Ambrosia Software Web Board: The Search for the Thieves' Cavern - Ambrosia Software Web Board

"I do have my shield"
"Shield?" asked Katze who, though untrained in the magical arts, had never heard of a magical shield.
"Yes it is my greatest skill. I have the ability to completly shield myself for about 50 seconds. For that time I am invincible." Katze was amazed "Invinsilbe?" she asked in amazment "Yes for 50 seconds at the cost of all of my mana and most of my strength i can barley move afterwards. I was taught this amazing skill by my mentor. You call him Omen?" Katze nodded consent. "Then lets go" the two split up to search for the magicans corpse. After about an hour of fruitless searching Katze yelled "Over here Magpie!" Magpie hurried over to where Katze was standing, staring at the corpse of a young gruff looking Magician. He was about Slayers hight, carry a small purse containing 40 obles, a short sword and a curios small package that he grasped with all his dead might. Magpie pryed it free and noticed Katze already had the Obles in her pouch. "Open it, but be carefull" They peeked inside but withdrew with disgust. "Who would want a jewel incrusted eyeball holder?" For inside was just that, a jewel incrusted eyeball holder holdiing a blue eye. "I think this mystery just got a whole lot bigger" Magpie siad glumly.

Magpie looked down at the dead Magician. "I sure hope that's not the one who cursed Talos."
"I don't think so. From what we were told, this curse stuff must be high magic. He looks too young to be able to cast something like that." Katze quickly recovered and reached out and took the package, though she made very sure not to touch what was in it. "This is all very strange, yet we should take this with us. Whatever it is good for, it must be very important or he wouldn't have held on to it with all his might. I wonder why they left it behind..." She bent down and examined the magician's corpse. His throat was professionally sliced. "The poor guy must have been asleep..." she muttered.
"Why?" Magpie asked.
"Look at this cut!" She pointed at the magician's neck.
"What about it?" Magpie asked, not understanding.
"The way this cut goes, he must have been lying on the ground when they did it. Would you lie down deliberately to let somebody cut your throat?"
Magpie shook his head. "Surely not!" He thought everything over. "But this means they have been here almost a day ago! That's impossible!" It was almost evening, and the party had gathered on the field that morning, while Slayer's crystal had been stolen the previous evening.
"No, it's not like that." Katze had further examined the corpse, and noticed something that was very strange. "He's not been dead for that long, no longer than half a day."
"But you don't sleep in the middle of the day!" Magpie cried. Then he calmed, and added. "Well, at least not naturally. That can only mean one thing: someone must have cast Sleep on him!"
"But that means there's another mage in their group!" Katze looked around as if she was expecting the thieves to jump them every second. When nothing happened, she sighed, looking rather ashamed of herself. "But if there's a second mage, why can't you detect him?"
"Because I followed the track of the one who cast this spell you mentioned earlier. Every mage always leaves a slight magical trace behind, wherever he goes, because the mana we hold is not tightly 'secured' within us, but escapes from us due to... let's call it 'holes in our mind'." Katze stared at him, a puzzled look on her face. Magpie sighed, and continued his lecture. "It's not important now. The point is that we do lose mana continually, but we regain it just as quickly, so it's not really noticeable, because the normal amount of mana you lose is too small to be tracked. But if you cast such a powerful spell, the 'holes' get bigger, and the amount of mana lost gets high enough to trace. After a while, of course, these 'holes' are fixed, so it's important to hurry when following the mage."
Katze nodded. "So you can't find that other mage, because Sleep is not really so powerful as to leave behind a noticeable trace?"
"Exactly."
"Well, then I suggest we try our luck with a more earthly kind of traces... footsteps!"
Though neither of them was especially skilled in this, they easily found the traces of the thieves, since they were near the Great Swamp now, and the ground was very soft. Concentrating on the trace, they continued their march.
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Little did they know they were being watched by an unfriendly eye. Little did they suspect that the young man they had found was not a mage, but just dressed up as one, and that the trace had indeed been hidden. And being unexperienced in tracing footsteps as they were, they did not know that even for swampy ground the traces were all too clear and easy-to-follow.

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You cannot expect to be saved in any one thing, person ... Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for shore.
- Ray Bradbury

[This message has been edited by Moonshadow (edited 07-19-2001).]

"I don't like it. I feel as if I am being watched"
"You get that when your holding an Eyeball" Katze responded without concern still following the cleary defined footsteps. Magpie searched around still unsure as to the 'Thieves' intent, if they were thieves. He didn't think it was just because of the Eyeball he had an odd feeling. But he gave it up to meerly being concerend. He studied Katze closly. She was tall and thin with dark brown eyes that seemed to glow with inner light. Her lips were full and (dispite the fact she was not wearing lipstick) red. Katzes legs were strong and muscluare and her arms had been well delevoped by hunting. She was beutifull, Magpie decided. For a human at least. "It's rude to stare" Katze said turning herself to face Magpie, who jumped voilently. He was unaware that Katze knew he was staring. "If you wern't a powerfull mage I would have killed you for that" She said with a grin. Magpie grinned back, he didn't doubt her. "I have been looking at that Eyeball. It appears to be some kind of key to something" Katze looked curiosly at him "To wh" before she could finish a horrible ear piercing cry came from above them they looked up at the cliff above them. What they saw made them both gasp.

On the cliff high above them stood a strange, terrible creature. It was taller than a human, and looked like a tiger-demon chimera, with a horny tail, long sharp teeth, and astrange armnor-like fur. Again it let out that terrifying, inhuman howl, making the tiny humans in the valley shiver with fear.
Magpie looked around frantically, searching a good hide-out. "It doesn't seem to have spotted us yet," he hissed.
There was no reply. He turned around. Katze was still staring up at the monster wide-eyed, her skin as pale as chalk, obviously frozen in terror and plain sight.
Magpie tugged her sleeve. "Come on now, snap out of it!" He whispered urgently. "We need to hide!"
"It's no use." Katze replied absent-mindedly, in a monotone voice.
"What?"
"It'll find us." She said with absolute certainty, still in that same voice.
"What are you saying?! That's nonsense!" Magpie contradicted.
Slowly she turned her head and finally looked at him. "You know, I thought all of these... demons... had been hunted down."
Magpie looked at her, a puzzled look on his face. "What are you talking about?"
A third and louder howl sounded from above them. Nearer than the former.
Magpie ducked quickly behind a bush, even though he knew it wouldn't help them. He just felt that overwhelming urge to hide. Then he remembered Katze. She was still standing , strangely untouched by what was happening around her. He made up his mind quickly and dragged her into cover. She didn't resist. "We have to find a better hiding place!" He hissed, angered that she didn't seem to care.
"If it makes you lucky..."
'Still that monontone voice. What's up with her? That definitely isn't normal.' Magpie shook his head, and figuring she wouldn't move on her own, he took her hand and simply dragged her along, at the foot of the mountains, hoping for a cave or something. 'Maybe she'll get better when we get away from this... this... demon...'

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This is not dead which can eternal lie,
and in strange aeons even death may die!

[This message has been edited by Moonshadow (edited 08-17-2001).]

Quote

Sure takes a long time to turn your brain on.

******

Katze and Magpie ran through the undergrowth, along the base of the mountain. Katze jumped through an unusually thick bush, and rolled onto a small flat road. The road ran into a cave just a short distance away.

"Funny, I don't recall this cave being here." Magpie muttered as they made their way towards it quickly.

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"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."

Draging Katze into the cave was not easy but Magpie managed it eventualy. "Wake up Katze. Come on, snap out of it!" The creatures cried and Magpie could hear thier feet moving around outside the cave. "Come on Katze. I didn't study Cytheras creatures, tell me what it is!" Magpie gave Katze a solid shake. Katze splutered back to life like she had been stuck in a dream "It's a Tauros" Magpie gaped and started to chant some spell. After about a minute of constant chanting a bolt of what looked to Katze like shadow shot from Magpie through the cave wall and struck the first Tauros striking it dead. "Come on Katze we have to go" Katze nodded consent and followed Magpie deeper into the cave.
After about an hour of walking and crawling through tight spots they came to a great hall. Dimly the pair could make out a building of some sort in the middle. Magpie's staff becan to glow an odd colour difficult to name, for when ever you looked at it the colours seemed to shift and change. Approaching the building Katze noticed the entire door was coated in small complex runes. "What do they say Magpie?" she asked, curious about the strange writing. " It is a rune spell ment to ward off anything with a heart beat. Not hard to disable but I don't want to get it wrong" Magpie tapped his staff against it making a hollow knocking sound that echoed through the hall with an eerie sound. he walked up to it and put his hand on the central rune "Careful!" Katze warned, alarmed at Magpies ease. "Can you feel my pulse?" Katze shook her head "That is because I do not have a heart so to speak. No danger to me. Only for you" After about 15 minutes Magpie had opened the door. Inside lay a drak stair case leading down to the very foot of the mountians.

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Time is a predator that hunts you down. You can cheat it for as long as you like with doctors and medicines, but in the end time will catch up with you.

Magpie and Katze started down the steps.

The stairway was cut directly through the rock and was unlit. Magpie held up his glowing staff to light the way.

It seemed to take forever, they were walking for 30 minutes but it seemed to take eons before they finally saw a light up ahead. The light was a strange light green in color and as they drew nearer they saw that it was not an end to the passage at all but just a door to the side. Magpie entered slowly alert for any sign of a surprise attack when there was none he straghtened and looked around the room.

It was lit with torches and contained only a table a bench and the sorce of the strange green glow. It was a magical force field enprisoning a tall man in flowing blue robes that seemed to be in his late 30s. Despite the mans youngish appearence he had an air of someone of emence age about him.

"I thought I said I didnt want that slop that you call food!" he yells "Oh I see your not those Ruffiens that kidnaped me at all. So then who might you be?"

Magpie and Katze introduce themselves and the man says he is Verran.

"So are you with or against those vile ruffiens?" he questions.
"Against of course." Katze states "But how do we know that you are not one of them?"

"Well I can give you my word but not much else to prove myself." Verran replys "Otherwise why else would I be inclosed in a magic force field striped of my Grimoire and Staff" He gestures towards the bench which indeed has an old nobbled staff and a Grimoire on it.

"Well" Magpie muses aloud "I suppose we could kill you if you ar lying."

"You may indeed. But before then could you take out this force field?"

Magpie begins chanting and eventually the force field flickers and fades.
"Thank you my friends" says Verran as he moves to recover his Grimoire and staff "May I humbly ask to join you on your quest. I beleve I have a score to settle with those theives!"

Magpie and Katze think it over for a moment and decide that an extra man would be usefull.

"Good then!" He exclames "Then you may want to know that that desk contains a set of keys that may be usefull later."

Katze retreves the keys and they leve the room and continue down the stairs. Verren explanes that he is a mystic and that he specialises in offence and phisical manipulation spells. He goes on to say that he was recently profecting an extremely powerfull offence spell that he calls the "Devine Wind" that will litterally dicentigrate almost any opponenet, unfortunatly it takes all his mana to cast and that leves him pretty defenceless. Otherwise he relies on spells entirely in combat and can cast lots of them before his mana is finaly depleted.

*out of character. My characters favorite spell is the lighting strike and he uses it allot. He also uses a spell called the "Thunder Storm" for bigger opponents. He has most offencive spells emaginable but only can cast trap related spells and one defence spell otherwise.*

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.

After a few minutes of quiet walking magpie inquired as to how Verran had ended up in that unsaviory place.

"Well" began Verran "As Ive already told you I have been working on a rather powerfull spell. Last week I prefected it" Verran pauses to think over his words "Around 6 days ago I tested it inside a small cave. That was a big mistake, It took all my strangth and pushed my magic ring to the limit to resist it. Luckily I cast the spell and knew how to counter it." Verran pauses again. "Anyhow 2 days ago I decided to test it on a large forest north of the Lands End Volcano. The spell worked and I blew away a small portion of the forest! However no sooner was the spell done than a large group of ruffiens jumped me! I think they had a mage with them but my mana was gone and so I could not fight, Im afraid they captured me rather easily." Katze shakes her head in digust

"Anyhow I awoke in this cave and within the next 3 hours I regenerated my mana (as my mana skill is high I regenorate very fast). However my spell book was out of my reach so I could not cast my way out. I bleive that they wanted to learn my spell for themselves but I think they have not succeeded."

*Could someone post back Im just writing this alone here for the past 2 days*

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.

"Let us hope they haven't." Katze commented as they continued down the stairs.
"It's not likely their mage learned it from just watching the spell once." Magpie reassured her. "It's beyond any mortal to have such understanding of the complex magical structures such a powerful spell requires. Even a highly intelligent master mage would have at least three or more good views of the spell and its structures to understand it."
Katze nodded contently. "That's good. We don't want any more unpleasant surprises now, do we?"
Her companions shook their heads and they walked on quietly.
After some more time of walking down the spiral staircase Verran stopped suddenly.
Magpie and Katze turned curiously. "What is it, Verran?" Katze asked.
"I don't know. I just don't like the way this staircase seems to go on forever. Look down, there's no end to be seen, no doors, no light ahead except that occasional torch every 23 steps."
Katze and Magpie stared at him.
"Don't look at me like that! I counted them when... well, I began to get a little bored... and it's exactly every 23 steps, always on the outer side. It feels like we've passed the same place over and over for the last - I don't know - thirty minutes!"
Magpie looked around. "Now that you say it, it seems like we really do..."
"Oh no!" Katze said down on one of the stairs. "Not another magic thing we have to deal with!"
"No one said it is, Katze." Madpie contradicted.
"And how do we find out?" she asked.
"Well, I don't know..." Verran said.
"But I do!" Magpie exclaimed. "Katze, you stay here." Katze looked up sharply, opening her mouth for an undoubtedly just as sharp comment. "Wait, hear me out! You stay here and Verran and I will walk ahead. If we're indeed walking the same 23 steps again and again there should, at some point, be some kind of teleportation spell that brings us back to the beginning, without us knowing it. So we would eventually wind up here. What do you say?"
"Sounds fine with me... just hurry a little, will you?"
"Sure. See you soon!" Magpie and Verran continued down the stairs, and Katze leaned back against the outer wall, near a torch, drawing her small dagger. She figured any bigger weapons would be useless on this narrow staircase.
-----
Verran and Magpie did not meet her on their way down. They walked 23 steps, then 56, but Katze was nowhere to be seen. "It seems we're just imagining things." Magpie finally said. "Let's go back to Katze. She'll be waiting impatiently by now."
"I guess." Verran grinned, and turned back. "Though it will be a torture walking back up... all those steps..." Then the gleam of metal caught his eye. It came from firelight reflected by a small dagger with intricate ornaments around the hilt. "What's that?" he asked and picked it up, showing it to Magpie.
He stared at it closely. It seemed familiar somehow, but it took him some time to remember why. Then he knew. "That's Katze's!" he said flatly.
Both looked around alarmed, a lightning bolt began to form in Verran's hand, but there was no one to shoot it at.

*It's a normal thing now, sadly, that it takes some time for the teamstories to get a reply, so don't be surprised if it takes 'long'. *

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This is not dead which can eternal lie,
and in strange aeons even death may die!

"I suggest we avoid splitting up from now on." Verran said soberly "Magpie do you know of a way to counter this spell? I think that they probably would have taken her deeper into the mountain and not back up."

"Your probably right." Magpie sat down to think......

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.

Mgpie sat for a few minutes and then Verran started to get bored. He got up and paced a bit. Sat down and examined Katze's dagger. Finally he got out his spell book and started to wirte. However this was made dificult by the fact that Magpies staff was shifting colors so he got up and walked a little up the staircase to were the torch was. He began to write.

Magpie was still thinking when Verran came running down the staircase. His face was white and he looked like hed just seen a the king of all deamons.

He sputtered for a moment then finaly regained controle of himself. "In the passage" he blurted "I was just sitting there and then I started to feel very cold and my ring started glowing very brightly. Who ever it was almost succesfully cast a sleep spell on me!"

Magpie started gigiling "Are we a little afraid of sleep spells" he chuckled.

"not just an ordanairy sleep spell" he shuddered "It was very strong. I just realised it in time to counter it."

Magpie thought for a minute "It could be the wizard that we are looking for or just someone specialising in sleep spells." he mused

"Beg your pardon?" Asked Verran "What wizard that your looking for?"

Magpie quickly explaned the curse on Talos, Verran nodded.

"I'VE GOT IT" Magpie shouted "Ive got it"

"Got what?" asked Verran slightly confused.

"The spell I know what spell it is that is making this staircase repeat!" Magpie explaned "It is a meduim spell but cannot be countered it can only be unlocked."

"Well thats great." Verran said dejectedly "Well we dont know how to do that do we"

"The spell also has a mechanisim that will cast any single creature to sleep" Magpie continued "There isent any keyholes around so the key from the desk most likely wont help, but Im not sure that we havent missed something."

"There must be something around this place that will let us continue but what would it be?" Verran thought aloud. "Of corse the tourch!!!!"

"Yes" said magpie exitedly "That must be it after all it is the only object in this stairway."

So together they started up the stairway toward the torch.

*I hope you didnt have other plans for the puzzle Moonshadow so Ive left the scenario open for a twist *

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.

*Ok then Ill proceed with what I was gonna do then*

The walk wasent long, It took them just 10 steps and then they were standing in front of the tourch. On closer inspection it seemed that this was no ordanairy tourch, it was glowing with a light to un flickering and too red to be fire and the handel was intricately decorated with metal fitting.

Verran Reached out to touch the tourch but Magpie slapped his hand away.

"Look there cant you see it." he said "Its the same rune we encountered earlier up the passage"

"What rune?" asked Verran

Magpie quickly explaned the rune gate that was a long way up the passage.

"I see." said Verran grinning sheepishly "So can you disarm it?"

"Not only that." Magpie grinned "I think it is opened my someone or something without a heart beat"

Magpie reached out slowly and touched the tourch. Suddenly the rune began to glow red and the fire even brighter, then it returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

"Come on" said Verran "The spell should be deactivated now. Lets go save Katze!"

They hurried down the steps and sure enough exactly 23 down from the tourch there was a beutiful gate carved into the rock with teleportation runes all around it. But there were on doors on the gate it just led into a large cavornus hall that they could just barely see to the end of.

"I cant make out what is on the other side of this hall" said Verran "But its not too far off, lets get walking!"

Magpie grunted in complaint of more walking but never the less started across the hall........

*I hope that wasent too easy puzzle solving moonshadow. Its my first try *

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.

*Suddenly, Verran and Magpie froze, they could hear the sound of steps approaching behind them. Magpie readied a spell, but backed up enough so he could see their pursuers before he released the spell. The footsteps grew louder and louder, beginning to echo down the stairwell. Suddenly, Avatara burst around the corner, skidding to a halt when he saw Magpie. Another person behind Avatara also halted.*

"I..." Avatara struggled to catch his breath, "I wasn't able to find info about the...crystal. But, I brought someone who knows the capabilites of it." Avatara stepped aside, to reveal a very tired looking Lindus standing behind him.

"I came all the way to Pynx when I heard about this crystal. It is a dangerous tool, we must recover it quickly before the wrong forces unlock its secrets!" Lindus spoke.

"I have to ask, how did you find us?" Magpie asked.

"It was easier than it seems, you left a clear path of broken undergrowth in the forest that led us to the cave. Then you left the gate open, and the teleportation spell disabled." Avatara replied.

"Oh, you know about the teleportation gateway too..." Verran muttered as they turned to the cavern.

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"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."

"A dangerous tool?" Asked Verran looking around, worried, as if the crystal would just appear before them. "Yes. It was once........Well let me just say that it isn't Slayers." Avatara waited for a minute then spoke "It was created by a great.." There Magpie interupted them. With a look of frustration on his face he spoke "Do you mean to tell me that Slayers crystal is the crystal of.."
"Yes"
"And he found it in the..?"
"Ummhuu"
"Do you think he was warne...?"
"Certainly"
"And now we have to sto..."
"More correctly: You '3' have to stop them"
Verran was annoyed "Just tell me what it does!?" Magpie turned grimly towards Verran. Just as he was about to speak there was a yell from the cave ahead. Avatara went to investigate and Lindus sat down gulping greedily from his water bag. "The crystal Slayer found is, in a sense a viewing device. If you have the right powers you can fly your vision far ahead and not just far ahead through space, no. Through time as well. They were created by the Merckins, an ancient race that once inhabbited Cythera before the Seldane" Verran stared at Magpie with as if he was deciding if Magpie was trying to be smart or telling the truth. Lindus spoke up "How do you know so much, strange travller?" Magpie turned to Lindus "I am Magpie. Minister of Magick. Son of Valkier" Lindus bowed down infront of Magpie, who espically now had the shimmering apperance of a ghost "I am honoured to meet you at last. O Magpie son of Valkier" Lindus hoped up and handed Magpie a small package.
"As I was saying" Verran looked up, listening intently "There has only been 3 of these crystals found. One by Valkier. The next by Omens people and the last found by Slayer, believe it or not" Avaratra came back. He explained that he had found another building this time much bigger with the look of a stronghold to it. They all followed to the center.

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Time is a predator that hunts you down. You can cheat it for as long as you like with doctors and medicines, but in the end time will catch up with you. What if I was to tell you I had found a place where the predator had no teeth?

As they neared the center of the cave they saw the massive stronghold. The cave was unlit but from the windows the could see the flickering light of tourches and the tourches of the patrols on the ramparts. The stronghold was carved directly out of the rock and looked very sturdy.

As they came closer they heard footsteps and saw a tourch light coming nearer.
"Ruffiens" said magpie
"Shall we toast them?" asked Avantara
"I think we had better not." said Verran "they would see a spell or hear the fight from the rampart if we did."
"I agree with Verran" Magpie decided "quick lets hide!"

So the party jumped behind a stalagmite and waited untill the ruffiens passed. as they passed they heard bits of the conversation.

"I'm tellen ya Murphy they must have gotten through by now, lets go check the gate."

"Stop worrying about it, Didnt you hear Kran? He said that they shouldent be through for hours, giving him plenty of time to setup that "surprise"."

the party lay absolutly still untill the ruffians had passed.

“Good I think we still have the element of surprise on our side.” Said Avantara

“I dono that other one seemed sure we were through.” said Verran doubtfully

“But remember” said Magpie “ Their leader still thinks we are back there. That should mean most of them do too.”

After debating for a while the party got up and crept silently toward the stronghold. As they neared the gate they saw that there were some 5 ruffians guarding it.

“So how do we deal with them?” Verran asked......

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.

"I suppose now is a bad time to tell you this. I haven't been sure until now, but looking at the uniforms of those ruffians confirms one of my fears." Lindor spoke up. "The third crystal, this one is a little different from the others, it also has the ability to 'trap time.' In other words, it can freeze a person in time...forever perhaps."

"Talos!" Katze hissed sharply.

"Yes, I believe he is under the influence of the crystal, it can break his curse. I can undo the curse, but we must find the crystal before whoever stole it unlocks its full potential." Lindor continued. "Time is precious, remember that in the dangers that lie ahead."

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"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."

The party aproached the gate, keeping hidden of course and observed the guards. There were 5 of them, so an all out attack would definitely raise the alarm.

"We can't attack them outright," said Avatara, "but if we could sneak up, we might get them."

"I don't think so," said Verran, "we aren't the quietest bunch of people, and a spell would be seen by the guards. Magpie, do you have a silence spell so we can kill them without them speaking?"

"Why yes," said Magpie, "I do."

He chanted for a good minute straight and then a shadow shot out of him and disappeared into the ruffians. The result was interesting, first the thieves didn't understand, next they began to panic. But when they saw the party coming, the looks on thier faces were that of sheer horror. The ruffians were finished easily, Avatara killed the leader with one slash of his sword and they killed the rest with hardly any resistance.

"I don't think they heard," said Verran looking up at the rampart.

"No I don't think so either," agreed Avatara.

The party then fanned out and searched for a way in. Eventually, Verran found a small side door in the gate.

"Quick, give me the key from the desk," said Verran.

Magpie produced the key and Verran slid it into the keyhole and turned.....

Sure enough they heard a 'click' and the door slid open on greased hinges. When they got inside, they saw what the ruffians outside had been talking about, rows of archers were preparing on the ramparts and some well armed thieves were getting ready at the gate.

The group moved into a side passage and sat to discuss thier next move. The discussion was cut short when they heard footsteps aproaching.

"Let go of me, you scum!!!" yelled a familiar voice, "I swear if I ever get out of these chains, I'll tear you apart!!!!"

"Katze!" Whispered Verran.

"Let's ambush them," whispered Avatara.

As the thieves approached, one met with Avatara's blade and fell dead, the other was about to yell when he jolted suddenly and droped dead. *psychic blast spell*

Katze was quickly un-shackled by Magpie, and they all sat down to discuss their next move........

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.

(Today, I just felt motivated to clean up some spelling and grammar. --Slayer)

[This message has been edited by Slayer (edited 08-23-2001).]

"Forget discussing! If they are able to make a teleportation gate, then they are really close to finding the secret of the crystal! We have to find it now! I'll take the top floor, Magpie and Lindus will take this floor, and Katze and Verran can explore the basement dungeons. Lets go! Time is running out!" Avatara raised his sword and ran up the spiral staircase down the passage on the right.

(sorry to do this to you Verran, but I've sadly noticed from trial and error that the longer you drag these things out, the less inclined people are to post in them. Besides, a simple story like this one should be over soon...feel free to have puzzles for your characters to solve, but do remember time is of the essance. If we get there too late, Cythera is going without a bartender. )

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"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."

*In horror*
*NO BARTENDER!?*

So the gruop split up. Katze taking the dungoens, Magpie and the tired Lindus the current floor and Avatara the rampants.
Creeping, some how unoticed, passed the gaurds Magpie and lindus came to a small locked metal door. "I can handle this simple lock" boasted Lindus. *Click* The door opened revealing an armoury of some sort. Benches lined the walls and on every surface lay a pice of armour or weapon of some sort. "I could do wiht some hardware" Lindus grabbed himeself a shining short sword and a pair of hard steel boots. The Magick pair continued on down a slightly sloping passage, dark and unlight. "We are been watched" Said Magpie with certinty in his voice, Lindus gasped "How do they know?"

"I don't think they do. No ruffians have eyes as big as this"
And it was true. Following them was a pair of big green eyes.
"I'll deal with him" Magpie dropped back, there was a flash of light and then silence. Magpie returned bearing a half starven looking creature.

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Time is a predator that hunts you down. You can cheat it for as long as you like with doctors and medicines, but in the end time will catch up with you. What if I was to tell you I had found a place where the predator had no teeth?

*thats fine about cutting the discussion short (Actually all I wanted was somebody other than me to come up with a plan, e.g. Illl take the top floor you take the dungion )*

Verran and Katze approached the stairwell to the dungion, unfortunatly two ruffiens were guarding it.

"Dagger?" asked Katze

"Beg your pardon?" said Verran

Katze indicated the dagger of hers that they had picked up. Verran gave it over and Katze dissapeared into the shadows. A few seconds later one then another ruffien dropped paifully to the floor with a dagger wound in the back.

"Lets go!" said Katze

The pair went down slowly into the dungion.

"Well' said Verran "Ill start using my spells now as nobody wil get aboveground to tell about it anyway."

"Good" said Katze "Just make sure none do."

They continued into a maze of prisions, Just then A ruffien rounded a courner and Seeing the pair slashed out with his sward! The sward itself was beutifull, It glowed blue much like Verrans ring. Luckily Verran was saved from taking a very close look by Katzes parry. Verran stood back a bit whil Katze slashed and parryed. It became apparent that this was no ordanary ruffien, his parrys and slashes were almost pacing Katzes.

Just then Katze jumped back and shouted "Now Verran, NOW!"

A lightning blt streaked from verran to the ruffien toasting him like so much bread.

"Good swordplay!" Complemented Verran.

"You didnt do so bad yourself." replied Katze

Verran then went over and picked up the sward and its matching sheath.

"As i thought" said Verran "Blue mithrill, very strong and it wont go blunt but its not magical. Still I think Ill keep it, that is if you dont want it Katze."

Katze looked quickly at her already very good weapons "no you keep it" she said "You look like you really need a sward too."

Verran examined the sward, It was long but not quite as long as a longsward. It was also thin and double bladed. He examined the sward scabbard (trimmed with the same blue metal, on it was inscribed the word 'Xen'

"That will be your name then" decided Verran.

So Verran and Katze ventured deeper into the dungion........

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.

*out of character. Verran NEVER uses the sward unless his mana is out or some other good reason*

The pair walked deeper into the dungion, the first theif they met was the unlucky recipient of a mystic arrow in the chest. The next died as a result of a few nasty slashes by Katze. Soon after they heard a duo of footsteps come nearer. Verran got another mystic arrow ready but Katze stopped him.

"Wait lets listen to what they say"

They crept into an ofgoing pasageway and waited as the ruffiens passed they heard what they were saying.

"Did you see that sward that that rogan guy had?"

"Yeah and how about that obsidian armor? Im glad those two are locked up back there!"

"You can say that again."

Katze smiled, they had just uncovered some valuable infromation. As for the theives, they never even saw the fireball that snuffed their lives out.

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.

Avatara was walking in a corridor,when suddenly a door of a nearby room exploded with dark green flames.And out came Eldrad,with the burning black fury in his hand and his eyes shining.suddenly he shot a dark green pillar of fire towards Avatara,that missed him with a few inches and hit a ruffian behind him."Thanks" said Avatara"how did you get here?"
"Well me and Rack found a cave,and went in to explore it" said Eldrad"I was walking around in the cave,and suddenly i saw a flash of light and i was in that room there.By the way, where are we?".Avatara explained what had happened to Eldrad,after wich they decided to go forward together.

PS:Sorry to have away so long,but my brain was dry of ideas.
Where is everybode else? are they dead?

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trust not what your eyes behold

"Fine then, come along." Avatara spoke as he held his now drawn sword out in front of him. They walked down the corridor at a hurried pace, Eldrad covering Avatara's back. Suddenly, they came to a strange door with a triangle symbol on it.

"I know this from somewhere, I just don't remember where." Eldrad muttered, as he sat down to think. "Its a password protected door, you say the password, press on the right area, and the door opens. I just don't know the password."

"We don't have time for passwords," Avatara said as he put his hand on the wall. Veins of red quickly spread out from his palm, and the wall itself began to glow red. Suddenly, the wall burst open in a hail of rocks and fire, revealing a scorching inferno just inside the wall. "Sorry, its been a while since I've done that, I must've put too much power into the blast. Come, the fire shouldn't hurt you, it'll just get a tad bit toasty."

Avatara and Eldrad stepped through the flames, to reveal a room crammed full of magical crystals, gems, and the like orginized on shelves, but unlabelled. "Wow, this may take some time." Eldrad said as he walked to some color-changing crystals the shape of Slayers.

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"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."

Katze smiled happily. "So they're somewhere here! And maybe that Crystal thing, too... Mind if we take a look?" She shot Verran a mischievous look.
"Not in the least." He smiled back.
So they walked on, cautiously listening for any sounds, of thieves or maybe their companions. The corridors were only dimly lit by few torches, and looked like they had been cut directly from the stone.
After a short while they came upon another corridor on the left. they peered into it carefully, and saw that it ended some 20 steps ahead at a metal door. There were no other doors to the left or right. Katze looked back at Verran determinedly. "You stay here and finish off any thieves coming this way. I go take a look at this door."
"Don't you think that's a bit risky? What if there are thieves there?"
"Don't you think it's a bit risky leaving the corridor unguarded?" Katze shot back. "I don't think there's anybody there." Seeing the look on Verran's face she added. "But I'll be careful. Maybe we'll find Rogan's and Slayer's equipment. An maybe..." there was a hopeful look on her face "... we'll even find the two."
Verran nodded, and Katze went to the metal door. She approached cautiously, intently listening for sounds on the other side. There were none. She reached out to open thedoor. It was locked. She sighed, and rummaged in her bag, until she took a small piece of wire out of it. She slid it into the lock and worked for maybe half a minute, turning it this way and that way. Finally the door opened with a click. Behind it was indeed some kind of storeroom where the thieves seemed to keep the stuff they took from their prisoners. Katze quickly spotted Rogan's and Slayer's equipment. She walked out of the room, closed the door behind her, and locked it again. then she walked back to Verran.
"It's only their equipment there." she informed him.
"Then why did you lock the door again?"
"Well, if anybody came here, maybe they'ld notice we're here... besides it's not that hard to open. Come on, let's find the two!"

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This is not dead which can eternal lie,
and in strange aeons even death may die!

They continued down the hallway and came past several prison cells, most of wich contained dead or dying inmates. As they approached the end of it they saw around 10 theives go into a room at the very end. Luckily the thieves hadent spotted them. They heard a yell a punch and then a sickening thud as if somebody had just got a good clubbing.

Katze and Verran crashed through the door. Verran of course cast his sheild on himself and Katze through several poison needles at her opponents (killing some). the remaining theives came on quickly, Verran sidestepped and fired of a lightning bolt killing the most impresively armed theif. Katze spun parrieed and twisted, slicing through one two and then three theives. She turned to look at Verran, his eyes were compleatly blue and electric currents were dancig all over him, he mumbled some ancient word and suddenly the remaining 4 ruffiens disapeared in a storm of lightning strikes.

They then turned their attention to Rogan, who had obviosly been the recipient of the club blow. He had a rather nasty head wound. Veran knelt down and began to cast his only healing spell (not a very good one) while Katze delt with the lock to Slayers cell. The two got finished around the same time Rogan sat up and rubbed his head and slayer walked out of his sell like a man on his last legs. After Katze had introduced Verran and the four of them had rested for a minute they set out for the equpment room.

As they opened the door however they saw that they were not quite out of the woods yet, for on the other side of the hall the gate that had once been there was now a wall and a young mage stood in the way.

"Yes my master dicribed you well enough. Prepare to die!|" said the mage and began canting a spell.

Verran deflected the mystic arrow easily but the mage did not give up and began to chant another spell.

"Even if you defeat me by the time you get to your friends theyll be long dead, my master will see to that."

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Ok so I cant think of a good signature.