Session+68

**3-7-15** **A Bargain and a Confrontation with Crucible... the Island Restored**

 Having found a narrow crevice through the cliffs on a beach, the group pressed through single file through waist deep water. Waist deep, that is, to the elves and humans... Ursus and Uther easily scooped up Mali and Posy to help them through, but Thorn was treading water to keep his head up. Kale glanced over at the halfling rogue, inviting him a little too cheerfully, "Hop on my back, little buddy."  Thorn peered at Kale skeptically... the thoughtful response of, "That's exactly what your sister said." was on the tip of tongue as visions played out in flashes in his mind of Kale, a sword, and a lot of splashing ending with Kale holding his hands deep in the frothing water until it became still... The halfling rogue decided against the response, and continued to splash his way through the crevice.  Kale glanced over at Wren, "Why is he looking at me like that? I feel like I should hit him or something."  Wren laughed, nudging the warrior forward, "Leave him be. He didn't say anything."

Walking 10 or 20 feet through the water, it finally started to rise above sea level enough to walk on sand. Peering around the next corner, a wall flashed with a bright rainbow of colors. Mali was fascinated by such a pretty display and wandered off almost in a mesmerized state with her hands outstretched to inspect the wall.  "Mali? Mali... Maliumpkin?" Wren called after her, watching the druidess walk toward the wall.  Erevin reached out and snagged the halfling, sending her back toward everyone else.  Wren looked it over with a little more caution, "It looks like a prismatic wall... a powerful protective spell that a mage would use to protect him or herself... or something important... Mmm if I remember correctly each color does something different and horrific." She glanced back at everyone else, "We can defeat it, I think... or at least most of it... each color takes a different spell to shut it down... Let's see... Red does fire damage and can be shut down by a cone of cold, Orange does acid damage and can be brought down by a gust of wind, Yellow does electricity damage and can be defeated by a disintegrate spell, Green is poison and requires passwall, Blue will turn you to stone and needs magic missile to defeat it, Indigo causes insanity and can be shut down with daylight, and Violet I think sends you to another plane but can be defeated by a greater dispell magic."

Wren shook her head thoughtfully, "Of course none of us know disintegrate or magic missile so we can't bring down the yellow or blue." She started her tea pot with a stone to flesh recipe to help them counteract the blue effect.  Yuki looked panicked all of the sudden, "We can't bring down the yellow one?! WHY?!"  "Don't worry about it, Yuki," Wren patted her comfortingly, "You're all wet from the crevice, so it will be fine."  The priestess blinked at her, "I don't think electricity works like that!"  "No really... you'll be grounded," Erevin nodded agreeably to the witch and tried to comfort the priestess with the ridiculous notion, "It'll be fine."  "Oh..." Yuki nodded, still uncertain, "If Erevin says so."  Wren nodded, turning back to converse with Mali about what spells they had available for the day.

Mali shapechanged into an air elemental and created a whirlwind to defeat the orange, and then casted a greater dispell to drop the violet. She also wove a spell of daylight to shut down the indigo.  "Way to go, Mali!" Wren cheered her on and moved aside for the ranger, "This one is all you... the frost breath from my pendant wont be enough." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Erevin stepped up and swung his sword in a arc before the wall, dissipating the red. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Wren nodded, stepping up to cast next, but Erevin held her back, "Wait." He threw a rock into the wall, but it hit the wall and stopped. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> "Maybe it has to be living?" Mali looked it over curiously. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Wren nodded to her, "Let's hope that's it and that we don't have to take it down completely for this to work..." She stepped up and casted Passwall to defeat the green, leaving blue and yellow remaining. She poured everyone a cup of tea to help them fight against the stone magic, "Drink it just before you go through." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Mali wove a protection from electricity over the witch knowing she might not survive the damage dealt. Wren thanked her warmly.

Erevin took Thorn's dagger and slammed down his cup of tea before being the first to dash through the wall. Fast enough to avoid some of the electricity, he made it to the other side feeling a little tingly and stiff with his finger tips looking a little grey. The tea still warm on his lips seemed to fade it away after just a minute. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Thorn drank his cup of tea, just in case, and ported to the other side to his dagger in Erevin's hand. He arrived unharmed and safe to see Erevin's hair looking a bit poofy and the familiar electric burn marks on his skin, "Are you alright?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Erevin nodded, happy to see the dagger plan worked. Erevin pulled out a healing potion from his bag and uncorked it, ready for the next person who might not make it through so unscathed. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Yuki took Wren's hand, "I'm scared." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Wren squeezed hers, "It'll be okay. We'll go together. Don't you have that same spell that Mali put on me? Can't you put up an electricity defense on yourself?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> "Oh yeah! That's a good idea!" Yuki beamed at her and wove the spell around her. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> "Alright... run to Erevin. Are you ready?" Wren took her hand. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Yuki nodded, "1...2... Wait! Wait! Is it 'on' three... or three and 'then' go?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Wren giggled, "ON three. Drink your tea! 1...2...3." The two girls drank their tea and bolted through the wall. Electricity crackled around them, but the magic shield held it back, "Thank you, thank you, Mali!" Wren closed her eyes, verbally thanking again the druidess who couldn't hear her from the other side.The two made it through fairly unharmed, but Wren's legs locked up and her hands turned grey up to her wrists! The tea still fresh in her system... a moment later, she was fine. "Thank you, Father Winter," Wren breathed a sigh of relief as she looked around with a big grateful smile wondering if Rosche just happened to be watching. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Poised with the bottle ready, Erevin relaxed, relieved to see the electricity bouncing off of shields and both girls arriving safely through. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Mali went next, shapeshifting into a lightning elemental and drinking her tea. She arrived safely without even a tingle. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Posy waited for Uther, Ursus, Mary, and Kale to go through safely first before drinking her tea and following in last. She arrived with poofy hair and a few electrical burns, but her arms and legs were turned to stone. The others quickly splashed the remaining tea directly on her skin with Uther volunteering to rub it in. Yuki sent out a double wave of pink loving energy to heal everyone.

The hall was littered with aquatic creature bodies... some of them turned to stone, blown up, and burned. A few more had made it further down the hall and were dead with arrows sticking out of them. Thorn found a a floor plate still depressed by one of the bodies that had activated the trap. He sent everyone through safely, walking over the corpse. Posy walked ahead, leading the group until she smacked into an invisible wall. Stepping back and putting her hands out, she could feel a wall in place. She pulled out her axe and hit it solidly with a clang. Mali followed her up explaining that it was a wall of force and it would take a lot to beat it down. She wove another greater dispell to take down the wall.

<span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Continuing down the passage there was no sign of any other aquatic creature who made it this far though there were other tracks in this area. Noting several dangerous traps of both magic and mechanical designs Thorn lead everyone through slowly, disabling everything with great skill. Coming across a hall with metal plates on the floor and the ceiling where lightning was sure to arc throughout the room... Thorn called out sweetly, "Yuki!" "Yes?" The priestess moved up next to him, "Did you need my help? I've been watching you do this. I'm sure I can do it! You just have to press that button right there!" She pointed out a simple button among the gears unaware of all the things Thorn had done before that point.He laughed and flipped a couple of more switches before testing it and then nodding that it was safe. A spiraling staircase lead up through the middle of the room above. Thorn lead the way with Erevin and Bloody Mary directly behind him. Kale and Wren followed them with Yuki between the witch and lightning elemental form of Maliumpkin. Static made the priestess's hair stand up and she kept nervously staring behind her at Mali. Ursus, Uther, and Posy followed up to protect the back.

Peering up from the staircase, Thorn could see a walkway that ran around the top of the upper room with several cloaked figures that were likely chimeras ready to ambush. A simple ladder lead up to the walkway on one of the walls. Thorn slipped back down stealthily and whispered with Erevin about the room above. Thorn paused in mid-sentence, glancing up the spiral staircase as he heard a soft clank. Someone was coming down the ladder in the room. Thorn went invisible, waiting to ambush the approaching cloaked figure. Erevin knocked an arrow, waiting. The figure tossed a rock down and everyone held their breath. The pale blue light of Mali's electrified body glowed softly from below and the figure walked down the staircase with caution. Thorn quickly leapt in with 3 swift strikes to subdue the chimera.

Thorn looked over the figure to find it was a female chimera, and she had a scroll tube tied around her neck. He summoned Wren closer to check it out. She unrolled the paper inside to find simple letter instead of anything magic. She read it aloud to everyone around her. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> //Dear Intrepid Adventures,// <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> //If you are reading this, I assume you have rather messily dispatched my messenger. I certainly hope it was no one that you knew.// //Please proceed up the stairs so that we may parlay. I believe that we have a mutual enemy and we might be able to help each other.// <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Are we supposed to believe that shit?" Thorn blinked over at Erevin. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Oh he has an enemy and I'm sure he wants our help," Erevin nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "He just wants us to do all the work," Thorn muttered. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin nodded, "Exactly."

After a brief discussion, it was decided we would go up to meet with Crucible... even if it only meant getting close enough to kill him. The chimera started to moan, waking up slowly as the knot on her head faded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "What were your instructions from your master?" Erevin looked down at her. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> She looked around at everyone, "Deliver scroll to adventurers. Bring them up to master." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "And what of your friends upstairs?" Erevin raised an eyebrow. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> She looked at him confused. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "The others of your kind on the walkway upstairs," Erevin explained further. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "They guard master?" She tried to offer a helpful answer, but questioned if that was the information being asked, and went on, "You adventurers. Saw you fight. Attack. Saw you kill Ghaunadaur things." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> " 'You' saw?" Erevin asked, wondering if she was the one who was following and spying. She nodded. "How did you get back in here?" he raised an eyebrow. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Through wall outside," she nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "The shield might be specific to the Ghaunadaur creatures... it might not effect the chimera," Wren offered. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The messenger nodded, "Shield let us in." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin nodded, "Lead us back to your master, but if someone attacks us... I'll set you on fire." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The chimera nodded, "Okay. Already amazed still alive." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Us or you?" Thorn asked. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Me," the messenger nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Thorn nodded, "Oh... yeah... sorry I hit you so hard... so many times." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You hit hard for little thing," she nodded.

She lead the group up the stairway and the room lit up as soon we entered the room and the chimera elves on the walkway waited with bows. One of them, however, was dressed very well in robes at the top on the platform. He was handsome with a deep purple skintone. He wore a large brimmed noble hat and white gloves. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> He nodded to the group, "Ahh, I see that you have spared my messenger. That is a cut above the typical adventurer. Normally you stab first and ask questions later." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "It's hard to ask questions if they're dead," Mali shrugged. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Oh you'd be surprised," he smiled, "But I digress... I am the master of this place, Crucible." He looked over the group curiously, "I don't recognize any of you... I was expecting someone from the Mercer crowd or one of the Winterowds or Medici or Castle... but none of you even look Lyrabarian." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Sorry to disappoint," Erevin shrugged. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> He looked over at Erevin, Wren, and Kale, "Elves though... Did Lady Lionspaw send you to look for your kin then?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Lady Lionspaw did not send us," Erevin shook his head."Well what is it that you want then? I'm afraid there is little in the way of mountains of gold for plundering," he shook his head rather unconvincingly. Thorn wasn't buying it. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "The elves in this world do not have to be directed by someone in power to want to do the right thing," Erevin replied. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Well that's excellent! There's a horde of Ghaunadaurians out there that need slaughtering," Crucible nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Indeed there is," Erevin agreed nodding, "And there is a foul wizard in here who's been corrupting the blood of the elves." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Corrupting?" Crucible sounded offended, "I've been making it better." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Corrupting," Erevin corrected him with a little more growl in his voice. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Tell me," Wren looked up at him, "Did any of them volunteer for this... 'making it better'?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "He sure didn't improve their vocabulary," Thorn muttered quietly behind them, glancing at the messenger. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Your people very rarely volunteer to advance the cause of science... you're more magical creatures," Crucible shrugged. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Even your 'own' people didn't like your ideas," Erevin's accusation still carried a low growl in his voice. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "My people grew too prideful and destroyed themselves... while I remained," Crucible countered proudly. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "To destroy others," Erevin countered. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Only a few," Crucible shrugged. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "And now you ask the help of the people that you would destroy to save your own ass?" Erevin sneered at him. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Mmm," Crucible frowned thoughtfully. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You understand my... dilemma," Erevin continued, his voice full of hate. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I do... however, 'I' have something to offer," Crucible answered with an almost pride filled voice. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Oh here it comes... Promise me gold... Promise me power..." Erevin answered with disdain before growling out firmly, "Give me back my kin!" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Crucible nodded calmly, "Is that what you want? ...your kin? I can do that." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Unmutated? Restored?" Erevin asked. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I never bothered to research a way to make them... unperfect," Crucible answered, "But I can relinquish my control over them and give them to you if you wish to take them away. I have gained everything that I need from them." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren blinked, "That's nice... so they're no longer of any use." She shook her head. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You see," Crucible paced back and forth on the walkway above, "A long time ago, a group of ... 'adventurers' ... freed unwittingly one of Ghaunadaur's minions that I had here as a guest." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Which one would that have been?" Erevin asked. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Gorgolath? Something like that," Crucible shrugged talking of someone we obviously had never heard of, "After his release several years later... I returned to this island last year, and apparently Gorgolath didn't find the accommodations to his 'liking' and brought back some friends of his... and then laid siege to my island... and worst of all they had 'broken' the orrery! Which has thrown the already somewhat precarious magic situation on the island into a terrible situation. As you can see from the storm outside... And it is only going to get worse. Eventually if the orrery is not repaired... those vast chunks of the islands could come crashing down to level the island... or the storm could intensify... I don't really know. The orrery is designed to channel the power of the heavens into a variety of effects. I can not get to it." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Why not?" Erevin raised an eyebrow."Because of the horde of Ghaunadaurians out there and of course Gorgolath is just waiting for me to come out of my safe fortress here," he nodded.  <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Do you have the means to repair it?" Thorn asked.  <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Crucible nodded, "Yes, I have several lenses that I both created and took from the orrery... all I ask is that you fix the orery, deal with Gorgolath and his Ghaunadaur minions, and leave my isle in peace... and in return I shall give you your people."  <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Only to collect more?" Wren raised a skeptical eyebrow. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "As I said," he shook his head, "I have already gotten everything I needed from the elves." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "What have you taken from them?" Erevin asked. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "From the elves?" Crucible turned back to him, "Nothing. I've given them a wonderful blessing!" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "And yet your 'perfect' army can't get you out of here?" Erevin raised an eyebrow, taunting him. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Anger flashed for a moment in his eyes, but Crucible maintained his calm, "Oh I could get out of here, but there are things here that i need that I could not transport easily." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> After a brief moment of silence, Wren turned back to him, "So you've gotten all of the information from 'them' that you need... so who would you be kidnapping next? Humans? Dwarves? Halflings? Gnomes?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "<span style="display: inline !important; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Mmm of the humanoids the elves were the best," Crucible answered thoughtfully, "I was thinking of branching out to something more noble and majestic... dragons perhaps." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> ..first elves and now dragons?! Fire flared in Wren's gold eyes and she turned calmly to Erevin, her voice in his head through the telepathic bond, "Can I kill him now?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Oh 'now' you want to kill him... where did the peacekeeper go now?" Erevin challenged her. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I never said that I was against killing him!" Wren answered defensively, "Only that we should use the opportunity to get closer to him." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Crucible continued, "And to sweeten the deal... I'm sure you've noticed the side effects from the magic of this island?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "We have," Erevin nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Crucible nodded, "I can provide a cure for that as well... though it would be fascinating to see what kind of creatures that you all become." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You'll pardon us if we don't share your enthusiasm," Erevin spoke flatly. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "And one more thing that might sweeten the pot a little bit... I have a certain amount of the rare plant that grows on this island," he suggested. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "And how would we transport such a 'gift'?" Erevin asked. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You have arms and legs," Crucible shrugged, "You could carry them... or if you have magic, you can magic them... but no doubt if you plan on 'curing' your people, you'll need a sample of the material I used in their creation. That only make sense." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Well we've cured others without it, but we'll take it," Erevin nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Crucible raised an eyebrow, "More and more interesting." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "A beautiful young lady named Mari... perhaps one of your first," Erevin nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Perhaps," Crucible shrugged, "I never bothered learning any of their names." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin's hand clenched for a moment near his sword before he calmed himself, "So... let us tally this offer... I get to take my people free of your control." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Of course," Crucible nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Some of this 'plant' to undo your foulness... and a cure for this 'transformation'?" Erevin continued. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Crucible nodded, "Unless you'd like to live under the water..." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "My people already occupy a space underwater. I don't need to join them," Erevin shook his head. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Yes, I know," Crucible nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I would assume that you do. In league with folks like Ghaunadaur, no doubt you had to try to find allies," Erevin nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "No, I just thought about giving them gills too," Crucible shrugged. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin stared at him for a long silent moment before going on, "And for all of 'this', you need us to cleanse your island... and fix the orrery." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Yes," Crucible nodded, "If you can fix the orrery first, I believe I can more easily help you in cleansing the island." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "How do we fix the orrery? As we do not have your knowledge, we'll need detailed instructions," Erevin stated. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Ahh, that I can give you... along with the lenses that you'll need," Crucible nodded, "We have a deal then?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You'll relinquish control of these tormented souls immediately? So we can perhaps use them in this mission?" Erevin asked.Crucible quietly thought it over for a minute. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Thorn added, "Consider it a down payment." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin nodded, "An act of good faith." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren muttered near Erevin, "I can't imagine this asshole has much faith." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Thorn laughed and nodded to her, "He 'is' an asshole." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin nodded to her, adding, "Much less it be 'good'." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I will send you a portion. That only seems equitable," Crucible nodded agreeably, ignoring their insulting grumbling. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "How many do you have?" Erevin asked. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Close to 40," Crucible stated, "I'm afraid the others have all perished." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "We saw some of them hanging on belts..." Erevin spoke a bit disgruntled. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Frogumuths... terrible creatures," Crucible nodded, "I wish I'd invented it." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> " 'Terrible' creatures," Erevin reiterated firmly. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Crucible nodded, "Who would have thought... tentacles on frogs. Hmm. Rubber skinned. Immuned to electricity. Excellent."

Crucible spoke with an archaic accent... with a noble-ish or superior tone... but he had a bit of a hitch in his voice, stopping randomly for 2 or 3 seconds and then picking right back up. He seemed very genuine in his offer and didn't seem to have any personal interest in our group at all... our group wasn't who he was expecting, so he didn't seem to care about us one way or another. As Wren watched him, weighing out his motives and looking for lies, she heard a whisper from her mirrored mask, "There's another key here. Another piece of me." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Surprised the witch nodded, "Oh! What does this one look like? Can you give me a clue?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "It looks like a key... made of mist," it answered. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren nodded, "Like the first one. Alright." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> She whispered to the group, "He seems genuine enough... but there's a key here somewhere... something that I need."

"So how do we fix this orrery?" Erevin asked the purple-skinned mage. Crucible gestured to his messenger, "I will give her the instructions and the lenses and you can take her with you." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin nodded, "That would be fabulous." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Would you like some more?" Crucible asked. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin nodded, "I will take the 50% I've been promised." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Alright," Crucible nodded agreeably. "How do you control them? Is it a device or is it magic?" Erevin asked him. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "It is magic," Crucible answered with a nod. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "And what guarantee do I have that you will not reinstate this magic when the deed is done?" Erevin raised an eyebrow. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "With magic, all things are possible, so I could not give you that guarantee," Crucible shook his head and then gestured toward Wren, "Certainly as your young dabbler in the arcane could say. I'm sure even 'she' might have some sort of magic that could take control of one of their minds." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Dabbler?" Wren muttered to herself, insulted. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Okay," Erevin nodded, "Give her what is needed." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Crucible motioned to all of the chimera in the room and they leapt over the rail of the walkway, dropping the 20 feet to the ground and landing easily around us. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin turned to the messenger, "What are you called?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Rosa," the young female answered. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "And you know how to fix this orrery?" Erevin asked her. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Rosa shook her head, "Oh no... I have book... and lenses." She offered both to Erevin who then handed them off to Wren who was already waiting with her hands open.

The other chimeras gathered around, looking to Erevin, "So you new boss?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "For now," Erevin nodded, "Soon you will be free." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "We can fight?" they asked hopefully. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Good! We like to fight. Boring held up in this place for months," they continued, "Good fights outside." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "There'll be plenty of fights outside," Erevin agreed. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "It is a pleasure doing business with you," Crucible nodded down to Erevin. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Not yet, it's not... it's not done. When it's over, I'll be pleased," Erevin nodded up to him. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Excellent!" Crucible turned to make his exit into a doorway off of the walkway. It opened and closed like an iris.

Rosa lead the group back the way we came, using an emblem from Crucible to shut down the remainder of the prismatic magic wall. Erevin asked her as we walked out, "Is there a way off of this island? Boats perhaps?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Rosa nodded, "Boat. Not 'on' water. 'Under' water." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Oh," Erevin frowned disappointed, "Those do not help us... we need a boat 'on' the water." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren turned to her, curious, "You have a boat that 'goes' under the water?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Yes, goes under water," Rosa nodded to her. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Really?" Erevin raised an eyebrow. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> After we got out of the crevice, Rosa pointed out into the inlet, "Boat there." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Really? ...Under the water?" he asked again, a little skeptical, but intrigued. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Rosa nodded, "Its how master got many of us to the island." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Do you know how to drive it?" Erevin asked her, but Rosa shook her head no.

Everyone moved as a group to the orrery with the crunching of shells beneath their feet. The rain still poured down in sheets from the blackened sky as the winds whipped mercilessly through. Lightning and thunder crackled all around. A few quick skirmishes with chuul on the way showed off the skill of the chimeras as they took them out fast.Traveling to the building with the strange floating scopes, Wren read Crucible's instructions. She grumbled as she read the exceptionally simple words and over-explanations as though he had written them for an ignorant child. Fairly complicated and powerful though, Wren looked over the moving parts and the runes on the wall with Crucible's instructions. It was designed to catch beams of light from the heavens to flow through the lenses to be directed on the various runes on the walls. All very fascinating as it wildly threw beams of light over random runes. Erevin watched outside of the building to see a small army of chuul, frogumuths, and the like moving toward them. After Erevin called the others' attention to the army, Wren shook her head, "I need about 10 minutes..." she turned to the druidess, "Mali? Can you give me a hand with this? We need to move faster." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Of course!" the red-haired halfling leapt up to join the witch. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren and Mali worked on the lenses as Erevin, Thorn, Posy, Kale, Uther, Ursus, Yuki, and Bloody Mary teamed up with the chimeras to hold off the coming creatures.

The fight was long and bloody as they fought off wave after wave with Yuki using up all of her healing keeping them alive. Such a long battle, Erevin actually ran out of arrows! He pulled the moonblade and waded into melee instead as the battles raged on. In addition to the clangs and chaos sounds of battle, occasionally Wren and Mali's voices could be heard muttering little exclamations of pain as occasional jolts hit them as they worked among the gears and lenses. The chimera truly enjoyed the battle despite the injuries they took... Several laid on the ground, broken after the battle, but their wounds healed slowly on their own. They twisted their arms or legs back into correct positions to help their own healing.

The frogumuths had regeneration as well and it required fire to put them down more permanently! Blessings long worn off, everyone was exhausted... their arms and legs ached from fighting... and they were bloody! Finally... as Wren and Mali got the last lens clicked into place, the roar of the orrery kicked on and the runes began to glow. Those outside seen a pinpoint of blue in the sky above the orrery for a moment before the torrential storm around them stopped suddenly! The clouds slowly cleared to reveal the bright sun in the sky. Still wet and shiny from the rain, ruined buildings were crumbled everywhere and the street was now littered with clawed and tentacled bodies. Then the shifting of the lenses on the runes changed slightly and all of the chuul and other tentacled bodies started to vanish... it seemed similar to being kicked out by a mythal. And just like that... all of the ghaundahaur creatures seemed to be gone from the island.

We made a plan to have Ursus, Uther, and Bloody Mary stay behind and pull lenses back out to disrupt the orrery and diminish power from Crucible using a telepathic bond between them, Wren, and Erevin. The rest returned to speak with Crucible in the ziggurat.

As the group walked with the chimera up to the ziggurat, the shield that had been up, disappeared. The steps that were once beautiful marble were now stained with water and age, damaged by the lightning strikes and weather. The other 20 chimeras were waiting for us at the top, bringing out crates as they were directed by Crucible. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin nodded to him, "Where can we find this Gorgolath that you spoke of?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "All extraplanar creatures have been removed from my island," Crucible nodded, seemingly happy with the bargain fulfilled. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Oh, excellent," Erevin nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "No doubt he will have some explaining to do to his master... in whatever pit that troublesome deity hails from," Crucible said with a dismissive tone before nodding, "It took me quite a bit of research to configure the auri to banish extraplanar creatures... if only I had known that before he came... we could have prevented this unfortunate incident." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "If only," Erevin nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "The orrery was not of my making, but that of my colleague's. It took me some time to figure out his rather simplistic device." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Well it seems to be in working order now," Erevin nodded."Yes, certainly," Crucible agreed, "I've gotten rid of the storm and reset things to as they should be. I've gathered up the crates that I have promised to you and your people. I would be happy to send you on your way. You simply need to tell me where you wish to go and I will send you there." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "If we could have the crates taken down to the bay there, we'll have our ship come pick us up there," Erevin nodded. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Crucible looked surprised, "My scouts told me that your ship was destroyed. I was going to give you the courtesy of magical transportation... but you have another ship then?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Oh that was just a ship we borrowed," Erevin shrugged, "We have our own ship, so yes, we have another ship." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Very well," Crucible shrugged, "If you wish a long and tedious sea voyage." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> A brief moment of silence fell between the two for a moment before Erevin shrugged casually, "I wouldn't want you to have to worry." He unsheathed his moonblade to swiftly strike the mage. A second behind him, Posy pulled her axe to charge!

In that moment of silence a brief conversation of thoughts exchanged. Erevin sent out a thought to have the lenses pulled from the orrery, but Wren quickly relayed her thoughts that she didn't believe it gave him any direct power... it seemed simply like a device that he had learned to use to control the island. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Do you still want the island destroyed?" She thought back. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin sent her one last thought, "No." before turning to Crucible to speak aloud. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren nodded, sending out the thought to the others that there was a change of plans and to leave the auri intact and to head to the ziggurat.

Crucible was shocked by the out-of-the-blue attack! Erevin put two great slashes into the mage's purple skin with his moonblade! Wren sent Cirdan up to release a lightning bolt down into just the mage as she stepped around to avoid Erevin, sending a bolt of cold through her empowering wand! Crucible's speed and grace was almost even better than that of an elf's as he avoided part of both strikes. Mali sent down a flaming strike of holy fire and again Crucible avoided a direct strike as he stepped with great speed. Thorn used his boots to sprint across the room, weaving around surprised chimeras to move behind Crucible. Posy charged across the room with her axe edged with fire magic to slash into the mage with three hefty strikes!

Crucible took a step back, in shock, "Y-you attacked me! You went back on your word!" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Nobody's perfect," Erevin shrugged. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "So did you!" Posy accused him. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I did not," Crucible shook his head... the word 'yet' almost clinging to his lips. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You were going to!" She shouted back at him. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You can't prove that in a court of law!" He shook his head, stepping back and waving forward, directing the chimera, "Attack them!" Chain lightning arced through the room from his hand with the lucky halfling bumping Wren back to avoid the full blow. Erevin and Thorn managed to dodge fully out of the way, but Posy and Wren were scorched black with electrical damage. The lightning crashed through Maliumpkin, but still in the form of a lightning elemental, it simply danced around her own electricity. A scorching ray followed quickly out of Crucible's hand to strike into Erevin!Two chimera's surrounded Thorn, striking into him with their claws! <span style="display: inline !important; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Two more surrounded Posy while another went behind Erevin striking into them with their claws.Kale met the two coming for Wren, holding them back as they clawed into him. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin swung his moonblade in a sweeping arc to spray out it's cone of cold over two of the chimeras, covering them in frost and striking over Crucible who's 'perfect' body was cracking from the ice and fire and lightning and the massive amount of blood lost to the gashes. It appeared, even his troll-like healing couldn't keep up... but could everyone else outlast him...Everyone was bloody, and still exhausted from the last long battle. Yuki had used up all of her healing keeping everyone alive at the orrery. Wren stepped back, barely still breathing and wove a healing spell over herself as Kale slashed into the chimera in front of them, keeping them back. Thorn leapt forward using his boots for speed and slashed into Crucible's back again and again with his double daggers delivering a massive blow! The calm appearance wiped off of Crucible's face as he turned around angrily to face Thorn, "You little shit!" "Now, now... manners," Thorn taunted him, "I thought you were 'perfect'." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Mali held nothing back as she sent in another flamestrike that caught him fully while he was off-guard.Posy, frustrated with Thorn and Erevin in her way to get to the mage, threw her axe over Thorn's head to impale into Crucible's chest, knocking him over backward to crash to the ground dead! The chimera clutched their heads, looking confused. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Are you all alright?" Wren looked over the room. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> They looked around questionably, "We keep fighting?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren and Thorn answered in unison, "No." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin shook his head, dropping his aggressive stance, "We have no reason to fight." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The chimera looked at him, "Boss said we should fight you." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "But he's dead!" Posy pointed at the body on the floor. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "He's dead," Erevin agreed, "I'm the boss now." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Alright," they nodded, "So who should we fight?" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "No one, we've won. Good job," Erevin nodded to them. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The chimeras cheered for the win, but seemed disappointed that the fight was over. With the Ghaundahaur creatures gone and the island calmed from the storm, everyone relaxed for a moment.Looking over Crucible's body, we found  <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Bracers of Armor +6  <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Ring of Protection +4  <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Amulet of Natural Armor +4  <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Ring of Shooting Stars  <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Jaunty Hat of Seeing Invisible  <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">  ... removing the hat revealed his pulsing brain that was inside a magic shell with a metal band. Erevin removed Crucible's head from his body, but the brain continued to pulse. Throwing the head into a campfire melted the head away, but the magic case remained intact and not even warm. Thorn picked it up, looking it over to figure out how to disable it... he found that there was simply no way to open it. Wren reached out to touch Erevin, healing him with the only strong heal she had and followed it up with a hex heal on everyone. Erevin positioned the shell to brace it and hit it as hard as he could with his moonblade to crack it open... A great wave crashed out from the two magic items colliding, blowing Erevin backward and creating a crater in the ground! The magic shell holding the pulsing brain sat unharmed in the middle of the crater. Thorn looked around as he noticed an odd vibration coming from the ziggurat, "Umm guys... I think it's time to go." <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Wait! I have to find the key!" Wren shook her head, suddenly slipping her mirrored mask back over her face. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I'll go with her!" Thorn nodded quickly, volunteering to go search the ziggurat... where they would surely find the gold that Crucible said he didn't have. Erevin nodded, sending 5 chimera to assist Wren, Kale, Mali, and Thorn carry treasure. He, Posy, and the other chimeras carried the cases down to meet back up with Uther, Ursus, and Bloody Mary and to ready the "under the water" boat. Thorn lead the way down the stairs into the ruined architecture of the ziggurat. It appeared that Crucible may have come here years ago, but this place must have been sitting unused for hundreds of years before that... and something had been set off with Crucible's death. <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Thorn glanced back at the others, "We're going to need to hurry!" <span style="color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Some of the glow stones had gone out making the lighting very dim below, but there was still just enough light to see.

Walking through an entry room, there was a passage way in one direction and a broken wall in the other. Thorn chose the passageway that seemed like it was well trafficked. Everyone walked with speed, giving Thorn a 20 foot lead to scour for traps. He held up his hand to stop as he noticed 2 strange patchwork stitched-together creatures ahead guarding the way. They weren't clean and smooth like the chimera... they were much more experimental looking flesh golems. As they took notice of our arrival, Thorn spun around and pointed back the way we had come, "Go! Take the broken wall!" Everyone turned around and ran the other way. "Go invisible!" Wren turned back to Thorn and wove a spell over herself and Kale turning them both invisible. Mali shapeshifted into a hummingbird. Thorn donned Crucible's see invisibility hat and Wren wove the spell over herself, keeping a hand-hold with Kale. Everyone moved swiftly through the halls, pausing with only a few moments as they passed rooms full of strange devices and horrors. Wren was scooping strange and rare alchemical ingredients and tools from a massive alchemy lab of a much greater level than she had ever seen! Thorn nodded, glancing briefly over the shelves, "Rare ingredients you say? We can stop for just a 'few' minutes." He helped her as he scooped some more things into his haversack as well. Kale eventually nudged them both along with Wren pointing to more things, "Wait... But... And..."

They eventually stumbled into a treasure room of gold, silver, and magic items... Thorn, Mali, and Wren both scooped several things into the haversacks with Wren pointing out the more valuable of the magic items, "Grab that one! Oh and that one!" Thorn tossed aside a key that just looked gold to him, but Wren seen the key as made of fog and grabbed it quickly, "This is it!" "That's the key? That's not made of mist... that's made of gold!" He raised an eyebrow. "Mmm... gold mist?" Wren offered with a smile, seeing the key as obvious mist. "Whatevs," Thorn shrugged, content that she seemed happy with it... and there was lots of shiny treasure to paw through that seemed much more important. Kale helped gather treasure as the three continued scooping faster... time was running out! Thorn was calculating the time to get out vs the time before the ziggurat would crash and called it pretty close with all of them running hell bent to get out!

Erevin glanced back up the pathway after stuffing the magic shell wrapped brain into a sack for safe-keeping. He was watching for the others to come out and he seen the ziggurat start to fall, crashing level by level into the ground, dust and debris clouding the area all around it, obscuring for the moment the group who barely made it out in time... He shook his head, glancing back at Posy, "Well that's not good..." The two of them turned back around with relief to see the group running out of the cloud of dust down the path toward them.

Wren and Thorn looked over the magic device that controlled the sub and worked it out together. Wren sat in Kale's lap, working the controls with magic in the piloting area with Thorn telling her what to use and what not to use. It was a very packed ship carrying all of the group and chimeras off of the island toward Lyrabar. The water was blue from the sun and tropical fish swam by the windows. It was uncomfortable and crowded with very limited supplies for food and water. Mali made cherries and good berries with her staff and made water to help. Erevin stood on top of the boat, bow-fishing to gather more food. No bath house, so it was pretty ripe after a week of travel... and the chimera really liked to fight, occasionally getting out of hand in tousles with each other. Over all it was a successful trip back to Lyrabar, disembarking a ways away from the harbor to keep the ship a secret.

It felt so good to get out of the ship onto dry land... room to move, fresh air to breathe, and the chimeras carried the large crates with us to the city gates. The city guard raised their eyebrows at the sight of the army of chimera with us, "Um... can you wait here?" Erevin nodded and sent word to Bishop and Dominic of our arrival.

Magarite and some paladins came out to greet everyone along with Dom and Bishop. After hearing the story of Crucible and the island, the paladins set up a camp outside of the city for the chimeras. Bishop explained to Erevin and the others that there were a couple of chimeras in the city and it took quite a bit of time to get them settled, "If we keep them together with their need for fighting, at least their wounds will heal... most people don't have that luxury if they tangle with others." Erevin nodded in agreement, content with the camp outside of the city.

LEVEL 13!!!!! Woot! And a promise of a list of loot from Crucible's stash! Yay!!! On to make plans to rescue Parula from the kidnapping witch covens...