping fingers crossed) Have fun and again Happy Memorial Day.))

Lothor travelled along the main hallway glancing into the side rooms growing more concerned with each stride. Of course, already being in a magical cyclops tower already had him on edge, but the never-ending hallway was an additional concern. The tower hadn't been this big on the outside, he was sure of it. Was this the famous Tardit? (Time and Relative Dimensions in Towers?)

But eventually even never-ending hallways reach their destination. or, at least, this one did. The group looked into a room with 10 large dust-covered boxes. 10? That seemed an ominous number for sarcophagus' (sarcophagi?).

"Before we clean those things off and disturb the dust, let us see if the dust has any stories to tell." With that the big warrior stepped carefully into the room and tried to inspect the dirt and grime. Was there any evidence in the dust or elsewhere that any of the boxes had been moved or opened? Were any of them cleaner than others? Was there evidence of movement at any point along the walls or floor. For good measure he even looked up at the ceiling. Did the dirt and dust have a story to tell?

When that task was done he would step aside and let the cleaners have at their task.

"We all know we are gonna have ta open the boxes. Maybe the item we seem is inside, maybe not. Only way ta know is look. If it is the wraithes, perhaps they are not yet fully formed and as powerful as they are in our time."

They walked and walked and walked, and the hallway continued. Like the never ending passage into the underworld, this quiet travel lasted on into eternity. All the while, despair hung thick in the air. Every step was a reminder of what had been lost, and more so, what could be lost.

At long last their journey ended and they came to a dark room. Siréne hissed at the sight of the 10 ominous wooden boxes. Despite the patina of age, thoughts of the wraiths threatened to consume her. The depths of hell ever sought to claim them.

And although she knew what she would find, Siréne fully awakened her fey senses to seek out magic where it hid.

((OOC: cast detect magic))

Roan moved ahead, his eyes darting to and from the room, analyzing for any form of danger.

When he was sure there was nothing but the ominous ten boxes in the room, he looked at them carefully, listening to all the party members.

He waited before proceeding allowing Lothar to inspect while he also tried to gather any information from the dust. Though he suspected it would be a futile effort.

As he finished, He clutched his holy symbol as a form of reassurance and nodded in agreement with Cor.

"I agree. We'll have to open the boxes eventually.".
Although I'd rather not. This situation is.. unsettling.
OOC Edit: (Changed rayne to Cor)

Instead of using her towel to wipe the floor, Ulthok reminded them that he had the cantrip clean. As he cast the spell, the dust cleared away, giving them a place to rest. Raene returned her towel back to its waterproof bag. There would be no need to completely wash it when they returned.

When they began to prepare for their rest, Sirene uttered a prayer to her goddess, and it was answered. The final line left a chill over Rayne and the rest of the party. There was little mention of it, as the party contemplated exactly what it could mean. After that, the remainder of the rest was uneventful.

After they had all prepared, they moved forwards, as decided by the party. They pushed open the decrepit wood door, and began up the hallway. They encountered several rooms; however, none of them meant anything. There was no opponents, traps, or items of value.

The air was stagnant, even more so then other caves and dungeons. The musty smell of undisturbed rot, from the doors and chairs, seemed to stick to her as she continued onward. Dust blanketed everything. She had expected to have to fight her way to the Cyclops.

Finally, they pushed open another door; this time, however, there were boxes inside. They were long covered in dust. Lothor began to investigate the dust, and Cor voiced his opinion to open the sarcophagi. Rayne nodded to Cor. They hadn't found anything else, so they pretty much had to investigate the boxes. She readied her bow, waiting for exactly what was inside.

"Well, let git ta doing. Any box is as good as any other ta start. Cor moved to a random box (GM make a dice roll to see what box is chosen). I say we start here. Who wants ta help open it and who wants ta stand beastie watch?"