Session Start: Sat Apr 29 20:54:01 2000

Scene One

The sensation of moving through stone is not a pleasant one. For a few brief moments each of you fears you may suffocate. But much to your surprise you find that you can breath fairly readily. Opening your eyes, however, is a mistake. The rock is right there, and once again you suffer pangs of claustrophobia.

After the first initial moments of panic you calm down, running through your mind what you might be able to do about this situation. The more you think about it, the more options you discard. You can’t cast spells. You can’t even speak. None of your items would be useful here, even if you were able to get to them. After a few minutes of contemplation you finally resign yourself to your fate. You’ll have to deal with things whenever it is that you get to where you are going.

Unlike the other two, Ari actually finds the experience quite interesting. Both K’harn and Xaveus can do this. She has wondered what it must be like. Well, now she knows.

It is difficult to tell how long you were in the stone. No more than a few minutes, but it seemed like an eternity. With a suddenness that is surprising you feel yourself pop free of the stone. Opening your eyes you look around, tense and ready for action.

The scene before your eyes is lit by a soft, pearly glow. This cavern is somewhat warmer than the tunnel you just came from, and slightly more humid as well. You find yourself facing a wall that is somewhat familiar. You recall the strange swirl chambers and tunnels you fought the ropers and xorn in several months ago. The walls, floor, and ceiling in here are done in much the same style. They all look as if they had been partially melted and then sculpted in to strange shapes by a master sculptor. But there is an immediately noticeable difference between the other caverns and this one. For all their eerie beauty the other caverns were dead, ancient relics of a lost civilization. But this room, this room is alive!

A sound behind you causes you each to spin around - where you come face to face with a ghost. Not a spirit, but the living, breathing ghost of the statue you saw in the swirl caverns. It takes your brains a few seconds, but then differences begin to register. While the physical features are much the same, the clothing is noticeably different. There aren’t nearly as many gems and jewels either.

And, of course, there is the fact that this ghost speaks.

In heavily accented Undercommon the figure says "My name is Darafayen."

Having seen the statues the physical features of Darafayen are not that surprising. She is very tall, easily seven feet in height. Her face is very narrow and long, with a rounded chin. Her whole body, in fact, is very slender, something which is highlighted in her extraordinarily long fingers.

But, unlike the statue, Darafayen is alive. Her skin is pale, almost white. Long, very fine hair the color of silver runs down her back, held in place by several bejeweled circlets. The pale blue sapphires in the circlets match the icy color of her eyes. Nikki notes the bracers and rings the strange elf wears, along with the staff she holds in her hand and the wand case at her hip.

As you are taking all of this in you realize that there are others in the room as well. Looking around you see five other elves, all with the same general appearance. While it is difficult to tell, three of them appear to be rather young. They also appear to be rather excited. The other two are further back in the room. Theses two are armed, and they look more concerned that excited. After sharing a worried glance one of them turns and walks out of your line of sight.

Castinar, having dreamt of this scene many times, steps forward. "My name is Ca..."

"I know who you are" Darafayen interrupts. "That’s not important now. You are from the surface, right?" Before Castinar can even open up his mouth to answer the tall elf continues. "What is it like up there? You’ve seen the sky, right? What does it look like? What does the wind feel like? Where do you live? Do you live in trees?"

Darafayen suddenly stops and puts her hands on Castinar’s shoulders. She look intently into his eyes.

"What... what does a tree look like?"

Once again Castinar opens his mouth to respond but Darafayen doesn’t even pause.

"How can there be a large bright object in the sky but lots of small ones too? Is the sky blue or black? What do you eat up there? Do you live together in tribes? Do you have cities like the drow? Or empires? Do you have great heroes and stories you tell to each other to keep your traditions alive? Who tells the stories? Do you have Lore Masters? Do they teach the children? Do you have lots of children? What are they like? Does it take long to teach them? How..."

Darafayen carries on for well over a minute, not allowing anybody to get a word in edgewise. She asks all about the surface world, and seem particularly intrigued by elven culture and society. The others in the room, even the armed one, all lean forward slightly, as if they too are eager to hear of your world.

As Darafayen is carrying on Ariessus suddenly realizes that K’harn is in the room with her. While overjoyed that she hasn’t been separated from her bond, she is worried as well. She is about to send something to her when she notices the cat sniffing around intently.

<Beloved? What is it?>

<My kind are here!> K’harn replies, excitement evident in her sending. <I can smell them.>

Abruptly, Darafayen stops questioning Castinar. She turns to Nikki. "You’re the one with the Lifestone. I can’t believe how brave you were, going into the Cursed Caverns. Can... can I see it?" she asks, showing some degree of hesitancy for the first time.

Nikki looks rather concerned, but realizes now is not the time to be obstinate. She slowly removes the Lifestone, which is hanging from a chain around her neck. Castinar and Ariessus both recognize the stone that the party found in the elf statue where they fought the xorn. Darafayen slowly reaches for it, a look of wonder in her eyes. She holds the stone for a moment, drawing it close to her, holding it to her chest like a little child. Then slowly, reluctantly, she returns it to Nikki.

Before Darafayen can start up again you have a chance to finally speak.

* Castinar raises his hands to ward off further questions

* Darafayen pauses, for once

* Ari stands silent beside Castinar. Since they have directed everything to him she wants to wait and see what they want from her.

<Castinar> "Hold please -- let us answer some of your questions before we forget what they were!"

<Darafayen> * BTW, while most of the quetions were to Cast, she did include Nikki and Ari in them as well, so feel free to answer any or talk about anything she asked about.

<Ari> *its not that..Ari just doens't want to offend since she doesnt know what it going on

<Castinar> "Can we do it this way? Ask us a specific question, let us answer it. It may lead you to further questions which are related"

* Darafayen nods

<Darafayen> "First... tell me about trees"

<Darafayen> you hear a longing in her voice, a longing for something long forgotten, barely remembered

<Ari> *too bad you didn't bring Sane, they could have seen trees then

<Castinar> "Trees --- trees are living things. They grow from seeds --- kind of like some spores of the fungus which thrives down here"

<Darafayen> "There are tales of trees that speak. But you say they are more like fungus. Our fungus doesn't speak... although there are the myconoids."

<Castinar> "They grow up from the ground. A series of roots provide water and anchor it to the ground. Branches and leaves provide the food for the trees."

<Darafayen> "What are roots? What do branches and leaves look like?"

<Darafayen> "Are they like mouths?"

<Castinar> "Not like fungus, really. I was just referencing the seeds of the trees. As for trees speaking... well, some can speak with trees, but not many."

<Darafayen> "Can you explain the sky to me?" she asks Ari.

<Castinar> "Roots are... hmm.... roots dig into the ground, searching for water for the tree. Older trees have roots which may travel for 100s of yards. They also provide anchor, keeping the tree from falling over in times of high winds or storms."

<Darafayen> "Roots dig and search" she replies, consdiering this, "Kind of like little gnomes or something?"

<Darafayen> "What do they use to anchor it down with? Straps or something?"

<Castinar> Leaves come in many sizes and shapes --- depending on the type of tree. There are many types of trees, and each have different types of leaves. Pine needles (a type of leave) are short and narrow and pointed. Shadowtop leaves are very long and broad -- sometimes reaching 20' in length."

<Darafayen> "What color are trees?"

<Darafayen> ## Ari, did you see the question for you above?

<Castinar> Trees themselves are usually a brownish color on the outside -- the trunk of the tree is made of wood (I will show them my spear --- it's shaft is wooden). Some tree trunks are white, some black, but most are brown. The leaves are primarily green --- except in autumn, when the leaves change colors and fall to the ground --- a beautiful sight in many areas.

* Darafayen reaches out and rubs the wood

<Darafayen> "the only wood we have is that we find left behind by surface dwellers"

<Darafayen> "Green? Doesn't that look - bad? Green means mold. You have to clean anything getting green."

* Ari begins to attempt to explain about the sky. She's a drow after all some it might not come out very well. "The sky is comes in many colors first of all. During the daylight hours the sun is out and the sky is usually blue. When the sun sets for the day the sky turns a dark black."

<Ari> "This is a very simplified description mind you."

<Darafayen> "What is the sun?" Darafayen asks, then her eyes widen. "The big ball of light! Right?"

<Castinar> "Oh, no. Green can be a beautiful color. It is different in the light -- it even looks better. While mold does exist in the world of the sun, it isn't as prevalent. And, many times, mold is a color other than green. But a forest of trees in the middle of spring, when the leaves are just grwoing back -- that is something to behold."

<Darafayen> "So... when this sun is out the sky is blue... and when it is gone... it "sets", the sky is black? What does set mean in this context?"

* Darafayen just nods a Castinar's description of a forest, obviously not making a connection.

<Darafayen> "How about the wind" she asks Castinar. "What is that? It is in the stories, but we don't know what it means."

* Castinar thinks, then says "Imagine a cavern full of stalagtites and stalagmites. If there are many, it could be considered a "forest". Now, picture the trees I mentioned, and replace the stalagtites/mites with trees. There may be several hundred, or thousands, together in an area. That is a forest."

* Darafayen seems to make a little bit more of a link with the forest concept

<Castinar> 'Wind is the movement of air. Even here in the caverns, you can feel air currents. That is wind. However, again, in the sunlit world, wind is different. Storms can cause winds to be very strong --- strong enough to knock people to the ground. Also, the air is a bit.... different.... not as --- closed.

<Darafayen> "Dos wind smell bad? Most the air currents down here smell of sulfur. it must be terrible when the smell is strong enough to knock you to the ground!"

<Castinar> Up there, the air moves from place to place, as the whole world is more open. Down here in the underdark, many caverns have the same air over the course of years -- because there isn't much wind to move it. That makes the air become stale sometimes.

* Darafayen nods, knowing of stale caverns

<Ari> "Yes the big ball of light is the sun. As for how it sets..i'm not exactly a scholar..you'll just have to take my word for it. When you watch the sky, at almost the same time every night, the sun sinks below the horizion and takes its light from the sky, leaving it an inky black."

<Darafayen> to Ari "Is that when you can see the small lights? What are they?"

* Castinar smiles "Sometimes, the 'wind' can smell very bad. Near the sea, the air smells of salt and dead fish. Near a tannery, it smells of --- well, it positively reeks. But, on a mountaintop, or in a forest, the air smells sweet, clean. A meadow full of flowers can smell better than anything you could imagine

<Ari> "Stars. Yes, that is when yo see them."

<Darafayen> "you have fish on the surface? We have them down here too! But, ah, you know that. What's a tannery? What's a mountaintop? What's a flower?"

<Darafayen> "Stars. Little points of light are stars. Are they like children of the sun?"

<Ari> "Not exactly, no. Think of them as mini suns, created at the same time if not before the sun that sets upon our world."

* Castinar smiles "Let's see -- a mountain is where the earth rises up. Larger mountains can be many thousands of feet tall. Usually, the mountains are covered in forests up to a certain height, where the air is too cold for the trees to live."

<Darafayen> "Mini suns. So, are they stuck in the ceiling or something?"

<Ari> "There is no ceiling. The sky goes on forever. You can look up and up and up and never see the end of the sky."

<Darafayen> Darafayen's eyes widen at the thought of something thousands of feet tall. "It is cold on mountains? Why?"

<Ari> "Snow." Ari shivers.

* Darafayen blinks several times at Ari, clearly not understanding. "Goes on forever... what do you mean? It has to stop somewhere. What is holding the stars?"

<Darafayen> "What is snow?"

<Ari> "As I said I am not a scholar, but I do know this...it doesn't stop. It goes on for eternity. You are thinking of the surface as you see the underdark. To get a feel for the world above you must put aside much of what you know of here."

* Darafayen nods slowly to Ari

<Castinar> "Flowers --- hmm... flowers are like small trees. Their "wood" is much softer, and their "leaves" are more colorful "petals". They can grow much closer together; a small cavern might have many thousand flowers. And, the colors! Flowers can be of any color -- and are beautiful. They also usually have a beautiful smell -- part of the reason the air smells better in the land of the sun

<Ari> "Snow is a very ick, wet, slushy, ewy stuff. Cold too."

<Castinar> hehe

<Ari> *don't give Ari the weather questions <BG>

<Darafayen> "I would like to see flowers and trees. Tell me of your people. Do you live in tribes? Cities?"

* Castinar pauses, a faraway look in his eyes

* Darafayen turns to Ari. "Why do you not live with your people?"

<Ari> "Both. The surface is vast and the peoples many. Some live in cities. Some live in tribes. Some live in isoltated areas.

<Darafayen> "Many? How many? How large are your tribes and cities?"

* Ari tenses at the new question. "Because I no longer follow their ways." Her voice is soft and emotionless.

<Ari> "There are too many to count."

* Darafayen is taken back by this. "Too many to count?!"

<Castinar> "Yes, my... people... lived in a small village. Our tribe was a small one, though there were similar elven communities nearby. However, they --- they were killed, or fled, during an invasion of orcs many years ago."

<Darafayen> "But... after the wars... we thought the surface elves were defeated..."

<Castinar> 'I know not where they all are now --- I can only hope they are safe."

<Darafayen> "Orcs. We know of orcs, although they usually don't come down this far."

<Ari> "What other races do you know of?"

<Castinar> "There are not as many elves as there were just a couple generations ago. Many have made the retreat --- have left the lands and went to another area --- an area where only elves may travel..."

<Darafayen> "The races of the Underdark. The drow, the illithid, the kuo-toa, the derro and druegar, the svirniblin, the pech... many others."

<Castinar> "It is an island, I understand -- protected by magic against invasion. The wars convinced them to travel elsewhere"

<Darafayen> "Where is this area?" she asks. "Why are they retreating? Is the war still going on?" (she glances at Ari)

* Darafayen nods. "So the wars are still going on."

<Ari> "We drow like to make surface forays from time to time. Assert our authority and all that."

<Castinar> "Wars -- wars are always going on. Humans fight humans... humans fight orcs... orcs fight elves.... giants fight dwarves..."

<Darafayen> "Humans? What are humans?"

<Darafayen> "So... everybody is fighting everybody now, not just the followers of Corelleon and the followers of Lloth?"

<Darafayen> "Maybe the elders were right. Maybe we should stay in hiding."

* Darafayen now looks unsure of herself

<Ari> "It isn't like there are wars allover the surface at once. There are times of peace when many races live together."

<Ari> "We are saying that, yes there are wars from time to time, just not all the time."

* Darafayen nods slowly

<Ari> "Where we stay on the surface, there is peace and many races live together in the city.

<Darafayen> "When the new races appeared and started fighting amongst themselves we figured it was the same for the elven survivors."

<Darafayen> "Drow live on the surface in cities?"

<Ari> "Not that I am aware of, but it could be possible that drow live on the surface."

<Castinar> "Humans --- humans are... hmmm... they are a race of people --- with shorter lives than us elves. They typically don't see even a century of life. However, they breed like orcs -- so there are plenty of them. Unlike orcs, they as a race do not serve evil; however, they have their own peculiar beliefs; many do serve evil, many serve good. Sometimes, the humans that follow good fight those who serve evil. Also, sometimes, those who se

<Castinar> treats, such as orc or giant invasion

* Darafayen frowns. "So there aren't many drow on the surface... but all the other races sometimes live together, sometimes fight. So, what about you?"

<Ari> "What about me?"

<Darafayen> "What do humans look like?" Darafayen asks Castinar

* Darafayen looks at Ari intently. "I brought him because I think he is the Guide. I brought her because of the Lifestone. I brought you... well... you confuse me. You are drow... but you carry the symbol of Corelleon around your neck. Drow are evil... but you are bonded with a Rock Cat. I... I don't understand you."

<Castinar> I would guess like elves, but they are stockier. Their ears are rounded, and their facial features are more... bland

<Ari> "Not many do." Ari smiles.

<Ari> "Yo have seen the rest of our party..we have a human who travels with us." Ari describes Armatage.

<Castinar> "Ari is one of two that I have met that serve the Gods of good. Another I have met serves Meilikki, the human Goddess of the Forest

<Darafayen> "Ah! The round ears! So that is what they are called... Human. yes. We have seen a lot of those since I was born."

<Ari> At the mention of K'harn. <Little one, are your people close?>

<Darafayen> "So... most drow still follow Lloth, but you have chosen not to? Why?"

<Darafayen> to Ari <The are down this tunnel here. Can I go find them?>

* Ari replies <Let me ask first Beloved.> "Darafayen, K'harn wishes to seek out others of her kind. My she do so?"

<Darafayen> "Oh, yes, please, K'harn, feel free. Most of your kind nest in a pocket above the artisians' hall to the left."

<Ari> "I chose not to when it became quite clear to me that doing so was not the sort of life I wished to live."

* Ari places a hand on K'harn's head rullfing her fur before the cat takes off.

<Darafayen> K, about this time Darafayen asks to see the lifestone

<Darafayen> Nikki produces it and Cast and Ari remember it.

* Darafayen treats it like it is a great treasure

<Darafayen> As she is giving it back to her something new happens

Scene Two:

You have been talking with Darafayen for several minutes when the guard that left earlier returns. Darafayen is oblivious to this fact as she is so wrapped up in your descriptions of the surface world. The returning guard leans over and says something to the other, who nods. Both then stand a little straighter and wait.

They don’t have to wait long. From the wall about 15’ from them another elf steps through the stone. This one Darafayen does notice. She suddenly breaks off the conversation and turns to him. "Semetrian" she says, by way of greeting.

Having seen about a dozen of these elves by now you have begun to detect patterns in their way of dress. This one is dressed somewhat like Darafayen, leading you to believe that he too is a wizard.

Semetrian looks at the three Seekers with an unreadable expression on his face. His gaze then moves around the room, a look of disapproval evident. At this many of those who had come in to gawk at you slide away, moving directly into the stone as often as not. Even the three which helped Darafayen bring you here disappear. But Darafayen herself stands fast.

Once the room has cleared Semetrian turns his gaze back to Darafayen. When he speaks it is in a tongue unknown to any of you. However, you are able to catch a few words here and there. Nikki later theorizes that this is another branch of the elven tongue - a specific dialect. While it is difficult to understand each word, you get the general idea. "Young one, you and your... guests... are expected to attend to Aljayera. Immediately."

For the first time you see Darafayen a bit subdued. She nods in understanding and Semetrian disappears back into the rock. With a deep sigh Darafayen turns to you. Much of her energy seems contained now, subdued. "Well," she says, speaking in Undercommon again, "I guess we had better get this over with."

She turns and begins to head towards the only exit evident in the room. As she does so you all fall in behind her.

"Who is this... Aljayera?" Castinar asks.

"Our Chieftain" Darafayen replies. "He is the most powerful of the wizards. About forty years ago he was elected to be Chieftain. While he is new, he is still a good leader. But..." Darafayen pauses, as if uncertain if she should go on. "But like so many others he doesn’t believe in contact with others. I... wasn’t supposed to bring you here."

The three of you exchange worried glances as you walk down the hallway. You can’t help but be amazed at the artwork along the walls. In some places it is like walking inside a tunnel of water, frozen in time. In another the frescoes on the walls are like a giant maze. The workmanship is of a quality you hadn’t even imagined existed.

But all of that pales by what you see when you are brought into the Hall of Conclave - which you later learn is the name of the cavern where the Chieftain holds meetings. The floor is clear, but unlike similar rooms in the swirl caverns it is not slippery. Half-visible images of distorted flowers are visible under the crystal. The walls have the appearance of mother-of-pearl. The iridescence shifts through all colors of the spectrum as your point of view changes. The light in the room comes from these walls, bathing the entire scene in a glow similar to moonlight.

As beautiful as the rest of the room is your eyes are naturally drawn upward to the ceiling. There, covering the entire roof of the cavern is a work of art unlike any you have seen before. It is half fresco, half sculpture. It appears as if workman painstakingly place thousands - no, millions of tiny gemstones in the ceiling forming a mural stretching from wall to wall. The mind balks when it considers how long it must have taken to create this picture.

Just as amazing as the quality and quantity of work is the story the mural tells. Near the top you see a band of these strange elves, apparently near the surface. Behind them you see what appears to be a cave opening. The image is so realistic you believe there is really light streaming from the opening. Through the opening you can barely see a scene of violence - warfare on a tremendous scale. But the images are so washed out, so blurry, that you can’t make out who is fighting. The mural then continues along, following a snaking path all over the ceiling, telling the tale of a great journey as it proceeds along. You see the elves moving through the Underdark, passing through huge caverns filled with fungal forests, tunnels filled with spires of brilliant crystal, rivers of molten lava that seem to glow with heat, and deep oceans pulsing with an internal light. Interspersed with the images of the beauty of the Underdark are scenes of combat, often showing two or three of the elves holding back advancing monsters while the others retreat. Ari uncomfortably recognizes several of the foes being battled as drow. Finally the story turns from journey to building. You see craftsmen shaping stone with their bare hands, sculpting the very halls you just passed through. The final scene is a celebration as the refugees move into their new home.

Whispered voices finally draw your gaze from the ceiling back down to the room itself. Across from you is a surprisingly simple looking stone throne some nine feet high. To each side stand two towering masses of rock, pillars reaching almost to the ceiling. Sitting on the thrown is another elf. Once again you are struck by how alike these elves look. Until he speaks with a deep voice, you aren’t sure if Aljayera is male or female.

Aljayera is arrayed much like Darafayen, but with more gems and jewels. He too has a stone staff at his side and several wands at his hip. Unlike Darafayen he wears a crown on his head, full of thumb-sized rubies and diamonds. The wealth of gems in that crown alone boggles the mind, but Nikki sees the greater value. The crown fairly shines with magic. If this isn’t an artifact, it is close to it.

Movement on Aljayera’s shoulder attracts the party’s attention to yet another wonder - something which would draw their attention in an instant anywhere else, but here is lost among the thousands of other wonders. Sitting on Aljayera’s shoulder is what appears to be a fire lizard made out of crystal. But this is not statue, it appears to be a living thing. Its tail swishes back and forth as he gazes intently at the party with emerald eyes - real emeralds, mind you.

Aljayera shifts in his chair, bringing the party’s attention back to him. The look on his face is clear regardless of racial differences - Aljayera is angry, very angry. Beside and behind him stand three other wizards, one of which is Semetrian. When Aljayera finally speaks he again uses the strange dialect you heard Semetrian use.

"Darafayen" he begins, looking at the elf, not at you, "I..." he pauses, then sighs and shakes his head. "If I had know this is what it would lead to, I would never have given you permission to roam the tunnels! I have tried, Stone knows how I have tried, to accommodate you, to let you grow in your own unique way. And this is how you repay me in return? You break or most honored law? Desecrate our very home with these creatures!? Threaten the survival of each and every Rockseer in our tribe, just to satisfy your curiosity? I heeded your mother’s pleadings, young one. I was patient. I was understanding. I was a fool to trust you!"

Darafayen stands there, head now bowed. "Elder one" she replies, "I may have erred, but I took the risk because I had to! You have read the Stones just as I. I learned at your knee! It was from you that I came to believe that the Time of Rising was near! So I went out. I looked for signs. And Elder one, I found them! Or rather, I found him!"

Darafayen whirls around and points directly at a startled Castinar. "I have watched this one from afar, from a safe distance, Elder one. And I have been amazed by what I saw. He is the Guide, Elder one! I know it! I feel it in my bones!"

The wizards behind Aljayera begin shaking their heads. One almost seems ready to break a smile. "Fantasies of the youth" one of them mutters. Then, to everyone’s surprise, Aljayera silences them with a wave of his hand.

"You speak of great things, Darafayen, events which will one day shape our people into what they now cannot be." The way he says "one day" leaves no doubt but that he thinks that day is still far off. "You were always the brightest of my students, but always the one most given to flights of fancy as well. But... I respect your intellect. Tell me why you believe this surface dweller is the Guide."

Darafayen begins to speak rapidly to the Chieftain. For the first time, you have great difficulty following what she says. You do catch a few phrases here and there. Apparently the traits that Darafayen has notices in Castinar that she deems important are the fact that he has "turned" from the surface and embraced the Underdark. She mentions something about "knowing their ways as if he was one of them, but he shall be as the light rather than the darkness". Finslayer is also mentioned several times, as is Hunter.

After Darafayen’s rapid-fire response Aljayera looks a little less skeptical. He looks at Castinar curiously, not convinced that Darafayen is correct, but still intrigued.

Yet when he finally speaks to the party his questions are not about Castinar, but rather about the party.

"Why are you all here in the Underdark?" he asks. "Darafayen has told us about your group and about some of your... what do you call them... "adventures". I would like to know why. Why are you here? Why did you come down here?"

<Castinar> "Great one -- I travel the Underdark because it is now my home. I am here specifically to search for, among others, a young human, who was abducted from her home in the sunlit lands."

*** Darafayen is now known as Aljayera

<Castinar> *make that here, specifically, as in .. in this place here and now... <G>

<Aljayera> "You come down here, shaking the very rocks, all in search of one lost human?"

<Castinar> No, great one, not *just* one lost human. There have been many kidnapped. We seek not only to find them, but find those responsible and force them, one way or anther, to stop the kidnapping.

<Aljayera> several of the advisors exchange whispers

<Aljayera> "And do you know where those responsible for these kidnappings are?"

<Castinar> "Signs currently point to a place called the 'City of the Glass Pool' -- a place of Drow and KuoToa

* Aljayera nods

<Castinar> *make that illithid and Kuotoa

<Aljayera> "And what do ypu plan on doing at the City of the Glass Pool?"

<Ari> *I was wondering about that

<Castinar> "We know that Illithid are specifically involved in the kidnappings -- but they are working for others -- probalby the KuoToa"

<Ari> *ok wait a minute..I thought it was the other way round

<Aljayera> * so mention that

* Ari looks at Castinar. "Are you certain of that last bit? I thought it was the other way around."

<Castinar> "I won't know until we get there, as I know not what to expect. I presume we will quietly try to find out what we can of these kidnappings. Our numbers are small, so we will need to be careful of what we do..."

<Aljayera> "So, if your ultimate goal is the City of the Glass Pool... what are you doing here? Why did you come down these tunnels?"

* Castinar frowns in concentration, then says "I think so... at least, I think the Illithid were reporting to *someone*. But, I could be mistaken."

<Ari> "We do know that the KuoToa are keeping some of the prisoners, if not all. Guarding them perhaps."

<Ari> "But mind flayers working for Kuotoa? That does not sound correct to me. I agree that the flayers are working for or with a higher power."

<Castinar> "There was a beast in a cavern near where we were -- invited here-- from. It was of a power that we didn't want to leave behind us, lest it cut off our means of escape."

<Ari> *because we needed more exps before we hit the City <G>

<Aljayera> <lol>

<Castinar> "I may be able to get an answer... with your permission, Great One?" (indicating Finslayer)

<Aljayera> "Invited here? What do you mean?" he asks, glancing over at Darafayen

* Aljayera nods to Castinar

* Castinar draws Finslayer, then sends <Do you know whether the Illithid were working for the KuoToa?> (since the KT are its specific enemy, counting on him remembering everything regarding them, if we mentioned it in his presence

<Aljayera> Finslayer : <I believe the illithid were working with the kuo toa, but the exact nature of the power relationship between the two has yet to be determined.>

* Castinar relays that information to Ari

<Castinar> "You were right; I was mistaken in what I remembered."

<Castinar> "As for the *invitation* -- that was a polite way of saying the cave we were brought here from"

* Ari nods. "I was basis my theory on my own knowledge of the two races."

<Ari> **basing

<Castinar> "In it was a dragon of darkness. As I indicated, we didn't feel safe with it behind us, so we confronted it."

* Castinar nods to Ari

* Aljayera shakes his head. "No, I mean why were you in this tunnel. Why did you come to fight Azzuzir and Fandruzsch?

* Castinar looks blankly "Fight who?"

* Castinar looks at Ari

<Aljayera> "Once you drove the dragon off, why did you then continue down to our doorstep?"

<Aljayera> * Val used Fandruzsch's name - he was the shadow dragon

<Ari> "Dragon and I think the behir."

<Castinar> "Ah -- we knew not what was down this, er, that direction. Where possible, I like to explore -- that is one of my purposes for living in the Underdark"

* Castinar nods at mention of name -- I haven't read caht logs yet to catch up on the specifics

<Aljayera> "Explore. Ah. And is that what you were doing when you went tearing down out portals?" (this question to Nikki, which obviously confuses her)

<Aljayera> "Your portals?" she asks

<Castinar> "There are so many wonderful sights, I hate to miss any."

* Castinar looks curiously at Nikki

<Castinar> "Your exploration of their workings, perhaps?"

<Aljayera> "Yes. You activated our flux points and traveled around our portals. Why?"

* Ari has an inkling, this should be interesting.

<Aljayera> "Ah" responds Nikki "The teleporation gates. So those are yours? How do they work?"

<Aljayera> "Bah!" responds Aljayera. "We would not teach one as foolish as you. You could have easily been spread over the length and width of our lands had anything gone wrong."

<Ari> **anything for research Nikki cries <G>

<Aljayera> One of the wizards, who has been looking rather distracted, casts a spell quietly in the background as this is going on

<Aljayera> He looks at Nikki in surprise, then leans over and whispers something to Aljayera

<Aljayera> Aljayera's eyes narrow.

<Aljayera> "Fisnardo has detected something of our magic on you, something very strong. What is it?"

<Aljayera> Nikki looks innocently confused, but Darafayen speaks up

<Aljayera> "It is a lifestone" she says quietly.

* Aljayera looks angry.

<Aljayera> "How did you get a lifestone?" (you guys respond since Nikki isn't here)

<Ari> **before we do..this is the stone she took fromthe statue right? (I thought it was bigger than something to wear around the neck)

* Castinar nods

<Castinar> *I believe so

<Aljayera> * it was the size of a large egg, I think I'd have to look it back up

<Castinar> Back near the xorn

<Aljayera> She asked for some way to secure it. I forget what I said, so I went with a necklace here

<Ari> *right..thats what I thought, just thought it was bigger. got it

* Ari glances at Nikki. "We found it, unsure of what it was Nikki wanted to examine it more closely."

<Aljayera> "You found it where?"

<Ari> She looks to Castinar now. "You'll have to explain this Cast."

<Castinar> "It was in a series of, what I presume, caverns you built. There was a strange statue there... one that looks as if it were of your people."

* Aljayera glances at Darafayen, who nods slowly and reluctantly. "Yes, the Cursed Caverns" she replies

<Castinar> "The whole cave complex looked -- well, looked like this -- gesturing at the walls aroudn him."

<Ari> "But abandoned."

* Aljayera now looks quite angry, and perhaps a little concerned

* Castinar looks from one to another "Cursed caverns?"

<Aljayera> "I will see this Lifestone" he says, holding out his hand

<Aljayera> Nikki looks to you to as if for support.

* Castinar looks around, then says quietly "I think you'd better. We're not in a place to argue"

<Aljayera> Nikki sighs deeply and removes the lifestone once again.

* Ari looks back. Quietly, "Give it to them little mage."

* Aljayera takes it out of the wire hold it, tossing the wire to the floor

<Ari> *how rude

<Aljayera> He stares at the lifestone for several moments in silence, no expression on his face

<Aljayera> He hands it to one of his attendants

<Aljayera> The attendant first looks amazed, then delighted.... then fearful.

<Aljayera> * pasting stuff in here - got a little ahead of myself

<Aljayera> After examining the lifestone Aljayera does something which makes Nikki wince. Instead of returning it to her he hands it to one of the wizards behind him.

<Aljayera> "You have brought us a dubious gift" he tells the group, speaking more directly at Nikki than the others.

<Aljayera> "We have lost the secrets of creating such things."

<Aljayera> "But, then, those of our kind who knew those secrets perished from a curse laid on those other halls."

<Aljayera> Aljayera then grows very serious as he leans forward in his huge stone throne.

<Aljayera> "If you have brought anything of that curse with you, you will wish that you had never seen the darkness!"

<Aljayera> After glaring at each of you in turn, and at Darafayen as well, he sits back.

<Aljayera> "We will examine this Lifestone to determine if there is still the stigma of the curse upon it."

<Aljayera> "Semetrian, please speak with the stone itself to see if you can learn anything."

<Aljayera> "Fisnardo, you must contact the Rock Powers and ask them of the danger."

<Aljayera> "Darafayen, take the surface dwellers to a room. Feed them. Let them drink. Bring them back here when we summon them."

<Castinar> 'A question, Great One, if I may?"

<Aljayera> ### take a quick break... I need to go install something on my son's computer... shouldn't take long

<Castinar> k

<Ari> *its 12:30pm at night here. I take a break and I'll fall asleep <G>

<Aljayera> * Back

<Aljayera> OK, Darafayen takes you to a different room

<Aljayera> So this time you have a chance to ask questions first

*** Aljayera is now known as Darafayen

<Castinar> back

<Ari> *still here

<Castinar> "Darafayen -- what is this curse your Chieftain spoke of?"

<Ari> "I too am interested in this. I am a healer, perhaps I can be of some help."

<Darafayen> "I don't remember the details, but those who used to live there were of our people. But, unlike us, the let others in. Strangers. Becuase of this there was somehow a curse laid on their lands. They all died."

<Darafayen> "This was long, long ago, before any of us now living were born"

<Ari> "Swifty? Did they die all at once?"

* Darafayen shakes her head "I don't think so. It was over time."

<Ari> Swiftly even

<Castinar> "What kind of strangers were let in?"

<Ari> "There are no records then of what happened?"

<Darafayen> As you speak, a pack of cats comes ripping through the room. K'harn is in the middle of them. Just as quickly they are gone.

* Castinar smiles

* Ari laughs, delighted to see K'harn happy.

<Castinar> Looks like K'harn is having fun

* Darafayen shrugs. "The legends do not tell."

<Ari> *at least of of us should be <G>

<Castinar> "Were these people another tribe? A part of your tribe?"

<Castinar> "How long have your people been here? How many generations?"

<Darafayen> "Another tribe"

<Ari> "Castinar, what if we describe the room. Perhaps that would help piece something together."

<Darafayen> to Cast "Since the Great War... our people have hidden down here after our cowardly ancestors fled from the fighting."

<Castinar> *better, I can draw a map of what that section of the complex looked like

<Darafayen> * she knows where you were at, she just didn't follow you in there

<Ari> *oh ok

<Darafayen> * and this is ancient history - over 1000 years ago

<Ari> "Why do you say cowardly?"

<Castinar> *OOC Question: Is this war one I am familiar with?

<Darafayen> "They did not stay to fight. They fled when the Powers needed them. The powers have turned their backs on us since then."

<Darafayen> * Yes, the great elven war between Corelleon and Lloth where the drow were driven underground

<Darafayen> * you would pick that up with additional questions

<Ari> "You keep mentioning the Powers. Can you tell us more about them?"

* Darafayen shakes her head. "We no longer know of the powers. That is one of the reasons I brought you here - you serve Corelleon, the highest of the Powers. "

<Ari> "The Gods. Your poweres are the Gods." Ari looks just a little surprised.

* Castinar nods

<Darafayen> "You even get powers from him, don't you? Like mage spells?"

<Ari> "Yes. I mainly use my gifts from him for healing."

<Darafayen> "The Gods? Yes, that must be what you call them. We just call them the Powers. We have forgotten their names, all but Corelleon and the dark Lloth."

<Darafayen> "It does not matter to us. We turned from them, so they turned from us. We have survived on our own down here for centuries."

* Ari looks a tad pained. "Would you please stop calling her by name? It make sme uneasy."

* Darafayen shrugs. "If you wish, but she too does not know about us or pay us heed."

<Ari> *Hello Lloth...here I am..come get me!

<Ari> "Perhaps. but I am in disfavor with her, and I wish to take no chances."

<Castinar> "That is something we can help with. We can tell you of the Gods, er, Powers, and explain them to you. Better, we may be able to help you 'find' them again. The Powers are always ready to accept those who would follow them faithfully"

* Darafayen nods

<Ari> "If you wish it. This is not something we will try to push on you."

* Darafayen actually looks fearful at Castinar's words. "Oh no! Please, don't do that! If they found us they might punish us for our sins! We have hidden from them for so long. They will be very angry with us!"

* Ari reaches out a hnd to pat the woman's sleeve. "Fear not, he would only do so with your permission."

* Darafayen nods and calms down a bit

<Darafayen> "Where did you find your bond?" Darafayen suddenly asks Ari, changing the subject

<Ari> "Near the place I called hom in the Unerdark. She found me actually."

<Castinar> "The G, er, Powers, are not as ... vengeful, as you seem to believe. However, if you are uneasy with this, I will refrain."

<Ari> *sorry about the typing getting worse..it's late <G>

<Darafayen> "You must be a special person for a Rock Cat to find you and bond with you."

<Ari> "How far away do you travel?"

<Darafayen> Just then one of the advisors steps back in

<Darafayen> "Aljayera will see you again" he announces.

* Ari laughs. "Not really..I think her family grew tired of hearing me mope."

<Darafayen> "As far as I want!" Darafayen replies to Ari

<Darafayen> You are lead back in to see the chieftain once again

<Ari> "Perhaps later I can tell you about my home then."

*** Darafayen is now known as Aljayera

<Aljayera> "You are fortunate" he tells you. "We found no trace of the curse."

<Aljayera> *** At this point Aljayera would want to ask you questions himself. He asks more about elven society and the Powers. We can play this out or not - what do you guys want to do?

<Ari> *how much longer do you thinkit will take?

<Aljayera> * depends how talkative you guys are <g>

<Ari> heh

<Aljayera> After that I've got about 10 minutes more, or less

<Aljayera> In fact, since this is you guys talking you could just sent it in an e-mail

<Aljayera> Shall we do it that way?

<Ari> *email would be eaiser for me right now

<Castinar> *Can do -- especially if you send list of questions we can answer and meander from

<Aljayera> K

<Ari> *I stayed up way too late talking to George last night <G>

<Aljayera> Let me see what's next...

<Aljayera> After you finish speaking about the Elven and other powers that now exist Darafayen speaks privately with Aljayera

<Aljayera> the chieftain looks a little surprised, but pleased as she speaks with him

<Aljayera> He then calls you all over close to him.

<Aljayera> Aljayera motions for you to come closer. For the first time you draw to within a few meters of the chieftain. "We do not wish to keep you here" he begins, "but at the same time we must protect ourselves. We have survived the millennia by remaining alone, isolated by the bickering and fighting all around us. Darafayen has unwisely broken our long isolation. I hesitate to punish you for her mistake. Still, my first concern must always be the safety of my people.

<Aljayera> And to be truthful, I believe that letting you free again would threaten our people. That is what happened to our brothers in the Lost Halls.

<Aljayera> * sorry, change "cursed caverns" before to "lost halls" <g>

<Ari> *must always be what?

<Aljayera> Still, there may be a way to safely release you. You must take an oath, and oath which we will enforce, that you will never reveal our existence or the existence of our home to anyone. Ever. If you swear to this I will return you to your friends. If you do not... then you shall remain here, with us. How say you?"

<Aljayera> *** Must always be the safety of my people.

<Ari> *thank you

<Castinar> "I understand the importance you place on your anomymity. I can easily make such an oath."

<Ari> *You have my word I shall not speak of your people or what has occured here."

<Aljayera> Nikki agrees as well, although much less gracefully. She tries to get something out of it - like how to use the flux points. They refuse.

<Aljayera> Aljayera nods. "It is decided then." The chieftain then does something unexpected. He sits forward in his chair and puts his palms together in front of him. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He then begins to chant softly. After a few moments you see a glow seeping from between his fingers. It steadily

<Aljayera> grows until it is rather bright. Aljayera then spreads his hands apart. The light comes from a small ball of swirling colors. The ball grows slightly and then stretches out. It quickly forms a cylinder about ten inches long. The cylinder slowly collapses in on itself. An image begins to form out of the light, the image of a

<Aljayera> small, sapphire dragon statuette, so beautiful it is almost painful to behold. Every facet of the brilliant little creature shines and shimmers with reflected light, every color of the rainbow in perfect harmony with each other. The thing is unutterably beautiful, and it radiates a deep yearning and longing for something lost.

<Aljayera> To Castinar's surprise Aljayera holds the statuette out to him. Slowly the rangers steps forward and reaches out. Hesitantly his fingers brush the statuette. The statuette seems to grow and expand, its luminescence increasing as well. In less than a few seconds it become so bright that you all have to close your eyes.

<Aljayera> When you open them only a few moments later you find to your amazement that you are laying on the ground in the cavern from which you were originally abducted. You see Shadow standing in the tunnel, her back to the cavern. You have returned.

<Aljayera> As you walk back down the tunnel you are shocked to find that you have been gone a full week. It seems to you as if you were gone only a few hours. As you think back on what happened you find that the memories are hazy, as if they were more a dream than reality. You also find that when you are asked what

* Ari immediately looks for K'harn.

<Aljayera> happened you feel a very strong urge not to say anything. Obviously the Rockseers have taken precautions to ensure your silence beyond your promise.

<Aljayera> * K'harn is there with you

-> *Castinar* there is a little more for you (respond to this so I can have a window open to paste it in)

<Aljayera> .

<Aljayera> .

<Aljayera> .

<Aljayera> .

*** Aljayera is now known as Saif

<Saif> OK, that's it!

<Saif> Any other questions or comments?

<Castinar> *question

<Saif> shoot

<Castinar> *We still remember everything, but are *urged* not to speak, correct?

<Saif> Do you want to try and talk about it?

<Saif> You have a very strong complusion telling you not to.

<Saif> You don't know what would happen if you actually did.

<Castinar> k

<Ari> ** at some point Ari would like to ask about the dragon's cavern and if the beings have a problem with she and Cast making it their home

<Saif> Or even if you actually could

<Castinar> *just wanted to make sure

<Saif> Ari - no, in fact, the fog would like you to move in. It doesn't want to be lonely.

<Ari> <G> my new best friend. A giant fog

<Ari> i'll ahve to add it to my collection of odd, but wonderful friends

<Saif> one that over time kind of takes on your personality (mixed with that of anybody else who spends a lot of time down here)

<Castinar> Hehe

<Ari> oh yeah....that'll work

<Castinar> Hmm... a child!

<Ari> say, can I teach it to kick people in the shin I wander? Bears contemplating

<Castinar> LoL

<Saif> no it doesn't.....

<Ari> <VBG>

<Saif> K, Kim, you can go to bed now. <g>

<Saif> Galen, get to work on that speech!

<Ari> Ari would love a child..this willahve to be it for now

<Castinar> Whoa -- this is strange --- Battlestar Galactica -- in German

<Ari> goodnight to you both.

<Saif> Night

*** Ari has quit IRC (Leaving)

*** Disconnected

Session Close: Sat Apr 29 23:01:54 2000