View source for Ayrell/Logs/07272024/Magical Research A Play on Mana Streams

== Date ==

It has been 449 years, 352 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer. It is the 9th month of Dolefaren the Brigantine (ship) in the year of the Bronze Wyvern. It is currently winter

== Arrival ==

You run up.<br>
[Arhat's Tower, Workshop]<br>
Very little is recognizable from the workshop's original contents.  The walls are broken off at half their intended height and the area lies open to the elements.  The only obvious sign of the room's prior function, odd glowing stains marking the floor, are most likely the result of past experiments gone awry.  You also see a stone seat, a grey and cream muted tortoiseshell leopard that is sleeping, a russet lynx that is sitting and a stone seat.
Also here: Ryeka who is shrouded in ghostly flames, Danger Wizard Dasheek who has a stony visage, Strawberry Nurse Illiya, Philomath Miskton, Vaerek, Sir Madigan, Heart Tender Kethrai, Veteran Apprentice Anuril who has a fiery visage, Mountain Lord Ezerak, Mazrian who has a stony visage, Tempest Knight Saragos who has a fiery visage, Lady of Elamiri Ayrell, Knight of Meraud Tirost who has a stony visage, Sofina, Sellsword Kyriakes who is sitting, Roughneck Rileos, Lady of the Watch Dantia, Ruea, Mageling Aerilia who is surrounded by a shimmering shield, Lexxa, Firehawk Casari, Planesweaver Navesi, Niliaevat Raesh Isen Ezathiel, Belzor, Flamedancer Banndito who is sitting, Shh'oiyvh-ur Ograth Elizzibiana who is shadowed by the spectral image of a grey-eyed viper formed of fire and smoke, Storm Mage Quite who is sitting, Truthseeker Elurora whose figure is gracefully highlighted in a soft aurora of silvery-violet light, Rook Dytt and Ignyce.<br>
Obvious paths: down.

Ryeka grins, revealing her dimples.

Mazrian takes a sip of his coffee.

Casari waves to you.

You pant.

Hunter Hanryu just arrived.

Ezerak hugs you, and you wrap your arms around him with a warm smile.

You wave to Casari.

You hug Ezerak who wraps his arms around you with a warm smile.  A faint scent of lilac clings to his skin.

Vaerek asks, "Does a mammoth swim or walk across the ocean?"

You hug Ayrell who wraps her arms around you with a warm smile.  A faint scent of lilac clings to her skin.

Illiya hugs Ayrell, getting a smile in return.

White Gladiolus Allye just arrived.

You hug Ruea.  A faint scent of violets clings to her skin.

Tirost smiles at you.

Illiya grins at Vaerek, her dimples flashing into view.

Anuril gazes at Madigan.

Ayrell hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return.

Rileos quietly says to Kethrai, "You're smarter than I am."

Madigan beams at Ryeka!

Navesi says, "Once we begin, I have three experiments planned, to be led by myself, Ayrell, and Saragos. Though if someone has an idea midway through that would be quick, we could entertain that."

Ayrell hugs you, and you wrap your arms around her with a warm smile.

Belzor goes down.

Ryeka beams at Madigan!

You notice a russet lynx stand back up.

Allye grins at Navesi.

The russet lynx pads off.

Madigan bows to Ryeka.

Rileos nods to Navesi.

Elurora hugs Allye, getting a smile in return.

Illiya hugs Allye, getting a smile in return.

Elurora nods to Navesi.

Lexxa nods to Navesi.

Ayrell smiles at Ryeka.

Sofina gets a fluffy russet kitchen towel delicately embroidered with buttercup blossoms from inside her scavenger's pack.

Dantia smiles at Ryeka.

Sofina playfully snaps a kitchen towel at the air, causing a crisp *CRACK*ing sound.

Belzor just arrived.

Sofina puts her towel in her scavenger's pack.

Tirost says to you, "Been a while. Hope you've had good hunting."

Allye hugs Elurora, getting a smile in return.

Allye hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return.

Ryeka smiles at Dantia, revealing the dimples in her cheeks.

Allye beams!

Ayrell says to Ryeka, "I apologize for running off so quickly.  I was worried I might be late."

Ryeka chuckles.

You chuckle.

Hanryu studies the faces around him.

Ryeka says, "I almost was."

Ryeka winks at Ayrell.

Mazrian quietly says to Navesi, "I'm glad you're alright."

You say to Tirost, "As good as hunting can be."

Mazrian frowns at Navesi.

Mazrian wobbles, looking a bit faint.

Mazrian gestures, and a smooth eruption of rock rises from the ground with a low rumble, shifting and flowing fluidly before settling into a seat of stone.  He walks over to it and sits down.

Hanryu hails Navesi with a clenched fist over his heart and a respectful nod.

Tirost smiles at you.

Navesi glances at Mazrian.

Ryeka hugs Mazrian, getting a smile in return.

Anuril stands near Mazrian.

Navesi asks Mazrian, "You okay?"

You say, "I figure it's about time for me to start thinking about an Asketi vigil, though."

You gaze up at the sky.

Mazrian quietly says, "NO."

Navesi looks with concern at Mazrian.

Belzor takes a sip of his coffee.

Ezerak nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views.

Kethrai whispers something to Anuril.

Casari cracks her knuckles.

Saragos glances at Mazrian.

Dantia quietly says to Ayrell, "Good to see so many people tonight. It seems many of us are still hungry answers."

Anuril nods at Kethrai, obviously agreeing with his views.

Tirost says to Aerilia, "It is good to see you again as well, Aerilia."

Ezerak gazes at Mazrian.

Navesi looks over Mazrian very closely.

Vaerek scans the sky from horizon to horizon.

Ayrell nods at Dantia, obviously agreeing with her views.

Navesi asks, "Empath to Mazrian, please?"

Saragos asks Mazrian, "What's wrong?"

Aerilia smiles at Tirost.

Allye touches Mazrian with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Ayrell says to Dantia, "That is a good thing."

Dantia nods at Ayrell, obviously agreeing with her views.

Valynn just arrived.

Dantia touches Valynn with a confident grace.

Mazrian slowly empties his lungs.

Aerilia says to Tirost, "You too.  Been looking forward to this."

Dantia rubs Mazrian gently, massaging his muscles.

Madigan smiles at Valynn.

Rileos nods at Ayrell, obviously agreeing with her views.

Tirost nods to Aerilia.

Valynn grins at Dantia.

Kethrai waves to Valynn.

Elurora bows to Valynn.

Dantia joins Madigan's group.

Valynn grins at Kethrai.

Saragos gets a heavy crystal glass of Genial Gentleman bourbon from inside his black greatcoat.

Valynn waves to Kethrai.

Ezathiel smiles at Valynn.

Belzor takes a sip of his coffee.

Mazrian says to Saragos, "I... just exhausted, probably. Probably.  I haven't been sleeping much."

Dantia says to Mazrian, "If you need steadying, lean on Madigan."

Valynn hugs Ezathiel, getting a smile in return.

Ezerak waves to Belzor.

Dantia nods to Mazrian.

Ezathiel hugs Valynn, who wraps her arms around Ezathiel with a warm smile.

Mazrian says to himself, "Too much to do."

Navesi frowns.

Ezathiel grins at Valynn.

Mazrian says, "None of it makes sense."

Saragos nods to Mazrian.

Navesi pats Mazrian on the back.

Belzor waves to Ezerak.

Mazrian nods at Dantia, obviously agreeing with her views.

Navesi says, "Ah, my old friend. I know that feeling."

Mathematician Avrenka just arrived.

Ruea raises an eyebrow in Mazrian's direction.

Ruea hugs you, and you wrap your arms around her with a warm smile.

Navesi asks, "Perhaps a bit of a refreshing spell for Mazrian?"

Avrenka waves.

Mazrian dryly says to Dantia, "A Vigor wouldn't hurt."

Illiya grins at Navesi, her dimples flashing into view.

Ryeka joins Madigan's group.

Dantia nods.

Allye smiles.

Navesi smiles.

Dantia says to Mazrian, "Of course, friend."

Avrenka says, "Hope I haven't missed anything."

Kyriakes stands up.

Saragos takes a sip of his bourbon.

Belzor takes a sip of his coffee.

== Theory Discussion ==

Navesi says, "Anyway, let's quickly chat about theories."

Ryeka looks at Madigan and blushes.

Navesi says to Avrenka, "We are just getting started."

Elurora gazes at Navesi.

Intern Souhei just arrived.

Dantia gestures at Mazrian.

Mazrian closes his eyes and settles into a graceful stance.

Avrenka nods to Navesi.

Banndito stands up.

Souhei gives a measured bow.

Kethrai gestures at Mazrian.

Soft waves of a gentle, warm peach color flicker around Mazrian.

Madigan takes a sip of his coffee.

Lexxa smiles at Navesi.

Avrenka glances up at the sky.

Elurora bows to Avrenka.

Quite stands up.

Avrenka waves to Elurora.

Lexxa waves to Hanryu.

Ayrell says to Navesi, "I presented an unpopular one the other evening.  Or so it seemed."

Knight Penitent Briaen just arrived.

Lexxa bows to Hanryu.

Elurora cocks her head at Ayrell.

Casari exclaims to Ayrell, "Made sense to me!"

Tirost nods to Briaen.

Ayrell smiles at Casari.

Briaen gives a gracious nod.

Valynn grins at Avrenka.

Lore Keeper Lupdels just arrived.

Lupdels smiles.

Aculoc just arrived.

Elurora waves to Lupdels.

Quite joins Kyriakes's group.

Briaen bows to Allye.

Valynn smiles at Ayrell.

Illiya bobs a quick curtsy to Lupdels.

Avrenka nods to Valynn.

Dantia raises an eyebrow in Madigan's direction.

Lupdels smiles at Illiya.

Ayrell smiles at Valynn.

Lupdels smiles at Elurora.

Banndito joins Kyriakes's group.

Wild Card Elore just arrived.

Valynn hugs Elurora, getting a smile in return.

Avrenka waves to Elore.

Elurora hugs Valynn, getting a smile in return.

Navesi says, "To start with theories, I will say that what Commodore Khoheke said the other day has been sitting with me. The many cracks in a wall of glass. It feels like something to do with widespread sorcery use."

Allye reaches towards Briaen's right eye but he instinctively flinches back to avoid her.

Valynn lays her palms against Ayrell's in a quick, yet deliberate movement.

Elore waves to Avrenka.

Lupdels begins to listen to Illiya teach the Targeted Magic skill.

Sofina goes down.

Elore hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return.

Elore leans over to give Rileos a friendly smooch.

Rileos nods to Briaen.

Dantia gives a slight nod.

Anuril stares blankly into the distance.

Rileos glances at Elore.

Aerilia folds her arms across her chest.

Illiya hugs Valynn, who wraps her arms around Illiya with a warm smile.

Tirost raises an eyebrow in Navesi's direction.

Hanryu searches around for a moment.

Ayrell nods to Navesi.

Elore bats her eyelashes.

Mazrian frowns at Navesi.

Kethrai rubs Anuril gently, massaging his muscles.

Elore leans over and licks Rileos, getting an amiable jab in the ribs in return.

Miskton strokes his beard in thoughtful contemplation.

Rileos rolls his eyes.

Elurora chortles softly at some secret joke.

Elizzibiana joins Illiya's group.

Elore wraps her arms around Ezathiel, giving Ezathiel a great big bear hug!

Navesi says, "That together with the historical presence of the Heralds when magic is going awry, and the vision of the Heralds seen by Moon Mages a few years ago, points to the Heralds being involved somehow."

Elurora quietly says to Elore, "You don't know where he's been."

Elurora looks at Elore, obviously trying not to grin.

Ezathiel beams at Elore!

Dantia chuckles at Madigan.

Navesi asks Ayrell, "What was your theory?"

Elore laughs at Elurora.

Valynn leans on Hanryu.

Elore spits on the ground disgustedly.

Hanryu clasps Valynn's hand and rests his other hand upon Valynn's shoulder.

Ezathiel hugs Elore, who wraps her arms around Ezathiel with a warm smile.

Valynn grins at Hanryu.

Elore says to Elurora, "So sweaty."

Avrenka seems lost in thought for a few moments.

Valynn clasps Hanryu's hand and rests her other hand upon Hanryu's shoulder.

Valynn clasps Rileos's hand and rests her other hand upon Rileos's shoulder.

Mazrian breaks into a sweat.

Miskton says to Navesi, "It could also be due to pressure coming from the outside, though I can't rule out sorcery."

Mazrian takes a sip of his coffee.

Ayrell says to Navesi, "Well, I did not really delve into the why, which *could* have something to do with sorcery, but... I suggested a belief that this wild magic could have a direct link to the Heralds."

Tirost nods to Miskton.

Ryeka nods to Miskton.

Dantia nods to Ayrell.

Navesi nods to Miskton.

Lupdels tugs at the tip of his beard distractedly.

Sir Madigan goes down.

Mazrian gazes at Ayrell.

Navesi asks Ayrell, "Do you have different reasons to believe that?"

Elore grins at Ezathiel.

Ezathiel grins at Elore.

Ezathiel nods to Elore.

Ezathiel touches Elore and smiles wide, an odd but eager glint sparkling in his eyes.

An almost visible connection between Ezathiel and Elore seems to thrum through the air.

Elore shivers briefly as wounds and traces of battle abruptly vanish from her body.

Ezathiel exhales slowly as corresponding wounds bloom on his flesh.

Elore shrugs.

Saragos says, "There's still this Liraxes thing, too.  Probably not a coincidence."

Saragos takes a sip of his bourbon.

Anuril nods to Saragos.

Dasheek nods in agreement.

Navesi nods to Saragos.

Sir Madigan just arrived.

Tirost says to Navesi, "Respectfully, I agree strongly with Miskton. When asked what he thought might be the cause of wild magic, he said interplaner interference, and said he could say it was any use of sorcery such as mortals use."

Dantia joins Madigan's group.

Mazrian quietly says to Valynn, "Oh, I didn't see you there.  Hey, you."

Madigan moves into position to block attacks against Dantia!

Dantia touches Madigan with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Ezathiel grins at Elore.

Rileos gets a long forest-green cigarillo printed with small brown mountains from inside a velvet-lined gold cigarillo case.

Rileos offers Ruea a long forest-green cigarillo printed with small brown mountains.

Ezathiel gives Elore a gentle poke in the ribs.

Ayrell says to Navesi, "I was mostly focusing on the reasons why it fits.  A battle between them and... as it appeared to be with the Immortals... could very much have an overreaching effect, like those we have been sensing from our research."

Ruea accepts Rileos's forest-green cigarillo.

Navesi nods to Tirost.

Valynn grins at Mazrian.

Ruea gets a small silver dragon from inside her feyweave purse.

Dytt moves over to guard Navesi.

Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Ayrell.

Ruea points her silver dragon at a long forest-green cigarillo and a flame shoots from the creature's mouth, making the cigarillo quickly catch fire.

Dantia says, "Let's also recall that Khoheke was adament that he was taking guesses."

Kethrai says, "Open question whether Liraxes is the cause of the current problems with magic, or is just trying to take advantage of it, I think. But it's involved."

Saragos nods to Ayrell.

Dantia grins.

Ruea puts her dragon in her feyweave purse.

Navesi raises an eyebrow in Ayrell's direction.

Elore frowns.

Vaerek says, "Liraxes is a mystery.  I wonder if we say their name 3 times..."

Ruea takes a long drag off of a burning forest-green cigarillo.

Rileos gets a long platinum-hued cigarillo printed with multicolored jewels from inside a velvet-lined gold cigarillo case.

Tirost nods to Kethrai.

Casari says to Ayrell, "Just tell me what to burn first, Commander.  Asketi?  A herald?  I have fire for every occasion."

Valynn quietly says to Mazrian, "I must be blending in better."

Illiya flashes a quick grin at Vaerek.

Rileos flashes a quick grin at Vaerek.

Xibar slowly rises above the horizon.

Valynn winks at Mazrian.

Navesi says, "An actual divine war? I don't know if I would go that far."

Mazrian props his elbow on the arm of his stone seat and rests his chin in his hand.

Ryeka grins at Casari, her dimples flashing into view.

A pained expression crosses Briaen's face.

Elurora shifts her weight.

Elore pivots in Tirost's direction and salutes him with her cutlass, bringing the weapon downwards in a precise, fluid movement.

Navesi asks Saragos, "Do you have a theory to share?"

Elore nods in agreement.

Tirost gets a snifter of Rissan brandy from inside his watersilk bag.

Dantia ponders.

Ayrell says to Navesi, "A battle between the Heralds and the Immortals could very much affect the mana streams.  The Font of Creation.  The Bulwark.  Causing catastrophic damage like the shattering of Grazhir... and it would explain the prickling thoughts we feel reminding us of the Sraan Mehath."

Navesi knits her eyebrows together in a thoughtful frown.

Miskton strokes his beard in thoughtful contemplation.

Avrenka says, "Seems like every person we've went to is just guessing ... whether it's the Kather, or Uryutis, or Khoheke ...nobody knows for sure it seems."

Dantia says to Ayrell, "But why now? And over what? And to what end..."

Dantia nibbles her lip thoughtfully.

Elurora slowly says to Ayrell, "That is an unsettling thought."

Navesi nods to Avrenka.

A crash of shattering glass echoes through the area.  You are overcome by a sense of wrongness.

Tirost nods to Avrenka.

Dasheek exclaims, "Point!"

Belzor shakes his head.

Anuril nods to Avrenka.

You notice as a russet lynx pads into the area.

Ruea gives Rileos a wry grin.

Belzor rubs his head.

Saragos says, "I still lean towards this being caused by an external influence.  Sometimes natural phenomena, such as Sorcery degrading magic, have a tippin point and the major effects come on all at once...  but it seems unlikely.  Not when this Liraxes thing is assembling itself and there are all those visions."

Hanryu searches around for a moment.

Aculoc raises an eyebrow.

Navesi says to Avrenka, "Nobody can know for sure. That is why we are here: to experiment."

Dytt smokily says, "And all the theories have been tied to their magic's Confounds."

Dantia sighs.

The russet lynx sits down.

Ayrell asks Dantia, "It could have something to do with sorcery, considering the Heralds removed our magic in the past for what they viewed as abuse.  And... perhaps the Immortals decided to intervene this time?"

Tirost nods to Saragos.

Navesi nods to Saragos.

Illiya asks, "It kind of does and doesn't make sense that it's sorcery. Lots of people have been using sorcery for many years, so why now?"

Dantia says, "I still come back to the imbalance in the practices of magic, as discovered by the Paladins. I believe there is something in our practice of magic that is tipping some scale, but between what two sides I do not know."

Saragos says, "I think something is intentionally degrading the source of the Immortals' power, which is our plane.  Whether that something is the Heralds or Liraxes is a good question.  It's also quite possible that Liraxes is an opportunist, jumping on a moment of weakness."

Mazrian says to Dantia, "Because there's too little water in the tank!  It's all going wrong now.  It's like a syphon, isn't it.  The way the mana flows."

Casari gestures.

An instant rush of black and blue fire explodes into being, consuming Casari's right hand and turning it into ash!

Casari cackles!

Illiya lays her hand on Casari's arm.

Kethrai says, "But this problem also seems to have been building for many years."

Navesi says to Illiya, "Many years of abuse is bound to lead to problems eventually."

Ezerak shakes his head at Casari.

Casari looks healthier and Illiya appears to weaken.

Briaen nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Ezerak sighs.

Lupdels ponders.

Elurora softly asks Illiya, "Have you ever had a pair of pants and they get worn down over time, then one day there's just a big hole?"

Miskton says, "Whether sorcery or not, it's possible that it's been something building up over a very long time, until something finally snapped."

Rileos says to Saragos, "If that's the case it has the best timing in history."

Dantia asks Mazrian, "Too little water, or too much air in the container?"

Mazrian says, "And we cast and cast and there's a little less juice every time."

Anuril grins at Elurora.

Mazrian gazes at Dantia.

Aerilia ponders.

Belzor nods to Elurora.

Ryeka grins at Elurora, her dimples flashing into view.

Dantia nibbles her lip thoughtfully.

Ryeka nods to Elurora.

Lupdels says to Saragos, "Our plane is the source of the Immortals' power? Fascinating."

Mazrian asks, "It's an imprecise metaphor?"

Dantia grins at Mazrian.

Saragos asks Navesi, "We've got 5000 years of magic use, though, including Sorcery.  Blackfire is definitely that old.  So I still have to ask: why now?"

Mazrian says, "But there's not enough left to keep the effect going, and so it's all gone frothy."

Casari exclaims to Illiya, "Thanks!"

Illiya nods to Navesi.

Mazrian shivers.

Mazrian says, "Soon there won't be enough left for the fish."

Dytt ponders.

Mazrian quietly says, "That's us."

Anuril frowns.

Belzor taps something inside his steel scabbard.

Navesi says to Saragos, "Perhaps we've finally reached the tipping point. It doesn't have to be a grand reason."

Dantia says to Mazrian, "My point being, if we are drawing on the water, what's to say having less water is more detrimental than having less air, in the theoretical tank. We don't know which way the imbalance is going."

Lexxa nods at Mazrian, obviously agreeing with his views.

Saragos says, "I'd hazard a guess that when magic was more organized during Imperial days, there was much more crazy magic."

Navesi says, "In any case, now that we have our thinking caps good and on, let's do some experimenting with the mana streams. My hope is that we can talk further as we experiment, though we should also take some moments to truly focus."

Dantia gives a slight nod.

Saragos says to Navesi, "That's a possibility, but I'd think there'd be more sign if it was a natural tipping point."

Illiya smiles at Navesi, revealing the dimples in her cheeks.

Tirost asks, "Not only that, but it seems to me that the forms of sorcery most practiced are those that involve weaving unseen mana into spell patterns. This is dangerous for the caster, but to imperil the gods, so much so that they would not try to prevent it?"

Saragos takes a sip of his bourbon.

Elurora smiles at Belzor.

Ruea casually flicks some ashes off the end of her forest-green cigarillo.

Avrenka says, "The gods never cared about lay sorcery."

Avrenka says, "I don't think they care now."

Belzor nods to Elurora.

== Experiment One ==

Navesi says, "For the first experiment, I plan to lead us in an exercise in getting close to one another. Those of different attunements will try to wield streams close to one another. For the second, Ayrell will lead us in harnessing a great amount of power. And for the third, Saragos will lead us into researching together on wild magic."

Dytt smokily says, "I'm not sure, someone mentioned years ago a theory that the reason there's been fewer commoners who can sense mana is because the Guilded marry Guilded, like how a Noble will mainly look at other Nobles for mates."

Rileos casually flicks some ashes off the end of his platinum-hued cigarillo.

Navesi says, "So, first, try to buddy up with someone who has a different attunement than yourself. Stand next to each other."

Allye nods to Navesi.

Dantia observes Dytt with fascination.

Rileos raises his hand.

Navesi says, "Life with Holy, Lunar with Elemental, etc."

Lupdels frowns.

Dytt stands near Elurora.

Lupdels casually observes the area.

Rileos says to Navesi, "Question."

Elurora smiles at Dytt.

Navesi nods to Rileos.

Dantia glances at Madigan.

Dasheek stands near Illiya.

Elurora stands near Dytt.

Dantia stands near Madigan.

Dytt chuckles.

Rileos asks Navesi, "Wouldn't that just be sorcery?"

Madigan grins at Dantia.

Illiya nods to Dasheek.

Miskton casually observes the area.

Ryeka stands near Tirost.

Navesi frowns at Rileos.

Tirost smiles at Ryeka.

Dantia says to Mazrian, "Come stand with us."

Dantia grins at Mazrian.

Valynn ponders.

Rileos says to Navesi, "If we're smashin mana together I mean."

Mazrian stands up.

A stone seat collapses back into the ground.

Mazrian wobbles, looking a bit faint.

Mazrian leans on Dantia.

Navesi says, "It's not sorcery if we aren't actually wielding the other person's streams! We're just doing it close to each other."

Mazrian stands near Dantia.

Ryeka grins, revealing her dimples.

Miskton stands near Mazrian.

Casari casually observes the area.

Dantia praises Miskton.

Kethrai ponders.

Navesi frowns at Mazrian.

Valynn gazes at Briaen.

Dasheek leans on Illiya.

Avrenka stands near Anuril.

Anuril says to Rileos, "That's not what's being suggested."

Mazrian dryly says, "It's not sorcery if the streams dont' cross."

Valynn asks Briaen, "May I?"

Avrenka nods to Anuril.

Kethrai stands near Elurora.

Lupdels gets a scorched darkspine sign that reads "MAGICAL RESEARCH IN PROGRESS" from inside his hooded cloak.

Ryeka grins at Mazrian, her dimples flashing into view.

Anuril nods to Avrenka.

Lupdels taps a scorched darkspine sign that reads "MAGICAL RESEARCH IN PROGRESS" that he is holding.

Avrenka asks, "What happens if the streams cross?"

Briaen nods to Valynn.

Dantia gazes at Lupdels.

Rileos points at Mazrian.

Dytt grins at Lupdels.

(Mazrian wipes his mouth again.)

Lupdels nods to Dantia.

Rileos says, "Okay, that makes sense, on board."

Rileos nods.

Valynn stands near Briaen.

Rileos takes a long drag off of a burning platinum-hued cigarillo.

Navesi asks, "Anyone non-Elemental willing to stand with me?"

Illiya nods to Dasheek.

Rileos stands near Navesi.

Rileos looks at Navesi, obviously trying not to grin.

Navesi nods to Rileos.

Hanryu searches around for a moment.

Mazrian takes a sip of his coffee.

Dytt smokily says to Avrenka, "Out body parts will all go on seperate vacations."

Dantia inhales a great swallow of air.

Dantia slowly empties her lungs.

Ruea takes a long drag off of a burning forest-green cigarillo.

Avrenka says to Dytt, "Just another day for a moonmage then."

Madigan grins at Avrenka.

Lexxa begins chortling at Avrenka.

Dytt nods to Avrenka.

Avrenka flashes a quick grin.

Navesi says, "Now, pick a basic spell of your realm, and try to coordinate with your buddy. You will each draw from mana streams as close to each other as yo can. See if you notice anything while reaching for them or manipulating them."

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Mazrian inhales a great swallow of air.

Elurora furrows her brow.

Anuril observes Avrenka with fascination.

Casari says, "Oh, I need a partner."

Dytt ponders.

Ryeka bows her head and chants a prayer.

Wild Card Elore wanders down.

Tirost nods.

Casari studies the faces around her.

Allye grins at Casari.

Navesi nods to Casari.

Avrenka gestures.

Allye says to Casari, "I do too."

Kethrai angles his ears forward, gazing curiously at Elurora.

Casari stands near Allye.

Illiya nods to Dasheek.

Casari exclaims to Allye, "Okay, let's do it!"

Ayrell says, "As do I."

Ryeka lifts her staff above her head and closes her eyes.

Ayrell ponders.

Aculoc says, "As do i."

Dantia nods.

Elurora asks Kethrai, "Think courage would do?"

Navesi stands near Rileos.

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Tirost traces a geometric sigil in the air.

Allye beams at Casari!

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Kethrai nods.

Elurora nods to Kethrai.

Rileos nods.

Dasheek traces a careful sigil in the air.

Anuril gestures.<br>
Helixes and cross-patterns of brownish-white crystals grow rapidly across Anuril.

Allye stands near Casari.

Tirost nods to Ryeka.

Avrenka gestures.<br>
An oozing pool of darkness collects at your feet.

Rileos says to Navesi, "Ready when you are."

Kethrai assumes a rigid stance, concentrating on something.

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Illiya asks, "Cast it?"

You happen to sense a Katamba moonbeam moving away from the area.

You notice as a russet lynx looks around suspiciously.

Miskton gazes skyward and traces the planetary alignments in the air.

Ryeka joins Tirost's group.

Casari exclaims to Allye, "Ready?  And... prepare!"

Ryeka raises her palms and face to the heavens.

(Navesi holds her hand up while standing next to Rileos, glancing at him as she twists her fingers in front of her.)

Navesi nods to Rileos.

Dytt traces a careful sigil in the air.

Avrenka gestures.<br>
A swirling vortex of shadows draws itself from the ground and coalesces into a triangular black Moongate filled with a stormy darkness, which yawns open like a hungry maw.

Mathematician Avrenka went through a triangular black Moongate filled with a stormy darkness.

Allye nods to Casari.

Mazrian yells, "These are my streams, you hear me!"

Ryeka laughs!

Ezathiel softly asks Ayrell, "Do you have a partner?"

Navesi says to Rileos, "Watch me. I'm using the streams just there."

Illiya chuckles at Mazrian.

Tirost says to Ryeka, "Let me know when you're ready to cast."

Mazrian says to Dantia, "On your mark."

Allye moves into a position to dodge.

(Dantia turns to face Madigan, ready to prepare a spell in parallel.)

Elurora asks Kethrai, "Do we want to do the same amount of mana too?"

Miskton says, "Well, I already hit some wild magic letting me prepare my spell right away."

Dasheek gestures.<br>
Dasheek looks steadier.

Miskton grins.

Dantia asks Madigan, "Ready?"

Ayrell shakes her head at Ezathiel.

Kethrai nods to Elurora.

Madigan says, "I am dear."

Illiya scoffs at Dasheek.

Dytt smokily asks Elurora, "Ready?"

Ezathiel stands near Ayrell.

Madigan smiles at Dantia.

Dasheek coughs.

Navesi gestures.<br>
A myriad of disjointed sounds seem to linger aimlessly in the air for a few moments before blending inaudibly into the background noise.

Kethrai asks, "Full strength?"

Dantia nods.

Lupdels gazes off into the distance.

Dantia assumes a meditative stance, concentrating on something.

Ayrell asks Ezathiel, "I do not, but I think she said Elemental with Lunar?"

Casari exclaims to Allye, "Ready?  And... cast!"

Valynn assumes a tense stance, concentrating on something.

Dytt traces a careful sigil in the air.

Casari gestures.<br>
A myriad of disjointed sounds seem to linger aimlessly in the air for a few moments before blending inaudibly into the background noise.

Navesi says, "Full strength spells, yes."

(Rileos raises his hand alongside Navesi's, giving her a slight nod.)

Belzor draws forth a blackened steel scimitar with an embossed leather hilt.

Ezathiel pleasantly says to Ayrell, "Let me know when you are ready."

(Mazrian leans against Dantia, sloppily pulling a pattern together.)

Elurora nods to Kethrai.

Allye assumes a tense stance, concentrating on something.

Aculoc raises his voice in a sharp rhythm that seems to thrum through the air.

Dasheek exclaims to Illiya, "Let's try again!"

Ayrell nods to Ezathiel.

A triangular black Moongate filled with a stormy darkness collapses in on itself.

Elurora says to Kethrai, "Say when."

Navesi exclaims to Rileos, "Now, cast!"

Dasheek beams at Illiya!

Rileos closes his eyes, focusing on something.

Belzor moves into a position to parry.

Ayrell says to Ezathiel, "We will try."

Mazrian raises one hand in a commanding gesture, grinning smugly.

Allye gestures.<br>
Soft waves of a gentle, warm peach color flicker around Allye.

Ryeka says, "Okay- I think I'll try MPP. It's been a while since I've cast on a group."

Illiya pointedly ignores Dasheek.

Anuril ponders.

Hanryu traces a gossamer pattern in the air.

(Dantia does her best to leverage against Mazrian's weight, keeping him as steady as possible.)

You notice as a russet lynx looks around suspiciously.

Ayrell smiles at Ezathiel.

Kethrai says to Elurora, "Go ahead."

Miskton gazes skyward and traces the planetary alignments in the air.

A radiant glow wreathes Elurora's hands as she weaves lines of light in a complicated pattern.

Kethrai gestures at Elurora.<br>
Kethrai's cambrinth kitten emits a loud *snap*.

Elurora closes her eyes and settles into a graceful stance.

Ezathiel smiles at Ayrell.

Madigan gestures.

Druid Zyros just arrived.

A light haze of smoke wafts off Rileos's platinum-hued cigarillo.

Belzor pets his russet lynx.

Ryeka bows her head and chants a prayer.

Hanryu swears, "I shall protect the wilds."<br>
Hanryu's whitleather bag emits a loud *snap*.

Dantia gestures.<br>
A liquid, dusky light cascades down Dantia's body like thick honey before thinning out.

Allye asks Casari, "I might have been a little late there. Should we try again?"

Casari nods to Allye.

Allye grins sheepishly at Casari.

Tirost traces a geometric sigil in the air.

Ryeka gestures.<br>
Ryeka's cambrinth bracelet emits a loud *snap*.<br>
A soft crackle briefly comes from Ryeka's direction.

Elurora looks at Kethrai and blushes.

Tiny tendrils of lightning begin to jolt between Ayrell's hands as she utters a few magical words!

Rileos casually observes the area.

Dantia quietly asks Madigan, "Did you feel anything different?"

Kethrai laughs!

Aculoc briefly spreads his arms outward as his chanting intensifies.  The skipping, sparkling rhythm entices the air to shed moisture and to warm as if under a summer sun.

Casari says to Allye, "On your mark, this time."

Casari grins.

Dytt gestures.<br>
A myriad of disjointed sounds seem to linger aimlessly in the air for a few moments before blending inaudibly into the background noise.

Dantia raises an eyebrow in Madigan's direction.

Allye nods to Casari.

Mazrian gestures.<br>
A shimmering ethereal shield surrounds Mazrian.

Madigan shakes his head at Dantia.

Miskton gestures.

Elurora says to Kethrai, "I think I was too slow, I thought we were prepping."

Ryeka bows her head and chants a prayer.

Mazrian raises one hand in a commanding gesture, grinning smugly.

Dantia gives a slight nod.

Ayrell asks Ezathiel, "Ready?"

Valynn gestures.<br>
Valynn's leather belt emits a loud *snap*.

Rileos says to Navesi, "I felt some sparks, but that just might be cause we're so damn good lookin."

Allye exclaims to Casari, "And... prepare!"

Miskton gazes skyward and traces the planetary alignments in the air.

Mathematician Avrenka just arrived.

Ezathiel nods to Ayrell.

Ruea quietly asks Mazrian, "Would you like a chair, darling?"

Casari nods to Allye.

Allye assumes a tense stance, concentrating on something.

Rileos looks at Navesi, obviously trying not to grin.

Ayrell gestures.<br>
A shimmering ethereal shield surrounds Ayrell.

Tirost smiles ryeka Once more, as close to my cast as possible?

Navesi chuckles at Rileos.

Ruea takes a long drag off of a burning forest-green cigarillo.

Avrenka stands near Anuril.

Dantia chuckles at Ruea.

Ryeka nods to Tirost.

Mazrian quietly says to Ruea, "It wouldn't help."

Kethrai asks Elurora, "I'll hold off on your lead, then. Preparing first?"

Ezathiel assumes a meditative stance, concentrating on something.

Elurora nods to Kethrai.

Allye exclaims to Casari, "Now cast!"

Elurora says to Kethrai, "Prep now."

Tirost traces a geometric sigil in the air.

A radiant glow wreathes Elurora's hands as she weaves lines of light in a complicated pattern.

Hanryu traces a gossamer pattern in the air.

Allye gestures.<br>
Soft waves of a gentle, warm peach color flicker around Allye.

Casari gestures.<br>
A myriad of disjointed sounds seem to linger aimlessly in the air for a few moments before blending inaudibly into the background noise.

Ezathiel pleasantly says to Ayrell, "Casting."

Kethrai assumes a rigid stance, concentrating on something.

Ryeka gestures.<br>
Ryeka's cambrinth bracelet emits a loud *snap*.<br>
Ryeka is bathed in a soft silver glow for a moment.

Miskton gestures.

Illiya nods.

Allye flicks one ear back as though listening for something.

Tiny tendrils of lightning begin to jolt between Ayrell's hands as she utters a few magical words!

Ayrell nods to Ezathiel.

Ezerak casually observes the area.

Ezathiel gestures.<br>
Rutilant sparks of light encircle Ezathiel, seeping into his skin and bathing him in a warm glow.

Ayrell gestures.<br>
The ethereal shield surrounding Ayrell shimmers slightly.

Casari says, "Didn't feel a thing."

Hanryu gestures.<br>
Hanryu's whitleather bag emits a loud *snap*.<br>
Hanryu flexes his hands as his fingernails extend into razor-like claws.

Brilliant sparks of rutilant light dance around Ezathiel, bathing him in a warm glow.

Tirost gestures.<br>
Helixes and cross-patterns of brownish-white crystals grow rapidly across Tirost.

Avrenka glances up at the sky.<br>
After a few moments he lowers his gaze.

Miskton gazes skyward and traces the planetary alignments in the air.

Dasheek nods.

Valynn assumes a tense stance, concentrating on something.

Dytt ponders.

Mazrian gestures.<br>
The ethereal shield surrounding Mazrian shimmers slightly.

Allye says to Casari, "Hmm, didn't feel unusual to me, either."

Ezerak whispers something to Ayrell.

Miskton gestures.

Briaen ponders.

Casari nods at Allye, obviously agreeing with her views.

Ezerak looks with concern at Ayrell.

Dasheek traces a careful sigil in the air.

Elurora says to Kethrai, "And cast."

Kethrai gestures at Elurora.

Elurora closes her eyes and settles into a graceful stance.

Elurora gestures.

Ayrell smiles at Ezerak.

Navesi asks, "Anyone feel anything?"

Mazrian hesitantly says to Ruea, "Whoever has a thumb on the scale won't let it work."

Anuril says, "Not noticing anything unusual."

Valynn ponders.

Casari shakes her head at Navesi.

Rileos screws his eyes shut and winces.

Illiya gestures.<br>
Soft waves of a gentle, warm peach color flicker around Illiya.

Avrenka asks, "Does proximity ever do anything to mana streams?"

Dytt smokily asks, "Perhaps we need a more..."Feral" attempt?"

Elurora asks Kethrai, "Did you feel anything?"

Allye says, "Unfortunately not."

Illiya shakes her head at Navesi.

Ayrell shakes her head at Navesi.

Kethrai says, "Nothing abnormal."

Tirost says to Ryeka, "I have always admired holy magic. It's full of light."

Dasheek shakes his head.

Navesi gives a slight nod.

Dasheek says, "Nothing."

Madigan nods to Dantia.

Elurora says to Kethrai, "Me neither."

Ezathiel shakes his head at Ayrell.

Miskton says, "Nothing other than a minor surge of wild magic speeding my preparation."

Mazrian raises one hand in a commanding gesture, grinning smugly.

Ryeka looks at Tirost and blushes.

Kethrai says to Elurora, "I didn't feel anything from your spell."

Miskton gazes skyward and traces the planetary alignments in the air.

Briaen nods at Tirost, obviously agreeing with his views.

Illiya says to Navesi, "No.. but to be fair, casting in close proximity with one another is probably something that occurs often."

Tirost smiles at Ryeka.

Dantia asks Mazrian, "Feel anything unusual?"

Mazrian gestures.<br>
The ethereal shield surrounding Mazrian shimmers slightly.

Navesi says, "I'm not noticing anything. I thought perhaps we'd feel some sort of friction... but no."

The last of the stars above disappears behind a thick sheaf of clouds.

Dasheek nods in agreement.

Elurora gnaws on her lip.

Mazrian shakes his head at Dantia.

Avrenka says, "Maybe we need to get closer to our partners."

Avrenka winks.

Miskton gestures.

Anuril snorts, loudly.

Casari says, "Maybe if we all stand in a clump and try at the same time."

Navesi chuckles at Avrenka.

Casari grins at Navesi.

Ryeka asks, "Want to cast something with me harnessing?"

A russet lynx snarls at Aculoc.

Mazrian shivers.

Allye grins.

Ayrell says to Casari, "Patience, dear."

Tirost nods to Ryeka.

Ryeka peers quizzically at Tirost.

Ryeka nods.

Navesi asks, "Well, we're doing something similar to that next. Ayrell?"

Casari grins at Ayrell.

Mazrian says to Dantia, "They're too clever.  It's not obvious."

Dytt smokily asks, "Perhaps we need to actually share mana with our parrtner?"

Aculoc frowns at a russet lynx.

Ryeka says, "Okay."

Rileos casually flicks some ashes off the end of his platinum-hued cigarillo.

Illiya grins at Casari, her dimples flashing into view.

Dasheek asks, "Is there a way for empaths to share mana?"

Tirost traces a geometric sigil in the air.

Valynn grins at Briaen.

Dantia pats Mazrian on the back.

Ayrell nods to Navesi.

Ryeka says, "I have 15 mana."

Kethrai nods to Dasheek.

Dasheek asks, "Might an empath share mana with another while they cast an elemental spell, perhaps?"

Tirost says to Ryeka, "Casting now."

(Mazrian wipes his mouth.)

Tirost gestures.<br>
Helixes and cross-patterns of brownish-white crystals grow rapidly across Tirost.

Ryeka nods.

The granite-like sheen vanishes from Mazrian.

Anuril squints at Dasheek.

Belzor sheathes his blackened steel scimitar.

Ruea leans on Kethrai.

Kethrai says, "Ah, only between Empaths."

== Experiment Two ==

Ayrell asks Navesi, "Shall I proceed?"

Dytt smokily says to Dasheek, "Marness in a group while someone casts a spell as I recall."

Navesi nods to Dasheek.

Mazrian joins Madigan's group.

Ezathiel pleasantly asks Kethrai, "How do we share mana?"

Avrenka asks, "Who are we joining?"

Dantia says to Mazrian, "Whoever 'they' is, they don't seem to think we are a risk. We've felt 'their' eyes on us several times, but they've never intervened."

Navesi says, "I like the ideas flying. Let's go with the planned experiments first, then we can do some of the others."

Kethrai says to Ezathiel, "Circle of Sympathy, indirectly at least."

Tirost says to Ryeka, "Spellcasting feels normal, so far as I can tell."

Allye nods to Kethrai.

Ezathiel pleasantly says, "Ah."

Ezathiel nods to Kethrai.

Dasheek says, "Speaking of.."

Illiya says, "It does feel normal for now."

Dasheek asks, "Maybe amplifying the mana in the area would help?"

Ayrell asks, "If we are joining together... perhaps everyone can join me and hold hands as a group?"

Casari joins Ayrell's group.

Avrenka joins Ayrell's group.

Elurora joins Ayrell's group.

Navesi joins Ayrell's group.

Rileos joins Ayrell's group.

Kethrai joins Ayrell's group.

Miskton joins Ayrell's group.

Tirost joins Ayrell's group.

Allye joins Ayrell's group.

Illiya joins Ayrell's group.

Dasheek rolls his hands in an elliptical pattern in front of him.<br>
A spinning ball of vivid blue aether appears within the pattern his hands define.<br>
The spherical ellipse of vivid blue aether flattens and expands.  A fine mist covers the ellipse, which clears on a gust of wind leaving a fissure in its place.

Lexxa joins Ayrell's group.

Ruea joins Ayrell's group.

Dasheek joins Ayrell's group.

Ezathiel joins Ayrell's group.

Dantia nibbles her lip thoughtfully.

Dytt traces a careful sigil in the air.

Avrenka says, "Shall we sing a song too."

Elizzibiana joins Ayrell's group.

Aerilia joins Ayrell's group.

Saragos joins Ayrell's group.

Valynn joins Ayrell's group.

Hanryu joins Ayrell's group.

Mazrian hauntingly says to Dantia, "They care....or they wouldn't watch."

Vaerek gestures.

Briaen joins Ayrell's group.

Mazrian joins Ayrell's group.

Quite joins Ayrell's group.

Illiya grins at Avrenka, her dimples flashing into view.

Briaen nods to Valynn.

Anuril joins Ayrell's group.

Aculoc joins Ayrell's group.

Valynn grins at Briaen.

Ayrell says, "Our next experiment will be to see if we notice anything if we all work as a group to harness as many streams as we can."

Belzor joins Ayrell's group.

Banndito joins Ayrell's group.

Allye exclaims to Avrenka, "You first!"

Rileos says, "Just keep your hands to yourselves ya degenerates.  That's my job."

Rileos nods.

Illiya asks Avrenka, "Only if you lead?"

Kyriakes joins Ayrell's group.

Dantia says to Mazrian, "Perhaps your take is more accurate than mine."

Dantia nods to Mazrian.

Illiya nods at Allye, obviously agreeing with her views.

Allye giggles.

Dasheek asks, "Sing a song of better mana, maybe?"

Elurora just nudged Rileos.

Avrenka says, "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts ..."

Mazrian says to Dantia, "I spoke to my wife about it, just the other day."

Dantia raises an eyebrow in Mazrian's direction.

Mazrian asks, "What day is it?"

Dytt smokily says, "I watch the mouse running across the floor, doesn't mean he can hurt me."

Mazrian frowns.

Anuril frowns.

Madigan glances at Mazrian.

Dantia rubs Mazrian gently, massaging his muscles.

Madigan takes a sip of his coffee.

Allye closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.

Navesi looks with concern at Mazrian.

Saragos frowns.

Tirost glances at Madigan.

Dantia quietly says to Madigan, "Perhaps we should not have left him to his own devices for so long."

Ayrell says, "Now that we are all a bit closer... everyone, feel free to harness as much as you can."

Rileos casually flicks some ashes off the end of his platinum-hued cigarillo.

Dytt mutters to herself.

Rileos asks, "Right now?"

Allye nods to Ayrell.

Navesi whispers something to Saragos.

Ezathiel pleasantly says, "I have harnessed 100 mana streams."

Ayrell nods to Rileos.

Rileos nods.

Elurora says, "As I have."

Ayrell says, "Yes, let us all begin now."

Ayrell smiles.

Elurora nods to Ezathiel.

You join Ayrell's group.

Valynn nods to Briaen.

Lupdels nods to Ayrell.

Lexxa says, "Me too."

You tap into the mana from one hundred of the surrounding streams and attempt to keep it channeling in a stream around you.

Ryeka says, "60 here."

Dasheek grins.

Ruea puts her almanac in her feyweave purse.

Dytt smokily says, "80 for me."

Belzor says, "200."

Ezerak joins Ayrell's group.

Ezathiel closes his eyes for a moment and grows still.

Navesi says, "Harnessing."

Casari says, "I have eight hundred."

Rileos says, "Not to be outdone I grabbed two-hundred and ain't holdin it for terribly long."

Vaerek says, "600 here."

Kethrai says, "300.."

Hanryu searches around for a moment.

Allye says, "Goodness."

Dantia chuckles.

You tap into the mana from one hundred of the surrounding streams and add it to the tremendous amount already streaming around you.

Kethrai blinks.

Mazrian says, "Six hundred."

Lexxa says, "We might blow her up."

Kethrai says, "Wow, I lost it... all at once."

Lexxa appears to be trying hard not to grin.

Ryeka grins, revealing her dimples.

Avrenka exclaims, "More power!"

You tap into the mana from one hundred of the surrounding streams and add it to the unbelievable amount already streaming around you.

Casari says, "Yeah, losing this fast."

Ryeka chuckles.

A pained expression crosses Casari's face.

Illiya asks, "Anyone need healing?"

Allye quirks her ears outward for a moment, blinking in surprise at Kethrai.

Belzor says, "300."

Elurora says, "Yes."

Casari nods to Illiya.

Elurora nods to Illiya.

Dytt smokily says, "Same here."

Vaerek asks, "Should I join someone?"

Lexxa raises her hand.

Valynn babbles incoherently.

Kethrai touches Lexxa with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Dantia touches Valynn with a confident grace.

Belzor says, "400."

Ryeka joins Ayrell's group.

Dantia touches Mazrian with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Illiya lays her hand on Lexxa's arm.

Mazrian says, "Ayrell."

Ayrell smiles at Vaerek.

You sense a tiny amount of mana slip away from you.

Dantia touches Madigan with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Casari falls over.

Mazrian nods to Vaerek.

Dantia touches Ryeka with a confident grace.

Casari says, "Ouch."

Miskton says, "Having trouble hanging onto it all, but holding quite a bit."

Vaerek joins Ayrell's group.

Illiya lays her hand on Ayrell's arm.

Belzor says, "500."

Sir Madigan goes down, leading his group.

Kethrai touches Lexxa with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

You sense a tiny amount of mana slip away from you.

Lupdels joins Ayrell's group.

Sir Madigan just arrived, leading his group.

Dasheek chuckles.

Mazrian wobbles, looking a bit faint.

Dantia touches Tirost with a confident grace.

Sir Madigan goes down.

Dantia touches Rileos with a confident grace.

Allye touches Miskton with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Belzor says, "600."

Hanryu drinks a pot of lujeakave elixirs.

Ayrell asks, "Does anyone sense anything out of the ordinary?"

Dantia touches Valynn with a confident grace.

You sense a tiny amount of mana slip away from you.

Rileos says, "Bout as much as I can hold, and there it went."

Elurora shakes her head at Ayrell.

Casari says, "I sense that the floor is solid."

Dantia chuckles at Rileos.

Ryeka shakes her head.

Elurora says, "Other than twitching..."

Sir Madigan just arrived.

Ezathiel shakes his head.

Dasheek grins.

The howl of a passing breeze emanates from an enormous airy fissure.

Rileos shudders.

Dantia nods to Rileos.

Rileos takes a long drag off of a burning platinum-hued cigarillo.

Ayrell chuckles at Elurora.

Ryeka grins, revealing her dimples.

Dytt smokily says, "Same here."

Rileos looks at Dantia, obviously trying not to grin.

Belzor says, "Other than the godlike, no."

Kethrai touches Mazrian with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Vaerek chuckles at Mazrian.

Navesi winces.

Illiya lays her hand on Mazrian's arm.

Dytt slowly empties her lungs.

Dantia grins at Rileos.

Saragos asks, "Still holding my 500.  Release it?  Keep going?"

Dantia joins Madigan's group.

Dantia touches Madigan with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Ayrell nods.

Illiya lays her hand on Vaerek's arm.

Ezathiel gestures.

Belzor says, "700."

Rileos says to Saragos, "Show-off."

Rileos looks at Saragos, obviously trying not to grin.

Tirost grins.

Vaerek says, "I'm gonna need a stretcher."

Allye chortles softly at some secret joke.

Lexxa begins chortling at Rileos.

Saragos grins at Rileos.

Dantia touches Navesi with a confident grace.

Avrenka says, "Lost mine, can't feel my toes."

Allye touches Vaerek with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Saragos says, "Mana."

Belzor says, "800."

Casari says, "If uh... anyone gets a chance, could use a little healing."

Elurora looks at Illiya, obviously trying not to grin.

Dantia touches Avrenka with a confident grace.

Illiya lays her hand on Elurora's arm.

Valynn gazes at Briaen.

Hanryu eats a packet of cebi roots.

Miskton says, "Yes, this much mana is... taxing."

Hanryu eats a pot of hisan salve.

Ezathiel touches Casari and smiles, an odd but eager glint in his eyes.

Belzor asks, "Is there a point we are supposed to stop?"

Dantia touches Lupdels with a confident grace.

Casari leaps to her feet!

Avrenka says to Dantia, "Thank you."

Illiya smiles at Elurora, revealing the dimples in her cheeks.

Dantia touches Aculoc with a confident grace.

Casari says to Ezathiel, "You're the best."

Valynn looks with concern at Briaen.

Casari praises Ezathiel.

Rileos rubs his neck.

Elurora praises Illiya.

Dantia touches Belzor with a confident grace.

Ezathiel grins at Casari.

Briaen gazes at his torch.

Navesi asks, "Ayrell, time to stop would you say?"

Ezathiel touches Casari and smiles, an odd but eager glint in his eyes.

Aculoc nods.

Ayrell says, "I think, if we have not felt anything by now, it is safe to say we will not."

Lexxa nods at Navesi, obviously agreeing with her views.

Lupdels frowns.

Anuril nods to Ayrell.

Dantia touches Miskton with a confident grace.

Lupdels ponders.

Belzor quietly says to Dantia, "Thank you, milady."

Dantia smiles at Belzor.

Tirost grits his teeth.

Tirost says, "I can feel my nerves frying."

Ezathiel left the group.

Hanryu traces a gossamer pattern in the air.

Belzor smiles at Dantia.

Dantia touches Ezerak with a confident grace.

Ayrell says, "Everyone, please release what you are holding, for your own safety's sake."

Miskton slowly empties his lungs.

Kethrai touches Tirost with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Dantia touches Tirost with a confident grace.

Avrenka says, "I imagine ... it would probably take a LOT more mana than just us to do anything to the mana streams."

Allye nods to Ayrell.

Elurora left the group.

Lexxa left the group.

Dantia nods to Kethrai.

Allye left the group.

Belzor slowly empties his lungs.

Tirost says to Kethrai, "Thanks, Keth."

Rileos says to Ayrell, "It's fine, I can't taste anything anymore."

Illiya lays her hand on Saragos's arm.

Allye touches Briaen with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Navesi nods to Avrenka.

Tirost smiles at Dantia.

Belzor says, "Released."

Navesi says, "Perhaps."

Belzor nods.

Ayrell chuckles at Rileos.

Elurora rubs Belzor in a friendly manner.

Illiya lays her hand on Mazrian's arm.

Illiya nods to Elizzibiana.

Dytt smokily asks, "I smell....purple?"

Saragos says, "Ok, letting it go."

Lupdels ponders.

Hanryu drinks a pot of lujeakave elixirs.

Elurora giggles at Dytt.

Dytt chuckles.

Allye angles her ears forward, gazing curiously at Dytt.

Dantia touches Dytt with a confident grace.

Lupdels raises an eyebrow.

Kethrai touches Anuril with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

== Intermission Discussion ==
Navesi says, "All right, let's get healed up."

Dantia slowly empties her lungs.

Tirost glances at Hanryu.

Tirost asks Hanryu, "What'd you drink?"

Illiya lays her hand on Hanryu's arm.

Rileos runs his fingers through his hair.

Dantia says, "If the Empaths have missed anyone, please speak up."

Mazrian breaks into a sweat.

Hanryu pats Illiya on the shoulder appreciatively and offers her a tip.

Belzor pats himself down looking for something!

Illiya declines Hanryu's offer.

Illiya grins at Hanryu, her dimples flashing into view.

Saragos leans on Navesi.

Mazrian wobbles, looking a bit faint.

Mazrian rubs his hands together.

Dytt smiles at Dantia.

Belzor peers quizzically at Elurora.

Dantia smiles at Dytt.

Ezerak ponders.

Miskton says, "Bit of a headache there... thank you, Empaths."

Lexxa asks, "Is she ok?"

Brilliant sparks of rutilant light dance around Allye, bathing her in a warm glow.

Kethrai angles his ears forward, gazing curiously at Lexxa.

Lexxa points at Ayrell.

Avrenka asks, "Shall we ... do some group research?"

Ezathiel touches Ayrell and smiles, an odd but eager glint in his eyes.

Vaerek just blew Allye a kiss.

Vaerek blinks.

Ayrell smiles at Lexxa.

Lexxa smiles at Ayrell.

Allye grins at Vaerek.

Aculoc ponders.

Ezathiel touches Ayrell and smiles, an odd but eager glint in his eyes.

Ezerak whispers something to Ayrell.

Miskton gestures.

Lexxa pats Ayrell on the back.

Belzor asks Ayrell, "Are you well, milady?"

Belzor peers quizzically at Ayrell.

Ayrell smiles at Belzor.

Lexxa ponders.

Navesi says, "Next up, get your Gauge Flow going."

Mazrian exclaims, "We need to protect ourselves!"

Mazrian raises one hand in a commanding gesture, grinning smugly.

Mazrian gazes at Navesi.

Ayrell says to Belzor, "I am.  Just a bit disappointed.  I had hoped we might learn something from that effort."

Kethrai blinks at Mazrian.

Dytt smokily says, "I can't research wild magic with Flow right now."

Navesi raises an eyebrow in Mazrian's direction.

Elurora touches Ayrell with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Ezathiel sighs.

Dytt shrugs.

Ezerak nods at Ayrell, obviously agreeing with her views.

Lexxa nods at Ayrell, obviously agreeing with her views.

Miskton asks, "Gauge Flow was also struck by wild magic, speeding along the preparation. Good sign, or bad sign?"

Ayrell smiles at Ezerak.

Belzor says to Ayrell, "I learned something about myself, so hopefully that counts."

Madigan ponders.

Navesi quietly asks Mazrian, "What's going on, old friend?"

Saragos grins at Miskton.

Mazrian says, "They don't like some casting.   So many casts...they don't like it."

Mazrian gestures.

Mazrian settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

A painful ripping sensation erupts through your abdomen!  You seem unharmed, but something terribly... wrong just happened.

Ayrell smiles at Belzor.

Dantia nibbles her lip thoughtfully.

Belzor peers quizzically at Mazrian.

Lupdels frowns.

Allye blinks.

Dytt smokily says to Miskton, "Just like it seems apparently."

Miskton glances at Mazrian.

Valynn gazes at Mazrian.

Lexxa gazes at Mazrian.

Belzor asks Mazrian, "Who does not like it?"

Allye rubs her abdomen.

Mazrian says, "Yes, like this."

Elurora blinks at Mazrian.

Ezerak winces.

Allye asks, "What was that?"

Belzor asks Mazrian, "Are you a conduit for something?"

Saragos peers quizzically at Mazrian.

Allye twitches an ear nervously.

Casari rubs her abdomen.

Elurora says, "I did not like that."

Mazrian says, "This is better."

Belzor gazes at Mazrian.

Saragos asks Mazrian, "Are you alright, my friend?"

Lexxa asks, "Possessed?"

Rileos glances up at the sky.

Saragos says to Mazrian, "Maybe we should take a break."

Kethrai blinks at Mazrian.

Mazrian dryly says to Saragos, "Not by a long shot."

Belzor says to Saragos, "I believe he may be a conduit of some sort."

Mazrian gestures.

Mazrian is stunned!

Aculoc rubs his head.

Lexxa winces.

Kethrai touches Mazrian with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Aerilia frowns.

Madigan frowns maz

Ezerak points at Mazrian, ruining his hiding place.

Lexxa searches around for a moment.

Dasheek nods in agreement.

Navesi frowns.

Dantia pats Mazrian on the back.

Valynn gazes at Mazrian.

Madigan puts his coffee in his traveler's pack.

Tirost asks Mazrian, "Did you notice anything when you aligned to it?"

Lexxa gazes at Mazrian.

Allye gazes at Mazrian.

Navesi quietly asks Dantia, "Is he okay? What is going on?"

Saragos asks Belzor, "For what?"

Dantia frowns.

Rileos says to Belzor, "He's a conduit for liquor, I know this level of drunk."

Lexxa says, "He's not acting right."

Dantia says to Navesi, "He has been on his own for some time, doing what I'm not sure."

Aculoc laughs!

Ezerak gives Rileos a slight nod.

Briaen nods at Rileos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Navesi nods.

Rileos pats Mazrian on the back.

Illiya looks with concern at Mazrian.

Belzor says to Saragos, "That is exactly what I am trying to understand, milord. He is acting not of one in their right mind."

Navesi asks Mazrian, "Are you all right if we just finish up our research?"

Madigan asks Dantia, "Is he healthy? Give him a once over real quick?"

Ayrell says to Navesi, "We should be careful.  With so much research in one place, we may draw... attention."

Dantia gives a slight nod.

Dantia touches Mazrian with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Dantia says, "He's as healthy as a physical body can be."

Navesi raises an eyebrow in Ayrell's direction.

Madigan nods in agreement.

Lupdels frowns.

Lexxa ponders.

Mazrian stands up.

Ezerak ponders.

Rileos asks Ayrell, "That's the idea ain't it?"

Illiya asks Ayrell, "Attention is exactly what we want right now isn't it?"

Belzor says to Saragos, "His words are that of a third party speaking to him."

Casari says, "Well, good.  Let them attend."

Ruea smiles.

Ezerak says to Rileos, "I was about to ask the same."

Allye nibbles her lip thoughtfully.

Ezerak chuckles.

Lupdels says, "Something feels off."

Mazrian says to Navesi, "Yes...we should do that.  Before they notice."

Ayrell says, "It depends on the attention we obtain."

Mazrian gazes at Navesi.

Miskton says, "Well, if we get attention from someone who doesn't want us to find out what's going on, that might be a problem."

Navesi pats Mazrian on the back.

Hanryu searches around for a moment.

Valynn raises an eyebrow in Mazrian's direction.

Dantia sighs.

Illiya grins at Dasheek, her dimples flashing into view.

Navesi says, "Well. Saragos, let's do it, and then we can take a look at Mazrian."

Valynn glances at Dantia.

Navesi says, "We've already got everybody here."

Casari asks Miskton, "We have all the right people here to deal with them, don't we?"

Valynn furrows her brow.

Tirost puts his brandy in his watersilk bag.

Rileos grasps his chin roughly and jerks it to the side.  You hear a loud pop and see him visibly relax.

Avrenka asks Mazrian, "Who's "they"?"

Lexxa sighs.

Illiya grins at Elurora, her dimples flashing into view.

Belzor says, "I sense a trap to be sprung."

Lexxa says, "Yeah, who is "they."

Miskton says to Casari, "That depends. If it did turn out to be something like the Heralds, I'm not sure it would matter how many of us are here."

== Experiment Three ==
Saragos says, "Well, I guess then let's get to it.  The idea with the research is to actively work at bending the mana streams in a way that's hopefully a bit more safe than just casting Sorcerous patterns.  We're looking for signs of what might be going on with them."

Elurora glances at Belzor.

Aerilia folds her arms across her chest.

Ayrell nods at Miskton, obviously agreeing with his views.

Casari cracks her knuckles.

Saragos says, "I'm personally going to be looking to see for signs of the streams being swollen."

Mazrian quietly says to Avrenka, "Who else could it be?  It could only be the Heralds."

Navesi nods to Saragos.

Saragos says, "Or clogged."

Belzor nods.

Dantia glances at Mazrian.

Navesi says, "And we can speak to each other as we go, bounce ideas."

Ayrell says to Miskton, "That is my concern as well.  The Heralds... are not exactly known to be kind.  Not all of them, at least."

Saragos says, "So, everyone, research wild magic when you're ready."

Mazrian says, "No one else can interfere this way."

Mazrian slowly empties his lungs.

Navesi says, "Perhaps see evidence of the Heralds, or whatever else may be the cause of things."

Valynn looks with concern at Mazrian.

Saragos nods to Navesi.

Saragos says, "I'm researching."

Ezerak casually observes the area.

Dasheek says to Mazrian, "No one else *that we are aware of* can interfere this way."

Navesi says, "So everyone, begin your researching on wild magic."

Ezerak nibbles his lip thoughtfully.

Miskton says, "Or if it's something demonic, dealing with that has usually required specific preparation..."

Belzor glances at Elurora.

Allye nods to Navesi.

Lupdels gestures.

== Abduction ==

A swirling vortex of brilliant light spins across the area.<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Lexxa's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Madigan's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Dantia's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Avrenka's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Zyros's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Aculoc's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Lupdels's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Briaen's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Souhei's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Valynn's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Belzor's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Allye's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Hanryu's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, your body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames that sucks all of the energy of the heatwave into it!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Ryeka's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Dasheek's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Illiya's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Miskton's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Vaerek's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Kethrai's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Anuril's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Ezerak's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Mazrian's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Saragos's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Ayrell's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Tirost's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Kyriakes's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Rileos's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Ruea's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Aerilia's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Casari's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Navesi's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Ezathiel's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Banndito's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Elizzibiana's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Quite's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Elurora's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Dytt's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>
The air crackles around you as an intense flash of heat ripples through the area.  With no warning, Ignyce's body erupts into a pyre of roaring red and orange flames!<br>

Dytt smokily says, "I can't right now, so I'll just be here looking for something to wanna fight."

Tirost concentrates for several moments, a greedy expression on his face.<br>
A strong mana surge is abruptly erased from existence!

Avrenka asks, "Should we wait and try to coordinate our wild magic research finishing at the same time?"

Ezerak blinks.

Madigan quietly says, "Banner is down if we need to rally there. Since now I have the willies."

Navesi winces.

Elurora falls over.

Dantia quietly says, "The Heralds would make sense with all of the interferences."

Elurora rolls around on the ground.  Typical.

Aerilia blinks.

Lexxa says, "Oh crap."

Lupdels blinks.

Avrenka says, "Oh my gods."

Valynn blinks.

Elurora rolls around on the ground.  Typical.

Dantia blinks.

Elurora leaps to her feet!

Light snow begins to fall from the sky.

Illiya praises Tirost.

Dasheek laughs!

Ryeka asks, "Oops?"

Ruea frowns.

Ezerak asks Ayrell, "Are you alright?"

Allye touches Briaen with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Dantia touches Madigan with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Navesi says, "Ouch."

Dantia touches Mazrian with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Casari says, "Hey, that's new."

Dytt smokily says, "Well, that's new."

Tirost exclaims, "What was that?!"

Aerilia says, "My goodness."

Dantia asks, "What in the names was that?"

Briaen lies down.

Rileos dusts himself off.

Briaen rolls around on the ground.  Typical.

Briaen rolls around on the ground.  Typical.

Illiya says, "A mana surge."

Lexxa says, "Wow."

Briaen rolls around on the ground.  Typical.

Ezerak moves over to guard Ayrell.

Dasheek says, "It's a mana vortex."

Belzor exclaims, "I knew it!"

Saragos says, "Hmm."

Lupdels asks, "They get that big?"

Elizzibiana falls over.

Dantia touches Mazrian with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Briaen leaps to his feet!

Elizzibiana rolls around on the ground.  Typical.

Navesi says, "We've done something it seems."

Allye says, "That was huge."

Ezathiel pleasantly exclaims, "Wow!"

Dantia touches Valynn with a confident grace.


<span style="color:red">A pulse of energy sweeps across the area, pushing eddies of dust.  


Elizzibiana leaps to her feet!

Illiya blinks.

Dantia gazes off into the distance.

Elurora squints.

Valynn looks with concern at Briaen.

Anuril squints.

Rileos asks, "Well, that was a small taste of Madigan's daily...the hell?"

Dantia says, "I would buff if you aren't."

Lexxa says, "Oh boy."


<span style="color:red">A faint whine cycling upward, and everything feels momentarily lighter.  Thin hair-like strands rise from the ground, and you feel the distant gaze of something, or someone, burning into your mind.


Avrenka says, "Welp looks like we did it."

Miskton says, "Well, we kicked off something..."

Navesi says, "Keep researching."

Aculoc squints.

Casari says, "If you think a little fire is going to stop me...."

Valynn pats Briaen on the back.

Tirost joins Madigan's group.

Illiya asks, "Did anyone feel a pulse of energy?"

Lexxa winces.

Dantia touches Tirost with a confident grace.

Ezerak asks, "Someone harness it?"

Allye inhales a great swallow of air.

Rileos blinks.

Ezerak blinks.


<span style="color:red">Everything flickers.  Your vision warps, and your hand occupies several places simultaneously.  The odd hair-like strands continue rising upward.  


Lexxa exclaims, "Make it, STOP!"

Ezerak rubs his head.

Anuril says to Rileos, "Try yelling at it again."

Aerilia winces.

Mazrian harshly exclaims, "Come and get me!"


<span style="color:red">The whine cycles faster, and a wild pressure begins to build behind your eyes.  A quiet voice simply says, "Unacceptable", your mind recoils and shatters, and you fall to the ground!  The black threads suddenly freeze in place, hovering all around you.


Briaen slings a bifurcated greatsword of dawnfire steel inlaid with truegold off from over his shoulder.

Valynn says, "Ah."

Lexxa exclaims, "AHHHHHHH!"

<span style="color:red">Ayrell just disappeared.<br>
<span style="color:red">Dantia just disappeared.<br>
<span style="color:red">Navesi just disappeared.<br>
<span style="color:red">Mazrian just disappeared.<br>
<span style="color:red">Miskton just disappeared.

<span style="color:red">You hear a soft *snap*, and several people vanish without a trace -- empty space is all that remains of where Ayrell, Dantia, Navesi, Mazrian, and Miskton stood a moment ago.


Aculoc says, "AHH."

Casari stands up.

Ezerak stands up.

Valynn grabs her head and moans softly.

Madigan stands up.

Elurora stands up.

Dasheek stands up.

Ezerak blinks.


<span style="color:red">The black threads spiral together, coalescing into a growing sphere of abject blackness, which shudders back and forth.  


<span style="color:red">The sphere suddenly freezes, collapses into a single point, and explodes.  The no-color flash blinds you, and time seems to slow in the moments leading to the shockwave of an explosion reaching you.  You have no time to think, no time to blink, but you have an eternity to observe.


<span style="color:red">The pressure behind your eyes subsides, and your vision clears.  Time resumes as normal.  You find yourself...

[Unknown, Null Prison]<br>
This endless expanse of nothingness radiates with overpowering magical energy that suspends your body with no sense of purchase, with no sense of direction.  The air is still and silent.  There is no sense of the passage of time in this place, and without any perception of space, you have lost all bearing on the fundamental concepts of existence.  You also see a rapidly collapsing rift.<br>
Also here: Ignyce who is lying down, Rook Dytt who is lying down, Truthseeker Elurora whose figure is gracefully highlighted in a soft aurora of silvery-violet light, Storm Mage Quite who is lying down, Shh'oiyvh-ur Ograth Elizzibiana who is lying down, Flamedancer Banndito who is lying down, Niliaevat Raesh Isen Ezathiel who is lying down, Firehawk Casari, Mageling Aerilia who is lying down, Ruea who is lying down, Roughneck Rileos who is lying down, Sellsword Kyriakes who is lying down, Knight of Meraud Tirost who is lying down, Tempest Knight Saragos who is lying down, Mountain Lord Ezerak, Veteran Apprentice Anuril who is lying down, Heart Tender Kethrai who is lying down, Vaerek who is lying down, Strawberry Nurse Illiya who is lying down, Danger Wizard Dasheek who has a stony visage, Ryeka who is lying down, Hunter Hanryu who is lying down, White Gladiolus Allye who is lying down, Belzor who is lying down, Valynn who is lying down, Intern Souhei who is lying down, Knight Penitent Briaen who is lying down, Lore Keeper Lupdels who is lying down, Aculoc who is lying down, Druid Zyros who is lying down, Mathematician Avrenka who is lying down, Sir Madigan and Lexxa who is lying down.<br>
Obvious exits: obscured by a thick fog

Saragos blinks.

Lexxa blinks.

Rileos casually observes the area.

Dytt stops guarding.

Madigan draws forth a massive agonite-bladed zweihander balanced by a silver dragon-shaped hilt.

Kethrai blinks.

Ezerak blinks.

Valynn grabs her head and moans softly.

Anuril dusts himself off.

Ruea raises an eyebrow.

Lexxa dusts herself off.

A pained expression crosses Allye's face.

Anuril searches around for a moment.

Tirost rubs his head.

Lupdels coughs.

Allye rises to a kneeling position.

Ryeka dusts herself off.

Rileos gets a sleek diacan repeating arbalest with a wickedly curved lathe from inside an effervescent eddy of honey-hued light captured by a sungold frame.

Lexxa coughs.

Casari searches around for a moment.

Anuril searches around for a moment.

Illiya blinks.

Allye rubs her head.

You stand back up.

Briaen moves over to guard Allye.

[General] Your mind hears Madigan thinking, "Stand up folks."

Ezathiel searches around for a moment.

Ezerak searches around for a moment.

You frown quietly to yourself.

Rileos moves over to guard Ruea.

Vaerek dusts himself off.

Belzor draws forth a blackened steel scimitar with an embossed leather hilt.

Aerilia points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Allye blinks.

Souhei points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Dytt rubs her hands together.

Belzor searches around for a moment.

Zyros searches around for a moment.

Illiya stops teaching and looks around quietly.

Casari points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Lexxa searches around for a moment.

Casari points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Casari points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Kethrai points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Rileos nods.

Ezathiel puts his almanac in his rucksack.

[General] Your mind hears Saragos thinking, "I can see the ones who went missing, they're in a similar place to this.  Let's find them."

Saragos searches around for a moment.

Illiya gazes at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Illiya searches around for a moment.

Dasheek squints.

Valynn frets.


<span style="color:red">Everything shudders madly, a high pitch keening yowling from every direction!


A feline hiss emerges from the darkness.

[General] Your mind hears Madigan thinking, "Alright, some folks just were taken."

Valynn grabs her head and moans softly.

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "from where?"

>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but tendrils of fire and stone sprout from nowhere and bind you!<br>
The tendrils dissipate, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

Saragos gets an ilmenite-tipped icesteel wand bound by a fluid smokewood grip from inside his leather holster.

Valynn kneels down.

Lexxa winces.

Valynn grabs her head and moans softly.

Belzor points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Madigan points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Belzor nods.

Anuril points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Belzor points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Belzor points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Belzor points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Valynn just touched a rapidly collapsing rift.

Hanryu searches around for a moment.

Vaerek searches around for a moment.

Saragos snarls.

Lexxa just touched a rapidly collapsing rift.

>go rift<br>
You force yourself toward the rift, but cannot muster the willpower to move any part of your body.<br>
The rift continues closing with alarming speed, flashing a burst of yellow light, and for a moment you believe you can hear faint musical notes.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

[General] Your mind hears Kerennya thinking, "where would we meet up to help find them?"

Ryeka just touched a rapidly collapsing rift.

[General] Your mind hears Madigan thinking, "We are in a Null Prison."

Ezathiel just touched a rapidly collapsing rift.

Dytt just touched a rapidly collapsing rift.

Zyros just touched a rapidly collapsing rift.

Rileos puts his arbalest in an effervescent eddy of honey-hued light captured by a sungold frame.

[General] Your mind hears Illiya thinking, "Should we leave?"

Hanryu just tried to kick the rift!

Rileos mumbles something unprintable.

Elurora just touched a rapidly collapsing rift.

[General] Your mind hears Madigan thinking, "I am moving through the rift. Moving in 10."

Vaerek rubs his head.


<span style="color:red">The vortex swirls, slowly narrowing behind you.  Howling wind tears through the opening, but you feel no breeze.


>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but tendrils of fire and stone sprout from nowhere and bind you!<br>
The tendrils dissipate, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

Aerilia furrows her brow.

Anuril scowls.

[General] Your mind hears Dytt thinking, "keep trying to go"

Vaerek gets a massive icesteel-edged greatsword with an intricately engraved crossguard from inside his thigh bag.

Avrenka ponders.

A pained expression crosses Allye's face.

Ruea glances at Rileos.

Lexxa ponders.

Saragos snarls.

Rileos glances at Ruea.

Aculoc gasps in terrified panic, trembling and flailing his arms about!

Rileos points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Vaerek puts his greatsword in his thigh bag.

>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but tendrils of fire and stone sprout from nowhere and bind you!<br>
The tendrils dissipate, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

Saragos shakes his head at Rileos.

Rileos shrugs.

[General] Your mind hears Ghust thinking, "I think I missed something"

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "aye"

Dytt points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but a mass of red and purple vines sprout from nowhere and bind you!<br>
The vines rapidly disintegrate, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

Lexxa nods to Dytt.

Lexxa shrugs.

Anuril gets a mottled translocation orb from inside his leather haversack.

Anuril offers Kethrai a mottled translocation orb.

[General] Your mind hears Targoth thinking, "zombie was outside Crossing bank"

Vaerek points at a rapidly collapsing rift.

>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but tendrils of fire and stone sprout from nowhere and bind you!<br>
The tendrils dissipate, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

Kethrai casually observes the area.

Anuril nods to Kethrai.

[General] Your mind hears Saragos thinking, "Navesi, can you hear me?"

Belzor hums to himself.

Valynn rubs a rapidly collapsing rift.

Saragos gets a lynx talisman from inside his firesilk tote.

>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but a mass of red and purple vines sprout from nowhere and bind you!<br>
The vines rapidly disintegrate, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

Valynn prods a rapidly collapsing rift with the tip of her finger.

[General] Your mind hears Madigan thinking, "I keep bumping against it. Anyone have any success yet?"

Saragos puts his talisman in his firesilk tote.

Anuril raises an eyebrow in Avrenka's direction.

Vaerek just touched a rapidly collapsing rift.

Lexxa just tried to tug a rapidly collapsing rift.

[General] Your mind hears Rileos thinking, "Not yet, but I'm stubborn so still tryin"

[General] Your mind hears Sliyder thinking, "Where?"

Elurora grumbles.

[General] Your mind hears Dytt thinking, "I keep getting bound by crystals and vines"


<span style="color:red">The rift vibrates ominously, closing faster and faster!


Anuril nods to Avrenka.

Anuril nods.

>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but razor edged shadows bind you!<br>
The shadows evaporate, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

[General] Your mind hears Ghust thinking, "Wait where are you at??"

Anuril looks at Avrenka and shrugs.

Elurora hums to herself.

>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but conjured crystal lattice binds you!<br>
The crystal lattice dissolves and dissipates toward the rift, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

Ezathiel jumps back from a rapidly collapsing rift!

Allye frets.

[General] Your mind hears Vaerek thinking, "it's been a good run everyone."

Briaen just appeared.

A feline hiss emerges from the darkness.

Avrenka ponders.

[General] Your mind hears Vaerek thinking, "looks like this is it."

Valynn gazes at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Belzor sneers.

Dytt jumps back from a rapidly collapsing rift!

Allye squints at Briaen.

Dytt growls ferociously!

Lexxa searches around for a moment.

Ryeka jumps back from a rapidly collapsing rift!

Belzor searches around for a moment.

Avrenka points at himself.

Saragos snarls.

Madigan points a finger at a rapidly collapsing rift while staring sternly at it.

[General] Your mind hears Ezerak thinking, "Ayrell, can you hear me?"

A feline hiss emerges from the darkness.

Avrenka points at himself.

Lexxa whimpers softly.

Anuril gets a cat talisman from inside his silk backpack.

>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but razor edged shadows bind you!<br>
The shadows evaporate, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

[General] Your mind hears Targoth thinking, "we as a family always enjoy a good run. we back each other up. with heals and guarding and damage!"

[General] Your mind hears Rileos thinking, "If I end up trapped in planar insanity prison, send me a planar file or something"

[General] Your mind hears Illiya thinking, "Ayrell, Dantia, Navesi, Mazrian, and Miskton were taken somewhere"

Allye tries to climb onto a rapidly collapsing rift, but slips and falls -- how undignified!

Rileos squints at a rapidly collapsing rift.

Valynn rubs Allye in a friendly manner.

Rileos searches around for a moment.

Rileos just touched a rapidly collapsing rift.

Madigan ponders.

>go rift<br>
You will yourself toward the rift, but a mass of red and purple vines sprout from nowhere and bind you!<br>
The vines rapidly disintegrate, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed.  You estimate that you do not have long to escape before being trapped here for an eternity.

Anuril shows Saragos his cat talisman.

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "should we run around yelling?  See if they can hear us"

Ezathiel nods to Lexxa.

Allye nods emphatically at Valynn.

Dytt growls ferociously!

Briaen kneels down.

Aculoc whistles a nervous tune.

Anuril nods to Avrenka.

Vaerek gets a copper ring from inside a swirling eddy of incandescent light bound by a gold-striated coralite frame.

Vaerek chants as he raises his ring above his head.

>study rift<br>
The rift, and the prison surrounding you, radiate with phenomenal quantities of Life, Lunar, and Elemental mana as far as you can perceive.<br>
There appears to be no beginning to this place, and no end.  The influence of each stream of mana is distinct and unmixed, yet ever present in such a volume that you can barely discern independent types.<br>
The rift mirrors this energy, and appears to be a vortex of each stream of mana that composes this place.  You are reasonably certain you should GO RIFT to escape through the rift, with effort.

Lupdels nods to Illiya.

Rileos looks at Madigan and shrugs.

Avrenka appears to be listening intently for something.

Avrenka sniffs the air around him.

Ezathiel appears to be listening intently for something.


<span style="color:red">The rift is nearly shut!


[General] Your mind hears Jaerk thinking, "Marko!"

Valynn ponders.

[General] Your mind hears Madigan thinking, "I am still able to send thoughts to Dantia...I have not received a response yet."

Vaerek points at a copper ring he has.

Dasheek laughs at Illiya.

Anuril settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.<br>
A barely felt zap of static electricity accompanies Anuril's meditation.

== The Return of All But Five ==

[Arhat's Tower, Workshop]<br>
Very little is recognizable from the workshop's original contents.  The walls are broken off at half their intended height and the area lies open to the elements.  The only obvious sign of the room's prior function, odd glowing stains marking the floor, are most likely the result of past experiments gone awry.  You also see an airy fissure and a grey and cream muted tortoiseshell leopard that is sleeping.<br>
Also here: Lexxa who is lying down, Sir Madigan, Mathematician Avrenka, Druid Zyros, Aculoc, Lore Keeper Lupdels, Intern Souhei, Valynn, Belzor, White Gladiolus Allye who is haloed by ethereal lotus and gladiolus blooms dancing in a gentle breeze, Ryeka who is shrouded in ghostly flames, Danger Wizard Dasheek who has a stony visage, Strawberry Nurse Illiya, Vaerek, Heart Tender Kethrai, Veteran Apprentice Anuril who is sitting, Mountain Lord Ezerak, Tempest Knight Saragos who has a fiery visage, Knight of Meraud Tirost who has a stony visage, Sellsword Kyriakes, Roughneck Rileos, Ruea, Mageling Aerilia, Firehawk Casari, Niliaevat Raesh Isen Ezathiel, Flamedancer Banndito, Shh'oiyvh-ur Ograth Elizzibiana who is shadowed by the spectral image of a grey-eyed viper formed of fire and smoke, Storm Mage Quite, Truthseeker Elurora whose figure is gracefully highlighted in a soft aurora of silvery-violet light, Rook Dytt, Ignyce who is lying down, Knight Penitent Briaen who is kneeling, Pilgrim Nawain who is shrouded in ghostly flames and Hunter Hanryu.<br>
Obvious paths: down.

You notice as a russet lynx pads into the area.

Aerilia blinks.

Elizzibiana chuckles.

Elurora blinks.

Ezerak blinks.

Madigan says, "There we go."


<span style="color:red">The sphere suddenly freezes and then collapses into a single point!  A no-color flash blinds you as the sphere disintegrates into countless black threads that scatter across the area and the following explosion knocks you off your feet, tearing your flesh and breaking your bones.
Saragos snarls.


<span style="color:red">The pulse of energy sweeps back, and through the ringing in your ears, you hear screaming all around you. 


Avrenka blinks.

Valynn blinks.

[General] Your mind hears Targoth thinking, "we sill survive this, as we always do thanks to the resistance!"

Ezathiel pleasantly says, "Whew."

Nawain exclaims, "None of you were here!"

Avrenka asks, "What was that?"

Hanryu works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Anuril stands up.

Lexxa stands up.

Hanryu works carefully at tending his wounded right eye.

Hanryu works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

Zyros works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

Hanryu works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Illiya says, "Ugh."

Zyros works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Ryeka exclaims, "That was interesting!"

Zyros works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Dytt snarls.

Hanryu works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Valynn says, "What the.."

Zyros works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Hanryu works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Lexxa works carefully at tending her wounded chest.

Zyros works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Zyros works carefully at tending his wounded right eye.

Rileos works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

Rileos works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Ezerak takes a seat.

Casari works carefully at tending her wounded left arm.

Rileos works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Rileos works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Rileos works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Avrenka works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Madigan works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Rileos works carefully at tending his wounded right eye.

Elurora works carefully at tending her wounded head.

Briaen works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Casari works carefully at tending her wounded head.

Avrenka works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Vaerek exclaims, "Owe!"

A helix of blue and white light swirls around Ezerak!

Lupdels works carefully at tending his wounded head.


<span style="color:red">The pressure behind your eyes subsides, and your vision clears.  The strange, hair-like strands begin to descend, returning to the ground.  The cyclical whine slows and fades, and the sensation of weightlessness disappears.


Ryeka works carefully at tending her wounded head.

Avrenka works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Anuril works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

Anuril works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Lupdels works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Anuril works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Strawberry Nurse Illiya goes down.

Dytt pants.

Kyriakes just left.

Anuril works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Anuril works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Casari works carefully at tending her wounded chest.

Anuril works carefully at tending his wounded right eye.

Briaen works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

Elurora works carefully at tending her wounded left arm.

Aerilia says, "Ouch.."

Casari works carefully at tending her wounded abdomen.

Avrenka works carefully at tending his wounded right eye.

The blue and white helix continues to swirl around Ezerak.  Wounds and minute imperfections along his body begin to fade in a brilliant supernatural display!


<span style="color:red">The world stabilizes, and the distant gaze that burned into your mind retreats.  A pulse of energy ripples outward, and you find yourself returned...


Banndito just left.

Briaen works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Hanryu drinks some vials of eghmok potion.

Hanryu eats a packet of nemoih roots.

Avrenka works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Hanryu drinks some vials of ithor potion.

Hanryu eats a packet of plovik leaves.

Hanryu eats a pot of nilos salve.

Hanryu eats a pot of muljin sap.

Hanryu eats a packet of yelith roots.

Anuril moves a cat talisman to his left hand.

Hanryu eats a packet of jadice flowers.

Hanryu eats a pot of hisan salve.

Hanryu eats a packet of cebi roots.

Briaen works carefully at tending his wounded right eye.

Ruea puts her almanac in her feyweave purse.

>heal<br>
Your body feels at full strength.<br>
Your spirit feels full of life.<br>
You have some deep slashes and cuts about the head, deep slashes across the left arm, deep slashes across the chest area, deep slashes across the abdomen, a bruised, swollen and bleeding right eye, a bruised, swollen and bleeding left eye, a body rash.<br>

Bleeding<br>
            Area       Rate              <br>
-----------------------------------------<br>
            head       light<br>
        left arm       light<br>
           chest       moderate<br>
         abdomen       moderate<br>
       right eye       slight<br>
        left eye       slight<br>

Avrenka works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

Quite just left.

Hunter Hanryu pads down.

Aculoc says, "I'm... alive oh, good."

Lexxa works carefully at tending her wounded head.

You notice as a russet lynx looks upward negligently.

You work carefully at tending your wound.<br>
Doing your best, you are able to stop the bleeding.

Nawain pinches a portion of nemoih unguent from a neatly organized herbal case with healing herbs engraved in the wood.<br>
Nawain rubs some of her nemoih unguent on herself.<br>
Nawain pinches a portion of sufil unguent from a neatly organized herbal case with healing herbs engraved in the wood.<br>
Nawain rubs some of her sufil unguent on herself.

Lexxa works carefully at tending her wounded left arm.

Rileos groans.

Nawain pinches a portion of nilos unguent from a neatly organized herbal case with healing herbs engraved in the wood.

You work carefully at tending your wound.<br>
Doing your best, you are able to stop the bleeding.

Allye takes a seat.

Nawain rubs some of her nilos unguent on herself.<br>
Nawain pinches a portion of jadice unguent from a neatly organized herbal case with healing herbs engraved in the wood.

Kethrai touches Anuril with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Nawain rubs some of her jadice unguent on herself.<br>
Nawain pinches a portion of aloe unguent from a neatly organized herbal case with healing herbs engraved in the wood.

The blue and white light surrounding Ezerak fades, leaving him healthy and refreshed.

Ruea works carefully at tending her wounded chest.

Ezathiel pleasantly says, "Wow."

Briaen works carefully at tending Allye's wounded right eye.

Nawain rubs some of her aloe unguent on herself.

Casari works carefully at tending her wounded right eye.

Aerilia works carefully at tending her wounded left arm.

Allye assumes a tense stance, concentrating on something.

Casari works carefully at tending her wounded left eye.

Belzor says, "Well, that was... fun."

Dytt growls ferociously!

Ryeka works carefully at tending her wounded left arm.

Briaen works carefully at tending Allye's wounded left eye.

Ezerak stands up.

Souhei says, "Oof."

You work carefully at tending your wound.<br>
Doing your best, you are able to stop the bleeding.

Strawberry Nurse Illiya just arrived.

Briaen works carefully at tending Allye's wounded head.

Madigan works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Rileos says, "So...uhhh..."

Ryeka works carefully at tending her wounded chest.

Ruea asks, "Where is Ayrell?"

Lexxa works carefully at tending her wounded left eye.

Ezerak searches around for a moment.

Elurora works carefully at tending her wounded chest.

Belzor works carefully at tending his wounded head.

You work carefully at tending your wound.<br>
Doing your best, you are able to stop the bleeding.

Casari asks, "Where are Ayrell and the others?"
S
hh'oiyvh-ur Ograth Elizzibiana jogs down.

Briaen works carefully at tending Allye's wounded abdomen.

Rileos says, "I'd say the experiment worked."

Ezerak scans the area briefly.

Belzor works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Madigan works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Aculoc takes a seat.

Lexxa works carefully at tending her wounded right eye.

Ryeka works carefully at tending her wounded abdomen.

Rileos frowns.

Elurora works carefully at tending her wounded abdomen.

Lupdels works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Lexxa says, "A prison."

Aerilia works carefully at tending her wounded chest.

Souhei works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Belzor works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Madigan works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

Elurora works carefully at tending her wounded right eye.

The bandages binding Anuril's abdomen become useless and fall apart.

Ryeka works carefully at tending her wounded right eye.

Lupdels works carefully at tending his wounded right eye.

The bandages binding Anuril's left eye become useless and fall apart.

Allye exudes life and vitality, rutilant sparks dancing around her.

The bandages binding Anuril's left arm become useless and fall apart.

The bandages binding Anuril's right eye become useless and fall apart.

Aculoc sighs.

Elurora works carefully at tending her wounded left eye.

Aerilia says, "That was terrifying."

Tirost works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

Lupdels works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Tirost works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

The bandages binding Allye's abdomen become useless and fall apart.

Tirost works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Tirost works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Tirost works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Belzor works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

Tirost works carefully at tending his wounded right eye.

Rileos says, "They...weren't with us."

Ryeka works carefully at tending her wounded left eye.

Allye lies down.

Lupdels works carefully at tending his wounded abdomen.

The russet lynx sits down.

The bandages binding Illiya's right eye become useless and fall apart.

Saragos throws his head back and lets out a fierce roar of pride!

Hunter Hanryu just arrived.

Ezerak worriedly asks, "Where is Ayrell?"

Rileos says, "Uh-oh."

Lexxa says, "Yes."

Valynn works carefully at tending her wounded head.

Belzor works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Souhei works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

The bandages binding Allye's head become useless and fall apart.

Illiya rests her hand on Dasheek's arm with a soft smile.

Belzor works carefully at tending his wounded right eye.

Dytt smokily growls, "That's it I wanna tearrr whoeverrr's throarrr out with my own fangs!"

You work carefully at tending your wound.<br>
Doing your best, you are able to stop the bleeding.

Lupdels says, "What ..."

Ezathiel exudes life and vitality, rutilant sparks dancing around him.

The bandages binding Illiya's left arm become useless and fall apart.

You work carefully at tending your wound.<br>
Doing your best, you are able to stop the bleeding.

Briaen works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Lexxa says, "Might still be in there."

Valynn works carefully at tending her wounded left arm.

Souhei works carefully at tending his wounded left eye.

Aerilia works carefully at tending her wounded abdomen.

Brilliant sparks of rutilant light dance around Allye, bathing her in a warm glow.

Elurora casually observes the area.

Briaen works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Sir Madigan goes down, leading his group.

Valynn works carefully at tending her wounded chest.

Casari says, "I didn't see them."

Ezathiel closes his eyes for a moment and grows still.

Dasheek squints.

Allye stands up.

Lexxa dusts herself off.

Belzor says, "What a bloody mess."

Sir Madigan just arrived, leading his group.

Briaen gestures.

Valynn works carefully at tending her wounded abdomen.

Illiya lays her hand on Elurora's arm.

Anuril scans the area briefly.

Elurora says, "We're still missing folks."

Ezerak nods at Casari, obviously agreeing with her views.

Briaen stands up.

Vaerek puts his ring in a swirling eddy of incandescent light bound by a gold-striated coralite frame.

Valynn works carefully at tending her wounded right eye.

Aculoc works carefully at tending his wounded head.

Tirost says, "Something took us there..."

Elurora hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return.

Allye touches Vaerek with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Valynn works carefully at tending her wounded left eye.

Briaen eats a packet of nemoih roots.<br>
Briaen eats a packet of jadice flowers.

Aerilia works carefully at tending her wounded head.

Briaen eats a packet of yelith roots.<br>
Briaen eats a packet of plovik leaves.<br>
Briaen drinks some vials of ithor potion.<br>
Briaen gets some nilos salve from a dark green gardener's apron studded with bronze rivets.

Saragos yells, "SHOW YOURSELF!"

Briaen rubs some nilos salve on himself.<br>
Briaen puts his nilos salve in the gardener's apron.<br>
Briaen gets some muljin sap from a dark green gardener's apron studded with bronze rivets.<br>
Briaen rubs some muljin sap on himself.<br>
Briaen puts his muljin sap in the gardener's apron.<br>
Briaen gets some sufil sap from a dark green gardener's apron studded with bronze rivets.<br>
Briaen rubs some sufil sap on himself.

Ruea asks Madigan, "Have you found Dantia?"

Briaen puts his sufil sap in the gardener's apron.

The bandages binding Elurora's head become useless and fall apart.

Saragos raises his wand up, and an orange glow surrounds it.

Ezerak says, "They seemed to vanish before...whatever happened to the rest of us."

Madigan calmly says, "Alright, if you are an empath working move DOWN."

Lexxa works carefully at tending her wounded abdomen.

Madigan says, "I have a banner there."

Elurora nods to Ezerak.

Allye touches Dytt with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Aerilia says, "Effortlessly just.. locked us all in that place."

Ruea works carefully at tending her wounded abdomen.

Lexxa says, "I seen a feline."

The bandages binding Illiya's head become useless and fall apart.

Kethrai says, "Moving to triage."

Aerilia works carefully at tending her wounded right eye.

Heart Tender Kethrai glides down.

Rileos nods.

Niliaevat Raesh Isen Ezathiel strolls down.

Aculoc works carefully at tending his wounded left arm.

Ruea saunters down.

Madigan says, "If you need healing, move DOWN please. Let's get folks into a safe area to get everyone healed."

Veteran Apprentice Anuril goes down.

Saragos says, "I'm moving nowhere."

Ryeka says, "A voice said something about unacceptable."

Hanryu sighs.

Souhei gestures.

You notice as a russet lynx looks around suspiciously.

Belzor gets a lynx talisman from inside his talisman pouch.

Ezerak says to Aculoc, "Sit."

Rook Dytt goes down.

White Gladiolus Allye goes down.

Druid Zyros goes down.

Mageling Aerilia strolls down.

Strawberry Nurse Illiya goes down.

Casari exclaims, "I'll show them unacceptable!"

Sir Madigan goes down, leading his group.

Lupdels gazes about, drinking in his surroundings.

Danger Wizard Dasheek strolls down.

Rileos stops guarding.

Ryeka grins at Casari, her dimples flashing into view.

Valynn goes down.

Belzor says, "Oxsanna, find Lady Ayrell."

Aculoc says, "I may need a healer."

Ezerak works carefully at tending Aculoc's wounded abdomen.

Elurora nods to Belzor.

Roughneck Rileos moseys down.

Ignyce just left.

Belzor exclaims, "Go!"

Lupdels ponders.

Knight Penitent Briaen goes down.

Aculoc works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Lexxa says, "Me too please."

Hanryu searches around for a moment.

Lexxa raises her hand.

Belzor says, "Find her."

The russet lynx pads off.

Ezerak works carefully at tending Aculoc's wounded right eye.

Elurora says, "I think the Empaths moved down."

Vaerek searches around for a moment.

Saragos asks, "I can see them, they're still in the prison.  Are there any Moon Mages here?"

Ezerak works carefully at tending Aculoc's wounded left eye.

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Avrenka says, "I am one."

Avrenka says, "How can I help."

Sir Madigan just arrived.

Avrenka gestures.

Ryeka closes her leather pouch.

Knight of Meraud Tirost just arrived.

Saragos says to Avrenka, "Immediately, try to shift a beam to one.  There's an off chance it might work."

Mageling Aerilia just arrived.

Knight Penitent Briaen just arrived.

Avrenka says, "Can't shift a beam if I can't see them."

Belzor nods to Saragos.

Nawain frets.

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Casari asks, "Or a ritfal summons?"

Avrenka gestures.<br>
An oozing pool of darkness collects at your feet.

Madigan says, "Alright, triage is down if you need healing...also bannered."

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Shh'oiyvh-ur Ograth Elizzibiana just arrived.

[General] Your mind hears Ghust thinking, "Where did they disappear from?"

[General] Your mind hears Dartwin thinking, "They are taking away the smart ones to leave us fend for ourselves. It's kinda clever of them. Best wishes to the Heros. Hope you can find 'em and bring back safely."

Vaerek scans the sky from horizon to horizon.

You ask Ezerak, "Do you know where she is?"

Avrenka says, "I"ll try though."

Aerilia asks, "Who went missing?"

Hunter Hanryu pads down.

Tirost asks, "They've not reappeared?"

Avrenka gestures.

Pilgrim Nawain skips down.

Madigan asks, "Vaerek, you have a locate on our missing folks?"

Ryeka strides down.

Lore Keeper Lupdels saunters down.

Vaerek gestures.<br>
A beam of clear silvery-blue light descends from the heavens.

Saragos says, "Navesi, Dantia, Ayrell, Mazrian, Miskton."

Ezerak says to you, "Of course."

Roughneck Rileos just arrived.

Avrenka says, "Can't do it, can't locate or shift."

Aerilia frowns.

[General] Your mind hears Targoth thinking, "a town guard just ambled southwest, does that mean we are safe?"

Rileos grasps his chin roughly and jerks it to the side.  You hear a loud pop and see him visibly relax.

Saragos says to Madigan, "I sense them through my spousal bond."

Madigan nods to Avrenka.

Tirost gets a cat talisman from inside his storm grey pouch.

Vaerek gestures.

A storm-grey cat with gold-flecked crystal blue eyes wanders in, stopping to wash a paw before rubbing up against Tirost.

You notice as a storm-grey cat with gold-flecked crystal blue eyes begins purring.

[General] Your mind hears Dytt thinking, "yes, being locked in the void is such a vacation..."

Tirost puts his talisman in his storm grey pouch.

Madigan asks, "Can you find their location Avrenka?"

Saragos says to Madigan, "They're still where we just were."

White Gladiolus Allye just arrived.

Avrenka says, "Unable."

Veteran Apprentice Anuril just arrived.

Tirost gets a cat talisman from inside his storm grey pouch.

Belzor says, "Oxsanna has not located them as yet."

Rileos says, "Alright, stupid planar idiots think they can put us in time out..."

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Lexxa says, "A prison."

Madigan nods to Saragos.

(Saragos coughs up blood.)

Allye touches Saragos with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Rileos grasps his lower back and twists roughly from side to side.  You hear a loud pop and see him visibly relax.

The storm-grey cat prances off.

Casari asks, "They weren't there.  It must be somewhere similar.  Like another cell?"

Saragos looks healthier and Allye appears to weaken.

Saragos looks healthier and Allye appears to weaken.

Saragos looks healthier and Allye appears to weaken.

Avrenka gestures.

Rileos gets a sleek diacan repeating arbalest with a wickedly curved lathe from inside an effervescent eddy of honey-hued light captured by a sungold frame.

Aculoc works carefully at tending his wounded chest.

Casari says, "Okay, so all we have to do is rip that rift open again."

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Tirost says, "I've sent Pangovin to search for Ayrell."

Madigan says, "I was about to say, we were just...in a place like that."

Vaerek says, "Can't find Miskton."

With a wave of Allye's hand, she looks much better.

Lore Keeper Lupdels just arrived.

Lexxa says, "And I felt like I would be stuck there forever."

Sir Madigan goes down.

Ezerak asks Avrenka, "What about a scrying mirror, will that work there?"

Avrenka says, "I don't even know how we got out."

Ezerak says to Tirost, "Thank you."

Tirost nods to Ezerak.

Avrenka gestures.

Belzor asks, "Why not do the same thing that caused it?"

You pace back and forth.

Allye touches Aculoc with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Tirost puts his talisman in his storm grey pouch.

Belzor asks, "Or herald the heralds?"

Lexxa says, "Right."

Hunter Hanryu just arrived.

Aerilia says, "That place felt like it was made up of every type of mana except holy."

Lexxa says, "Smart."

Aerilia ponders.

Ryeka just arrived.

Rileos says to Belzor, "Cause we'll go back to planar jail, need a different swing."

Allye touches Briaen with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Lexxa says, "But can we heal up first."

Rileos nods at Aerilia, obviously agreeing with her views.

Avrenka says, "Don't have that spell learned."

Tirost gazes at Aerilia.

Strawberry Nurse Illiya just arrived, leading her group.

Casari says, "So a demon prison."

Dasheek asks, "They were taken to a separate cell?"

Tirost says to Aerilia, "That is a keen observation."

Ezerak frowns.

Ryeka nods to Casari.

[General] Your mind hears Ghust thinking, "Did they offer pre taking away drink?"

Ryeka says, "So it seems."

Avrenka says to Aerilia, "Very interesting observation."

Hanryu tried to highfive Illiya, but got left hanging!

Aerilia says to Tirost, "Surely it must mean something."

Vaerek says, "I've tried everything I know.  I'm open to options."

Aerilia nods.

Tirost nods in agreement.

Ryeka says, "I tried getting through that rift- no such luck."

Sir Madigan just arrived.

[General] Your mind hears Saragos thinking, "Whoever took them, I hope you can hear this.  You want to see unacceptable.  I'll show you unacceptable.  If they are not returned, I will find everything there is to know about you, everything you love, and I will see it turned to ashes.  When this is over, you will weep bitter tears."

== Rescue Efforts ==

Lexxa asks, "How do we get our people back?"

Madigan moves a black gem pouch to his left hand.

Madigan moves a massive agonite-bladed zweihander balanced by a silver dragon-shaped hilt to his right hand.

Ryeka shakes her head.

[General] Your mind hears Targoth thinking, "don't take away drinks! grrr"

Madigan puts his pouch in his twilight-blue haversack.

Tirost says, "It felt like something put us there. I heard a voice."

Valynn just arrived.

Ryeka nods to Tirost.

Aerilia nods to Tirost.

Valynn searches around for a moment.

Ezerak asks, "What about another mass research project?  Perhaps we could open the rift again, to wherever they are?"

Sir Madigan goes down.

Ryeka says, "As did I."

Aerilia says, "Unacceptable, it said."

Casari nods at Ezerak, obviously agreeing with his views.

You nod to Ezerak.

Saragos snarls.

Aculoc says, "Thank you again."

Aerilia asks, "As if in regards to our meddling?"

Tirost nods to Aerilia.

Casari says, "Let's do it."

Dasheek says, "Everyone that just researched cannot for a while."

Saragos gets a lynx talisman from inside his firesilk tote.

Casari exclaims, "Research!"

Anuril nods to Aerilia.

Druid Zyros just arrived.

Rileos says to Ezerak, "Feel like that might just land us back in planar jail, which -is- a step closer I suppose."

Valynn searches around for a moment.

You ask Ezerak, "It worked once... it might work again?"

Avrenka asks, "Wait, before we try to get back to that prison, how did we even get out? Does anyone know how?"

Ezerak nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views.

Saragos says to Avrenka, "Any luck shifting a beam?>."

Dasheek says, "What got us OUT of planar jail..."

Elurora shakes her head at Avrenka.

Allye touches Avrenka with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Casari says, "We'll figure it out."

Ezerak says to Rileos, "I'm willing to take that risk."

Rileos looks at Dasheek and shrugs.

Tirost says, "Hopefully, the others will learn more, though it's troubling they are not yet returned."

Belzor says to Rileos, "I will refrain from offering suggestions going forward."

Rileos says to Ezerak, "So am I."

Belzor smiles at Rileos.

Bloodthirsty Bertole just arrived.

The storm-grey lynx pads off.

Rook Dytt just arrived.

Heart Tender Kethrai just arrived.

Lexxa says, "I tried to go and crawl through it didn't work."

Valynn goes down.

Casari says, "I'm already researching.  If you're not, then catch up."

Allye whispers, "Would you like healing?"

Niliaevat Raesh Isen Ezathiel just arrived.

[General] Your mind hears Targoth thinking, "Souv will bear his or her complete wrath upon thy face for taking drinks away. so don't do it."

Avrenka says, "No luck, couldn't Locate even with max 100 mana."

Rileos says to Belzor, "I don't know, I'm at a loss here, I don't know how to crack planes."

You whisper to Allye, "Yes, please, if you don't mind."

Ezathiel wipes his forehead.

Allye touches you with a confident grace and familiar smile.

You feel a warmth radiate from Allye's touch.<br>
You have a brief sensation that leaves your wounds tingling.

[General] Your mind hears Ghust thinking, "Wait you said you would find them. Does that mean that you have a paticular set of skills?"

Saragos says to Rileos, "Oh...  I do."

Elurora searches around for a moment.

Your external head, left arm, chest, abdomen, right eye, left eye and skin wounds feel fully healed.<br>
Your internal skin wounds feel fully healed.<br>
Your external head, left arm, chest, abdomen, right eye, left eye and skin scars feel fully healed.<br>
Your internal skin scars feel fully healed.

The bandages binding your right eye become useless and fall apart.<br>
The bandages binding your left arm become useless and fall apart.<br>
The bandages binding your chest become useless and fall apart.

Kethrai asks, "Familiars can, maybe that would work?"
R
yeka joins Hanryu's group.

Rileos says to Saragos, "I know and I dislike it."

Ezerak desperately says to Belzor, "I am willing to entertain any and all ideas right now."

The bandages binding your head become useless and fall apart.<br>
The bandages binding your abdomen become useless and fall apart.<br>
The bandages binding your left eye become useless and fall apart.

Dasheek ponders.

Ezathiel pleasantly says, "Well. We asked for attention."

Sir Madigan just arrived.

Casari nods to Allye.

You say to Allye, "Thank you."

Valynn just arrived.

The black dog pads off.

Valynn asks, "And Mazrian?"

Ezerak says to Kethrai, "Tirost's is looking for Ayrell."

Allye nods to you.

Lexxa nods to Ezathiel.

Lexxa frowns.

Ezerak asks Tirost, "Any luck?"

Tirost says, "My familiar is seeking Ayrell, but he's not found her yet."

Quite just arrived.

Ignyce just arrived.

Madigan says to Valynn, "They are all in a null cell."

Bertole touches Ignyce on the wrist with two fingers.

Storm Mage Quite goes down.

Ezathiel furrows his brow.

Ezerak frowns.

Vaerek says, "The ring is supposed to take me there."

Ignyce sits up.

Ignyce stands up.

Belzor says to Tirost, "Nor has Oxsanna."

Vaerek shrugs.

Avrenka asks, "Is it the same cel as the one we were in?"

Rileos asks Madigan, "We know that for certain?  Like ours was?"

Dytt paces back and forth.

Ruea just arrived.

Tirost nods to Belzor.

Ruea frowns.

Tirost frowns.

Saragos says, "Ok, we need ideas.  Anyone who was there.  Thoughts on where we were.  Go, let's hear ideas, even if they sound dumb."

Dasheek says, "They were not in the cell with us."

Madigan says to Rileos, "That is what the moonmages see...not for certain. Looks the same though."

[General] Your mind hears Saragos thinking, "I might, Ghust, I might."

Belzor nods to Allye.

Allye touches Belzor with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Ezerak blinks.

Lupdels asks, "Something was triaging us?"

Aerilia ponders.

Storm Mage Quite just arrived.

Dasheek says, "We were trapped in a "cell" between planes. A bubble, if you will."

Valynn asks Madigan, "This frustrates me so much. How can I help if I cannot get there?"

Ezerak says, "I can sense her through my bond..."

Casari says, "Some kind of Void place.  Something demonic, probably."

Rileos nods to Madigan.

Dytt smokily says, "Possible, odd that the bids kept changing."

Madigan asks, "Might drop a mirror on them?"

Dasheek says, "Maybe even a bubble of another plane that's pushed into our plane."

Aculoc asks, "Another plane perhaps?"

Valynn looks with concern at Ezerak.

Lupdels asks, "Or what if ... we were like bycatch?"

Belzor pats Allye on the shoulder appreciatively and offers her a tip.

Ezerak says, "It looks...very much like the place we were all in."

Dytt smokily says, "Crystals, vines, like symbolizing different manas."

Allye declines Belzor's offer.

Elurora slowly says, "There is a spot where we can cross planes but I don't know if that would help."

Ryeka says, "It's almost like a Herald was involved- or some other Immortal being. Someone who doesn't like what we were trying."

Vaerek gestures.<br>
A brief wave of disorientation washes outward as reality itself tears wide open, forming an unstable Moongate around Vaerek!

Vaerek is drawn through the unstable Moongate just before it collapses.

Ignyce goes down.

Kethrai gives Lupdels a slight nod.

Kethrai says to Lupdels, "That would make sense."

Lexxa strides down.

Bloodthirsty Bertole strolls down.

Belzor smiles at Allye.

Valynn growls low in the back of her throat.

Saragos nods to Ryeka.

Illiya says, "It seemed as if we would be trapped there forever if we didn't escape, and I'm not even sure how we got out."

Rileos says to Elurora, "There are a couple, yeah, but I don't know where that was."

Avrenka says, "Not just manas, but specific to each guild."

Elurora nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views.

Lupdels nods to Illiya.

Valynn nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views.

Casari says, "Why aren't you all researching?  We need to rip that rift open again."

Ryeka exclaims, "Nor am I!"

Ezathiel pleasantly says, "I was stuck in a crystal lattice each time I tried to go into the rift."

Dasheek says, "We have to have been let out."

Elizzibiana says, "We didmt.it tossed us out."

Avrenka says, "Music, elemental fire."

Lupdels says, "Perhaps what ever was holding us there decided we weren't the fish they were looking for."

Belzor shakes his head.

Saragos says, "Sounds like our next step is to break something big, rather than this gentle messing around.  Force them to show their hand."

Ezerak nods at Casari, obviously agreeing with her views.

Dasheek asks, "And maybe the "leaders" are being held?"

Elizzibiana says, "We didnt, it tossed us out."

Saragos says, "And we need to do it quickly."

Allye frowns.

Valynn paces back and forth, smiling slightly to herself.

Belzor nods to Saragos.

Kethrai asks, "So, who is still missing? Navesi... Dantia... Ayrell... Mazrian?"

Allye asks, "Miskton?"

Casari says, "And Miskton."

Saragos says to Kethrai, "And Miskton."

Anuril says to Kethrai, "Miskton."

Belzor asks, "There was another?"

Madigan says, "Miskton."

Ryeka nods.

Tirost gazes thoughtfully at Saragos.

Madigan puts his zweihander in his silverweave tote.

Madigan sheathes his massive zweihander.

Aerilia frowns.

Lexxa just arrived.

Belzor says, "Yes, Court Mage."

Ezerak nods.

Belzor nods.

Allye asks, "What can we break that is big?"

Rileos lowers his head, closes his eyes and begins breathing slowly.

Ezerak says, "They seem to be together, wherever they are."

Elurora glances at Allye.

Illiya says, "I saw Ayrell, Dantia, Navesi, Mazrian, and Miskton disappear without a trace, and then we were all transported into the prison."

Tirost asks Madigan, "No contact at all from Dantia?"

Ezathiel pleasantly says to Saragos, "Are you sure of that? Obviously whoever that was is far more powerful than us."

Allye exclaims to Elurora, "I'm helping!"

Madigan shakes his head at Tirost.

Elurora looks at Allye, obviously trying not to grin.

Madigan says, "I can send thoughts to her."

Aculoc stands up.

Briaen pats Allye on the back.

Tirost frowns.

Madigan says, "I haev not received anything."

Pilgrim Nawain just arrived.

Ezerak says to Illiya, "I can see through my bond with Ayrell that they are in a place that looks very much like the place we were in."

Dasheek says, "Can't send gweths.."

Tirost says, "Hopefully, that means she's alive."

Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Ezerak.

Rileos's words echo as he directs his voice up into the wind, "Is there wind in planar jail?"

Anuril nods to Ezerak.

Gentle winds swirl about Rileos.

Vaerek just arrived.

Aerilia says, "That place wouldn't let me manipulate mana t all.  It's probably the same for them."

Rileos frowns.

Madigan nods to Tirost.

Illiya asks Ezerak, "Are they all in the same cell?"

Dasheek says, "Oh, yes I can."

Casari kneels down.

Saragos says to Allye, "We made a portal to the Plane of Electricity.  I want to try to tunnel in to where they're being kept, get back to that null space, wherever it was."

Rileos says, "There is not wind in planar jail, I have determined this."

Belzor asks, "Perhaps we should leave them there?"

Vaerek says, "I didn't see or hear anyone in the planes."

Allye nods to Saragos.

Ezerak raises an eyebrow in Belzor's direction.

Casari prays fervently.

Banndito just arrived.

Gentle winds swirl about Rileos.

Elurora glances at Belzor.

Tirost smiles at Rileos.

Flamedancer Banndito goes down.

Madigan says, "Nothing can kill Dantia. Just a matter of me and the Watch finding the bugger that took her...and then killing him or them."

Allye says to Saragos, "That would certainly be big."

Kethrai says, "I couldn't speak, either."

Ezerak says to Belzor, "That is not an option."

Belzor says, "Something is telling me that they could be gathering information."

Saragos says, "We used an existing planar breach to open a tunnel to Electricity.  We might be able to open one here."

Saragos nods to Madigan.

Lexxa says, "I've been slashed by something."

Allye asks Saragos, "How can we help?"

Madigan says, "Just that bloody simple."

Casari says to Madigan, "The Mountain Guard is there, too."

Casari nods emphatically at Madigan.

Nawain pats Madigan on the back.

Kethrai touches Lexxa with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.

Rileos says to Madigan, "You know, with her in there, they're probably gonna do better than we will gettin to em."

Rileos chuckles.

Madigan says, "Just so."

Madigan nods to Casari.

Casari stands up.

Saragos says to Madigan, "You shall have my every resource."

Dasheek snorts, loudly.

Belzor asks, "Notice the ones that were taken were the ones that were decisive in learning more about the heralds?"

Kethrai says to Lexxa, "All better."

Dasheek says, "Not without magic."

Ezerak desperately asks Saragos, "Suggestions on how to do so?"

Lupdels tugs at the tip of his beard distractedly.

Ezathiel touches Lexxa and smiles, an odd but eager glint in his eyes.

Madigan asks, "Now...what in the blazes did we do to open the rift?"

Ezerak blinks.

Madigan asks, "Doing that again seems to be a good start?"

Ezerak says, "I can no longer sense her."

Casari says, "It was the research.  Maybe."

Illiya says, "We were researching wild magic."

Dasheek shakes his head.

Belzor says, "Perhaps they are learning more about the situation."

Illiya nods to Madigan.

Ezathiel nods to Lexxa.

Avrenka says, "This really reminds me of "Legend of Aesthene's Close" ... very similar type of "Magical Prison" and outerplanar teleportation."

Casari says, "We've been trying to recreate it, but it hasn't happened yet."

Flamedancer Banndito just arrived.

Ryeka says, "Hmm."

Aerilia ponders.

Ryeka ponders.

Ezerak paces back and forth.

Madigan draws forth a massive agonite-bladed zweihander balanced by a silver dragon-shaped hilt.

Kethrai says, "I don't know that we caused it."

Valynn rubs Ezerak gently, massaging his muscles.

Lupdels ponders.

Madigan clenches his massive zweihander tightly until his knuckles go white.

Saragos says, "My first idea is to spring on using any existing snarl in the Aether here to open a portal back up there forcefully."

Kethrai says, "We were interfered with."

Dytt growls ferociously!

Dasheek says, "I sense something."

Dasheek says, "There is an elemental domain here."

Belzor says to Ezerak, "Lady Ayrell is strong, milord."

Valynn balls up her fists stiffly at her side.

Dytt smokily says, "The elemental doman is...different here now."

Belzor nods to Ezerak.

Ezathiel softly says, "Obviously we are dealing with a power or force beyond our ken."

Ryeka says, "I used to visit Aesthene's Close under the warehouse. I always felt something was missing."

Lupdels nods to Dytt.

Storm Mage Quite goes down.

Casari says to Saragos, "Right.  You're the expert here, aren't you?  Let's do that."

Dytt smokily says, "Not any element I know."

Kethrai blinks.

Dasheek says, "It doesn't seem like to be of any specific element. It is a sickening feeling."

Madigan raises an eyebrow in Dasheek's direction.

Avrenka says, "I say we take a break and head over to Riverhaven for the party."

Elurora asks, "Does anyone else sense an extraplaner incursion?"

Anuril says to Dasheek, "That was created well before we were pulled away."

Allye nods to Casari.

Avrenka grins wryly.

Ezerak nods at Casari, obviously agreeing with her views.

Flamedancer Banndito goes down.

Rileos glances up at the sky.

Lupdels nods to Anuril.

Anuril says to Elurora, "That is... normal."

[General] Your mind hears Penrhyn thinking, "The ODS Buffet Night staring Allye's catering will be staring one anlas late tonight. Hope to see you then!"

Kethrai says, "The incursion is the elemental domain."

[General] Your mind hears Saragos thinking, "Uryutis, if you're hearing this, this is an emergency.  Things are going to happen that are better dealt with using supervision."

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Kethrai nods to Elurora.

Lexxa says, "But our people are missing."

Lupdels says, "Abnormally normal."

Lexxa says, "You don't take breaks and run there."

Tirost says, "Mazrian summoned it, I think."

Elurora furrows her brow.

Kethrai nods to Tirost.

Dytt ponders.

Anuril nods to Tirost.

Madigan raises an eyebrow in Tirost's direction.

Ruea rubs her head.

Saragos says, "I don't have the copper rods we used before."

Rileos grasps his chin roughly and jerks it to the side.  You hear a loud pop and see him visibly relax.

Tirost says, "Before we were taken."

Dasheek asks, "Anyone else?"

Saragos mutters to himself.

Dytt smokily asks, "Could we use it?"

Valynn gazes at Tirost.

Nawain says, "Mazrian was worried about being watched, or followed. A day or two back."

Nawain frets.

Ruea quietly asks Saragos, "Are you alright?"

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Kyriakes just arrived.

Ezerak desperately asks Saragos, "What about the way that the holes to the planes of Aether and Electricity were opened?  Could that work?"

Aculoc paces back and forth.

Avrenka asks, "What if we all do the harness all our mana again?"

Lexxa sighs.

Saragos says to Ruea, "No."

Lupdels nods to Avrenka.

Rileos says, "I got no idea what to do or how to do it but I am ready to dance, don't care what we're dancin let's do it."

Rileos nods.

Briaen says to Nawain, "He's also been drunk for that time period."

Sellsword Kyriakes goes down.

Ruea sighs.

Saragos asks Ezerak, "That's what I want to try.  Ok, is anyone here a Bard?"

Dasheek says, "Ok.. I aligned the domain."

(Aerilia chews her lower lip in thought.)

Dasheek stands up.

Nawain ponders.

Lupdels waves to Saragos.

Casari exclaims, "I'm a Bard!"

Saragos nods to Casari.

Madigan points at Casari.

You point at Casari.

Aculoc says, "I as well."

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "people are disappearing and things are afoot, but there's a party!?"

Ruea says, "I don't babysit but I can hire nannies for your children while you two hunt down your wives."

Dytt smokily says, "And I."

Ezerak gazes at Ruea.

Aculoc bows.

Saragos puts his talisman in his firesilk tote.

Anuril gets a distant look on his face.

Ezerak quietly says to Ruea, "Thank you."

Hunter Hanryu pads down.

You say, "Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it."

Ruea nods to Ezerak.

Vaerek asks, "Something is blocking telepathy.  Seems like we might have to physically move?"

Saragos asks, "Ok, and who is a Warrior Mage?"

Ruea leans on you.

Dasheek raises his hand.

Dytt smokily growls, "I RrrEARrRrY want to have a wprd with whoeverrr did that."

Aerilia raises her hand.

Tirost raises his hand.

Nawain asks, "Should I avoid stabilizing things by communing with Meraud here? Seems like maybe we might want it unstable?"

Anuril glances at Saragos.

Saragos says, "Warrior Mages who want to attempt this madness, join me."

Briaen nods to Nawain.

Saragos rolls his hands in an elliptical pattern in front of him.<br>
A spinning ball of vivid blue aether appears within the pattern his hands define.<br>
Suddenly the airy fissure is torn apart by a blinding explosion!  A thunderous boom echoes throughout the area.

Aerilia joins Saragos's group.

[General] Your mind hears Avrenka thinking, "How can you party at a time like this? Search party for 5!"

Dasheek joins Saragos's group.

Nawain nods.

Anuril frowns.

Anuril joins Saragos's group.

Elurora blinks at Saragos.

Ezerak winces.

Ryeka joins Saragos's group.

Dasheek says to Nawain, "Maybe leave it unstable for now."

Lexxa joins Saragos's group.

Tirost joins Saragos's group.

Casari asks, "What do I need to do?"

You stand near Ezerak.

[General] Your mind hears Ghust thinking, "Where did they disappear from?"

Madigan nods to Dasheek.

Ezerak joins Saragos's group.

Allye joins Saragos's group.

Briaen joins Saragos's group.

You join Saragos's group.

Casari joins Saragos's group.

Vaerek joins Saragos's group.

Madigan says, "Unstable. We need to get back to that bloody Null Cell."

Rileos joins Saragos's group.

Dasheek says, "We'll get 'em back."

Illiya joins Saragos's group.

Nawain nods.

Zyros joins Saragos's group.

Elurora joins Saragos's group.

Dasheek nods in agreement.

Ezerak says to Saragos, "I am not sure how much help I will be, but I am prepared to do whatever it takes."

You quietly say to Ezerak, "It's okay.  We're going to find her."

Aculoc joins Saragos's group.

[General] Your mind hears Avrenka thinking, "Oh, you know ... probably some interdimensional prison by some unknown horrific force that almost killed us all"

Ruea joins Saragos's group.

Kethrai asks, "We don't exactly have a plan for when we get there, do we?"

Casari says, "We burn everything."

Madigan joins Saragos's group.

Rileos says to Saragos, "You wanna start droppin sorcery like crazy?  I'll crack the world a bit for this."

Illiya says, "Blow stuff up, ask questions later."

Lexxa says, "Try to find her holding location."

Dytt smokily growls, "Kill, rrrend, tearrr."

Dasheek nods in agreement.

Nawain pats Dytt on the back.

Valynn joins Saragos's group.

Ezerak nods to you.

Saragos says, "Ok, Casari, this is crucial.  You're going to be listening to the streams of Aether, if you can hear them.  You need to try to guide my hand.  What we're going to do is try to draw Aether in and weave it in a lattice."

Briaen says to Rileos, "I can help with that."

Dytt joins Saragos's group.

Lexxa says, "But there is a big fog."

Ezerak worriedly says to you, "We have to."

Lupdels joins Saragos's group.

Casari says, "You got it."

You nod at Ezerak, in complete agreement with his views.

[General] Your mind hears Erlot thinking, "I remember when Orders used to be tough and about defending turf"

You fret.

Rileos says to Briaen, "I believe you but be careful."

Belzor joins Saragos's group.

Saragos says, "We're going to try to weave a tunnel around the remains of whatever opened here.  This will probably be very dangerous and fail, since we've made no preparations."

Saragos rolls his hands in an elliptical pattern in front of him.<br>
A spinning ball of vivid blue aether appears within the pattern his hands define.<br>
The spherical ellipse of vivid blue aether flattens and expands.  A fine mist covers the ellipse, which clears on a gust of wind leaving a fissure in its place.

Elurora inhales a great swallow of air.

Belzor puts his talisman in his talisman pouch.

Vaerek shakes his copper ring!

Elurora moves into position to cover Illiya from harm.

Aerilia slowly empties her lungs.

Saragos asks Casari, "Can you do that?"

Lexxa nods.

Casari exclaims, "Yes!"

Casari gazes about her surroundings, her vision drawn towards something unseen.

Casari inhales sharply.  A flurry of frost flutters about her body as the magic leaves her staggered.

Vaerek says, "Maybe someone else can use the ring."

Casari hardens her stance and bellows a defiant decry against oppression!

Kethrai says, "Well, if any of you burn your hands off, raise your... stump, and we'll take care of you."

Ezerak frowns.

Ezathiel joins Saragos's group.

Vaerek says, "It takes you to the plane."

Anuril smirks at Kethrai.

Vaerek offers Madigan a copper ring.

Ezerak says, "Gweth contact seems to be blocked now, too."

Madigan accepts Vaerek's copper ring.

Belzor asks, "What ring?"

Madigan sheathes his massive zweihander.

Madigan concentrates intently on a copper ring.

Saragos says, "Ok, going from memory here.  Warrior Mages, arrange yourselves in a circle.  When I tell you, I want you to draw Aether from the fissure and feed it to me."

Vaerek says, "Raise it and hope for the best."

Rileos says to Ruea, "If we die, I meant about half of it."

Casari stands near Saragos.

Anuril nods to Saragos.

Madigan nods to Vaerek.

Casari appears to be listening intently for something.

Aerilia nods to Saragos.

Madigan chants as he raises his ring above his head.

(Dasheek takes his place in the circle.)

Belzor nods to Saragos.

Madigan grunts at a copper ring.

Dasheek traces a careful sigil in the air.

Madigan chants as he raises his ring above his head.

Belzor stands near Saragos.

(Tirost stands beside the other Warrior Mages to form the circle.)

Vaerek says, "Access is blocked."

Madigan nods to Vaerek.

Avrenka says, "You know, if this blows up, we're probably going to be straight up erased from existence."

Madigan moves a copper ring to his right hand.

Madigan offers Vaerek a copper ring.

(Casari focuses intensely, listening for something you do not hear.)

Ryeka stands near Vaerek.

Vaerek accepts Madigan's copper ring.

(Aerilia takes her position.)

Dasheek chortles softly at some secret joke.

Dytt gets a wire ring from inside her black silk cloak.

Ruea asks Rileos, "Do i get to pick which half?"

Saragos says, "Casari, hold my hand with the wand in it.  I want you to sense the Aether.  Try to guide my hand, if you think things are going awry."

Dytt slides a wire ring onto her finger.

Briaen says to Ruea, "He also barely remembers half of it, more than likely."

Madigan draws forth a massive agonite-bladed zweihander balanced by a silver dragon-shaped hilt.

Vaerek puts his ring in a swirling eddy of incandescent light bound by a gold-striated coralite frame.

Dasheek taps a twisted bogbirch limb covered in obscure symbols that he is holding.

(Casari places her hand on Saragos's wand hand.)

Nawain takes off a tiny murder crow charm.

A tiny murder crow twitters a bit, hopping about on Nawain's shoulder, then takes flight, speeding away into the distance.

Ezerak says to Avrenka, "Another risk I am willing to take."

(Anuril distances himself from the other mages in the circle.)

Rileos says to Ruea, "You know, why not?  It's that half."

Rileos nods to Ruea.

Casari inhales a great swallow of air.

Casari slowly empties her lungs.

Casari appears to be listening intently for something.

Avrenka says, "Yeah you know, just another day as a moon mage."

Vaerek scans the sky from horizon to horizon.

Ezerak gazes at Casari.

Avrenka scans the sky, looking for portents and insight.

(Valynn stand silently determined near the circle of Elemental mages.)

Madigan paces back and forth.

Dasheek studies his omnibus almanac closely.

Tirost gestures.

A muted roar begins to emanate from Tirost's arms.<br>
A swirling vortex of brilliant light spins across the area.

Raw energies rupture near Elurora, leaving her looking pale and drained.

Rileos concentrates for several moments, a greedy expression on his face.<br>
A weak mana surge is abruptly erased from existence!

Madigan clenches his massive zweihander tightly until his knuckles go white.

Ezerak gazes at Saragos.

Illiya praises Rileos.

Saragos says, "Ok, get ready."

Valynn rubs Elurora in a friendly manner.

Rileos inhales a great swallow of air.

Saragos pants.

Casari nods.

Aerilia nods.

Lexxa says, "Ready."

Elurora flashes a quick grin at Valynn.

Belzor nods.

Avrenka ducks his head.

Dasheek nods.

Rileos slowly empties his lungs.

Belzor says, "Ready, milord."

Illiya gestures at Dasheek.

Valynn inhales a great swallow of air.

Aculoc ducks his head.

(Madigan leans forward on his toes.)

Dasheek gently kisses Illiya on the cheek.

Madigan clenches his massive zweihander tightly until his knuckles go white.

(Ezerak places a hand on the hilt of his pasabas.)

Nawain draws forth a viridian whip from the ties on her thigh straps.

Saragos says, "Ok.  Warrior Mages, go.  Tap into your connection to the Planes, feed me Aether in long, stable strands.  Think thread, we're weaving here."

Belzor says, "Meraud, guide us."

Rileos quietly says to himself, "Here we go..."

Rileos gets a leaf-bladed Imperial spear bound in crimson fabric along its etched bronze shaft from inside his war belt.

Tirost settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Lexxa winces.

(Casari squints her eyes and listens.)

(Aerilia holds one hand toward the fissure and the other towards Saragos, her brow knit in concentration.)

Valynn draws forth a forester's bow.

Rileos flourishes his Imperial spear about in a butterfly pattern.

Dasheek breaks into a sweat.

Elurora draws forth a loimic war scythe with starry white blossoms strewn across its crescentic blade.

Dasheek squints.

Anuril stares blankly into the distance.

Kethrai blinks at Dasheek.

Aerilia quietly says, "Threads, threads.."

Valynn loads her forester's bow with a blunt-tipped arrow with saffron stripes.

Kethrai asks Dasheek, "Warm in here, or?"

(Saragos graps the strands of Aether as best he can, sweat beading on his brow.  He begins weaving, up, down, up down, in a torus surrounding where he believes the remains of the planar rift to be.)

Briaen gazes at his greatsword.

Dasheek says, "Working, here.."

Elurora gazes at a gaping chaotic fissure.

Ryeka mutters something into the air about thread.

Avrenka sighs.

Nawain paces back and forth.

Sinuous tendrils of light creep through a gaping chaotic fissure, their colors flowing from blue to indigo to black and back again.

Nawain glances up at the sky.

You notice as a russet lynx looks upward negligently.

Valynn gazes at a gaping chaotic fissure.

Ezerak casually observes the area.

Kethrai gazes at a gaping chaotic fissure.

Belzor says, "Averalaan, help me."

Vaerek chants in a baritone voice:

    "An otherwise unseen geometric array, slightly undulating and buckling outward. A large bulge squirms within the structure, recoiling as it approaches the perimeter, and the stars sing and flicker. The vision fades."

Ezerak fidgets nervously.

Tirost frowns in concentration.

== A Moment of Silence ==

(Saragos feverishly waves his wand, weaving warp and weft of Elemental Aether.)

Allye angles her ears forward, gazing curiously at Vaerek.

A pained expression crosses Nawain's face.

Lexxa asks, "What are we doing thats not working?"

Dasheek examines a gaping chaotic fissure.

Saragos asks, "Casari, are you getting anything?"

Vaerek nods.

Dytt paces back and forth.

Illiya asks Vaerek, "You just saw that just now?"

A pained expression crosses Casari's face.

Elurora glances at Casari.

<span style="color:red">You hear a voice say, "Enough.  We demand silence for one minute."

Dytt shakes her head.

Illiya blinks.

Casari says, "I... no."

Lupdels blinks.

Lexxa searches around for a moment.

Elurora searches around for a moment.

Aerilia frowns.

Illiya closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.

Anuril raises an eyebrow.

Ezerak searches around for a moment.

Rileos searches around for a moment.

Ezerak acts puzzled.

Casari searches around for a moment.

Elizzibiana groans.

Allye frowns.

Aculoc searches around for a moment.

Valynn raises an eyebrow.

Dytt snarls.

Casari exclaims, "We will not be silent!"

Dasheek asks, "And if you don't get it?"

Kethrai closes his eyes for a moment and grows still.

Elurora tilts her head, clearly curious about something.

Madigan says, "Ohh, please be someone I can bloody fight."

Rileos searches around for a moment.

Casari says, "We will never be silent."

Anuril smirks.


<span style="color:red">The pulse of energy sweeps forward again, and you feel the slightest crush of the devastatingly oppressive weight once again.


<span style="color:red">"Enough.  We demand silence for one minute."


Allye asks, "Who is "we"?"

Ezathiel sighs.

Nawain squints.

Tirost stands up.

The clouds break slightly, revealing a few twinkling stars.

Lexxa exclaims, "Bring our friends back!"

(Saragos weaves the lines quickly, even recklessly, clearly working to do himself what a trained team did before.)

Ezerak blinks.

Casari exclaims, "No!"

A pained expression crosses Aerilia's face.

Vaerek scans the sky, looking for portents and insight.

Madigan says, "Bugger off."

Ryeka says, "We want our friends."

Valynn asks, "Who commands silence?"

Tirost searches around for a moment.

Madigan left the group.

Illiya asks, "Who are you and what do you want?"

Ezerak squints.

Aculoc whistles a loud tune.

(Casari tries in vain to aid Saragos.)

(Elurora stands quietly, waiting.)

Kethrai closes his eyes for a moment and grows still.

Elizzibiana says, "Geel like I'm being crushed under a bootheel."

Elurora folds her arms across her chest.

Allye closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.

Lexxa exclaims, "Release our friends!"

(Dytt crouches down slightly)

(Saragos At the mental voice, Saragos begins weaving the Aether even more quickly, attempting to build the torus himself.)

Dytt growls ferociously!

Rileos yells, "Or you could ask nicely!"

Vaerek asks, "More importantly, where did our friends go?"

Lexxa yells, "Release our friends."

Dasheek says, "Let's make some noise."

Kethrai blinks.

Anuril says, "Magic is.... gone again."

Ryeka just touched Dytt.

Belzor says, "Averalaan, it is working."

Allye nods at Dasheek, obviously agreeing with his views.

Kethrai frowns.

Vaerek nods to Lexxa.

Illiya says, "Magic is gone."

Ezerak blinks.

Aerilia blinks.

Nawain winces.

Dasheek squints.

Aerilia says, "Oh no."

Rileos says, "Well."

Lupdels says, "Oh that silence."

Elurora sheathes her war scythe.

Saragos mumbles something unprintable.

Saragos exclaims, "NO!"

Ezathiel sighs.

Casari growls ferociously!

Anuril draws forth a triple-fullered haralun broadsword bearing a nacre hilt.

Valynn exclaims, "By Kuniyo!"

Nawain says, "Not Tirost's fault this time."

Lexxa says, "Wow."

Dasheek gets a flame-bladed zweihander with a blade of firestained agonite from inside his thigh bag.

Zyros takes a seat.

Lupdels sighs.

Valynn growls ferociously!

Nawain frowns.

Vaerek scans the sky, looking for portents and insight.

Elurora just touched an ornate aldamdin trinket graced with a vedda dove.

Dasheek stretches his arms.

Belzor says, "Meraud will not be pleased."

Ezerak says, "Show yourself."

Madigan says, "Fair. Tirost is off the hook for this one."

Illiya asks Nawain, "Or is it?"

Saragos yells, "No!"

Valynn says, "Silence indeed."

Illiya glances at Tirost.

Ezathiel nods to Lexxa.

Avrenka asks, "So ... here's an idea ... let's try being quiet for one minute?"

(Tirost tries to smile, but seems concerned.)

Elurora chews on her lip, looking deep in concentration.

Zyros detaches a hardbound kau leather journal covered in doodles of imposing weapons from his thigh.

Zyros opens his journal and writes in it for a bit.

Anuril smirks at Avrenka.

Lupdels nods to Avrenka.

Ezathiel nods to Avrenka.

Dasheek quietly says to Illiya, "This is what we trained for.. We got this."

Zyros attaches a hardbound kau leather journal covered in doodles of imposing weapons to his thigh.

Elurora nods at Avrenka, obviously agreeing with his views.

Ezathiel left the group.

Elurora raises one hand into the air with two fingers outstretched while pressing a single finger on the other hand to her closed lips.

Lupdels takes a seat.

Ezathiel takes a seat.

Valynn holds a finger up to her lips.

Dytt draws forth an icy-blue blade set with a glacier emerald in its crossguard.

Avrenka takes a seat.

Anuril takes his rightful place beside Kethrai.

Rileos glances at Elurora.

Dytt tugs on her icy-blue blade.<br>
A sound like a roaring winter wind screams from her icy-blue blade as layers of ice and frost spontaneously grow, causing it to extend in size!

Anuril moves over to guard Kethrai.

Lexxa ponders.

Lexxa shrugs.

Dasheek offers Illiya a plovik leaf.

Aculoc falls over.

Nawain draws forth a ka'hurst pasabas from the ties on her thigh straps.

Casari exclaims, "Give them back!"

Ryeka takes a seat.

Dytt tugs on her icy-blue blade.

Kethrai trills with soft affection at Anuril.

Anuril smiles at Kethrai.

Dytt tugs on her icy-blue blade.

(Aerilia frowns helplessly as she glances around at everyone.)

(Saragos kicks a loose stone.)

[General] Your mind hears Miraeven thinking, "Elanthia is currently devoid of magic."

(Lupdels continues to sit silently.)

Belzor says to Ezerak, "I still say they are all being held to gather information. Perhaps in the exchange there will be a resolution."

Rileos frowns.

Valynn nods at Aerilia, obviously agreeing with her views.

[General] Your mind hears Ghust thinking, "What the heck??"

Ezerak gazes at Belzor.

Anuril ponders.

Ruea gazes up at the sky.

Belzor nods to Ezerak.

Dasheek says to Illiya, "Take this, just in case..."

Vaerek chants in a baritone voice:

    "You find yourself wandering the streets of Throne City, a cold mist settling over the cobblestones. You see torchlight flickering through a nearby sewer grate. A series of loud explosions rocks several buildings, heavy stones grinding and raining downward. You cover your face in terror, and several large boulders twist and crumble as they fall, contorted and cast aside as they plummet through savagely twisted lines of magical energy. A warning bell begins to clang, and a net of crisscrossed magical barbs writhes through the city. You run and trip over a mangled corpse, with shattered bones protruding through the flesh, subluxated joints bent oddly, and widespread bruising blossoming over spongy skin. A scream pieces the air, and the vision fades."

[General] Your mind hears Harsh thinking, "so glad i got really good at slings right now"

Belzor says, "No other explanation."


<span style="color:red">The pulse of energy sweeps back again, and the oppressive weight recedes.


Ezerak yells, "Who demands our silence?"

[General] Your mind hears Severei thinking, "oh...then I guess I should leave my questing for another day..."

Dasheek offers Illiya a plovik leaf.

Saragos says, "Come out, you miserable curs.  Show yourselves."

Allye lets out a long sigh of relief.

Aerilia slowly empties her lungs.

Kethrai says, "Back now."

== Rescue Efforts Resume ==

Vaerek says, "I'm sorry, these things are flowing through me."

Elurora slowly empties her lungs.

Allye closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.

Tirost nods to Kethrai.

[General] Your mind hears Kethrai thinking, "And... it's back."

Aculoc sits up.

Valynn frowns.

Elizzibiana nods.

Rileos says, "Okay, so whatever that was can turn off magic on a whim."

Aculoc bounces from where he is sitting!

Allye furrows her brow.

Anuril nods to Rileos.

Allye nods to Rileos.

Lexxa says, "Yes."

Illiya asks, "Did we have this vision before or something similar to it..?"

Belzor says, "Suppress."

[General] Your mind hears Ghust thinking, "But healig people is my life!! How can I do that without magic?"

Valynn unloads her forester's bow.

Saragos says, "I...  I can't sense her anymore."

Belzor says, "Surpress."

Allye asks, "Heralds?"

Elurora glances at Saragos.

Casari glances at Saragos.

Kethrai blinks at Saragos.

Ryeka says, "A change to holy mana- more of it."

Ezerak nods to Saragos.

Lexxa winces.

Anuril blinks at Saragos.

Allye frowns at Saragos.

Casari glances at Ezerak.

Vaerek says, "That one has been seen."

Vaerek nods.

Belzor says, "Interfere our sensing of it."

Lexxa frowns at Saragos.

Kethrai says, "So they've been moved somewhere else."

[General] Your mind hears Seydin thinking, "Sounds like you need to talk to Nawain."

Ruea says, "I realize everyone is upset but this is a hostage situation and we have not got the upper hand.  Maybe we should give them their minute."

Madigan nods to Ryeka.

[General] Your mind hears Souv thinking, "use the power of love! love is magic!"

You notice a russet lynx sniff at Vaerek for a moment.

Lexxa pats Saragos on the back.

Briaen kneels down.

Saragos gasps!

Avrenka stands up.

Aerilia says, "Being cut off so easily like that.. I felt like an ant before a god."

Ezerak says to Saragos, "Nor can I sense Ayrell.  I have not been able to for some time now."

Illiya says, "I remember we went to Throne City before after seeing a vision when this all started."

Ezathiel pleasantly says, "Magic is back."

Briaen continues praying fervently.

Elurora nods to Illiya.

Tirost frowns.

Belzor nods to Ezerak.

Anuril frowns.

Ezerak rubs his right eye.

Lupdels stands up.

Casari yells, "Cowards!"

Saragos says, "Ok.  Ok.  Don't fall apart.  Work."

Elurora touches Ezerak with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Ruea rubs her head.

Rileos says to Ruea, "I don't like that you're right."

Tirost says to Saragos, "These experiments certainly got someone's attention... I just wish we knew where our friends are."

Belzor says, "Stop, think folks. Focus."

Valynn says, "] eza But not the same."

Elurora firmly says to Ezerak, "We will find them."

Aerilia nods to Saragos.

Dasheek squints.

Saragos says, "Well, that interrupted the previous attempt."

Vaerek gestures.

Ezathiel nods to Valynn.

Madigan asks, "Bloody well done Saragos. Let's get them back again?"

Dasheek puts his plovik leaf in the gardener's apron.

Valynn says to Ezathiel, "There is less life mana here than before."

Dasheek puts his zweihander in his thigh bag.

Zyros stands up.

Belzor says to Saragos, "They needed a minute, which means that we were on the right path."

Casari gazes at Saragos.

Anuril puts his talisman in his leather haversack.

Saragos nods to Belzor.

Ezathiel stands up.

Kethrai ponders.

Kethrai nods to Valynn.

Kethrai says to Valynn, "You're right."

Belzor says to Saragos, "Proceed."

Saragos says, "Ok, let's start over."

Madigan asks, "Ezerak, I am guessing you have the best eyes here...get buffed up and let's see if we can spot them?"

Avrenka ponders.

Dytt smokily says, "Less elemental mana, even with the fissure...interesting."

Ezerak worriedly says to Saragos, "I cannot seem to connect via gweth either."

Ezerak searches around for a moment.

Valynn frowns.

Belzor says, "Venture forth. Force their hand."

Casari says to Saragos, "I'm sorry.  I don't know what I'm doing.  But I will try again.  Until it works."

Ezerak shakes his head at Madigan.

Avrenka asks, "Why would the Herald demand silence? Are they affected by our talking?"

Saragos nods to Casari.

Kethrai says, "It may have meant... magical silence."

Madigan taps something inside his traveler's pack.

Dasheek says, "I think it was magical silence they were after."

Avrenka asks, "Why is silence important to them?"

Belzor asks, "They are being harrassed by the magic?"

Kethrai nods to Dasheek.

Illiya asks, "We don't know that it's a Herald for sure do we?"

Aerilia says, "Perhaps we were like an annoying buzz in their ear."

Madigan taps something inside his traveler's pack.

Lexxa nods in agreement.

Avrenka says, "Ah ... magical silence."

Dasheek says, "We do not."

Ryeka says, "I've been listening to the gweth- and I don't hear them."

Ezerak says to Madigan, "If it is something that can be seen, I could not see it."

Belzor nods.

Saragos says to Casari, "Put Echoes of Aether up if you don't have it.  Sloppy, should have said so before."

Valynn raises an eyebrow in Kethrai's direction.

Dasheek says to Illiya, "We do not know that."

Madigan nods to Ezathiel.

Dytt touches the kyanite stones on her gwethdesuan.

Madigan nods to Ezerak.

Vaerek gazes solemnly at the sky.

Ezerak scans the area briefly.

Elurora says to Kethrai, "Or both, they seemed to give us back magic when we quieted."

Casari says to Saragos, "I remembered from the Othersight attempts.  It was active."

Casari nods emphatically.

Saragos nods to Casari.

Anuril grins at Casari.

Madigan asks Ezerak, "You were buffed as well?"

Valynn frowns.

Lupdels gets a gnarled khor'vela staff heavily inlaid with cambrinth from inside his seasilk satchel.

Belzor says to Ezerak, "Stay vigilant, milord."

Briaen continues praying fervently.

Avrenka ponders.

Saragos says, "Ok, Warrior Mages, get ready, I'm going to try this again."

Elizzibiana rubs her jadeite gwethdesuan.

(Ryeka nods at the tendrils.)

Rileos nods to Elurora.

Aerilia nods.

Anuril nods to Saragos.

Dasheek says, "Ready."

Belzor says to Saragos, "Let us forge ahead again, with conviction."

Casari says, "The place they went seemed devoid of Holy.  If they're demons, then I have JUST the right fire for them."

Casari cracks her knuckles.

Allye touches Saragos with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Avrenka asks, "Maybe ... we should try using Holy Magic?"

Dasheek gently kisses Illiya on the cheek.

Avrenka says, "Where's Jaelia when you need her ..."

(Tirost takes his place in the circle of Warrior Mages.)

(Saragos holds his wand poised, his hand shaking slightly.)

Madigan taps something inside his traveler's pack.

Belzor pets his russet lynx.

Valynn sheathes her forester's bow.

(Casari stands alongside Saragos and once again places her hand on his wand hand.)

Casari appears to be listening intently for something.

Dytt gazes about her surroundings, her vision drawn towards something unseen.

Dytt inhales sharply.  Though there is no apparent physical change to her, she seems more aloof.

Lupdels puts his sign in his hooded cloak.

Illiya glances about with concern on her face.

Dytt draws forth an icy-blue blade set with a glacier emerald in its crossguard.

Elurora asks Avrenka, "I use holy magic, what would you suggest?"

Belzor says, "Oxanna, watch over Lord Ezerak in my absence."

Ruea glances at Casari.

Nawain ponders.

Belzor gets a lynx talisman from inside his talisman pouch.

Elurora says, "As does Nawain."

Elurora points at Nawain.

Avrenka says to Elurora, "I suggest we call upon the powers of the gods."

(Aerilia returns to her position in the circle.)

Nawain asks, "Could we use holy magic to stablize the lattice the elementalists are using?"

Nawain shifts her weight.

Ryeka says, "And me."

Elurora peers quizzically at Vaerek.

Saragos says, "Ok, go, give me what you have.  Strong, stable flows.  We're weaving here, like a sock.  You're making the thread as we go, I'm weaving the pattern, Casari is looking for mistakes and helping me correct them."

Lupdels asks, "Was the prison devoid of Holy mana because they are demons or because the prison was designed for those who use Holy mana?"

Vaerek gazes absently at Elurora, almost staring through her.

Belzor says, "Watch him, Oxsanna."

Tirost nods to Saragos.

Elurora blinks.

Belzor puts his talisman in his talisman pouch.

Elurora shivers.

Vaerek sighs.

Belzor nods.

Saragos inhales a great swallow of air.

Saragos slowly empties his lungs.

Illiya asks, "Was there mana at all in the prison?"

Belzor says, "No, no mana."

Lupdels puts his staff in his seasilk satchel.

Belzor shakes his head at Illiya.

Elurora glances at Vaerek.

Valynn shakes her head at Illiya.

(Aerilia resumes her stance, one hand outstretched toward the open fissure and the other toward Saragos.)

Dytt smokily says to Lupdels, "I really could sense any of our mana either."

Belzor says, "No spell, no speaking."

Ryeka says, "It was a Null place."

Dytt smokily says, "Couldn't I mean."

Illiya nods.

Elurora nods to Vaerek.

Lupdels says, "But it was made or Life, Lunar, and Elemental mana."

Avrenka asks, "Perhaps someone could hold an impromptu vigil? Call upon ... Firulf or Meraud?"

Ezerak paces back and forth.

Belzor asks Lupdels, "Or arcana?"

Kethrai blinks at Lupdels.

(Saragos begins drawing large amounts of Aether, weaving the flows even more quickly than before, warp and weft, attempting to weave the tunnel of Aether before being disrupted again.)

Valynn asks, "No Holy mana?"

Nawain winces.

Nawain nods to Avrenka.

Valynn frowns.

Avrenka says, "Arcane mana is indeed a mix of those 3 streams."

Saragos says, "Keep it coming, I'm moving quickly here."

Kethrai quietly says, "So, that would make it high necromancy."

Elurora rubs her head.

Allye nods to Saragos.

Belzor nods at Avrenka, obviously agreeing with his views.

Nawain gets a snuffed altar candle from inside her watersilk bag.

Ezerak searches around for a moment.

Belzor says to Avrenka, "My point exactly."

Nawain gets a vardite World Dragon set with crystalline dragon tear eyes from inside her slender rugursora.

Belzor says, "A combination of."

Nawain points her World Dragon at a snuffed altar candle and a flame shoots from the creature's mouth, making the candle quickly catch fire.

Lupdels says, "The rift and the prison radiated with Life, Lunar, and Elemental mana. Phenomenal quantities, and yet I myself felt cut off and my abilities interfered with."

Nawain puts her Dragon in her slender rugursora.

Casari appears to be listening intently for something.

Briaen slings a bifurcated greatsword of dawnfire steel inlaid with truegold over his shoulder.

Elurora traces a complicated pattern in the air with her fingertip.  As she completes the gesture, five small globes of light extrude from the tips of her fingers and glow brightly as they position themselves around her body.

Lexxa asks, "What is happening?"

Valynn joins Madigan's group.

Elurora searches around for a moment.

Briaen reverently lays his prayer mat at his feet, smoothing out its corners.

Madigan moves into position to block attacks against Valynn!

(Aerilia inhales and exhales slowly and deliberately as she concentrates.)

Lexxa sighs.

Ezerak rubs his right eye.

Briaen prays fervently.

Valynn draws forth an icesteel cutlass with an azurite hilt.

Avrenka kneels down and begins to pray.

A column of smoke trails off Nawain's altar candle.

(Saragos moves his wand quickly, feverishly, attempting to make the streams of Aether come together in a secure tunnel, attempting to weave them around the spot where the disappeared people stood.)

Lexxa kneels down and begins to pray.

Ruea shakes her head.

Valynn moves into a position to dodge.

Rileos glances up at the sky.

Lexxa continues praying.

Saragos breaks into a sweat.

Anuril glances up at the sky.

Madigan squints.

Kethrai says to Lexxa, "Saragos is trying to lead the elementalists in opening a planar rift. The rest of us are wondering how else to get our people back."

Lexxa stands up.

Anuril glances up at the sky.

(Casari nudges Saragos's hand while straining to hear.)

Nawain's altar candle sputters as it burns.

Saragos quietly says, "Come on, Firulf, you ever cared to help now is the time."

Illiya gives Saragos a playful poke in the ribs.

Dytt stretches her arms.

Ryeka gets a pale silver prayer bead chain from inside her herb kit.

Nawain recites:

    "Meraud, wolf of wisdom, we beseech your help. Our most beloved are  missing, and we will tear this world apart in our efforts to return them. Help us bring them home safely, and quickly."

Rileos puts his spear in his war belt.

Lexxa kneels down and begins to pray.

(Tirost reaches out with his hand, taking hold of a strand of aetherial thread, and passing it as quickly as possible to Saragos.)

Yavash slowly rises above the horizon.

Rileos scratches distractedly at his beard.

Belzor nods.

Ryeka holds a pale silver prayer bead chain high into the air for all to see.

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "were the kidnapped found?"

(Aerilia murmurs a quiet prayer under her breath as she works.)

[General] Your mind hears Anuril thinking, "Onara the realms are currently experiencing interesting times."

Valynn puts her arrow in her thigh quiver.

(Elurora holds a hand out to one of the spheres hovering around her and tries to focus on it.)

Sinuous tendrils of light creep through a large chaotic fissure, their colors flowing from blue to indigo to black and back again.

Ryeka glances heavenward a moment and utters a desperate prayer.

Dasheek joins Saragos's group.

Elurora furrows her brow.

(Allye watches the mages as they work, wringing her hands nervously and awaiting any moment to jump in with healing if needed.)

(Saragos desperately weaves the the Aether streams, moving quicker and quicker, attempting to wrap them around any fissure that remains from the rift.)

[General] Your mind hears Onara thinking, "that is what I am hearing, though I still don't understand what is happening"

Ezerak quietly says to Kethrai, "We are desperate.  I'll take any ideas anyone has.  All of them."

Madigan gestures.

Belzor gazes at a chaotic fissure.

Ruea glances at Ezerak.

Dasheek says, "Only thing I can think of is to make more noise.."

Avrenka recites:

    "Meraud, we seek knowledge above all else, grant us understanding in how to save our friends"

Flames waver off of Nawain's altar candle.

Madigan nods to Dasheek.

Kethrai scratches one ear, looking bemused.

Madigan says, "That seems to get their attention."

(Elurora steps a little closer to the fissure trying to use the light of the spheres to see beyond the flashing colors.)

(Saragos's actions come to a crescendo, moving his wand as rapidly as he can, eyes flickering back and forth.)

Dasheek says, "If they're focused on us, maybe they're not as focused on those that are still captive."

[General] Your mind hears Dartwin thinking, "The secret is the realm is flat. It helps you understand everything!"

Ezerak gazes at Saragos.

Vaerek asks, "I'm thinking maybe, just maybe being silent might mean stop casting for a minute?"

(Casari lifts her hand from Saragos's, unable to keep up.)

Ezathiel nods in agreement.

Lexxa asks, "Well they didn't give us much choice to pick from did they?"

A pained expression crosses Casari's face.

[General] Your mind hears Ghust thinking, "But the realms are round"

Lupdels glances at Casari.

Rileos says, "No, they didn't."

Saragos says, "Ok, that's enough.  It's not working.  I needed to do it with them, before.  I can't do it by myself."

Lexxa says, "Took magic away in a blink."

Dasheek says, "This all started when we were researching wildly."

Saragos says, "It's not working."

Aculoc left the group.

Belzor nods.

Anuril nods to Saragos.

Saragos kneels down.

Casari frowns.

Ezerak gazes at Saragos.

(Nawain peers at Saragos's weavings using her spiritual senses, reinforcing and paralleling the elemental streams, but never crossing.)

Nawain winces.

Belzor pats Saragos on the back.

Casari says to Saragos, "I'm sorry."

(Aerilia lets her arms fall back to her sides and sighs.)

Tirost just touched Saragos.

Aculoc stands up.

Aculoc goes down.

Saragos puts his wand in his leather holster.

Elizzibiana says, "Might be why the magic disappeared briefly, to shut us up."

Lexxa frowns at Saragos.

Dasheek says, "Let's try something else."

Lexxa pats Saragos on the back.

Ryeka scoots over a little closer to Saragos.

Ezerak's shoulders bow as if under some great burden.

Allye trills softly to herself.

Illiya recites:

    "Meraud, master of magic, our friends are in peril, and we seek your wisdom. Illuminate the darkness that shrouds their fate. Let your foresight illuminate the path to their salvation."

Madigan says, "Let's try Vaerak's idea."

Lupdels ponders.

Saragos asks Vaerek, "What was your idea?"

Casari rubs her right eye.

Nawain's altar candle goes out and crumbles away.

Saragos stands up.

Belzor says to Ezerak, "My statement still holds true, milord. I believe they are in conversation with said beings and our magics were disrupting that meeting."

Lexxa stands up.

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Madigan says, "To not cast anything for a period of time."

Kethrai paces back and forth.

Ezerak frowns.

Lupdels says, "We did that when something stopped us."

Vaerek nods to Madigan.

Madigan says, "So called...silence."

Dasheek ponders.

Vaerek says, "Cyclics included."

Belzor nods.

Valynn shifts her weight.

Illiya asks, "Magical silence?"

Madigan says, "And, you all know how much I like to cast things."

Belzor nods to Illiya.

Madigan grins.

Ryeka grins at Madigan, her dimples flashing into view.

Saragos asks Madigan, "And cower before whatever these beings are?"

Briaen says to Saragos, "Do not be disheartened, old friend.  Like the morning sun, we rise to meet the challenges of our sacred duty."

Dasheek asks, "So, we acquiesce to the demands of the thing that's got our people captive?"

Aerilia ponders.

Vaerek says, "Wands as well."

Tirost nods to Briaen.

Belzor says to Madigan, "I do not know you sir, but I do hope to learn about you some day."

Ezerak quietly says to Madigan, "That sounds a lot like...waiting for something to happen."

Elurora nods to Vaerek.

Tirost says, "The gods are not done with them yet, I know it."

Illiya says, "We don't know if the voice is the thing that has our friends captive though."

Casari slowly empties her lungs.

Madigan says, "Ohh, no. I want to draw them out Dash and kill them."

Madigan smiles at Dasheek.

Valynn says, "We've tried manythings, how can magical silence hurt."

Saragos says to Briaen, "Respectfully, I don't want to hear that right now."

Dasheek says, "True."

Casari nods at Madigan, obviously agreeing with his views.

Saragos nods to Madigan.

Briaen stands up.

Briaen carefully gathers up the delicate folds of a light leather prayer mat tooled with a sheaf of golden grain overlaying a brilliant rising sun.

Madigan says, "So....let's all not cast for 5 roi."

Saragos says to Madigan, "Ok, I now approve of this plan."

Briaen puts his mat in his pilgrim's satchel.

Anuril grins at Madigan.

Elurora just nudged Dytt.

Briaen says to Saragos, "As you wish."

Kethrai nods.

Ezerak sighs.

Dytt raises an eyebrow in Elurora's direction.

Knight Penitent Briaen goes down.

Dasheek says, "If that doesn't work, I'm going to ask the masses to research wildly over the gweth."

Saragos gets an ebon dragon-headed spear breathing brilliant green senci flames from inside his weapon case.

Saragos leans on his spear.

Vaerek says, "Just a buncha people standing around."

Vaerek says, "Nothing to see here."

Illiya says, "No magic, wands, anything."

Dytt paces back and forth.

Madigan says, "I like that as Plan B Dash. Get really loud if this doesn't work."

Belzor snaps his fingers.

Ryeka puts her chain in her herb kit.

Tirost smiles at Madigan.

(Nawain fidgets with the strands on her prayer mat.)

Elurora says to Dytt, "We're trying no magic."

Dasheek asks, "We might see how benevolent this thing is, if we try that. Tantrums *work*, ok?"

Vaerek gets a massive icesteel-edged greatsword with an intricately engraved crossguard from inside his thigh bag.

Belzor asks, "Was it when wild magics were researched it became a problem?"

Aerilia says, "And if that doesn't work, maybe.. cast a lot?  If this thing is responsible for the wild magic, maybe every time our spells go awry it notices."

Nawain ponders.

Belzor peers quizzically at Saragos.

Nawain asks, "What about orbs?"

Belzor asks, "Then the harnessing?"

Dasheek says to Belzor, "Yes."

Saragos nods to Belzor.

Belzor says, "Then we all disappeared."

Madigan says, "4 roi to go."

Lupdels nods to Aerilia.

Illiya says, "When we began researching wild magic altogether we were put in the prison."

Kethrai says, "It strikes me that if these beings -- Heralds or no, whoever they are -- had the power to turn magic off, they would have had the power to refuse to turn it back on, yeah? But they didn't."

Tirost nods to Illiya.

Belzor says, "That is when they were upset."

Vaerek says to Madigan, "I need somethin, even if it won't work."

Illiya asks Kethrai, "So perhaps they're benevolent?"

Vaerek taps a massive icesteel-edged greatsword with an intricately engraved crossguard that he is holding.

Rileos says, "I'm gonna shut up for that cause silence means a couple things, a few rois of not talkin won't hurt us."

Belzor asks, "Could we do that again?"

Casari says, "Or maybe it took everything they had to suppress it for a moment."

Nawain asks, "Researching?"

Elurora nods to Rileos.

Kethrai says to Illiya, "Or at least not malevolent."

Lupdels takes a seat.

Tirost says to Illiya, "We are alive."

Valynn smiles at Rileos.

Madigan says, "3 roi."

(Lupdels sits in silence)

Elurora folds her arms across her chest.

Casari cracks her knuckles.

Saragos paces back and forth.

Rileos glances up at the sky.

Vaerek leans on Illiya.

Allye rubs her left arm.

Lexxa sighs.

Rileos runs his fingers through his hair.

Avrenka says, "Perhaps ... they imprisoned us for a time to stop us from doing the harnessing & casting spells thing again."

Valynn sheathes her icesteel cutlass.

Belzor nods to Avrenka.

Ryeka says, "We've got this."

Ryeka smiles at Saragos, revealing the dimples in her cheeks.

Dasheek says, "I think it was to disrupt our research."

Madigan nods to Ryeka.

Belzor says, "And then we we tried again, they quelled our access to the streams."

(Nawain rocks on her knees and wiggles her toes in her slippers, grumbling under her breath and obviously unable to sit still.)

Illiya closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.

Madigan says, "2 roi."

Dytt paces back and forth.

Dytt grumbles.

Valynn looks at Nawain, obviously trying not to grin.

Anuril pokes Illiya in the ribs.

Tirost says, "It is possible our friends are receiving some message or vision, but the word "unacceptable" did not seem like a good sign."

Aerilia nods to Tirost.

Ryeka nods to Tirost.

Belzor nods at Tirost, obviously agreeing with his views.

Ezerak quietly says, "Benevolent?  With their demands for silence, and some sort of...planar prison?  If that is their idea of benevolence, I will show them malevolence."

Belzor says, "I keep telling Lord Ezerak the same."

Vaerek puts his greatsword in his thigh bag.

Lexxa asks, "Like we need to possess a quality?"

Dasheek says, "Prison can be benevolent."

Anuril ponders.

Madigan says, "1 roi."

Illiya asks, "If it's saving you from something worse?"

Casari says, "So can burning them to nothing."

Dasheek says, "Putting a bothersome bug in a container as opposed to squashing it, for instance.."

Vaerek says, "The sky."

Ryeka says, "The thing is that the voice didn't really seem- well, malicious. Mostly calm, if anything."

Vaerek blinks.

Belzor says to Ezerak, "Steady as she goes, milord. The time will come sooner than you think."

Kethrai glances up at the sky.

Madigan says, "Casari, wait one more roi please."

Aerilia says, "It sounded like an annoyed parent talking to a child."

Casari glances up at the sky.

Dytt paces back and forth.

Kethrai asks, "What about the sky?"

Ryeka chuckles.

Madigan says, "Trying no magic for 1 more roi."

(Elurora gazes up at the spheres circling her head.)

Casari says, "Fine."

Tirost says to Ryeka, "It clearly came from a being of great power."

Belzor asks, "Or Liraxes?"

Rileos looks at Elurora and shrugs.

Dasheek says, "So, let's throw a fit when this is over. The tantrum of all tantrums."

Ryeka nods in agreement.

Elurora gives Rileos a wry grin.

Aerilia nods to Dasheek.

Ezerak seems to be waiting for something.

Madigan says, "20 seconds."

Vaerek says, "The sky is covered."

Lupdels casually observes the area.

Lupdels glances up at the sky.

After a few moments he lowers his gaze.

Lexxa says, "It got broken."

Ryeka glances up at the sky.

Lupdels glances up at the sky.

Anuril glances up at the sky.

Lexxa says, "Seen a cast."

Casari glances up at the sky.

Ruea says to Ezerak, "They don't seem compelled by our rage.  This may not be something we resolve in a night."

Kethrai says, "I think when it's clouds they call it 'overcast.'."

Madigan says, "And, time. Good idea Vaerek."

Ezerak frowns.

Ezerak gives Ruea a slight nod.

Dytt glances up at the sky.

Nawain asks, "Now we get to be magically loud?"

Ryeka exclaims, "That's new!"

Nawain fidgets nervously.

Anuril ponders.

Ezerak worriedly says to Ruea, "Perhaps not.  But I have to try."

Elurora flashes a quick grin at Valynn.

Valynn grins at Elurora.

A strange sense passes through you.  Afterward, the area feels somehow more... normal than it did a moment ago.

[General] Your mind hears Dasheek thinking, "I have a dangerous idea. Fitting. Let's all research wildly together starting now, please. See what happens.."

Elurora raises an eyebrow.

Lupdels ponders.

Ruea says to Ezerak, "Believe me when I say I am every bit as invested in getting her, and all of them, back as you are.  But panic and flailing never accomplishes anything good."

Lexxa asks, "So are we all going to research wild magic again?"

Belzor says, "Whoa."

Illiya says, "Suddenly everything feels more normal again."

Tirost says, "That is the passing of the domain."

Ryeka asks, "Blue to indigo to black then back?"

Vaerek says, "What a mess we've gotten ourselves in."

Anuril says, "That was just the domain wearing off."

Illiya exclaims, "But where are our friends!"

Dytt smokily says, "Still cannot."

Nawain says, "That happens all the time with elementalists."

Madigan nods to Vaerek.

Saragos says, "Ok, I've got two ideas here.  One a lot better than the other.  I really hope someone can offer more."

Lupdels nods to Saragos.

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "we'll destroy the bulwark and the world will burn"

Elurora gazes at Saragos.

Aerilia peers quizzically at Saragos.

Ezerak gazes hopefully at Saragos.

Madigan sheathes his massive zweihander.

Ruea glances at Saragos.

[General] Your mind hears Dasheek thinking, "Doubt it."

Valynn ponders.

Madigan says, "Alright, time to go swing at some things."

Anuril says to Saragos, "It's probably nothing but, right before we escaped from the prison I summoned an electric domain."

[General] Your mind hears Kethrai thinking, "The chances are close to zero..."

Valynn kneels down.

Saragos says, "1) Spend a lot of time researching, do it right this time, try to open up a portal, but not in this haphazard sudden way."

Illiya says, "Love to but we don't know what to swing at."

Casari gazes at Saragos.

Saragos says, "2) Make a big, big Sorcerous mess they can't ignore.  Demand our people back, or kill them at that point."

Anuril says to Illiya, "Warrior mages can temporarily make part of the plane they are on metaphysically 'closer' to one of the elemental planes."

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "oh well...might as well wait until something happens then"

Valynn quietly says, "Berengaria, hear my plea."

Madigan says, "The Bulwark is maintained by paladins."

Casari nods to Saragos.

Lupdels coughs.

Saragos asks, "Has anyone got anything else?"

Madigan says, "That is our sole job and existence."

Elurora gazes off into the distance.

Nawain shakes her head at Saragos.

Saragos puts his spear in his weapon case.

Lexxa shakes her head.

Illiya nods to Anuril.

Madigan says, "I am going to go work on my soul...see if that can tighten some things up."

Ruea says to Saragos, "This is a hostage situation.  If we make them angry they may start killing the people they're holding to teach us a lesson."

[General] Your mind hears Momus thinking, "sounds like lack of effort to me, if you try hard enough, you can destroy anything."

Saragos nods to Madigan.

Tirost nods to Madigan.

Madigan says, "Or, lead me to a bloody answer."

Belzor says to Saragos, "With the power they have, I cannot help but woner if there is another path."

Madigan says, "Pardon me folks."

Lupdels says, "So what if we get our people back by making a big big Sorcerous mess that also helps ... whatever entities are also out there, perhaps not in that prison but should be."

Tirost left the group.

Valynn quietly says, "We have lost contact with loved ones and need your assistance in finding them."

Ezerak nods to Madigan.

Anuril nods.

Sir Madigan goes down.

Nawain pats a tiny murder crow charm.

Elurora gazes at Valynn.

Saragos says to Ruea, "I wasn't kidding.  I'll burn everything they love to ashes if we don't get her back."

Ezerak gazes at Ruea.

Vaerek gets a copper ring from inside a swirling eddy of incandescent light bound by a gold-striated coralite frame.

Valynn quietly says, "Lord Damaris, hear my plea."

Casari says, "He's speaking my language."

Vaerek chants as he raises his ring above his head.

Kethrai says, "If this is a hostage situation, we'd want someone to negotiate with."

Ezerak nods at Casari, obviously agreeing with her views.

Anuril looks at Casari and sighs.

Nawain throws her head back and howls!

Illiya asks Saragos, "What was the next step in the experiment supposed to be?"

Kethrai says, "But, we haven't gotten that yet."

Avrenka pats Nawain on the back.

Vaerek puts his ring in a swirling eddy of incandescent light bound by a gold-striated coralite frame.

Belzor asks, "Oxsanna, what do you sense?"

Dasheek says, "This tantrum is about bringing someone to the table."

Belzor pets his russet lynx.

Ruea asks Saragos, "If your outrage causes Ayrell or Dantia to be killed in the process, is that an improvement?"

Valynn quietly says, "We are missing loved ones and they cannot be sensed. Listen and help us find them."

Lupdels frowns.

Rileos says to Kethrai, "No, she's right, this is the honeymoon step where they make us sweat to keep us off balance, its working."

Aerilia frowns.

Tirost nods to Valynn.

Saragos says to Illiya, "Just observing.  Nothing else part of the experiment will help."

Ruea says to Saragos, "Calm down, get yourself under control, and stop being so emotional.  You're a father, we have to handle this calmly."

Belzor says, "Well, as cruel as it sounds...."

Ezerak says to Kethrai, "Yes, negotiate.  Let us find them, and I'll...negotiate."

Dytt smokily says to Rileos, "You have a strage notion of honeymoons."

Belzor asks, "Would it allow them to depart to here?"

Anuril nods at Dytt, obviously agreeing with her views.

Elurora touches Ezerak with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Belzor asks, "And if so, would they recall what they lost?"

Valynn quietly says, "Albreda, if you can hear me, please assist in helping us find our friends."

Elurora just touched an ornate aldamdin trinket graced with a vedda dove.

Rileos says to Dytt, "I disagree."

Lupdels says, "I don't think Navesi would condone creating a Sorcerous mess."

Rileos flashes a quick grin at Dytt.

Ezerak gazes at Belzor.

Saragos says to Ruea, "They want to come down and talk to me, give demands, I'll listen.  Until then, this is a problem to solve, and beings to kill."

Ruea nods at Lupdels, obviously agreeing with his views.

Ruea sighs.

Kethrai says to Belzor, "It's a big risk. In the Planar Void, souls are... beyond the reach of the Immortals."

Ezerak hesitantly says to Belzor, "I've a feeling that it would not work, considering..."

Belzor nods at Kethrai, obviously agreeing with his views.

Anuril nods to Kethrai.

Valynn quietly says, "They need our help and we could use your help in bringing them back to their loved ones."

Ezerak nods at Kethrai, obviously agreeing with his views.

Illiya says to Lupdels, "Well she can lecture us disapprovingly after we get her back."

Allye closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.

Lupdels nods to Illiya.

Valynn prays fervently.

Belzor says, "I am trying to think of every escapable possibility."

Ryeka stands up.

Lupdels says, "I think I'm ok with that."

Nawain glances heavenward a moment and utters a desperate prayer.

Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Valynn.

Ruea says to Saragos, "As you will then.  I won't try to reason with you."

Elurora stands near Valynn.

Elurora kneels down.

Ryeka exclaims, "Wait!"

[General] Your mind hears Harsh thinking, "we got a several of us researchin party at the pond goin on. Just cause you said close to zero and that's good enough for us"
Saragos says to Kethrai, "That's a good point.  Meraud pulled me out of the Void once, set me right.  We've got to make sure we've got a lot of Their attention before we make another attempt."

Elurora continues praying fervently.

Illiya peers quizzically at Ryeka.

Ruea asks, "Why is there no damn wine in this place?"

Ryeka gets a wax tablet from inside her spidersilk backpack.

Valynn smiles at Elurora.

Illiya closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.

Ryeka offers Illiya a wax tablet.

Ezerak rummages about his person, looking for something.

Valynn continues praying.

Casari gets a cup of Liani's special rum from inside a swirling eddy of incandescent light bound by a gold-striated coralite frame.

Casari offers Ruea a cup of Liani's special rum.

Lupdels nods to Ruea.

Illiya accepts Ryeka's wax tablet.

Ryeka says, "Partial Displacement."

[General] Your mind hears Dasheek thinking, "Excellent, thanks Harsh."

Illiya peruses a wax tablet.

Ruea declines Casari's offer.

Casari asks, "Close enough?"

Ruea says to Casari, "Not if we both want to live to tomorrow, tragically."

Ruea smiles at Casari.

[General] Your mind hears Penrhyn thinking, "The ODS buffet night activity is being postponed and rescheduled, in recognition of those who are still missing and the ongoing efforts to find them. Best of luck to you all!"

Ryeka says, "I don't know if it can help, but I don't know any spells that can."

Casari puts her rum in a swirling eddy of incandescent light bound by a gold-striated coralite frame.

Illiya chuckles.

Ryeka chuckles.

Illiya says, "I don't know if this will help."

[General] Your mind hears Dasheek thinking, "Folks, it's time for a magical riot.. All you have to do is research some wild magic."

Illiya offers Ryeka a wax tablet.

Ryeka says, "It is lunar."

Ryeka accepts Illiya's wax tablet.

Saragos rummages about his person, looking for something.

Ryeka puts her tablet in her spidersilk backpack.

Valynn continues praying fervently.

Belzor says, "Perhaps my better suggestion should be for me to refrain from further suggestions."

(Elurora continues to pray quietly beside Valynn.)

Belzor smiles.

Belzor blushes a bright red color.

[General] Your mind hears Dasheek thinking, "If we break something, blame me."

Rileos shivers.

Kethrai frowns.

Ryeka chuckles.

Aerilia says, "If we get shunted back into that place, I'm not sure we'd even be able to help them.  I don't even feel like I got out by my own means."

Anuril pats Belzor on the back.

Anuril nods to Aerilia.

Saragos says, "We need to find out more about who did this."

Valynn bows her head in acknowledgement.

Tirost says to Aerilia, "Nor me."

Anuril nods to Saragos.

Casari says, "Or what."

Valynn continues praying fervently.

Saragos says, "If this is Plane of Probability things...  we know how to tick them off real good."

Kethrai kneels down before Elurora.

Casari asks, "So heralds, demons, something else?"

Kethrai prays fervently.

Dasheek says, "It didn't sound like Liraxes, at least."

Saragos paces back and forth.

Vaerek says to Aerilia, "I definitely did not help myself get out.  Not even sure how I got in."

Belzor asks Saragos, "I think you may already know, but ar having a hard time convincing yourself?"

Aerilia nods.

Illiya says, "We don't know what Liraxes sounds like."

Tirost says, "Whatever put is there is very powerful. But it seems like it could have imprisoned or destroyed us, and did not, though it separated us."

Elurora softly says, "I'm not good at this praying thing, but to any God that might be listening, please help us find our people."

Dasheek asks Illiya, "Oh?"

Tirost says, "This may be its manner of communicating."

Elurora continues praying.

Dasheek says, "I thought we heard it in the planar observatory."

Saragos says to Belzor, "I don't know who it is."

Rileos shakes his head at Dasheek.

Illiya says, "No that wasn't Liraxes speaking."

Casari fixes Ezerak with a serene, lofty stare.

Belzor asks, "Divine war, heralds?"

Anuril says, "I think we drew the attention of a third party. Not whatever is causing the issues with mana."

Belzor peers quizzically at Saragos.

Ezerak gazes at Casari.

Saragos says, "But I definitely want to convince them that taking our people is not the way.  That it only gets them the exact opposite of what they want."

Elurora takes off an unadorned ebonwood pilgrim's badge.

Illiya says, "I vote we either try sorcery or wild magic."

Casari stands near Ezerak.

Tirost says to Anuril, "That's an interesting thought."

Lupdels says, "I'm with Illiya."

Elurora puts on an unadorned ebonwood pilgrim's badge.

Dasheek says, "We are currently trying wild magic all over the realms."

Casari whispers something to Ezerak.

Nawain nods in agreement.

Illiya says, "Wild magic research that is."

Belzor says to Illiya, "I cannot do that."

Kethrai quietly says, "Berengaria, Dawnmother, you are the finder of lost children. As we are all children of the Immortals, please find and return our captured friends."

Tirost says to Anuril, "There were observers who moved between planes in recent visions."

Valynn quietly says, "Berengaria, you who finds lost children, hear my prayer and help us find our loved ones."

Belzor shakes his head.

Saragos asks Anuril, "You think the third party took our people?"

Sofina gets a perfect goblin fetish from inside her scavenger's pack.

Anuril raises an eyebrow in Tirost's direction.

Avrenka asks, "Wild magic got us into this mess ... do you think it'll take us out?"

Anuril nods to Saragos.

Sofina drags the point of her ritual knife along the palm of her hand, letting some of the blood drip onto her goblin fetish.

As if drawn from thin air by some inexplicable magic, a Prydaen commoner appears close by.

A Prydaen commoner walks toward Sofina and bows deeply.

Vaerek exclaims, "Urrem'tier, hear my plea, my friends wish to be free!"

A Prydaen commoner wanders off in search of someone.

Nawain scowls at Sofina.

Anuril glances at Sofina.

Sofina puts her fetish in her scavenger's pack.

Ezerak quietly says to Casari, "It seemed like...whatever attention we all felt recently happened when the subject of the Heralds were mentioned.  Though it is impossible to know for sure, at the moment."

Sofina blinks.

A crash of shattering glass echoes through the area.  You are overcome by a sense of wrongness.

Elizzibiana yawns expansively.

Valynn frowns at Sofina.

Aerilia winces.

Nawain whines and complains bitterly and generally manages to act like the world was created specifically to inconvenience her.

Saragos asks Anuril, "Maybe Liraxes is PoP-based, and the Heralds tried to put us in time out?"

Anuril's darkened eyes return to normal.

Anuril nods to Saragos.

Ezerak whispers something to Casari.

Lexxa ponders.

Casari says, "The heralds have always been useless pricks.  It wouldn't surprise me at all."

Nawain says, "Can I commune with Meraud yet? Annoying glasr-breaking... things."

Kethrai quietly says, "Asketi, the stealer of children, wild mistress of barren fields, we pray that you stay your hand this day and allow our friends' safe return."

Nawain mutters to herself.

Illiya squints at Dasheek.

Saragos paces back and forth.

Elurora continues praying.

Dasheek traces a careful sigil in the air.

Vaerek asks, "How many people are we missing?"

Illiya says, "5."

Vaerek asks, "Who are we missing?"

Belzor says, "Five."

Valynn nods to Kethrai.

Casari nods at Ezerak, obviously agreeing with his views.

Ezerak nods to Belzor.

Lupdels says, "Ayrell, Dantia, Navesi, Mazrian, and Miskton."

Illiya nods.

Belzor says, "And Mazrian was a conduit."

Ezerak blinks at Casari.

Kethrai says, "Hodierna, Lady of Life, home and hearth is yours, please help make our homes whole again by safeguarding the missing back here."

Anuril asks, "Is there some commonality among those five?"

A crash of shattering glass echoes through the area.  You are overcome by a sense of wrongness.

Belzor says to Saragos, "As I mentioned earlier."

Lupdels ponders.

Ezerak asks Belzor, "A conduit of what?"

A pained expression crosses Nawain's face.

Illiya says, "Three married ladies and two single men."

Dasheek says, "Point: Vaerek."

Tirost says to Anuril, "None that stand out."

Nawain says, "That's it, I'm calling on Meraud. Hrmph."

Nawain gets an ebonwood ritual vessel shaped like a hollow crow skull from inside her watersilk bag.

Nawain taps something inside her ritual vessel.

Nawain puts her vessel in her watersilk bag.

Nawain gets some burnt incense from inside her watersilk bag.

Nawain strikes a piece of black flint against a grusana kaft forged in viridian tursa, causing a shower of sparks over the burnt incense which smolders, then bursts into flames.

A Prydaen commoner wanders away, seeking rest.

Dasheek chuckles.

Nawain waves some burnt incense over herself.

A wisp of smoke settles around Nawain, surrounding her with the scent of smoke.

Nawain snuffs out her burnt incense.

Nawain puts her kaft in her slender rugursora.

Belzor says to Ezerak, "Of those that are holding the fab five."

Nawain puts her incense in her watersilk bag.

Ryeka nods to Nawain.

Nawain gets an ebonwood ritual vessel shaped like a hollow crow skull from inside her watersilk bag.

Nawain sprinkles some holy water on herself.

Nawain puts her vessel in her watersilk bag.

Nawain takes a deep breath and then raises her hands, murmuring prayers under her breath.  A strong white light fills her, exploding outward and blinding you momentarily.<br> 
When the light fades Nawain is on her knees, looking exhausted but happy.

Valynn quietly says, "Each one represents a different type of mana."

Ruea says, "Dantia isn't married, they're engaged."

Valynn quietly says, "Dantia has Life mana."

Lexxa asks, "To who?"

Saragos says to Belzor, "If it's those same folks, they clearly don't like Sorcery.  That gives us a clear route to punching them right in the face."

Casari gestures.

An instant rush of black and blue fire explodes into being, consuming Casari's left hand and turning it into ash!

Belzor nods to Saragos.

Anuril says to Valynn, "Ayrell and Mazrian are both warrior mages."

Casari sighs.

Valynn quietly says, "Navesi has bardic magic."

Illiya lays her hand on Casari's arm.

Tirost nods.

Illiya says to Casari, "You keep doing that."

Kethrai says, "No Holy users among them."

Elurora stands up.

Elizzibiana says, "Miskton is lunar."

Kethrai stands up.

Casari asks Illiya, "Seems like they don't like it, right?"

Rileos says to Valynn, "And they didn't grab a holy folk."

Saragos whispers something to Tirost.

Nawain frowns.

Kethrai dusts himself off.

Aerilia ponders.

Valynn quietly asks Dasheek, "But do they use the same element?"

Lupdels ponders.

Casari says to Illiya, "Thanks again."

Tirost shakes his head at Saragos.

Elurora says to Kethrai, "It makes me wonder if there is something I could do, I just wish I knew what."

Belzor says, "'they have all they need, Elemental, Life, and Lunar. the only one missing was Holy, which I believe they already possess."

Rileos puts his spear in his war belt.

Saragos whispers something to Tirost.

Kethrai says to Elurora, "Be here with our friends, for now."

Dasheek asks, "Why two Warrior Mages, then?"

Tirost whispers something to Saragos.

Tirost nods to Saragos.

Nawain says, "Maybe whatever it is doesn't want to attract the attention of the Divine. A cleric might be able to serve as a strong conduit to something that could 
actually hurt that place."

Belzor says to Dasheek, "Because they were two that were forging for answers."

Ezerak sadly says to Belzor, "I am not sure of that.  I think he is merely...grieving still, and has been spending too much of his time with his own research."

Illiya asks Belzor, "What did you mean about Mazrian being the conduit?"

Elurora gives Nawain a slight nod.

Valynn quietly says to Dasheek, "But Mazrian wasn't acting right tonight. Maybe he's an outlier."

Belzor asks Ezerak, "Mazrian?"

Saragos says, "If it's Heralds, Kather might be a good avenue to open up negotiation."

Ezerak nods to Belzor.

Lexxa says, "He was yelling out commands like he was possessed."

Elizzibiana says, "Mazrian seemed to be off also, mentally it seems."

Saragos gets a lynx talisman from inside his firesilk tote.

Belzor says to Ezerak, "I do not understand."

Belzor peers quizzically at Ezerak.

Elurora paces back and forth.

Belzor says, "I am not familiar with him."

Valynn rises to her feet fluidly, like a large, graceful cat.

Casari kneels down.

Illiya says, "Mazrian is still magically intact, if not psychologically."

Saragos paces back and forth.

Ezerak fidgets nervously.

Lexxa frowns.

Avrenka says, "He did mention something about "Be careful" "We shouldn't cast so many spells" "We have their attention" "The Heralds."

Lexxa says, "I don't think we're getting anywhere."

Ruea pats Ezerak on the back.

Belzor nods to Avrenka.

Valynn nods to Avrenka.

Belzor says to Avrenka, "My point."

Allye says, "It doesn't seem so."

Saragos says, "Ok, thinking further...  If we want to do something to tick the Heralds off, it shouldn't be here.  We want to keep this area as it is in hopes we can open up a portal later."

Allye sighs deeply, looking very depressed.

Illiya says to Avrenka, "But it doesn't mean he knew something we didn't know."

Ryeka says, "I've known Mazrian a long time- and those words aren't like him."

Ryeka says, "He's a bold soul."

Saragos nods to Ryeka.

Nawain says, "It's also too close to a city."

A pained expression crosses Nawain's face.

Saragos says to Ryeka, "Agreed."

Ezerak gives Saragos a slight nod.

Tirost nods to Ryeka.

Kethrai gives Ryeka a slight nod.

Elurora slowly says to Saragos, "What about Throne City, there was a vision..."

Ezerak nods at Nawain, obviously agreeing with her views.

Lupdels nods to Elurora.

Valynn nods at Ryeka, obviously agreeing with her views.

Lupdels stands up.

Ezerak says to Saragos, "You are right, of course."

Illiya asks, "Throne city or maybe the Zengmodaleth?"

Nawain says, "If we're going to provoke something that might get us squished like the Wind Clan, we might want to do it in the middle of nowhere."

Nawain shifts her weight.

Valynn quietly says, "The life mana here has shifted."

Belzor says, "Throne city is an option."

Belzor nods.

Dasheek searches around for a moment.

Belzor peers quizzically at Valynn.

Saragos gets a distant look on his face.

Kethrai says to Valynn, "That's Meraud's Commune, I believe."

Saragos paces back and forth.

Valynn quietly says, "Ah."

Belzor says, "Elemental has not changed."

Belzor nods.

Valynn nods to Kethrai.

Elizzibiana says, "This is not how I prefer to join Sraan Mehath."

Saragos stares intently at a grey and cream muted tortoiseshell leopard for a moment.

Saragos stares intently at a russet lynx for a moment.

Illiya asks Saragos, "Do you have an idea of where we should go?"

Saragos sighs.

Saragos shakes his head at Illiya.

Nawain ponders.

Valynn quietly says to Belzor, "The life mana is as strong as when I first arrived earlier."

You notice as a russet lynx looks upward negligently.

Belzor nods to Valynn.

Saragos says, "I don't want to leave this spot, in case something reveals itself.  I'm trying to get in touch with Waydren.  He knows more about Dragons than anyone."

(Ezerak presses his hands to his eyes for a moment, grimacing behind them.)

You continue to feel an uncanny confidence, bolstered by Casari's fearlessness.

Belzor asks, "Perhaps visiting both sites will help?"

Belzor asks, "While someone remains back here?"

Dasheek blinks at Saragos.

Illiya says, "I don't know if this has anything to do with dragons though."

Saragos says, "I want to know what he thinks of the Heralds-Dragons connection, and if he thinks they might be behind the kidnapping."

[General] Your mind hears Vaerek thinking, "did the people we get seperated from find their way back to whatever it is that is normal?"

Ezerak hesitantly asks Saragos, "You think the dragons might be involved?"

Illiya says, "We do have a dragon expert here though."

Illiya points at Lupdels.

Ezerak nods to Saragos.

Valynn looks with concern at Ezerak.

Lupdels says, "Dragons would be asking us to stop performing sorcery, but they wouldn't be manipulating Lunar magic."

Saragos says to Ezerak, "It's a theory of mine that the Heralds are something like Greater Dragons."

Casari nods at Lupdels, obviously agreeing with his views.

Kethrai nods to Lupdels.

Lupdels says, "Nor would they be doing anything extradimensional, if the prison was that."

[General] Your mind hears Tirost thinking, "We have not heard from them."

Illiya asks Lupdels, "Do you think this has anything to do with dragons?"

Saragos says to Ezerak, "Or maybe just the Elemental Dragons.  Don't know."

Ezerak gives Saragos a slight nod.

Ezerak says, "I see."

Saragos says, "The Heralds have often taken Draconic form in the past."

Anuril ponders.

Lupdels says to Illiya, "I think bigger than dragons."

Saragos gets a distant look on his face.

Kethrai closes his eyes for a moment and grows still.

Illiya asks Lupdels, "Heralds...?"

[General] Your mind hears Souv thinking, "is anyone looking for them?"

Lupdels ponders.

[General] Your mind hears Myrable thinking, "we are trying in our own wierd ways"

Ryeka frowns.

Belzor gazes at Elurora.

Zyros ponders.

(Saragos hammers his fist against the broken stone wall.)

Ruea rubs her head.

Ryeka says, "I just tried to gweth to Miskton. It didn't work."

[General] Your mind hears Tirost thinking, "Many of us wait where we were separated and re-appeared. Others are trying other means to locate or contact them."

Nawain quietly says, "Even if the Dragons didn't cause this, they must've noticed all this strange magic by now, if they're still on this Plane."

Kethrai trills softly at Saragos.

Saragos nods to Ryeka.

Ruea puts her almanac in her feyweave purse.

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "research wild magic just says same thing for me - you're gonna destroy the bulwark and so forth"

Rileos says, "Ain't no wind in there neither, tried to whisper to them."

Lupdels says to Nawain, "And hence why they stay away."

Rileos waves dismissively.

Dasheek asks, "Can a moon mage attempt a locate again, please?"

Anuril asks, "Has anyone tried reaching them with one of those... bird charms?"

Nawain says, "I sent a whisper charm to Dantia. It came back normally."

Valynn nods to Rileos.

Nawain nods to Anuril.

Rileos says, "So it ain't here."

Nawain chuckles.

Nawain just touched a tiny murder crow charm.

Saragos says, "I was able to see them for a while through my bond to Navesi.  I can't see them anymore."

Valynn quietly says to Rileos, "I heard you."

Anuril grins at Nawain.

Tirost nods to Rileos.

Vaerek says, "I've been trying to locate."

Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Saragos.

Rileos grins at Valynn.

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Dasheek asks, "No avail?"

Vaerek sighs.

Ryeka pats Saragos on the back.

Ruea says, "We need to deal with practical issues too.  I'll write to the Tower to let them know Miskton is... missing..."

Vaerek nods to Dasheek.

[General] Your mind hears Harsh thinking, "uh, Myrable just shook an apple and asked it, will we find them safe. I am not sure she is really a moonwizard"

Ezerak quietly says, "Yes, my connection to Ayrell seemed to suddenly be blocked."

Nawain winces.

[General] Your mind hears Targoth thinking, "has anyone leanred  a new spell with wild magic?"

Illiya says, "Whatever it is that separates us from them, it seems to be getting stronger."

Dasheek asks, "Were you able to locate while they were in prison?"

Ezerak says to Ruea, "Good idea.  The Tower must be notified."

Aerilia asks, "Can you still send thoughts to the missing people?"

Ezerak shakes his head at Aerilia.

Ryeka shakes her head at Aerilia.

Sofina gets an unadorned vellum card framed by a narrow black border from inside a small gift bag.

Aerilia nods.

Ryeka says, "I just tried."

Vaerek says, "This is really bad."

Saragos shakes his head at Aerilia.

Saragos gets a distant look on his face.

Vaerek says, "Like worse than Sofina."

Vaerek chuckles at Sofina.

Kethrai says, "When we were in the prison, it seemed the connection back to this plane was closing. It may be that, after it fully closed, we can no longer reach them."

Sofina peers quizzically at Vaerek.

Aerilia says, "That's.. too bad.  Even if they couldn't reply, I'm sure they would have appreciated it."

Aerilia focuses briefly before the electric spear is ripped violently asunder.

Nawain gazes at Kethrai.

Anuril nods to Aerilia.

Lupdels says to Kethrai, "Until we open it again."

A carrier pigeon swoops in, landing on Sofina's shoulder.  She hands it an unadorned vellum card and whispers some instructions to the bird.  It swoops off again, carrying the card in its beak.

Kethrai nods to Lupdels.

Dasheek asks Vaerek, "When was the last time you were able to locate?"

Anuril says to Aerilia, "Oh hey, nice spear."

Anuril praises Aerilia.

Aerilia grins at Anuril.

Rileos runs his fingers through his hair.

Elurora gazes at Sofina.

Illiya says, "I think we should either try the wild magic again, or try something new like sorcery."

Allye nods to Illiya.

Illiya says, "Doing nothing doesn't seem to be helping anything."

Dasheek nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views.

Nawain ponders.

Lupdels nods to Illiya.

Dytt paces back and forth.

Allye says, "Going to try researching wild magic again now, if anyone would like to join me."

Valynn nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views.

Illiya says, "Yes, let's all try resaerching wild magic again."

Dasheek says, "Can't again.."

Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Allye.

Sofina smiles at Elurora.

Lupdels nods to Dasheek.

Saragos nods to Allye.

Casari nods in agreement.

Saragos says, "I will."

Illiya says, "Some of us didn't complete it last time, so we could try it again."

Allye nods to Saragos.

Dasheek says, "Not since the last round."

Nawain asks, "Why is it that group experimentation seems to attract so much more bad attention than lone wolfing it?"

Valynn says, "I will."

Allye nods to Illiya.

Illiya looks at Nawain and shrugs.

Dytt smokily says, "It won't allow me since I'd done it just befre this."

Nawain joins Saragos's group.

Kethrai says to Nawain, "We're reaching out and twisting a lot of the streams when we do it."

You notice as a russet lynx sniffs the ground.

Nawain nods to Kethrai.

Valynn joins Saragos's group.

Kethrai says, "Might be, if we're doing it in the same place, more effect."

Illiya says, "It got someone's attention last time, so hopefully it can work again."

Ezerak says to Nawain, "Perhaps it is like throwing pebbles into a pool of water.  One might send out some ripples, but a handful makes a splash."

Kethrai says, "I'll join in trying again."

[General] Your mind hears Atvus thinking, "I seem to have perfected one that gives me a rash pretty often."

Allye nods to Kethrai.

Vaerek nods to Illiya.

Nawain says, "Seems awful and dangerous, but I'm game. I have a project partially completed."

Anuril moves a cat talisman to his right hand.

Saragos says, "Researching now."

Lupdels says, "Let's see what we can do."

Allye says, "Me too."

Nawain nods to Ezerak.

Anuril moves a cat talisman to his left hand.

Elurora stands near Belzor.

Elurora leans on Belzor.

Vaerek says, "Gonna try again."

Vaerek gestures at a heavy parchment scroll labeled GAUGE FLOW.

Vaerek's scroll glows with iridescent hues.

Avrenka says, "I actually think it was Saragos attempting to open a tunnel that may have triggered the Herald's "silence" response."

Valynn says, "Here goes something, hopefully."

Allye nods to Vaerek.

Ezerak leans over and whispers, "I do not know what to do."

Nawain gestures.

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "maybe need an ointment?"

Ezerak rubs his right eye.

Avrenka says, "It was the thing that was happening right before that happened..."

Sofina says, "I think my get well card arrived to Miskton."

Belzor rubs Elurora in a friendly manner.

Kethrai says, "But we were researching when the kidnapping happened."

Vaerek says, "Here it goes."

Belzor shakes his head.

Anuril smiles at Sofina.

Belzor nods to Elurora.

Dasheek squints.

You whisper to Ezerak, "I'm at a loss, too.  This is... Ayrell's area of exertise.  Not mine."

You sigh.

[General] Your mind hears Illiya thinking, "If there is anyone who can still research wild magic, we are trying an experiment to get our friends back.. please try to 
research now!"

Ruea leans on Rileos.

Ezerak nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views.

Vaerek asks, "Who are we all joined on?"

(Nawain watches magic move across the world with fascination, combining spells and ritual and offering the unwavering stability of her faith to the mana of those around her.)

Illiya says, "I am researching."

Vaerek says, "That seemed to be key too."

Allye says, "Did anyone recognize what Mazrian did right before we researched last time? I felt it in my abdomen, it was odd and horrible."

Dasheek rubs Illiya gently, massaging her muscles.

Ryeka says, "Saragos."

Belzor says, "I am joined with Lord Saragos."

Belzor nods.

Lupdels says, "Changed the elemental domain."

[General] Your mind hears Kerennya thinking, "Researching wild magic in solidarity with those trying to find those who were lost."

Tirost says to Allye, "He summoned a certain type of domain."

Elurora says to Allye, "I'm not sure, but I felt it too."

Allye says, "Ahh."

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

A barely felt zap of static electricity accompanies Dasheek's meditation.

Casari asks, "The one that isn't supposed to exist, right?"

Allye asks, "Could that have... done something?"

Ezerak's shoulders bow as if under some great burden.

Tirost nods to Casari.

Ezerak gazes down at the ground.

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Illiya asks, "Can any of you other elemental mages do that?"

Tirost nods to Illiya.

Kethrai joins Saragos's group.

Elurora looks with concern at Ezerak.

Anuril loudly says, "Let's not do that."

Anuril squints.

Illiya grins at Anuril, her dimples flashing into view.

Dasheek says, "I'm playing with the elemental domains while you guys research."

Saragos says, "I don't.  I can, but I don't."

Ryeka nods.

Allye angles her ears forward in curiosity.

Lupdels ponders.

Allye nods.

Casari says, "I don't... do planar stuff.  All my elements are right here."

Tirost says, "I will, if we want it done."

Dasheek says, "Oh, I'm already doing it."

Saragos says, "We'll save that for when we really need to get some attention of them again."

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Suddenly the area feels somehow more... stable, in some vaguely felt way.

Illiya asks, "Is now not that time that we really need their attention?"

Lupdels ponders.

Nawain nods to Illiya.

[General] Your mind hears Souv thinking, "that seems like a bad place to die"

Illiya says, "I think someone should do it."

Dasheek nods to Illiya.

Dasheek says, "ALready doing it.."

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

The air around you feels somehow thicker, slightly harder to breathe.

Saragos says, "I want to have everyone here to destroy them if they won't give our people back."

Dasheek says, "Cycling through the elements."

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Ryeka says, "Researching wild."

Tirost nods to Saragos.

Ezerak gazes at Dasheek.

Allye nods to Saragos.

Ruea chuckles at Rileos.

Dasheek looks at Ezerak and shrugs.

Casari says, "God, herald, demon.  Just give me something flammable."

Vaerek asks, "Destroy what?"

Casari nods to Saragos.

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Lexxa asks, "So what are we doing?"

(Saragos sketches a drawing of something that resembles the tower in his notebook, making a few precise annotations.)

Ezerak says to Vaerek, "Whatever has taken Ayrell.  And the rest."

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

You feel a sudden tingle of heat in your palms.

Elurora gazes at Dasheek.

Avrenka ponders.

Rileos runs his fingers through his hair.

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

The humidity in the area noticeably increases.

Anuril puts his talisman in his silk backpack.

Avrenka says, "The prison was a place of silence as well."

Casari nods at Ezerak, obviously agreeing with his views.

Ezathiel humbly says, "Well people I am afraid I am out of my element here so I will be taking my leave. Been a long night, day, night. Safe paths whatever you find out."

Ezathiel waves.

Lexxa says, "You could whisper in there."

Avrenka waves to Ezathiel.

Illiya hugs Ezathiel, who wraps his arms around Illiya with a warm smile.

Tirost nods to Ezathiel.

Casari gives Ezathiel a slight nod.

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Elurora hugs Ezathiel, who wraps his arms around Elurora with a warm smile.

Anuril nods to Ezathiel.

Lupdels ponders.

Anuril gets a demonbone pipe scrimshawed with frolicking water sprites from inside his silk backpack.

Ezathiel hugs Elurora, getting a smile in return.

Anuril gets some Mountain Pass Blend tobacco from inside his tobacco pouch.

Ezathiel nods to Anuril.

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Avrenka says, "Magical silence, I mean."

Anuril puts his tobacco in his demonbone pipe.

Lexxa says, "Oh."

Niliaevat Raesh Isen Ezathiel strolls down.

Anuril touches some Mountain Pass Blend tobacco with a glowing finger, and it quickly catches fire.

Anuril puffs away on his demonbone pipe.

Lexxa nods to Avrenka.

Anuril moves a demonbone pipe scrimshawed with frolicking water sprites to his left hand.

Aerilia ponders.

Valynn closes her eyes and begins repeating a silly nonsense word, then shakes her head and sighs in frustration.

Rileos nods at Anuril, obviously agreeing with his views.

Rileos gets a long brown cigarillo printed with green leaves from inside a velvet-lined gold cigarillo case.

Rileos gets an indurium and orichalcum phoenix from inside his tobacco pouch.

Rileos points his orichalcum phoenix at a long brown cigarillo and a flame shoots from the creature's mouth, making the cigarillo quickly catch fire.

Rileos puts his phoenix in his tobacco pouch.

Nawain dreamily asks, "Goondness, we adventurers are a violent lot. Tell me when you want this research completed, yes?"

[General] Your mind hears Lilustra thinking, "Is there something special I am looking for in researching the wild magic?"

Anuril pats Rileos on the back.

Rileos takes a long drag off of a burning brown cigarillo.

Lexxa says, "Well i tried to talk in there and couldn't do that either."

Ryeka grins at Nawain, her dimples flashing into view.

Ruea appears to be trying hard not to grin.

Elurora nods.

Rileos moves a burning brown cigarillo to his left hand.

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

A barely felt zap of static electricity accompanies Dasheek's meditation.

Rileos gets a long brown cigarillo printed with green leaves from inside a velvet-lined gold cigarillo case.

Dasheek says, "Yeah, whispers and thoughts only."

Rileos offers Ruea a long brown cigarillo printed with green leaves.

Sofina asks, "Were they seperated or together where ever they are? And were you all seperated, or together?"

Ruea accepts Rileos's brown cigarillo.

[General] Your mind hears Dytt thinking, "well getting yanked out of the plane would be considered unusual, yes?"

Ruea gets a small silver dragon from inside her feyweave purse.

Tiny puffs of smoke rise from Rileos's brown cigarillo as it burns.

Ruea points her silver dragon at a long brown cigarillo and a flame shoots from the creature's mouth, making the cigarillo quickly catch fire.

Ruea puts her dragon in her feyweave purse.

Ruea inhales a great swallow of air.

Vaerek searches around for a moment.

Aerilia says, "That place was pure life, elemental and lunar mana.. but none of it felt mixed to me.  Like each bar of the cage was different, but pure."

Illiya says, "We were all together. Saragos and Ezerak would know if the 5 of them were together or not."

Ruea takes a long drag off of a burning brown cigarillo.

Anuril raises an eyebrow in Sofina's direction.

Anuril asks Sofina, "You weren't taken to the null prison with us?"

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "we researched at the pond...no one popped outta thin air"

[General] Your mind hears Dasheek thinking, "We're trying to make noise, and our best guess is researching wild magic is the loudest."

Rileos casually flicks some ashes off the end of his brown cigarillo.

Ezerak says, "They were together, in a similar place as we were, but not with us."

Belzor smiles.

Saragos says, "They were all together."

Sofina says, "I had left right before everything started. Other things required my attention."

Dasheek stands up.

Anuril nods to Sofina.

Nawain ponders.

Illiya paces back and forth.

Saragos says, "Where they were seemed just like where we were, only with no rift."

Ezerak says, "Perhaps...a separate cell, to keep the prison analogy going."

Dasheek rubs Illiya gently, massaging her muscles.

Elurora rubs her head.

Rileos nods to Ezerak.

Ruea takes a long drag off of a burning brown cigarillo.

Lupdels ponders.

[General] Your mind hears Cartroth thinking, "Hypothetically, if someone had done some Wild research recently, they didnt find anything new.  At least, in theory... ..."

Vaerek asks, "Should we harness untill we lose our legs again?"

Lupdels says, "Might as well."

Rileos casually flicks some ashes off the end of his brown cigarillo.

Ryeka chuckles.

Ezerak brushes the surface of his gais diadem and begins to reel!  He clutches his head in pain!

Valynn grins.

Tirost traces a geometric sigil in the air.

Nawain says, "Were any of you asked anything? Was anything communicated to you when you were taken? I'd suspect those five are all likely to agree to negotiate with something powerful and unknown, if asked."

Nawain ponders.

Ruea casually flicks some ashes off the end of her brown cigarillo.

Rileos shakes his head at Nawain.

Ruea takes a long drag off of a burning brown cigarillo.

Ezerak mutters to himself.

Dasheek says, "Who knew we'd have to lose our legs to retrace our steps.."

Anuril shakes his head at Nawain.

Kethrai shakes his head.

Allye shakes her head at Nawain.

Elurora winces.

[General] Your mind hears Illiya thinking, "Whoever you are that took our friends, if you can hear this, give them back now!"

Nawain ponders.

Aerilia shakes her head.

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "or whatever you are..."

Saragos says to Nawain, "Unless I have some proof of life from my wife, I'm assuming this is a hostile entity that needs killing."

Rileos says, "Absolutely a cell, though.  I'm sure we all seen enough to know one on reflex."

Nawain winces.

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

A barely felt zap of static electricity accompanies Dasheek's meditation.

Rileos's brown cigarillo glows faintly as it burns down.

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Illiya says, "Someone said 'Unacceptable!' and they wre taken."

Tirost grins at Rileos.

Nawain says to Saragos, "I understand. I would feel the same way, if it took Tek."

Tirost nods in agreement.

Elurora nods to Illiya.

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

A barely felt zap of static electricity accompanies Dasheek's meditation.

Avrenka says, "I wonder what exactly was "unacceptable."

Dasheek settles into a comfortable position and closes his eyes.

Lexxa asks, "Maybe we were unacceptable but they were not?"

Allye nibbles her lip thoughtfully.

Sofina asks, "Unacceptable was the only thing communicated? Nothing threatening?"

Casari stands up.

Nawain ponders.

Ezerak quietly asks Saragos, "Perhaps we should discuss that?  And how it may be accomplished?"

Lexxa nods.

Dasheek says, "That, and a demand for silence."

Kethrai says, "Just that word."

Sofina ponders.

Sofina nods.

Aerilia nods to Dasheek.

Avrenka says, "You mean besides us being imprisoned and then blown up."

Saragos nods to Ezerak.

Lexxa says, "Yes."

Dasheek says, "The demand for silence came after the imprisonment."

Lupdels nods to Dasheek.

Illiya says, "It said Unacceptable, then those 5 disappeared, then the rest of us were put in a separate prison."

Sofina nods.

Vaerek says, "Yeah, we got blown up too."

Dasheek stands up.

Nawain ponders.

Vaerek says, "That hurt."

Illiya says, "There was a sphere of abject blackness though."

Dasheek says, "Merely scratched."

Avrenka says, "Well there was a huge mana surge before all of that."

Saragos says, "I've got letters to write too."

Allye frowns.

Lupdels nods to Avrenka.

Lexxa says, "Fog covering the paths."

Lexxa says, "This is gonna make the papers."

Dasheek laughs!

Ezerak gazes at Lexxa.

Illiya exclaims, "Not if we don't get Navesi back!"

Elurora quietly says, "Not without Navesi."

Elurora flashes a quick grin at Illiya.

Illiya folds her arms across her chest.

Saragos says, "And...  Oh Gods.  I have to write something for the Herald.  She's gone."

Belzor gestures at Ruea.

Lexxa says, "Ah."

Lupdels sighs.

Ruea says, "We're going to get Navesi back, don't be iurrational."

Dasheek says, "Seeing as how all the reporters are here, and the publisher is imprisoned, maybe it will."

Belzor says, "She is a writer."

Belzor gestures at Ruea.

Dasheek pats Saragos on the back.

Ruea says to Saragos, "I'll write it."

Belzor frowns, shaking his head with an expression of exasperation before resting his face in the palm of his hand.

Ezerak nibbles his lip thoughtfully.

Belzor shakes his head.

Kethrai says, "Whatever wild magic is doing, it seems to be blurring the lines between mana types. Whoever was running those jails -- let's call them the Heralds just for argument sake, okay? -- seems to wield them with strict separation."

Anuril puffs away on his demonbone pipe.

Belzor says to Elurora, "I spoke."

Illiya says, "I am a reporter too, but that doesn't mean we don't need her back."

Belzor frowns.

Elurora nods to Belzor.

Belzor flails his arms about.

Elurora nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views.

Kethrai says, "So, the 'unacceptable' might be the extent to which we were using wild magic."

Ezerak gazes at Kethrai.

Saragos says to Ruea, "I'm not the best for noting details right now, but I need to make sure there's a message sent to whoever took her."

Elurora shakes her head at Belzor.

Belzor blushes a bright red color.

Ezerak says to Kethrai, "Perhaps so."

Dasheek says, "But then we just got who knows how many people to research,and nothing happened.."

Ezerak says to Kethrai, "Tell me more."

Dytt smokily says, "But I wasn't using it and got yanked."

Dytt ponders.

Rileos says to Saragos, "I don't think whatever that was reads the paper."

Ruea says to Saragos, "Tomorrow we'll sit down and talk, I'll interview you, Ezerak, and Madigan."

Lupdels nods to Dytt.

Kethrai asks, "We've floated that this could be a war between the Immortals and the Heralds, or a war between Liraxes and the Immortals, but what if it's a war between Liraxes and the Heralds?"

Ruea says, "You'll all get to say your piece."

Saragos says to Ruea, "Need to make sure it's threatening enough."

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Illiya says to Kethrai, "Anything is possible at this point."

Saragos exclaims to Rileos, "I don't know!  It's worth a shot!"

Anuril nods to Kethrai.

Ruea says to Saragos, "I will include curse words."

A mottled bolus coalesces in Valynn's hand!

Dytt grumbles.

Ruea takes a long drag off of a burning brown cigarillo.

Dasheek gasps!

Ryeka grins at Ruea, her dimples flashing into view.

Illiya grins at Valynn, her dimples flashing into view.

Rileos asks Saragos, "Saragos, we've been friends for a long, long time, yeah?"

Aerilia glances at Valynn.

Valynn glances at a mottled bolus.

Anuril pats Valynn on the back.

Ruea casually flicks some ashes off the end of her brown cigarillo.

Saragos says, "Also, if it's Heralds...  a good article might bring some people out of the woodwork that might know something that will make them take notice."

Allye trills softly at Valynn.

Lexxa says, "It doesn't seem like we're getting them back tonight. Sadly."

Saragos nods to Rileos.

Casari asks, "Okay.  Good point.  We never figured out what Liraxes is, and it seems connected.  So let's go to where you all found Liraxes before?"

Rileos asks Saragos, "Do you trust me?"

Valynn opens her suede haversack.

Saragos says to Rileos, "Sure."

Valynn puts her bolus in her suede haversack.

Rileos stands near Saragos.

Valynn closes her suede haversack.

Lupdels ponders.

Ezerak asks Casari, "The Plane of Probability, or the Astral Plane?"

Rileos flatly says to Saragos, "Get your goddamn mind right."

Ezerak shudders.

Casari looks at Ezerak and shrugs.

Valynn says, "That seems so wrong."

Kethrai says to Casari, "People first learned about it on at the Planar Obsevatory..."

Dytt smokily says to Casari, "I'm not up for going to the Astral plane again."

Ruea says to Saragos, "I don't mean to talk myself up, but my writing is fairly well received.  People have complimented it before."

Kethrai says, "Probably a bad place to go back to right now."

Allye gazes at Rileos.

Casari asks, "I wasn't there.  But it's something, right?"

Elurora gazes up at the sky.

Rileos says to Saragos, "Threats come after they're back.  Focus on the back part, nothing else is important.  Breathe."

Kethrai says, "It's not that easy, anyway. We need Astral Guides... The right moons need to be up..."

Ezerak says to Casari, "It is worth a try."

Vaerek says, "Well, our friends hat a good run.  Farewell, Ayrell, Miskton, Navesi and Dantia."

Nawain uneasily asks, "We should keep watch, here. In case they get spit back. It would be better if someone was watching to help them. Right?"

Nawain gives Vaerek a little prod between the shoulder blades.

Nawain scowls at Vaerek.

Vaerek says, "Oh and Mazrian."

Ezerak fixes Vaerek with a serene, lofty stare.

Kethrai nods to Nawain.

Lexxa frowns.

Dasheek squints at Vaerek.

Lexxa gives a slight nod.

Saragos says to Rileos, "I hear that, but don't agree with it.  They need to know that holding our people is a risk.  One they cannot afford to take."

Kethrai says, "I'll stay, in case they need healing when they get back, like we did."

Vaerek looks at Dasheek and shrugs.

Valynn places her hand over Vaerek's mouth.

Casari nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Aerilia sighs.

Ruea asks Vaerek, "Did you just need some attention, dear?"

Dytt growls ferociously!

Ruea smiles at Vaerek.

Nawain says to Vaerek, "Sir. Someone's going to light you on fire. And you'll probably deserve it."

Rileos says to Saragos, "Saragos, they can turn off our magic on a whim.  Even if there -is- a way to open a hole, they'll turn what you're doing off and then we're double screwed."

Vaerek says, "No, I feel like we need some."

Ruea takes a long drag off of a burning brown cigarillo.

Valynn says to Vaerek, "Pardon my hand."

Vaerek chuckles.

Vaerek says, "It's ok."

Dasheek says to Rileos, "I beg to differ, we also have swords."

Dasheek gets a flame-bladed zweihander with a blade of firestained agonite from inside his thigh bag.

Dasheek taps a flame-bladed zweihander with a blade of firestained agonite that he is holding.

Dasheek puts his zweihander in his thigh bag.

Ezerak hesitantly says to Rileos, "That...that is a valid point."

Rileos says to Saragos, "You're smarter than me and I can see that, she needs you to put your damn head on right."

Ruea waves her hand distractedly.

Saragos says to Rileos, "Unless you've got a better idea, that's all I've got right now.  Other than working fast before they notice and turn magic off."

Lexxa says, "I'm good with an arrow but can't fight something I can't see."

Avrenka says, "The Herald released us after a due amount of time, regardless of what we had done ... perhaps it will also release our 5 friends when they deem the time is right too."

Saragos says, "That, or making them scared enough of what we'll do that they decide they have to talk to us."

Casari puts her naphtha in her leather belt.

Ruea asks Saragos, "What would Navesi do if you were the one who was taken?"

Nawain says to Kethrai, "I'm just spending my days making remedies. If you don't mind the fidgeting or the smells, I can keep you company."

Valynn nods at Lexxa, obviously agreeing with her views.

Rileos says to Saragos, "Sure don't, which is why I want you to focus on the job, I can't figure this crap out."

Nawain gets a tall silvery altar candle from inside her watersilk bag.

Kethrai nods to Nawain.

Nawain gets a vardite World Dragon set with crystalline dragon tear eyes from inside her slender rugursora.

Kethrai says to Nawain, "Happy to have it."

Avrenka says, "There was nothing we did or could do to release ourselves ... I doub tthere is anything we can do now to release our 5 friends ... perhaps we can do nothing but wait."

Nawain points her World Dragon at a tall silvery altar candle and a flame shoots from the creature's mouth, making the candle quickly catch fire.

Rileos takes a long drag off of a burning brown cigarillo.

Saragos fixes Ruea with a frank, even stare.

Nawain puts her Dragon in her slender rugursora.

Kethrai says, "It may be that the five of them are there, negotiating on our behalf, right now."

Avrenka nods.

Nawain nods to Kethrai.

Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Kethrai.

Illiya says, "Doing nothing feels bad though."

Illiya chuckles.

Rileos says to Kethrai, "I'm sure damn hopin so cause we got no way in."

Nawain says, "We should rush them."

Elurora nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views.

Nawain coughs.

Nawain says, "Shouldnt."

Allye nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views.

Lexxa says, "I agree with Illiya."

Nawain frowns, shaking her head with an expression of exasperation before resting her face in the palm of her hand.

Casari says, "And it may be that the five of them are being tortured right now, and that's, as they say, UNACCEPTABLE."

Valynn nods to Illiya.

Avrenka says, "Perhaps we can continue beseeching the gods."

Aerilia asks, "I read about the vision experiment Miskton did.  Maybe another lunar mage could try that again for clues how to get them back?"

Vaerek says, "Maybe we should go to Ratha and see if they are there."

Allye frowns.

Nawain's altar candle burns with a comforting glow.

Ezerak quietly says, "I know what Ayrell would do.  I do not have her talent with fire, but I have my own methods."

Kethrai gazes at Aerilia.

Dasheek says, "Fact is, we don't know. So we gotta assume the worst, and try our best."

Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Ezerak.

Ruea glances at Ezerak.

Vaerek asks Aerilia, "Vision experiment?"

Anuril says to Aerilia, "Predictions."

Saragos says to Ruea, "I don't think you understand.  I was a mess before her.  Self-destructive.  Having her gave me...  purpose.  Made me want to make the world better. 
If I don't have her, I have nothing."

Kethrai says to Aerilia, "That's an idea."

Aerilia nods.

Illiya says, "We tried wild magic research, let's just try something else."

Nawain's altar candle burns with a comforting glow.

Tirost says to Vaerek, "The predictions."

Aerilia asks, "He.. predicted on people using wild magic, I think?"

Rileos says to Aerilia, "That's a good thought."

Dasheek says, "The harnessing.."

Ryeka pats Saragos on the back.

Dasheek says, "Let's do that."

Avrenka says, "We haven't done the harnessing again yet."

Rileos casually flicks some ashes off the end of his brown cigarillo.

Dasheek asks, "Empaths ready?"

Allye nods to Dasheek.

Ryeka exclaims, "Then hold it together so she can come back, Saragos!"

Ruea says to Saragos, "I knew both of you before you married, I remember you well.  And she would be disappointed in you if this is all it takes to make you collapse into yourself again."

Avrenka asks, "Who shall we join?"

Kethrai nods to Dasheek.

Nawain exclaims, "I have lujeakave!"

Dasheek says, "Don't worry about joining anyone.. Just start harnessing.."

Dasheek says, "Now."

Vaerek says, "I'm game fore whatever.  I've been predicting but no answers yet."

Anuril grins at Nawain.

Ruea gazes at Saragos.

Ruea's brown cigarillo goes out and crumbles away.

Tirost gazes at Ruea.

Dytt smokily says, "Harnessing."

Lexxa says, "500."

Illiya says, "Harnessing too."

Lupdels says, "Joining ..."

Dasheek nods.

Allye touches Dytt with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Saragos says to Ruea, "What am I supposed to do, just accept that I have nothing?  Those powerful beings...  we're nothing to them.  They just do what they want, and we mortals need to just adapt to whatever they do.  They don't talk to us.  The only things they talk to are things that are on a tier with them."

Illiya says, "Anyone that needs healing let us know."

Allye nods in agreement.

Elurora slowly says to Saragos, "You have your children."

Anuril observes Saragos with fascination.

Ruea says to Saragos, "If I need to be the bad guy so you can take it out on me until you brain starts working again, that's fine."

Saragos says, "We need to show them that we're worth talking to."

Avrenka says, "Seems I can't harness mana even a tenth as well as before..."

Nawain draws forth a viridian whip from the ties on her thigh straps.

Sofina says, "If you dont mind me killing one of your plants, I could use one..."

Saragos casually observes the area.

Ruea fixes Tirost with a serene, lofty stare.

Nawain winces.

Ruea says to Tirost, "I know exactly what I'm doing.  Thank you."

Saragos coldly says, "Fine.  I hear you all.  I'm getting to work."

Nawain says, "This feels entirely wrong."

Valynn rests her hand on Saragos's arm with a soft smile.

Dasheek says, "Well, I *was* holding a godlike amount of mana.."

Ruea asks Ezerak, "You.  Are you able to function or do we need to get into it too?"

Elurora grins at Dasheek.

Dytt pants.

Valynn says, "] Sarago Calm. Calm energy will help."

The Pass Blend tobacco in Anuril's demonbone pipe goes out and crumbles away.

A finger of flame leaps up from Nawain's altar candle.

Ezerak gazes at Ruea.

Anuril gets some Mountain Pass Blend tobacco from inside his tobacco pouch.

Illiya asks Vaerek, "Are you going to try some predictions?"

Dasheek says, "We need to harness a bit more to make up for the fewer people doing it."

Allye nods to Dasheek.

Saragos says to Rileos, "When you have a minute, could you go into my apartment at Gaethrend's?  Bring me the whole shelf of books on planar theory.  Just all of them."
Vaerek nods to Illiya.

Anuril touches some Mountain Pass Blend tobacco with a glowing finger, and it quickly catches fire.

Vaerek says, "You're first."

Vaerek scans the sky, looking for portents and insight.

Ezerak quietly says to Ruea, "I am not sure.  I think I need time to think.  Perhaps I will visit Meraud's shrine for a bit."

Anuril puffs away on his demonbone pipe.

Lexxa says, "700."

Lupdels says, "Ugh ..."

Allye touches Lexxa with a confident grace and familiar smile.

Ruea nods to Ezerak.

Rileos says to Saragos, "Sure, gimme the keys so I don't have to kick your damn door in."

Ruea rubs her head.

Saragos nods to Rileos.

Elurora smiles at Illiya.

Belzor says, "Yes, visit the shrine, take the clerics with you."

Belzor nods.

Illiya lays her hand on Elurora's arm.

Vaerek scans the sky, looking for portents and insight.

Belzor says, "Perhaps they can commune."

Avrenka asks, "Was there a party sent to investigate Maelshyve's Fortress recently?"

Saragos says, "I'm staying here.  This was a workshop once.  It'll be one again."

Ezerak quietly says to Saragos, "When...when you feel up to talking, I've some subjects I would like to discuss with you."

A pained expression crosses Nawain's face.

Saragos sighs.

Mistress of Stitches Seltzer just arrived.

Saragos says, "I can take a break.  Let's talk."

Saragos nods to Ezerak.

Saragos puts his talisman in his firesilk tote.

Ruea says, "I'm sorry if I'm coming off cold, but two of my best friends are missing in addition to a cadre of other people very dear to me."

Belzor left the group.

Ruea nods to Saragos.

Seltzer says to Sofina, "A plant for you."

Sofina curtsies.

Vaerek gazes absently at Illiya, almost staring through her.

Ruea says to Saragos, "I apologize if I was out of line."

Sofina says to Seltzer, "Thank you."

Dasheek says, "Alright, I think we can stop harnessing now."

Seltzer nods to Sofina.

Nawain pants.

Vaerek blinks at Illiya.

Nawain falls over.

Dasheek says, "It was a good effort, and maybe it will bear fruit."

Vaerek scans the sky, looking for portents and insight.

Saragos says to Ruea, "You weren't out of line.  I need to get to work, not talk about it."

Saragos gives Ruea a slight nod.

Illiya peers quizzically at Vaerek.

Ruea nods to Saragos.

Vaerek asks, "What did you see?"

A faint sound of cracking glass echoes through the area.  You feel protected.

Druid Zyros goes down.

Nawain cackles!

Illiya says, "The Throne City vision again."

Ryeka blinks.

Nawain says, "One for Meraud."

Vaerek says, "Seems like we're going to throne."

Nawain nods.

Vaerek scans the sky from horizon to horizon.

Druid Zyros just arrived.

Ryeka asks, "Crashing glass and feeling protected?"

Ryeka smiles, revealing the dimples in her cheeks.

Elurora says, "The same vision I saw."

Sofina reaches out to touch a broad vela'tohr bush with a single spiked frond arrayed in a spiked mohawk, and it extends a green branch, soft leaves curling against her flesh as she sighs softly.

Sofina just touched a broad vela'tohr bush with a single spiked frond arrayed in a spiked mohawk.

Elurora nods to Illiya.

Lupdels asks, "Any Empaths?"

Dasheek says, "The area is warded."

Lupdels smiles.

Lexxa asks, "Is there a prison in TC?"

Dasheek says, "You were protected."

Illiya lays her hand on Lupdels's arm.

Kethrai says to Ryeka, "That's Meraud's Commune protecting us from wild magic."

Ryeka nods to Dasheek.

Lupdels smiles at Illiya.

Vaerek gestures.

A beam of ruby brilliance splits the sky.

Illiya says, "I agree with going to Throne City, we don't have any other leads."

Avrenka says, "Lost all my mana, could use a heal."

Illiya says, "A few people can stay behind here if they like."

Illiya lays her hand on Avrenka's arm.

Avrenka nods to Illiya.

Nawain says to Ryeka, "When Meraud is communed with in a space, mana is sanctified, and doesn't shatter when that... glass breaks."

Ryeka nods.

Sofina just touched a broad vela'tohr bush with a single spiked frond arrayed in a spiked mohawk.

Avrenka says to Illiya, "Thanks."

Vaerek gestures.

A brief wave of disorientation washes outward as reality itself tears wide open, forming an unstable Moongate around Vaerek!

Vaerek is drawn through the unstable Moongate just before it collapses.

Tirost smiles at Aerilia.

Ezerak nods to Saragos.

Aerilia nods to Tirost.

Illiya says, "You find yourself wandering the streets of Throne City, a cold mist settling over the cobblestones. You see torchlight flickering through a nearby sewer grate. A series of loud explosions rocks several buildings, heavy stones grinding and raining downward. You cover your face in terror, and several large boulders twist and crumble as they fall, contorted and cast aside as they plummet through savagely twisted lines of magical energy. A warning bell begins to clang, and a net of crisscrossed magical barbs writhes through the city. You run and trip over a mangled corpse, with shattered bones protruding through the flesh, subluxated joints bent oddly, and widespread bruising blossoming over spongy skin. A scream pieces the air, and the vision fades."

Saragos asks Rileos to join his group, but Rileos declines.

Kethrai says, "As I said before, I'll stay here in case they arrive and need to be healed."

[General] Your mind hears Sliyder thinking, "Has anyone heard anything?"

Saragos stops you from following him.

Ruea nods to Saragos.

Rileos joins Saragos's group.

Saragos adds Ezerak to his group.

Ruea joins Saragos's group.

Ryeka frowns.

Nawain nods to Kethrai.

Illiya asks, "Who's going to Throne?"

Ruea says to Kethrai, "Thank you."

Ruea continues to praise Kethrai.

Nawain humbly kneels in the center of the prayer mat.

Tempest Knight Saragos strides down, leading his group.

Avrenka says, "Welp, there he goes."

Casari frowns.

Dasheek ponders.

Valynn blinks.

Lupdels says, "Ah."

Sofina glances up at the sky.

Belzor says, "They are putting thoughts together."

Dytt smokily says, "Can't say I blame him."

Ryeka says, "Nor do I."

Belzor says, "Perhaps they need some help and draw strength from each other."

In a blazing fountain of red-gold sparks, a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges blazes into life.

Nawain rubs a heart-shaped loveglass token festooned with spun rainbow ribbons.

Ryeka frowns.

Sofina peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Dytt smokily says, "I also want to tear whoever did that's throat out."

[General] Your mind hears Anuril thinking, "The missing are still missing."

Ryeka peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Avrenka says, "I'll wait and pray for a bit."

Ryeka went through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges.

Kethrai peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Elurora peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Sofina says, "Well look at that."

Avrenka peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Dasheek peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Tirost peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Casari peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Vaerek came through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges.

Belzor peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Sofina went through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges.

Dytt peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Anuril peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Nawain peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Allye peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Lexxa peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Vaerek says, "If you feel like a trip to throne."

Dasheek traces a careful sigil in the air.

Belzor went through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges.

Elurora chews on her lip, looking deep in concentration.

Vaerek points at a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges.

Seltzer peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Valynn peers through the sanguine Moongate.

Lexxa went through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges.

Vaerek went through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges.

Avrenka says, "I will stay here and meditate."

Illiya asks Elurora, "Shall we?"

[General] Your mind hears Momus thinking, "missing or taken or lost?"

Elurora joins Illiya's group.

Elurora nods to Illiya.

Firehawk Casari goes down.

Dasheek says, "Oh."

Lupdels joins Illiya's group.

Dasheek joins Illiya's group.

[General] Your mind hears Nawain thinking, "Taken."

Valynn joins Illiya's group.

Dasheek blushes, the tips of his ears turning a deep shade of red.

Illiya asks, "Anyone else want to go to Throne City?"

Zyros joins Illiya's group.

Lupdels says, "I'm following you all."

Tirost says, "I'm staying this time."

Nawain says to Illiya, "Good luck."

Illiya says, "Leaving in 5."

[Personal] Your mind hears Ezerak thinking, "<to you>"  "You are welcome to join us at Gaethrend's."

Avrenka says to Illiya, "Call for help if you need it."

Illiya nods to Avrenka.

Strawberry Nurse Illiya's group went through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges.

Tirost sighs.

You go down.
[Arhat's Tower, Foyer]
Scorched walls span the tower, and faint reflections of emerald green onyx are visible beneath the ash.  A long steep staircase has been cut into the walls, spiraling its way up the tapering interior.  A soot-blackened door, hanging precariously from one hinge, leads out.  You also see a black panther that is sleeping.
Obvious exits: up.

 (Travel)

== Conversation at Gaethrend's Court ==

You run northeast.<br>
[Gaethrend's Court, Barroom]<br>
Plush red carpet surrounds a glistening pinewood bar where thirsty travellers stop for a taste of Gaethrend's finest brew.  A seemingly endless array of bottles are lined up in front of a classic long bar mirror.  You note a few of the bottles contain actively swirling elixirs, twisting about in their containers as if alive.  You also see an elegant menu.<br>
Also here: Firehawk Casari, Ruea, Mountain Lord Ezerak, Roughneck Rileos and Tempest Knight Saragos.

Ezerak says to Saragos, "I had a thought, considering we are most likely dealing with some sort of very powerful entity."

Saragos examines a black wide-brimmed hat with a thin firesilk band.

Ezerak waves to you.

You wave to Ezerak.

Saragos nods to Ezerak.

Ezerak says, "I invited Maraisel to join us as well, since this involves her sister, too."

You give a slight nod.

Saragos says, "It's true.  We should start making plans for how to kill something...  big.  If we need to."

Saragos nods to you.

Saragos says, "Sorry that I didn't think of it."

Ezerak asks Saragos, "What can you tell me about the Philosopher's Knot?"

Saragos says, "Madigan, I'm sure, is in.  We just need to figure out how to do it."

Ezerak says to Saragos, "I did not at the time, either."

Ezerak blushes, the tips of his ears turning a deep shade of red.

Saragos nods to Ezerak.

Rileos says to Saragos, "That's after we get them, that time is comin just fine, let's focus up on the gettin part first."

Saragos says, "The Knot.  Thought it might come to that."

Ruea pulls a lifesculpted silverwillow tiara graced with a radiant molten-core diamond from her hair, letting it fall to its normal style.

Ruea unravels her braid.

Ruea runs her fingers through her hair.

Ruea sighs.

Rileos glances at an elegant menu.

Ruea says, "This evening was not as fun as I'd hoped."

Ezerak says, "I was...sort of around then, but occupied with other things."

Rileos chuckles.

Saragos says, "The Knot is almost certainly beyond our ability to recreate.  I had a long conversation with Yvela about this recently."

Casari folds her arms across her chest.

Saragos says, "Here's what I think it did."

Ruea pulls her hair back into a ponytail.

Ruea arranges her hair until it is worn tied back in an elegant chignon held in place by a lifesculpted silverwillow tiara graced with a radiant molten-core diamond.

[General] Your mind hears Momus thinking, "any clues?"

Ruea asks Rileos, "Am I still pretty?"

Ezerak says to Casari, "Sorry, did not see you slip in.  Thank you for coming."

Casari nods to Ezerak.

Rileos says to Ruea, "Always and forever, darlin."

Rileos just blew Ruea a kiss.

Ruea smiles at Rileos.

Ezerak nods to Saragos.

Saragos says, "It used all mana types to make Maelshyve plane-like.  Or, Plane of Abiding-like.  So we could go inside her, survive."

Ruea says, "Now let's get my goddamn best friends back so they can appreciate it."

Saragos says, "I think, also, you remember how we infused vitality into it also?  Yvela thinks that it helped make her mortal, killable.  I like that idea."

Rileos nods.

Rileos says, "It put some of our rules down on her head."

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Ezerak says to Saragos, "Yes, that is the part that is most interesting."

Saragos says, "Here's the problem.  Osven is dead.  Sivroch killed all of his students but one - Zauldin.  Zauldin lost his memory, and then died during the Basalt Isle business."

Ezerak frowns.

[General] Your mind hears Anuril thinking, "Those of us who were also briefly taken were placed into a prison made of lunar, life, and elemental mana. Notably not holy. We were unable to perform magic there ourselves."

Rileos scratches distractedly at his beard.

Saragos says, "So if we wanted to do something like that...  well.  We'd be starting from scratch."

Rileos says, "I wouldn't say he's dead."

Ezerak says to Saragos, "And all his research died with them."

Ezerak sighs.

Saragos says, "You know, let me invite a couple of other friends too."

Ezerak nods to Saragos.

Saragos glances at Rileos.

Ezerak says, "By all means."

Saragos slowly says to Rileos, "You're right."

Ruea glances at Rileos.

Rileos says to Saragos, "I know, and I don't want to be."

Casari asks, "You know someone who's good at knots?"

Ruea leans on Rileos.

Ezerak peers quizzically at Casari.

Ezerak asks Casari, "Sailors?"

Rileos says to Ruea, "No cheesecake, do you have any whiskey?  I'm rethinking quitting."

Casari says, "Or, you know, necromancers.  Apparently."

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "cause they know holy is too powerful..."

You gaze off into the distance blankly.

[General] Your mind hears Comfrin thinking, "where were these people taken from?"

Ruea says to Rileos, "Am I supposed to encourage you or enable you?  You know which one is my skillset."

Saragos says to Casari, "If we wanted to go that route, Yvela is the only one I'd trust."

[General] Your mind hears Anuril thinking, "A rift seemed to offer escape from the prison, but whenever any of us approached it our way was blocked by constructs of one of the mana types."

Ezerak frowns.

Casari says, "Whatever it takes."

Rileos says to Ruea, "I'm not entirely sure right now."

Ezerak says, "I'd be willing to listen to one that Saragos trusts, I suppose."

Saragos says, "Now...  I've thought about recreating the Knot...  we'd never do it as well as Osven did it.  But Osven did it WELL.  That Knot is still stable, we can still GO there."

Ezerak gives a slight nod.

[General] Your mind hears Anuril thinking, "By which I mean, razor sharp shadows, or pillars of stone and flame, or vines"

Ezerak quietly says, "Desperate times..."

Saragos says, "But we might not need it to be that good, that stable."

[General] Your mind hears Anuril thinking, "We were all taken from the ruins of Arhat's tower."

Saragos says, "Anyway, there are different values of 'trust'."

Knight of Meraud Tirost just arrived.

Rileos looks at Saragos, obviously trying not to grin.

Ezerak says to Saragos, "We really only need it to make something immortal...not."

You nod at Saragos, in complete agreement with his views.

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Saragos says, "I trust Yvela to be a Philosopher, right?  That means she wants to be free of Demons, wants to keep our plane the way it is.  What's the point in living 
forever otherwise."

Ripples of gleaming cerulean light exude from the orb hovering near you, causing your skin to take on the texture and color of a babbling brook.

Ezerak gives Saragos a slight nod.

Tirost nods to Saragos.

Casari nods.

Saragos says, "But she's definitely a Philosopher still.  She's not on the side of the Immortals."

Tirost says, "Nor is she aligned with demons. She seeks transcendence."

Ruea says, "Yvela might not want to chat with us if I'm there."

Saragos says, "But unlike other so-calloed Philosophers, I trust her to hold to that."

You notice as a grey cat prances into the room.

The grey cat begins to watch the goings on carefully.

Tirost nods to Saragos.

A grey cat seems to relax somewhat.

The grey cat sits down.

Saragos nods to Tirost.

Tirost says, "So do I."

Rileos says to Ruea, "I like you even more right now, I don't know what you did but I'm proud."

Casari peers through her silversteel spectacles at the grey cat.

The grey cat purrs, "Managed to lose a few of you, did you?"

Saragos says, "But also...  We need to know what we're dealing with."

Rileos glances at a grey cat.

Saragos says, "Ok, if it's a Herald...  we might not need the Knot."

Saragos stares intently at a grey cat for a moment.

Ezerak nods to Saragos.

Ruea gets a vault book from inside her feyweave purse.

Saragos says, "Hello, Captain."

Ruea opens up a vault book and studies it for a moment.

Ezerak curiously asks Saragos, "You think not?"

Ruea puts her book in her feyweave purse.

The grey cat purrs, "Morning."

Saragos says, "Well, it depends on what we're dealing with.  If this is Heralds, they're not demons.  I've always gotten the feeling that they were more physical.  Remember, Maelshyve aspired to be like the Immortals, sort of an inverse god."

You nod.

Ezerak gives a slight nod.

Saragos says, "I don't think the Dragons, even the Heralds, have any kind of connection to the spiritual plane.  I'm not convinced it's impossible to kill one.  Just might take...  a lot."

Rileos says, "The Heralds, I'd assume, also can interact with holy mana."

Saragos says, "We're all fragile.  I can throw explosions out all day, but a blade in my throat - done."

Rileos says, "If they Immortals themselves step back off them."

Saragos says to Rileos, "Good question.  I don't think we know."

Rileos says, "That prison didn't have any holy mana in it, specific."

Tirost nods to Rileos.

Rileos says, "Lunar, life, elemental, no holy."

Saragos says, "If Heralds are some kind of Ur-Dragon, they might not touch Holy or Lunar mana."

Casari says, "That's what made me think of demons."

Casari gives Rileos a slight nod.

Tirost says, "And we couldn't see the holy plane from the observatory."

Ezerak asks Saragos, "My thought was that Heralds would be much like killing an Immortal, but...more difficult?  I thought perhaps the Knot could be...adapted to make them more mortal?"

Rileos says to Casari, "If it's a demon it's none I know."

Saragos says to Ezerak, "Ok, here me out for a moment."

Ezerak nods to Saragos.

[General] Your mind hears Souv thinking, "the old warmage tower? that's strange"

Ruea just nudged Rileos.

Saragos says, "The Heralds take Draconic form.  Let's assume they're related in some way to the Dragons."

Tirost says to Ezerak, "That would be extremely dangerous. Yvela will be the first to tell you that she is not Osven."

Saragos says, "Dragons don't like pollution of their domain.  We know that well from the conversations with the Kather."

[General] Your mind hears Anuril thinking, "Indeed. It was the location chosen for some experimentation into the mana difficulties."

Casari says, "Just spent six years with my father looking for dragons.  I didn't find a darn thing.  Reclusive is an understatement."

Casari nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Rileos says to Saragos, "When this is over remind me to get you to tell me about dragons.  I don't know nothin and it keeps coming up.  Sorry, keep goin."

Saragos says, "It may be that the Heralds have similar concerns.  They have shut off magic for entirely different reasons than the Immortals might not like it - they want to avoid pollution."

[General] Your mind hears Souv thinking, "well it's pretty empty now"

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "cause they was captured"

Ezerak gives a slight nod.

Saragos says, "It might be that if we can pollute the heck out of one, flood it with other mana types, we might weaken one."

Casari nods.

Rileos says, "I'm still not sure that would even do anything beyond it turnin us off again."

You notice as a grey cat begins purring.

Rileos says, "That's...a hell of an ace up its sleeve."

Casari says, "It may have limits.  Maybe it can't do that all the time, or for long."

Ezerak says to Rileos, "That's where we stick it with pointy things."

Saragos says to Rileos, "Maybe.  But one thing I noticed - when they turned off magic, the fissure didn't go away."

Ezerak ponders.

Rileos says to Ezerak, "If it even decides to show up, it weren't there to be stabbed just now."

Saragos says, "If we could open a rift to a Plane with mana they don't like, we might flood the zone even after magic is turned off."

Ezerak asks Saragos, "Perhaps they cannot stop spells that are already cast?"

Rileos says to Saragos, "Happened the first time, too.  Magical whatsnots that were goin kept goin, just couldn't touch it to make anything new."

Ruea asks, "May I posit just the strangest idea?"

Saragos nods to Ruea.

Ezerak says to Ruea, "Of course."

[General] Your mind hears Souv thinking, "yes but nothing remaining, no sign of magic or combat... just... nothign"

You notice as a grey cat examines its tail.

Ruea says, "Are we certain they were taken for nefarious purposes?  They grabbed five of the smartest, most experience, and most knowledgable people in the room."

You ponder.

Tirost says to Ruea, "It's a good question."

Rileos furrows his brow.

The grey cat purrs, "Hmm, you're right. If I'd have been there they'd probably have taken me."

Saragos asks Ruea, "No, I'm not.  But if it's not nefarious, we have nothing to worry about, right?"

Ruea says, "What if they are looking for their insights?  I don't imagine gods are used to our rules on decorum, they may not know or care that we're in a panic."

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "it seems we're at an impasse and just have theories"

Rileos says, "Speakin of that."

Rileos grins and snaps his fingers.

Rileos asks, "Why'd it give us an out?"

You notice as a grey cat licks at one of its paws.

Ruea nods to Rileos.

Rileos asks, "Why even have a rift we could scramble back out of and then throw us out?"

Ruea says, "They could have just killed us all."

Casari says, "Maybe we were too LOUD."

Rileos nods at Ruea, obviously agreeing with her views.

Casari cracks her knuckles.

Rileos says, "Or just did nothin and left us in there."

Tirost asks, "If we can find Ayrell, Dantia, Navesi, Mazrian, and Miskton, we'll learn a lot more. We've tried gweths, familiars and lunar magic - would there be another way to find or contact them?"

Saragos says to Ruea, "That might be so.  But if they don't understand us, maybe they thought taking our people would scare us off."

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Saragos says, "It won't, but maybe they need to be disabused of that notion."

Ruea says, "Bear with me here."

Saragos says, "Also, I'd rather know how to kill something and not have to do it than the other way around."

Ruea says, "This is all going to sound peculiar but I have some thoughts."

Saragos nods to Ruea.

Rileos says to Ruea, "Keep em comin."

Ezerak says to Saragos, "There is that, too.  We might not have a chance to figure it out later."

Ruea says, "I've been somewhat acquainted with the... peculiar.  This wouldn't be my first brush with the otherworldly.  I've noted that sometimes, even the most brilliant and holy or devilish beings are somehow very childlike in their behavior."

Ruea says, "They may not comprehend they've done something wrong, and screaming at them may work about as well as yelling at a child."

You notice as a grey cat yawns.

Ruea says, "Which is my way of suggesting we open with diplomacy."

You notice as a grey cat begins purring.

Rileos furrows his brow.

You chuckle.

You say to Ruea, "Now you sound like Ayrell."

Saragos says to Ruea, "How about this."

Ezerak nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views.

Ruea says, "Make the plans, do the research, but this may call for politics rather than violence."

Ruea says to you, "She did raise me."

Ezerak says to you, "I was about to say the same."

Ezerak winces.

Ruea winks at you.

You grin at Ruea.

Saragos says to Ruea, "You open with diplomacy, but we've got a club behind our backs just in case."

Ruea says to Saragos, "I think that's a perfect compromise."

Tirost gazes thoughtfully at Ruea.

Saragos says, "I had another idea for killing something big."

Ezerak says to Saragos, "I am listening."

Rileos asks Saragos, "Can I get one in real quick?"

Saragos nods to Rileos.

Tirost smiles.

Rileos says, "Cause I'm mullin over what Tirost said."

Ruea smiles at Tirost.

Rileos says, "I think he's right.  Priority here needs to be makin contact with the five of them."

Rileos says, "That's gotta be the first step."

Ruea says to Tirost, "I was rude to you earlier, I apologize.  I'm as much a victim of my temper as anyone else it seems."

Saragos says, "Right."

Rileos says, "I can get to the planar telescope, we can walk our asses into Maelshyve's soul or the zangmodaeth on a whim."

Tirost says to Ruea, "Nothing to apologize for, Ru."

Saragos nods to Rileos.

Rileos asks, "Poke at it from different angles, ya know?"

Saragos says, "Hmm."

Rileos says, "Gotta test the walls of the cell."

Ezerak ponders.

The air around Casari shimmers with a weak yellow light that quickly disperses.

Saragos says, "I definitely want to try, in a more organized way, to open a rift there.  We tried the quick way, next step is the calm way."

Ezerak asks Rileos, "Perhaps a return to the Telescope would be a good idea.  Maybe we can find this prison with it?"

Saragos says, "Maybe."

Saragos says, "At least see if anything's changed."

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Rileos slowly empties his lungs.

Rileos says to Ezerak, "I'll try it if you want."

Tirost asks Rileos, "You can get there?"

Rileos nods to Tirost.

Tirost smiles.

Saragos says to Rileos, "WOuld appreciate that."

Tirost nods in agreement.

Ezerak says to Rileos, "You are familiar with how it works?  Last time, we needed better guidance."

Rileos says to Ezerak, "I'm...very familiar with it, yeah."

Saragos says, "I need to talk to Uryutis, too.  Remember the plasma vortex?  There's one in Zengmodaleth.  There's also one powering each of the colossi as well."

Ezerak nods.

Rileos gets a iron ring from inside his leather satchel.

Rileos concentrates intently on a iron ring.

Tirost nods to Saragos.

Ezerak cocks his head.

Saragos says, "Navesi once asked Uryutis if he could make one to demonstrate for us.  He responded that, if things went wrong, it would take out all of Therenborough."

Rileos says, "Unless there's an actual moon mage who will go instead."

You notice as a grey cat begins purring.

Saragos says, "We were in Gaeleranendae at the time."

Ezerak asks Saragos, "You think it is the same, or at least similar?"

Saragos says, "No.  I'm thinking we could make one, and intentionally make things go wrong."

Casari says, "That sounds promising."

Casari nods to Saragos.

Ruea smiles.

Rileos frowns.

Saragos says, "I wonder if we could make a narrow, temporary tunnel, though.  Get some communication to them."

Ezerak says, "I see."

Rileos asks, "How come the list of moon mages I trust is so damn short?"

Rileos shakes his head.

Rileos says, "I can't think of who to call on to go in."

Ruea puts her almanac in her feyweave purse.

Tirost asks Saragos, "Are you thinking of trying in the workshop again?"

Saragos nods to Tirost.

Saragos says, "But not right away.  I want to try something very carefully next time."

Tirost nods.

Saragos says, "The good news is...  that place felt timeless.  I think they're ok."

Tirost says, "It did feel timeless."

Ezerak quietly says to Saragos, "They had better be."

Rileos holds up an index finger.

Saragos nods to Ezerak.

Roughneck Rileos moseys southwest.

Tirost nods at Ezerak, obviously agreeing with his views.

Roughneck Rileos just arrived.

Tirost raises an eyebrow in Rileos's direction.

Ruea says to Saragos, "I...  do have something that might help."

Rileos says, "I can't go in there right now, my guide is attuned to Katamba and it ain't up."

Ruea rubs her head.

Rileos joins Saragos's group.

Saragos raises an eyebrow in Ruea's direction.

Tirost nods.

Ruea says, "I have access to Traim's research."

You notice a grey cat rub against Rileos for a moment.

Saragos nods to Ruea.

Ezerak gazes at Ruea.

Ruea says, "It's extremely experimental.  And dangerous.  But he did a lot on interplaner work and sorcery."

You notice as a grey cat yawns.

Saragos says, "Didn't that research drive him mad?  Not that I'm rejecting it, mind.  Just want to be clear."

Ruea says, "Constant repeated exposure to the ways while actively practicing sorcery caused a moongate to explode on him."

Rileos winces.

[General] Your mind hears Mhikal thinking, "I can't compete with you physically... and you're no match for my brains!"

Ruea says, "That is what drove him mad and cost him his memory for... a long time."

Ruea says, "But his notes may help."

Rileos puts his almanac in his hunting pack.

Saragos nods to Ruea.

[General] Your mind hears Souv thinking, "clearly"

Saragos says, "Please."

Tirost smiles.

Ruea says to Saragos, "I won't ask for much but I need these kept under lock and key."

[General] Your mind hears Dartwin thinking, "Inconceivable!"

You notice as a grey cat yawns.

Saragos nods to Ruea.

Saragos says, "I'll keep them on my person."

You notice as a grey cat examines its tail.

Ruea says, "Thank you."

[General] Your mind hears Souv thinking, "let's poison a drink and let you decide which is the poisoned glass"

[General] Your mind hears Vaerek thinking, "it's been a long day without you, my friends.  And I'll tell yas all about it when I see you again."

Saragos takes a padded treasureweave cylinder with no visible seams off his back.

Saragos says, "This thing locks.  I'll use it."

[General] Your mind hears Mhikal thinking, "As you wish?"

Saragos puts a padded treasureweave cylinder with no visible seams on his back.

Tirost says, "I am being called away for now. I'll help in any way I can as soon as I return."

Rileos nods to Tirost.

Saragos nods to Tirost.

You notice as a grey cat yawns.

You nod.

Saragos asks, "Ok.  Ruea, what kind of ideas do you have for diplomacy?"

Rileos asks, "Have we considered blaming Tirost?"

[General] Your mind hears Dartwin thinking, "Rest well Vaerek. Very thankful for the effort"

Rileos says, "He did start all this."

Tirost shakes his head.

Tirost smiles.

Tirost says, "Gods."

Tirost wanders off.

You chuckle.

Ezerak says to Rileos, "I do not think he will like it much if I blame him."

Saragos asks, "Ruea, what kind of ideas do you have for diplomacy?"

Ezerak says to Rileos, "At least, not for this one."

Rileos says to Ezerak, "Probably not, but somebody has to try and loosen this tension so we can get the work done."

Ruea asks Saragos, "They did contact us while we were in there, they asked us to be quiet and I think gave some other directions or indicators?"

Ruea says, "So they do pay attention while we're in that space."

Ezerak gives Rileos a slight nod.
You notice as a grey cat begins purring.

[General] Your mind hears Vaerek thinking, "you know what?  I just had a thought...  What do you thing would happen if we followed one of them mana surges and tried to see where it goes?"

Saragos says, "I think they noticed the experiments."

Ruea says, "I think the best route is to clear out everyone who would be inclined towards an outburst and then start politely speaking to them to request a meeting or contact.  Proof of life from the group."

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "it just kinda randomly wanders until it peeters out"

You notice as a grey cat licks at one of its paws.

Ruea says, "I know it's a bit elementary but it's a start."

Rileos nods to Ruea.

Ruea says, "They'll either respond or they won't.  And then they will show us whether they're malicious or not."

Ruea says, "If they choose to ignore us, we switch over to tryign to do damage."

You notice as a grey cat begins purring.

[General] Your mind hears Vaerek thinking, "ah, was just a midnight thought."

[General] Your mind hears Nulak thinking, "Who does"

Saragos asks, "I think folk will listen and not do magic.  But if we're not doing magic, how do we get their attention?"

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "I followed one up in Rossmans...just kept going in circles then poof"

Ruea says, "We'll need magic to catch their attention but not offensive magic.  Fireworks, if you will."

Rileos scratches distractedly at his beard.

You notice as a grey cat examines its tail.

Ruea says, "Something soft, a flare sent up to announce we've arrived."

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "but what if you harness a bunch of them at once?"

Saragos says, "Maybe the mass harnessing."

Rileos says, "I've...got no idea what that would be, magically speakin."

Rileos says to Saragos, "Good call, it showed up right after that."

Saragos says, "That seems like something that might get their attention, but not be immediately Sorcerous to make them mad."

Rileos asks, "What was Ayrell's experiment?"

You notice as a grey cat licks at one of its paws.

Saragos says, "If we get a lot of people together and do it again, we might get noticed."

Rileos says, "Sorry, in all the excitement I've forgotten."

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "the mana surges...what if you harness a bunch of those at once...what would happen?"

You say, "This evening?  She led the mass harnessing."

Rileos says, "Wait, no, we did hers."

Rileos mumbles something unprintable.

Rileos asks, "Who was third?  What was the experiment we didn't do?"

[General] Your mind hears Nulak thinking, "I think that's how you make gobbos"

Ruea says to Saragos, "That's a superb idea."

You say, "The mass research."

Rileos nods to you.

Saragos says, "Mine was third.  Mass wild magic research."

Saragos says, "That's what brought them."

Casari says, "We started it.  That's when it went wrong."

Rileos says to you, "Thanks, fell right outta my head when this all kicked off."

You grin at Rileos.

Rileos asks, "Maybe we do the first two experiments again to show it we're trying to signal it?"

Rileos says, "Just not the third."

Ruea says, "I can put together a few words to call to them.  My pride isn't involved here so I don't care if I'm writing a script for someone else to say."

Rileos runs his fingers through his hair.

Saragos nods.

Ruea pats Rileos on the back.

Ezerak gives a slight nod.

[General] Your mind hears Witterwell thinking, "No no, you get goblins from eating mushrooms stuffed with peanut butter and jelly beans after midnight ...Or was that just gastrointestinal distress?"

Saragos says, "And we make it clear to them...  if this is them communicating, and our people will be sent back...  that's one thing."

Ruea nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Saragos says, "But if this is some sort of hostage situation, it will NOT get them what they want.  It was a miscalculation."

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Saragos says, "Ok, I'll accept that plan."

Ruea nods.

Saragos asks Ruea, "You'll make arrangements?"

Ezerak says, "We can try that."

Ruea nods to Saragos.

Ezerak says, "This brings be back around to contingencies, however."

Ezerak sighs.

Ruea says, "It'll just be an opening act so we can see what we're really dealing with.  We'll know how to move forward."

Rileos nods.

Rileos asks, "Y'all ever miss when it was just a guy who needed to be stabbed?"

Ruea chuckles at Rileos.

You grin at Rileos.

Saragos nods to Rileos.

Ruea asks Rileos, "You ever miss when we were just kids chasing around bad guys in masks?"

Ezerak says to Rileos, "Somehow, those guys have gotten bigger, more powerful, and much harder to kill."

Saragos says, "Ok.  I'm going to head back to the tower and dig into my research."

Ezerak nods to Saragos.

Rileos nods to Saragos.

Rileos says to Ezerak, "S'fine, so have we."

Casari says, "Let me know when it's time for action.  I'll do what I can."

Saragos asks, "Hey, you know who else communicates with the Heralds?  Or is said to?"

Ruea says to Saragos, "I'll have some food sent to you in a few anlaen."

Saragos says, "Daervlan."

Ruea asks Saragos, "Do you need a sitter tonight or are the kids settled?"

Rileos says to Ruea, "I do, actually.  That was whole lots simpler."

You say to Saragos, "That is a rumor I've heard before, too."

Saragos says, "I...  yes, I do."

Saragos nods to Ruea.

Ezerak says to Saragos, "Indeed.  Perhaps he will be somewhat easier to contact."

Ruea says to Saragos, "I'll take care of it and get a nanny arranged."

Saragos says, "I'll call our eldest back from Aesry.  She can help."

Ruea says to you, "I might need you to help me with someone for Ayrell's kids."

You notice as a grey cat examines its tail.

You say to Ruea, "I can take them.  Or Asilyia and Enthal can."

Ezerak quietly says to Ruea, "I...for right now, I think perhaps I should be with them for a time."

Ruea says to you, "Thank you."

You nod to Ezerak.

You notice as a grey cat examines its tail.

You quietly say to Ezerak, "Someone will have to tell them..."

Ezerak nods to you.

Ezerak winces.

Rileos says, "She's comin back, there's not a lot to tell."

You nod to Rileos.

Ruea smiles.

Rileos says, "Hey, your mom is in planar jail for being too smart, she'll be back in a day or two."

Rileos nods.

Ezerak says to Rileos, "Yes, but...they are not used to her not being around for extended periods of time."

You chuckle at Rileos.

Ruea says, "Supply wagons run the military.  We'll get it tended."

Saragos exclaims to Rileos, "You know, I never considered it, but that's a good point.  Why didn't they take me?!"

Rileos says to Saragos, "She's smarter.  Sorry."

Rileos pats Saragos on the back.

You chortle softly at some secret joke.

Ezerak looks at Rileos, obviously trying not to grin, but the dimples in his cheeks give him away.

Saragos says, "They messed up.  Because I'm not smart enough to know you shouldn't punch gods in the face."

Rileos nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Ruea chuckles.

Rileos says to Saragos, "But they're comin back."

Ruea says, "They didn't take any couples."

Ruea says, "They left you, Ezerak, and Madigan."

Rileos glances at Ruea.

Ezerak asks Ruea, "That is interesting, isn't it?"

Ezerak ponders.

Rileos says to Ruea, "Okay, Ru, if they took couples people would be bumpin uglies in planar jail."

Saragos says to Ruea, "That's what makes me think they're doing this as a warning."

Rileos says to Ruea, "They don't wanna deal with that."

Ezerak glances at Rileos.

You grin at Rileos.

Ruea says to Ezerak, "To be fair, the three of them are smarter than the three of you."

Rileos says to Ezerak, "Tell me I'm wrong.  You can't."

Ruea chuckles at Rileos.

Ezerak says to Ruea, "Well, that is certainly true in my case, at least."

You say to Rileos, "You're probably not wrong."

Ezerak says, "If you called me half an idiot, you'd be half right..."

Rileos asks you, "If I had the opportunity I sure as hell wouldn't waste it, how many people get to say they did that?"

Casari shakes her head.

Saragos says, "Ok, I'm going to head back to the tower."

You grin at Rileos.

Rileos nods to Saragos.

Ruea says, "We're not going to solve anything tonight.  Rest.  Eat."

Casari says, "Maybe they couldn't hold any more.  That's why we all got spat out."

Ruea waves her hand distractedly.

Ruea says, "Go."

Tempest Knight Saragos strides southwest.

Rileos slowly empties his lungs.

Ruea says to Rileos, "I prefer assertive but bossy is also accurate."

Ruea smiles.

You ask Ezerak, "Are you heading back to the tower, too?"

Rileos says to Ruea, "Yes ma'am."

Rileos looks at Ruea, obviously trying not to grin.

Ruea just nudged Rileos.

Ezerak nibbles his lip thoughtfully.

Ezerak says to you, "I may stop there for a moment for now, but I do want to stop by the temple as well, before I head home for the children."

You nod.

Ezerak quietly says, "Poor Ineyl will be inconsolable."

You frown.

You nod to Ezerak.

Rileos says to Ezerak, "Don't forget that they're coming back."

You ask Ezerak, "Would you like me to come with you when you tell them?"

Rileos says to Ezerak, "That is happening."

Ezerak nibbles his lip thoughtfully.

Casari nods to Rileos.

You nod at Rileos, in complete agreement with his views.

Ezerak says to you, "That...might make it easier.  I am not sure I'll even be able to get the words out, at present."

You nod to Ezerak.

You say to Ezerak, "I'll play your shadow for a bit."

You join Ezerak's group.

Ruea puts her almanac in her feyweave purse.

Ruea hugs Ezerak, who wraps his arms around Ruea with a warm smile.

Ruea hugs you, and you wrap your arms around her with a warm smile.

You hug Ruea.  A faint scent of violets clings to her skin.

Ruea says, "It's going to be fine.  She's coming home."

You notice as a grey cat begins purring.

You nod to Ruea.

You say to Ruea, "She has to."

Ezerak nods to you.

Rileos hugs Ezerak, getting a smile in return.

Ezerak hugs Rileos, getting a smile in return.

Rileos nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views.

Ezerak just hugged Ruea.

Casari says, "I'll be here when there's something to scream at.  Or glare menacingly, at least."

Casari pats Ezerak on the back.

Casari says, "Or rip open the fabric of reality, I guess."

Rileos grins at Casari.

Ezerak asks Casari, "Or set on fire?"

You say, "Definitely the fire."

Casari says, "Always fire."

Ezerak nods.

You say, "Fire, in Ayrell's name."

Ezerak says, "Thank you all."

Casari nods to you.

Ezerak quietly says, "I fear I'd still be at the tower, weeping myself dry without all of you."

Ruea smiles.

It has been 449 years, 353 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer.
It is the 9th month of Dolefaren the Brigantine (ship) in the year of the Bronze Wyvern.
It is currently winter and it is mid-morning.

Ruea says, "Time to find some stubborn, friend."

You say to Ezerak, "The morning is still young."

Ruea says, "You can do this."

You say to Ruea, "That's way better advice than mine."

You say to Ezerak, "Don't listen to me."

Casari says, "And, you know, there's a spell for drying tears, anyway."

Ezerak chuckles at Casari.

Rileos chuckles.

Ruea smiles at you.

Ezerak asks you, "Shall we go see if they've learned anything at the tower?"

Rileos says to Ezerak, "Just remember the time you kicked my ass and draw power from the memory."

Rileos nods to Ezerak.

You nod to Ezerak.

Ruea chuckles.

Ezerak asks, "Anyone else for the tower?"

Rileos shakes his head.

Ruea says, "I have to start making arrangeement."

Rileos says, "No, it's gotten late for me, but I wasn't gonna walk away from this."

Casari says, "Let me know if there was anything.  Otherwise, I'm going to nap and get ready to take over the next shift."

Ruea nods.

You nod to Casari.

Ruea says, "Alright.  We'll regroup tomorrow I'm sure."

Ruea smiles.

You nod at Ruea, in complete agreement with her views.

Ezerak nods.

Ezerak waves.

Casari waves.

Ruea waves.

Rileos waves.

You wave.

You follow Ezerak southwest.<br>
[Gaethrend's Court, Foyer]<br>
An elaborately ornamented desk serves as a check-in point for travellers seeking a night's rest.  Beside the ancient-looking wooden doorway which leads out, two amazingly detailed stone statues stand guard over the entryway.  You begin to wonder if they are truly the product of genius or perhaps the unfortunate result of some powerful mage's disfavor.  In the corner, a staircase leads up into darkness.  You also see an ancient wooden door.<br>
Also here: Mountain Lord Ezerak.<br>
Obvious exits: north, northeast, northwest.

(Travel)

== Return to Arhat's Tower ==

You follow Ezerak up.<br>
[Arhat's Tower, Workshop]<br>
Very little is recognizable from the workshop's original contents.  The walls are broken off at half their intended height and the area lies open to the elements.  The only obvious sign of the room's prior function, odd glowing stains marking the floor, are most likely the result of past experiments gone awry.  You also see a russet lynx that is sitting and a grey and cream muted tortoiseshell leopard that is sleeping.<br>
Also here: Mountain Lord Ezerak, Rook Dytt, Sofina, Tempest Knight Saragos who is sitting, Truthseeker Elurora whose figure is gracefully highlighted in a soft aurora of silvery-violet light, Strawberry Nurse Illiya, Sublime Mender Kerennya who is sitting, Belzor, Pilgrim Nawain who is kneeling, Heart Tender Kethrai, Veteran Apprentice Anuril who has a fiery visage and Mathematician Avrenka who is kneeling.<br>
Obvious paths: down.

Ezerak nods politely.

Kethrai gives Ezerak a slight nod.

Ezerak asks, "Any news over here?"

Ezerak sighs.

Avrenka exclaims, "You will yourself toward the rift, but conjured crystal lattice binds you!"

Kethrai shakes his head.

Dytt smokily asks, "No word from the missing?"

Ezerak shakes his head at Dytt.

Kethrai says, "No news, no word."

Avrenka says, "The crystal lattice dissolves and dissipates toward the rift, and the rift continues closing with alarming speed."

Illiya says, "We were sharing our experiences of trying to leave the rift in the prison in hopes of finding any clues."

Kethrai says, "So far, sounds like nobody got anything but those five effects."

Ezerak gives a slight nod.

Dytt ponders.

Ezerak says, "Perhaps if we figure out how we got out, we can figure out how to get back in."

Ezerak says, "Smart."

Avrenka says, "I must rest for now. Good luck all."

Avrenka waves.

Avrenka raises his palms skyward, chanting.

Elurora bows to Avrenka.

Anuril nods.

Avrenka gestures.

Without fanfare, Avrenka is simply gone.

Dytt smokily says, "We didn't Get out, it was more like we were Thrown."

Elurora nods to Dytt.

Elurora says, "And it hurt."

Illiya says, "Willpower is Bard, fire and stone WM, razor edged MM, and crystal lattice trader. There was one with vines too."

Nawain asks, "Someone said something happened to Madigan? That he channeled a...a Plane?"

Kethrai says, "Vines would be Ranger, I suspect."

Illiya says, "Mazrian channeled a domain or something."

Illiya nods at Kethrai, obviously agreeing with his views.

Dytt smokily says, "Vines would be Life."

Kethrai points at Illiya.

Nawain says, "Oh? Oh. Eww."

Nawain shudders.

Illiya asks, "They seem to be not only magic specific but also guild specific. And very curious there wasn't an Empath related one?"

Kethrai says, "Someone was saying Mazrian was acting as a... 'conduit'? But to me, he was acting like he was... stressed and paranoid, that's lal."

Kethrai says, "All."

Kethrai coughs.

Ezerak nods to Kethrai.

Nawain frowns.

Anuril nods.

Belzor says, "I was saying he was acting like a conduit."

Dytt grumbles.

Belzor says, "And I was saying that because he kept mentioning things about what THEY did not like."

Ezerak says to Kethrai, "I suspect between grief, stress, sleep deprivation, and drink...he was not quite himself."

Belzor says, "What THEY wanted."

Kethrai ponders.

Elurora says, "He was acting oddly but grief could be behind that."

Belzor says, "And if you think that it was something other than that, that's fine."

Elurora nods to Ezerak.

Kerennya asks Belzor, "What did he say about what they liked and don't like?"

Belzor says, "But I do believe he was acting as a conduit."

Ezerak says to Belzor, "You could be right.  His behavior was certainly strange."

Dytt smokily asks, "Wasn't Maz saying similar stuff at the last town meeting?"

Dytt ponders.

Belzor says, "It was the words, not his behavior, that caused me to think that way."

Belzor says, "He was voicing the opinions of "them."

Dytt smokily says, "Could be he just doesn't like poking the baghrest."

Belzor says, "Or they."

Belzor says, "Well, you all would know him more than I, in many aspects."

Illiya says, "I don't think we have any indication that he was a conduit, other than the strangeness of his words. He didn't look any different to me."

Dytt smokily says, "I've seen him around, but he's not in my circles, if that's what you mean."

Dytt shrugs.

Belzor says, "But that is my interpretation of his actions."

Kethrai asks, "He seemed like he had been... doing a lot of his own research? He was talking about so much work to be done?"

Elurora quietly says, "He looked a bit...dirty but that probably isn't useful."

You nod to Kethrai.

Ezerak nods at Kethrai, obviously agreeing with his views.

Kerennya asks, "But what did he SAY about what 'they' like and don't like?"

Dytt ponders.

You say, "Yes, it seemed more like he was a bit worn out from researching and imbibing than being used as a conduit."

Kethrai says, "But he might have learned something in his research."

You nod at Kethrai, in complete agreement with his views.

Kethrai asks, "He was acting paranoid, but... is it paranoia if you're right?"

Belzor says to Kerennya, "When the magics we were manipulating were causing them to have an ill effect on "them."

Kethrai says, "He said things like... we shouldn't cast so many spells, they don't like that."

Kerennya asks, "OK, how were you manipulating the magic?"

Belzor says, "He also asked us to stop because they did not "like it."

Ezerak says to Kethrai, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you."

Kethrai says, "We should get this done quickly before they notice."

Ezerak nods at Kethrai, obviously agreeing with his views.

Nawain squints.

Nawain ponders.

Kethrai says, "It's hard to imagine he was referring to anyone but the Heralds."

Ezerak says to Kethrai, "That was the feeling I got as well."

Dytt smokily says to Kerennya, "Well, there was all of us harnessing as much magic as we could, and then everybody that could researching wild magic, that's when the fecal material hit the winnowing fan."

Kerennya chuckles at Dytt.

Saragos suddenly blinks and wakes up from his daydream.

[General] Your mind hears Severei thinking, "any news of the missing?"

Kerennya says, "Sounds like quite the experience."

Dytt smokily says, "Big firestorm and then "woop" off to whatever prison that was."

[General] Your mind hears Buzan thinking, "dunno - it went quiet so figured they're dead or safe"

Saragos says, "So, Ruea talked us down a bit.  We've got a tentative plan for research."

Illiya gestures.

Nawain gazes at Saragos.

Ezerak nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.

Kethrai angles his ears forward, gazing curiously at Saragos.

[General] Your mind hears Lexxa thinking, "still missing, we went to TC and had no luck there came back and now i'm off catching my breakfast"

Kethrai glances at Sofina.

Belzor says, "I am glad she was able to help."

Kerennya gazes hopefully at Saragos.

Dytt smokily says, "Still want to sink my fangs into whoever has that."

[General] Your mind hears Severei thinking, "well they're not in the void, I just came back from there..."

Saragos says, "She wants to lead an attempt to communicate.  I'll work on the planar aspect.  And if that doesn't work, we think about how we're going to ruin the year of the Heralds.  If, in fact, this is the Heralds as is suspected."

Illiya asks, "What sort of attempt to communicate?"

Kerennya asks, "So is more researching/harnessing in order?"

You notice as a russet lynx begins to pant.

Saragos says, "Ruea thinks that this might be a hamfisted way of getting our best and brightest together to communicate with us."

Saragos says, "And they don't understand how upset we'll be."

Nawain nods in agreement.

Belzor says, "Well, that leaves me out."

Belzor waves.

Saragos says, "I don't really buy that, but ok, we'll check it out."

Ezerak chuckles at Belzor.

Saragos asks Belzor, "Oh?"

Anuril puts his talisman in his silk backpack.

Belzor nods to Saragos.

Kerennya asks Belzor, "Would you like for me take that rash?"

Belzor says to Kerennya, "No, thank you."

Kerennya nods.

Illiya asks Saragos, "What are you planning to do?"

Sofina says, "Odd thing to want to keep."

Illiya grins at Sofina, her dimples flashing into view.

Belzor glances at Sofina.

Kethrai sighs.

Belzor asks Sofina, "Well, I am sure you are an expert on oddities, yes?"

Dytt smokily says, "Could have just, you know, shown up and said "YOu need to stop for a bit."

Saragos says to Illiya, "Working on that still.  I want to open a portal.  Maybe do something to communicate with them, if that doesn't work."

Sofina nods to Belzor.

Sofina gets a headless spine from inside her scavenger's pack.

Sofina shakes her headless spine vigorously, rattling the vertebrae together.

Sofina indicates her headless spine with a smile.

Sofina puts her spine in her scavenger's pack.

Illiya nods to Saragos.

Sofina rummages through a darkened bitterweave scavenger's pack.

Belzor pets his russet lynx.

Anuril shakes his head at Sofina.

Sofina says, "I've some odd things in here..."

Shadow Tracker Sliyder just arrived.

Sliyder shifts his weight.

Sofina asks Sliyder, "Some Prydaen giving you trouble?"

Sofina clucks her tongue and shakes her head.

Saragos says, "Question for you guys."

Kethrai lashes his tail.

Belzor gazes at Saragos.

Dytt smokily says, "That Risen that's been showing up in the courtyard."

Saragos says, "When we were transported to the prison, I was blinded by a no-color flash."

Sliyder says, "Just was odd, but I think we got it sorted out."

Kethrai nods to Saragos.

Saragos says, "Something's tickling my meory about that, but I can't quite recall."

Dytt paces back and forth.

Saragos asks, "You ever seen or heard of anything like it?"

Ezerak ponders.

Kethrai nods to Saragos.

Belzor says, "Nope."

Kethrai says, "Basalt Isle. The rift that Jeihrem opened."

Dytt smokily says, "I admit, I kind of went feral, I was more focused on escape than thought."

Kethrai says, "It's the 'color' of the Planar Void."

Nawain ponders.

Anuril says, "Also the void gazers, their beams look similar."

Ezerak asks, "You...think that was the Planar Void?"

Sofina asks, "Any possibility between all these extraplaner things attacking us related to everything?"

Nawain ponders.

Saragos asks, "Wait, didn't the colossi have a no-color flash when they teleported?"

Kethrai says, "I think it was a bubble inside the Void, maybe."

Dytt smokily says, "Some construct in the Void, yes."

A faint sound of cracking glass echoes through the area.  You feel protected.

Nawain hums happily to herself.

Anuril praises Nawain.

Saragos gets a mistwood-bound scholar's journal etched with a depiction of Kleinzack from inside his leather rucksack.

Saragos examines a mistwood-bound scholar's journal etched with a depiction of Kleinzack.

Dytt grins at Nawain.

Saragos says, "Yes, they did."

Sofina gets a perfect worm fetish from inside her scavenger's pack.

Sofina's eyes look a bit clearer now.

(Nawain pumps her fist a little and grins, mouthing "Yay, Meraud!" to Anuril.)

Kethrai ponders.

Sofina drags the point of her ritual knife along the palm of her hand, letting some of the blood drip onto her worm fetish.

As if drawn from thin air by some inexplicable magic, a risen fiend appears close by.

A risen fiend walks toward Sofina with a slight growl, but does not attack.

The risen fiend begins to sing with a multitude of distinct voices.  Soaring, intertwining sound slowly swells in a crescendo.

Sofina smiles.

The risen fiend's song reaches its peak and turns sour.  The voices clash, droning and shrieking.  Yet for all the sacred words and animal sounds, there is a hint of melody that keeps the whole choir moving.

Nawain growls ferociously!

Dytt snarls.

Kethrai glances at a risen fiend.

Nawain stands up.

Nawain carefully gathers up the delicate folds of a verdant jadeleaf prayer mat graced with golden butterflies and wildlace tassels.

Nawain puts her mat in her slender rugursora.

Terrified wails emanate from the risen fiend, yet you detect a harmony hidden deep within the noise.

Anuril glances at a risen fiend.

Layers of sibilant whispers float from the risen fiend, burgeoning into squalling and desperate ravings.

Anuril begins to focus intently on a risen fiend.

Saragos says, "Interesting."

Anuril gestures at a risen fiend.<br>
A bolt of bluish lightning blazes out of the sky toward a risen fiend!<br>
The bolt strikes its body, blasting it right out of its socket.

A risen fiend crumples to the ground, and desperately tries to stand up again.  However, its wounds prove too severe, and it relaxes after a moment, its body going still.

Kethrai gestures at Anuril.

You notice a russet lynx sniff at a risen fiend.

Sofina frowns.

Sofina asks, "Didnt like its singing?"

Sofina puts her fetish in her scavenger's pack.

Anuril dryly says, "It wasn't doing anything for my nerves, I'm afraid."

A risen fiend stares upward, then slowly closes its eyes as it sinks into the earth.  Soon its body is gone entirely, leaving only its belongings behind.

Belzor exclaims, "Oxsanna!"

Belzor says, "Leave that thing alone."

Belzor pets his russet lynx.

Ezerak wrinkles his nose.

Belzor pets his russet lynx.

Anuril smirks at Belzor.

Illiya says, "Looking at the rift itself, it was only those 5 guilds represented as well."

Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Illiya.

Illiya says, "This vortex of energy swirls with fragments of conjured crystal.  Sparks of lightning radiate from its surface, and a faint melodic hum echoes from within.  Streaks of flame briefly flare into view, as do formless masses of earth and twisting vines."

Ezerak says, "Well, I believe I will stop at Meraud's shrine, and head home.  I should see to our children."

Anuril nods to Ezerak.

Elurora gives Ezerak a slight nod.

Elurora bows to Ezerak.

Nawain pats Ezerak on the back.

Anuril lays his palms against Ezerak's in a quick, yet deliberate movement.

Illiya says to Ezerak, "Hopefully we'll get her back soon."

Kethrai says to Ezerak, "We'll get them back, soon I'm sure."

Illiya says, "I mean, we will."

Illiya nods.

Elurora nods to Illiya.

Elurora says, "We will."

Belzor says, "So, as far as i can tell, each of those taken represent the portal."

Ezerak gives a slight nod.

Ezerak says, "We will, somehow."

Kethrai angles his ears forward, gazing curiously at Belzor.

Illiya asks, "So were they the rift itself? Were they being used to power the rift?"

Elurora says, "Or they'll free themselves."

Ezerak's shoulders bow as if under some great burden.

Kerennya says, "But Dantia was taken, and we're saying there was nothing for empaths."

Belzor says, "Now hear me out just a moment."

Illiya says, "Oh but Dantia was there, but no Ranger."

Anuril gazes thoughtfully at Belzor.

Illiya nods at Kerennya, obviously agreeing with her views.

Belzor says, "I know I am slow....."

Belzor says, "But this is what I understand to be true."

Kerennya asks, "Unless the vines mean empaths?"

The sun arrives at its zenith, a triumphant warrior proud and fierce in an empty sky.

Belzor says, "The crystal respresents the moons, not the traders. The vines are the empaths. The flames and earth are the warrior mages. and the music obviously the bards."

Dytt smokily says, "Something isn't adding up but I can't put a claw on it."

Illiya says, "Earth and twisting vines? Seems more Rangerly to me, but I dunno."

Ezerak leans over and whispers, "You are still coming along?"

Belzor asks, "Does your plant work on a vine?"

You nod to Ezerak.

Belzor peers quizzically at Illiya.

Illiya ponders.

Illiya says, "I don't have a plant."

Illiya chuckles.

Belzor says, "Okay, fair enough."

Ezerak nods to you.

Belzor says, "Let me rephrase...."

Elurora asks, "You don't have the vela'tohr?"

Elurora cocks her head at Illiya.

Ezerak waves.

Illiya shakes her head.

Elurora nods to Illiya.

You follow Ezerak down.<br>
[Arhat's Tower, Foyer]<br>
Scorched walls span the tower, and faint reflections of emerald green onyx are visible beneath the ash.  A long steep staircase has been cut into the walls, spiraling its way up the tapering interior.  A soot-blackened door, hanging precariously from one hinge, leads out.  You also see a thick snowy white wool blanket embroidered with twining vines and a black panther that is sleeping.<br>
Also here: Mountain Lord Ezerak.<br>
Obvious exits: up.