Turbalio listened quietly, simply awed to be in the presence of the great Khelban Arunsun.  The bard had nothing of significance to contribute to the discussion and thus, no reason to speak.

He smiled as he noticed Nino had begun to fidget with boredom.

Oler wished he could fish here. This reminded him of Zell's family reunion. He didn't really have much to contribute as his path had taken him on a different journey than the others. He had heard of the Blackstaff in rumors and stories but he was not awed in his presence.

Still the half orc knew it was probably unwise to wander through the tower and thus he'll put a hand on Nino's shoulder and shake his head to indicate they shouldn't do anything right now.

Jonathan looks over at Yacob waiting for a nod from the boss before carefully unwrapping the stone and laying it the desk before the mage, Jonathan stays close enough to snatch it back up should the earth tremble or anything else go wrong.

Rivka didn't have much to say, but tried to learn all she could from the conversation

Yacob nods for Johnathan to proceed. He watches Khelban with great interest.

Sonori too leans in to look at the stone that Jonathan has been carrying around. She'd been curious from the beginning, but the brooding dwarf wizard had seemed to want Tracks to keep it squirreled away unseen.

Nym also watches Khelban with interest.

Khelben watched as Johnathan placed the stone on the desk and looked at it with a furrowed brow. He leaned in, inspecting it's faecets and colors, then stepped back, castin several spells.


The next spells were lolner and clearly more complex, beads of sweat coming from his brow. On the conclusion, he held his hands up, the stone floating above the desk as Khelben's eyes glowed a blue/white.

The stone dropped at the same time as Khelben slumped in his chair, panting with exertion.

He looked at The Group with wide eyes. "The power.....hidden but RAW. It's emence, endless!" He took a few deep breaths then looked at them all. "Though i believe the quake you spoke of is part of it, i believe it was a once off....like the stone waking."

He Picked up the stone and handed it to Johnathan. "It is safe for anyone to hold, but my advice is whoever holds it, keeps it. The stone seems to have ties to the elemental plane of earth...Which is why the dwarves were so in tuned to it."

He looked at Yacob. "Your path and urgency is wise Yacob....find Him and fast. The stone has power, and someone seeks it. She seeks it. Because Zarmatan isn't directly involved then i think her power is limited, but she has her own army searching."

"If he lives still, find him."

Oler interjects for a moment after seeing this display "Is this a threat to the natural order?" he asks plainly

Sonori had wanted to see the stone, and really examine it herself, since she heard about it. But she had resisted, in part because they weren't sure what would happen. She was going to have to ask Tracks to show it to her tonight, now that Kelben had demonstrated nothing bad would come of someone else touching it. "So... your wife's sister has knowledge of where Zarmatan is? Or why did you call her?"

The mage looked at Sonori, looking weary. "My wife, Laeral is sister to Lady ellustriel. According to Yacob here and the notes from your priest, the message said that Ellustriel has , or at least had knowledge of Zarmatan's whereabouts. Even if I didn't know this, I would say ask Ellustriel or Elminster himself....and right now he may be as hard to find as Zarmatan. Little happens in Faern that she does not know, or know where to find where to look."

"While my council will mean much, word from her sister will assure your audience with her as soon as you arrive...that is whi I called my wife."

He then looks at Oler. "As for your question, that is harder. I don't think you quite understand but when i say that stone is of the earth, that is what i mean....every aspect of the element it has ties to. It is neither good nor evil, and while it is not sentient, like nature itself, has it's own life."  He looks at the stone. "it's like it is the earth itself....a channelling item for it."

He sighs and scratches his head.

"I don't know how to explain better....perhaps Zarmatan can explain it better, but in easiest terms....the stone IS the earth."

Meaning the one who can channel the magic of the stone can control the earth, or something to that effect?

Nym asks from where he stands beside the bookcase.

Oler asks a followup question "So the other stones control Air, Water and Fire? Someone who could wield all four would be nearly unstoppable, such a person would be a danger to the natural order. Is it possible you could alert the druids of this danger while I go on this quest?"

Kell says "so it is like a planar touchstone? This one is attuned to the Plane of Earth, so Earth enchantments using it as a focus would be more powerful?"

 "The problem Oler is those four are just the beginning. Life and Death. Light and Darkness also exist. I think that one must be in sync with the Stone in question to wield it. Meaning one could only wield half the set at best or worst."

Khelben looked at the three asking questions. "I don't think it is a planar touchstone...more powerful and varied. No, not a touchstone, something else. This is old, older than magic itself maybe. As to other stones, I have no answer, but would be logical that fire, water and air at the least exist....maybe others."



he looked at Nym. "Control the aspects of earth, i am guessing it is that way once the stone is familiar with that person, yes"

he looks at Yacob, a smile on his face despite his weariness. "Your guess of life, death, light and darkness could also be right, as well as each stone needing to...what did you call it, sync? I believe each stone will need to familiarise with it's host before releasing it's potential."

he looked at Oler. "I do know this....not everyone will be able to use these, and when they are chosen they will not be able to use another...yacob's reasoning for opposite elements are sound, but the raw power of this stone is unbelievable. The odds of being able to use more than one I would say is more than impossible, even someone as powerful as myself or even elminster, though master elminster always said 'theres no such thing as impossible'. No, one of these and the power will almost overwhelm anyone. more than that would destroy someone."

Oler listened to the responses but something told him that it was possible not for ordinary men but someone a bit more than ordinary might could wield not just one but perhaps more than one.

"I mean no disrespect but you speak largely of ordinary men, who have learned much in their lifetimes which has given them great powers but still they are ordinary men. What if someone were more than ordinary? Could they?" Oler suggests.

Master Blackstaff can you tell me any of the uses of this stone, I am surely not strong enough to control it or unlock all it's secrets. But if I am to carry it, I will need all the help I can get protecting it from those who seek it.

Zell didn't have anything to say. He didn't know what anyone was talking about with magical stones. The only magical stones Zell knew about were diamonds and how quickly women fell in love with the person who had them.

Seeing that Nino was getting bored as well, Zell called him over so the wizard Khelban could look at his gauntlet,

"Nino, come here." Zell waved to his friend "Show him your gauntlet."

Hopefully, Zell's hand gestures will make Nino understand.

Khelben shakes his head at the druid. "For someone to wield more than one, or all, would need at the least a level of divinity that I can't fathom. You ask can one person, man, dwarf, gnome, orc gather them and use them as a whole. I can not say that can't happen....but let me make this clear. the magic I just performed can be done by few in the realms, and even then I can say that if if saw me as a threat, IT could destroy me. not kill, destroy!"

He sighed scratching his chin, then held a finger up. "You are a soon of nature, are you not. let me put it this way....a man can hold in his hand a given amount of sand. No more. If he was to  place in that hand a rock  sand would fall....or water, sand would run out. These stones are the embodiment of this...this one the earth. If someone was linked to it then moved to link with another, the previous would dissolve."

He looked at Zell and smiled. "A warrior can only wear one helm at a time. this is the same."

He looked at Yacob and shrugged. "I may be wrong and there is a way to join them, but that I cannot imagine without the gods help. And Johnathan, as for the powers,  if it chooses you, you will know. all I know is that is possesses earth qualities."

  "Well I for one don't plan on finding out if that is possible. And I believe that if Zarmantan and The Mistress were to hold half each that is would work. Two sides to the same coin and an even number of stones. I'm guessing of course. No real way to know, but like I said I'm not going to test that. And if she is an immortal red dragon then this got a lot harder. And I am sure Zarmantan lives because I am sure she lives." he pauses and then he waits scratches his beard then his head. "Wait a minute you were an apprentice of Elminster. That is interesting. Makes the nine......"

Sonori tilted her head a bit, looking up at Jonathan, "You're strong, Jonathan - don't discount yourself so.

But, does that mean you don't know if the stone has chosen you? If not, maybe we should all take a turn holding it and seeing if it chooses one of us?"

Of course, she highly doubted it would choose her. It was far more likely something associated with water would choose her.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:26, Tue 17 Mar 2020.

"We do not know what effect it will have on the person it bonds with, it would be unwise to pass it around in hopes that it would bond with one of us. Earth is part of nature, but so is air, water and fire. Everything that is is made of these four elements. Life and Death are just part of the cycle of life, all things die and all things live so it is and so shall it always be. Light and Darkness are elements as well of the positive and negative." Oler cautions then adds "Perhaps we should take time to prepare for our next journey, I could whip up a few potions if money was available and we still have a good amount of goods to sell. I'd be willing to do it for cost for each of you for the cause."

Sonori, I'm in agreement with Oler.  Do not pass it around.  I tried to tell Tracks to not to pick it up as I could tell it was truly powerful magic.

"Well, if we encounter a darkness stone, I'll volunteer for that one."

Zell was listening to what Khelban was saying about his wife and wondered if he sees her often? Zell got the impression that he didn't and kinda felt sorry for him.