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Upon reaching the balloon however, they found that the locals had surrounded it. They still demanded the Solar Shard. Ferazel yelled out, "We'll never give you the Shard!" With that, he released three hallucinations of himself, and all four Ferazels began casting Fireball careful not to ignite the balloon. The rest of the party followed suite and started to attack the locals. Soon, these locals were destroyed, and they all got back into the balloon. After getting prepared to set off, Wolmark quickly shouted, "Wait! There's a big puncture over here!" They all rushed over to where he was, and yes indeed, there was a hole about 3 feet in diameter.

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If I'm not new here, and I'm not old here, what am I?
------------
Get on [url="http://"http://ircle.com"]IRC[/url]! My channels: #ferazel. Join in to #levo and #cythera too!

*** OoC ***
Hmmm... I was wishing for a diplomatic solution. Oh, well.
*** BiC ***

Thankfully, the hole was near the collar of the balloon, and not a serious threat to it. None the less, they spent an hour fixing it with the spare matterial Talm had on board.

With the crystal resucured in it's frame, Talm closed the apiture at the top and the balloon rose slowly skyward.

------------------
I saw board **... and it was good!
(SOMEONE ATTACHED MEANING TO THIS!)

Velcarn looked out the window of the forge. He saw the island rapidly fading from view, being replaced by omnipresemt gray clouds. He wondered if they'd done the right thing back on the island. And what of the islander they'd taken with them? Would he prove to be freind, or foe?

*** OoC ***
No, sorry Ferazel, I just can't accept that one.

We've shown an ability to deal with the islanders without a massacre, and the Ronin - especially Flynn - wouldn't accept a violent solution after that, unless the islanders forced their hand. If your character started the fight (as your post suggests), the first thing that would happen is that Trinias would shoot him.
*** BiC ***

Ferazel woke up with a snort, sat up and looked around; although the magic of Moonshadow's song wasn't directed at him, the lyrics had been so soothing he'd fallen asleep anyway. He was still on the beach, and the islanders were just beginning to stir. The fight had all been a dream.

As he stood up and dusted himself off, he saw the Ronin and Moonshadow walking tiredly out of the trees. They had a distinctly satisfied air about them.

The chief islander stood up, looked around in confusion, then began to rouse his troops. "Wake up, sleepyhead! Get up! Pick up that spear!" When enough of the men were reasonably awake, he turned to Talm once again.

"Hand over fire crystal, we let you live!"

"Wait!" a voice called from behind them. The chief turned to see an armoured man standing there, with one hand raised, palm facing outward. "You wanted payment to replace some forest, didn't you? Show me what was destroyed!"

The chief looked around at his men, uncertainly. Was the stranger trying to play him for a fool? But the request was so reasonable, how could he refuse and still save face? "Very well; you men stay here. You three..."

He paused, and looked at the five figures standing at the edge of the trees; "Yes, three guards should be enough," he thought.

"Yes, you three come with me!"

The small group of nine trudged back through the jungle, to the point where the shard had landed. The chief looked around in astonishment - everywhere, there was green. "I must have the wrong spot," he said.

"No chief, look!" one of the guards exclaimed, pointing out the evidence of recent scorching down at ground level.

The islanders looked at the adventurerers with awe on their faces. "The gods have come among us!" one of them cried, and they began to bow down to the group.

"No!" Flynn exclaimed forcefully. He forced one of the men back to his feet, while his companions did the same for the rest of the natives. "We're not gods; we're ordinary men and women, like you. We've just learned a thing or two, that's all."

The chief looked at them with a new respect. "You have replaced that which was destroyed; there is no further debt to be paid." He turned around, and marched back to the balloon.

Once he arrived, he gave a whistle; his men turned around, and he waved them away. "Justice is satisfied! Back to the village!" In less than a minute, the adventurers were alone on the beach.


------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

Gwydion sat down in a chair on the balloon -- he had helped stock the balloon up on water and food, and now he was hoping he could stay with the balloon. As he was beginning to sip on a hot cup of coffee, he heard a muffled scream from a little ways down on the beach. He got up, outside the balloon, and looked. At first, he couldn't see anything. Then he noticed the water was getting quite turbulent...and then he spotted it.

Its head rose above the water, carrying a pitiful, dead islander in its mouth. Tentacles wrapped around two nearby islanders who began screaming helplessly. Yet more tentacles were thrashing about the water, causing foam to erupt. Blood spewed out into the water as the arteries of the islanders burst. It was exactly as sea monsters were thought of in old children's tales -- except even worse. It was a Scylla.

Gwydion ran back to the balloon and urgently grabbed the attention of Trinias by shouting, "Get your bow! Get your weapons! There's a Scylla attacking the island!!"

This was quite effective. Everyone in the balloon grabbed their weapons and potions and artifacts et cetera and ran out on to the beach. They all gasped. Gwydion was the first to attack; Flynn noticed him muttering some words in a strange language before any of the others saw the Scylla.

All three of the islanders were dead already. A fourth was running away in a futile manner; he had a tentacle wrapped around his body, and a crack was heard. He was no longer alive.

There was a sudden whoosh as a huge fireball launched itself from the open hands of Gwydion and struck the Scylla directly on the head -- and didn't stop there. The Scylla thrashed and thrashed, but was hit by two flaming arrows, put into perfect accuracy by the well practised magic of Gwydion. But the Scylla was barely harmed; it simply advanced on the party.

Gwydion threw three more fireballs to no avail at the Scylla. He decided to try something else, as well as guiding the arrows. He muttered an incantation, and the water itself around the Scylla's head burst into flames as a lightning bolt struck it. Gwydion was running low on mana -- he couldn't create any more fireballs, although he could direct arrows. The Scylla let out an almighty roar as an arrow struck its eye, and a tentacle lashed out, knocking Gwydion to the sand and nearly knocking him unconscious. Gwydion crawled away from the Scylla, just in time to avoid being constricted in the Scylla's enormous tentacles...

------------------
YakKa Foob MoG. GRuG
PubbuWuP ZiNk WattooM
GaZoRK. CHuMBLE SpuZz.

Brink slashed out at the Scylla, but to little effect. He saw that Gwydion was in trouble and cut at the tentacle, hitting it, but also breaking his sword. "Damn" he shouted, realizing all he ad left was the end of what was once a fine sword. "GRRRR!" he yelled, grabbing a a spear that had dropped. Furiously, he through it with all his strength, hitting it in its eye.It slowly advanced on him, hitting anything that got in its way. Brink realized he was in trouble and felt for one of Moonshadow's potions. Got it, he thought, pulling out the bottle. "HA!" he shouted at the monster taunting it in front of the monster. As the monster's tentacle reached out, he opened the bottle and drank deeply, realizing at the same time the monster’s tentacle hit him, that he had gotten the wrong bottle, it was coffee! Brink then blacked out and fell. Trinias meanwhile had taken advantage of the monsters distraction, shooting a lethal shot from the magic bow. The monster fell, never to rise again.

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How do men that have beards play the flute?

[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 11-28-2001).]

Flynn looked around, taking stock of their situation. Moonshadow was inspecting the bodies of the islanders; she looked over at him, and shook her head - they were beyond healing. With a sigh, he turned and trudged off in the direction the chief and his men had departed - someone had to let them know.

Wolmark walked over to Trinias. "I'm worried about Rahl; he saved us all by towing the balloon here, but there's been no sign of him since. We need to get onto the zeppelin." They both looked up to where the small airship was bobbing about in the breeze, held in place by the two ropes tied to the stern.

"Right," Trinias nodded. He re-entered the balloon, and was soon seen crawling slowly along the ropes to the basket of the zeppelin. After a quick inspection, he stood and waved to Wolmark, then climbed back along the ropes. Wolmark met him on the balloon.

"He's asleep!" Trinias reported. "I reconnected the devices, so everything should work fine now."

At that moment they noticed Flynn walking down the beach to the bodies, followed by a very silent crowd of natives.

"Well," Wolmark sighed, "once Flynn's finished over there, there's no reason we can't leave."

------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

Rahl felt the stimulating wash of coffe enter his mouth. He awoke to find Dell leaning over him, a flask in his hand. Moonshadow glanced at him, and figured he was ok. she ehaded back to the Ballon.
Rahl jumped up and flipped over the side of the zepplin. Dell stood up, alarmed.
"What is it Rahl?" Rahl visibly tensed. His guantlets started to glow a luminsent blue.
"Where are we?" Dell put his hand onto Rahls shoulder. Bad idea, a spike went right through his hand. He ignored the pain that seared through his arm "We are on the island, remember? The ballon crashed, the solar shard fell out.
Rahl's guantlets turned back ot thier original colour. He nodded and turned back to his book in the zepplin. Dell jumped off and returned to the ballon.

------------------
"This one must meditate ones failure"
Famous words, strange button No. 4

Once back in the constantly rising ballon Dell headed back to the forge. his weapons were scattered about the room, still caoted with the strange blue metal. Dell picked them up and put them back on the anvil.
One by one he cracked the blue metal off to reveal a completly sharp and clean item.
His daggers.
His maces.
His short swords.
His axes.


------------------
Some people say that journalists don't write in diaries, and other people say they don't. But this reasonaing makes no sense.

Once they were safely in the air, Flynn made his way back to the dining table with his book. Brink handed him a cup of coffee, which he sipped occasionally.

Wolmark and Talm were up on the lookout, making sure their course stayed true and observing the weather. "Maybe we should have waited until the storm had passed," Talm commented.

"And risk another Scylla attack in the night?" Wolmark replied. "I'd rather take my chances with the weather." With that, he turned and climbed back down into the cabin, then climbed back up the central ladder to examine the shard. He shook his head; he still couldn't see how the shard came to be knocked out, without the cradle suffering major damage.

There was only one suggestion that he could make to Talm about securing it better, but unfortunately it was an area he knew nothing about. He made a note to ask in the morning if anyone knew anything about heat resistant adhesives.

--------------

Moonshadow brought two cups over to the table, and sat down beside Flynn. The book looked interesting, so she started reading over his shoulder; he shifted so she could get a better view. Unobtrusively, she pushed the coffee away and substituted one of the other mugs; Flynn absentmindedly picked it up and sipped. He blinked, his eyes refocussing. He looked down at the mug, then at Moonshadow; she raised an eyebrow, and the corners of her mouth twitched, as if she was supressing a grin.

"Peppermint?" he asked. Moonshadow nodded, and he took another sip. "Very nice!" he admitted.

Moonshadow smiled in triumph.

------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

All of a sudden, there was a huge thump. Everyone raced to the windows and saw two Scylla thrashing the balloon. Ferazel casted a spell on himself, and he jumped out a window and floated down. There, he banged the lightning staff on the ground and shouted a spell. Then, four lightning bolts struck him, but did no harm. He seemed to grow, becoming lightning himself. Then, it stopped. He was a giant lightning elemental. The two Scylla had stopped the attack during this, but now turned away from the balloon and started advancing toward lighting-Ferazel. He stuck out his finger, and a small bolt of lighting whizzed towards the Scylla....missing them. Instead, the bolt hit the water, and since water conducts electricity, the two Scylla were fried, but not dead. Lighting-Ferazel yelled another spell, and he regrew to his normal size and properties. Once Ferazel was safely on his feet, he teleported back inside the balloon, and with that they all started a melee (sp?) attack on the Scylla. After being fried, and now pelted by arrows and spells, they backed off. "That was quite a close encounter." said Talm. "Yah," Ferazel agreed, "but just a bit too close. Anyway, we should continue our mission before they come back more numerous."

------------------
If I'm not new here, and I'm not old here, what am I?
------------
Get on [url="http://"http://ircle.com"]IRC[/url]! My channels: #ferazel. Join in to #levo and #cythera too!

** OoC **
Umm... the balloon flies at least a few hundred feet up, probobly much higher. I don't see how a sea monster could attack it...
** BiC **


Talm's Wolflizard was curled up and laying beside the oven in the kitchen. An aroma of fresh beard drifted from the oven, tempting it's sensitive nose. As the smell was carried into the main room, it also attracted the attention of those gathered at the table.

The group noticed that they were rather hungry - they looked forward to a nice, calm dinner.

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I saw board **... and it was good!
(SOMEONE ATTACHED MEANING TO THIS!)

With Leandra, Trinias and Talm all working on it, the meal was ready soon enough. Wolmark collected one plate of food and placed it in a bucket, then took it outside. He scribbled a note, placed it in the bucket with the meal, and sent it over to the zeppelin with the pulley system they'd arranged; he then waited for Rahl's reply.

Rahl picked up the note and read it quickly:

"Thanks for saving all our lives; are you sure you won't join us over here?"

Rahl thought a moment, then scribbled a quick reply.

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There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

[This message has been edited by Ronin (edited 11-30-2001).]

Velcarn stood in the armory.

He picked up a long sword. It was beat up, and in terrible condition. It's brass handle was tarnished from ages of neglect, and it was dull. Velcarn cardled it in his hands, and left the armory.

"Talm?" He asked, looking for the balloon, and thus the sword's, owner.

Talm, who'd just finished his dinner, heard the call and responded.

"Yes?"

"Talm, can I have this sword?" Velcarn asked.

"Sure, see what you can do with it. It's been in there for ages, left by one of the builders, I think." Talm replied.

Velcarn took the wepion to the forge, and started to tinker with it.

------------------
Ec, y'r Bmiih
Any Cryptographers out there?

Wolmark read the note that Rahl sent back: "No."

"Well, that's concise," he thought to himself, and shrugged. He waved at Rahl and returned to the balloon.

The meal was over quickly, with compliments all round to the cook.

Talm cleared his throat. "Look, I know it's late, and we're all tired, but I don't feel safe having everyone asleep with this storm approaching; we need to work out some watch schedules - at least two or three people per watch; there should be enough of us for 6 periods. Any volunteers?"

"Wolmark and I will take the third watch," Trinias said quickly.

Flynn looked up from the now everpresent book. "I'm used to taking the dawn watch with Ulf, but he's not here. Anyone want to share it with me?"

------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

Moonshadow looked up from where she had been plaing with the wolflizard, coaxing him into showing some more tricks. "Me!" She said quickly... too quickly, maybe. Everyone was looking at her. Talm raised his eyebrows in amusement, and Ferazel snickered. A quick look over to Flynn showed, to her surprise, that he was blushing. She looked away quickly, and got up from her chair. "Me." She repeated, more sedately this time.
Talm nodded contently. "Well, who will take the other shifts?"
Moonshadow sat down again, sighing with relief.

------------------
As l lay in my bed staring at the sky I asked myself:
Where the hell did the roof go?

Darken Rahl sat in the zepplin, the wind wipped around his sturdy frame. He could hear the muffled yells of excitment, obvioulsy some card game, coming from the ballon.
Rahl moved over so he could see the vast ocean.

Suddenly, with out warning, a conciousness gripped Darken Rahl. He writhed in agony, trying to kill himself, and trying not to. Pain scorched through every bone. Rahl was not a person that passes out much. Infact hardly ever. Right now he lay unconcious, but still moving, on the zepplin flaw.
The other being inside of his mind was angry with him. It screamed into his head, peircing his fragile mind.
"Why do you delay? You have your orders!" Darken Rahl squirmed in complete agony.
"NO! I WILL NOT DO WHAT YOU ASK!" the voice yelled louder into his head. The pain washed over and over Rahl, making his vision go white, then black, then red.

Darken Rahl was fighting a hopeless battle. The voice had him firmly in its grasp.
Rahl still refused.
The air around him lit up, blazingly white. White, but tinged with evil. Tinged with darkness. There was a tremendous thud, like thunder without sound. The dim grey light of the sky swirled towards Rahl. A day next to night. Darkness swept all around the zepplin, then focused its energies on the jerking figure of Darken Rahl.
Painfully Rahl brought his knee up to his head, the long spike cracked into his skull, and through what was left of his mind.
--------
Woolmark had won another round of poker when the small group noticd the dance of light. Talm gulped
"I think Rahl will no longer be apart of this quest"

------------------
"This one must meditate ones failure"
Famous words, strange button No. 4

"I'm going over there"said Brink, getting up at once and grabbing one of Dell's many swords. "Hey!" objected Dell, as Brink started over to the zepplin. Brink ignored him and continued moving. Flynn tried to stop him, telling him "It might not be safe" but Brink pressed on. He looked shocked at the charred remains of just a mintue ago was a human lying on the floor. He serached for what caused it but found nothing. The sharp scent of something that had burn was in his nostrils. As he made his way back over, tears ran down his face. "He is gone. I didn't know him well, and I didn't even trust him much, but another death, another pointless death. Why, why, why..." Brink sat down as Flynn brought him a warm cup of coffee. Brink pulled himself together. "I haven't seen something like that in a long time. " he said "I'm just going soft, but I can't take this pointless killing. I did too much of it when I as a merc." He stared at the cup of coffee. "Its time we attack" his voice suddenly taking on a hard edge. "I've had enough of this. I need a new sword, by the way, a good one. Someone's going to pay" The poker game was over, with the black king staring up from the pack, looking for something, something, searching vainly, and not finding. Why, why, why......

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How do men that have beards play the flute?



[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 12-01-2001).]

Talm retired to his quarters, and settled in for the night. He lit a lamp and tried to enjoy a good book. Still, he had trouble shaking the general oddness of the death....
*OoC*
Sorry about the shortness, I'm busy today,
[e] opps, Dell posted while I composed...[/e]


[This message has been edited by Talm (edited 12-01-2001).]

Moonshadow looked at Brink with raised eyebrows. Pointless killing... she pondered his words. Had Darken's death been pointless? There must be some way to find out. She slipped out of the room quietly and walked up to the balcony. the storm was coming, she could feel its rage building up with all her senses. She smiled a little. It reminded her of her home. Nobody there would have called it a storm. She would not use Trinias' method of climbing. She gathered her energy and changed.
***
She returned shortly afterwards, her hair loosened from its braid and windswept. She had not dared any kind of examination, she only stayed long enough to sense that Rahl had apparently fought something evil - and suffered because of it. With this knowledge came a feeling of having treated him unjustly with her mistrust and suspicion. Flynn looked up at her questioningly as she entered the room, wondering about her appearance. She smiled and disappeared into her room. She combed her hair quickly, only now noticing, to her annoyance, that her slide was litterally gone with the wind. She loosened one of the silver ribbons from her bag and used it to tie back her hair. She turned to go back into the living-room, but then remembered Brink's request. She took the crystal dagger out of its white leather sheath, and returned to the others.
"I may have something for you, Brink. You may not keep it though, it's only a temporary arrangement. Catch!" She threw the dagger at him, and he caught it in bewilderment.
"A dagger? Didn't I say I needed a sword?"
Moonshadow smiled mysteriously. "A sword, hmm? Say after me: Mam'ra."
Brink sighed, but did as he was asked. "Mam'ra." The dagger began to glow and grow, until it had reached the size of an average sword. Then the glow subsided. Everyone stared at the weapon that was now in Brink's hand. The multifacetted crystal caught the light, reflecting it like a prism. The sword had kept the dagger's slightly flamed form. The handle was wrapped with white leather so the wielder would not cut himself with the sharp crystal, and was finely ornated. The blade gleamed. Brink touched it carefully, and drew back his hand as if he had been stung. Even the slight touch had cut his fingertip. He swung it experimentally. The blade sund as it cleaved the air.
"To change it back, say alê'za. Now... what do you think?" Moonshadow asked, still smiling.

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As l lay in my bed staring at the sky I asked myself:
Where the hell did the roof go?

[This message has been edited by Moonshadow (edited 12-01-2001).]

Brink was speechless."wow..." he whisper in awe of the blade. "Thank you Moonshadow. I assure it will be returned in the same condition. " he stopped, and with a dry smile said "Or I'll be dead"

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How do men that have beards play the flute?

Solid.

Frozen.

Neutral.

Unchanged.

The Atomospheric Shard, suspended in an elabrote network of gilded pillars and struts, sat alone in the huge spire-dome of the air-castle. Neither adding gravity nor taking from it, simply nullifying it, the Alein Crystal had kept the castle aloft for a thousand years. The crystal, deep within it's sentient core, felt the sensations of it's distant brethren, and of the Solar Shard.

They come for us, for you, brother. Rejoin us, will they!
So echoed the thoughts of the Solar Shard.

Joy! Come to me, will you?
Asked the far-flung Ocean Shard.

All join, human plans. Together, be we will!
Confirmed the elder Time-Shard.

The Solar Shard, sure of it's reason for exitance, sat in the cardle in Talm's balloon, feeding the balloon with heat.

--------


Talm, inspecting the ballcony, observed the Solar Shard. It seemed to glow brighter than normal.
As if it's trying harder
He mused, unaware of how correct he was.

*OoC*
Well, now we know - the Crystals are alive! Don't go trying to talk to 'em yet, I saving that for later.

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I saw board **... and it was good!
(SOMEONE ATTACHED MEANING TO THIS!)

[edit]Just fixed your italics --Slayer[/edit]

[This message has been edited by Slayer (edited 12-01-2001).]

Flynn stood looking back at the zeppelin, the rest of the Ronin and Moonshadow with him. "We never really got a chance to thank him for saving our lives," he said sadly. "Twice, I suspect" he added, thinking over what Moonshadow had told him.

"We can't leave the body over there, we should have a burial-at-sea," Leandra murmured. "We can't take it back with us, this trip will be too long."

"Perhaps we can take it back," Wolmark responded. "There's an idea I've been thinking about..."

-----------------

Transferring the body from the zeppelin to the balloon wasn't easy, and it wasn't until Velcarn and Dell added their not inconsiderable strength that the task was completed.

"Where can we put it?" Dell asked.

"If we rearrange some of the supplies, we could fit it in one of the storerooms," Leandra replied.

Moving the supplies took even more time, but at last the job was done; Rahl's body was laid down in the space they'd created.

"Moonshadow, just in case my idea fails, could you freeze the body?" Wolmark asked.

"All right," she replied. Her eyes glowed silver, and an irregular block of ice formed over the body.

"Good," Wolmark commented; he half closed his eyes in concentration, and the block of ice glowed briefly. Wolmark collapsed.

Moonshadow touched the ice, and looked up at Flynn in surprise. "It has no temperature!"

"I froze time around it," Wolmark replied weakly from the floor, where Leandra was applying a healing spell. "I don't know how long it will last, though, I've never tried it before."

Closing the storeroom door behind them, the subdued group returned to the main level, where most of them retired for the night. Moonshadow made two cups of peppermint tea, and passed one to Flynn. They sat at the table in silence, lost in their own thoughts.

------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

Brink didn't even try to sleep. He sat, playing solitaire. He lost every time. "is this it for me?" Brink wondered. "I can't take the stress any more? Am I becoming senile? Or was it the shock?" Brink shook his head, trying to clear away the thoughts, unsucessfully. "Should I have stuck to trading and bartering?" Brink looked around briefly and pulled out a small bottle of whiskey. He took a swig. Then he took another, a second, a third, a fifth...

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How do men that have beards play the flute?

[This message has been edited by idiotSavant (edited 12-01-2001).]

Gwydion was the only person on the balloon who wasn't affected by the death of Rahl -- he had never known Rahl. He acted totally normal.

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YakKa Foob MoG. GRuG
PubbuWuP ZiNk WattooM
GaZoRK. CHuMBLE SpuZz.