Session+39

**2-8-14**
 * Surviving The Grim Statue within the Dungeon in Under-Mountain **

Erevin has been tucked away in his room with Shri for a day and realizes it's gotten too quiet... usually that means that someone is getting into trouble. Opening his door, he finds a note from everyone telling him they've gone to explore a famous tourist attraction dungeon in under-mountain. He and Shri dress for the occasion and stop by to see Eliath to purchase supplies, not mentioning any of this to Tyrian. Eliath is happy to see Erevin, mentioning a matter that he needed his help with to serve the people and that he had given some of the information to Thorn already. "Whatever you need me to do," Erevin nodded to him. "Excellent." "What can you tell me about The Grim Statue in the dungeon beneath the mountain?" "I tend to steer most elves away from dungeon crawling, so I'm not real familiar with what each one means, but the names change... so even if I knew, it likely wouldn't help you." Erevin nodded his thanks.

Sherry, a bubbly blonde-haired elf, came up to greet Erevin excitedly, "You're a friend of Thorn's, aren't you?" Erevin raised an eyebrow, "Did he take something from you?" "No, no! He was a perfect gentleman!" "Oh... well yes, we're friends. I'm going to meet him now." She pulled out a sky-blue embroidered handkerchief, "Could you give this to him?" Erevin nodded, accepting it, "Certainly." He tucked it inside his vest pocket. "Thank you, my lord." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded to her again, "Sherry, right?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">She nodded, "Like the drink." She scampered off happily. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin pondered it a moment, wondering if Thorn had met her with his human mask disguise on.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">An ex-adventurer bartender greets Erevin at The Yawning Portal Inn. Whispers of people in the room talk about the latest group that went down into the dungeon, "2 halflings and 2 gnomes... they'll never make it out alive." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin shakes his head, thinking to himself, 2 gnomes? I leave them alone for 24 hours and this is what happens... <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">He and Shri drink a glass of wine, chatting with the bartender. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"You must be the late comer that the group who went down about a half an hour ago was talking about..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded, "I just found their note." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"1 gold to go down and 1 to come back up if you're going..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded and handed him 4 gold. He and Shri went down in the basket to the great round room with 8 archways. He sees one called The Grim Statue with a granite face above it.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Meanwhile... Inside the archway... <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Thorn leads the party down a hall, to a big square room with 2 doors and a ziggurat in the center with a bright blue light illuminating the room with a smaller blue light on each wall. He slips into the room and starts working on one of the trapped doors as the others filter into the room behind him. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">After Thorn manages to get the trap disarmed, something big and heavy leaps against Posy next to him, clawing her viciously! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Another knocks Thorn over, biting him! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren screams out as something slams her against the wall, biting and clawing into her, and drops her like a bloody rag-doll, barely breathing!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Everyone else watches in horror as things they can't see tear into their friends! Lion-like claw marks appear on their bodies. Blood sprays through the room accompanied by cat-like growling. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Yuki gasps out in shock, taking a brave step forward, and throws out a powerful wave of healing over everyone. Axton follows her up and sets a hand on Wren, healing her again, closing up her wounds fully. Melleron sniffs about the room, picking up a cat like scent mixed with brimstone. Padded paws move away from Thorn who stands up, shaking himself off. Kale drew his sword, moving Wren behind him to protect her in the corner as she stood up and began fading in and out of the ethereal realm. Shade put up a magical shield around him, standing near Posy who was looking around, trying to find what was attacking them. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Something charges Melleron, rocking him slightly as another clawed into Mali next to him, ripping her open. Thorn caught a glimpse of a furred body with a strange lava like look to it as it passed briefly in his shadow, "Cut the lights! We have to create shadows to see these things." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki turned and blinked at him, "What? There's more than one?! ...It's evil! I can dispel it if I can touch it... but I need to see it!" Axton sent out a prayer over everyone.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Mali glanced up at the bright light in the center of the room, sending out a massive jet of water to knock the globe off of the ziggurat and shatters it, making the room a lot dimmer. We can start to see frightening hell cats, skeletal cat-like beasts with molten lava flowing through them, in the room. Melleron growled and bit into one of them, dragging his claws over it! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Thorn pulled out his ricochet hammer, whipping it across the room to smash one of the globes of light on the wall. Wren turned and smashed the light beside her, and Kale ran up beside Thorn, slicing into the cat about to attack him. Posy leapt onto one of them, clawing into it with her acid dripping claws as Harte stepped up to strike it with his sword to help her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Erevin slipped into the archway, overlooking the scene of battle. Yuki slipped up behind Kale and lashed out her ribbon to hit one of the cats, sending it back to hell! Axton pushed past Yuki to heal Thorn who was bleeding horribly. Shade cast a darkness spell in the corner by Mali to show another cat preparing to pounce her as she summoned a swarm of bats to move through the room to help find the next target, hoping they would find things that we can't see. They swarm and aid Posy and Melleron, taking the cat down. Harte draws his now softly glowing blade in the darkness and charges over to defend Mali. Posy joined him with her acid claws, slashing into it. Erevin launched arrows from the doorway, killing off the last cat, announcing his presence. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Everyone turned and smiled, recognizing the arrows, greeting him warmly. Yuki cheered, "Erevin is here!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Erevin shook his head, "I catch a cold and you decide to plunder Waterdeep?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki and Mali point at Thorn, "It was his idea." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I just wanted to look at the inn," Thorn shook his head in protest. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki chimed in nodding, "okay... the witch helped." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin shook his head at Thorn, "This doesn't look like looking... that gash in your side doesn't look like looking." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"It's healed now!" Yuki assured him. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Harte walked over and greeted him, "You must be Erevin that I've heard so much about. I'm Harte Wavesilver." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded to him, "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Wavesilver. What did these good folks tell you to get you to come down here?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki chimed in from behind Erevin, "That's Mali's fault... they went gryphon riding!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Harte smiled at Erevin, "The young druidess here asked for my aid and as a gentleman, I could not refuse her." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I see." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I am one of the gryphon riders of Waterdeep and I took her for a ride." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Very good of you." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"All day long..." Posy muttered in the corner. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"It was exhausting..." Mali nodded to her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki blinked, "Are we still talking about gryphons...?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded to her and she nodded slowly, still uncertain.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The gnome mage, dressed in all black, stepped forward, "I am Shade Raventree." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin glanced at the gnome and Posy and then over to the gryphon rider and Mali, thinking to himself, While the barbarians are away the little folk will play... but he just nods and says nothing aloud. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Shade continued, "I also met Posy at the Hawkwinter party." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded, "And you survived the encounter? Then you're doing better than most." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"She asked for my aid as well and her beauty and charm talked me into it..." he leaned in closer to Erevin, whispering, "She says she's spoken for, but I don't see a ring on that finger." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin shrugged, "Good luck with that..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"She's impressive, isn't she?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Aye," Erevin nodded. //What happens in Waterdeep...//

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Erevin introduced himself and Shri to both. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Wren, Mali, and Yuki all hit Thorn with healing wands to bring him up to healthy before he unlocked the door that he managed to disarm before the cats attacked. A hall inside was lined with statues, ancient looking kings... and at the dead-end, in the center, a larger statue stood with a sword in one hand and a large stone key in the other. Thorn pondered over the room for a moment while Yuki casted healing over Mali and sacred bonded to Wren. Thorn whipped a stone down the room and the eyes of the statues lit up, shooting it with bright beams as it passes, destroying it. He blinked and slid one along the floor to have the same thing happen. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Okay... well let's check out the other room," Thorn nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Mali suggested using her spider climb to stay on the ceiling, but no one wanted her to go untested... E<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">revin stepped back, up on one of the stairs of the ziggurat and fired an arrow along the top of the hall above the statues to find that they did not react.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Everyone still concerned for her safety, she transformed into a tiny hummingbird and flew over the top to land next to the end statue, changing back into her halfling form to climb up the statue and grab onto the key. The statue let the key go as soon as she tugged on it. She transformed back into a hummingbird to make her way back over to the companions. We all cheered for her success! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Thorn went over to the second door in the main room and got it open to see a strange room with 2 dead-end hallways on either side of silvery mist and the opposite wall had 3 stone faces on it between two stairways going up. Thorn went into the room cautiously as everyone formed up to filter in behind him. Thorn looked at the dead-end to see old blood stains on the walls, and he turned around to see one of the stone faces perfectly aligned to look at right at him. He carefully tumbled past to the stairway past the face, slowly climbing the stairs with caution. Posy followed behind him first, climbing the stairs with him. Toward the top of the stairs, Thorn could see three very beautiful winged women in the room beyond... harpies. They look up to see Thorn approaching and in unison the called out in sing-song voices, "Hiiii! Come on in... interested in a four way?" Thorn's eyes went wide in adoration and continued on toward them. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Three sets of giggles and the most beautiful songs carry down to the main room, capturing the attention of all of the men except Axton... all of them heading into the room to follow the voices, sighing, "So... beautiful..."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Yuki beamed at Axton, "I'm so proud of you!" She stepped into the room quickly following the others and sending out a break enchantment spell that frees Shade, Erevin, and Kale, but Harte continues up still smitten. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki smiled at Axton, "You really do love me! You just fought that right off." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Of course," he nodded to her, "I have a very strong will." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">She blinked at him, disappointed, "Really... so that's why you fought it off, huh?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">He nodded to her, seemingly oblivious. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki sighed. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Mali stepped into the room and put a cast of bull strength on Posy who was at the top of the stairway beyond the line of men. Posy crossed over the top of the stairs onto the platform, causing a soft click... below the faces shot forward like a slamming jack-in-the box spring smashing the pile of people in the room into the dead-end hallway and then recedes back to the wall. Wren's eyes widen from the doorway as the face shoots by her smashing her friends into a cube. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Upstairs, the three harpies pleaded innocently with Thorn, "Protect us, Thorn!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">He stood tall and heroic, "I will!" He turned around to see Posy growling in rage... and while a twinge of response said he did not want to go attack that... the beautiful women behind him with their half-naked bodies was just too much for him to resist and he turned back toward Posy. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Axton was smashed in the back of the group along with Yuki with Melleron's butt all in her face. Mali and Shade were smashed in the middle, and Kale and Erevin were still toward the front. Wren glanced over to see them all still alive, just bruised and battered. She headed up the stairs with Kale recovering enough to follow up behind her as she sent an ice-storm into the room, surrounding the harpies, "Whores!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">They scream out as the bitter cold and ice rained in around them! The ice storm behind him sent a chill up Thorn's spine as he faced Posy. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Everyone managed to pry themselves out of the squished corridor and made it to one of the two staircases before the head was triggered again, slamming through just before Shri stepped into the room! The harpies sang out to the spell-bound halfling, "Save us Thorn! Protect us from that witch!" They pointed out past the edge of the still whirling blizzard around them. Posy moved into the blinding snowy winds until just in front of her she found one of the harpies, raising her axe above her head to swing... only to have Thorn step in behind her and stab her in the back! She turned around to see Thorn standing behind her, a dagger in each hand. Posy growled at him and the harpy next to her, raked her claws out to barely scratch Posy, "You can't have him! He's ours! He looks delicious!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Thorn nodded, "I am delicious!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Erevin fought his way through the ice and snow to be met by one of the harpies who swiped her claws over him! Melleron lumbered into the ice storm as well, capturing one of the harpies in his mighty jaws! Posy picked up Thorn and threw him across the room beyond the ice storm, sending him spilling onto the floor in front of everyone else! Thorn tumbled back up to his feet and raced back into the icy winds to stab Posy again! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Everyone else could hear Posy's voice call out, "OW! That was your LAST warning!" Wren blinked at him and followed after him into the storm, dispelling him. Thorn's mind cleared and he looked at Posy's blood on his dagger and glanced up to see her growling at him.Po Kale followed Wren and drew his enchanted blade against the harpy fighting Posy while Erevin and Melleron managed to kill off the other two. Yuki channeled out her warm blanket of healing. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Thorn backed up defensively with wide apologetic eyes, pointing to the harpy behind Posy. She growled one more time and turned around to cleave the last harpy in half. She stuck a harpy feather on Thorn as a reminder warning and walked away, still in a rage. He slipped off to deal with the next door, avoiding the angry gnome. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Yuki sighed with disappointment, "They didn't have any jewels or anything... "

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Wren smiled at her sweetly, "Oh but they have pretty feathers..." She ripped some of the feathers off of their wings still a little angry about them charming Kale and the rest of the men, "I'm sure we can make you something pretty with them." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Thorn opened the door with the key from Mali to see two billowing misty clouds in the room, one green and one yellow. A sign read... To pass the silver, you must anoint yourself in green, yellow, and blue. Yuki looked around at everyone, "I think at least two people should hold hands before going in... just in case." Everyone agreed. Mali put Melleron's collar on and holding Posy's hand, they stepped into the green cloud... they looked covered in green dust and the cloud shrank... it became quickly apparent that not everyone was going to be able to continue.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Axton volunteered to go, "I'm a healer." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Thorn nodded, "He has a point." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin shrugged, "We have one." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki stepped into the green dust, suggesting that if he hugged her, it might come off on him... He hugged her, but nothing came off. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"You're not hugging enough..." They snuggled in together and she sighed happily, "This is nice. Adventuring in a dungeon... So romantic! Isn't it?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin shook his head, "She finds romance in the most interesting places." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Axton looked at Yuki, "You look interesting... very green." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki blinked at him, "That's the best that you can come up with? I say we're in a dungeon and it's romantic... and you say I look green?!" She sighed exasperated. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren giggled next to Erevin, "They have an interesting relationship..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded, "More like a lack of a relationship..."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Wren stepped into the corner with Kale, talking with him privately while the others discussed who was going, "Are you alright? No more desire to chase a harpy?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">He smiled, "My mind is clear and my wounds are healed." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">She nodded and hugged onto him, figuring they would be separated, "I have my bracelet... just in case." He nodded to her.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Thorn approached Posy tentatively, "You know I wasn't in my right mind for that, right? We're cool? How's your buttock? Sorry... you know, for stabbing you in the ass. I go for the most vulnerable target... I mean... so yeah... high five?" Posy hit his hand, sending him sliding backward along the floor. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Erevin told Mari to guard Shri and he told her to keep everyone away from the heads, "Stay up here where you're safe." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki nodded, "Take that guy too. That red-headed guy... with an utter lack of romance." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Walking back over by everyone, Wren looked confused, "I thought Axton was going with us?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki spoke quickly, "Erevin said we have a healer. Axton can stay here. He's obviously not sensing the mood. Take Kale." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren blinked in surprise, "Okay..." She grabbed Kale's hand and pulled him into the green cloud with her before anyone changed their mind.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Yuki chattered angrily to herself, "Romantic dungeon... you look green he says... not pretty, not fetching... happy... beguiling... and I've got a strong will! ...Not I love you so much that I overcame it..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Axton shifted his eyes over to her, "I'm still right here..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren slipped an arm around Yuki's shoulders, patting her comfortingly, guiding her away from Axton. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki continued to chatter, completely ignoring Axton, "All of those princes are looking better and better!" Yuki sniffled slightly and sighed. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren nodded, patting her shoulder and guiding her along. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Erevin stepped over to Axton and shook his hand, nodding, "Appreciate that! You stepped on a bomb for a lot of guys." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Green... he said I looked green," Yuki sulked, paying no attention to the guys. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren comforted her, "You look beautiful!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Aww Wren, I love you!" Yuki hugged onto the witch. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren hugged her, giggling, "I love you too!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki cast a glare back toward Axton, "He doesn't have a romantic bone in his body!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Axton grumbled, "Just step into the yellow mist already!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Posy stepped into the yellow, disappearing with the cloud shrinking slightly behind her. Everyone quickly followed behind her, Wren and Yuki stepping through together. Everyone's skin was now tinged a yellowish green. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki continued chattering as she looked at her skin, "Swampy! He'd probably say you look swampy, Yuki..." she grumbled something about a priest. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"And to think they call him the prince of Sune..." Wren hugged her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"What was I thinking?! Love! Romance! Spontaneity! Charm! No... I get 'You look green, Yuki'..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Kale walked in the back, watching over them as Wren continued to comfort the chattering priestess. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Thorn led the group slowly down the hall, "So glad we don't have to stealthing right now... I'm trying to concentrate!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I have a broken heart here!" Yuki shouted back, "My boyfriend sucks!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren hugged her, trying to comfort her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin glanced back to her, "You mean that guy who hangs around you..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Yeah..." Yuki sighed, "I mean really... what was I thinking?! He just makes me mop things!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Oh for the love of god," Thorn moaned against the door, "Let me get this door open!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Yuki continued to chatter on, leaning on Wren, "You and Kale are so perfect! I'll never have a relationship like that... he would never call you green!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Awww," Wren "He likes green..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"He'd say 'You're sexy, baby!' then he'd throw you on the alter and do this and that and all kinds of shameful things... am i still talking out loud?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren laughed and nodded, squeezing her in her arm. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"All kinds of curious shameful things that I'm dying to know about..." Yuki sighed, "All relationships break up eventually." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren blinked at her, "Yuki..."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin glanced back and shrugged, "The prince has my vote." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">She looked over at him curiously, "Tyrian?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"He seems very gentlemanly," Mali nodded, chiming in <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"And you have a past together..." he nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Mali nodded, "And I bet he never made you scrub anything." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"That's true," Yuki nodded, "I bet he'd pamper me with glorious princess beds.... but he's Arabelle's." She sighed. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren tilted her head at Yuki, "Arabelle doesn't exist..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded to her, "I can't even compete with that..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"You're a prince too, Erevin," Yuki looked over at him, confused. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">He shook his head, "I wont inherit. That will be Anna. She's older." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Well you'd still live in a castle... with princess beds." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin laughed and nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Thorn managed to get the door open and looked around in what appeared to be a wizard's bedroom... books and scrolls and a 1000 gold in a desk drawer that he casually slipped into his pockets. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Yuki continued on out in the hallway, "He's just so mean, Wren..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren patted her shoulder, "I know... and I don't understand it." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Scrub my boots... I mean who would like such a thing?! He's a sadistic tyrant!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Thorn found another door that led to some sort of empty torture chamber, but he could hear chanting beyond the wall, "Shhhh!" He came back around the corner, "Enough of your bickering or whatever it is you're doing! There's chanting beyond the next door." Everyone quieted down and followed Thorn into the torture room to the next door. Peeking inside, we could see a writhing pile of tentacle-like intestines... at the end of each intestine was a gaping maw and in the center was a larger mouth of sharp teeth. On either side of it was two chanting robed figures. Yuki's eyes went wide seeing the tentacle-like monster and she dashed back to the rear of the group. Thorn stared at it, looking queasy, but Mali patted him on the back reassuringly. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Posy charged in first, attacking the grotesque monster head on with her claws! It's acid-like blood burned her hands! Erevin slipped into the room, slashing a surprised female cultist in the back with his moonblade, drawing her full attention. Mali's arrow bounced off the thick hide of the intestine monster, but Wren slid in behind her through the doorway to send a bolt of lightening to smolder across it's fleshy body. Thorn tumbled through the room to team up with Erevin on the cultist to again stab her in the back. Melleron charged in to maul a cultist to death on the other side.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The cultist surrounded herself with some sort of magic while the man next to her stepped back to cast a bolt of lightening through Erevin, Kale, and Yuki! "Kiiyahhh!" Yuki screamed out... lightning! It's always lightening! A cultist across the room became wreathed in fire shield that had Mali quickly halting Melleron's continued charge. The tentacled mass belched out a horrible acid gas filling half of the room, burning everyone's eyes and skin. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">"My clothes!" Yuki screamed out at the same time that Wren was coughing out, "My lungs!" Posy wielded electricity through her axe as she slashed out, causing Yuki to cringe behind Wren, "Not again! I smell ozone... it's always that smell... right before it hits..." Erevin slaughtered the female cultist in front of him, whirling with his two blades! Mali sent an arrow perfectly aimed to land inside the main mouth of the tentacle monster. Wren slid into the room, just past Erevin to suffocate the fire shield cultist, making him clutch his throat to gasp for air...unable to finish casting the fireball he was about to throw into our clustered side of the room. Yuki moved to stay next to Wren, casting her holy magic to fill the room with beautiful pink light that had the cultist screaming out and clutching his blinded eyes, but the shattering pink hearts around the tentacled monster not only made it scream in pain... it began to fade from the world. Thorn slipped up multi stabbing it brutally despite the acid burning of it's blood! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The monster lashed out, biting at Posy and spitting sticky acid at Yuki! The acid stuck to her like warm goo, burning her flesh... "Kiiiyahhh!" Posy clawed back into the tentacle monster, fading it into nothingness! The last cultist breathed in again, his eyes focusing on the room in time for Yuki to dispell the fire shield around him, "You dare destroy my summoned creature! You will all pay! You'll never leave here alive!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The acid cloud continued to burn everyone in the room and the cultist breathed out a green poisonous smoke, withering away life and leaving several weak! Everyone coughing and gasping... Wren leaned back against the wall, barely still breathing and not likely to survive another moment in the acid, she stepped back out of the room as Posy charged forth in her rage to eviscerate the last cultist! Yuki quickly gathered everyone outside of the room to send out multiple waves of warm healing. Wren hugged onto her, thanking her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Thorn stepped into the next room that had a strange blue vial on the desk. He called Wren into the room who looked it over and opened it up... a blue fog swirled out and Wren disappeared. Posy called out quickly for everyone to follow her, "Into the blue!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The first to emerge back into the room with Axton and the others, Wren growled at him, "You had better say something nice to Yuki when you see her and it better not be that she looks blue... because I swear to the gods..." she clenched her fist angrily. Everyone filtered into the room, and Wren returned to Kale's side.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Axton's eyes were still wide, "Yuki..." he swallowed, "You look beautiful." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki looked him over, "You look terrified..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"She had spiders...coming out of her mouth..." he traced a few tiny lines around his mouth. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"It doesn't count if you're threatened to do it!" Yuki punched him in the arm. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren shook her head and sighed against Kale... his one chance... all he had to do was say something nice... "Hit him again," Wren nodded to her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"It was strangely satisfying..." Yuki contemplated for a moment. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Having calmed down after the initial shock of Wren's threat, Axton looked at Yuki, "You look a little pale... are you alright?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Are you sure I don't look 'green'?" she asked mockingly, her skin very green from the yellow, blue, and green clouds. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I'm not going to say that again," he shook his head at her and cast a spell over her to restore her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"That's not romantic," Yuki folded her arms, "I just did that to three people. That's not unique." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren stepped closer to Kale and Thorn blinked a little wide-eyed at Yuki... and everyone gave the priests a little more room. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"We're in a dungeon!" She continued to yell at him, "We fought harpies! And then we fought a giant tentacled beast from the unknown! I love Wren now." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"You fought a what?" he tilted his head at her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"You weren't there, were you? Well you'll never know!" she folded her arms angrily again. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Axton took a step closer to her, his voice softly and warm, "Unless you tell me..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki still stood in a huff, not buying in, "I'm not saying anything. Meanie!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The others had gathered together, discussing the next move and catching Shri and the others up on what had happened. Yuki called across the room, "Wren, I love you!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">The elven witch turned and smiled, "I love you too, Yuki!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"See! Ha!" Yuki stuck her tongue out at Axton. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Axton shook his head and turned to the others, "Is anyone else injured?" He walked over and started healing Posy and the others. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki cried, "He had to be threatened to tell me I'm beautiful!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I'm sorry, Yuki..." Wren hugged her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I don't understand him at all..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I don't understand either," Wren tried to comfort the again distraught priestess, "Come on, let's go in the silver mist... we'll get to explore a whole new world." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Axton ignored them both.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">We said our farewells to the group and Shade cast haste over everyone and then a spell over Posy to protect her, giving her a skin the toughness of stone. Posy kissed him gently on the forehead. "Oh! I'll have to memorize more of those!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Axton placed a protection from evil spell over Yuki and she smiled for just a brief moment, "Good I'm safe," and then sighed, "From my demonic... sadistic... non-romantic 'practical' boyfriend." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren patted her and guided her into the silvery mist behind the others. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I call the first 20,000 gold valued diamond!" Yuki called out as we entered. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I thought it was rubies..." Erevin looked over at her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"It's for my sister! I need it to bring her back to life," she nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I suppose we can spare the first one..." Thorn sighed. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Yay! I love you, Thorn!" Yuki cheered, "For today... in a purely platonic way." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"No, no, no," he shook his head, "You can't just go back on what you said. We all heard you say it." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I have a boyfriend!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"You have a what?" Erevin raised an eyebrow. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"She said she loved me," Thorn nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"She did. I heard it," Erevin nodded to him. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Aww! For today!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"No, no, no... there was a pause in there. A distinct pause in there," Thorn insisted. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"Purely platonic! I was telling Wren I loved her earlier!" Yuki tried again to explain. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren nodded beside her, "I love you too." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Thorn smiled, "Well this is going to be fun..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren and Yuki giggled.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The hall ahead was lined in statues on either side up to a large grim statue at the end. Spooky theme music seemed to come out of the walls as we moved down the hall... Sparkling treasure was scattered all over the room... and despite where they were and what they were heading into, Yuki and Wren continued to chatter in the back, Kale walking behind them ever watchful. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"I don't know what I'm doing wrong, Wren... Do I need to wear less clothes? Is that what works?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Thorn answered her from the front, his interest finally drawn into the conversation, "Yes!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Wren laughed softly, "That only works on some men... and he doesn't really seem that type." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Yuki shook her head, agreeing with her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">The grim statue started to awaken. Thorn called back over his shoulder, "Here we go boys and girls..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">"What?" Yuki looked up, coming back to the reality of the room, "Where are we? Oh!"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Blades and shields were drawn and magic started to sparkled out over the group as more spells were placed on one another. Mali transformed into a large lion like Melleron. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Kale spun around as two of the winged gargoyles came to life, shattering off their stone statue skin behind us. The grim statue, raised his incredibly massive sword ahead of us. Erevin launched a barrage of cold enhanced arrows into a leg of the statue, learning that each of the limbs of the statue seemed to have their own power. Wren threw one of the fireball globes at one of the gargoyles as Kale ran up to strike the other, drawing real blood from it's thick stone-looking hide. Posy charged up to the statue, engaging her ring in a bright burst of fire, scorching both of it's legs! Thorn followed her up, stabbing the back of it's ankle. Melleron and Mali charged the burned gargoyle near Yuki, mauling it to death! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">The immense statue reared back it's leg and kicked Posy, sending her sprawling down the hall! It raised it's sword up, smashing it into the ground to send an electric shockwave down the hall into Yuki and Mali, knocking them both over with the mighty blow! It's head then turns, with eyes lighting up to shoot a ray that dances across the floor toward Erevin who manages to dodge it enough to just be grazed! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Yuki ran over to send loving healing into Posy who was on the floor behind her. Having seen the damage from Posy's ring, Erevin sent in another barrage of arrows this time with a fire enchantment!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Wren called back to get out of the hallway and spread out around the statue as she moved in quickly to find her place, but Kale stayed back to finish the gargoyle, slashing it in half with a final blow. Posy jumped up and charged back in, and with a mighty swing of her axe sent a web of fractures crackling up the statue's leg! Thorn moved in close with a whirlwind of slashes with his daggers, causing a cloud of dust as chips of stone flew off! Erevin called out for Mali who ran to his side, sending Melleron up to aid Posy and Thorn. Yuki caressed Erevin with her ribbon, boosting his morale with heroism.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">The statue turned around and kicked Thorn, sending him off of the platform to fall in a silvery mist! Wren screamed out for Thorn and flew out after him.He raised his enormous sword and smashed Posy into the ground, cracking the ground around her! Yuki turned, horrified, sure she must be dead from the blow, but to everyone's surprise... as he raised the blade back up, we could see Posy, blood pouring off of her, fighting to push his blade back with her axe! He sent out another ray from his eyes into the cluster of Erevin, Mali, and Yuki, sending everyone scattering out of the way!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Erevin sent two rope arrows into the statue and passed them off to Mali who started pulling them down the hall to try and topple him over while Melleron continued attacking the statue. Posy tossed her axe into her bag and clawed her way up the statue's leg onto his back to avoid another sword hit. Worried over Posy, Yuki bravely got close to the statue and sent out a warm wave of healing. The statue seized the moment to strike out at Yuki and then sent another ray at Erevin and Kale who barely make it out of the way. Erevin sent arrows into one of it's eyes, smashing it! Wren continued to call out to Thorn, following his voice, but she had to drop her flight to free-fall faster to catch up to his flailing fall.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Kale moved over to aid Mali, both of them heaving on the ropes to bring the statue down to one knee! Yuki reached out to touch the lowered arm, breaking the enchantment that allowed the arm to move. The statue whirled it's head around, opening up it's mouth to blast Posy and then backhanded Yuki with his other arm! The silver mist cleared ahead of Thorn and Wren to see the ground rapidly approaching! Still trying to catch up to him... Wren traveled through a dimension door ahead of him to catch him with a softened impact, both of them tumbling to the ground alive! Posy reached in to pull the gems out the sockets of the statue's head! Piling up together, we manage to bring down the statue with a few final strikes! Victory!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Piles of treasure surround the room! Woot!