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[Xeen] Compendium Chapter 15
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As the group set up camp, Jarrad approached Thai and Zephillia, who were 
debating with each other whether setting wards around the campsite would 
be worthwhile or not.

::Eldarion is not the issue here, he seems to know where we are 
regardless. While wards will warn of other intruders, I think we need to 
conserve our magic for a later time. Let us just appoint 5 watches, each 
consisting of a legentor, and one of our party. That will allow an equal 
responsibility of duty, and may lessen any tensions.::

Using the time old fashion of drawing straws, the group was divided into 
watches, the order being Draca, Thai, Semareth, Cari and Jarrad. As the 
legentors used a similar system for setting watches, Jarrad noted 
Zephillia pairing with Thai, and looked at the elf he would share watch 
with.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Thai smiled and tucked her straw into a handy pocket. To her mind Zeph 
was the best Legantor she could have drawn.

While Draca and Cari fixed a meal Thai took the time to care for her 
horse. The creature had borne up well on the journey so far, better than 
she could have expected. Working out a knot in the creatures white mane 
Thai acknowledged that it had shown more bravery in the face of Dardt 
than she had. 

The repetitive brushing motion to curry the horse calmed her emotions 
somewhat but did nothing for the new thought that had been growing all 
afternoon. She had emerged from her first dragon fight with a terror of 
the creatures. After Proctor John's tortures that fear had grown much worse. 
Thinking Draca's treatment had solved that she had thought nothing of 
suggesting an attack on Dardt, until Dardt had been there in front of her.

Now Dardt was dead but his master was not, and more than anything Thai was 
worried that she would see Xeen as a dragon and that her fear would be 
too strong for her to control.
--Phaedra Whitlock

After a quick and cold meal, fire being deemed to dangerous, the party 
slowly splintered as each went to their sleeping areas. Conversations 
seemed few and far between as the desolation around them seemed to press 
in.

Jarrad retired to his blankets, needing some rest after the over extension 
of his abilities earlier in the day.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Thai settled into her blankets as well but sleep would not come. Finally 
she opened her eyes to watch Jarrad's steady breathing. Unable to do 
anything with so many around them, Thai snuggled in a little further and 
projected occasional pleasant dreams to Jarrad, usually the memories he 
had shared with her of his father's garden and the roses there.

Despite the desolation around them the garden memories brought an 
uncertain peace to Thai's troubled mind, and eventually she too fell asleep.

Draca shook Thai awake when her shift was over. Drowsily Thai sat up and 
saw Zeph also getting up, albeit looking more rested than herself. :Ah 
well, I should know better...:

She joined Zeph in a circuit of the perimeter and then settled into the 
shadows to think about what the elf had said.
--Phaedra Whitlock

He awoke suddenly, and was instantly up sword to hand, before he realised 
it was Cari who had started to shake him.

::Sorry::, he sent. ::I seem to have a slight case of nerves <g>. Any 
news?::

::It has been quiet:: replied Cari, using the exact same words Semareth 
had passed on to her. ::Too quiet::.

Pausing to listen, Jarrad knew exactly what she meant. There was none of 
the normal night life sounds, just dead silence, broken only by the 
occasional sound of wind, gusting through gnarled and twisted scrub. 
Jarrad shivered, partly from the cold, before looking over to where the 
elf he would be on watch with was waking as well.

::Sleep well:: he sent to Cari, as he pulled his cloak tighter around him, 
but not too tight as to hamper his movements.

Then he moved over to meet the elf on the outskirts of the campsite.

"Your sky is beautiful" Jarrad whispered, pointing to the brilliant array 
of stars, themselves providing enough light for even Jarrad to see 
relatively well.

Then, they began the watch, each positioning themselves to be able to 
watch the part of the campsite open to approach. Their rear was guarded by 
the rocky outcrop the campsite had been set against.

As their watch progressed, Jarrad began to feel extremely uneasy. 
Something was wrong, something was very wrong.

Then he realised what it was. 

The stars had slowly been fading out, as they normally did near dawn. 
Except the sky was not getting any lighter, the opposite was the case, as 
the light seemed to fade slowly all around, and darkness was slowly 
pressing in, and had been for many minutes, without either of them 
realising it.

With a hiss towards the elf "Does your dawn normally look like this?"

The elf took but a second to realise what Jarrad meant, the expression on 
his face answer enough.

::"WARE!"::, Jarrad both shouted and sent, then kept his attention fully 
on the surrounding terrain, his eyes trying to pierce the gloom which 
slowly flowed towards them, devouring all from sight as it came.

As the others approached, several gave a questioning glance at the lack of 
any apparent case for alarm, before the elf pointed out the strange but 
subtle gloom approaching.

"Light a torch, and stick it in the ground, just in front of the gloom" 
ordered Jarrad, and when one of the elves looked towards Zephillia for 
confirmation he added "Just do it".

When the elf returned with a lit torch, but a half a minute later, the 
gloom had encroached another foot. He placed the lit torch in the ground 
half a foot in front of the wall of darkness. Then stepped back.

The darkness advanced to wards the torch, and enveloped it. The torch did 
not splutter, but was simply engulfed, its flickering light engulfed, and 
then there was no sign it had ever been there.

Judging the rate of the wall's approach, Jarrad estimated they had about 
10 to 15 minutes before it reached them, and then told the group 
accordingly.

Reaching out with his psionics, Jarrad probed the wall, and was met with 
nothing. His probe was not blocked, it just told him that on the other 
side of the wall there was nothing. Probing around he realised it wasn't 
just a wall. It was a sphere, centred on them, and shrinking rapidly.

"I can't sense the wall at all" Jarrad said. "There is what we can see, 
then suddenly nothing beyond that. It is as if the rest of the world no 
longer exists. And it all around us, above and below as well."
--Paul Raj Khangure

Thai stared at the wall of blackness as if sight alone could unravel its 
secrets. There was nothing there to see. 

She glanced at Zeph then back at the wall. The whole thing was ridiculous 
she kept telling herself. Rested up Thai tried a low level spell on it 
with no apparent effect. With a frown she sent a fireball into it. There 
was not even a hint of warmth after it entered the field of darkness.

Very concerned now Thai tried a force barrier around the group, but it too 
was swallowed as though it had never existed. :Zeph, Zephyr, if we 
coordinate maybe we can overpower this...:

The wall had become uncomfortably close as she cast and Thai stepped back 
away from it, bumping into a legantor as she did so. :Sorry: she 
murmured, stepping around the man to Jarrad's side. 
--Phaedra Whitlock

As a last resort, Jarrad prepared to Jaunt them all out, but he bounced, 
something which had never happened before, and they were back in the 
centre of the sphere.
--Paul Raj Khanngure

Thai had gone pale under her natural skin tones. Her hand stole into 
Jarrad's for reassurance, somehow she could not believe what was 
happening. 

Jarrad squeezed her hand absently, still thinking hard. Thai was doing 
the same. Like Jarrad's her Portal spell failed, leaving them exactly 
where they had been but with the wall that much closer.
--Phaedra Whitlock

The group was huddled together as close as possible, and the sphere 
continued it's advance. A horse whinnied, the sound cut off suddenly as 
the horse was lost to sight.
--Paul Raj Khangure

"Jarrad..." Thai murmured, seeking reasurance. Her arms slipped around 
his waist as if she could shield him with her own body. 
--Phaedra Whitlock

As the sphere kept on shrinking, First one elf then another shrieked, and 
was lost. 
--Paul Raj Khangure

Thai buried her head in his shoulder trying not to hear or see. With each 
outcry she shuddered and held him tighter. 
--Phaedra Whitlock

Holding Thai tightly, Jarrad whispered to her, for possibly the 
last time "I love you" and then the sphere reached him.
--Paul Raj Khangure

"I love you too..." she whispered back. There was no time for anything 
else, and it would not matter anyway.
--Phaedra Whitlock

There was cold, colder than anything he had ever experienced. Colder than 
the void Eldarion had shown them before. 

Cold and Blackness.

Then there was nothing.
--Paul Raj Khangure


The transition from blackness and cold was instantaneous. 

Jarrad looked around, his first priority to make sure everyone was there.
Thai, Cari, Draca, Semareth, Zephillia ... but no legentors.

The six of them lay on a stone floor, in a room with no visible light 
source, yet there was light.
--Paul Khangure

In the gloom Zeph was able to perceived that her legentors were not there. 
This fact disturbed her more than it showed (the inadequate light source was 
in most part the master of this fact). Angrily she wondered what mess had
Xeen thrown them into this time. The perils of this venture seemed endless.
--Dave Smart

When the encroaching darkness had claimed them Cari had moved closer to 
Semareth; to be standing beside her teacher should death come to claim them.

She shivered awake, and once she looked to see if Semareth stirred, she 
looked around to see if all the others were alright. Cari was disturbed 
to see the Legentors were missing. She did note that her medical pack did 
not lay far from her.
--Cathy Mosley

Standing, Jarrad made sure the others were allright, then looked at the 
room again in more detail.

There was no difference between the stone walls, roof, and floor. There 
was no door, nothing at all to distinguish any one from another. With 
them were the packs which had been on the horses, yet of their equinine 
friends, there was no sight.

Then one of the large stones, shimmered and then reappeared with some 
script on it. Just below the script was a small slot, an inch and a half 
long, and a quarter inch high.

The script read

I have no need of a body.
My head is famous, my tail recognised by most.
Rich and poor alike seek me to decide for them.
Who am I?

Looking around, Jarrad noted the varying expressions, from resigned to 
furious, calm to distressed. 

"Eldarion riddles us again."

Sensing outwards, he detected the same blankness around them that had been 
there before. A quick test ascertained the nature of it as well. He 
couldn't Jaunt.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Semareth pondered the strange riddle. He believed he knew the answer. 
Quietly, he spoke, "I think I have the answer, but what's it worth?". 
Resignedly, he leaned back against a wall. Oddly, when coming through 
the darkness and cold, the rest of his body had warmed up soon 
enough... his left arm was still deadly cold.
--Nick Takayama

As Cari stood next to Semareth she felt the cold coming from him and 
shivered. Since the others were dealing with the riddle she took time to 
pull from her few belongings the barest of essentials and put them in the 
medical pack, which she arranged on her back.
--Cathy Mosley

Zeph too was beginning to regain her natural warmth as her shivering slowed
to a slight tremble. After Jarrad and Semareth read the script, Zeph took a 
quick glanced then passed it onto Thai. Until she had read it, her nerves 
were frayed at best. Her confidence had wavered in the light of the 
helplessness she had experienced at the hand of her enemy. But now she
felt more anger than hopelessness. "What kind of game is he playing NOW!"
she growled. "What worth?" she said in answer to Semareth. "Worth exactly.
A coin!" 

The riddle was simple enough, but to what ends did it lead. Where were 
they and how could they possibly find their way back to camp? And what of 
her team? Her faithful legentors. Were they still of the living? She 
prayed in silence for their well being above all. 
--Dave Smart

Thai was grateful to find herself still alive for whatever reason or 
however long.

A coin. What could it hurt? 

She conjured one and let it fall through the slot. Sure enough, The wall 
formed indentations and moldings similar to the elven doors she'd seen in 
Haven and on other elven constructs.

She glanced back at the group then shrugged. Someone had to do it.

With a tug she pulled open the doors, although she did not stand in front 
of them. Beyond was a corridor that curved to the left.

As nothing came through to attack she wandered into it with Jarrad's hand 
firmly in hers. At the other end of the corridor was another blank wall 
and another riddle.


Has a mouth but does not speak. 
Has a bed but does not sleep.


"A maze. We're in a maze with riddles being the key to progressing. I 
wonder what lies at the center." Thai murmured.
--Phaedra Whitlock

"I know this one" said Jarrad, "yet it would be a little hard to pour the 
answer through a slot, and I cannot see such a slot"

Looking around, the only other feature of note, was an ear shaped carving 
in the wall.

"I suppose we speak the answer into that," Jarrad pointed, then went up to 
it.

"RIVER" he spoke loudly.

The ear and script disappeared, and shifted into another door. These 
riddles seemed easy, and that was cause for worry in itself.

Pushing through the door, Jarrad noted an other passage and room, but 
worse, as the last of the gropu passed through, the doorway turned back 
into smooth inpregnable stone again.

There was another riddle, as expected.

          What does no man want, yet no man wants to lose?

Again there was an ear shaped outcropping presumably for receiving the 
answer.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Somewhere in her travels Cari thought she had heard this one, but she 
still pondered at it. ++None asks for . .. ++ she thought, then sent to 
Jarrad since he was near the ear, ::Jarrad! Try "Life!"::
--Cathy Mosley

Not sure if Life was the correct answer, and wondering whether "no man 
wants" could translate to "none asks for", Jarrad went to the ear 
nevertheless and spoke the answer.

"Life"

Nothing happened .... immediately.

A few seconds later, there was a grinding sound from the roof, and a small 
opening appeared.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Cari held her breath. For if the answer was wrong . . who knew what fate 
would befall them.
--Cathy Mosley

From it dropped a ragged bundle, which hit the ground with a soft thud, 
and rolled to Cari's feet.

When it had stopped rolling, you could see it was the severed head of one 
of the legentors, shaven bald of all hair. 

A mad laugh echoed throughout the room.

"WRONG" the tone rang throughout the room, almost deafeningly.

Then the crazy laughter returned, and faded away into nothing, leaving the 
room in silence, and the legentors glazed over eyes stairing up at Cari.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Cari stared down at the sightless eyes, and clenched her teeth in rage as 
the laughter began.

She had her doubts that the legentor had just been killed, though there 
was that chance. Thereby, leaving his death on her hands. ++No,++ she 
told herself, ++On Eldarion's.++ 

Cari shifted her pack off her back, and knelt; her movements were 
stiff with contained rage. 

She pulled her cloak off and as she wrapped the head in its folds she 
prayed to Sh'al for this one's soul. Cari didn't bother to shield her 
thoughts as she prayed. 

Once she had the cloak around the Legentor's head 
she gently lifted it and took what was left of their companion to Zeph. 
To the High Inquisitor she sent, ::I am sorry.::
--Cathy Mosley

Jarrad stiffened in anger.

So their wrong answers would not cost them their lives immediately, but 
would cost the lives of others.

Jarrad committed the elf's face to memory, another one to be avenged when 
they had Xeen in their grasp.

Then he looked around to the others, wondering if they knew the answer to 
this riddle.
--Paul Raj Khangure

It took all the will and self-control she could muster not to faint 
into the madness that Xeen had designed for her. Her blood had chilled 
at the sound of laughter and sight of Xeen's token for an incorrect 
answer. Every step was a test against her resolve.

Taking the unwanted gift from Cari she assured her that it was 
not her fault. Then looking down at her hands she saw that it was Tel.
Poor Tel. Her bravest of knights. Long and gallantly he had served and
protected. She bit her tongue to sequester the tears that boiled within.
At least she had been answered in part. Her Legentors were either dead 
or in the hands of Xeen at the now. She shuddered and for a second time
bade a quick prayer for her missing comrades that their deaths be quick
and merciful, but felt at any length alas that this wish would not be
heard. Angry, but bridled she mouthed a few undiscernible syllables and 
the head that rested in her hands lit into a white flame and thus burnt 
quickly to ash as was the rite of cleansing a victim of Xeen.

"Now friends," she said, turning to her friends, her manner cool and 
collective as if nothing had occurred. "It may be wiser if we consult 
as a group of minds bent on the same purpose before we set forth an 
answer to these riddles. Simple or not." Then she bid her allies to 
form a tight circle as in a huddle. "Let us quickly put our ideas 
together. I believe the answer to be 'ones mind', but I maybe mistaken 
and fear the result of any error. What say you Thai?"
--Dave Smart

"I don't think it would be a mind. I'm sorry Zeph, but I'm not very good 
with games. I had better things to do with my childhood."

Her mind was thinking furiously anyway. Several answers occurred to her 
and were discarded as the wrong ones for one reason or another. 
Hesitantly she raised her eyes to the ceiling. "I don't know what answer 
he wants. I'm not a man."
--Phaedra Whitlock

Jarrad paused, still wondering how lucky it was that he had guessed the 
previous riddle correctly, and Cari had the rotten luck of guessing 
incorrectly.

Wondering why Xeen would disfigure only the head, Jarrad suddenly had a 
glimmer of an idea, one which grew until he was sure of it.

"Eldarion plays games wihtin games" he said, the anger in his voice clear, 
but controlled. "He taunts us, yet gives us the solution as well", he said 
pointing at the disfigured head Zephillia had unwrapped.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Semareth had taken to silence since the gruesome delivery of Tel's 
head. He did not want to know what would happen once they ran out of 
legentors... he rubbed his neck idly.

Something in the past few minutes had triggered something in his 
mind, and he mulled over it now. If he'd had a scholar to ponder over 
the question with, he'd have actually enjoyed the challenge. Now, as 
he neared the rest of the group, an answer formed in his head.
Speaking softly, he said "I believe that Xeen has given us a hint 
already... it appears though that Zephyllia has burned the evidence. 
Tel was shaven bald... could the answer be _hair_? I do not know 
about 'no man wants', but certainly no man wats to lose it", he said 
as one of his long black strands dangled before his face. He sat back 
and waited for the group's opinions.
--Nick Takayama

The words of Jarrad and Semareth sparked an idea within Zeph. 
"Mind...hair...games within games, Tel's disfigured head," she said 
with care as if letting each statement sink in. "I believe
Jarrad has it. It is his 'HEAD'!" Believing this to be the true answer, 
Zeph walked uncontested over to the ear piece that hung nearby and spoke 
aloud the answer.
    
"HEAD!"
--Dave Smart

Again the insane laughter echoed around the room, and again a panel in the 
roof opened, only this time a slightly larger panel.

With a whoosh, then a thud, the remainder of Tel shot out and landed 
directly on Zephillia, warm blood still erupting from the veins which were 
cut when his head was severed. Like the head, Tel's body was shaven of all 
hair.

"What do you think you are doing you stupid idiot?" THe words from 
Jarrad's mouth were harsh, as was his expression, as he glared at the 
blood covered Zephillia.
--Paul Raj Khangure

"Jarrad..." Thai interjected, trying belatedly to stem a confrontation 
between him and Zeph.
--Phaedra Whitlock

"After insisting we not take single action, but agree as a group, you go 
directly and put us all at risk without seeking any agreement.

Just because they are your legentor's does not give you, or any of us, to 
risk their lives through our arrogance.

So does anyone else want to shout their answer and see if they are right 
or not by seeing if someone dies?"
--Paul Raj Khangure

Thai knew he was right, but more clearly to Thai were the signs of strees 
everyone was operating under. That was worse than anything Xeen had yet done.
--Phaedra Whitlock

Pointing at the riddle, Jarrad's anger showed no sign of abatement.

"Read that again. What does no man want, yet no man wants to lose? Are 
you saying you don't want your head Zeph? Or are you saying that Tel 
didn't want his." 

Jarrad knew he was being deliberately cruel in pointing that out, but none 
had the right to risk such when they had time for discussion.

"I value my head, and I value Thai's head. And I'm not going to let you 
jeapordise any chance we have of keeping our heads. We have a truce to 
work together Zeph, not for us to see if you guess right or not. You pull 
something like that again, and I'll have you dead. DO I MAKE MYSELF 
CLEAR?" 

By the end of the outburst, Jarrad's voice had risen to the stage where he 
was shouting.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Fearing that he would have to restrain the man - for surely he had 
gone mad with all the strange happenings - Semareth spread his feet 
and prepared for the worst. As it turned out, his concern was 
unwarranted... but he imagined how stuffing Jarrad's mouth with dirt 
would brighten his day. Hot headed lout.
--Nick Takayama

"Now" Jarrad said in a normal tone again. "Rather than just being a head, 
which I think noone would want to loose, what is it that no man wants. 
What did Eldarion do to the head? What was Semareth suggesting.

Hair.

No man wants a bald head, and no man wants to lose a bald head.

Perhaps you want to try that one Zephillia, If the group agrees?

"BALD HEAD"
--Paul Raj Khangure
    
With a rumble the gate opened and a passage of new horrors now awaited.
Moving cautiously forward the group made their way into the new maze. Here
things soon took on a new twist. As they walked it became apparent within 
the gloom that the walls were alive and shifting ever so slightly as they 
passed. Curiosity and the need for more light to see by, Zeph sparked up
a luminescent spell and behold the walls to either side and ceiling and 
floor pulsed un-naturally with life. And too the horror of all, faces began 
to slip in and out of sight as the walls texture changed. For each member 
of the party the faces were recognisable. To Zeph, she saw the faces of long 
lost friends and comrades in arms who had fallen in one battle or another. A 
feeling of utter disparity and fear encompassed her and weighted down upon her 
until it was unbearable. With a cry Zeph screamed, "NO MORE!"
--Dave Smart

Her scream was followed by Jarrad's shout of denial. "NO!"
He recognised the faces, some from his past, some from the Inn in 
Montford, and some from the current party. They could not be predictions, 
merely more taunting of Eldarions. Nothing like that would happen to Thai. 
Never.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Thai paled as she saw herself again in Proctor John's clutches, and 
worse, Jarrad.
--Phaedra Whitlock

All the faces Semareth saw were from his past... from his home. They 
slowly appeared amongst the walls crevices, one by one, all with 
closed eyes. As he watched, all the eyes opened in unison, all 
staring at him... in shock, in horror, in love, in amazement, in 
pain. Then, with a sickening lurch, they swirled into a bloody 
uniformity upon the wall, face blending with face as they each 
dissolved into a reeking mess. His stomach lurched, and he closed his 
eyes... when he opened them again, the faces were gone.
--Nick Takayama    

Zephyr tried to control his urge to jump into a defensive posture
at the sight of the large corridor that had opened before them.  The path
was very dim and he was glad that Zeph had sparked up a light.  He
used the light to examine the walls that pulsed before him.  To his
horror, he saw the faces of past relatives tortured, and seemingly,
calling out to him.  He saw his family and other Kaijit people
weeping.  He almost lost himself in the walls till he noticed Zeph
drop crying aloud.  He went to her, and noticed Thai and the others
pulling her up, comforting her.
--Joe Christ1

Her echoes were that of laughter. The same laugh as that which they were now 
all becoming accustomed too, but still regretted the misfortune to hear it.
    
As Zeph sobbed on the floor she was surprised to find her allies about her
so quickly and in earnest, there to comfort her. Her resolve and strength
then returned and the group was off again towards a source of light that
now seemed to grow with each hesitant step.
--Dave Smart

Cari sent to Zeph her offerings of strength and support; just as she 
would have for someone trapped in a nightmare of their own making. She had 
come to the conclusion that it didn't matter whether the nightmare was in 
one's mind or if you were in reality walking through it. She did what she 
did in dream healing - anchored and offered a calm companion to walk the 
ever-changing landscapes. And for herself, for her sanity, she anchored 
herself in her believe in Sh'al.
--Cathy Mosley

Thai and Cari immedately went to Zeph's side to comfort her. When Zeph had 
recovered they prepared to leave.
--Phaedra Whitlock

They went on.  They had traveled for several hours, and Zephyr
wondered out loud, "Maybe we should turn back.  There could be a
secret door along these treacherous walls somewhere."

"No," someone replied to him, "Xeen is being too linear here to
force us to search for any doors.  He is definitely leading us somewhere." 
This logic seemed to be appropriate, and he kept along with the
others, ignoring the faces beckoning him.
--Joe Christ1
    
Hours seemed to pass into days until finally they reached yet another gate.
The  door was fabricated of a moulding of rotted wood that oozed decay
and to the travellers seemed easily destructible (It was not so). As the
group wondered what would happen next, soon came the reward for patience. 
Before their very eyes, the door warped and changed its shape into that of a 
gaping mouth. The maw drooled a liquid of foul despair and exposed teeth of 
greenish rot. It spoke. "To pass through me you must answer the following 
question I pose you." The voice was guttural and bubbly as though spoken 
through a pond of sewage and puss. The air about the group now took on a 
heaviness and stench that taxed even the hardiest of souls from gagging. "I 
am immeasurable and fleeting at best, yet man's heartbeat is measured by me," 
the voice jeered "What am I?" The questioned asked, silence befell the 
listeners once more, leaving only dread and one hell of a stink, and the 
door was once more only a rotten oak door.
--Dave Smart

Suddenly the 'Door' showed up and it didn't look pretty.  
Zephyr pulled up his cloak to cover his mouth and offered the other
end of it to whomever was near and needing it.  Then the door asked
its question - I am immeasurable and fleeting at best, yet man's
heartbeat is measured by me.

"Well," stated Zephyr, "I guessed wrong thinking 'time' for the
last question, and I'm thinking 'electricity' for this one, but
someone else should answer this truthfully."
--Joe Christ1

Cari cut part of the hem of her tunic free and wrapped it over her nose 
and mouth. Then sent to her companions, ::It might be 'pulse' or 'Time.' 
Or the clue could be again in what we're seeing. So it could be something 
fluid, such as blood.::
--Cathy Mosley

"I would agree with Cari that time seems the right answer. We can never 
measure time accurately, and we all know how fleeting life can be, 
especially here. Man's heartbeat, measured by time?"

Jarrad wasn't totally convinced of the answer.

"What do you think?", He asked the others.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Semareth smiled at the absurdity of the situation, and sucked in the 
raw stench. He looked at Jarrad, and Cari...

"I agree with her first suggestion. Time is measurable - or then what 
is an 'hour', or a 'day' - and it is arguably infinite, not 
fleeting... no matter how small your lifespan may be, friend.", he 
delivered this last with a grin at Jarrad.

"'Pulse' seems the more likely answer, for it is too non-specific for 
measurement, and is over in an instant."

He looked at Thai, and nodded slightly in deference.
"Deaconess, I present the case... I ask your impartial judgement lest 
we cause an outburst from someone - should we be wrong.". Again, the 
infuriating smile at Jarrad... perhaps the man would suffer some 
discomfort from his rash behaviour.
--Nick Takayama

"I think it is Time as well. What we see is decay. The door, the walls, 
everything here is the result of time."
--Phaedra Whitlock

As the group pondered the riddle the oak door seemed to rot and decay into
worse dis-repair before their very eyes.

Zeph stood aghast, unwilling to open her trap again. The stench was all to 
consuming...
--Dave Smart

"It would seem Xeen either agrees or disagrees with my answer and mocks me, 
but I believe I am correct."

"Does anyone object? If not, Semareth, will you provide the answer in 
Cari's stead?"
--Phaedra Whitlock

Zephyr looked over at Semareth and noticed that he didn't speak up as 
quickly as he ought of.

"TIME," he called out in Semareths stead.

In horror, everyone noticed as the Door suddenly began to rot at an 
accelerated pace, pieces dripping onto the floor, puss running out of 
some sore here or there.  Blood actually began to flow from the feet 
of the door and crawled towards Thai and Semareth standing at the 
front; they quickly stepped back.

After a couple of minutes, the door had decayed down to nearly 
nothing, and all that remained was a pile of mush that stunk as much 
as the door did previously.  One by one, each of the heroes made 
their way past the mess, giving up a foot or toe to the bloody floor. 

This time instead of the corridor continuing onward, it dropped. 
Steps that rallied the feet of any cyclops yawned before them.  
Although time consuming, the crew made their way down each level.  
"One would think these were the steps for Xeen himself, eh?" muttered 
someone from the back.  A careful eye was kept on Zeph, in case she 
had begun to have any serious trouble.  Her silence since her 
collapse in the hallway previous had worried Zephyr.  She was a 
leader for her troops, and she had to keep up the facade, if she 
couldn't hold it together.

After a break, the group continued onward for another hour.  
They were beginning to talk of another break, as each one of them 
were worn to the bone, when Cari suddenly shouted out, "Look! The 
Floor!"  In the dim light, the floor peaked out from the shadows to 
beckon them.  They trudged onward.

At last they hit bottom, and peared at a Steel Door, complete 
with rivets.  A metal grate, in the shape of a mouth, stood around 
ten feet up.  And out of this mouth, boomed - 

"A Simple Challenge for thee..."

"What is neither fish nor flesh,
Feathers nor bone,
But still has fingers
and thumbs of its own.

What is thy answer, mortals?"
--Joe Christ1

Again, it seemed to Cari that she had heard this riddle, and the answer 
slipped serpentine in the back of her memories, but she had trusted her 
memory once before. And triggered Tel's death. No, she decided, she would 
not be so trusting of half-remembered answers.

She was weary. In dream healing sooner or later the patient woke, and 
both healer and dreamer rested. This nightmare, however, went on and on. 
And even her faith in Sh'al did nothing to restore a tired body and taxed 
mind. She moved close to Semareth and stared at the metal mouth.
--Cathy Mosley

Thai stared at the riddle then promptly sat down to rest while she 
thought about this one. She was growing very tired of Xeen's sense of 
humor.

Enough time had passed for her to regain some of the magic she had used 
up trying to escape the blackness. With it she conjured up a dish of 
honeyed dates a loaf of bread and a section of cheese and began eating. 
After a second thought she conjured up a ham and a full wheel of cheese, 
as well as a container of elven wine for everyone else. As the trip was 
to have been over by now they had not brought much in the way of food, 
and most of that had not come through with them. What Cari had packed was 
now almost gone after feeding seven people.

As she daintily licked the sticky honey from her fingertips Thai studied 
the writing again. Something about this didn't seem right to her and 
after a bit she knew what it was. 

This place couldn't exist. Yes it was a creation of Xeen's, but the magic 
mouth had said things were not as they seemed in the realm of Xeen. This 
was most certainly the realm of Xeen and a prison besides, but Thai 
simply refused to believe it existed.

Why she chose to believe a mysterious mouth never even crossed her mind. 
She was used to acting on her impulses. 

Thai finished her brief supper and kept her thoughts to herself for now. 
If she was right, then the riddles and the tunnels would continue until 
Xeen grew bored. If he wished to he would then release them, but if not 
they would stay trapped forever in this place, wherever they were, until 
they died of starvation or each other. 

They may indeed have walked half a day to get here, her legs hurt enough 
to believe that, but deep down she suspected it had all been an illusion 
and they were still in the little room. 

Pawns dreaming they were Knights.
--Phaedra Whitlock

Nibbling a little, Jarrad pondered the riddle, and his eyes settled on 
Semareth's hidden arm for a second. Then inspiration struck.

"I can think of a couple of answers," he started. "A statue made of stone, 
could have fingers and thumb's, or a suit of armour, but more 
specifically, and what I think it is, is a gauntlet, or any glove not made 
of flesh. A gauntlet seems most reasonable."
--Paul Khangure

Thai smiled at Jarrad. That was her guess as well, a gauntlet or perhaps 
a glove.
--Phaedra Whitlock

Zeph nodded, thinking of a glove (not made of any kind of hide) as well
and simply nodded in agreement with Jarrad. Then looking at the great
steel door before them she began to feel quite small and she shuddered.
"Where was all this leading to?" she thought. "Are we merely Xeen's
little toy things to be played with untill he grows weary of us?" How
similar her thoughts were to Thai's, however only Xeen held the answer.
--Dave Smart

Cari had debated only seconds over whether or not to eat from Thai's 
offered feast, since it had been created by magic, but sense and her 
strong sense of survival won out. There was but two packs of hard tack in 
her bag; enough to feed one meal to the original number of the party. 
Yes, it was food, but it could well be needed later. And she knew better 
than to turn down any food since they had no idea how long they would 
wander. So she now rested near Semareth, chewing on a good-sized piece of 
cheese. 

She thought that Jarrad had made a good suggestion, and sent, ::It sounds 
feasible.::
--Cathy Mosley

Zephyr watched the mouth echo it statements out into the void of 
the stairwell.  It almost didn't give them a chance to rest, but when 
the words were done, he noticed Thai sit down, then cast out a meal 
for some of the members.  Cari had pocketed hers, as some may be 
needed later.  They happened to be in this maze for some time, and 
they didn't know for how much longer they would be.  Cari being one 
of the more petite members could forego a meal or two - how 
thoughtful.

Thai reached up and handed him a ham sandwich, as they turned 
back to the door for some more contemplation.

"Yes, Jarrad, Gauntlet does sound like a good decision.  I did 
notice that the voice said 'A simple Challange for thee', and 
'Throwing the gauntlet down' is, in a way, a challange."  He looked 
over at Semareth, "Semmy, what say you? Do you believe that it is a 
'Gauntlet'?"

He waited to hear what he would say.....
--Joe Christ1

What was this with the men of their group? Jarrad's temper had snapped - 
with some reason, but unwise all the same. And now Zephyr was indeed 
throwing a gauntlet at Semareth's feet. Semareth, who so far, had kept 
hold of himself, but she wouldn't count on that lasting much longer. 
Particularly with such challenges. She finished off her chunk of cheese, 
and kept aware of their accidental link to judge his response. 
--Cathy Mosley

Semareth felt a tug in the air around him, and he felt energy slowly 
begin to ooze from the air. He traced it's direction slowly, head 
swiveling raptly, and his silvery eyes settled on Thai just as she 
began to move.
--Nick Takayama

Quite suddenly, Thai's eyes opened wide, and she stood.  No....not really
stood....more like, was drawn up, as a puppet on strings would be.
--Johny Enright

The unnaturalness of Thai's movements caught Jarrad's attention. He lashed 
out with a psionic probe, trying to ascertain how Xeen was doing this, 
desparately trying to sever whatever connection Xeen had.
--Paul Raj Khangure

The sandwich that Zephyr had been munching on flew out of his
hands when Thai suddenly stood up, her elbow coming up and hitting his 
hand. He stepped back when he noticed her unusual actions.
--Joe Christ1

With what could only be described as a panicked look on her face, she looked
around at them all, then looked up, and shouted "Doll!"  (Which, of course,
was *not* the answer she was originally thinking of...)

In less time than it would take to draw a breath, the ground beneath Thai
opened up, and she fell straight down.  As quickly as the ground opened,
it closed again upon itself, leaving no trace that the hole (or Thai) had
ever been there.
--Johny Enright

As Thai began to drop, Semareth jumped towards the opening, landing 
in a battle stance, feet wide apart. The others had moved, too, and 
he tracked them in his peripheral vision while he peered down the 
shaft after the deaconess.

In a moment, he had a small metal object in hand. He cast it into the
blackness after Thai - then - as he had feared, the portal closed. He
frowned, he did not even know if he would gain any guidance from the 
farfriend disc... after all, the god which supposedly gave power to 
them was dead. But, he concluded, there was no harm in trying... if 
they got close to her again, he would know.
--Nick Takayama

Cari was having horrible flashbacks to Amaranth's death as Thai was forced 
to perform.

In shock Cari psionically screamed when Thai dropped away from sight. The 
nightmare was closing it's claws on them, and beginning to scratch at the 
armour her new faith had provided her.
--Cathy Mosley

The hole opened up and Zephyr heard a scream in his head that scared
the bejeezus out of him.  But he launched himself at the hole hoping to
grab her hand.  It was for naught, as she had fallen too fast.
--Joe Christ1

Shutting off Cari's cry from his mind, Jarrad kept a trace on Thai as she 
slid, sensing the tunnel, and her shooting down it. He caught her and 
began to levitate her back towards the chute's lip, when it slammed closed.

Instantly, he lost the trace on her, and the tunnel he had sensed no 
longer appeared there.

::THAI?:: He called, privately, then recieving no answer, using the 
crystal net.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Softly, a hint of insane giggling could be heard in the air......
--Johny Enright

Zephyr noticed that Thai had begun to stop, and then return to
the surface.  He saw that Jarrad was on the other side of the hole, 
psionically drawing her up, so he resumed his reaching.

Suddenly, he noticed that something was wrong with the hole. Out
of sheer instinct, he pulled his hand out just as Thai was reaching
for him, and the hole slammed shut.  He felt pain and examined his
hand; his ring finger was bleeding.  He stood up fishing for some
healing salve.  "Damn!"  He looked at Jarrad to see if he had any sign
of her.
--Joe Christ1

As the ground opened beneath her and the invisible strings let her go, 
Thai screamed and grabbed for the edge of the hole. The edge crumbled 
beneath her fingers like sand and she kept falling. A dark shape 
cut off the light from above as something unseen grabbed at her clothes 
and hair causing her to gulp air for another terrified scream. 

Her fall stopped abruptly and she started to rise. Something bounced off 
her shoulder, reflexively Thai grabbed it and held on tight. Zephyr's head 
moved partially out of the light and she could see his hand reaching 
towards her. 

The hole disappeared abruptly and with it Jarrad's telekinesis. This time 
she fell and fell, with only a vague resonance through the network to 
tell her the others still existed.
--Phaedra Whitlock

Existed. Despite it all, they did. And now with yet another stolen
memeber at Xeen's cuel hand ---Thia of all people, they faced yet 
another riddle. Zeph shivered despite the warmth. Was Xeen never 
going to falter? The burden of helplessness wrapped its ugly claw 
around her heart once more. 
--Dave Smart

As the others settled down, Semareth's mind returned to the subject at 
hand... the riddle. 
--Nick Takayama

Trying to contain his rage, made somewhat easier by the outburst earlier, 
Jarrad began to concentrate it, all on one issue. Xeen would die. Now it 
was extremely personal.

"We don't have time to muck around, lets get this door open and get 
through this as quick as possible. One of us might be next." Jarrad's tone 
was perfectly calm, the only sign of  his anger, his eyes which were 
almost on fire.
--Paul Raj Khangure

He looked over at Semareth, "Semmy, what say you? Do you believe that 
it is a 'Gauntlet'?"
--Joey Christ 1

Semareth looked up at Zephyr from where he sat, his silver eyes 
locking on the man's manic grin. Without a visible transition, he was 
standing, his cloak still rustling into position as he stepped 
forward. 

(Though the link, Cari feels a dangerous mix of emotions playing over 
the surface of Sem's mind. She knows not whether he is going to walk 
past Zephyr, or kill him)

He stopped as he neared the wall, and looked over at Zephyr. He 
grinned, "Fine. I will answer the riddle for you... care to hold my 
hand?", his smile intensified, and he flexed his obsidian hand 
threateningly. He stooped swiftly to the waiting ear, and 
whispered...
"Gauntlet"
--Paul Raj Khangure

The wall before them disappeared, and the party trudged on through 
the gloomy subterranean passage.

The air became heavy with a gloom, and another wall blocked their 
path.

The wall was intricately carved in a mural style, with angels and 
small spirits flirting among clouds pictured beautifully as it 
emanated a subtle white glow. One of the fat little cherubs in the 
mural was holding a scroll, upon which was written:

What is it that everyone has,
but nobody wants,
once you set it free 
it comes back and haunts.
It's deadly as gas,
but is stored like a liquid,
its commonly used
by the cruel and the wicked.

Semareth sits back against one wall and sighs, another riddle. This 
one was poorly worded, he thought. He decided to relax and let the 
rest argue this one out.
--Nick Takayama

Semareth leaned back against the wall and sealed off his thoughts
(except to those people reading this post, of course). Right now, he
needed rest, but his body, and his soul would not allow it. He opened
his eyes, and looked at the mural.

It was more of a bas-relief, he realised, looking at it more closely
- the little cherubs, so peacefully resting on their clouds. He
touched a hand to the wall, and it was solid as rock... if possible,
even more so. The cherubs, however, seemed soft and alive, happy. He
looked at his fellow adventurers... sadly, none looked even vaguely
as peaceful as the mural. Those little angels looked vulnerable,
however... and that could hardly be said for his friends - who were
becoming increasingly agitated with time.

He sighed again, perhaps an answer would come to them soon... or who
knew what would happen.
--Nick Takayama

After the hole closed over Thai Cari settled herself on the floor by 
Semareth, and watched him  study the mural. She tried to turn her thoughts 
to working on the riddle but either fatigue or a lack of knowledge left 
her without any ideas to offer. ::Any ideas?:: she sent.
--Cathy Mosley

"The other answer I considered is ::emotions, in particular love::" Jarrad 
said, transmitting the last part. "WHat think you of that as an answer?"
--Paul Raj Khangure

"Hmmm," Zephyr rubbed his now bristly chin. "No, that does not 
seem to fit.  'Body odor' seems thee most logical solution.  If you 
think that is best, I would agree with you.  To be honest, I have no 
other ideas.  Sorry.  I hope it is correct, as my sword is itching to 
grab some of that Xeen Steak it's been hearing about."
--Joey Chist1

"Are you *sure* you want to do that, Avatar?!"  came a voice the group
was starting to come to know.  As everyone turned about, they saw Eldarion
standing on the ceiling, looking up (down?) at them.

"Wait a minute....that's not right!"  Eldarion seemed to think for a moment,
then his eyes brightened.  "Ah yes, excuse me!  What I meant to say was...
I am sorry, but you folks seem to have broken one of the minor rules."  

Eldarion opened a scroll, which unrolled down (up?) towards the floor.  The
scroll must have been ten yards long.  "Ah yes, here we are!  Rule forty-six,
sub-paragraph three, item B.  '....and there shall be no...etc. etc., ......
furthermore....etc......and none of the contestents in the game will be
affiliated in any way with the name of Xeen, to include different spellings
of said name....etc.

Eldarion rolled the scroll back up and could see that everyone had confused,
angry looks upon their faces.  "What this means is, the judges have decided 
that two of you have broken the rules in regards to your names.  You see,
Xeen *is* a registered trademark.  Phonetically, so is the beginnings of
the pronounciation of the name.....Xe, or Ze, if you prefer.  Therefore,
*both* Zephilllia and Zephyr are in clear violation, and must go!"

In the blink of an eye, both Zeph and Zephyr met the same fate which Thai 
had.  Both fell through holes which instantaneously opened beneath them,
and which closed again once they passed, leaving no trace.

Eldarion had *also* disappeared once again, without a trace....

                    *          *         *