"Aye, then let us be off soon, friend, and not tarry," replied Allanan. "Shall we resupply in this town before embarking on this journey?"

[OOC: How far does the journey to this mountain look to take? 1-2 days? 3-5? 6-9? Just curious if we should stock up. Even if we do, Tann, I know it will likely only be for minor supplies (food stuffs and such) which we don't need to roleplay out, so feel free to move us towards the Mountain. We can backpost or PM you with the supply wishlist. Thanks!]

It had been clear to the party upon it’s entrance into this room and seeing the items placed before it, that color would play a major part in solving this test. Yet round after round the color combinations placed by the two Elvin ladies had failed to come up with the correct set and frustration had clearly set in.
Funny that it was to be the simple insight of the Paladin Conall that would be the solution that was so desperately needed. Sometimes the answer is closer then you suspect.

The first of the party to attempt to act this round was the lady Althena, however as she tried to rise back to her feet a sharp stab of pain flashed through her insides. The burning sensation of pain driving her back to her knees she knew at once it had nothing to do with any new attack upon her by the Boulder Mage. Feeling herself quickly starting to lose consensuses she sought out the position of the Dwarf Cor and called to him in a weak pleading voice.

“Help me Cor”

Then there was only blackness...........

Cor had turned and moved a short distance from the seemingly invulnerable creature before him to attempt the spell of Sanctuary, yet as he did so he could not help but notice the glowing smaller boulder creatures. His mind a draw between spell and thought he came to the awareness that perhaps that was where the Boulder Mage was gaining the power to wield his magical shield. Reversing his action for this round he yelled to the others.

"Kenji, Conall, Uthlok ignore the creature and kill the small ones! I believe they control our new foe!"

Axes to hand the Dwarf Knight Cleric headed back into the fray, his target the smaller glowing boulder creatures.

The next of the party to act was the Thief Mage Ulthok. Having heard Cor’s call he once again readied the spell of Acid Arrow and with a quick chant released it to easily hit a second glowing creature.
As had the first so too did this one die, yet no seemingly difference was there in the glowing shield around the Boulder Mage.

The Halfling Thief Mage could not help but for a moment wonder if Cor was wrong about the nature of the rest of these smaller creatures.

Kenji having looked to Cor and Conall for the answer of what to do next took Cor at his word and at once spun to attack the smaller boulders at his back. His first strike killed 2 and his second attack killed none as it never reached its intended targets. One moment the samurai was conscious the next a great burning sensation of pain ripped through him and without a word he fell to the ground unmoving.

Then it was once more Haila’s turn to act this round. Knowing the creature before her had stolen a number of memorized spells from her, and hearing Cor’s call to attack the smaller boulder creatures she readied the spell of Magic Missile and let all five fly.
She watched happy as each of the five missiles hit a separate creature and all of them died. Unfortunately this brought her to the attention of the Boulder Mage, who had also heard the words of Cor, and was responding to them.

“Forzare” spoken from his lips, his head turned, his blue gem of an eye flared and the Fighter Mage was hit fully by its lighting bolt attack. By a bad roll of the dice she failed her save and took the full force of the attack, slamming her back against the stone pedestal and next to Rayne and Cynil and onto her butt. Dazed, hurt, bleeding and barely conscious she for the moment was out of the fight.

Conall, of the attackers was the last to act this round, knowing the problem his love was having behind him along with Rayne to find the correct color combination his mind was in overdrive.
Suddenly remembering the words of the magic mouth at the beginning of these tests Conall replayed them to himself in his mind as he responded to Cor’s plan of attack.
Could it be so simple?

"Cynil! That verse earlier - 'Black-red, yellow-white, what is wrong and what is right.' What if that means that black is red, and yellow is white? the colors may still mix to make pink... But instead of red and white, it's black and yellow!"

With his thoughts made verbal he attempted to attack the nearest boulder creature to him.

“Kaxard” A bolt of solid magical ice slammed into the Paladin’s chest and sent him reeling to the side his attack upon one of the boulder creatures a miss. Once again saved from full damage by a successful roll he none the less was hurt regaining his balance he readied himself for another attack. The white ring on the boulders Mage’s right hand glowing.

“Dacaa” Cor felt as if he had been back handed by the fist of a giant as he was slammed across the room and away from the boulder creatures at the stone mage’s back by an invisible burst of force. A save rolled and made, he could still feel the pain of many a broken bone in his chest and arms as he landed on his back. The silver ring on the Boulder mage’s left hand glowing.

Finally it was up to the two Elvin ladies of the party to maybe somehow get the colors right. Heeding the words of Conall and Cynil, the Druid in tears, Rayne placed the next two colors as such…. Black and then Yellow pegs inserted……

At first nothing, the silence and lack of any visible change disheartening, then a loud click as if something long held in place was released and both ladies watched as the pink peg, clearly looser then it had been before, rose up to be easily removed if desired...............


THE SOUTHERN ALA-ZAH ROAD early morning 15 miles from Main
With a question asked, an answer given and an agreement between two new friends as to the course of travel, it was time to move towards the source of Allanan’s visions. Having been able to stock up for free, the trading caravan sorry to see Sirène leave but determined to help her and her new friend survive, they moved North as the caravan moved South.

By their reckoning the trip to the mountain would take roughly a day and a half. A night time camp and an early morning departure they would find themselves arriving at the mountains base the afternoon of the second day. Half of that and another night of rest and on the morn of the third day they could attempt to move up the mountains face.

What they would find and how to move up its face as yet undecided it was to be a play it by ear adventure. The first day’s travel went without trouble and when it finally came time to leave the Ala-Zah road and enter the wood line headed towards the mountain, both found that they had made good time gaining at least 3 hours on their initial time estimate. Yet night still found them at least 7 hours travel from the mountain’s base and a camp was set.

With Allanan on first watch he walked the perimeter of the camp, mind set on why he felt so strongly the need to come here. So deep in thought was he that he almost missed the sound of something or something’s moving in the woods around him. One or many he could not tell but he felt them to be evil, how he knew this again he did not know, but a fight was before him and his still sleeping Elvin companion...........

(DM OOC: Ok sorry for the day late post got caught up in all the opening day football games and was just too tired and mind locked to post last night. Ok good posting and my next post will have to be next Monday night as the Cowboys play Sunday night.)

After they set up camp and broke bread together, Allanan volunteered to take up the first watch, moving away from Sirene a bit to give her some privacy to fall asleep. It allowed him to meditate on the visions, dreams, and voices -- the images and sounds indelibly marked in his mind -- and to contemplate their meaning.

Time quickly passed by, but still Allanan understood little. In a moment of exasperation, the golden-haired man prayed, "M'Lady, I surrender myself to thy mystery. Embrace me, that I may follow in thy ways."

The sound of leaves crunching just outside the perimeter of the camp caught his attention, and in his spirit, Allanan felt the cold presence taint of something or things evil.

"May the Lady protect us!" Allanan spoke under his breath. His mind, in this tense moment of unknownness, reached out to Sirene, before his hand went to rouse the elven druid from her slumber. Wake up, m'lady! Wake up! his thoughts urged her.

"Friend, rise!" Allanan whispered urgently to her. "There be enemies at hand."

Caught between casting a spell, a physical attack and a call for aid Cor took a moment to deceide and so did nothign for a moment. If it had been anyone else calling for his aid he would have ignored them for the moment but Althena was a special case. Ignoring what were surely broken ribs of his own he moved to her side and began to cast heal. Just as he was about to cast he heard a click and knew it was the peg. "Take it out or push it in or turn it! Do something lasses. We might yet make it out of here alive. Everyone be ready to drag the injured out if we get a chance.!"

They will try to push the pink peg in and if that does not cause the door to open, they will try to pull it out.

(OOC: Sorry for the shot post, Jeanne/Brianna is in the Hospital and I have been up to my neck in errands and stuff.)

Conall reeled from the hit to the chest. This thing was new, and powerful. Which meant it was dangerous to Cynil. Which meant that it would not be allowed to live.

Panting, his body being strained, and physical exertion becoming a factor, Conall brought himself to raise his sword again, and beat his sword in his shield, giving himself adrenaline, and powering him. Pulling on magic while he does this, he casts a healing spell on himself.

"You... will... not... hurt... us... ANYMORE!!!"

With that utterance, Conall charges forward again, following Cor's initial advice, and moving to attack the smaller boulder creatures surrounding the larger mage. He channeled his pain and fury into his sword, striking at those near him.

Siréne lay in reverie, the meditative elven repose. Her eyes remained open to the world and yet were glazed over seeing not the world of men but rather the world of dreams. Yet wrapped in visions and dreams a voice of the world of men called to her.

Wake up, m'lady! Wake up!
The voice echoed in her dreams pulling her towards consciousness. She stirred slightly and then awoke to Allanan's call.

"Friend, rise!" he whispered urgently. "There be enemies at hand."

The enchantress sat up slowly peering into the night shrouded woods. Her eyes sought out what Allanan's human eyes could not see in the darkness.

Her eyes fluttered open slowly, things seemed to move around her in blurry slow motion. She was sitting infront of something hard, that much she knew. The faces around her were familiar, but she could not make out their words the ringing in her ears was still too fierce yet.

Desperatly she searched her memory and it came, the blue gem and then a bright white light and she was knocked off her feet. She had been distracted when she saw the blue gem flare, distracted for just a moment and she wasn't sure yet what that had cost her.

Instinctivly her hand moved toward the pouch on her belt. As she moved she felt pain rise up around her and she winced. The pain would have to be ignored for the moment though, and she pushed it aside as her fingers dug into the pouch finding the vial that contained a healing potion in it. Using her teeth she uncorked it and drank half of it before sliding the cork back in place and hiding it safely away.

Then her eyes closed and she leaned back a moment letting the tangy elixer work it's magic. Feeling the tingles of it running through her, subduing her pain and at the same time restarting her senses.

With a click seemingly as loud as that of a church bell ringing the pink peg finally seemed loose in its sheath of steel. The question now would it truly be the answer to the test of this room or just another ploy.

With the color combo of Black and Yellow having had finally some effect Rayne, added by Cynil, quickly reached over and grabbed the pink peg to hand. First as Cor had ordered a push, to no effect, then a pull and the pink peg was in her hand at last.

At once the feel of the room changed as a blast of fresh air seemed to be felt by each, and a door, slightly ajar appeared. However though finally a door and freedom from this test had found, it had appeared BEHIND the Boulder Mage and his glowing minions. To get to the door the party would still have to fight their way to it.

The first to act on Cor’s possible insight as to where the Boulder Mages power was coming from was Conall. With a quick spell of healing and the declaration of his stated desires the Paladin rushed forth into the boulder creature’s midst.

“Nannth” Only to be met with a bursting bubble of greenish liquid ACID!! His arms burning, his face stinging, and his armor, shield and sword smoking and starting to hole he charged on. The black ring on the Boulder Mages right hand glowing.

“Crrih” 3 small balls of fire streaked from the left hand of the Boulder creature the target of this attack both Rayne and Cynil. Possibly seeing that the two had freed the pink peg it had targeted them this round. With a sound as if firework rockets launching 2 did strike Rayne while the third impacted Cynil. Both Elvin ladies saves made they took on half the damage intended, the Bronze ring on the creatures left stone hand glowing.

“Forzare” The creatures third and final attack, it’s lighting bolt eye, was for the first time directed to the same target as that of a ring, thus was the Paladin Conall hit a second time this round. His save for himself and his armor made the lightening bolt again failed to electrocute him but more damage he did take. The combination of acid and lightening damage high the Paladin could not help a misplacing of his feet to fall and slide into the midst of the glowing boulder creatures upon his stomach somewhat scattering them. However as they had since the Boulder Mage’s appearance none did attack him, all yet motionless and glowing.

While these events took place Cor the prominent healer of the group had heard the call of Althena for help. With but a small moment of hesitation, his dwarf blood calling for battle, not healing, he moved to her side. Casting his most potent spell of curing, the spell Heal, he watched as her wounds mended and life once again stirred behind her closed eyes. Yet she did not awake and her face though unmarked yet had a tinge of green. Clear it seemed to the Knight Cleric something was not right about the women he held in his arms.

Haila dazed for the moment slowly came back to her sense of surroundings finding herself up against the rooms far wall. Knowing almost at once, though helped by a mental signal from Niamedris, that she was gravely injured she did the only thing she could. Taking her have filled vial of Extra-Healing she downed it all. At once she felt better and more alert and though not fully healed, she was once again ready to join the fray. Seeing the newly opened door, the young Fighter Mage knew that freedom was at hand.

FOREST AREA BELOW DROW MOUNTAIN late evening first day
Though the days travel for the new friends had gone without a hitch, the night was not to be so as sounds from the shadows beyond the tree’s was heard. Awaking the Elvin lady Siréne he informed her of the possible lurking danger and with her ability of infravision she was able to confirm it by seeing the creatures heat..

Moving through the tree’s, so quickly as if a part of them, were a number of humanoid figures their bodies glowing a weird color of red in some area’s of their bodies yet none at all in other area’s of body itself. No weapons could she tell they carried or manner of armor worn, but both did not have long to wait as a hail of arrows did fall around them. Poorly shot and clearly not at all aimed, as if sensing they had been discovered, the two were lucky to escape this first attack with no hits upon them. But as the Lady watched the creatures turned and moved to attack.

(DM’s Post: Ok good posting, well there you have it folks the way out lets see if ya can live long enough to get there . Also again a welcome goes out to our newest player, Miss Merideth, good first post my Lady.
Otay next post, next Sunday as I‘m headed to Dallas and the Cowboys new stadium next Monday Night.)

A click and an open door heralded a chance for survival if the party could just make it out of the room.

Cor tended to Althena and watched as he wounds healed; yet something was still amiss as evidenced by the sickly green hue to her skin. 'Blast the luck!' Cor thought to himself. 'Now I have to miss more of the fight. What have I done to earn this misery Odin?' Finslly the elder cleric spoke as he prepared his next move.

"Everyone target the small creatures near the door! If we can cut a path through them we might can escape. Donna wait for others if ya have a clear path out. No sense in us all getting blasted ta dust." Cor began to cast again hoping his instincts were right. If it was posion that flowed thru Althena's veins his spell would negate it quickly.

OOC: So going to watch the Cowboys second attempt for a first win in the new stadium huh? Watch out for punts deflecting off the giant TV.

DM OOC: Careful Major I hold your wife's precious homemade Pittsburg Steelers pellow in my evil DM hands Muhahahahahaha

After the terrible anxiety of dealing with the puzzle, this added stress of having friends and loved ones being hurt was to much for the delicate Druid. Stepping away from the stone pillar, Cynil become an elephant. trumpeting her charge, 4-5 tons of angry female elephant rushes forward to defend her family. She charges the small creatures intent on stomping them into goo.

(It's not nice to piss off a follower of Mother Nature.)

As Siréne stared into the night strange human-like creatures began to emerge in the darkness. Their heat patterns were strange and the elf narrowed her eyes at the sight of the unnatural red glow that limned their bodies. As if in answer to her apprehension a rain of arrows fell upon she and Allanan passing between them to land harmlessly into the ground.

Shifting her head slightly in Allanan's direction she whispered, "Make ready, my friend, they are nearly upon us."

As those words left her lips she focused her attentions on the oncoming creatures. With gesture and word she began to call forth the power of the unseen world spinning a matrix of chaos directly into their minds.

(OOC: Casts Chaos centered on the oncoming creatures.)

Conall pants heavily, having been repelled constantly by the boulder creature with the gems in his hand as he tried to attack the smaller ones. However, a faint click woke him from his rhythm, as he noticed that a door had opened on the other side of his adversaries. Conall then had an idea pop into his head.

"If anyone has a bow, or some manner of ranged weapon, now would be the time to use it! Attack the smaller creatures!"

Conall also prepped another healing spell, in case it was needed. He was about to swing when a thought occurred to him. With this thought in mind, Conall decided to wait until the boulder mage has cast his spells before moving in to attack the smaller creatures. Hopefully, the casting of the spells would leave him to weak to retaliate as Conall attacked the others.

Rayne breathed a sigh of relief, while she drew he bow and arrows to fight the boulder creatures with the others. Freedom was so close, she could see it behind the Boulder Mage.

Hearing Connall's cry to attack the smaller creature with ranged weapons, Rayne took aim and fired.

"Make ready, my friend, they are nearly upon us," Allanan heard Siréne whisper, just as he was able to make out the forms at the edge of their camp.

Eleven, he counted as he drew his sword, the balance of it in his hands bringing him a measure of comfort.

“May the Lady watch over us!” Allanan encouraged his elven friend, even as he drew forth his shield and took a readied stance in front of Siréne.

[OOC: Not exactly sure if I can do all of this in one round, but here’s what I’m hoping for, in this order:

1)Draw his sword and shield.

2)Take a slight step in front of Siréne in an effort to shield her (though not to get in the way of her casting).

3)Take a “ready” action ? (that’s what it’s called in 3.5, I believe). Basically, Allanan is waiting for the bad tree-bark dudes to come to him. He is attempting to shield himself and Siréne from missile fire, and melee attack those that come charging in. I’ll let you sort out how that plays out in a round, Tann… ]