Nox growls an inhuman gruttal sound when it's revealed that Culver had only just eluded them. Again. I'll have his throat for this... Rage seethes through him, and he's already stalking to the stone Culver departed via to investigate it. "This must be the hub, from here Nolan can take us to any stone... And if this is where Culver went, then it's where I intend to follow-- be it by stone, or by foot." Nox says for Nolan's benefit, as he searches for any indicators as to where the indicated stone might lead if Nolan activates it. "Did any of you hear what word he used to activate it?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:51, Wed 13 Jan 2016.

"Pleasure to meet you all," Myarra lied the required civilized greeting.  It's not that she didn't like these people, but she'd just met them so, really, how was she supposed to know?

To Alstadin's query about her origins she replies, "I'm a warrior of the Anauroch.  I wouldn't expect you to recognize it.  I've had to change my outfit because of the different weather, and I'm afraid my tan has faded rather badly under these accursed trees."

She then turns her attention to the stone as well.  "Would there be a different word to make it work?  Hanns said there were dozens of places you could go.  It would be hard for anyone to remember dozens of words and which ones went where.  If he touched the stone as well, that may be how you pick where you go.

Did any of you see what part of the stone Culver touched.  It would narrow down the options."

 The dwarf scratched his beard. "Sorry ter tell ya lass, but we were hiding by the bushes.....didn't get a clear look."

He looked at the others "...though the others may have sharper eyes than mine."

He again looks at Myarra with a smile, though he himself felt usual tension in his body. A drow and a woman that looked part demon or dragon stood in front of him, and his honed instincts begged for him to take up arms. But his training had also told him that things were never as they seemed. A elf would never travel with a drow unless they were good of nature.

Alstadin snapped of his moment of thought, and looked at Myarra. "I haven't heard of yer kind, and i think that would make for a good story.....but maybe fer some other time." He looked at the other three and shrugged. "I may be oversteppin' my boundaries with me other friends here, but if yer hunting the man, i would love ter help ye, as i'm sure my friends would."

Amara cocked her head slightly to the side, now focusing on the dwarf. "We have indeed come through hunting Culver for his crimes. But why are you four here? Have you also had experience with him?"

Kalur was slightly startled by the sudden appearance and Mountain more so, the dog immediately started a low rumbling growl as he watched the new comers. After a moment when the little halfling realized they meant no harm, at least for the moment he lightly caressed the massive dog's fluffy white head lightly hushing the animal. As Alstadin took the initiative to introduce him little Kalur gave a rye smile. "Kalur Blackleaf, holy liberator and protector of halfling kind at your service." He said amiably with a nod of his head. "Afraid we heard and saw not, we were to far away... And after looking at the stone there are too many choices. Yet, I assume the name carver for each will take you to it..." He added thoughtfully.

The dwarf looked at the drow. "No real experience other than today. we were looking fer him...a group of us were send to fund the stones he's holdin' by a scholar by the name of brother Xian. Today we managed to track a path and we're waiting. He came along, saw us, said somethin' then vanished."

Oona slides back down to the ground and straightens herself now that it is clear they aren't in immediate danger.  However, she does give each of them a once over to see just how safe they really are...

Sense to see who are Arcane Casters w/in 60'

...as she listened she wondered how the one who led them through the stone had used it to get here.  As normal, if she wondered something it wasn't long before she spoke up, "We were thinking that one needed to touch the area with the word and speak the elvish term to activate it.  Is that close?"  She cringed inwardly at that last part.  Way to go simpleton, show them that you have no bloody idea how this thing works why don't you.  She looked at Alstadin as if to say sorry for being eternally daft and proving it yet one more time.

Accepting that they weren't going to have to fight these new people, or at least not now, Myarra lifts her sword and swings it up over shoulder and down between her wings, securing in the back scabbard.

"Sounds like as good an idea as any," she says, agreeing with Oona.  "But I'm sure Nolan and Amara can figure it out.  It's the kind of thing I leave to them."

"Yes." Nox replies to Oona. "Though one must also be able to cast spells of the Third Sphere." That bit is said sourly, as his own abilities were just shy of such a feat. He searches the hub stone for any hint of where Culver might have touched it, or might have gone, or... Anything really, to distract his frustration.

"Brother Xian? Is he of Clangedden? It does not sound a dwarven name to me." Amara said, wondering who else would know of the stones and what exactly they wanted with them.

The dwarf smiled at the drow. Despite her heritage, Alstadinrespected her thirst for knowledge, and her respect to others. In time, he may even call her friend.

" Nah, lady Amara...he is not of my order. i think he is a monk." He looked at the new people. From the brief encounter he had with them, he was surprised. Amana and Myarra seemed to be the calmest, and level headed of the group, which was a little bit ironic given their heritage. Lennox, wether agitated by the suituation or something else, seemed to be treating his team with a thin veil of hostility or anger.

This group was really a curiosity.

The dwarf bowed to Amara with a smile. "Well, if ye need some extra warriors, perhaps one that has humble healing skills, and antrapfinder and archer, then maybe ye'll see kind lettin' us tag along with ye."

Nolan was definitely fascinated with the main way-stone as he looked the thing over and brushed off more moss from the thing. He was smiling as he read a couple of the names and places from the magical carvings.

Brother Xian is a guardian of the balance stones. He has a little hut on the East side of the forest and a nice little garden he tends to. If he sent you into the forest to try and find the others, then I trust you 100%. Culver was carrying an orb, not a stone, but if you want to travel with us, I'm sure we'll find him and the stones you need. There's 72 combinations here that Culver might have taken, so let's look at the choices that don't have moss stains on them.

Oona wasn't sure if it would help, but she offered "Yes, yes yes! I got it! Nobody will stop Culver now! I will rule this whole forest and everyone will bow to me!" in a mimicry of Culver's voice that wasn't great but got the point across.  She also stood where he had nearly in the same position while she spoke.  She looked to the newcomers and spoke then in her own slightly raspy voice, "Maybe that will help you narrow down the selections."  Clearly she had some hidden talents not represented by her simple appearance and overly humble mannerisms.

Disguise is only a 9 but Track is a 25 to make sure she's in the right spot

"Hmm ... I met a monk once ... at least I'm pretty sure that's what Thumbless Tom called him." Myarra adds.  "Didn't get his name.  In fact he didn't speak at all.  He lived in a little hut ... well more a bunch of sticks tied together, up in the Desertsmouths.  I was crossing over into the Dalelands, trying to find a pass, and having a tough time of it.  Those mountains are кровавый cold.

Anyway, I'm climbing up this rock face, clinging by my fingers and toes, and just as I'm finally reaching the top, this face comes poking over the edge and offers me a hand. Even then I was twice his weight, but he pulled me up like I was made of ferns.

Really nice guy.  Gave me mountain goat stew, a mountain goat hide wrap, mountain goat hide boots, and a crude map draw on ... you guessed it ... mountain goat hide.  Wouldn't take anything in payment. Just smiled, bowed, and crawled back into his hut.

Is this Brother Xian anything like that?"

The dwarf smiled at Nolan....Alstadin had only limited information on the stones, and listening to Nolan it sounded lie, he had quite a bit of information on them. He looked at Myarra with a smile. "A little bit.  His hut is simple, and his garden plentiful....but he was a serious fellow, focused and smart. from tne sounds of it, yer friend Nolan knows a bit more about him than we do."

"It is your choice to join or not, not ours. But without knowing where Culver has gone, we do not follow him now. We have another mission to complete first. That was our agreement - was it not?" Amara said, turning to give a look hard as flint at Lennox.

Can you tell us what your other mission is or some details of it?  If they coincide with our mission I would be happy to join you and help you.  As I'm sure my friends would be too.  Giving a meaningful but discrete look at my friends to say this may be the best way to track Culver and the stone/orb.

The area where Oona stood, mimicking Culver doesn't really help much when you look at the Way-stone. Sure, there is some moss on that side, but 59 selections are uncovered that Culver could have touched to get out of this area. That's also when you notice that the selections are the same for each side.

Kalur nods in agreement with Byron. "Right as long as it isn't to different from our mission why not." He says with a cheerful ring to his voice. Looking back at the monolith he shrugs. "Like I said before this is a guessing game, not a puzzle so we might as well just choose a place at random... Unless your second mission as a specific place that can be gleamed from the stone." He said with a laugh. "Anyways I doubt he will just be standing around the stone waiting for us to make our choice so he is most likely long gone already..."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:02, Fri 15 Jan 2016.

Lennox follows Oona's re-enactment with interest, recognizing the reproduction for what it is immediately. When it doesn't turn up anything of use, his shoulders slump. He sheaths his greatsword with a heavy sigh, and leans against the Waystone. "Well played. Almost brought a smile to my face." He admits almost sheepishly to Oona.

Alstadin looks at the others. "either way, I'm in. Sittin' too long without a decent fight anyway.  Besides, if Byron's taggin' along, i gotta keep aneye on him."  He winks at the human playfully. "Can't have yer getting into fun without me boy"

Seeing the others weren't speaking up, Amara summarized things briefly.  "We are removing a section of the Cult of the Dragon from a ruins, as well as relocating lizardfolk, in order to make way for a dragon who claims it use to be her land. For the Cult, because they are evil. For the lizardfolk, because otherwise the dragon would kill them."

Kalur nods. "They all sound like noble goals, you can count me and Mountain in!" He said cheerfully. The large dog let out an agreeable bark, though it is unclear if he understood what was said or merely was excited at hearing its own name...

I will be right back.

I walk back to where we were hiding when we first saw Culver and bring back my war horse.  Soothing him as I do so.  The new comers seem to have made him jittery.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:58, Sat 16 Jan 2016.

Introductions have been made and everyone knows who Culver is now, but nobody knows where he went using the Way-stone. There are 72 total choices that, once touched and the magic word said, will take you to that spot in the forest. The Stones of Balance were confirmed to still be in the forest by Brother Xian, but he knew not where. He just needs them brought back to him, so he can align all three to patch a part of the weave that is torn. Finding Culver and looking for the Stones will be difficult and dangerous, so both groups have agreed to join together as an alliance. Their main enemies will be the Dragons of the Forest, the Cult of the Dragon and whatever else that has decided to take up residence in the ruins of some old building somewhere in the forest...