"No one slept down here, access was obtained mere hours ago at most." Nox reminds, still staring hard at the ghost who had yet to answer his question.

"That's not how one-way was explained to me when the constable fined me half a Cormyrian crown for taking my wagon down Plowshare Way back in Tarkhaldale." Myarra replies, a bit bemused and a bit confused.

"If I had been an honest merchant," she explains to Aliana, "instead of smuggling weapons to the saurial separatists, I'd probably have lost my entire profit margin.  Talk about criminals.  Between the so-call law and the tax collectors, it's nearly impossible for a girl to make a living."

To Lennox: "Sorry, could have sworn you said they had quarters upstairs.  I suppose it doesn't matter if we can come and go as we please.  Still, I'd prefer not to leave this place unguarded too long ... at least until Tursk gets his kin relocated.  It would be a pity to got through all this work and come back and find a orc tribe had moved in.

But I'm ready when everyone else is."

"Yes, upstairs, NOT down here. I doubt you'll find much, we haven't been entrenched here so long...." Lennox clarifies.

"Hanns? Is there a reason you're forthcoming with the foreknowledge and warnings, but dodging me about the portal stone?".

Probably because he doesn't want you running into danger and getting yourself killed.

Turning to the group, Tursk needs to bring his village back here again so we can finish up business with HER. We're going to have to convince them that this area is off limits. Who wants to volunteer to search for loot upstairs and help Tursk, while the rest of us go through the Way-stone to look for Culver?

Sister Aliana shrugged.
"I can do either, and I'll go wherever I'm needed."

"I know when to cut and run, I'm not suicidal. The longer we wait, the colder the trail gets and the liklier that he'll find dragons to enslave." Lennox says through gritted teeth, hand flexing on the pommel of his sheathed blade now, eyes still locked on Hanns. "I've never known a Librarian, alive or dead, to willingly withold information."

"I do not believe we should split up. If we are to go before looting, then we need out full strength all the more."

"If we can come back, then let's just go take care of this." Myarra agrees.  "We can always loot later.  If we get there and we're all not needed, we can just send somebody back.

Sir," she says, addressing Hanns the ghost. "Would you please give us the word or words necessary to use the magical thing?  We really should get after Culver if we can and stop him from making a bigger mess."

"Please do be careful." Hanns said to the group "The word is Alamnaleer. Only persons capable of casting spells of the 3rd order can operate the Way-stone."

Damn." Nox curses, already dismissing the fact that the answer had only come after another asked the question. He was only up to Second Order as yet. He turns his gaze around the group. Nods to Nolan, presuming he's the likliest among them for said execution.

Is everyone ready to go check out the otherside? If so, let's go and stick to our plan. If he's there, we deal with him. If not, we come back and help Tursk get his people here and get rid of the Dragon outside. Agreed?

Nolan waits next to the Waystone and puts his hand on it.

"Agreed." Myarra replies, readying her sword in case something is waiting for them on the other side.

Amara frowned, but nodded. Her pack could not hold the breastplate, so she let it be. But she tucked the bracers in her pack for now.

Aliana nodded eagerly.

Once everyone is around the waystone, Nolan speaks the magic word to transport everyone to the other side. Alamnaleer

Everyone gathers around the Way-stone and touches shoulders as Nolan speaks the command word. There is a flash of light and then you are standing around a moss covered Way-stone in a cleared out area of the forest. You never expected anyone to be there, as Myarra almost knocks over a girl who was scraping the moss off of the stone. There are three other people here as well, who are quite startled at your sudden appearance.

A solidly built dwarf with short brown hair and beard. His green/blue eyes mirror kindness, but hold an edge to them. He has several scars from battles in the past, the most obvious is a scar running down from his forhead, past his left eye and down his cheek. He wears armor and shield of the dwarven fashion, and the shield holds the crest of Clangeddin Silverbeard. His hammer is the most unique item with him...a solid head of dark iron with a blue tinge to the metal, with the emblem of Moradin on one side, and Clangeddin on the other. The handle is made of a stout oak and wrapped with a dark. Leather.

A human male, standing over 6 feet in height, who wears Full Platemail and a Greatsword, with a closed visor to his helmet as strangers suddenly appear...

Halfling male standing a little under 3 feet tall. His hair is a dirty blond mess of curls and his skin is a lightly tanned olive color from spending most of his time outside. He is quite good looking, yet given the fact that he appears almost as a small fortress in his full plate armor most would still find him quite eye catching anyways. With him is a riding dog. The Dog has the classical massive head of some mastiff breed yet thick matted white fur and a very broad back so it is rather unclear exactly what type he is.

A female human dressed in leathers standing almost 6 feet tall and thin of body, currently holding a dagger with moss on it.

It appears the group has stumbled upon an adventuring group. Looking around, Silver, Francis and Piebald are missing.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Oona was scraping off moss and was about to translate some of the writing, when all of a sudden, people appear around the stone, touching shoulders.

A human stands around 6 feet in height and is pretty slender at 170 pounds. Dressed in regular normal clothes and a green cloak with soft boots, the young man appears to be in his early 20's. He has brown hair and brown eyes and has a stare that tells people that he's watching them, as if he was suspicious. He carries a dagger and wears a worn backpack on his back with his big spell book sticking out. Hanging around his neck is a silver chain with the Holy symbol of Mystra on it.

A very attractive youthful drow female, with exotic deep blue eyes and immensely long fine silvery hair, falling down to her ankles in flowing curls. She dresses in black and dark blue colored silks clothing trimmed in gold embroidery runes and a broad golden silk sash that emphasizes her slender figure, which is barely a spellcaster's robe, but pretty much an elegant dress with a hood.

A human male dressed in a chain shirt with a Greatsword, standing a tad under 6 feet with dark hair and eyes.

A female human??, one would assume her parents come from somewhere slightly even more remote.  Standing straight (which she tends to do around men that meet or exceed her height), she measures in at 6' 3".  Slim and well muscled, she's not physically that different from most warrior women, except for some extra traits not part of the standard human package.  Two horns stick out through the hair over her forehead (though if she fluffs it enough they're mostly hidden).  Harder to hide is the ashen-gray color of her skin.  And most damning of all are the large bat-like wings that protrude from her back.  Adding to the ambiance is her helmet, formed from the skull of a green dragon she killed in the Forest of Wyrms. Less amusing is the nearly six feet of razor sharp sword she holds easily in her hands, or the look she gives that says that when she sends you to the nine hells, you might just be able to visit with her relatives.

A female Sun Elf. Her large blue eyes always twinkle with merriment, and her long blonde hair seems to always flutter in the breeze. Though her prominent holy symbol shows her to be a cleric, it's obvious she's had intense combat training, both in the weapons of her faith, and her race. She always has a bow, plus the greatsword common to her church's warriors. Her armor and weapons are always very polished and cared for.

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:36, Wed 13 Jan 2016.

Amara withholds a sigh, knowing full well that the first time most people see her they are either intrigued, if they are the sort who loved excitement with a bit of danger, or scared. And people tend to do one of two things when scared - fight or flee.

So she made little movement, but said only two words quietly, "Aliana? Introductions?" After all, the librarian had to be the least threatening of their group.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:43, Wed 13 Jan 2016.

I didn't touch anything.  I swear.  Byron says to his friends at the sudden appearance of the new people.

Well I was expecting an ambush, but you guys seem just as startled to find others in this place as we are to find you here and now when no one was in sight.  Byron lowers his sword slowly.  Not totally trusting those who just appeared out of thin air.  However, their looks indicate the same surprise and they are not attacking yet even though they are certainly as prepared for combat as we are.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:09, Wed 13 Jan 2016.

"Sorry," Myarra says to the girl with the mossy knife.  She almost holds out a gauntleted hand to steady her, but thinks better of it given that she's still holding her sword at the ready.

She glances around at the new people, taking in holy symbols related to various gods of Good.  That, at least is encouraging.  About to speak further, she hears Amara's request to Aliana and remains quiet. It's a good idea, as Aliana is by far the least threatening of them ... at least if you only go by looks.

Lowering her sword, she puts the point in its customary boot dimple and drapes and arm over the crossbar. It's about as non-threatening looking as she gets.  And it only takes a second to reclaim the sword if she ends up needing to be threatening.

Behind her back, her wings fold and unfold a few inches, possibly a nervous tic.

Oona nearly leaps out of her skin as she starts when the others appear out of no where like the man recently disappeared.  However, instead of fleeing she springs and scrambles to the top of the stone.  Perched in a defensive crouch she silently cursed her dumb luck.  Why had she touched the damn stone?  Surely the others would use this as their reason to leave her lying in a ditch.  "Yes, Aliana perhaps introductions are in order."  They were too close for her to be effective and too well armed for her to survive long enough to flee.  But why did she open her stupid mouth again?  She thought as she kept her crafting knife close even though it would do little in an actual fight should one start.

With the blinding flash, the dwarf, startled but not surprised, is already in a battle stance, his gleaming shield and hammer in hand. Once it's obvious that none of the group is a threat, the dwarf sighs.

"It seems this stone holds many suprises...", looking at the newcomers "...and an odd group it is. Two humans, an elf, a drow and a..." Looking at Myarra, he furrows his brow. "...beggen yer pardon miss, but i have no idea what you be."

Looking around, he smiles. "Be that as it may, i feel yer must be good of intentions, and i can't wait ter hear ya tale, so i bid yer welcome." He placed his shield over his back, and hung his war hammer off a loop on his hip."I be Alstadin, humble priest and faithful of Clangedden, at yer service"

The Sun elf in the shiny chain shirt blinked in surprise, looking for a moment like the humble librarian she once was, but recovered quickly.

Stepping forward, holding her empty hands out, she smiled tentatively.
"Um...hello, my friends.  We mean no harm, and are here trying to pursue an evil trying to harm and ravage this area.
I'm Sister Aliana Farwalker, priestess of Oghma, from the Great Library at Scornubel, and these are my friends."
She pointed to the 6 foot human with the Mystra holy symbol.
"This is Nolan, a great and powerful wizard."
She gestured to the drow woman.
"This is Amara, a skilled mage."
The elven maiden pointed at the chain shirt wearing human with the greatsword.
"This is Lennox, a talented swordsman."
Aliana then gestured to the winged woman.
"And this is Myarra, a skilled warrior..... and dear friend."

The elven cleric's additional words, obviously hastily added to her introduction of Myarra seemed to be intended to reassure the new people about the winged woman's trustworthiness, rather than elevate Myarra above the others in the group.

"We're in pursuit of an evil man who's stolen a powerful artifact of dreadful power, and I hope we haven't caused you too much inconvenience with our hasty arrival."
Aliana gave a sheepish grin.  She had a very personable way about her, very earnest and friendly, or at least was good at appearing so.
Though she did look a bit distressed about something.

The dwarf shifted, his plate mail creaking as he does. He smiles a half smile. "Knoledge god, hey elf....not bad. we also mean no harm, and may be able ter help with yer search." He crosses his arms and smiles. Pointing at the warrior with the greatsword, the dwarf continues. "This strappin' fellow is Byron, a true hearted warrior if ever i've seen..." Pointing at the woman near the pillar. "...th' woman yer startled is Oona , a fair archer and trap finder." And indicating behind him... "...and our halfling friend on th' big dog be Kalur...stout of heart and bravery."

He looks at his group, and shrugs, "And if yer following a messy old human that tends ter talk to himself named Culver, then yer just missed him." The dwarf pointed at the pillar. "..he muttered somethin' and disapeared just moments ago."

"A pleasure to meet you all, I'm sure.

Where did Culver go? And where are we?" Amara asked, still focusing on the strangers. A drow does not grow up if they are the trusting sort.

In reply to Amara (msg # 38):

We aren't sure.  He touched something on this stone and said something we didn't catch and then vanished.  As we were investigating this stone you folks appeared.  Byron replies as he holds out his hands to help Oona down.

Come on down Oona.  They don't mean us any harm.  Byron says in as a reassuring as possible and quiet voice.