An Evil Unleashed

Plot Summary
The group are still where the Orc-guardian exploded into flame and died. Faelnon discovers the meaning behind the start-chart, but what it does. He reads them aloud. Nothing. Then, a golden figure appears, a beautiful female with golden hair, she instructs the group to a 'village' north of Viirnal; to find the Creators of the Gifts. They promptly set off there.

Within two days the group arrive at the village, but it has been completely destroyed. It is a costal village and several ship wreck line the beach. Faelnon investigates one and discovers a scroll of interest, which he passes to Mihwen to translate. He spots a building that has oddly remained fully intact. As he nears it tumbles forward and lands of an emblem embedded in the sand. The group are quite unnerved by this emblem, but carry on into the building. They move to the only room in the building and found a stone with a bow-shape carved out. Faelnon takes the Elven-Gift bow and places it in its shape. The room flashes brightly and the group appear in a separate room. There is only one exit out of this room, as the group pass through it they find a Gnome puffing gently on a pipe, lying on a couch near a fireplace. The Gnome takes out several scrolls, revealing plans and blueprints of the prison in which the Evil is kept and various other items of interest. He states that he is not the creator, but does know a lot about them.

They take all of the scrolls and head back to the other room, through the odd teleportation system and reappear in the first building. As they exit they stop to take a closer look at the emblem. Dramicus stands closer than the others. Trees and bushes blow in the wind gently when suddenly a figure dashes from the bushes and brings a dagger down on Dramicus' chest. Dramicus collapses onto the emblem, his blood filling it. The emblem begins glowing and a light dissolves Dramicus' body. The figure reveals himself to be Shandor. Another Shandor. This second Shandor delivers a message saying that the Evil has been released. Death is coming. He mutates into some kind of lizard creature before it explodes into acrid smoke. The group bow in silence for the memory of Dramicus as they ponder what to do next.

Eventually they set off towards Tildruin as fast as their horses can carry them.

Full Logs

[Narrator] Previously On the 'Quest'

[Narrator] The group have collected all of the Gifts, and now their mission is nearly complete. The scroll revealing the Orc Gifts had a start-chart attached, but why has not been explained.

[Narrator] Now On the 'Quest'

[Narrator] The group are still where the Orc-guardian died. It is mid-morning and the group are still fatigued. The day is warm and the sun is shining down on the woods.

Shandor looks about.

Dytalorien stretches and yawns, grinning.

Shandor is slightly unnerved by being so close to a corpse that decided to spontaneously combust, but dismisses it.

Lesharn pats his flute humming a weary tune.

Echnaton somehow seems not in the mood to rise

Shandor sneezes.

Faelnon shouts suddenly, 'Yes! I think I have it!'

Shandor rubs his ears in mock pain and asks, 'Yes, and you have… what?'

Tengu rides in on an old mare.

Dramicus looks over at Faelnon

Faelnon waves for the others to gather around.

Dytalorien arches an eyebrow, but moves toward Faelnon.

Kalypse joins the group

Tengu takes hard time making his mount stop, then dismounts clumsily.

Echnaton gets curious and looks to Faelnon

Dramicus gets up and walks over to Faelnon

Faelnon points to the star-chart at the bottom of the Orc-Gift-Scroll, 'I was checking these out before I went to sleep, these stars don't exist at all.'

Shandor shrugs, 'And that helps us, how?'

Faelnon says, 'It helps because someone made this star-chart for a very specific reason. Look at the names on these stars…'

Lesharn says, 'I heard a philosopher once say none of this exists at all not even the earth we stand upon...'

Faelnon slaps his forehead, 'Of course! Why didn't I see it before?' He points to the blood-note, 'All of these words are backwards, but it talks about reading something. Reading the star-chart backwards.'

Shandor states, 'You realise how little sense that makes, right?'

Tengu comes closer to Faelnon.

Faelnon says, 'I reserve the right to 'I told you so' when it works.'

Shandor asks, 'Then what does it do?'

Dytalorien yawns and grins, "And do we want to know..."

Echnaton finally rises and slides up to Faelnon

Lesharn snaps his fingers, 'All conclusions come to an end.'

Echnaton catches Dytalorien's comment and laughs

Lesharn chuckles politely.

Kalypse smiles

Faelnon says, 'Here goes nothing.' He points his finger and the bottom-corner of the star-chart and finds the first star and begins reading them, 'Xiolem Navie, Jovae, Quali, Pro-tas Rojam, Pro-tas Ronim.' Nothing.

Tengu ponders the question.

Faelnon sighs, 'There went nothing...'

Lesharn says, 'Is that Orc yer reading?'

Dytalorien snickers.

Faelnon shrugs, 'I have no idea.'

Dramicus sighs, "That worked out well"

Lesharn says, 'Finding the gift itself requires a much greater gift'

Lesharn boggles at that concept.

Mihwen walks up to the group

Dytalorien quotes, "It's the journey and not the destination."

Kalypse says 'unfortunately I know nothing about those stars..'

Faelnon says, 'Well, I'm open to suggestions as to what to do..'

[Narrator] The sun's light focuses onto the clearing the group are in. A golden figure appears in the centre of the clearing, right where the Orc-Gifts had been, but in the air. The light forms into another humanoid form, long blonde-white hair goes down to waist level.

Lesharn gasps.

[Narrator] Her face is one of beauty, pale skin, bright blue eyes. She is wearing an elegant white-silk outfit with loose, flowing shelves. Golden patterns run down the shelves and across her shoulders and legs.

[Narrator] She talks with an odd reverence, 'Greetings. If you are here, you have united the races once more, to face an ultimate Evil.'

Shandor grins, 'I say we listen to her.'

Dytalorien blinks.

Faelnon nods, ignoring Shandor, 'We have.'

Lesharn shudders.

Lesharn says, 'She looks as pale as you once did Shandor.'

Tengu turns to the figure, observing it.

Shandor smiles at Lesharn ,'That's reassuring.'

Mihwen smiles at Lesharn

Lesharn blushes.

[Narrator] She states, 'Your path does not lead to battle yet. You face one more journey, to find the creators of the Gifts.'

Shandor mumbles, 'Oh goodie, treasure hunt.'

Faelnon ignores Shandor, 'Where are they?'

Lesharn sighs, 'Another journey?'

[Narrator] She states, 'North of Viirnial, you will find a village, torn apart by unjust hatred.' She 'moves' or floats towards Faelnon and touches his forehead with one finger, 'For fill your quest, young one.' She smiles and fades away in golden light.

Kalypse smiles once again not knowing what to say

Shandor smirks, 'Golden-creature's pet...'

Echnaton seems to be impressed

Lesharn chuckles, 'I can write a song about this...come to think of it a whole symphony'

Faelnon says, 'I do believe we have a quest to complete.'

Dytalorien scratches his head, "I guess we'd better get moving."

Faelnon grins at Lesharn, 'And you'll get that chance.'

Lesharn says, 'I guess that’s a promise I'll live'

Faelnon calls his horse over with an elven phrase.

Lesharn gulps.

Kalypse says 'I would like to hear it then, Lesharn'

Faelnon climbs onto his horse, 'Come along, hop on your horses and lets get moving.'

Lesharn blushes and nods to himself

Shandor clambers onto his horse.

Tengu says, "One that appear from the sunbeam can either offer help or lure in a trap. Anyway, we should heed to her words."

Mihwen mount her horse

Kalypse mounts her horse

Lesharn hoists himself onto Appleseed’s back.

Dramicus climbs on to his horse

Lesharn pats his mule on the head.

Dytalorien moves towards his horse and mounts it.

Echnaton needs still a moment to get the blankets and saddle up

Tengu looks at his mare uncertainly then mounts it.

Dytalorien takes a hold of his horse's reins and looks about.

Faelnon yawns discreetly, 'Okay, well, let us get a move on.'

Dytalorien urges his mount into a graceful canter.

Tengu sets himself firmer in his saddle.

Faelnon leads his horse through the trees.

Lesharn whispers something into Appleseed’s ear and giggles wildly.

Faelnon urges his horse into a faster pace.

Mihwen pick up an apple for breakfast

Dytalorien follows behind the rest, studying his surroundings.

Tengu looks at Lesharn, then whisper something in his mount's ear. The last responds with snicker.

Faelnon pats his horse absentmindedly.

Dytalorien withdraws his flute and twirls it within his left hand nonchalantly.

Lesharn gets an oaken lyre from his satchel and starts to play softly.

Faelnon grabs a handful of feed for his horse.

Faelnon feeds his horse while watching a few birds flap over head.

Mihwen rides up to Appleseed and give him the rest of the apple

Kalypse gets her bamboo flute and joins the music

Dytalorien attempts to tap his flute against the palm of his hand in tune with Lesharn's melody.

Mihwen pets Appelseed’s head

[Narrator] The group ride to where they were told within two days.

[Narrator] The Village can hardly be called that anymore. It is a beach with several ship wrecks lining the shore, the vague impression of a harbour is still visible, several houses have been reduced to just one small wall.

Faelnon goes down to one of the shipwrecks to have a look, however, all that remains of it is a small section of hull jutting up from the sand, a few chests within, the top deck was pretty much destroyed.

Faelnon moves up to a chest and snaps the rusted lock off it.

Faelnon opens the chest and flips through the scrolls.

Lesharn scratches an itch.

Echnaton looks at the wreckage and wonders whether this was a natural disaster or a war

Dramicus dismounts his horse

Dytalorien strums his fingers against the shaft of his silver flute.

Faelnon notes one and lifts it up, it has an image of a female on it, and text he can't translate, 'Mihwen, please come over here.'

Mihwen looks around

Tengu dismounts then approaches the shipwreck.

Mihwen dismount her horse and walks up to Faelnon

Faelnon passes Mihwen the scroll, rolled up and kept seemingly hush-hush.

Mihwen takes a look at the scroll

Tengu gives a brief glance at the chests and starts observing the remnants of the ship.

Mihwen says 'hm I cant translate all of it but here it says Aslaï Eithne' [os] signoff Kalypse (Read error Connection reset by peer)

Faelnon says, 'Could that be her name?'

Mihwen asks 'does that say anything to anyone?

Dramicus wonders how they can meet someone in a ghost town

Faelnon shrugs, 'Not to my knowledge.'

Echnaton shrugs "never heard that name"

Mihwen nods 'might be'

Faelnon shrugs, 'Okay, put it away and we'll take a look at it later.'

[Narrator] One building, curiously, remains fully intact, it appears to be of old-construction, so one wonders how it survived.

Faelnon approaches the building cautiously. He blindly takes a step forward and discovers there is no ground where he thinks there is. He falls face-down on an odd metal emblem.

[Narrator] The emblem is circular, the outer rim hollows inwards before it forms several odd symbols. It hollows again before a second circle of symbols jutting out, in the centre is a particularly odd symbol, two large metal eyes, which seem to follow whoever passes them.

Dramicus rushes over to Faelnon

Echnaton smirks "that building is either well constructed or strongly protected"

Dramicus yells to him, "Are you alright?"

Mihwen looks at Faelnon 'can I keep it? I know a few persons who might be able to translate it…'

Kalypse interests herself on the object Faelnon fell on and asks 'what is that?'

[Narrator] At that moment a figure chooses to ride up towards Faelnon and the others, she has fiery red hair, at about five foot two inches in height wearing a white-hooded cloak

Faelnon nods to Mihwen, 'Be my guest.'

Faelnon looks up at the new figure.

Faelnon says, 'Hail.' While dusting himself off.

[Narrator] The figure bows as much as she can on her horse, 'Hail, they call me Cyria, and your name?'

Faelnon bows, 'Hail Cyria, I am known as Faelnon.'

Echnaton replies "Greetings to you, Cyria. I am called Echnaton"

Lesharn bows.

Kalypse waves to Cyria

Dytalorien blinks as he stares at the odd symbol.

Faelnon returns his gaze to the odd symbol.

Faelnon says, 'It appears to have been carved out...'

Tengu turns away from the sight that shipwreck surely was, notices the group has already left, then follows their direction.

Dytalorien gazes at the mounted figure.

Tengu notices that his staff found no ground ahead and looks down.

Dramicus bows to Cyria, "I am Dramicus"

Mihwen nods at Cyria

Dytalorien waves casually to Cyria.

Tengu bows before the figure.

Mihwen admire the good work

Tengu turns to Cyria again, "I am Tengu"

Dytalorien shrugs and grins, "Maybe they got lazy."

Echnaton walks around that metal thing and looks for an entrance or a door

Echnaton finishes his round and ends up next to symbol all are wondering about

Dytalorien taps the symbol with his foot as he examines it.

Tengu states, "Eyes can only watch."

Faelnon looks for a final time at the emblem.

Faelnon shrugs at it and returns to the door, he leans against the handle and the door, they barely budge. While leaning he mutters, 'Why won't you just open?!' With that the door swings open merrily, Faelnon goes crashing inwards.

Faelnon stands up and dusts himself off, he looks about the simple hallway, one corridor with no other doors save one at the end of the corridor.

Faelnon says, 'Okay, I suggest this way.' In a moot-point way.

Faelnon creeps forward and prods the door open, two wooden chairs are inside, a window, and a fireplace. Above the fireplace was two hooks jutting out from a stone block, a change from the red-brick of the rest of the room, indented in the block was the mould of a bow of some kind.

Dramicus walks inside of the building and looks around

Faelnon approaches the mould and takes a look at it, 'It looks like the Elven Gift… Shandor, pass it here please.'

Shandor nods and hands Faelnon the bow.

Echnaton stares in the dark interior of the building and tries to get his eyes adapted

Faelnon says, 'Okay, gather around.'

Dramicus walks over to Faelnon

Faelnon puts the bow on the hooks and slides it comfortably into the mould.

[Narrator] Nothing happens.

Mihwen joins the group

Shandor rolls his eyes, 'That's just great… Can I have my bow back?'

Tengu looks again at the emblem, blinks and follows.

[Narrator] Before Faelnon can answer the room starts shaking, the door slams shut and darkness floods through the window.

Shandor mumbles, 'Oh, goodie.'

[Narrator] The room flashes white and the group find themselves in another, seemingly underground, room. It had no furniture, save a similar stone block. It has one plain red door leading out.

Kalypse looks scared

Faelnon is out of breath for some odd reason and gasps.

Echnaton gets his bow ready and asks "could someone give us some light?"

Shandor nods and mumbles something, a small orb of light appears.

Mihwen looks around

Faelnon approaches and hits the door open, the next room is quite warm, it has a luxurious leather couch, on which sat and elderly Gnome.

[Narrator] The other sections of the room are rather non-descript, a simple fireplace and a desk. The Gnome puff away gently on his pipe. He grins wildly, noting the Gift's the group wear, 'Ah, you must be them…'

Tengu says, "One exit is obvious."

Kalypse asks 'them who?'

Shandor whispers to Faelnon, 'This guy made them?'

[Narrator] The Gnome overhears this, 'Who? Me? Oh, no, no, no. I didn't make them. I do know quite a bit about them.'

Mihwen mutter for herself

[Narrator] The Gnome turns to Kalypse, 'Why the ones who collected the Gifts, of course.'

Faelnon asks, 'Do you know who made them?'

[Narrator] The Gnome strokes a small grey beard, 'Perhaps… Still, you must be the ones prophesized… still, I imagined that you'd be taller, and you,' Indicating Shandor, 'Would be a wee bit shorter…'

Echnaton places the bow back on his shoulder and approaches the gnome "Greetings"

Faelnon explains, 'Shandor used to lead, he is the taller…'

[Narrator] The Gnome nods, 'Ahhh, yes… Well, since you hold… all the Gifts? Very impressive I must say, someone tried to get the… human Gifts or some such, never seen again I hear, awful business…' He continues to ramble on for several minutes.

Shandor mumbles quietly, 'I don't think he gets out much…'

[Narrator] The Gnome turns to look at Shandor, 'Aye, I don't, 'cause I'm waiting for you lazy slobs to get here, so I can give you what you need.'

Faelnon , intrigued, asks, 'And that would be?'

[Narrator] The Gnome hobbles over to a small desk and opens a drawer. From it he removes several scrolls and spreads them out on the desk as best he can, be begins pointing to them with his stubby fingers while explaining, 'See, this one here, is how you get into the tunnel system, by golly, whoever made them could really make tunnels. Anyway, it splits and branches away, you'll be wanting to keep straight on, but I'm sure you can see that.'

[Narrator] The Gnome continues to explain, 'And this little note is how you gain entrance and…' This explanation takes several minutes, and Faelnon appears to be the only one one-hundred percent interested.

[Narrator] The Gnome finishes, 'And that should be it young elf.' He passes all the scrolls to Faelnon, 'I wish you luck.'

Shandor looks at the Gnome, 'That's it? No, how to defeat it? No elaborate trap that doesn't really make any sense?'

[Narrator] The Gnomes shrugs, 'Nope, by the way, on the way out, could you close the door.'

Faelnon isn't sure what do say.

Kalypse is tired

Mihwen doesn’t say a word

Faelnon cocks an eyebrow, but nods, 'Lets go.' He leads them back into the first room they appeared in and replaces the bow where it had been. In a similar flash they found themselves in the same room they had left behind.

Shandor nods towards the outside, 'Okay, lets go, and for goodness sakes, watch that you don't trip up on that emblem.'

Tengu whispers, "I knew we can change little in our fate, but I didn't expect us to be lead like that."

Kalypse says slowly 'these things really make me dizzy'

Faelnon goes outside and stops at the emblem, he kneels down for a closer look.

Faelnon nods at Kalypse, 'Yes, me as well.'

Mihwen looks kind of lost but follows Shandor

[Narrator] A nearby set of trees and bushes blows gently in the wind. Dramicus steps closer to the emblem out of curiosity.

[Narrator] Before the group can react a figure, clad in a simple black robe, a hood concealing his face, rushes forward with a jagged dagger.

Faelnon looks up in surprise.

[Narrator] The figure reaches Dramicus, the nearest one to the emblem, and cries, 'For my master!' Before bringing the dagger down on Dramicus' chest.

[Narrator] Dramicus cringes in pain as he falls into the dip in the ground where the emblem is. Blood begins pouring from the heavy stab wound, it begins filling the indents as the metal parts of the emblem begin glowing. The emblem creates a beam of light in the shape of the metal, 'dissolving' Dramicus' body.

[Narrator] The Figure steps back and watches as the blood fills the emblem he chortles before removing the hood; it is Shandor.

Faelnon looks between the two Shandors.

Shandor is confused as the rest.

[Narrator] The second Shandor-figure grins and hollers, 'My masters work has been completed, from the giant's grave it will be born anew, trapped for millennia alone. Now you will be alone! No gods or higher beings to turn to. A cold, cruel death faces each and everyone of you.'

[Narrator] The Second-Shandor-Figure grins an unnaturally broad grin. His skin goes darker, and his eyes blaze with fire. His hands quickly become claws and a tail juts out. This new creature reveals two rows of razor-sharp teeth. It lunges at Faelnon, mouth ready to tear into the Elf, when it explodes into acrid smoke.

Mihwen pulls back

Shandor comments, 'That was cheerful.'

Faelnon looks down at the blood-filled emblem, and where the body of Dramicus used to lie, 'Dear spirits, preserve us.'

Shandor says, 'Correct me if I'm wrong, but did a second me just jump out and kill Dramicus? And then explode into smoke?!'

Kalypse looks confused at the group still not understanding what is going on

Cyria turns to Shandor, "I believe that is what happened"

Faelnon turns to Cyria, 'I suppose you wouldn't have a clue what was happening?'

Cyria says "I am sorry, but I have not a clue"

Faelnon stands up and bows his head sadly, 'Dramicus has been killed, a moments silence please.'

Kalypse prays for Dramicus soul

Mihwen stands in silence

Faelnon raises his head again before whispering, 'May his soul find peace.'

Echnaton 's face shows dolour but also anger

Mihwen mumbles in elven

Kalypse stares at Shandor, 'so what are your intentions?"

Shandor looks at Kalypse, 'What do you mean? I'm me, as in me, me, not clone-me. Oh dear, I do believe I've gone cross-eyed.'

Tengu pronounces, "The Last Sleep embraced him. I hope he'll find peace."

Kalypse adds 'you have already killed an innocent one'

Shandor 's eyes go wide, 'I didn't do that!'

Tengu says, "If the eyes are covered in innocent blood, you should not trust them"

Shandor turns to Faelnon, 'Er, now what?'

Echnaton turns to Shandor "somehow our opponent seems to have a weakness for you."

Tengu says, "The emblem was right. We should not trust what we see."

Faelnon stares at the emblem, 'I don't know...'

Faelnon turns to Tengu, 'Pardon?'

Tengu says, "There were only eyes on emblem. And the visage of Shandor was deceitful."

Mihwen looks at Tengu

Faelnon says, 'An interesting interpretation, but I'll point out that those eyes belong to the Evil we face.'

Faelnon things over what the other Shandor said, 'From the giant's grave it will be born anew..... Tildruin, the city. The Giant's grave-place, but we knew that...'

Faelnon looks at the emblem.

Faelnon says, 'Ahmm, here's something...'

Kalypse says 'the eyes could mean anything... they could be either good or evil... either spying or guarding..'

Faelnon says, 'Imprisoned inside, I keep him. Locked without a world to live in. Peer through my eyes, and you see me, as I claim your soul.'

Tengu says, "Maybe you are right. But next time I would rather trust other senses"

Faelnon gulps before asking, 'What was Dramicus doing right before... you know?'

Shandor shrugs, 'He moved closer to the emblem to inspect it... why?'

Faelnon says, 'Did he stare into the eyes?'

Kalypse says 'hmm, maybe..'

Shandor says, 'Didn't we all?'

Faelnon looks at the edge of the emblem, a sandy-foot print on it, from Dramicus, 'Everyone, step away from the emblem, for, whatever you do, don't look at the eyes while standing on it.'

Faelnon edges slowly away from the emblem.

Mihwen moves away from it

Faelnon says, 'Why did it take the form of Shandor?'

Cyria moves away from the emblem

Shandor says, 'It possessed me..'

Faelnon says, 'Did the same to Mihwen.'

Shandor nods, 'Ah, but she was possessed for less time.'

Faelnon nods, 'That's true.'

Echnaton says "Standing on the symbol is not everything. The evil needed a creature to kill Dramicus..."

Cyria asks, "Do you think it could take the form of anyone it possessed"

Faelnon says, 'It might have summoned the form of it, like it can form those pitter-patter things.'

Faelnon says, 'It is possible.'

Kalypse ponders 'maybe it chose the one who has been closest to evil among us'

Shandor sighs, 'Wow, thanks for that, Kalypse.'

Kalypse smiles gently

Kalypse says 'its true, isn’t it?'

Mihwen smiles

Shandor says, 'I was merely possessed, it was not my fault...'

Mihwen smiles 'bad excuse'

Kalypse says I didn’t say it was your fault, I said you had been closest to evil.. no matter the reason'

Echnaton sighs "its most probably true. but what can we do - we cannot do it alone.

Shandor is quite wounded by the group calling him the nearest thing to evil there was...

Kalypse checks Shandor eyes 'I know these things hurt, but you can't deny it'

Shandor moves away from the group returning to the shipwreck.

Cyria runs after Shandor

Tengu says, "Anger, suspicion and mistrust harm one's should no less than dagger harms body."

Kalypse comes closer to Shandor slowly and offers him a cherry

Lesharn follows Cyria.

Shandor calls as he walks, 'I might have been taken over by Evil, but I was not the only one, perhaps it is time to random sacrifice people. That might help..'

Shandor leaps from the sand onto the sloping deck of the shipwreck.

Mihwen walks up to Shandor 'hey I’ve also been there.. they are just teasing'

Shandor turns to Mihwen, ‘”Teasing”? When I was possessed I tried to kill my wife and my best friend, you do not tease about that.’

Faelnon sighs and leaves Shandor to his own devices, 'It is, however, true that he wasn't the only one possessed, thousands of them were when they trapped us in Foilae's castle.'

Kalypse looks sad at Shandor

Lesharn whimpers.

Cyria says to Shandor, "I have only known you for a while, but I can tell that you are not evil"

Kalypse nods

Shandor hurls himself from the deck onto the only intact mast.

Echnaton looks over to Lesharn

Kalypse screams 'I didn’t say you ARE evil!!'

Shandor says, 'Perhaps I am Evil. That other Shandor had to come from somewhere, right?'

Kalypse turns around disappointed and leaves the group

Faelnon sighs, 'That other Shandor said nothing of use, we know the evil is in Tildruin, and it threatens to bring death to us all...'

Shandor sighs, 'Maybe you should just ask me, maybe the Evil one comes to me in my sleep and tells me her evil plans...'

Faelnon picks up a small stone and hurls it at Shandor, hitting him in the shoulder and knocking him off the mast, 'Grow up...'

Shandor plunges into the water.

Shandor clambers out of the water.

Shandor does a mock salute, 'Fine then, what do we do?'

Faelnon says, 'Well, I think our best idea is to head to Tildruin.

Shandor nods to Faelnon, 'Fine by me, I would rather not be near an emblem filled with a friends blood.'

Mihwen nods 'been quite a while since we've been in Tildruin.’

Faelnon nods, 'Yes, it is where this all began, and where it must end.'

Faelnon says, 'Shall we try a visit to the Gnome again?'

Mihwen says 'we could but I don’t think he’s got much more to say'

Cyria says, "maybe I can beat some answers out of him"

Faelnon says, 'No beating the Gnome, Cyria.'

Echnaton says "yes, we should."

Faelnon nods and re-enters the building.

Faelnon enters the same room, but stops still.

Echnaton follows Faelnon

Faelnon looks at the block, but there is no mould for a bow.

Faelnon sighs, 'Oh dear.'

Tengu follows.

Faelnon says, 'Scratch that idea then.'

Cyria looks around for stairs going underground

Faelnon says, 'Okay, no way to find the Gnome, he must really be imprisoned.'

Faelnon sighs loudly and moves back outside.

Mihwen says 'Tildruin next?'

Faelnon nods, 'Our only option left.'

Mihwen looks at Tengu and shakes her head

Echnaton says " I really wonder, why this symbol is right next to that gnomes house... Who is guarding whom here?"

Faelnon says, 'Think about it, if the Gnome knew all this, wouldn't he try and do something about it? So, he must have been imprisoned there. Perhaps when we vanquish the evil, he will be free.'

Faelnon calls over his horse.

Faelnon climbs up onto it, 'Okay, saddle up, we need to get going.'

Cyria gets on her horse and rides over to Faelnon

Tengu walks to his horse in silence and mounts it.

Mihwen walks up to her horse and mounts it

Shandor gets onto his horse.

Cyria whispers to Faelnon, "there is something I have been thinking about"

Faelnon nods, 'That is?'

Mihwen shakes her head

Cyria says, "The reptile Shandor said something about the giant of Tildruin rising, and there being no gods to turn to, do you think, that the giant will rise again and battle the gods?"

Faelnon looks at Cyria and thinks for a moment, 'An interesting idea.... we shall find out soon enough.'

Shandor smiles, trying to lighten the mood, 'Who do you think will win? My money's on the gods.'

Faelnon sighs and rides onwards.

Echnaton smiles

Faelnon points out, 'It depends on who we want to win, are the gods good?'

Cyria says, "We have no idea how powerful the giant was, or is, but if there is a cult worshiping him saying it will rise again, he must be a divine being himself"

Faelnon nods, 'True, there were quite a few cults worshipping him, but none as powerful as has been demonstrated . And... the giant is a 'he', the thing we face is a she.'

Mihwen asks 'what gods do you believe in?'

Echnaton replies to Faelnon "a dangerous, but wise question" and smiles in a strange way

Faelnon mumbles quietly, 'Whatever gods you believe in, make your peace with them, 'cause chances are we'll be meeting them soon.'

Tengu says, "Actually, my Order doesn't have a specific deity."

Mihwen says 'but do you have any?'

Faelnon says, 'Cyria, you are our newest member, care to tell us a bit about yourself?'

Tengu says, "You'll not find answers in divine spheres. One must seek them right before him, and inside him."

Cyria says, "well, I have travelled from the emerald bay in search of a family treasure"

Faelnon says, 'Oh really? Interesting... you look rather like a monk... don't monks give up earthly possessions?'

Tengu looks at Cyria with interest.

Cyria continues, " It was my mothers, it was stolen when there was an unfortunate incident in my town. I can't stand to see something my mother trusted me with taken from me"

Faelnon nods, 'I see.'

Faelnon looks up at the sky, 'I fear we are running out of time, we must quicken our pace.'

Faelnon urges his horse to canter faster.

Mihwen nods at both

Cyria has her horse go at a faster pace

Tengu thinks touches something on his chest, hidden under robes.

Echnaton is torn out of his thoughts as his horse speeds up on its own to catch 'the herd'

Tengu stares at his mount for a few seconds but manages to make it move faster.

Shandor thinks over what that emblem might mean.

Tengu closes his eyes and meditates while riding forth.

Faelnon says, 'I am afraid we don't have time to camp tonight, that other Shandor said that his master's work has been completed. The Evil might already be free. Tildruin might be gone.'