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[Xeen] Compendium Chapter 17
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The party travelled through the steam filled corridor for a few
minutes, the only light being provided by the hissing flame ball
which blocked their retreat path. The effect was gothic, the shadows
of each person being cast before them in flickering motion as if
leading the way for them, and walking of their own accord. The walls
dripped slime from cracks, and stalagmites and stalagtites had formed
in small greenish blobs along the side of the rocky path.

"Light", Semareth pointed. A small orange speck of light was visible
in the distance.

It did not take them long to reach the source, their weary legs still
more than capable of propelling them towards any hope of escape from
the disgusting closeness of the tunnel.

The group stood on a small ledge overlooking an immense, bowl shaped
cavern. Lava flowed down one side, and merged into a giant pool which
occupied the far side of the space. On the near side, there were
people. From this height still, one could discern that they were
mostly human and elven, their bodies dirty and soot covered from long
exposure to the broiling conditions. They lived here, Semareth
realised, their conditions worse than poor, with no food but the
fungus which grew on the walls. There was no telling how long they
had been here.

As the rest of the party crowded the ledge behind him, he looked down
for a path to the prisoners. There seemed to be a way to climb down,
all ledges and rocky slopes covered with lichen and moss... but he
realised the absence of any way to get back up. He began to feel the
heat of the fireball behind them as it moved to seal up their
retreat. He looked at his companions.

"Perhaps we can help them...", he began, but it appeared he was not
alone in his sentiments, so he began picking his way across the
rocks, and down to the cavern below. A single slip would mean a
deadly fall, so he pointed out footholds to those behind him, knowing
that Jarrad would probably use his powers to ease the journey of
those less able.
--Nick Takayama

Jarrad arched an eyebrow at Semareth's comments. It was the first time he 
had seen any form of compassion within the man.

Deciding that the route Semareth was taking was a little too chancy, 
Jarrad used his psionics to hold the air steady in the form of a 
staircase.

Realising that the others would probably want some visual sign, Jarrad 
grabbed some of the fungus of the walls with psionics, and spread it 
across the steps, making them apear more solid. 

The staircase went almost all the way down, stopping about 8 feet short of 
the bottom, to stop any of the prisoners from trying to rush up it in a 
futile escape attempt.

Motioning for Zephyr to lead the way, Jarrad held the staircase in place.

"This may be an easier way, Semareth" he said, in case the man had not 
noticed the staircase suddenly appear.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Zephyr began to follow down the staircase, using the path of fungi 
Jarrad had applied as a guide.  He, however, could not help but keep 
his foot out in front of him to test some of the bare spots.

Slowly Zephyr made it to the bottom.
--Joey Christ1

Semareth saw the staircase, and nodded. However, he noticed that he
was making as good time as the rest of the party, and the challenge
of keeping his footing helped keep his mind from the lesser worries
such as Xeen.

The heat of the lava lake began beating at his brow as he descended,
becoming swiftly uncomfortable. He wondered how the prisoners had
managed to survive in this heat for so long - assuming they had been
here for months. The masses of prisoners below had noticed them, yet
had not moved. Semareth frowned. From this height, he could see their
soot covered faces, and their blackened clothing, and he could see
that they had noticed the party on its way down. The fact that they
had not moved was disturbing, indeed. He could see no restraining
devices, nor any traps.

"They must have given up all hope,", he muttered to the rest as he
descended parallel to them.
--Nick Takayama

Cari followed Zephyr down, mostly concentrating on putting her foot near 
a patch of fungi, but trying not to think about seeing the lava and rock 
below her feet. Each step jarred her ribcage, and sent dull pain 
reverberating through her side. 

The monotony of seeing the lava and fungi, and the heat that made her 
damp clothes steam  and sweat pour down her face, was nerve-wracking. She 
glanced over at Semareth, almost enyving him his more arduous climb, and 
noted his attention for a split second was on the prisoners below. The 
motionless prisoners below. She was almost tempted to scan the area. 
But refrained.
--Cathy Mosley

Thai stepped back to let the others go down Jarrad's staircase. It 
wasn't that she didnt trust it, there was simply no reason for everyone 
to go. No, there was a reason. Xeen wanted them here, so she wasn't going.

That settled she glared at the hovering Fire Elemental and sniffed in 
contempt. Sitting down on the ledge she leaned over to see how the others 
were doing. Dear Sem, always the different one. 

She sat back to look at the Elemental. It stayed guarding the entrance so 
she ignored it and humming slightly, started weaving a rope from the air of 
the cavern. 
--Phaedra Whitlock

Stepping down onto the bottom, Zephyr surveyed the people.  They 
just stood there as if they forgot what other free-willed people 
looked like. 

Cari was not four feet behind him, and she was having a hard 
time of it.  She was holding her arm next to her to support her one 
side, and Zephyr figured that, if not broken, then she had several 
fractured ribs.  The heat in this cavern was immense, making it hard 
to breathe.  With Cari's ribcage the way it was, it probably was 
doubly hard for her.  She seemed to be wincing a lot.

He took her free hand and helped her with the last step.

Draca was next, and she was fairing better with the heat in 
here.  Although, she was still in bad shape.  He also helped her 
down.

"Cari, I am gonna cast a small healing spell on your ribs, 
along with some of my salve.  It won't be strong enough to completely 
heal you, but you'll feel a little better," he pulled up her shirt on 
one side, then took out some ginseng, garlic, and spider's silk. He then 
said "MANI" while he touched her ribs, rubbing the ingredients on 
them.

At this point, Semareth joined them, painting slightly from his climb 
down the cliff.
--Joey Christ 1

Cari thought of protesting the healing spell, but decided that right now 
she needed to be in functional shape. If she had to atone for it later 
she would. She inhaled sharply as Zephyr began to rub the salve into her
side, but as he did she felt the tingling of magic working to strengthen 
her damaged ribs. 

When she finished she gave him a smile, and said, ::Thank you. It's a 
good thing you were able to keep some supplies -  mine got washed away.:: 
The aroma of ginseng and garlic permeated the steaming air around them, 
and she added, ::They may think we have brought soup.::
--Cathy Mosley

[Up on the ledge]
The elemental began radiating an intense heating, causing Thai to
sweat profusely. The walls of the tunnel around it began charring,
and the smell of burning dirt began wafting through the tunnel around
it. She could have sworn it was moving closer as well.
--Nick Takayama

[Down below]
As the last of the party reached the bottom of the cavern, Semareth
looked at Jarrad. "Have you no control over your own woman?" he
queried.
--Nick Takayama

Cari kept her thoughts to herself, but she could tell that comment was 
going to go over well. She wondered if somewhere along the line Semareth 
was going to learn that Thai was a very capable woman, and that her 
skills were none the less notworthy despite their magical base. That the 
training in magic was as arduous as the training of a warrior.

She glanced up at the ledge, wondering what Thai suspected.
--Cathy Mosley

Jarrad smiled, and wondered if he should bother explaining the richness 
available in a relationship, when control was not a major issue. Then 
looking at Cari briefly, decided not to bother. It would not be likely to 
help in any case.

"Enough to never need it, Semareth. Enough to let her do as she wills 
almost all the time." was all Jarrad said.
--Paul Raj Khangure

"Don't be insulting Semareth. I am not property as well you know. I see 
no need for all of us to go into Xeen's trap. We were herded here to be 
with his other prisoners. They cannot escape this cavern although I'm 
certain they've tried to. That means something else keeps them here, and 
from the looks of them, drained as well, of life energy and possibly 
magic or psi also."

"I may be wrong of course, but I prefer to stay up here for now."

The elemental hissed and steamed a little closer and so with an 
exasperated look at it she replied back in an approximation of its own 
language, "I am a Fire Elementalist Mage. I may not be able to Dispel 
you, but you cannot hurt me either. That being the case you can stop 
threatening me."

"Zeph, do you know who these people are?"
--Phaedra Whitlock

Zeph's reply came through in an emotion drenched voice, "These are
all the people who have gone missing from our care, and those we
didn't rescue in time...". She thought she could recognise a face or
two beneath layers of ash and blood.
--Nick Takayama

The scene before them was horrible. Hundreds of elves, dwarves and
humans sat huddled in small groups sprawled across the immense space
of the cavern floor. Their clothes and bodies were rank with dirt and
fungus, the smell of many weeks of accumulated body fluids
threatening to overcome the new arrivals. Groans and moans of pain
and hunger almost drowned out the bubbling sound of lava flowing, the
rise and fall of children's screams echoed uncannily.

On the side nearest the lava lake, bodies lay in a somber line as if
waiting to be consumed by the encroaching lava. These were the dead.
Apparently at some point in time, the survivors had cared enough to
try to throw the decaying bodies into the lava. But no more. The
remaining living could hardly be distinguished from the dead, except
for a slight movement here, a dry retching sound there, and the ever
persistent sound of agony.

Semareth looked at the rest of the party, his face emotionless, but
his voice full of pity. "Can any of you do anything for these
people?"
--Nick Takayama

The depth of emotion in Semareth's voice surprised Cari; not because she 
didn't think he had any, she knew better than that, but that he was 
expressing it. 

She looked at the prisoners, remembering raided towns she had seen on her 
travels. Bodies hacked apart. Some still living with their intestines 
laying strewn on the ground. Again she did not "voice" her sentiment - 
that a fast death would be the only help these people could use.
--Cathy Mosley

There is nothing that can be done, that would not just prolong their 
agony. Unless we get to Xeen, anything we could do here, would be short 
term, and lessen our chances of defeating Xeen, small as they currently 
are.
--Paul Raj Khangure

"Jarrad is correct Sem. Cari and Draca can alleviate some of their 
suffering but they will still lack hope and a means of escape. The only 
answer is to continue on and return for them later."

Thai didn't mention that should they succeed, this whole future would 
disappear like a soap bubble, and should they fail everyone in this 
world would die, it was only a matter of when and how.
--Phaedra Whitlock

"My thoughts exactly, Thai," Zephyr smiled up at her.  "Although I 
may feel for these people, it would be too taxing for us to do 
anything, except maybe give them a little hope."

He thought about using a spell to push the dead bodies into the 
lava, but he wanted to save all of what he could for Xeen.  They 
haven't had a good chance to rest since they left Proctor Benedict's 
place.  Spells, sword-skill, and the sword itself, he was counting on 
to be in precise sync.
--Joey Christ 1

Semareth's face remained passive at the reply. He scanned the crowded
masses, his silvery eyes masking any emotion he may have been
feeling.

An emaciated elf near Jarrad's feet fell over, landing atop his
boots. It groaned miserably, then looked up at him through sunken eye
sockets. The skin on it's face was raw and loose, but it's mouth was
moving slowly in a painful attempt at words, but all that escaped was
a whisper.

One arm made a pathetic gesture for anyone who cared to come closer
and listen.
--Nick Takayama

Zephyr bent down to listen
--Joey Christ 1

The stench from the elf was unbearable, and all semblance of a noble
being that it once had was long gone. It's voice was thin and raspy,
as one sentence escaped his lips.

"Fire... path ... vengeance... must ... die...".

Exhausted, the elf collapsed completely, his breathing ragged as if
near death.
--Nick Takayama

     He got back up and looked at Jarrad, "Fire?  Path?  I hope he doesn't 
mean that we have to wade through that lava to get to Xeen's throne 
room."  He turned his gaze back to the Elf.  He so badly wanted to do 
something for these people, but that would just weaken him for the 
upcoming battle.
--Joey Christ 1

Repeating the words muttered, Jarrad tried to guess at the meaning.

"I think he means just that" Jarrad replied to Zephyr. "There is a path, 
somewhere beyond or through the fire, and we can avenge these souls. Xeen 
must die."
--Paul Raj Khangure

"Thai," Zephyr called to her, "We may need you down here, if I am 
thinking right."
--Joey Christ 1

"I know Zephyr." She still did not look at all happy about the idea 
though. "Lets sort out all the possibilities before committing ourselves 
though." 
--Phaedra Whitlock

Semareth bent down to examine the body of the elf at Jarrad's feet, 
moving next to Zephyr to get a better view.

The elf's body was long decayed, his skin brown from deterioration, and 
little maggots  crawling over his skin. His chest had stopped moving, and 
any trace of life was long gone, seemingly as if he had been dead for weeks.

Suddenly, as Semareth and Zephyr bent closer, it's eyes snapped open, and 
it's mouth snapped wide in a skeletal grin. "You will walk the fire path 
after we kill you... for you must die!!!", his voice was maniacal, 
booming spectrally as he finished the sentence he had gasped out earlier.

"(^*&^T^(!", Semareth swore, as he stumbled back from the animate corpse, 
his hands grasping for weapons which he had lost long ago. He glanced up.

The hundreds of corpses, rotting and emaciated, stood almost as one as an 
arcane power flooded the chamber. Their faces were like deathmasks, 
laughing at the party as they  began lumbering forth, a hellish green 
glow glimmering from empty eyesockets.

The corpse near them stood, and Xeen's voice echoed forth...
"You stand in my antechamber... don't forget to wipe your feet."
--Nick Takayama

Zephyr nearly fell over when the ghoul rose to meet his gaze.  His 
sword suddenly burned in its scabbard, and it jumped into his hands, 
glowing as bright as ever.  Cari had jumped behing him, and Semareth 
swore at the sight that they beheld.

Zephyr's sword flew like it was alive and cut deeply into the ghoul 
before them.  The blood that was left in it almost sprayed the front 
three.  The two halves of the corpse plopped down like sacks of wet 
dirt.
--Joey Christ 1

Thai looked up from her braiding and cursed aloud as well. The rope 
forgotten she leaned out for a better view of the events. Blue ball 
lightning played around her hands and then arced onto the cavern floor 
100 feet below. 

Four ragged bodies exploded before Thai felt the sudden wave of heat, 
too late. The elemental rammed into her and knocked her off the ledge. 

Stray rocks and the elemental plummeted with her until the elemental 
slowed its fall and floated away towards the egress once more. Thai 
cursed the creature and slowed her own fall with a spell. 

Below her, a pale silver headed elf woman raised her head and began to 
sing. The sound was horrendous and Thai shuddered as she touched down. 
Surrounded as she was by ghouls she robed herself in a fiery aura, but 
the banshee's wail cut through her mind and made it difficult to 
concentrate on spellcraft. 

The closest ghoul lumbered forward with a large meaty bone in one loose 
fleshed hand. The stench was incredible and so it was that Thai weilded a 
sword of fire against a growing number of undead.
--Phaedra Whitlock 

Cari moved behind Semareth and Zephyr - there was little she could do 
against undead. But as she stepped back she nearly tripped on something; 
she looked down to find a bone laying near the lava. She grabbed picked 
it up and tore some material loose from her tunic, which she tied to the 
bone. After touching the cloth to the lava the combination became an 
adequate torch.

She had few doubts that the banshee's wail was distracting to all of 
them, and she had an idea that she might be able to be of use after all. 
As she would in dream healing Cari pulled her shields tight around her 
mind - so the nightmares would not effect her. And in this case, it 
helped to minimize the effect of the wailing. She continued to move 
behind the others till she had a clear shot at the banshee with one of 
the two throwing daggers she had gotten back in Haven, and mercifully had 
not lost.

Cari knew that the creature was dead, but hoped to distract it long 
enough that the others could concentrate. After a prayer to Sh'al, dead 
god or no, she threw. By some miracle the knife embedded itself in the 
creature's cheek.

Then she moved forward to set the corpse afire.
--Cathy Mosley

Jarrad's psionics would have been useful, was he not distracted beyond 
using them by that awful wailing. Drawing his sword, he charged the 
ghouls, breaking their feeble bodies, and sundering limbs, as he cut 
straight towards the banshee. Once that elven b^Hwitch was dealt with, 
the others should be easily pushed into the lava.

He screamed to the others "Get the banshee".
--Paul Raj Khangure

The sudden screaming of the banshee caused Zephyr's sword to react before 
he did.  It pulled to be free of his hands, but that would leave him 
defenseless, so he gripped more tightly on the hilt.
--Joey Christ 1

The banshee's wail had momentarily ceased as the creature pulled at the 
dagger.

Cari heard Jarrad's order and saw him making towards the banshee. She 
moved in front of creature with her torch, keeping it from escaping 
Jarrad's attack. Everytime the creature started to wail again Cari thrust 
forward with her torch and then danced back as the corpse tried to rake 
her with its filthy claws.
--Cathy Mosley

Zephyr hacked away at the filthy ghouls, then he got an idea.  He 
backed away from the battle, and took up a small stance away from the 
undead, behind Cari and Semareth.  Cari, as she dealt with the 
Banshee, looked up at him as if he was crazy; he was her protection 
on that side of her, now she lay exposed.

He quickly fished for some Blood Moss, Mandrake Root, and a Black 
Pearl.  Mixing them together, he raised his hands toward the wall of 
putred flesh, and said, "ORT POR YLEM!"  Suddenly, he felt the small 
telekinetic wall building before him.

He manipulated it in front of Cari and began to thrust forward at the 
bodies.  This left a small protected path towards the Banshee.  Also, 
as he intended, some of the Ghouls and Zombies at the back began to 
lose their footing and fall into the lava, catching fire.
--Joey Christ 1

::Cari, move back .... NOW!::

As Cari stepped back, Jarrad took all the air around the creature, and 
pressurized it, squeezing in. The creature started screaming again, this 
time in pain. Within a second, the Banshee had been compressed to the size 
of a rat, then that was thrown into the lava.

Moving back to the group, with Cari, Jarrad established a protective dome 
around them, and moved it with the group to include Thai.

::Now that we are within the shield, can you use the lava or fire of some 
sort to cleanse this chamber?:: he asked Thai.
--Paul Raj Khangure

"Yes." Thai replied, too busy already with doing just that.

The flickers of flame that danced across the surface of the lava lake 
suddenly coalesced into a ball of flame that rolled into the nearest pack 
of ghouls. 

The rags they wore went up in flames, doing little damage otherwise to 
the ghouls. Thai frowned and sheathed her sword. Her movements were stiff 
and she limped as she moved. More than one ghoul had wounded her before 
Jarrad brought his shield over her, and the effects of their paralytic 
poison were slowing her down.
--Phaedra Whitlock

Semareth watched as events unfolded, his own anger nullified by lack
of a weapon. The undead would be loathe to touch a templar, but he
could do naught to help his companions in the immediate future.
--Nick Takayama

"Sem, help me..." Thai reached out unerringly for his obsidian arm and 
jerked down the chainmail drapery to touch the cold smooth stone. Her 
fingers skated across the surface with a shower of sparks, but she didn't 
shrivel. Sem jerked to pull his arm away too late. Lightning arced 
between them as Thai drew on the power stored in his arm. 

Instead of withering at his arm's touch, she straightened up and lost a 
little of the strain from her face. The orange ball of flames brightened 
to blinding blue-white, incinerating the undead creatures it touched.
--Phaedra Whitlock

Semareth glared down at Thai, but did not move as she channeled the
power from his arm into the ghouls. He could feel the power pulsating
from the arm and scratch-bouncing ruefully off of Thai. She was only
barely avoiding personal agony, if he were to do anything before she
finished, she would most likely die. Inwardly, he cursed her and all
mages, and gritted his teeth against the sinking feeling that some of
this power was coming from _him_.

His eyes swirled malevolently, echoing the fire which scorched the
legions of undead.
--Nick Takayama

Ghouls and other undead pounded on Jarrad's shield hard and there were 
still over a hundred in the chamber, many of which pressed forward to 
pummel Jarrad's shields. The flames at her command grew with each burning 
undead but not fast enough to decimate them before the shield weakened 
too much.
--Phaedra Whitlock

Something inside him *shifted*, as if his spirit itself had begun
protesting against the power dynamics created by unnatural obsidian
and Thai's demands on it. It was not an urgent feeling, more one of
*difference*. He could feel a displacement of a non-physical kind,
and he focussed his mind to try to locate it.

He fed Thai more power, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever it was
by feeding the power dynamic.
--Nick Takayama

Out of the corner of his eye, Zephyr glimpsed the actions of 
Semareth and Thai.  Somehow Thai was using Semareth's arm for energy. 
And speaking of energy, his would only last for a few more moments.

He pushed his TK wall around to the left, and witnessed some more 
of the beasts fall into the lava.  Zephyr almost thought that he 
could hear them scream, but it was probably more like anger at not 
being able to feast on the humans/demi-humans flesh.  Another zombie 
came around and pounded on Jarrad's shield and scared Draca, so he 
pulled his TK wall around again and thrust outwardly at it.  It lost 
its footing and fell, toppling some more over as well.  His TK wall 
wasn't big enough to push too many into the lava at once.

Another set of ghouls made its way forward, and he began the 
pushing match again.  Thrusting here, pushing there, and five or six 
at a time again fell, but one got through.  Zephyr stared in awe.  
That's not supposed to happen.  Then he realized; his TK wall was out 
of energy, and began to dissappate.

"Jarrad," he called over to him, "my TK wall is giving away!"  
He knew now, that would put more pressure on Jarrad.  He would be 
taking on his half of the load, now.
--Joey Christ 1

As Thai is blasting at the ghouls a secion of the wall on the other side
of the room behind the leagoins of undead moves. out of the resulting
opening steps a familar looking figure. A elf, but a tall one. wearing
chain mail and holding a wooden shield and a long sword. he has a falcon
on his shoulder. He blinks a few times as his eyes switch from infravison
to normal lighting, then he sees the undead attacking a group on the
other side of the chamber.

"Thai? Jarred? Zephyr? is that you? Do you know where this place is? I've
been lost in some kind of maze since the night the elf visited us in
Thai's Tower and exploded. When I dove out on the balcony to get clear
of the explosion something grabbed me. when I awoke I was in the dark
maze."

"BTW could you use some help with your playmates?"
--Barron Featherston

Being one of the few not participating in holding up defensive barriers 
against the ghouls Cari was able to look at who had called out. 
::Dryctor?:: she sent in surprise to the rest of the party. He had been 
missing since the citadel and she wondered if he too was one of the undead.
--Cathy Mosley

A very similar thought to Cari's was passing through Jarrad's head, but he 
had enough trouble holding the shield up gainst heat as well as pressure, 
while letting Thai's energy go through.

::Dryctor, this is not the time for questions. Do something!:: The strain 
of maintaining the shield was accumulating steadily.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Even as Dryctor was asking his questions he was preparing himself to
confront the undead in the name of his god Correllon. As he was behind
the undead host and back a ways he had time to sheath his sword and hold
forth his holy symbol. He then sent back to Jarrad ::Sorry, It was a
happy shock to see you all, I'll see how many of these "things" I can
clear away with Correllon's help:: With that he begins the chant to
destroy undead creatures while advancing with his symbol held forth.
Slowly at first, but gaining momentum the closer Dryctor gets, the
undead creatures start to dissolve or fall apart.
--Barron Featherston

Thai hardly glanced Dryctor's way but she was more than pleased to hear 
his voice. Ever since his disappearance she'd wondered and worried. Now 
she hurried to complete what Semareth had allowed her to do, although his 
set expression worried her for later. 

The fireball spun in place and continued its destructive swathe towards 
their bubble in an attempt to lessen the strain for Jarrad.
--Phaedra Whitlock

"Cari, Draca, get back against the cliff. Zephyr help them." Thai stayed 
beside Sem lest anyone walk through the lightning flaring between them. 
--Phaedra Whitlock

Cari did what Thai suggested, backing up till she reached the cliff, and 
finding a small outcropping of rock that afford a bit of protection. She 
dropped her bone torch, since its lava-satuarated cloth was nearly gone, 
and pulled out her remaining dagger. She knew that her weapon would be of 
little use against the undead.
--Cathy Mosley

"Thai! Your voice is back! That is a very welcome bit of news indeed!"
--Barron Featherston

"I thought so! Welcome!"

"Cari, Draca, get back against the cliff. Zephyr help them." Thai stayed 
beside Sem lest anyone walk through the lightning flaring between them. 

"Jarrad, move back with them." Thai placed a hand on Sem's Gauntleted 
wrist and in a low voice added, "Sem, I can't keep this up much longer, be 
ready for the shield to drop. We'll need you and Dryctor to defend us 
then as the rest of us are tiring quickly. I *am* sorry." The strain in 
her voice was real, and so was the worry about her people. As leader it 
was her duty to see them all safe, no matter what.
--Phaedra Whitlock

Zephyr tried to hold onto to his portion of the shield for several more 
minutes, but it was too late.  What he cast was spent.  He felt his 
TK wall go down, and could sense the extra strain on it for Jarrad, 
as several tons of dead flesh pounded on his shield.

He pulled his sword, it glowed brightly glad to be back into his 
hand.  He could tell it wanted to rip away at the menacing creatures.
--Joey Christ 1

Jarrad saw Dryctor attacking, and dropped his shield, mostly from 
exhaustion. It seemed some of the scratches he'd obtained earlier from the 
undead were poisoned. Still there was no time for that.

Drawing his sword, he decimated the first few ghould which attacked him, 
and advanced a little. Then as he began to weaken, and spots started 
dancing before his eyes, he concentrated solely on defence.

Parry, dodge, parry. He severed several arms, but then stumbled over one 
of the ghouls. He was hit from behind, and fell to the ground.

A ghoul loomed over him, it's hands reaching towards his face.

The last thing Jarrad saw, before his sword dropped out of his hands, was 
an expression of surprise crossing the ghoul's face, as it, and several 
around seemed to lose all animation.
--Paul Raj Khangure

The undead surged forward. Thai swung behind Sem and released her 
connection to his arm. The linkage fought her, Proctor John had designed 
it to be continuous after all, but she managed or thought she did.

Her eyesight was blurry when she was able to concentrate again on the 
fight. She did not feel at all well either. "Sem, fall back with me. I 
can't..." her knees nearly buckled then and there but Zephillia was there 
to help her. The elven Inquisitor and the human one formed a wall about 
the protected nook Cari had found. Thai passed out at the acolyte's feet, 
unable to move.
--Phaedra Whitlock

Suddenly Thai pulled herself apart from Semareth, and fainted.  
Zephyr almost lost himself to catch her, but realized that there was 
now a surging wall of dead and decaying flesh coming for them.  He saw 
Cari, Zephillia, and Draca tending to Thai.  Protecting the one side of 
the niche, he let loose on the ghouls.

Thank god for Dryctor, his old friend, had returned taking out several 
zombies over from the far end.  He would have to remind himself to ask 
Dryctor what actually happened to him.
--Joey Christ 1

Cari resheathed her dagger and knelt by Thai. She gently turned the mage 
over and began to examine the claw and bite marks that the ghouls had 
inflicted on Thai during the coarse of the battle. The wounds looked red 
and infected, and Thai's breathing and pulse were too fast. 

The loss of her medical pouch left her without the means to treat the 
woman's wounds. Cari sent, ::Draca! Zephyr! Thai needs healing. Or at 
least let me have the herbs to treat her wounds!::
--Cathy Mosley

Cari turned back to ministering to Thai, noting a yellowish substance in 
many of her wounds. While she did what she could to make the mage 
comfortable Thai gasped and stopped breathing - her eyes open wide in 
panicked distress.

There was no time for Cari to call to the others, so she did what she 
could to draw the suspect poison out. Long ago Leathian had taught her 
to sense what was natural in a human body, and Cari hoped that the 
knowledge would awaken as she worked; it had been so long she had tried.

She placed her hands over the largest wounds, and began concentrating on 
using her telekinetic abilities to draw out the poison, which she could 
sense as being virulent and different from Thai's blood. As she worked 
she kept reciting the mantra Semareth had taught - the one that embodied 
the essence of seeking and the quest. This might not have been what he 
had in mind when he taught her it, but she had no time to spare for a 
formal prayer to Sh'aljien, and this was a quest of sorts. 

Yellow ooze, along with some blood, began to bubble out of Thai's wounds, 
seeping through Cari's fingers. And Cari continued to try to sense 
through Thai's veins for more of the poison. 
--Cathy Mosley

Zephyr heard Cari calling from the rear.  She needed some 
healing herbs and reagents.  He never kept his stuff organized, just 
dumping them all into one sack.  But it was stuffed into his shirt, 
and he would have to drop his sword in order to get it.

This he feared, as the sword may go flying off somewhere killing 
from another angle, leaving him defenseless.  And yet, he didn't know 
how bad off Thai was either.  This would be the first time he let 
his sword go in a huge-numbering battle like this.

<The Hell with it,> He let the hilt go, and he saw it rise above 
him.  Instead of watching what the sword was gonna do, or how the 
others may react to it, he dove right into untieing his top and 
getting the sack.

"Cari!  Here!" He looked back for a second, "All my stuffs in 
this sack!  You'll have to search through it to get what you need."  
He tossed it to her, then swung back around to see what his sword was 
up to.

<Hmmm,> he thought, <Not bad.>  He noticed that the sword never 
left him defenseless.  The sword protected him _while_ it slaughtered 
the ghouls.

He raised his hand and the sword returned to him.
--Joey Christ 1

As Dryctor finishes his chant the wave of destruction passes thru the
undead eliminating almost all of the one's Thai's fireball didn't get.
::Nice "footwork" with that fireball Thai:: Dryctor pulls out his sword
and begins attacking the small (10 to 15) Group of Undead left after
Thai's Fireball and his chant.
--Barron Featherston

Jarrad saw Dryctor attacking, and dropped his shield, mostly from 
exhaustion. It seemed some of the scratches he'd obtained earlier from the 
undead were poisoned. Still there was no time for that.

Drawing his sword, he decimated the first few ghould which attacked him, 
and advanced a little. Then as he began to weaken, and spots started 
dancing before his eyes, he concentrated solely on defence.

Parry, dodge, parry. He severed several arms, but then stumbled over one 
of the ghouls. He was hit from behind, and fell to the ground.

A ghoul loomed over him, it's hands reaching towards his face.

The last thing Jarrad saw, before his sword dropped out of his hands, was 
an expression of surprise crossing the ghoul's face, as it, and several 
around seemed to lose all animation.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Dryctor notices that Sem has no weapon just before he attacks the undead.
He quickly casts a spell to create a sword of fire for himself, and
instructs his familiar (Falk'r) to carry his long sword over the undead
to sem. "Sem, I am sending you my sword, please try not to lose it, it
was a gift from my father and I would like it back." That done Dryctor
starts hacking apart The undead around him. Being an elf, He was not
affected by the ghouls touch like Thai had been. He sees Thai collapse
and prayes she can hold on till after the fight when he can examine and
heal her if necessary, He hopes all it is, is exhaustion.
--Barron Featherston

Semareth smiled with bloodlust as the sword dropped into his hands.
He hefted it, testing it's weight and balance... perfect. "My thanks,
friend!", he shouted over the din to Dryctor before charging those
undead nearest to him and Thai.

With each swing of the sword, another undead fell. He concentrated on
the rhythm of the swing, watching the ghouls as they trod forth, arms
or weapons flailing. One weapon swinging down - move in and hack up
at your opponent's body and arms, using the follow through to deflect
the blow. A punch thrown from the left- use the follow through from
your sword swing to block punch with either elbow or sword butt. The
litany continued, each foe falling before him, their slow ghoulish
bodies unable to keep up with his practiced sword swings. He smiled
as he hacked away, relishing the feel of being able to do _something_
to the enemy, to hack and rend and slice away, not to answer riddles
or bargain with madmen.

When finally those undead around him were dead, he stopped, panting.
Sweat and blood poured down his body, quickly drying with the ever
increasing heat of the lava. He had been focussing around Thai and
Cari, and he looked back now, to see if they were safe from undead
hands.
--Nick Takayama

When Cari could not sense anymore of the toxin she found that while 
Thai's lungs had not been completely paralyzed that they were barely 
bringing in enough oxygen. She knew that Jarrad might have the psionic 
dexterity to use his abilities to help his lady's lungs, but she did not. 
Nor did she wish to risk damaging the mage further.

She pulled her conscious back to the present, and began working 
at the rhythmic pressing that a healer had taught her which was supposed 
to help start a person breathing again. Cari vaguely remembered Semareth 
doing a similiar manuver after she'd half-drowned. As she pressed she 
sought to monitor Thai's condition, and finally sensed the woman's lungs 
taking in their full measure of air. 

::Thank you, Sh'aljien,:: Cari offered as she moved back slightly, and 
felt her foot kick against a bag, which she recognized as Zephyr's.

She went to reach for it, but as she did so she noticed her hands were 
still covered in the yellow ooze and Thai's blood, and too filthy to be 
treating the mage's open wounds. Cari also noted a faint tingling of her 
flesh where the ooze stained her hands.

She wiped her hands off as best she could on her tunic, at least until 
she felt they were clean enough to rummage through Zephyr's bag till she 
found the needed herbs and bandages. ::Thank you,:: she sent to Zephyr,

Once she had the supplies organized she cleaned Thai's wounds, and 
bandaged them. 

The mage was breathing much easier, and seemed to be stirring, so Cari 
sent, ::Thai?::
--Cathy

[When the undead are dead...]

Semareth paused to clean the borrowed blade clean, admiring the weapon as he
did so. It had served him well.

He found Dryctor and held the sword out to him on his palms. "Thank you,
Dryctor. It is a fine blade. Like a reed through water, as they say..."

He turned from Dryctor to see to Cari and Thai. He knew Cari was already
injured, and feared the worst, he knelt beside her and placed one hand on her
shoulder.
"Are you well?", he queried, glancing over at Thai as well. 
--Nick Takayama

Cari sensed his deep concern, and smiled as she nodded. ::Yes, no more 
harm has come to me.:: Her green eyes were tired but proud as she looked 
at him. ::Sh'al blessed both my blade throw and Thai's living.:: 

::And you?:: she asked, worrying that he might also have been scratched 
by the same venom that had nearly killed Thai. She took a minute to look 
down at the mage, waiting for her to regain consciousness.
--Cathy Mosley

Semareth's face did not change... perhaps he might have smiled in better 
times. "I am uninjured. There is more than that, but I cannot say right now."
He looked down at Thai, watching her prone body for any signs of life.
"Are you sure there is naught you can do for her? 'Even the most minor flea
bite may fester and consume the arm.'", he quoted an old teacher.
His voice sounded unfocussed, however, as if his mind were pre-occupied. 
He did not see if Cari moved or not.

"Xeen is near... can you not feel it?"
--Nick Takayama

With a gasp Thai's eyes flew open and focused on Semareth. She blinked 
and slowly turned her head to Cari. Every movement was painful but she 
had to know what was happening.

"How long...." she started weakly before getting her voice back under 
control. "How long was I poisoned?"
--Phaedra Whitlock

::Less than 5 minutes,:: Cari sent, wishing she could be more precise, 
but she had lost all track of time while she had worked on Thai. She did 
know that it had not been more than a few minutes. 

There was relief in her sending.
--Cathy Mosley

Semareth turned his head quickly, looking at Thai with swirling silver eyes.
Something of the old black had come back momentarily to the mix, but nothing
definite. He said nothing.
--Nick Takayama

Thai's left hand twitched as if to raise from the warm stone cavern 
floor. "Semareth, I'm sorry, I thought it was necessary."
--Phaedra Whitlock

He placed his hand over hers to prevent her from straining herself. "Do 
not try until Cari says you are well enough.", he looked at his acolyte.
He glanced down at Thai's face, his face still emotionless.

"It is over, and there is nothing to forgive you for."

As he stood, he brushed his good hand across one of her cheeks. Then he 
strode off to assess the situation.
--Nick Takayama

You were magnificent in your moves and riposte's. I have a few lesser 
blades i have acquired in my travels and it would not do to leave you 
weaponless (Dryctor removes his pack and reaches inside. after a bit of 
rummaging he pulls forth 3 finely crafted steel blades and one mithral 2 
handed sword) You may have any of these blades you desire" As Sem looks 
over the various blades Dryctor goes to see if he can be of aid to Thai, 
He knows Cari would resent his 'magic' healing as it would be contrary to 
her believes.
--Barron Featherston

Semareth nodded in thanks, and searched over the swords for one he could use.
Finally he settled on one of the steel blades. His favoured technique
required a smaller sword than a two handed sword, anything larger would be
unwieldy. 

He practiced a few moves with the new weapon - The Monkey's Body, Crossing at
a Ford, Injure The Corners... and was pleased with the weight and evenness of
the blade.

He would remember to thank Dryctor properly some time.
--Nick Takayama

"Thai? Are you well, Is there something I can do for you?"
--Barron Featherston

"Dryctor.... what happened to you! I've been worried sick." Thai smiled 
a little at her own joke but then her eyes were searching the cave, 
something felt wrong. Her strength was returning slowly although she 
still hurt all over and her muscles felt like trembling. She frowned, 
touching the green crystal at her throat as she craned her head towards 
the lava pit.

"Jarrad? What's wrong..."
--Phaedra Whitlock

Cari looked over at Dryctor and sent, ::She still needs further healing 
.. I've cleaned the wounds as best I could, but they still could get 
infected. And with the challenges to come Thai will need to be whole and 
strong.:: 

She looked worriedly at Thai, who was pre-occupied with a sending, and 
moved back to let Dryctor have room at the patient's side.
--Cathy Mosley

"When that 'elf' messenger exploded I dove out onto the balcony for
cover. The next thing I knew something had grabbed me from behind and I
was hit in the back of the head.  When I awoke i was in a dark chamber,
good think I'm an elf and can see in the dark, lacking any way of telling time I know not how long I was lost in that dark maze. the only life I
found were rats the size of great danes (Who only lived long enough to
meet my sword) till I saw the heat outline of a door in one wall. Once I
found the catch to open the door I stepped out into the light for the
first time since I was taken and saw all of you across the sea of
undead."

As Dryctor examines Thai he see's that his hope that she had succumbed
to exhaustion were unfounded. He could see the raw wounds where the
ghouls had ripped her flesh. He immediately dropped to his knees next to
her and began a prayer to correllon for her healing. As he prayed those
watching could see the wounds closing and Thai's skin taking on a
healthy glow once again.

"Rest for another minute or two to let the healing completely finnish"
--Barron Featherston

After taking care of Thai's injuries Dryctor looked around to see if
anyone else needed his aid. He noticed that jarrad was not standing with
the rest. As soon as he spotted Jarrad's form on the floor surrounded by
dead ghouls. HE immediately went over the him and examined him. Seeing
the scratches from the ghoul's hands on Jarrad he knew what the problem
was. He layed hands on Jarrad and called on Correllon to nutrilize The
toxins in Jarrad's body and heal him. a white glow surround's jarrad and
seems to seep into him. as the glow subsides all the festering wounds
close up healed. Almost as soon as Dryctor finished his prayer of
healing Jarrad opens his eyes, feeling better then he has in awhile.
--Barron Featherston

Jarrad's sword leapt into his hand instantaneously, and his eyes opened, 
as his sword arched upwards.

It stopped, the blade glowing from teh reflection of the lava, the edge 
against Dryctor's neck.

"Do you need a shave?" he asked, as he realised what he had almost done.
--Paul Raj Khangure 

"Ahhhh No thank you. We elves do not grow beards <grin> I am glad to see
your stoping reflex is as good as your attack one."
--Barron Featherston

"Go easy my friend, the energy boost is but a side effect of nutralizing
the ghoul's toxin. it will fade shortly."
--Barron Featherston

"My thanks again, Cleric." Jarrad said. You seem a useful travelling 
companion."

Then, as his eyes surveyed the cavern, he saw the group around Thai.

::THAI?::

She answered, slightly weak, but alive and healing.

Jarrad's muscles relaxed, and he only then realised how tense they had 
gone. Standing, he made his way over.
--Paul Raj Khangure

Heading on over to the ladies, Zephyr reached for his 'herb and 
reagent' bag that he tossed over to Cari.  ::Thank You,:: she sent to 
him.  "You're welcome," he verbalised.  He knelt next to her, and 
stroked Thai's hair.  "How are you coming along?" She said that she 
was okay, but had felt better.  He looked back and saw that Dryctor had 
helped out with Jarrad after seeing to Thai.  Jarrad stretched, and 
was walking over to them.

He thought about a spell that he could use to shield some of the 
others from the fire and lava.  Probably that would be the entrance 
to Xeen's Throne room (or at least near it).  He turned back to see 
Semareth and Dryctor talking,  but they weren't saying anything!  
There lips were moving, but they didn't have any sound!  He saw 
Semareth's obsidian arm move as he talked.  It slowed down.  Now 
everyone was moving slow!!  Zephyr turned more to see Jarrad; it took 
him several seconds to complete a step!   He whizzed around to see 
Zeph and Draca,  slowly getting up and out from the crevace that 
they were in, protecting Thai.  Cari was helping Thai stand, but they 
took forever in actually standing!!  <What's happening?> he thought.  
<What the hells is happening?!>  He tried to yell, it sounded muffled 
and gutteral, and noone responded.  Had he died?  Was this the other 
side?  Had he crossed over?  Did Graz'zt catch up to him and pull him 
back into his Abyss-like layer?

Instinctively, Zephyr dropped his hand onto his sword.  Already 
it was glowing in its scabbard.  He actually felt it vibrating, as 
well.  As slow as his head moved, he looked down to the blade.  And 
then a voice, low and deep, echoed in his mind - 

"Yes, my friend, rest and heal, so that you may be fresh and 
ready to face me in the upcoming battle.  Pleasant dreams........"

That wasn't the voice of his sword.  Was it Graz'zt? Eldarion? 
Xeen?  Or maybe a Guardian? <g>

Suddenly, everything wen't back to normal.  People were talking 
and moving.  Noone suspected a thing.  Except Thai was looking at him 
curiously now.  Maybe she sensed something!  Maybe she heard the 
voice, too!  Something was going to happen, and they both new it.

Jarrad had stepped between them, now.  
--Joey Christ1

"We do look like a sorry group, don't we?" he asked. "I wonder if we can 
wash before dinner".
--Paul Raj Khangure

With a determined effort Thai sat up, although not without help from 
Cari. "We have to find the way out of here first. Has anyone seen a doorway?"
--Phaedra Whitlock

"Peeyoooouuu!  Wheew!  I should say that you all definately need to wash!" 
came the unearthly (unifreannly?) voice of Xeen.

Suddenly, with the sound of a pop, Zephyr has cleaned up and standing before
everyone in clean, sparkling white robes.  On top of the robes he wore a 
talbard with the sigil of  a golden ankh imprinted on it.  "You first, 
Avatar...."  said the voice of Xeen.  With a pronounced shimmering effect,
Zephyr disappeared from the cavern.
--Johny Enright