Session+65

**1-24-2015** **Journey through the Astral Sea, the Passing of Time, and The Battle at the Druidic Circle**

Returning to the Destiny, our heroes journeyed back into the the astral sea. With everyone a little saddened by the loss of Captain Whitestrake, Gregori took the wheel temporarily.

Exploring Heroes' Rest over the next few days of travel, we found that again... it had grown and expanded. Posy's home was much like the gnomish home she had grown up in, though the doors were a bit larger, influenced by Uther's presence. The home of the witches had grown into a large tree with gnarled roots, surrounded by lush vegetation that formed a canopy around it. It resembled Raven's Nest almost eerily close. Crowe and Loch's rooms were located where they would be back home, but much to Crowe's amusement Wren's room was located where Raven's would be. Though it was similar to her room at home, it was more mature and had high influences of Kale in it.

Erevin, Shri, and Dominic now had a rangerish hunting lodge equipped with an archery room, an alchemy lab, and an open air atrium where the light of the moon could fall on an altar to Eilistraee. Where the priest and priestesses of Sune made their home had become a large temple of Sune surrounded by a garden of roses.

Maliumpkin had a hobbit like home with big round doors. It was nestled in a secluded grove and surrounded by a lush garden of trees, herbs, flowers, and vegetable garden plants. Thorn's home was very well hidden, a door that led down to an apartment styled home that branched into training rooms and underground hallways that led to secret doors and side passage ways to everyone else's homes... including a viewing passage below the bath house of the Temple of Sune.

Thorn practiced his dagger throwing with Rose quietly alone in his training room with a Posy-looking target. As he pulled the dagger out from between her eyes, a voice came from beside him... A halfling that looked just like him! "Hey! Nice throw!" the other halfling nodded in approval. "Hey! You're a good looking guy!" Thorn nodded. "Hey, so are you!" -copy "So... what the hell is going on? Who are you?" -Thorn "I'm you!" -copy <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"No, I'm me. Who are you?" -Thorn <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I guess you could say I'm a copy of you... a magical construct created by Rose." -copy <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"There's TWO of me? There's two of me! C'mon let's start planning!" Thorn pointed down the hall toward his passageway to the Temple of Sune. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I may look real... but I'm not really real... but things will 'think' I'm real, so I can be your flanking buddy! ...but only for a little while," the copy faded away. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The next day Thorn practiced again, learning to summon out his copy easier and better.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Mali spent some time in her garden, tending to her blood devouring lichen and carefully watering and harvesting her lustberry bush. Even working delicately, she got some of the juice on her fingers, making them tingle. The magic soil here in the rest was now potent, rich, and enhanced for growing. Leaving her staff planted in the ground, Mali came back to find her staff had grown into a large cherry tree! She plucked a cherry off to hear a loud, "OW!" as two large eyes opened up on the trunk of the tree! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm so sorry! I had no idea!" -Mali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"It's okay." -Ruhm <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm Maliumpkin." -Mali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm Ruhm." -Ruhm <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm pleased to make your aquaintance, Ruhm!" -Mali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm pleased to meet you too. I've wanted to grow for a very long time." -Ruhm <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"You should have told me sooner! I would have planted you and left you to grow a long time ago," -Mali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I am now only able to grow because you have become much more attuned to nature," -Ruhm <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Like I'll know when it's going to rain?" -Mali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"When Esme gave me to you, you were a little sprout just like I was. Now we have both grown and you can call on me to help!" -Ruhm <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Oh! What sort of things do you do?" -Mali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm a tree," he branched his limbs out into giant arms, "I smash things!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Oh! That's great! W-watch it there!" Mali dodged the swinging limbs.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Ursus wandered into the garden to join her, "What are you doing? You smell really nice!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Ruhm, this is Ursus!" -Mali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Pleased to meet you man of the woods," -Ruhm <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I have something for you," -Ursus <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"For me?!" -Mali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Ursus nodded, handing her a wooden box. Inside was a gemstoned necklace braided together with manticore hair... with a sapphire -for water, a ruby -for fire, a diamond -for air, and an emerald -for earth... arranged around a pearl -for spirit. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"This is beautiful, Ursus! Will you put it on me?" -Mali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Of course," Ursus clasped it around her, "This is something I made. It is traditional of my clan to give something that represents all of the elements in our courtship." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"It's perfect, Ursus, thank you!" -Mali

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Over at the lodge, Erevin watched Shri practice her archery... teasing her about their last battle and her needing more practice. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Well... if I had a better magic bow... I know, I know... a true archer doesn't need a magic bow," -Shri <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"That's right," -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"And yet you had a magic bow made by the grand wizard himself! I'm feeling a little handicapped here," -Shri <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"You get an equal share of the treasure... spend your money," -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"But I don't have Attalicus's ear, do I?" - Shri <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Well..." -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Shri laughed, "I do remember a day when I was as good as you were. You have grown quite a bit, my simple woodsman!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Indeed," -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Become quite the hero now... and you've grown quite a bit too, haven't you?" -Shri turned to Mari who rolled onto her back for a big belly rub, the priestess obliging her happily. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"The only thing that's gotten bigger about that one, is her appetite!" -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"She's still a good doggy..." Shri stood back up, "While you've been out doing your heroic thing... I've been doing some exploring here and I want to show you some place." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Lead on! This place continues to grow and amaze me." -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Shri nodded. The two walked through the village, seeing the new building growing for the shadow warrior elves with elven grace and the new colder, featureless, made of black stone building for the parthians... with their training court and dojo set up inside.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The grounds had grown and the distance was significantly greater out to the waterfall fallin off a large glacier down the mountainside into the pool. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Erevin shivered, glancing up at the glacier, "I seem to recall this being smaller." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"It 'has' grown... and it's not as chilly as it looks, though it is brisk and offers it's own opportunities... or so I've heard." -Shri <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." - Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">She led him out along the edge of the mountain to a small path as the sun faded and the sky turned to stars. The path led up into a snow covered pine forest. A glade in the trees had a small frozen pond. Icicles hung from the trees. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"However did you find this place?" -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Prince Tyrian was looking for a place where he was more used to... I think this made itself for him... but I don't think it finished because he returned to his people. It is still here and I think because I visit it remains." - Shri <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The moon rose up over the trees casting down rays to reflect off of the pond to light the entire area. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I was up here praying to Eilistraee when 'this' happened. Isn't it beautiful?" -Shri stepped on the frozen pond, pirouetting around in the sparkling light. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I think this place is for 'you'!" -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I hope for you too," Shri nodded, inviting him out. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The two kissed in an embrace until Erevin's moonblade vibrated in it's sheath. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Wait a minute... my moonblade is vibrating," -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I hope so!" Shri cupped his buttcheek.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Erevin laughed, "No, really... something is going on." He stepped back and drew the moonblade from it's sheath. The ghostly forms of elven spirits floated out from the glowing blade. The snow on the pine trees rushed into the wind and was sucked into the sword. The blade transformed to look like it was made of solid ice. He bowed to the images, protected from the cold that the fog of his breath showed. They bowed back, one of them pointing to a large tree. Erevin swept his blade in front of the tree, projecting a large cone of frost outward from the moonblade! Impressed, Erevin nodded his approval.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Wren awoke in her bed with her head on a soft warm pillow. Hearing Kale's voice coming from the door, she looked down confused to see who she was laying on... Loch was sleeping like an angel beneath her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Wren sat up and stretched, "What did you say?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I said I made you breakfast," Kale <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Aww! You're the sweetest!" -Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Kale turned around to see the ghostly pale skin and white hair draped across their bed, "Who is that?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Oh, Loch must have crawled in with me last night... how long were you gone?" -Wren patted the bed, "Want to come in with us?" She winked. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"No... I'm a one woman kind of guy," -Kale set down the tray. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Oh... n-not even once in a while?" -Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Wren got up, tossing the blanket over Loch and walking over to see Kale had spent quite a bit of time making breakfast. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Loch threw off the blanket, cheering, "Oooo breakfast!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"That's for 'her'!" -Kale <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"We're sisters! We share 'everything'!" -Loch <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Wren nudged Loch quietly out the door with a soft lick across her neck before closing the door quickly to sit down with Kale. Eating at the table together, she noticed he had returned to his more normal self after a melancholy couple of days. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"How are you? ...and what is your sister up to? I haven't seen Crowe around for a few days." -Kale <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm very happy to see that you're feeling better... and Crowe? Mmm I haven't seen her in a while either. Who knows what she's up to... We should probably go find out." -Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"That might be a good idea... there is all those new elves and parthians in the area," -Kale <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Wren's shoulders sank, "It's true..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">They were interrupted by Cirdan pecking his beak on the window. Wren opened it, inviting him in... but he squawked at her and flew off. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Mmm... apparently Cirdan wants to play today." She snapped her fingers. "Inali? Let's go chase the bird." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Inali crawled out from under her bed, shaking her fox ears. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Wren encouraged her excitedly, "Lets go find the bird!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Inali - "Okay!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Are you coming?" Wren turned to Kale. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Certainly... but... maybe you should... put something on?" -Kale <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Oh..." Wren glanced down at her bare skin, "alright." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The three chased behind Cirdan, the raven leading them deeper into the forest. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm starting to think I should get my own room. Sleeping under your bed is nice... but I hear things." -Inali <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Wren licked Inali's cheek, "Alright. We'll get you your own room." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Inali cheered. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Cirdan led them off to a large old oak tree, perching on one of the top branches. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Have either of you seen this place yet?" -Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm pretty much glued to you full time because I can't leave you alone," -Kale <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I don't know what you're talking about..." - Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren levitated up near the tree, floating about 10 feet up before she seemed to be able to go up any higher. "What are you doing, sweetie?" -Kale <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I'm stuck..." -Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Do you need me to come up there?" -Kale started climbing up. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Mmm... maybe?" She stepped onto the branch and started climbing up... it was a slow climb as she was out of practice, but using the tree to climb, she was able to make it up to the top to Cirdan... as her hand grasped the top of the branch next to him to pull herself up, the black raven impaled her hand with his beak! Wren screamed out in pain before growling out, "What the hell is wrong with you?! You made me climb all the way up here just to bite me?!" Cirdan drank blood from her hand and transformed into a black bow with a streak of red running through it as it settled into her hand with a soft glow, fully bonded to the witch. As she pulled the string, an arrow of light formed.

Posy relaxed at the table in her home, playing with her tarot cards with Z'larra and Jerome. A heavy thump outside of the door drew her outside to find a gigantic boar slit open fully from stem to stern with a garland of flowers around its neck. The little gnome pulled out her axe to chop the boar in half to fit in the door. Uther knocked a few minutes later, peeking in, "I hope you liked my present." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Well yeah, we've got bacon for all year!" -Posy <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> She turned to see two bloody wounds where the boar had obviously gouged him with its tusks, "Oh!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Ahh, it's nothin'. Here, let me show you how our tribe skins these things." -Uther <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Posy nodded agreeably, moving over to make room. They spent some time skinning and dressing the boar until the scent of blood became invigorating. Posy closed the tarot deck to send Z'larra away and turned to Jerome, "You got to go." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I don't want to see any part of this... I'll go check out those new parthian women." -Jerome <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Posy dragged Uther into the other room, both intoxicated by the scent of blood, and proceeded to wreck the bedroom! So convenient that Destiny fixes everything!

The two laid together comfortably."I never got to properly thank you for what you did for me... well for my people... but for me... the spirit of Melar overcoming me. Your actions freed me from that curse. I still feel the rage now, but I am not becoming a beast... and I have 'you' to thank for that... I've wanted to court you for some time... but I didn't think I had a future. I didn't feel that I would become anything more than a ravening beast not fit for anything but killing... but you've given me hope." -Uther <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You don't have to thank me..." -Posy <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Well I'm thanking you anyway." -Uther <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> After sleeping for awhile... Posy woke to see moonlight coming in through the window. Sitting in the room at the foot of the bed were two giant bears! Posy tried to wake Uther, shaking him and kicking him in the shin... but the barbarian didn't stir. Seeing her move, the bears got up and passed through the wall with the little gnome climbing out of the window after them. She followed them outside of the village, seeing other bears appear... all varieties - polar, black, brown... like a spectral procession surrounding her. She walked with their spirits into a great cave in a hill side where there was a great throne of bear skulls and bones! The surrounded her in a circle and bowed before her. Hesitant and unsure, she looked around and finally sat down upon the throne. Her nose-ring grew almost painfully hot and the spirits of the bears rushed toward her, flowing into her and filling her with the strength of a hundred bears and making her physically grow larger! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> *(Player note - For Chas's new "Power of the Bear" cheat cards, Dave... +4 size bonus to str and con, +2 natural enhancement to her armor, DR 5 that is bypassed by evil, weapons will get 1 size category bigger - whatever that means, can only be used once per day and lasts 1 round per level)*

Everyone spent time recovering from the events in the other world... soothing the horror of the sights they had witnessed... the soul syphon, the faceless black veiled spirits marching toward soul damnation, the horror of kara'shei breaking apart and the screams of a thousand souls being suddenly snuffed out... images of bodies falling like tiny dots falling into a vast whirlpool and being devoured... a time of dark war... nightmares of memories flitting through their sleep.

After a few days, Destiny seemed to be returned to normal, wearing her mask of benevolence and indifference. Finally she announced our arrival, "We have arrived at your sphere. Prepare for sphere impact in 5...4...3...2...1..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Appearing into the world over a vast forest with nothing but trees for miles and miles around... not where we left. Down in the forest we heard sounds of battle accompanied by howls and screeches of animals! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Destiny, where are we?" -Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Hanging on the edge of the bow of the ship, Erevin called out, "What is this place? What goes on?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin looked around at the trees, judging that we were in the forest south of Rawlinswood and Myth Coramanth... near The Mucklestones in The Forest of Lethyr. ( @http://www.reocities.com/ghaunadaur99/pictures/mapUnEast.jpg and closer... @http://www.realmshelps.net/faerun/greatdale/pix/greatdale.jpg ) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Destiny appeared on the deck, "We are in your sphere... but the location, I do not know. All I know is that with the loss of our pilot, Captain Whitestrake... we are no longer able to pinpoint our arrival here... until we get a new captain, much like any other sphere, I can only appear at the sight of conflict." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Are we going down?" -Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin nodded, sending down the lightbridge. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Erevin, Posy, Thorn, Mali, Wren, Kale, and Yuki descended into the forest.

As we headed in deeper into the forest, Mali paled as she recognized the familiar patches of red fungus... she gasped, "Oh no! Don't touch it!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> A ring of trees grew around a ringed arrangement of large stones signifying a high place of worship for the druids. A group of druids were there fighting back infected woodland beasts, including their own companions who were covered in red tendrils and patches of fungus! Mali stood in horror looking at one of her worst nightmares...

A taller golden skinned man seemed to be leading the others in their defense. He seemed to have some sort of celestial heritage. He called down a bolt of lightning into a pack of infected wolves, blowing them apart. All of the druids in the circle looked wounded, worn, and exhausted though they still stood with their staffs out, trying to hold back the surrounding infected beasts. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> In a great commanding voice, the leader called out, "Show yourself, coward! I smell your decay!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Stepping out from the trees, a humanoid creature of rotting vegetation shambled forward with red wriggling tentacles and fungus woven into his putrid plant body. His great voice dripped with rot, "I have been reborn! I serve Ghanadaur and The Red Lord now! You will all become one with the Red Lord." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Unnoticed we moved forward, Erevin turned to the halfling druid, "Mali, what do we know of this? What works? Fire?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Fire works. Do not try to cure the infected animals... it makes the fungus grow and explode! And do 'not' touch it! It will grow on you." -Mali

Erevin nodded and sprinted forward in a blur of speed to stand beside the gold-skinned aasimar, "You do not stand alone!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Surprised, the leader blinked at Erevin, "Where did you come from? ...you look familiar." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I come from Myth Coramanth. I am Erevin Lionspaw. We're here to help. You do not stand alone." Erevin pulled his bow, aiming it at The Rotting Man and whispering the mark to his bow, "Back to where you came from!" His arrow sank into the rotting vegetation with a hiss. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The rotting man screamed, his teeth wriggling red vines! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I know your master. He holds no power 'here'!" -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I will build my kingdom on a mountain of Myth Coramanth's dead," -Rotting Man  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Over my dead body," -Erevin  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The Rotting Man and the infected animals rushed in, crashing into the line of druids!

Wren patted Thorn on the shoulder, imbuing him with heroic courage, "Go get them!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> She moved forward with Kale toward the circle and he turned to her sounding disappointed, "I thought 'I' was your hero..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "You 'are' my hero! You don't need the spell." -Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Oh! Alright." -Kale agreed, assured. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Thorn deftly threw Rose across the battlefield with an amazingly accurate strike into the rear flank of an infected lion! The hit seemed to go unnoticed by the lion who continued to maul its once master druid. Seizing the moment, Thorn ported into the circle with the link between his daggers. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Posy, already in full charge, bolted across the field into the lion that Thorn just barely arrived beside. Pulling her battle axe, she lopped the lion's head clean off!

Fearing the infection on her companion, Mali commanded Mell to stay behind as she formed into an air elemental and whirled into the circle. Erevin sent Mari back to protect Yuki who moved in behind Wren and Kale and shuddered as she looked around at all of the red tentacles among the fungus. Erevin sheathed his bow to pull his moonblade which formed into ice before he sent out a powerful cone of cold... freezing an incoming infected dire tiger in place, the tentacles no longer moving.

The Rotting Man moved closer and sent out red tentacle like vines around Erevin, grappling him! An infected ape dropped out of a tree to swing at one of the druids. One of the tree ents and a infected dire owl fought against another of the druids. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren climbed on top of one of the large stones, "Kale, stay away from the fungus, but help Erevin if you can!" The elven warrior vaulted in front of her to hold back an infected tree ent. Wren pointed her wand at The Rotting Man, "Release him!" A pale blue bolt of cold charged across the field from Cirdan to freeze and break off part of his vines only to have Wren's powerful bolt of lightning heal him fully as she watched in horror as the vines grew bigger around Erevin and arcs of electricity danced over them into Erevin! "I'm so sorry, Erevin! I had no idea!" -Wren "Mali, don't use lightning!"

Thorn slipped on his invisibility ring and easily avoided the ape, moving around him toward Erevin. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Posy cleaved her axe into the ape, damaging him severely, but it managed to avoid her next fatal strike. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Angry and whirling, Mali sent in a powerful flamestrike into The Rotting Man, burning him in divine fire and distracting him with pain enough to release Erevin who stepped back, freed! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Puncture wounds from the tips of the vines trying to burrow into his flesh, Erevin sent out another cone of cold from his sword into the infected bear in front of him and the Rotting Man. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Kale brought up his shield to fend off the infected tree ent as tentacles tried to crawl around to get to him. The gold-skinned high druid held an infected shambling mound in place, allowing one of his fellow druids to get free of it's grasp. T <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> he rotting man turned his attention to the high druid, sending out red tentacles around him, "I have you now, druid!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The ape struck Posy with his big fists as Erevin avoided the dire bear's lunging bite.

Wren pointed her empowering wand at The Rotting Man, sending in another bolt of cold. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Your magic will not save the high druid! He will become another minion of The Red Lord!" -Rotting Man <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Not on my watch!" -Wren <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Can I attack this thing?" -Kale <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "I don't have any spells to save him," -Wren  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Kale chipped away bark on the infected tree ent and cut through the vines like butter! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Yuki and Mari moved into the circle, the priestess whipped out her ribbon to flood Erevin with healing pink life. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Thorn leapt onto the ape's back with a flurry of strikes with his daggers, shredding it with powerful strike after strike to drop it lifeless and leap out of the way of the spray of fungus! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Posy powered her way past passing strikes of an infected tree ent, making her way toward The Rotting Man as Mali sent in another powerful flamestrike to catch the rotting vegetation on fire! A putrid smoke wafted off of him, but still he did not release the high druid!

Erevin rolled back, sheathing his moonblade and drawing his bow to put a barrage of bane arrows into the Rotting Man. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The Rotting Man pulled the high druid into him, wrapping him in more tendrils... but the aasimar's eyes glowed with bright light into the vile creature, blowing two holes through him! Still... The Rotting Man held him strong! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Wren hexed out good fortune over Erevin as Kale continued to hold his own with the giant infected tree ent. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Yuki sent out a prayer, inspiring her companions. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Thorn moved up behind The Rotting Man as Posy climbed up to chop the vines away from the high druid, freeing him! The Rotting Man roared angrily with the loss of his prize, tentacles of red fungus trying to grasp onto the gnome to pull her in, but she avoided them, leaping away. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Mali moved up beside The Rotting Man and transformed into a fire elemental.

The infected dire bear struck into Erevin with his sharp claws. Erevin stepped back, sending another barrage of arrows into The Rotting Man. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> He reeled back, "The Red Lord will take you all!" His body exploded, spraying out a red lichen dust everywhere! Everyone else dove out of the way as Yuki stepped in just in time to bring up her pink glowing ribbon shield to protect Wren and the druids of the circle! "Wrennn!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Thank you, Yuki!" Wren hugged onto the priestess. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> Mali casted remove disease from an infected bear and dire owl, saving them from their fated death.

Erevin tested cold and fire on the fungus, testing it to find that both were effective, but cold put it in a more dormant state. Mali went around, helping to heal the druids and stop the remaining companions... and as she went around in her halfling form, she noticed that while anyone else got near the fungus... the tendrils reached out toward them, but when she moved up to it... it seemed to draw back from her. Curious, she tested it further to find it was her hands specifically and realized it was the lustberry juice still on her fingers! She tested a formula of lustberry juice mixed with holy water to find that it was less effective than straight lustberry juice that killed and dissolved it fully! Wren nodded to Mali, informing her that before they had left Lyrabar she had hired Willow to try and grow more with the few berries she'd had.

The high druid nodded to Erevin and his companions, "Thank you! I didn't expect to see the son of Hirotsu here. You came at such an auspicious time! We were swarmed. We've been battling the creatures of the forest now for 3 or 4 days... all of the sudden this fungus appeared and started infecting the animals. We have much to do... it has spread through the forest. I did not even have time to send word for aid, though I did send an eagle to Myth Coramanth... though that is days away, even by flight." "It is by chance that we arrived," Erevin nodded. "There are others of the circle scattered in the Forest of Lethyr and we will need to regroup. We have suffered a grave blow today. Many of our druids have lost their companions. Though they can find new ones... for many it is a life long companion." -High Druid "I understand," -Erevin Mali nodded, eyes full of tears, remembering how Ursus felt when he lost Whitefang. "I have little I can offer you... I hope that the Rotting Man is truly gone now, but he is a creature of rot and decay and there is always rot and decay in the world," -High Druid "We have some time," Erevin nodded, "If you could tell us where these larger patches of this fungus are... and show our druid." "Alright, once we get the circle together... it may take some time." -High Druid "It is worth the time." -Erevin <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> We spent a couple of days purging the forest with the druids... and Mali was able to test the berries further and found that the juice was able to kill off the infection from a deer, leaving it free and fully capable of being healed. She had to use caution when working with the berries because as she got more juice on her... Ursus looked really good... and Erevin... and Wren... and Mali became more handsy and flirtatious. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "Did she just slap me on my ass?" Erevin blinked at Wren. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> "She's so short it's hard for me to tell..." Wren laughed and glanced at the little halfling walking by seemingly innocently brushing against her. Glancing around at the area, it occurred to everyone that it was now mid-summer... it was late spring when we left. Destiny explained that 2 months had passed since our departure. "I know there's not a lot of berries left... but if I can have Wren to work with, we might be able to make some potions, but it's going to take some work." -Dominic Wren nodded, "I'd be happy to help with that." "You're welcome to work with Wren," Erevin nodded, "I'll let Kale know." Wren laughed softly.

Everyone decided it would be best to stop in Myth Coramanth first on the way to let the queen and the others know that they were alright and had now returned to the world before we headed straight to Lyrabar to talk with the druids and Willow. In the meantime Dominic and Wren would spend days in the lab working on potions while they traveled.