Korg idly cleans his sword, pausing to check slightly farther down the passageway before coming back to the room. "Well," he comments, "Shall we split up again and try a little bit harder for stealth, or shall we assume that anything in several miles now knows where we are and is going to eat the advance party's asses?" His tone indicates a certain amusment about the lack of stealth in addition to the legitimate question. Alfred smiles a little as he puffs the smoke off his massively oversized gun. Almost automatically his hands begin filling a pan nearly as big as his palm with black powder, filling it to exactly the right level before snapping a clip over the top and inserting a new bullet. Then, with a flourish of his hands, the gun, at least half as large as his head, is entirely gone. He finally looks up at Korg, his concentration now broken, and says eloquently, "Huh?" "Well, the whole aim of being stealthy to avoid alerting the dragon kinda goes away if it's broken every so often with shrieking fungus and gunshots," Korg replies. Alfred nods knowingly and says, "Yes, yes, quite right. Stealth has been lost, it may be best to stay together. But not too close, lest we all be caught in a single trap." "Let us move from here before we continue this debate," comes Segev's voice from the doorway. "Other things may have heard the Shrieker." His voice moves into the room as he says that last line, and an astute observer would notice bits of the fungi and the carrion crawler vanishing. Drakar stands straight after a few moments of whispered conversation with Katrina as the others discuss their situation. Nodding once he clears a space amidst his many hanging pouches and satchels and Ananzi swarms up and settles himself in the secure spot, bright eyes glistening. Drakar turns and addresses the others quickly, "Korg and Alfred are right. In any case, the shrieker was likely tipped off by the light that all of you require to see. You should stick together, with the quieter among you a few paces off but still within sight." "Since I am the only one here who can see and move quietly in the dark here, I am going ahead to scout out our path. Katrina will be in contact with me through Ananzi who is riding with me. Rest assured if anything happens you will know in advance about it." As the half orc speaks, Narush decides that Segev is more willing to play than anyone else since he's the only one picking up pieces. Following his nose and the site of pieces lifting off the floor one by one, he moves over and makes grabs at whatever Segev is picking up, intent on playing tag. Drakar looks up to see the dire wolf playing and figures out what's going on fairly quickly. "Narush!" Drakar hisses in a commanding voice before walking over to physically restrain the playful dire wolf when it continues to ignore him. Turning to where he thinks the necromancer to be floating he says, "Segev, I don't think you'll be needing the invisibility and levitation if you don't want to waste those magics. The others will keep you quite safe I should think." Drakar kneels down and looks the dire wolf in the eyes. "Narush I want you to stay here with Katrina and the others. I am going on ahead." Muttering the words to a spell, he starts making growling, wolf-like noises, speaking to the dire wolf in its own tongue to make sure it understands. He leads it over to Katrina, and gives it a rub on the muzzle before heading off without another word, deeper into the underground and moving quickly and quietly away from the lights behind him. As he moves, he pays little attention to attitude as he scrambles equally across the ground, walls, and ceiling - whatever makes for the easiest and quietest movement, avoiding noise-making gravel and dirt or lichens that could leave a mark of his passing. Alfred blinks in confusion as Drakar fades into the darkness, then turns to Kyran. "Is he always like that? I mean... I suppose we should follow him, regardless, but with stealth spoiled like this, he's kinda like dragon bait." Kyran starts to say something, but stops himself as Drakar starts running off. He glances at Alfred, who apparently is also one of the few people who know what they're doing, and whispers to the gnome. "I fear Drakar's going to run into too much opposition going off alone like that if a dragon is evident, that I think..." Alfred frowns into the darkness and gestures for the hovering stick and candle to follow him. He strides off into the darkness after Drakar. "It is best, then, that we do not let him get TOO far from us. Come along, people. Our dragon awaits." Kyran nods, and once he's sure Drakar's out of earshot from running down the cavern walls. "He... has a tendency to act before others can offer better suggestions, of what I've seen. He also has a short temper, and is fairly stubborn too." Kyran looks back at the group, including the invisible Segev. Kyran glances around and makes sure everyone's moving along, including Narush. He takes point himself, and does try to be rather quiet, but doesn't do the scouting thing, as he doesn't want to be dragonbait or dragonchow or dragonfood. "Alfred," states the still invisible necromancer. "Have you a mystical means of silencing things? If so, cast it on my Servant; I will send him ahead with Drakar. The darkness will bother my servant no more than it does the half-orc, but my servant is not...stealthy." Alfred looks a tad sheepish as he admits, "I'm afraid not. I've never been much for sound manipulation, really. I'm good with the basic illusions, but that's about all. I prefer information to music." "Pity," is the only half-whispered response the necromancer gives. He floats along with the main body of the party, his servant solftly clanking near Kyran, ready to run forward at Segev's command. Korg grunts as Drakar starts rushing off and plods forwards with the main body of the party. "He at least should prove some effort to digest; enough maybe to let us catch up to him before he's eaten if he finds the dragon." Kyran is visibly registering each clank of that undead armor thing. Apparently, Kyran not only has a keen nose, but fairly well-trained ears too. And he doesn't like the clankingness. Drakar is easily able to keep from making much noise as he scrambles along the walls and ceiling of the passageway. Up ahead, the passageway narrows to where the party could pass single file and then widens farther out. With his darkvision, Drakar can make out the outlines of about five or more serpentine heads. Two heads appear to be fighting over the body of a large rat they're trying to eat. Drakar cups the opening of the satchel Ananzi is riding within to his mouth and whispers as softly as he can to the little fox, "Hydra" Then he continues forward, first casting Guidance upon his movements and seeking to sneak along the rock walls to a spot above and behind the hydra, and away from where the others will aproach with their lights and noise. "No need to sneak around, orc. We smell you. Why don't we put some light on the subject so we can see you?" A single burst of fire lights up a dozen torches that hang on the wall. As Drakar's vision clears, his eyes adjusting to the sudden light, he spots a seven-headed hydra sitting in a corner. One of the heads snakes around to gaze right at him. "Do you think you're a fly on the wall, little orc?" Drakar chuckles grimly, "Think of me more as an ant. And while this ant might be insignificant, there are a whole bunch more coming down the tunnel behind him. Some a good deal bigger and more powerful. You might want to consider letting us pass in peace." He carefully judges his distance to the hydra and to each of the exits from this cavern. Not all encounters should be decided with battle. "I'll give you this one chance to take your meal and go in peace. I'm afraid that some of my more 'eager' companions might not do the same when they arrive." "Well, that all depends, little one. We know of your friends; the smell of the black powder is still lingering on you. The question is, what are you and your friends willing to give us for your passage?" The hydra, from Drakar's position on the wall, is roughly twice it's length away from him. The only other passage, other than the one he entered from, is in a small alcove off to the right side of the hydra's tail. The room, and it is a room, sits lower than the passageway Drakar entered from, with a taller ceiling. An ornate depiction of an ancient battle between a humanoid and a five-headed hydra adorns the wall the torches are mounted to, on Drakar's right. Pipes line the ceiling, with a large bronze pipe headed to the lower sewers dominating the corner opposite the alcove. Drakar considers carefully before going on, "We are on a quest for a particular dragon - either black or deep - in these sewars. If we were successful, you would be rid of a powerful acid-breathing rival, in fact the only real competition for food you have in these sewars. If you let us pass in peace, you have my word that none of us shall harm you or stand in your way." Katrina relays all the information to the group as Ananzi sends to her. Alfred picks up the pace, hurrying on after Drakar now that he knows there's danger. Kyran looks concerned, and a bit angry at his mentor's actions, as he hurries along as well. He rips his sleeves along some weak thread holding them to the vest, and throws them into his backpack. He'd do the same with his shoes and lower pants, but they're moving right now, not resting. Korg loosens his sword in its scabbard slightly and strides forwards at the news. "We killing it?" he asks simply. Alfred raises his gloved hand to thrust the left side of his cloak back over his shoulder. "Probably. Wait for my signal to attack, however." Segev's minion remains with the vanguard of the party. It's clear that the necromancer himself feels fairly secure in his invisibility, as his voice comes from somewhere near the head of the party as well, clearly casting a spell. When the magical gibberish is concluded, he continues, "Let us hope that the hydra is in an amiable mood. Slaying it would put an end to this day's excursions." "A convincing arguement, little one," comes the reply, as the rest of the party appears in the entryway. "We are curious, though. Do you think you have what it takes to beat this dragon? We can always test that, you know." The eyes on all seven heads narrow menacingly. "A test would only weaken both of us, and result in at least one death," states the invisibly flying wizard as the party enters. "What care you whether we have the means to do as the half-orc says? If we do, we will. If we don't, the dragon can deal with us. Why risk your life to conduct a possibly inconclusive experiment that will be answered more definitively if you do nothing?" The hydra turns one of its heads to look straight at where Segev is floating invisibly. "You think our test involves violence. How typically, disgustingly human." "May I ask you a question?" Drakar's voice rumbles from his spot at the corner of wall and ceiling. "What does the frieze on the wall of that alcove over there signify? Is that you battling the man in armor?" Another head looks right at Drakar. "And here is the heart of the test. We are in the picture, yes, but we are neither the hydra nor the man. Who are we, and why?" Korg simply looks back and forth between Drakar and the Hydra, rather obviously waiting for a signal to have at it once they exhaust the possibilities of strange mentally-taxing gibberish. "A riddle! I love riddles." Drakar drops down to the floor of the cave from the ceiling, opening up the satchel to let Ananzi free to run to his mistress. Drakar looks up at the hydra, "May I approach to look more closely at this picture?" "You may, but do not waste much time." Other than the hydra and the armored man in the mural, there is little detail. The hydra in the mural is not, as was originally assumed, a 5-header; it is a 7-header, with two heads having been severed. The man is wielding a large sword one-handed, and wielding a shield in his off-hand. At the top of the mural is a depiction of a glowing chariot, much where the sun would be. The battle appears to be taking place near a gate of some sort. Segev's malevolent laughter echoes off the chamber walls with true amusement. "One should not be so quick to disparage as you, nor so quick to assume as I. My apologies." After a few moments in which his laughter fades, he continues, "Is this riddle solely for the first of our party to meet you, or for all of us to solve? I already have my guess, not-hydra-nor-man." "It is for your entire party to solve. And we are curious to see how accurate your guess is." Kyran looks at the hydra strangely when he comes upon it with the rest of the group. "Hello? The riddle is... confusing? If you are there and you are not the hydra or the man, though... Perhaps you are both at the same time? Why that is I have no guess, of this you should know..." He thinks, then looks up at the hydra again. "What may we call you, so as to not be offensive in reference to you?" "You may refer to us as simply 'Hydra'. We find the name fits better than most others these days." Kyran nods to the Hydra and gives a respectful smile. "Thank you, Hydra." He walks over and peers at the painting, muttering to himself in a harsh tongue. "Clax versves sek arimuntherekhaurach, Vur baekir-... thricthric*thric*..." He clears his throat and shakes his head to clear it. "That is not right, it most certainly isn't... There was magic at work, don't you think? Maybe the importance is in the chariot of the sun, and the gates that lie beyond?" Alfred steps forward to the mural, looking up at it over the collar of his cloak for several long moments, listening as others come to some interesting conclusions. He leans closer, peering at the gate for a moment, as it's closest to his eye level, then turns on his heel and looks up at the imposing bulk of the Hydra. "Please forgive me if I think aloud, Sir. It is a habit my professors were most eager to break, but they all failed miserably." Alfred raises his ungloved hand from beneath his cloak and raises the index finger. "First, let us assume, as Kyran has proposed, that you are both the man and the hydra pictured. This leaves three major questions. How the two of you came to be one, who did it, and what the gate is." He raises a second finger as he continues, "Therefore, as the sun is being represented as the Chariot rather than the large firey orb, it should be taken to represent Pelor, rather than simply the time of day. Still, there seems to be no reason to combine the two, or for Pelor Himself to even take an interest." Alfred begins lightly pacing, just a few steps in either direction, as he continues, "Thirdly, the gate. It must be important, else it would not be there. Also, note the positioning of the man and hydra, relative to the gate, indicating that the hydra is not assaulting the gate, as one might assume, but rather, is most likely guarding it. Since hydrae are not generally inclined to guard anything but their lairs, and their lairs are not known for having gates, one is safe in assuming that it was put there, most likely by Pelor." Alfred stops pacing, facing the hydra once more. "The gate, therefore, either IS something, or stands before something, that the Gods want kept away from men. The warrior was attempting to slay the hydra, and Pelor, in his infinite wisdom, merged the warrior with the hydra to form a new, and hopefully better, guardian. YOU are that guardian. Of course... there is no gate here, which begs the question of why you ARE here. Since there is no gate, you must either have been released from your duties, which is unlikely, or that which you were to guard has been stolen." Alfred stops speaking for a moment, to sip briefly from a flask slipped from somewhere beneath his cloak, then continues, "Now, that means that you are here in these sewers looking for that which you were to guard. There has been, so far as rumors tell me, only a single significant theft in the past several months, that being a theft at the Temple of Akanksha, notable mostly because the priestesses are keeping it under such wraps. I find it unlikely, however, that you would be a guardian for Akanksha, especially since it was Pelor watching over you in the temple, but Maxwell's Law of Perversity states that the two thefts are most likely connected." Alfred stops and looks puzzled for a moment as he runs through his memories, searching for something that could concievably connect these two deities. After several moments, his face brightens and he lets out a sharp cry. "Aha! I do believe I have something that fits the evidence at hand, without introducing too many extra entities. It is known that one time, the Goddess Bri'ney rebelled against Akanksha, and that during this rebellion, she used a weapon on her mother. The spear was broken into two pieces. The spearhead essentially disappeared, presumably kept by the priestesses of Akanksha, while the haft of the spear was missing and believed destroyed. There is currently a theory floating around in certain circles, however, that no object used by a deity can truly be destroyed. Therefore, I posit that you are, or rather, WERE the guardian of the haft of the spear, and you are here attempting to retrieve it!" Alfred ends with a flourish, pointing dramatically at the hydra, gloved hand waiting just under the other edge of his cloak, just in case. Kyran listens to the deductions and nods, smiling sheepishly after it is all said and done. He looks somewhat worried about how Hydra may respond, but he does appear impressed with Alfred's abilities of deduction... and perhaps a bit worried about that too. The necromancer remains silent. Alfred's analysis was at least as good as his own; further speech before the hydra says anything further could only harm their cause now. Drakar eyes Alfred at the end of his discourse. "I don't think the hydra is guarding the haft of the spear of Bri'ney. Not everything in this world revolves about our particular quest. Plus the mural on the fixed wall would seem to indicate that our host here is on no quest to retrieve anything. This is his home." Drakar rumbles on with his own supposition. "Still, you may have gotten some of it right. It does seem to me that if the battle between the hydra and the man is representative of our Hydra, then the two must have been merged. Such a merger seems to me to be more of a curse than a divine gift - a creature most would strive to kill with the intelligence to understand its plight. Unless you are capable of taking other forms?" The half-orc looks up at the hydra. Four of Hydra's heads lower to eye level with the party. "We are unable to change form. And the little one is correct, we are both the man and the hydra in the painting, merged through the intervention of the sun god, who witnessed us fighting. He is correct, the hydra in the painting was guarding a gate. But the orc is also correct in that, for now, this is our home. We are... stuck here." One head snakes over to the mural. "We fought, and when the hydra was near death, Pelor merged us. The human in us saw what we were guarding; the hydra never understood. We guarded it, until the gate was destroyed and the artifact we guarded stolen. Ynnada and Pelor sent us to it; but we were unable to defeat the cursed being that stole it." "You have exhibited the courage, intelligence, and wisdom much needed in these times. You may pass; there are some items in the alcove from our human half that you may find useful." Drakar lets the others look for the items the hydra mentioned as he talks with the creature. "Who is this cursed being you speak of? And what artifact did it steal from your guard? Do you desire freedom from this chamber to pursue this being?" Alfred's eyes crinkle in pleasure as he breaks into what is presumably a smile, though it's hidden by his collar. "I knew it! And the object beyond the gate? Is it the spear haft, as I said?" Kyran looks fairly relieved. "Thank you Hydra. Is there perhaps something we can do in return? Is there a way to free you for your generosity?" "It was a humanoid; of that we are certain. It had chalk white skin, six arms, and seemed to have a number of magic items of varying sorts at its disposal. As for what we were guarding, we can say that it was not a spear haft, but we are not at liberty to say what it actually is that we were guarding." One head snakes around to the alcove. "We can still smell its scent lingering in the wastes. We do not care if it lives or not. And we have discovered it is impossible for our merged form to be altered in any way. Should you encounter and defeat this being, bring me all of its stuff." Drakar walks over and quietly claps Kyran on the shoulder. "Good thinking lad, with your guess about the hydra and warrior merged. You set all of us on the right track." Kyran smiles back. "I just suggested what I know can happen, that I did." He turns to Segev as the necromancer speaks. "Kyran, if you would examine the guardian's profferred possessions for any that would prove useful to yourself or any others, we can distribute them accordingly and continue on our way." Though still invisible, somehow it is clear his regard has turned to focus in the hydra. "It has been an interesting experiance meeting you, Guardian. Now, however, we must continue. For now we have two quarries for which to search, so cannot stay to continue these fascinating discussions." It's really quite hard to tell if Segev's description of the discussions as "fascinating" is sarcastic or sincere. The same scents from earlier linger in the air. After he has separated the hydra's and the mind flayer's from them, there are two other scents that stand out. One seems to have taste of bitter citrus, the other is rather unpleasantly sterile in nature. When Kyran enters the alcove, he is greeted with a matching set of greatsword, bastard sword, longsword, short sword, dagger, and large steel kite-shield being supported by a suit of full plate. Also in the alcove are a composite longbow, two chain shirts made of mithril, two other greatswords -- one etched with a blue tint to the blade, the other set with a large ruby -- a bastard sword set with lightning bolts along the blade, and a longsword set with a flame design on the hilt. A chest nearby is filled with numerous potions (5 each of bull's strength, cat's grace, bear's endurance, owl's wisdom, eagle's splendor, fox's cunning, and cure moderate wounds), and contains two headbands and two small crystal wands. He also finds a suit of scale mail barding that looks suitable for a creature of Narush's size. Korg notes the mention of leftover equipment and wanders after Kyran to investigate. He is more than a bit impressed at the extent of it, and lets out a low whistle as he grasps the hilt of the blue-etched greatsword and tests its balance one-handed. Eventually, he nods to himself, as if satisfied. He removes his current greatsword and transfers its baldric to his other shoulder, then adds the sheath and badric for his new acquisition crossing it across his back. The young werewolf looks over the equipment, and thinks for a second, a bit impressed by the horde. He idly registers the scents in his mind, intending to go over them more carefully later. Now, how to get it back... He glances at Korg's grab for the greatsword and doesn't stop the orc-like human, instead starting to pile all the equipment onto the chest. Impressively, he manages to get it ALL to fit in there without breaking, and lifts it rather easily, carrying it back to the group. Given his size, age, and stature, he really shouldn't be pulling something like this off, but none the less he is. He gives Korg a smile. "I think we should get back now." With that, he starts back to where they rested with the hydra. Setting the chest down with a *very* heavy thunk (the stuff inside must way over 100 lbs, minimum), Kyran goes through pulling it out, laying the weapons out. He sets the bastard swords aside for himself, as well as one of the mithril chain shirts. After that, he lays the weapons and armor out, making sure everyone has a good look at them. Leaving the potions where they are, he also takes out the headbands and strange crystal wands. "Here is what was there, nothing else I found. Korg has already claimed one of the greatswords, but the rest here are of equal potency. Additionally, I have a hunch that all of this is magical to have existed so long in such pristine condition, correct Hydra? The potions each increase a facet of ones person, or will heal." He points at the potions in the case, differentiating between the boosting and cure potions. "These blades in particular," He points at the swords set in a line to make a complete set, "of equal strength they should be. The armor is very well crafted and enchanted, that it is, and I advise those of you with talents in its use utilize them." He finally comes upon the headbands and crystal wands. "And, finally, I recognize these headbands as one of my father's favorite toys to throw my mother for a loop." He grins. "These wands are... not something I have encountered before, that they are not." "If we could make our selections quickly, I would continue--" the black-robed mage suddenly blinks into visibility about eight feet off the ground as his spell ends "--on with minimal delay. Katrina, you may be interested in the strange wands; you expressed such in other spell-storage devices." He rotates in the air to face the young werewolf, next. "Kyran, what exactly does the headband you believe you recognize do?" Kyran looks thoughtful for a moment, then responds. "Well, when placed on an animal's head, they were capable of temprarily awakening it to sentience, that they did. As my mother is of the druidic tradition..." He snickers. "I think you can figure out how he confused them from there. Anyways, thinking on what they are capable of doing when placed on the heads of animals, I believe these headbands will increase the intellect of any who wear them, that I do." A smirk crosses Segev's face briefly as he decends to the ground. Landing next to the pile of treasure, he picks up the headband in question and dons it. Kyran doesn't seem bothered at all when Segev takes the headband. He's still loking over the equipment. "This is quite a collection, Hydra. You must have been a powerful warrior, yes you were." He walks over to the potions and seperates them into their respective places, on occassion taking a very cautious sniff of the contents to verify what is said on the bottle is true. Alfred moves quickly to the line of weapons and armor, slipping a plug of metal from somewhere beneath his cloak as he does so. He moves swiftly down the line of weapons, carefully rubbing the metal plug against the cutting edge of each blade. He then moves on to the armor, testing each similarly, in a spot where a scratch is unlikely to be noticed. When he finally finishes each of the items, he straightens abruptly, closes his eyes, and recites from memory, "The matched set of blades, as well as the plate armor and both mithril shirts are at least two goons, but probably no more. The rest of the weapons and armor are precisely one goon. There are three basic elemental blades in the group, easily discernable to anyone who looks, as such things often are. The blade with the bejeweled hilt, however, bears further investigation. The two wands are mentalist items, though what abilities they contain will not be revealed without further investigation." Alfred opens his eyes and takes a deep breath as he finishes, then continues, "I would personally find one of the chain shirts quite useful, as well as both wands, and one of each of the potions. But those are simply my own preferences." Kyran responds, "Ah, that is good to know. I felt the armor and weapons were better than my own, thank you for confirming my suspicions. As none of you seem practiced in the bastard sword, I would like to claim both of them, as well as one of the chain shirts and possibly a few of the potions, if I may." Korg hrms at Kyran's long words, eventually puzzles them out. "Oh, makes them smarter?" He pulls out the headband unclaimed by Segev and examines it. "You would perhaps say that I have more need of this than most," he chuckles. "Unless someone else wants it?" Kyran grins. "Well, if you put it that way, the one among us that could use it most is Narush over there. But, to be honest, the people who most commonly bought them from my father were underground wizards in my home town... Before they got found out by the Redwater patrols, as I know..." With that Kyran is a bit quieter and more solemn. Looking at the suddenly quiet boy, Segev rises a couple feet off the ground once more. "Outfit yourselves as you see fit. What we cannot carry, I am sure our new friend will not mind us leaving here until we can return. We have delayed here too long already. We must continue." Alfred quickly does pretty much as he said he would, swifly making one of the mail shirts, a handful of potions, and the dagger disappear underneath his cloak with such speed that it's difficult to see anything happening. That done, he turns and looks up at Segev and says loudly enough to be heard by all present, "I concur. Arm yourselves as desired, that we may proceed with our venture." Kyran takes up a number of potions, the two bastard swords (placing both of them on his back and his old one in his handy haversack), and dons the remaining mail shirt. He also places his old mithril shirt in his backpack. "If I may, I do have a means to carry any equipment that you do not wish to immedeately use, that I do... Unless it's something as heavy as that full plate." He thinks, then looks at the Hydra. "That is, if it is okay with you Hydra. And, if I may, what command is required to make the exceptional qualities on these elemental weapons active, as most crafters of such items key it to a specific word." "The fireblade is activated through the command word 'burn'," the hydra explains as they're gearing up. "The frostblade is activated using 'freeze', the lightning sword uses 'shock', and the spell-storing sword uses only a thought to release its spell. Word of warning, its previous wielder liked to place 'acid burst' in it." Drakar takes the greatsword from the matching set of weapons, handing the greatsword set with a large ruby to Katrina. He takes one of each kind of potion, but hands the cure moderate wounds potion to Segev, and trades Alfred a fox's cunning potion for a bull's strength potion, then tucks his chosen vials into the bandolier across his chest. Drakar beckons Narush over to the scale barding. While the green-lacquered scale barding Narush wears is custom fitted to the dire wolf and looks menacing with the long armor spikes that bristle from its back; the scale barding found has a coppery-green, aged, tint to its scales and the supple, lightweight feel of magical armor. "Let's see if this barding fits you my friend." Drakar begins the laborous task of unbuckling the old barding, stowing it in the now empty chest and buckling on the new scale barding. While the half-orc is working quickly it seems to be taking quite a bit of time. Kyran is about finished suiting up and taking what he will use, then looks at Drakar and Narush. He barks a couple times at the wolf, doing a very good impression of a wolf himself, and notes the response (or lack thereof). He then regards Drakar. "Do you require assistance in putting that on Narush? He is getting very anxious, that he does." Drakar looks up and nods in affirmation to Kyran as he drapes the new scale armor on the dire wolf's back. Alfred watches this exchange, beady eyes glittering a little in the torchlight as he records every moment of this little exchange for future reference. Kyran gets up and walks over to the wolf, putting his backpack on. He glances at Alfred as he walks past to help with the barding, idly commenting to Alfred. "Is there something wrong, that I wonder. Have you never met one who is knowledgable of the ways of wolves before?" Alfred's eyes narrow a bit as Kyran passes by, but then he relaxes a bit and says just loudly enough to be heard by Kyran, "Actually, I hadn't had the pleasure. Wolves in Rinkasae are generally considered an annoyance at best, a serious hazard at worst, and are killed on sight." Kyran frowns at that. "Really, are they that much of a problem, I must ask. They are rather magnificent creatures if you get to know them better. Very social too, might I add. Of course, my opinion may be a little biased, but I've never had trouble with the natural lupine creatures of the world." Alfred turns and levels a piercing stare at Kyran. "I'd imagine you haven't, at that." He seems to completely ignore Kyran's own question. Kyran finishes strapping up Narush's new armor on, at least as far as he can without getting in Drakar's way. He glances at Alfred. "Could you please stop that? I find it rather uncomfortable, that I do." Alfred smiles a little behind the collar of his cloak, then turns away. "Of course, of course. I wouldn't want to disturb you while you're around such a dangerous animal." Kyran doesn't mind in the least Alfred's assesment of Narush as being dangerous. Of course Narush is dangerous! "It isn't quite that, but you don't understand completly, that it seems. That is okay however, you will have time, if we spend more time together." Segev hovers silently, his gaze growing more dissapproving at each almost snide comment Alfred and Kyran exchange. He's practically tapping his foot in the air, clearly impatient. Kyran appears ready to move as he glances at the necromancer. "There really is no reason for you to be impatient at us. We have been prepared for a while, I do believe." He glances around the room, not at anyone in particular. "I believe some of the others are still making preparations, that I do." Narush leans over and licks Kyran as they finish strapping on the scale barding. Drakar glances with annoyance at Alfred, then nods his readiness to move out to Segev. "Servant," orders the necromancer, pointing at the sword and shield still lying on the ground, "Sheathe your sword and put away your shield. Rearm with those. Then head out." As the minion complies, Segev hovers some distance behind it. If the party moves to the orientation they had before encountering the Hydra, he'd be somewhere in the middle of the main body. Kyran rubs Narush behind the ears with one of his hands and nods to the dire wolf, smiling. "Seems he likes me anyways. Imagine that, wouldn't you?" Alfred turns away from Kyran dismissively and looks up at Segev. "Ready when you are, Stormlord." Alfred makes a sign to the still floating torch and candle, and thusly to the unseen servant still bearing them. The objects move slowly to the exit and take up a position, sending light still further down the tunnel. "I think it would be prudent of you to take up a position at the rear with your bow, Drakar? Any hope of surprise has been spoiled, and attempts to hide from an actual dragon are invariably fruitless." Kyran nods. "He's right, that he is. A dragon's senses are far more acute than any of ours. It is best that we keep the light shed to a maximum, so we do not get surprised and spot conflicts beforehand." Kyran sniffs the air and starts walking torwards the alcove, signaling to the others. "Our quary lies ahead, that it does. It'd be best to prepare yourselves, it is close enough for its scent to be picked up..." Drakar climbs up the wall of the alcove and takes a position on the ceiling just above the heads of the rest of the group, stowing the great swords on his back and stringing his bow quickly before nocking an arrow to the string. "Actually I think I'll take the high ground here. I would suggest that if stealth is a moot point the heavy fighters take point. Alfred, how far can you send that floating light of yours down the tunnel?" Without a second thought, Alfred whips off an answer, "About forty feet, in human measures, but it's best to keep a little breathing room, so figure on about thirty feet ahead of point." Drakar nods, "If you would, please send it out there. The extra lighted distance can only help us moving as we are." Alfred makes a sign to his servant, and the thing moves a bit further into the tunnel, holding position perhaps thirty feet or so from him. "I'll increase the distance a little once we're proceeding." Korg, new headband tied around his forehead, hears this and nods, not asking what moot means as some might have expected him to. "That would be me then," he rumbled as he moves towards the head of the line. Kyran moves forward cautiously, having taken point. He has his everburning torch out to light the way, and sniffs every once ina while to make sure nothing sneaks up on them too easily. Segev floats near the middle of the group, while his minion stays in front with the point guard. The necromancer's facade of arrogant calm is belied slightly by his eyes' tendency to flick about the corridor, as if regretting their inability to see everything at once. As the party moves on into the passageway, they come to a metal spiral staircase headed down. Before the heavy fighters can decide which of them is to take point, there is a shimmering of light from the back of the party. Those looking behind see Ruathor start to shimmer and fade from view, only to be replaced with a female form. The figure that appears stands just over five feet. She's dusky skinned and elfin, with braided, coppery brown hair that falls to mid-back and dark green eyes. Strands fray from the braid here and there, as she's done it more to keep her hair out of her eyes than any sense of fashion. A red starburst pattern is on her face, the hollow circle that composes its body on her right cheek with four long, pointed rays spread evenly. They very well cover the right side of her face, and a shorter ray, only extending about an inch, is between each of the long ones. She's a thin woman, but it's a muscular sort of wiriness, and she's not unattractive by any means. Lesedi dresses simply: she wears a cotton, forest green tunic and pants combination beneath the brown of her studded leather and boots. Her two-handed, curved falchion is below the grassy green of her hooded cloak - certainly better made than the rest of her clothing - while her pack's above it. She has a quiver at her side but no visible bow. Stepping down, Kyran notes any telltale markings on the wall, so as to make it easier to retrace their steps if they need to come back up in a hurry. As he walks down, he sneezes quietly, but knowing the way sound travels, it could have gone any distance. While he's too far ahead to see the transfer, he certainly smells the newcomer's arrival, and Ruathor's departure. He also smells the rank stench of a pair of trolls ahead in the darkened corridor. Ananzi comes over to the newcomer, and sniffs around her feet and legs. He sends a feeling of confusion to Katrina, but makes no hostile moves towards her. Paia, having been quiet throughout the entire incident with the hydra, circles the newcomer and then flits over to stand on Katrina's forearm. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mythology Lesson #10 Pelor and Ynnada Twin children of Navor and Gessa, Pelor and Ynnada at birth assumed the roles of the sun and the moons. Pelor, the god of the sun, is charged with only one cosmic task. Every day, he rides his golden chariot across the sky, illuminating the world. Of all the gods, it is said that Pelor has the sharpest eyes, rivaled only by his sister Ynnada. It is said that during the day, he sees everything that happens as he passes overhead, and he can see ants on the ground if he wanted to. Thieves especially are wary of his sunlight, as are supernatural undead like vampires. Ynnada is Pelor's twin sister, and the goddess of the moons. The calendar is her creation, using her three moons as a basis for marking the passage of time. Ynnada is revered by the druids as the ever-watchful crone who is part of the three-in-one goddess, who is herself three in one. Only the druids depict her as a crone; when appearing before her worshippers as part of the Caere pantheon, she appears as a youthful yet mature female. Regardless of whether she is revered by the druidic sect or as part of the larger pantheon, Ynnada is called "ever-watchful". Her three moons, which move across the sky in varying cycles, enable her to view anywhere in the known world at nearly any time. Hextor has often tempted Pelor and Ynnada to join his growing dark pantheon. They have always declined the offer. Like Golma, Pelor hates undead and will never ally himself with anyone allied with Su'kal. Ynnada also has the same hatred of undead, and will often have one of her three moons shine brightly on an undead's lair when a hunter is on its trail; she, too, will not ally herself with Su'kal. XP Time For avoiding violence with the Hydra/hybrid, the entire party gets 500 XP each. Alfred, Kyran, and Drakar each gain 250 XP for figuring out the riddle. In addition, give yourselves 200 XP instead of 100 XP for this session.