Chapter V - Sliding

Organiser's Comment

Ah, good, a good session, a quite good turn out, and some great dialogue etc.

Very nice, the finale is on Sunday and I hope I see the same.

Plot Summary

The group are stuck near the top of a mountain, it is still cloudy. Delivered there from dragons who have since disappeared the group have no choice but to try and find another way down. They set along a path that the old, and not just a little insane, man indicated, thrilled to find it leading down. Soon after the ground gives sudden shake. Within seconds boulders are crashing along the path, raining from above. The group are rather stuck now; the path is destroyed on one end, and a dead end on the other. The group have a new, and completely ridiculous idea; build a sleigh, or toboggan, and slide down the mountain. And yet, this plan still goes ahead. The group search for suitable material for a while, but cannot find anything. Calaryn reveals that she was given a few seeds, that reportedly grow within seconds. [The same seed was used in the 5th Session of the Original 'Quest'... hmm. freaky]. They place it down and drench it in water. Nothing happens for about a minute when a giant oak tree spurts up into the air. Calaryn seems quite upset as Shandor and Varadrion go about cutting the tree down. The tree tumbles, luckily not off the side of the mountain... yet. Shandor begins carving out seats for the group as there is an ongoing discussion; Calaryn reveals that her sister died in a similar setting and is getting very upset. Varadion tries to comfort her, but ends up enraging her due to his speech. Shandor, who had been trying to be friendly snaps and barks orders at them, along with a speech.

Soon the sleigh is ready and the group set off down the side of a mountain. The experience is rather strange, but the group seem to enjoy it, some of them bursting into song (including a verse about the 'driver', Kalypse, dodging a rock). The sleigh is going too fast and Shandor tries a spell, which fails, to slow it down. It hits a ledge and jets into the air, and finishes its brief ride by crashing into a forest and tearing apart.

All of the group are alive, just very shaken with some minor injuries (including severe head wounds from one member who demands to 'Go Again').

They stumble along briefly before they here two dwarven voices talking to each other. The group rush out to meet Thor and Thinn, who had just finished their 10th trip around looking for the group. Thrilled, the group climb on board and set off to A'lure to get some rest and supplies.

Full Log (See Below for 'The Best of the Rest')

<@Narrator> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 'And so I sez to him *hic*...'>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

<@Narrator> The group are still high on the mountain. It is day break, but the sky has only cleared a small amount. The group can just about make out the fact that it is morning through the clouds.

<@Narrator> The odd man hobbles along, periodically kneeling down to pick up a stone, then dropping it.

øùú Faelnon is near the back of the group, with Shandor, discussing who the man is, 'Perhaps he got lost and went crazy up here.'

øùú Shandor says, 'He could be a tool of the enemy.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'He could also be an innocent archaeologist, why else would he take such interest in the rocks?'

øùú Shandor shrugs, 'He is going to build a house?'

øùú Faelnon says, 'He seems to know to much about us…'

øùú Shandor stops the conversation, 'Okay, so, we'll continue along this path until we end up... wherever it ends up.'

øùú Faelnon nods, 'Yes, that seems best.'

øùú Faelnon says to the group, 'Would you agree?

øùú Varadrion nods

øùú Calaryn is just walking, looking at the nature

øùú Dytalorien shrugs and yawns.

øùú Isondil nods

øùú Calaryn asks so where are we heading?

øùú Shandor says, 'First, we'll head from this mountain I guess, we don't have any travel, so I guess we procure some and head to A'lure to get help.'

øùú Shandor wonders, 'What did the dragons do? I mean, when they found the Child, well, if they actually went to him.'

øùú Varadrion says "I'm betting we wouldn't want to be whoever has him"

øùú Ariea nods at Varadrion, 'Yeah, something makes me think there are a group of burning corpses somewhere in the world.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Shandor, I'm pretty sure that the dragons went to the Child and fried whoever stole him to cinders.'

øùú Varadrion shudders

øùú Calaryn mumbles 'Good that they're not here.'

øùú Dytalorien smiles grimly, "Better them then us."

øùú Shandor smiles at Calaryn, 'They were fun, I noticed you particularly enjoyed your flight.'

øùú Calaryn says 'If I ever fly on a dragon again, remind me to fly above and in front of you'

øùú Shandor grins.

øùú Varadrion chuckles

øùú Isondil grins

<@Narrator> The man stops, 'Shadows. Clouds and Shadows. Conceal that which is in plain sight. Shadows covering us, choking us. I see flame. I see earth.' He grips his head and falls to the ground, 'Pain. Darkness. No light. Where has the light gone?' He convulses in pain, 'Slicing and slashing, darkness comes, the light will never reappear. Where did the light go?'

øùú Shandor nears the man cautiously.

øùú Dytalorien blinks and raises an eyebrow.

øùú Ariea sighs, 'What now?'

øùú Isondil looks puzzled

<@Narrator> 'Someone took it. Yes, that makes sense. Someone took the light, poisoned it, bent it too much. The light is hurt, the light will never reappear.'

øùú Calaryn looks shocked

øùú Faelnon thinks that the man is either very insane or totally insane. 'The light will reappear, when we get out of the clouds.' He offers.

øùú Varadrion stands silently

<@Narrator> 'No, no, no, no, no, no, no light, no light for us. None at all. You'll all try, relight the fire, add sparks. You'll try alright. No good will come. No light. Fire. Fire, yes, there is fire, bad fire to much, Arh, it burns.' He screeches and twists, 'Please, stop the burning, to much death.'

øùú Shandor leans against the rock face, 'Could we 'accidentally' forget about him?'

øùú Shandor shrugs and adds quietly, 'Or roll him down the cliff.'

øùú Varadrion turns to Shandor and says "Funny, that was my idea before"

øùú Shandor says, 'Then I change my mind, let's keep him. I fear the world would end if I agreed with you.'

<@Narrator> The man stops all movement for a few seconds. His eyes are wide and stare blankly upwards. After a few long moments he blinks and stands up, 'Let us move, have to keep moving. Always moving.'

øùú Varadrion sighs

øùú Faelnon looks at the man, 'Are you okay?'

øùú Dytalorien furrows his brows but calmly follows behind.

<@Narrator> 'As good as any of you will be.'

øùú Calaryn say 'What was that?'

øùú Varadrion says "That’s reassuring.'

øùú Shandor looks at him, '"Will be", are we all going to go insane too? Oh fun.'

øùú Ariea says, 'What do you mean by 'going to go'?'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Calaryn, I do believe that that was him being completely insane.'

øùú Varadrion nods to Faelnon

<@Narrator> The man hobbles over to Shandor and reaches out to touch him, but doesn't. 'Not real. Not for this world. Fade into the clouds. A wisp of air, that is what you are. Disappear little birdie, disappear and fly far. Fly before he hunts you down and then you won't exist any more.'

øùú Shandor is quite perturbed by this latest speech, 'Someone is trying to kill me? How? No, who?'

øùú Calaryn sighs

<@Narrator> The man chuckles and continues walking.

øùú Faelnon is getting gradually more annoyed by this character.

øùú Varadrion turns to Shandor again and asks "We're putting up with this why?"

øùú Shandor stares at him for a long moment before stating coldly, 'Stay away from me, freak. Next time you have an interesting tale to tell me, cut out your tongue.'

øùú Shandor says, 'I would answer you, but I don't think I have a good reason.'

øùú Varadrion says "we could follow this path without him, and it would be faster"

øùú Faelnon says quietly, 'Did we ever wonder if he is another illusion? I mean, he did know all our names... and more.'

øùú Varadrion replies "I'm sure me and Shandor could find out for you"

øùú Shandor turns to Varadrion, 'I doubt we can get rid of him, he picked this path and went this way. I mean, unless we did something inhumane.' He quickly adds, 'Which I refuse to do, he is insane, but he is still a person... I think.'



øùú Calaryn walks up to Faelnon 'just keep an eye on him'

øùú Faelnon nods to Calaryn.

<@Narrator> The path narrows and begins twisting and sloping downwards. The slope on either side of the path has dramatically sharpened, and falling off the path at this moment would not bring pleasant results. The cloud remains thick and fast-moving.

øùú Varadrion looks down one side, and then the other

øùú Shandor takes the lead, running his hand on the rock face.

øùú Varadrion wonders aloud "Anyone have any clue where this leads, or even where we are"

øùú Calaryn walks extremely carefully with a pale face

øùú Varadrion turns to Calaryn and asks "Are you ok?"

øùú Shandor says, 'No, and, no. Although, I hope it leads down without going down,' He points over the edge, 'That way.'

<@Narrator> 'The earth moves, rocks move, rocks hurt.' The old man states quite simply.

øùú Varadrion answers back "I think we all hope it leads without going that way"

øùú Shandor sighs, 'Not this again…'

øùú Isondil looks at the thick cloud and thinks to himself

øùú Calaryn says ‘I got a slight problem for heights.’

øùú Varadrion says "This would be an extraordinarily bad time for the earth to move"

øùú Isondil nods in agreement to Varadrion

øùú Varadrion looks around

øùú Shandor nods.

øùú Shandor says, 'I don't see anything though... not that I could...'

<@Narrator> The ground shakes slightly. It shakes again, more sudden and with much more force.

øùú Shandor is thrown to the ground, dangerously close to the edge. 'What the Tarkna was that?'

<@Narrator> The old man looks about, 'The earth moving.'

øùú Calaryn grabs Shandor

øùú Isondil stumbles but keeps his feet

øùú Varadrion kneels down "Ok, this could be considered bad timing"

øùú Shandor gets to his feet with the help of Calaryn, 'Thanks.'

øùú Faelnon manages to stay on his feet with aid of the bamboo stick, 'Oh really?'

øùú Ariea says, 'Sarcasm, later, surviving, now.'

<@Narrator> A large boulder thuds down from above, hits the path, shatters into four pieces and continues falling down the mountain.

<@Narrator> Several more boulders begin to hit off the path.

øùú Calaryn looks at Shandor 'You better stay on your feet, cause I'll hang on to you'

øùú Shandor hollers, 'Run!'

øùú Varadrion looks up and curses "Its going to be one of those days"

øùú Faelnon is knocked off balance by a boulder that lands too close to him.

øùú Faelnon regains equilibrium and gets moving again.

øùú Varadrion stands up and runs after them

<@Narrator> The Old man looks up along the mountain side, he stands still, saying, 'Rocks hurt.'

øùú Isondil begins running after Varadrion

øùú Ariea sprints off back along the path.

øùú Shandor is knocked to the ground by a boulder, he hollers again, 'Go back the way we came or we are going to be killed.'

øùú Shandor scrambles to his feet and takes off after Ariea.

øùú Calaryn runs

øùú Varadrion stops and tries to turn, but slips and falls

øùú Isondil stoops down and helps Varadrion up

øùú Faelnon grabs Varadrion, 'Get up, 'cause I'm really tempted to leave you...'

øùú Varadrion stands up and runs after Isondil

<@Narrator> A boulder heads straight at Varadrion and Isondil.

øùú Calaryn shouts

<@Narrator> The boulder strikes a small ledge on the mountain and skips over the path, without harming the two.

øùú Isondil looks up at the boulder and dive's away shouting' move!'

øùú Varadrion looks at the boulder and dives out of the way

<@Narrator> The old man repeats, 'Rocks hurt.'

øùú Varadrion runs back to the Group and rejoins them

øùú Shandor turns around just to see a boulder fall from the clouds, heading straight for the old man. 'I'll regret this, I just know it.' He mutters as he sprints straight for the old man.

øùú Shandor dives and tackles the old man out of the way as the boulder hits.

øùú Shandor stands up and dusts himself off. Something was missing; his ring. His wedding ring was gone. He turns around to where the boulder had hit and the nearby pathway, but there was nothing.

<@Narrator> 'Going against your culture is just one of your high crimes.' The old man says, without a 'thank you' or anything similar.

øùú Shandor looks at him and says sarcastically, 'Oh, you're welcome.'

<@Narrator> The boulders continue to slam against the pathway.

øùú Faelnon runs forward, 'It would be best to save this until later.' He states to Shandor.

øùú Varadrion looks at Shandor and says "You just had to do that didn't you"

øùú Faelnon adds, 'Is anyone getting deja-vu?' As another over-sized rock lands on the pathway.

øùú Shandor sighs, 'I know, I'm just too nice...'

øùú Faelnon laughs a sharp, sneer of a laugh.

øùú Calaryn looks rather terrified

øùú Ariea bursts out laughing at Shandor's statement.

øùú Shandor looks at the two with a raised eyebrow, but considering the situation, decides to continue.

øùú Varadrion continues to run

øùú Shandor says, 'You thinking what I'm thinking? The enemies are up that way!'

øùú Faelnon says, 'I'm not so sure, the man said they never came this far north, could be just a freak of nature.'

øùú Shandor nods, 'Or magic, I myself know one or two spells that could induce this type of thing. And I bet people in the Order would, too.'

øùú Varadrion says "Doesn't look like it"

øùú Faelnon mumbles, 'Just drop it.'

øùú Varadrion yells "Argue later!"

øùú Shandor jumps out of the way of a medium sized boulder hits the path.

øùú Shandor says, 'We are going uphill, rocks are falling down, we are just lucky they don't start rolling down hill at us.’

øùú Calaryn says 'Dont even think that!'

øùú Ariea says, 'Yeah! Calaryn is right, I mean, you know what you are like with tempting fates.'

<@Narrator> Soon after the boulders stop striking the pathway, however, they can still be heard rumbling in the distance.

øùú Calaryn breath out

øùú Varadrion stops and kneels down

øùú Shandor stumbles to the ground, panting.

øùú Shandor says, 'That's it, when I get to A'lure, I'm not leaving, I don't care what happens, I am not setting a foot outside of A'lure... not even if the world comes to an end.'

øùú Ariea says, 'You do realise we live in Tildruin, right?'

øùú Varadrion looks at him and says "Ya, right"

øùú Shandor sighs, 'Yeah... I was hoping no-one would point that out.'

øùú Calaryn laughs

øùú Varadrion sighs "Up is the wrong way, down is a death trap, any ideas?"

øùú Calaryn smiles at Ariea 'Wouldn’t it be good having Shandor in A'lure.'

øùú Shandor says, 'I say we head down again, 'cause they might stop by the time we get there.'

øùú Ariea says, 'That's a good point Calaryn.'

øùú Shandor turns to Varadrion and Isondil, 'You see what I have to live with?'

øùú Isondil grins

øùú Varadrion smiles softly

øùú Shandor gets to his feet, 'I say, we go down the path a little, see what has happened. And then, if possible, we'll continue on.'

øùú Ariea nods.

øùú Varadrion nods

øùú Faelnon stands up, but pouts, 'Those rocks broke my bamboo stick.'

øùú Isondil nods

øùú Shandor says, 'Oh yeah? Well, I lost my wedding ring to them.'

øùú Ariea stops, 'Whoa! You lost what?'

øùú Calaryn looks at Shandor and shakes her head

øùú Shandor gulps, 'My... er.... redding ring... y'know the ring... that makes stuff red...'

øùú Ariea growls, 'Like your blood-stained face, you lost the wedding ring?!'

øùú Shandor says, 'Um, well, yes, kinda, but I mean, it was a human one, not a real one.'

øùú Isondil grins

øùú Ariea says, 'Like our marriage was human and 'not a real one.'?'

øùú Shandor says, 'Yes, you are right, I could of phrased that better.'

øùú Calaryn slaps Isondil’s head and walks up to Ariea

øùú Varadrion says "As much as Shandor being in pain pleases me, perhaps we could continue this later”

øùú Ariea says, 'You'd better start running down that path, 'cause I'll be right behind you.'

øùú Calaryn looks at Varadrion ‘Shut up'

øùú Faelnon grins, 'Shandor, you are right, you won't be leaving A'lure, by the time we get there Ariea will have put you in a coma.'

øùú Ariea has trapped Shandor, she growls darkly, a wicked grin playing over her face, 'Well now.... You have to pay for our proper elven wedding. Doesn't that make you feel better?'

øùú Ariea grins and begins walking down the path, 'Oh, and what do you say to getting gold dust and sprinkling it over all of A'lure...?'

øùú Shandor says, 'I think I'm going to be working for the rest of my life after this wedding-wedding.'

øùú Varadrion sighs "That’s enough"

øùú Calaryn walks after Ariea

øùú Faelnon walks along.

øùú Faelnon says, 'Poor Varadrion, saw Shandor in trouble and couldn't even get a shot in, you must be really depressed.'

øùú Varadrion says "I let him off, he was in enough trouble already"

øùú Faelnon smiles, 'Sure...'

øùú Varadrion chuckles

<@Narrator> The group have passed the part where the rocks initially began falling, since then, the mountain slopes have gradually been getting shallower, but not by much.

<@Narrator> The sounds of falling boulders has completely disappeared now and a relative peace has settled over the cloud-covered mountain.

øùú Shandor continues walking along, pleased to note that the old man hadn't made any annoying comments.

øùú Varadrion walks alongside Shandor

øùú Isondil looks around at the thick cloud trying to see through it

øùú Shandor suddenly comes to a halt.

<@Narrator> The path in front of them has been completely destroyed, leaving a crater where the path used to be.

øùú Shandor states, 'Well, we aren't passing this way…The rocks must of done it.'

øùú Isondil says 'It seems like were never going to get off this mountain'

øùú Varadrion curses

øùú Calaryn smiles 'We're becoming dwarves'

øùú Shandor says, 'Any bright ideas how we get down?'

øùú Shandor smiles at Calaryn, 'It hasn't got that bad...'

øùú Calaryn looks around 'So any ideas?'

øùú Isondil shrugs and says 'Jump?'

øùú Calaryn smiles 'Be my guest'

øùú Varadrion curses again

øùú Isondil smiles

øùú Faelnon thinks for a moment, 'Well, we could always try sliding down the side, and probably to our deaths…'

øùú Shandor answers, 'Actually, that's not that bad an idea. Well, not the dying part, but we could construct a sleigh of some sort and just slide down the mountain. I'll not deny that it'll be a bumpy ride, and getting out in mid-travel is not advisable, but I think it might be do-able.'

øùú Faelnon looks at Shandor, 'Oh yes, and what are you going to fashion this sleigh out of?'

øùú Shandor says, 'Um…'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Exactly.'

øùú Faelnon turns to the group, 'What do you think?'

øùú Isondil shrugs

øùú Shandor looks about for anything to build a sleigh out of.

øùú Faelnon says, 'Thank you for being so vocal over the matter.'

øùú Calaryn looks at Shandor 'Looks like we have two crazy persons here'

øùú Kalypse raises her hand 'me as for one?'

øùú Shandor shrugs, 'This idea has a slim possibility of working.'

øùú Faelnon states, 'Slim being the key word.'

øùú Ariea says, 'It is better than doing nothing...'

øùú Shandor says, 'Actually.... If we did do nothing, then the guy who wants the power of a god could get it, and then he could shrink the mountain and we could hop off.'

øùú Calaryn looks around 'Remind me to sit in the middle'

øùú Faelnon looks at Shandor, 'The sleigh idea was better.'

øùú Varadrion nods

øùú Kalypse smiles 'Sound like fun!'

øùú Shandor grins, 'That's the spirit!'

øùú Faelnon shakes his head, 'I have to find people who aren't crazy to quest with.'

øùú Varadrion says "I'll take an outside seat I suppose"

øùú Kalypse says 'Have you ever tried? You just have to find a more or less smooth place to go down'

øùú Ariea says, 'I gotta say, we might as well do the sleigh idea...'

øùú Shandor grins, 'Oh yeah, that'll be easy...'

øùú Shandor says, 'We need something to craft it out of...ideas?'

øùú Kalypse adds 'And of course... no big rocks on the way.. hehe'

øùú Shandor shrugs, 'We could, of course, try digging the rock out, but that would make us dwarves...'

øùú Calaryn says 'Lets hope Aslaï Eithne will great us with open arms'

øùú Shandor looks up, 'Hmm, there might be plant life above the cloud level, shall we climb up to have a look?'

øùú Ariea climbs onto the rock, 'Yeah, sounds fun.'

øùú Shandor scrambles onto the rock too, 'Okay, anyone else want to go tree-hunting?'

øùú Faelnon says, 'I'll take a look around the path for any.'

øùú Varadrion follows

øùú Shandor begins to climb.

øùú Shandor climbs as quickly, but as safely as possible.

øùú Faelnon wonders along the path, looking about either side of the path.

øùú Isondil begins looking around for trees

øùú Kalypse says 'Do you really think there are trees over there?

øùú Varadrion says "doubt it"

øùú Calaryn takes a better look at the ground and sits down

øùú Shandor shrugs, 'This mountain has thrown up a lot of different surprises..'

øùú Kalypse says 'Even so... only small plants grow on a rocky surface..'

<@Narrator> The old man pipes up, 'Life has found a way through this mountain, in the very core creatures dwell.'

øùú Shandor says, 'Oh goodie, more of him...'

øùú Faelnon moves over to the old man, 'By the way, just how in the hell did you know that the rocks were coming?'

<@Narrator> The old man shrugs, 'I know.'

øùú Faelnon mumbles, 'Helpful...'

øùú Kalypse turns her attention to the old man 'Even life has its limitations, my friend.'

<@Narrator> The old man shrugs again.

øùú Shandor continues climbing, but he can't see anything, however, the clouds are clearing.

øùú Shandor has cleared the cloud level, just about, 'I don't see anything at all, just rock.'

øùú Shandor says, 'Anyone else?'

øùú Kalypse shakes her head

øùú Varadrion shouts "nothing here"

øùú Faelnon mumbles, 'Nor here.'

øùú Ariea says, 'Big ol' nothing on the tree-detector.'

øùú Kalypse grins 'If we were all warriors we could slide down on our shields..'

øùú Shandor smiles at Kalypse.

øùú Shandor gets back down, 'Oh well, it was worth a try.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Okay, no trees... I don't suppose there is a 'tree-spell' anyone knows?'

øùú Shandor shrugs.

øùú Varadrion looks at Kalypse

øùú Calaryn suggest we try to find another way down'

øùú Isondil looks around and says maybe we should look for a way through the mountain

øùú Faelnon says, 'Yes, and then we start singing dwarven songs and drinking dwarven ales, soon enough we will be growing beards and living underground...'

øùú Kalypse says 'Even if there was a spell, we need the ground for the tree to stand.. it cant hold itself on rocks'

øùú Varadrion shudders at the idea

øùú Ariea grins, 'Too late about the ale part for some of us, eh Shandor?'

øùú Shandor says, 'If I recall, we once through... arg, what was it, a seed of some kind into a crack in a solid marble wall where it suddenly sprung to life.'

øùú Isondil shrugs and says ' It was just a suggestion'

øùú Varadrion pats his sword, ‘I can make a small hole in the rock, but only one, and it'll still be rock underneath.”

øùú Calaryn looks at Shandor 'Sounds like Mihwen'

øùú Shandor looks at Calaryn, 'I didn't know she drank that stuff.'

øùú Kalypse sits down on a rock and starts searching her bag

øùú Kalypse smiles 'Ahhh... like this one?' and shows the little seed to Shandor

øùú Calaryn looks at Shandor 'I meant a seed that grows quick'

øùú Isondil looks at Kalypse

øùú Shandor grins and takes the seed, 'Yes, that looks like it, you are a life saver Kalypse!'

øùú Shandor says next, 'Um, does anyone know how these work? Calaryn?'

øùú Shandor adds, 'Or Kalypse?'

øùú Varadrion chuckles

øùú Calaryn shakes her head

øùú Kalypse says 'hmm, I got that as a gift from one of the druids I met... I didn’t get any advise on how to use it though.. should be simple'

øùú Shandor says, 'I don't think Mihwen said anything when she used it that other time... hmm.'

øùú Kalypse adds 'I mean.. its a seed, isn’t it.. we should bury it..'

øùú Varadrion says "Maybe just put it in a small hole?

øùú Shandor says, 'Hmm, yes, possibly, Faelnon, give me your sword.'

øùú Faelnon passes Shandor the sword.

øùú Kalypse says 'hmm, we will need water... oh! I have some... somewhere..'

øùú Shandor takes it and hits into the ground as powerfully as he can, a small chip jumps from it, leaving a very tiny hole.

øùú Shandor repeats the process a few times before the hold has enlarged to as size to comfortably fit the acorn with a bit of space.

øùú Varadrion chuckles

øùú Calaryn sits down and mumbles 'Aslaï Eithne, mother of life, may it grow, in your embrace...'

øùú Kalypse picks up a bottle among her things and hands it to Shandor

øùú Shandor thanks Kalypse.

øùú Kalypse says 'We shouldn’t stay too close either... I don’t know which tree is that. It could throw one of us down the cliff if we are in its way.

øùú Isondil looks sceptically at this

øùú Varadrion backs off a few steps

øùú Shandor says, 'I would like to state that I have no idea if this will work.'

øùú Shandor puts the acorn in the hole.

øùú Varadrion says "Tell us something we don't know"

øùú Shandor opens the bottle of water and thinks a quick prayer to Aslaï Eithne. He pours the water into the hole.

<@Narrator> Nothing happens as the cloud moves swiftly.

øùú Kalypse smiles 'Don’t blame me, I usually know more about normal plants.'

øùú Shandor sighs, 'Darn.'

øùú Calaryn continues praying

øùú Isondil sighs

<@Narrator> Suddenly a crack forms in the path as the acorn suddenly explodes to life, a giant trunk knocking the group out of the way as it spread to a height of about ten feet. Branches sweep over the edge of the path and it stands in glory.

øùú Shandor says, 'Okay, I'm going to stop making a reaction until at least a minute has passed.

øùú Ariea says, 'It would be best.'

øùú Kalypse looks astonished at the tree 'oh pretty..'

øùú Shandor touches the trunk, it didn't collapse, so Shandor took that as a good sign.

øùú Calaryn looks amazed at Aslaï Eithne's work

øùú Shandor says grimly, 'Okay, we've just proved that Aslaï Eithne has overwhelming power. Now, let's destroy it....'

øùú Kalypse wonders 'Does someone have an axe?'

øùú Varadrion asks "Now to make it fall"

øùú Varadrion says "My sword can cut it, but it will take a moment"

øùú Shandor waves the sword, 'This'll do...'

øùú Shandor begins hacking into the base of the trunk, 'Just make sure it doesn't fall over the edge of the path when it falls.'

øùú Kalypse grins 'Good, two strong male with a sword..'

øùú Kalypse gets out of the way

øùú Varadrion draws his sword and begins hacking the opposite side that Shandor is.

øùú Ariea grabs her sword and begins slamming into the trunk with it, 'Two males and a powerful female, with a sword.'

øùú Isondil takes a small woodcutter's axe from his bag and passes it to Shandor

øùú Kalypse grins

øùú Varadrion says "This would be a lot easier if one of those rocks had cut me" and sighs

øùú Calaryn shakes her head 'Better let it grow here'

øùú Faelnon looks at Isondil, 'Maybe I could borrow that?'

øùú Calaryn smiles 'We should climb down'

øùú Faelnon turns to Calaryn, 'The chances of this tree growing here with no food are not good.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Climbing will no doubt lead to our death, as I recall us being *very* high up on the dragons.'

øùú Faelnon takes Isondil's woodcutter's axe politely and begins hacking into the tree.

øùú Kalypse turns to Calaryn 'Even if it could grow... its life was not meant to be here, we only put it there so we can reach the ground and not starve ourselves.'

øùú Varadrion sighs "This is taking too long"

øùú Shandor announces, 'Watch it! It is about to go, Vardrion start pushing it towards us so it doesn't fall over the edge.'

øùú Varadrion begins to push the tree

øùú Shandor buries the sword into the base as it begins to creak, he steps aside slightly before moving around to Varadrion's side to help.

øùú Isondil helps Varadrion to push the tree

øùú Calaryn looks at Kalypse 'Better let it live then kill it and ourselves.’

øùú Varadrion pushes the tree as hard as he can

<@Narrator> The tree gives a groan before giving up and collapsing onto the path, the branches snapping off for the most part.

øùú Varadrion says "Maybe we should flatten one section, so it doesn't roll on us while its going down"

øùú Faelnon says, 'Calaryn, how could it survive here? It has no food, and no sunlight, and I don't think Aslaï Eithne would approve of us all dying too.'

øùú Kalypse smiles 'I don’t like to see a tree fall down like that either, Calaryn, but we need nature as much as it needs us... we just have to do our part too.'

øùú Shandor turns to Varadrion, 'Good idea, I'll begin carving into it on the other side so we have somewhere 'cosy' to sit.'

øùú Kalypse adds 'And to do our part we have to be alive..'

øùú Shandor takes Isondil's axe from Faelnon.

øùú Shandor begins chopping into one side of the tree.

øùú Calaryn points down 'You think we'll survive that?'

øùú Faelnon nods, 'Good point Kalypse, the folks in A'lure think we are okay, we could condemn this world and Aslaï Eithne would loose all her power just so we aren't mean to a tree that couldn't survive anyway.' He notes that the tree is already down, 'But it seems rather moot point now.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'The argument I mean.'

øùú Varadrion says to Calaryn "We won't survive here, we might as well try"

øùú Faelnon says to Calaryn, 'We have to, we can't die because we have things to do.'

øùú Ariea mumbles, 'Great logic Faelnon.'

øùú Calaryn say then we'll find another ways down!

øùú Ariea says in a mocking tone, 'Sorry, can't die now, I'm off to save the world!'

øùú Varadrion says "We could vote on it if it will make you feel better Calaryn"

øùú Kalypse smiles at Calaryn 'Relax, my friend.. Its not that difficult. A bit scary perhaps..'

øùú Shandor shouts, 'Look around! There is no other way down, the path is destroyed this way, a dead end the other way. Going up does no good, jumping down is going to be pointless.'

øùú Kalypse covers her ears 'Hey, dont shout like that, my ears are sensitive!'

øùú Varadrion looks at Shandor surprised

øùú Faelnon removes the statuette that summoned the dragons, he presses on the symbol and waits for a long moment, 'See, they aren't coming either.'

øùú Calaryn says 'We're gonna die!'

øùú Shandor slams the axe into the wood as powerfully as he can.

øùú Kalypse says 'We are not!'

øùú Calaryn sits down as tears staring to run down her face

øùú Shandor growls, 'Then let us die but it is a damned sight better than standing around here arguing over a moot point. We are all going to die, it is a fact, so what if it happens now or in ten years? We might as well try something! Or would you rather we sit on this path until we either starve to death, or eat each other and starve to death or wait for another rock slide to finish us off!'

øùú Ariea says, 'Shandor, how's about you just make our nice sleigh? I think we could all calm down a bit, we are hungry, tired and sick to death of this mountain, let's just breath deeply and calm ourselves.'

øùú Kalypse sits next to Calaryn and hugs her 'Do you think we would be brought this far just to die?'

øùú Kalypse turns to Shandor 'What a high temper you have..'

øùú Shandor says, 'All the better to growl at people with...'

øùú Kalypse shakes her head 'you are hopeless..'

øùú Shandor says, continuing chopping, 'No-one read that fable then?'

øùú Isondil smiles and says 'Maybe you can huff and puff and blow this mountain down so we can get of it'

øùú Varadrion walks between then and stands silently

øùú Calaryn look at Kalypse with tears in her eyes 'but Virnaelne died'

øùú Ariea looks at Calaryn and sits beside her, too.

øùú Kalypse blinks at Calaryn's statement and asks 'Who is Virnaelne?"

øùú Calaryn mumbles 'm-m-my sister'

øùú Kalypse says 'oh.. I see.. I’m sorry to hear that. How did that happen?'

øùú Ariea says, 'Oh, I am so sorry.'

øùú Calaryn points down the cliff

øùú Kalypse looks a bit sad

øùú Varadrion kneels in front of Calaryn and asks softly "Would your sister want you to die on a rock with no hope, or to try? Think of what you are doing, she would be proud"

øùú Kalypse smiles at Varadrion

øùú Isondil smiles

øùú Calaryn looks angrily at Varadrion 'Would she want me to die the same way as she!!!!'

øùú Calaryn jumps up on her feet

øùú Kalypse says 'Yes, Calaryn.. she would not want you to die either way, but if you don't try then you are accepting the fate of being dead by yourself... if you try you till have a chance to be living'

øùú Varadrion turns back and says "Would she want you to rot on some rock?" and walks back to the tree.

øùú Ariea says, 'Er, Varadrion, please stop...'

øùú Calaryn pulls two daggers and looks furious at Varadrion

øùú Kalypse stands up slowly

øùú Varadrion looks at Calaryn, but ignores her and begins working on the tree

øùú Kalypse stares blankly at Calaryn

øùú Faelnon jumps to his feet, 'Calaryn, calm down, sit down and rest for a moment.'

øùú Kalypse asks 'What are you doing?'

øùú Isondil looks at Calaryn with mild concern

øùú Calaryn puts down the knives and walks up behind Varadrion and kicks he's knee from the side

øùú Faelnon says, 'I heard of the accident of a girl called Virnaelne, but I had no idea you were related. It was an awful accident, I'm so sorry.'

øùú Varadrion turns to Calaryn, but again, ignores her

øùú Shandor stops chopping to listen, he hadn't heard of any such news.

øùú Kalypse says 'Think for a moment, Calaryn. Your sister may have died, but it was an accident. If you were to stay here you would be choosing your own death. If you have a chance, even if remote you should try it'

øùú Isondil looks at Faelnon and says 'I think she needs to be restrained before she does Varadrion some damage'

øùú Shandor steps between the two and barks, 'Okay, that last thing we need is for people to be fighting, Varadrion, get back to work. Calaryn, don't worry about him, he is a jerk to pretty much everything.'

øùú Isondil asks Shandor 'Can I help?'

øùú Ariea looks at Faelnon, half-wondering what happened to Calaryn's sister, but doesn't ask.

øùú Shandor says, 'Well, you can keep Varadrion from being... well... himself.'

øùú Calaryn walks up to Varadrion

øùú Isondil smiles and says 'That's impossible'

øùú Shandor continues work on the 'sleigh'.

øùú Calaryn still looks at Varadrion

øùú Faelnon grabs the bottle of water, or what remains of it, 'Here Calaryn, have a drink.'

øùú Varadrion looks at Calaryn, and seems to be thinking

øùú Isondil looks around and takes out his bow and polishes it

øùú Ariea approaches Varadrion and says quietly, 'I advise you keep a fair distance away from Calaryn, and be more sensitive to people in future, or I'll make sure your ability to have children is severely compromised.'

øùú Ariea swiftly moves away from Varadrion and nears Calaryn.

øùú Shandor grins as he over hears Ariea.

øùú Varadrion says just loud enough to be heard "Ariea"

øùú Isondil grins and laughs at Ariea's comment

øùú Kalypse ignores Ariea's comment thinking about how aggressive she seems

øùú Faelnon says quietly to Ariea, 'Do you recall a time when you would have loved just to stay back and look after Lestat and Goldie?'

øùú Ariea nods grimly, 'Yes... but then I was taught how to wield a weapon and it just went downhill from there.'

øùú Isondil thinks to-himself that it would be better if Ariea did stay at home

øùú Faelnon says, 'I'm going to hurt Shandor.'

øùú Kalypse mutters 'weapons...'

øùú Ariea grins, 'Why? It is much more fun this way, I still get to be nice, but, no-one messes with me.'

øùú Shandor nods and smiles, 'True...'

øùú Isondil frowns at Ariea's comment

øùú Varadrion says loud enough for Ariea to hear, but with his back still turned, "We have to do this, and every delay lessens or chance of being succesful, personal problems" he adds quietly looking at Calaryn, "no matter how painful and unfortunate have to be set aside"

øùú Kalypse stares at the sleigh 'wooo! This is getting nice! Dont worry too much about the details, we just need it to go down!' and smiles

øùú Shandor grins, 'Good, there is a good reason I'm not a carpenter.'

øùú Ariea whispers quietly to Calaryn, 'You want me to hurt him? 'Cause I can...'

øùú Kalypse says 'no hurting..'

øùú Calaryn doesn’t answer Ariea's question

øùú Isondil walks over to Varadrion and examines the 'Sleigh'

øùú Shandor states, 'Okay... I think I am just about done, enough seats for all of us, yes, I think it will do quite nicely.'

øùú Varadrion hops into a seat at the very back

øùú Kalypse stares downhill and fixes her hair in a way that it doesn’t get too messed up when they get down.

øùú Shandor says, 'I'm not entirely sure how I intend to steer, if I am the one up front which I hope I'm not...'

øùú Faelnon grins, 'Oh you are, don't worry.'

øùú Isondil jumps into the seat in front of Varadrion

øùú Varadrion says "Steer by dragging a sword, maybe that will work"

øùú Kalypse shouts 'I’m going on the front!'

øùú Shandor says, 'The very front? You'd be the first one to die if... I mean, yes, go ahead.'

øùú Calaryn looks at Varadrion and spits out 'the I guess you cant steer'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Ah, you aren't getting out of it that easy.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'You are still steering, remember, we all signed a contract to that effect when we first met.'

øùú Kalypse turns to Shandor 'IF we die I will be the one to have more fun on the way down' and winks

øùú Shandor cocks an eyebrow, 'Funny, I don't recall that.'

øùú Varadrion looks at Calaryn, and still says nothing

øùú Faelnon says, 'Really? It also covers 'You will be the first one to die' and 'You get thrown into a volcano as a sacrifice to some natives god before the rest of us'.'

øùú Isondil turns around to Varadrion and says 'Maybe you should apologise'

øùú Varadrion says "Can we please get going?"

øùú Kalypse laughs 'How about this? I go back to nature before you do!'

øùú Shandor says, 'Kalypse, do you want to go in front? You may have to steer...'

øùú Varadrion looks at Isondil quietly

øùú Ariea climbs in, already giddy, 'Hey! I want to go up front too, we get the best view.'

øùú Kalypse raises an eyebrow 'steer?'

øùú Calaryn looks at Shandor 'leave it up to Aslaï Eithne'

øùú Shandor says, 'Yes, if needed, we may need to alter the course of this fun ride.'

øùú Kalypse says 'Ah, that is not a problem!'

øùú Shandor nods, 'Okay, you can borrow my sword, I don't mind if it gets destroyed,' He then passes the sword to Kalypse.

øùú Faelnon complains quietly, 'Hey, that's my sword...'

øùú Isondil raises an eyebrow at the phrase 'fun ride'

øùú Calaryn walks up beside Kalypse 'I’m with you'

øùú Ariea shuffles up closer to the front, 'Kalypse, you at the very front, Calaryn, you next? And then me?'

øùú Kalypse takes the sword and wonders how its used

øùú Kalypse grins 'What is this? Women on front? What just happened here?'

øùú Shandor explains the unasked question, 'Basically, drag the sword along one side and it will alter course, in theory.'

øùú Shandor says, 'Yes, this truly is the end of the world.'

øùú Faelnon grins and climbs in, 'Well, it'll be a fun ride into Tarkna.'

øùú Shandor looks at Faelnon, 'Okay, you aren't aloud to act excited anymore.'

øùú Kalypse turns to Shandor 'I knew that!!' and scratches her head

øùú Isondil prays to the gods that he will survive

øùú Ariea grins, 'Women shall inherit the world.'

øùú Shandor grins back, 'And mankind will be doomed.'

øùú Shandor climbs in.

øùú Kalypse jumps on the front seat.

øùú Shandor grins, 'Okay, who votes that Varadrion gets out and pushes us over the edge and he stays here?'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Very funny, Shandor, just push it.'

øùú Shandor looks shocked, 'I'm not getting out to- oh, you don't mean that way, do you?'

øùú Kalypse shouts 'Woooo!'

øùú Isondil turns suddenly pale

øùú Varadrion looks at Shandor and says "Don't worry, I'll help you get in"

øùú Isondil grins at Varadrion

øùú Shandor mumbles, 'Kri-los-tral, nos es salae cretro etce solintay.'

<@Narrator> The sleigh rocks a bit and slides over the edge.

øùú Ariea screams excitedly, 'Wheee!'

<@Narrator> The sleigh sets off, it picks up unbelievable pace incredibly quickly. Even the slightest bump throws the sleigh off quite a bit.

øùú Varadrion sits back, relaxed

<@Narrator> What remains of the leaves are whipped off.

øùú Calaryn holds her breath

øùú Faelnon suddenly states, 'I left my waking stick back there...'

øùú Isondil smiles and says 'I don't think you can go and get it back now'

øùú Kalypse says 'Get yourself another one..hehe'

øùú Shandor shrugs at the feeling and looks about. He suddenly realises that he should be excited... or something, 'Faelnon, do you think we have lost our ability to be excited? Have we seen it all? I mean, Ariea is excited, why aren't we?'

øùú Isondil looks around slowly

øùú Faelnon says, 'Pfft, not even close, plenty of stuff to see, maybe we are just too..."grown up" for that?'

øùú Shandor grins, 'No way!' He turns around and grins again.

øùú Varadrion looks at them and says "I'm only twenty-nine and this isn't exciting me" and laughs

øùú Kalypse shouts again 'Wooo!' and raises her hand showing the sword up

øùú Ariea says, 'You people are too boring, just concentrate on this, purely on this, I mean, we are rocketing down a mountain on a sleigh, I know we haven't done that before, it's fun! Just let yourself go... er, not literally of course, let yourself go within the confines of the sleigh.'

øùú Ariea grins at Kalypse and does alike.

øùú Varadrion looks from Shandor to Faelnon and back again and rolls his eyes

<@Narrator> The sleigh bumps a bit, jolting into the air a foot, but it finds its way back to the mountain instantly.

øùú Kalypse suddenly loses her balance for a bit and puts the sword down, but raises it again as soon as she gains control

øùú Shandor begins singing an old elven song.

øùú Faelnon says, 'This could be a new sport, I think I'll suggest that in A'lure.'

øùú Ariea smiles, 'One problem, you need a really big mountain.'

øùú Ariea says, 'Speaking of, how big is this thing?'

øùú Kalypse looks around 'I have no idea'

øùú Shandor bursts into a loud rendition of the chorus of the song, hoping the others join in.

øùú Ariea shrugs and grins, before joining in the singing.

øùú Faelnon sighs, 'Children... I'm surrounded by children...' Soon after, he too is singing.

øùú Kalypse shouts 'Hold yourselves!! Rock ahead!!' and puts the sword to one side

øùú Shandor continues singing, but has stopped the chorus and is now making up an entire verse about Kalypse trying to avoid a rock.

øùú Ariea digs into the side of the sleigh with her hands for support, but other wise is still having fun, listening to Shandor.

øùú Calaryn is totally pale

øùú Kalypse turns back to Shandor 'HEY!'

øùú Varadrion sits relaxed in the back

øùú Shandor stops singing, 'Yes?'

øùú Kalypse says 'I should pull those pointy ears of yours..'

øùú Shandor grins, 'Only if I can pull yours!'

øùú Ariea sings the chorus of the song again.

øùú Kalypse grins back 'You wouldn’t be able to reach me! Haha'

øùú Faelnon joins in, but adds, 'We are completely children... two more verses!'

øùú Shandor grins, 'You wouldn't be able to reach me either.'

<@Narrator> Appearing through the clouds the group can see for miles, it is quite a beautiful sight, but not completely appreciated owing to their current circumstances. There is a low fog rolling over the grassy fields. A few clumps of trees and even from here wildlife, deer mostly, can be made out. Around the base of the mountain was a particularly large clump of trees.

øùú Shandor whistles in awe.

øùú Isondil looks around and smiles at the grassy fields

øùú Ariea grins, 'Yay! I can see!'

<@Narrator> Not far along, the "path" they are coming down ends at a ledge.

øùú Shandor hollers, 'Hang on, no time to change course, just hang on for dear life.'

<@Narrator> The sleigh jets from the path, over the ledge and into the sky. It whistles through the air, plummeting now at a disturbing speed. It smashes into the mountain lower down, twists and turns and slides. Any attempts to steer it seem rather moot now as the sleigh rapidly approaches the point at which it will take no more and break.

øùú Shandor 's head smacks against the side of the sleigh and he slumps forward for a brief moment.

øùú Shandor blinks and sits back up, he runs a hand along his head and feels the blood on his hand. He hopes it isn't a severe cut as he continues to hang on.

øùú Faelnon says, 'We are going too fast... we need to slow down, somehow.'

øùú Shandor looks about, 'Kalypse, any ideas?'

øùú Kalypse asks 'How?'

øùú Isondil says 'How do you plan to make us stop?'

øùú Shandor says, 'Guess not.'

øùú Shandor says, 'Hmm, I could try a spell, y'know, like the one I used back there, only for the opposite way.'

øùú Calaryn swallows

øùú Varadrion says "What are you waiting for?!"

øùú Kalypse says 'just don’t use it too strong or the thing stays and we continue'

øùú Isondil says 'Go for it what's the worst that can happen the people at the front all die?'

øùú Shandor says quickly, 'Kri-los-tral, nos es salae echi alue nisatray solintay.' Shandor shudders as his eyes change colour, the spell doesn't appear to work, but he does state afterward, 'Asmae necha vay.'

øùú Shandor rubs his face, 'Arg, that wasn't meant to happen.'

øùú Ariea looks as the sleigh continues as fast as it was before, 'No, really?'

øùú Faelnon comments, 'I would ask why you just said "death and darkness comes" in ancient elven, but as it appears we are about to die..'

<@Narrator> The sleigh is getting a lot closer to the ground now.

øùú Ariea holds onto the sides for dear life, 'I'm sure there's a reason I wanted to try this, I can't think of it right now, but I'm sure there is one.'

øùú Kalypse says 'We would be dead if we didn’t try this..'

øùú Ariea says, 'That's it.'

øùú Varadrion says "Well, not yet, but eventually"

<@Narrator> The sleigh hits a small jut out and flies out-of-control into the air. The sleigh is now plummeting down through the air, heading towards the rocks and jagged points… or perhaps the trees? The grass? It appears to be heading towards the trees now, for the moment at least.

øùú Faelnon looks at the trees as they near, 'Um, everyone hold on and try not to get killed.'

øùú Faelnon half-closes his eyes.

øùú Kalypse shouts 'argh!'

øùú Isondil ducks his head down and holds on

øùú Ariea squeaks in a mixture of terror and pure terror.

øùú Shandor is still bleeding, but is rather shocked by this turn of events.

øùú Varadrion ducks down in his seat

øùú Calaryn says 'what did I say.. great us Aslaï Eithne'

<@Narrator> The sleigh slams into the top layer of small branches covered in green shoots. Further down the branches were widening and becoming less willing to bend. Dark green leaves are torn from their trees and whipped into a frenzy with the group.

øùú Ariea screams briefly.

<@Narrator> The sleigh has neared the ground, bouncing off tree's trunk. The sleigh gives up and tears into various pieces, throwing the group in various directions.

<@Narrator> The remnants of the sleigh hit the ground with a sickening thud and slide along for a few metres, leaving a deep gorge along.

øùú Varadrion rolls along the ground and into a tree trunk

øùú Isondil smacks into a tree trunk winding him

øùú Shandor yelps as he is flung from the sleigh.

øùú Calaryn flies like a tossed rock

øùú Isondil lies unconscious on the ground

øùú Ariea screeches and continues to hold onto the piece of sleigh she sat on.

øùú Varadrion lies unmoving against the trunk

øùú Kalypse is thrown from the sleigh and falls over one of the tree branches

øùú Kalypse mutters a bit without air 'ouch'

øùú Faelnon is flung from the sleigh and cracks through a branch, through a few more and down to the dusty ground, his head bouncing off a root that is protruding above ground.

øùú Shandor is clinging to a branch, eyes clamped shut, about three metres in the air.

øùú Shandor yelps as the branch breaks and he lands on the ground.

øùú Calaryn is hanging upside down i a tree

øùú Varadrion moves a little bit, and struggles to get back to his feet, he fails and drops to his knees

øùú Calaryn dunno is she shall move or not

øùú Shandor opens his eyes and looks about, his hands are still gripping the branch for dear life, even though he is safe now.

øùú Ariea opens her eyes and looks about, she is still in the sleigh, or what remains of it, she says, wincing, 'Can we go again?'

øùú Varadrion stumbles over to Isondil and kneels beside him

øùú Ariea very carefully climbs from the sleigh into the gorge and lies there quietly.

øùú Kalypse recovers her breath and finds her way down to the ground, hurt from the fall

øùú Varadrion calls over to Faelnon "He needs help!"

øùú Faelnon sits up, he is a few metres away from the gorge... and has a branch protuding from his leg.

øùú Faelnon winces and states, 'Um, I will help if someone could help me limp over there.'

øùú Varadrion looks over at Faelnon, sighs, and lifts Isondil over his shoulder

øùú Calaryn climbs down but falls the last meters

øùú Varadrion walks over, drops Isondil on the ground, and pulls the branch from Faelnon's leg

øùú Ariea crawls out of the area, 'I'll help... just,' She pants, 'Give me... a few hours.'

øùú Varadrion looks around for anyone else who has fallen

øùú Faelnon growls in pain, 'Ah, problem not solved, now I can't walk on that leg at all, and a chunk of it remains in my leg. Thank you very much Varadrion, I wish Calaryn had knocked you from the mountain.'

øùú Varadrion says "And I suppose you would have left it in there to grow? Isondil needs your help"

øùú Ariea shuffles over to Faelnon and states, 'He is a brain-dead jerk, you expected any more?' Before helping Faelnon to his feet and helping him limp towards Isondil.

øùú Faelnon says, 'No, I would have had it been removed in a safe way, you know, so I don't get infected and can't help your beloved friend.'

øùú Varadrion looks at Ariea, and mutters something about 'stupid females' and walks off to look for Kalypse

øùú Ariea grins, 'Don't worry, we can kill him while he sleeps.'

øùú Kalypse feels her stomach aching and suddenly feels dizzy and falls

øùú Calaryn is sitting chocked on the ground

øùú Varadrion walks over to Kalypse and kneels besides her "Are you ok?"

øùú Faelnon slumps beside Isondil and prods him, 'He is knocked out, and that's it, no major wound, nothing. Oh, thank you so much for that Varadrion. Jeesh, moron.'

øùú Ariea grins, 'That's the spirit.'

øùú Kalypse mutters something inaudible

øùú Shandor moves over to Faelnon and Ariea.

øùú Shandor is still holding the branch.

øùú Varadrion asks "Should I bring Faelnon over here, or can you stand?"

øùú Shandor shakes his arms and he lets it go.

øùú Shandor moves over to Calaryn, 'Are you okay?'

øùú Kalypse 's eyes open wide 'Nooo, I can stand.. just... help me here..'

øùú Varadrion holds Kalypse's arm and helps her stand

øùú Faelnon states, 'He has a broken rib, but it is nothing fatal. We'll have to wait before I can heal him though, I lost all my supplies when the wagon-crashed.'

øùú Kalypse tries hard to catch her breath 'Thank you Varadrion..'

øùú Ariea says, 'What about your leg though, I can still see some of the branch...'

øùú Varadrion looks to Faelnon and says "I'm not carrying him"

øùú Varadrion bows

øùú Faelnon looks at his leg, 'See, this is why I needed the bamboo stick...'

øùú Ariea says, 'Yes, it is all clear now.'

<@Narrator> The old man moves over to Faelnon, 'It will not be infected, don't worry. Although, I advise we walk in that direction for a few minutes, perhaps ten with your limp.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Why?'

øùú Calaryn looks chocked at the situation

<@Narrator> The old man shrugs, 'The people who didn't come this way aren't coming this way.'

øùú Varadrion asks Kalypse "Can you walk alone?"

øùú Kalypse nods slowly

øùú Faelnon looks at the old man, 'How hard did I hit my head, or did that make an impressive lack of sense.'

øùú Isondil groans and looks around

øùú Varadrion says "Good, at least you aren't seriously hurt"

øùú Shandor repeats his question to Calaryn, 'Are you alright?'

øùú Kalypse raises an eyebrow 'Old man, if you are not helping, don't disturb it.. you are really starting to annoy me.'

øùú Varadrion starts off back towards the group

øùú Isondil tries to get up slowly by pulling himself up with a branch from a tree

<@Narrator> The old man shrugs, but begins walking in the direction he indicated.

øùú Shandor looks at where the old man is going with intrigue.

øùú Isondil gasps for breath and winces

øùú Ariea helps Faelnon to his feet.

øùú Faelnon shouts at Varadrion, 'Help Isondil walk.'

øùú Shandor helps Calaryn up.

øùú Calaryn gets up on her feet

øùú Varadrion puts his arm under Isondil's and helps him walk

øùú Shandor helps Calaryn move along, 'I think she is okay, really shook up though.'

øùú Shandor follows the old man.

øùú Faelnon shrugs and follows the old man too.

øùú Isondil still trying to retain his breath

øùú Ariea continues to help Faelnon.

øùú Varadrion looks at Isondil and asks "Would you prefer I carried you?"

øùú Faelnon says, 'We few, we happy few-'

øùú Ariea adds, 'We band of complete invalids.'

øùú Isondil shakes his head and says 'No thanks'

øùú Faelnon grins, 'Ah, that, well, as soon as we get supplies we'll be fine, none of the wounds are too bad. We'll be right as rain come the morning after I get supplies...'

øùú Calaryn looks at Shandor 'Are you okay?'

øùú Shandor nods, 'Yeah, a little shook up, but yeah, okay.'

øùú Calaryn looks around 'And the rest?'

<@Narrator> The undergrowth has dramatically increased, the group are slowly knocking the branches out of their way as they go, but they can't see clearly beyond the plants.

øùú Kalypse says 'I’m fine..'

øùú Ariea says, 'I want to know why we are still following the old guy though.

øùú Isondil struggles to push the branches out of his way

øùú Shandor says, 'Just a hunch Ariea...'

øùú Kalypse mutters 'Strange hunch he is..'

<@Narrator> 'I told ye they wouldn'a gone this far north.' A gruff Dwarven voice states.

<@Narrator> 'Aye, but it was worth a try, we 'ave no idea where they went.' A second dwarf replies.

øùú Varadrion looks up

<@Narrator> 'Well, we've already been around this path a good ten times, this is pointless!' The first dwarf states again, 'There is absolutely ne point… let's go on, ne more te do, might as well 'ead back te Elves an' tell 'em about their disappearance.'

øùú Isondil looks around

øùú Calaryn looks around

øùú Faelnon looks at Shandor

øùú Shandor looks at Faelnon

øùú Shandor says, as Faelnon says at the exact same time, 'It's Thor.'

øùú Shandor charges through the undergrowth and spots the dwarf climbing back onto a horse, 'Hey!'

øùú Thor turns around, 'What te...?'

øùú Shandor grins, 'Thor! You miserable excuse for a drunkard! It is great to see you.'

øùú Kalypse looks at the dwarf

øùú Thor grins, 'Ahh, Pointy-ears, I was expecting you to show up sooner or later.'

øùú Ariea stumbles out and sees Thor and Thinn, 'Ahh, you two, good to see you.'

øùú Faelnon grins at seeing them.'

øùú Kalypse smiles

øùú Thor says, 'Good te see ye all, well 'cept Shindy, 'course, but that goes without sayin'.'

øùú Calaryn nods at the dwarves

øùú Isondil smiles at Thor's comment

øùú Calaryn says 'I'm Calaryn'

øùú Varadrion sighs and kneels down so Isondil can sit

øùú Shandor says, 'I overheard that you were very worried over us.'

øùú Thor bows at Calaryn, 'Thor, tis a pleasure.' He then turns to 'Shindy', 'I was only worried 'cause if ye all died then I 'ave to pay full price for this wagon.' He states, patting the oak wagon his horse was tied to.

øùú Isondil sits down gratefully

øùú Shandor grins before hugging Thor, 'Good to see you.'

øùú Thor nods, admitting, 'Aye, aye, tis good te see you too, just, dunnae spread that about 'kay?'

øùú Shandor grins, 'Sure... but we need that wagon to lie down, and food and supplies, and everything really.'

øùú Thor nods, turning to Thinn he states, 'Didn't I tell ye, Thinn, tenth time is te lucky one.'

øùú Varadrion falls forward onto the ground, face first

øùú Faelnon climbs up into the wagon and sits down on one side.

øùú Ariea sits on the other.

øùú Kalypse asks 'tenth?!'

øùú Thor says, 'Aye, tenth, we knew that Shindy would never show up the first time we look.'

øùú Kalypse laughs

øùú Shandor grins, climbing onto the front of the wagon.

øùú Kalypse then coughs from her previous lack of air

øùú Thor says, 'By the by, what te Tarkna happened to ye all? Ye look like ye've danced into a volcano.'

øùú Calaryn gets up on the wagon

øùú Shandor cocks an eyebrow at that analogy, but states, 'We took a sleigh ride down a mountain.'

øùú Thor sighs, 'An' I miss it?!'

øùú Varadrion stands up again slowly "You could say that"

øùú Kalypse smiles

øùú Shandor grins, 'Yes, yes you did. Now, take us back to A'lure.'

øùú Thor says, 'Aye, aye, alright, it'll take a few days, but we'll stop at a wee village I know to get a bite to eat an' a proper sleep.'

<@DrCBVI> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< 'And so I sez... that's my cow!'>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...



'The Best of the Rest'



<@Narrator> A boulder heads straight at Varadrion and Isondil.

<@Narrator> The boulder strikes a small ledge on the mountain and skips over the path, without harming the two [Sadly].

<+Isondil> ooc what u mean sadly?!?!

<@Narrator> OOC Varadrion knows what I mean.

<+Varadrion> ooc probably referring to me



øùú Shandor says, 'That's it, when I get to A'lure, I'm not leaving, I don't care what happens, I am not setting a foot outside of A'lure... not even if the world comes to an end.'

øùú Ariea says, 'You do realise we live in Tildruin, right?'

øùú Shandor sighs, 'Yeah... I was hoping no-one would point that out.'

øùú Calaryn laughs

øùú Calaryn smiles at Ariea 'Wouldn’t it be good having Shandor in A'lure.'

øùú Ariea says, 'That's a good point Calaryn.'

øùú Shandor turns to Varadrion and Isondil, 'You see what I have to live with?'

øùú Isondil grins

øùú Varadrion smiles softly



øùú Faelnon stands up, but pouts, 'Those rocks broke my bamboo stick.'

øùú Shandor says, 'Oh yeah? Well, I lost my wedding ring to them.'

øùú Ariea stops, 'Whoa! You lost what?'

øùú Shandor gulps, 'My... er.... redding ring... y'know the ring... that makes stuff red...'

øùú Ariea growls, 'Like your blood-stained face, you lost the wedding ring?!'

øùú Shandor says, 'Um, well, yes, kinda, but I mean, it was a human one, not a real one.'

øùú Isondil grins

øùú Ariea says, 'Like our marriage was human and 'not a real one.'?'

øùú Shandor says, 'Yes, you are right, I could of phrased that better.'

øùú Calaryn slaps Isondil’s head and walks up to Ariea

øùú Varadrion says "As much as Shandor being in pain pleases me, perhaps we could continue this later”

øùú Ariea says, 'You'd better start running down that path, 'cause I'll be right behind you.'

øùú Calaryn looks at Varadrion ‘shut up'

øùú Faelnon grins, 'Shandor, you are right, you won't be leaving A'lure, by the time we get there Ariea will have put you in a coma.'

øùú Ariea has trapped Shandor, she growls darkly, a wicked grin playing over her face, 'Well now.... You have to pay for our proper elven wedding. Doesn't that make you feel better?'

øùú Ariea grins and begins walking down the path, 'Oh, and what do you say to getting gold dust and sprinkling it over all of A'lure...?'

øùú Shandor says, 'I think I'm going to be working for the rest of my life after this wedding-wedding.'



øùú Varadrion walks alongside Shandor

øùú Shandor suddenly comes to a halt.

<@Narrator> The path in front of them has been completely destroyed, leaving a crater where the path used to be. [And since Varadrion was walking alongside Shandor, we all hope he fell off]



øùú Faelnon says, 'Yes, and then we start singing dwarven songs and drinking dwarven ales, soon enough we will be growing beards and living underground...'

Later…

øùú Shandor bursts into a loud rendition of the chorus of the song, hoping the others join in.

øùú Ariea shrugs and grins, before joining in the singing.

øùú Faelnon sighs, 'Children... I'm surrounded by children...' Soon after, he too is singing.



Elven singing, Dwarven singing, close enough.



<@Narrator> OOC Btw, talk about odd oddities. I hadn't had this planned, but this acorn was also used in the 'Quest' - Session V, shudder, freaky.

<+Kalypse> ooc hehe history repeating itself

<@Narrator> OOC and on the same session

<@Narrator> OOC Its Them, they are out to get me! Ahhh



øùú Shandor opens the bottle of water and thinks a quick prayer to Aslaï Eithne. He pours the water into the hole.

<@Narrator> Nothing happens as the cloud moves swiftly.

øùú Shandor sighs, 'Darn.'

<@Narrator> Suddenly a crack forms in the path as the acorn suddenly explodes to life, a giant trunk knocking the group out of the way as it spread to a height of about ten feet. Branches sweep over the edge of the path and it stands in glory.

øùú Shandor says, 'Okay, I'm going to stop making a reaction until at least a minute has passed.

øùú Ariea says, 'It would be best.'

øùú Kalypse looks astonished at the tree 'oh pretty..'





øùú Calaryn shakes her head 'Better let it grow here'

øùú Faelnon looks at Isondil, 'Maybe I could borrow that?'

øùú Calaryn smiles 'We should climb down'

øùú Faelnon turns to Calaryn, 'The chances of this tree growing here with no food are not good.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Climbing will no doubt lead to our death, as I recall us being *very* high up on the dragons.'

øùú Kalypse turns to Calaryn 'Even if it could grow... its life was not meant to be here, we only put it there so we can reach the ground and not starve ourselves.'

øùú Calaryn looks at Kalypse 'Better let it live then kill it and ourselves'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Calaryn, how could it survive here? It has no food, and no sunlight, and I don't think Aslaï Eithne would approve of us all dying too.'

øùú Kalypse smiles 'I don’t like to see a tree fall down like that either, Calaryn, but we need nature as much as it needs us... we just have to do our part too.'

øùú Kalypse adds 'And to do our part we have to be alive..'

øùú Calaryn points down 'You think we'll survive that?'

øùú Faelnon nods, 'Good point Kalypse, the folks in A'lure think we are okay, we could condemn this world and Aslaï Eithne would loose all her power just so we aren't mean to a tree that couldn't survive anyway.' He notes that the tree is already down, 'But it seems rather moot point now.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'The argument I mean.'

øùú Varadrion says to Calaryn "We won't survive here, we might as well try"

øùú Faelnon says to Calaryn, 'We have to, we can't die because we have things to do.'

øùú Ariea mumbles, 'Great logic Faelnon.'

øùú Calaryn says, ‘Then we'll find another way down!’

øùú Ariea says in a mocking tone, 'Sorry, can't die now, I'm off to save the world!'

øùú Varadrion says "We could vote on it if it will make you feel better Calaryn"

øùú Kalypse smiles at Calaryn 'Relax, my friend.. Its not that difficult. A bit scary perhaps..'

øùú Shandor shouts, 'Look around! There is no other way down, the path is destroyed this way, a dead end the other way. Going up does no good, jumping down is going to be pointless.'

øùú Kalypse covers her ears 'Hey, don’t shout like that, my ears are sensitive!'

øùú Varadrion looks at Shandor surprised

øùú Faelnon removes the statuette that summoned the dragons, he presses on the symbol and waits for a long moment, 'See, they aren't coming either.'

øùú Calaryn says 'We're gonna die!'

øùú Shandor slams the axe into the wood as powerfully as he can.

øùú Kalypse says 'We are not!'

øùú Calaryn sits down as tears staring to run down her face

øùú Shandor growls, 'Then let us die, but it is a damned sight better than standing around here arguing over a moot point. We are all going to die, it is a fact, so what if it happens now or in ten years? We might as well try something! Or would you rather we sit on this path until we either starve to death, or eat each other and starve to death or wait for another rock slide to finish us off!'

øùú Ariea says, 'Shandor, how's about you just make our nice sleigh? I think we could all calm down a bit, we are hungry, tired and sick to death of this mountain, let's just breath deeply and calm ourselves.'

øùú Kalypse sits next to Calaryn and hugs her 'Do you think we would be brought this far just to die?'

øùú Kalypse turns to Shandor 'What a high temper you have..'

øùú Shandor says, 'All the better to growl at people with...'

øùú Kalypse shakes her head 'you are hopeless..'

øùú Shandor says, continuing chopping, 'No-one read that fable then?'

øùú Isondil smiles and says 'Maybe you can huff and puff and blow this mountain down so we can get of it'



øùú Faelnon says to Calaryn, 'We have to, we can't die because we have things to do.'

øùú Ariea mumbles, 'Great logic Faelnon.'

øùú Ariea says in a mocking tone, 'Sorry, can't die now, I'm off to save the world!'



øùú Varadrion kneels in front of Calaryn and asks softly "Would your sister want you to die on a rock with no hope, or to try? Think of what you are doing, she would be proud"

øùú Kalypse smiles at Varadrion

øùú Isondil smiles

øùú Calaryn looks angrily at Varadrion 'Would she want me to die the same way as she!!!!'

øùú Calaryn jumps up on her feet

øùú Varadrion turns back and says "Would she want you to rot on some rock?" and walks back to the tree.

øùú Ariea says, 'Er, Varadrion, please stop...'

øùú Calaryn pulls two daggers and looks furious at Varadrion



øùú Calaryn puts down the knives and walks up behind Varadrion and kicks he's knee from the side

øùú Varadrion turns to Calaryn, but again, ignores her

<@Calaryn> ooc u should have a hard time walking

<+Varadrion> ooc you're a priest, I think i'll be ok

<@Narrator> OOC You didn't even roll him down the mountain... sigh, there's a lot of work to be done.



øùú Calaryn walks up to Varadrion

<@Narrator> OOC Please note, this was requested

<@Narrator> Calaryn does a legsweap kick and Varadrion falls to the ground as his sword falls down the cliff

<@Narrator> OOC bwahahahahahaha

<+Varadrion> ooc u deserve to be shot

<@Narrator> OOC Yes, I'm often told that...

<+Isondil> ooc i'll second that

øùú Kalypse looks surprised at what just happened and says 'oh, now we have to go down anyway.. so he can have his sword back..'



øùú Faelnon says quietly to Ariea, 'Do you recall a time when you would have loved just to stay back and look after Lestat and Goldie?'

øùú Ariea nods grimly, 'Yes... but then I was taught how to wield a weapon and it just went downhill from there.'

øùú Isondil thinks to-himself that it would be better if Ariea did stay at home

øùú Faelnon says, 'I'm going to hurt Shandor.'

øùú Kalypse mutters 'weapons...'

øùú Ariea grins, 'Why? It is much more fun this way, I still get to be nice, but, no-one messes with me.'

øùú Shandor nods and smiles, 'True...'

øùú Isondil frowns at Ariea's comment

<@Narrator> Ariea suddenly gets the ability to read minds, hears Isondil's comment runs upto him, grabs a broken branch from a tree and impales it into his chest before kicking him over the edge of the path, 'I'm good company to have around, and I shouldn't have been left at home, right?!' [Yes, this is a joke one Jéssica ;)]



øùú Faelnon says, 'You are still steering, remember, we all signed a contract to that effect when we first met.'

øùú Shandor cocks an eyebrow, 'Funny, I don't recall that.'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Really? It also covers 'You will be the first one to die' and 'You get thrown into a volcano as a sacrifice to some natives god before the rest of us'.'



øùú Kalypse shouts 'I’m going on the front!'

øùú Shandor says, 'The very front? You'd be the first one to die if... I mean, yes, go ahead.'

øùú Kalypse turns to Shandor 'IF we die I will be the one to have more fun on the way down' and winks

øùú Ariea climbs in, already giddy, 'Hey! I want to go up front too, we get the best view.'



øùú Shandor nods, 'Okay, you can borrow my sword, I don't mind if it gets destroyed,' He then passes the sword to Kalypse.

øùú Faelnon complains quietly, 'Hey, that's my sword...'

øùú Calaryn walks up beside Kalypse 'I’m with you'

øùú Ariea shuffles up closer to the front, 'Kalypse, you at the very front, Calaryn, you next? And then me?'

øùú Kalypse takes the sword and wonders how its used

øùú Kalypse grins 'What is this? Women on front? What just happened here?'

øùú Shandor explains the unasked question, 'Basically, drag the sword along one side and it will alter course, in theory.'

øùú Shandor says, 'Yes, this truly is the end of the world.'

øùú Faelnon grins and climbs in, 'Well, it'll be a fun ride into Tarkna.'

øùú Shandor looks at Faelnon, 'Okay, you aren't aloud to act excited anymore.'

øùú Kalypse turns to Shandor 'I knew that!!' and scratches her head

øùú Ariea grins, 'Women shall inherit the world.'

øùú Shandor grins back, 'And mankind will be doomed.'



øùú Shandor grins, 'Okay, who votes that Varadrion gets out and pushes us over the edge and he stays here?'

øùú Faelnon says, 'Very funny, Shandor, just push it.'

øùú Shandor looks shocked, 'I'm not getting out to- oh, you don't mean that way, do you?'

øùú Kalypse shouts 'Woooo!'



øùú Ariea screams excitedly, 'Wheee!'

<@Narrator> The sleigh sets off, it picks up unbelievable pace incredibly quickly. Even the slightest bump throws the sleigh off quite a bit.

øùú Faelnon suddenly states, 'I left my waking stick back there...'

øùú Isondil smiles and says 'I don't think you can go and get it back now'

øùú Kalypse says 'Get yourself another one..hehe'



øùú Shandor shrugs at the feeling and looks about. He suddenly realises that he should be excited... or something, 'Faelnon, do you think we have lost our ability to be excited? Have we seen it all? I mean, Ariea is excited, why aren't we?'

øùú Isondil looks around slowly

øùú Faelnon says, 'Pfft, not even close, plenty of stuff to see, maybe we are just too..."grown up" for that?'

øùú Shandor grins, 'No way!' He turns around and grins again.



øùú Kalypse shouts again 'Wooo!' and raises her hand showing the sword up

øùú Ariea says, 'You people are too boring, just concentrate on this, purely on this, I mean, we are rocketing down a mountain on a sleigh, I know we haven't done that before, it's fun! Just let yourself go... er, not literally of course, let yourself go within the confines of the sleigh.'

øùú Ariea grins at Kalypse and does alike.

øùú Shandor begins singing an old elven song.

øùú Faelnon says, 'This could be a new sport, I think I'll suggest that in A'lure.'

øùú Ariea smiles, 'One problem, you need a really big mountain.'

øùú Shandor bursts into a loud rendition of the chorus of the song, hoping the others join in.

øùú Ariea shrugs and grins, before joining in the singing.

øùú Faelnon sighs, 'Children... I'm surrounded by children...' Soon after, he too is singing.



øùú Kalypse shouts 'Hold yourselves!! Rock ahead!!' and puts the sword to one side

øùú Shandor continues singing, but has stopped the chorus and is now making up an entire verse about Kalypse trying to avoid a rock.

øùú Kalypse turns back to Shandor 'HEY!'

<@Narrator> OOC 'And she saw a rock, a rock, a rock, yes sir-ee. She saw a rock and tried to dodge it, um, te-hee-hee?'

<@Calaryn> ooc :D

øùú Shandor stops singing, 'Yes?'

øùú Kalypse says 'I should pull those pointy ears of yours..'

øùú Shandor grins, 'Only if I can pull yours!'

øùú Ariea sings the chorus of the song again.

øùú Kalypse grins back 'You wouldn’t be able to reach me! Haha'

øùú Faelnon joins in, but adds, 'We are completely children... two more verses!'

øùú Shandor grins, 'You wouldn't be able to reach me either.'



<+Kalypse> ooc brb

<@Narrator> OOC plurh?! Our driver just left!

<@Calaryn> ooc hehe



we almost down? this would be a hell of a long ride, lol

Yes, but lets face it, we've just given any theme parks near mount Everest one hell of an idea

oh hell ya



øùú Ariea opens her eyes and looks about, she is still in the sleigh, or what remains of it, she says, wincing, 'Can we go again?'



øùú Varadrion looks at Ariea, and mutters something about 'stupid females' and walks off to look for Kalypse

øùú Ariea grins, 'Don't worry, we can kill him while he sleeps.'

<@Narrator> OOC who is female and is probably going to kick your ass over that comment! Kalypse, you are in a forest! summon nature to kill him! ;)



<+Isondil> ooc broken rib

<+Isondil> ooc broken nail

<@Narrator> OOC hits Isondil in the chest, 'Boo hoo, grow up you whiner.'

øùú Faelnon looks at his leg, 'See, this is why I needed the bamboo stick...'

øùú Ariea says, 'Yes, it is all clear now.'

<+Isondil> ooc so you could hit vara on the head with it?

<@Narrator> OOC exactly

<+Isondil> ooc lol

<+Varadrion> ooc i brought u over to him, ingrate

<+Kalypse> ooc hehe vara in portuguese has more or less the meaning of a stick..;-)

<@Narrator> The old man [who we all forgot about but got in the sleigh, woohoo] moves over to Faelnon, 'It will not be infected, don't worry. Although, I advise we walk in that direction for a few minutes, perhaps ten with your limp.'

<+Varadrion> ooc big help jess, lol

<@Narrator> OOC hehe

<@Narrator> OOC Get me a Vara! So I can break it in two and burn it!

<+Isondil> ooclmao

<+Kalypse> ooc woooooo the old man!