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Holmes: Everyone looks at Egani expecting him to get them out of their current predicament.
Holmes: The landscape, pale greys and whites, is more forbidding looking than ever.
Okhfels: Okhfels regards the unavoidable black road with distaste. "Ash and smoke."
Holmes: Caught in the web, this makes Egani feel even more put upon.
Holmes: The man-spiders close in on him.
Okhfels: Okhfels, sword at the ready, attacks ferociously.
Egani forces a detached calm. Finding his knives, he begins freeing himself from the arachnoid snare.
Holmes: The spider things are forced back by Okhfels viscous swings, which also damage the web somewhat. One of the things sallies a bit too close and loses a limb. After that they stay just out of reach above. Meanwhile Egani works on the web helped by Elle.
Okhfels: "Egani, do you have any ideas on getting out of this gray hell?"
Okhfels: Okhfels looks up and down the road. "This is the only landmark here..." He fingers some of the sticky webbing of the spiders.
Holmes: Tbe man-spiders look at them with some emotion, completely inscrutable except to note that it's not benevolent.
Okhfels: "Should have brought a dog. Might be able to smell our way back out."
Egani wipes some sticky fibers off his face while peering into the local essence, mumbling "what's the deal with the road..?"
Okhfels: "I wish I knew."
Holmes: Okhfels, almost having lost his connection to Archelaus through the portal, notes suddenly that he's back transmitting thought, and louder than ever before.
Holmes: Egani, checking out the essence patterns sees that exiting physically is simply impossible. There is no portal. One must be created.
Okhfels: "Archelaus... I don't know what he's done, but he's coming back... Ash and Smoke! Which way do I go?"
Egani: "Okhfels, I can open a portal but it's tough. It would be easier if we could um...sacrifice those spiders...and stuff."
Egani: "can you go get them?"
Okhfels: "Get them?" Okhfels looks up at the lurking spiders. "I'll figure out a way."
Egani: "I have a big net...oh...back in the wagon."
Okhfels: "Not much good here. Alright..."
Okhfels: Okhfels considers his options.
Okhfels: Okhfels arranges the warrior-types nearby him. He grabs hold of the remains of the webbing and starts shaking it.
Okhfels: With his sword put away, he shouts, "Hey spiders! Come and get me! youhooo!"
Sebastian: Alexander arches his eyebrows. "This seems like a..." he pauses, searching for the correct phrasing, "...plan."
Holmes: The gruesome things begin to descend.
Egani: "I know you guys don't like Aaron, but this Brotherhood of Knowledge thing is for real. It helps us to pool our skills and avoid danger in situations just like this. Now is a great time to get involved!"
Okhfels: "Now is a BAD time, Egani! BAD TIME!"
Okhfels: Okhfels concentrates on trying to overpower one of the spider-things while the others keep the remaining spiders from ganging up on him.
Holmes: It thrashes at him and he has trouble with the many limbs. But one by one he contains them, and soon he has the thing bound in iron.
Holmes: Taking more time and using the same tactics, soon Okhfels has captured all three.
Okhfels: Panting, Okhfels takes a breather, leaning against a tree. "There... there you go, Egani."
Egani: "Excellent. Now I have to annoint them and begin the ritual."
Okhfels: "Right. I hope you don't mind if I bow out of the rest of this?"
Sebastian: Alexander looks a bit taken aback. "Wow, I didn't expect that to work..." He looks at Okhfels, evaluating. "Well done," and gives a nod of genuine respect.
Okhfels: Okhfels nods back. "I love it when a plan comes together."
Archelaus: >>Okhfels, you must get her free of here.<<
Okhfels: >>What? Her? Why should I trust *you*?<<
Egani takes them one at a time -- cutting into their bodies just a bit, and allowing their fluids to drain into a brass beaker. As the slow trickle slows and coagulates, Egani chants words from several pages of his tomes.
Archelaus: >>Her, my wife<<
Okhfels: Okfhels turns away, not a little disgusted, not only with the blood ritual, but also with his own part in it.
Archelaus: >>OUR...my help is not without risks<<
Okhfels: >>I'm doing my best, and not because you ask it, damned one.<<
Egani: "I need several people to play a role in this. Stand at the interstices of these lines and try to channel your will into opening the portal. The more you give of yourself the better our chances are."
Archelaus: >>You too are part of this pattern, this, web.<<
Okhfels: Okhfels looks around... he pushes himself off the tree and takes up a position on one of the corners.
Archelaus: >>Tell Egani, I will aid his efforts.<<
Sebastian: Alexander scribles a quick page of notes, sighs, closes his book, and joins the circle.
Okhfels: "I have a good feeling about this, Egani. Do your magic... I trust you."
Okhfels: Okhfels gives Egani a sincere thumbs-up.
Sebastian: Alexander opens his book back up and begins scribling furiously again, muttering to himself all the while.
Egani: "This process is likely to tire you. Try not to become alarmed at the strange feeling."
Archelaus: >>Warn him, he'll need to be ready<<
Archelaus: >>The Near Powers might be wakened<<
Okhfels: "Egani... Archelaus is going to be helping you. He says that 'Near Powers' might wake up... whatever that means."
Holmes: A strange symbol starts to form between everyone, and the strange feeling grows more and more uncomfortable as the circle starts to fill in with energy.
Okhfels: Okhfels moans slightly, closes his eyes and thinks of Isadora.
Holmes: Suddenly the pain stops, and the circle turns perpendicular in an instant. Swirling blue energy fills it, contrasting with the terrain.
Holmes: It seems momentarily to be self-sustaining now.
Egani: "Let's go! Hold hands everyone.
Holmes: But looks as if it'll disintigrate momentarily.

Holmes: As Okhfels, Egani and the rest come wearily into camp, Sebastian sees them coming. Laura stands up beside him.
Holmes: Presumed lost, the expedition has been gone for a week.
Okhfels: Okhfels looks drained. This expedition has certainly cost him.
Sebastian: Sebastian stands up and smiles. "Welcome back, I trust your mission was a success?" He looks at the exhausted company, "Ah, where are my manners. Stories can wait until you've refreshed yourselves..."
Okhfels: "Success? Well..."
Egani approaches Sebastian, but is really looking for Isadora. "Has the sauna been built? How is the plague progressing?"
Okhfels: "Where's Isadora, I'll tell you both, it'll save time."
Sebastian: Sebastian smiles slightly, "Lady Isadora had a small bit of business to take care of. I'm expecting her to be back shortly, but you should have time to rest and refresh yourselves first..."
Okhfels: "Back? Yeah... food..."
Okhfels: "Food will help."
Okhfels: Okhfels goes to lay aside his sword, and then realizes that it's not there.
Okhfels: He shakes his head, and finds a fire to sit down at.
Egani heads home to check on his wife first and then the man in the crate in his shed. He wasn't supposed to be gone this long.
Sebastian: Alexander drops his journal in Sebastian's lap and then wanders off in search of food and a change of clothes.
Okhfels: Okhfels gets a report from his second-in-command while he gets good food and drink in him.
Holmes: Jilliams approaches Okhfels, "There's been some news that might interest you, Okhfels."
Okhfels: Okhfels gestures Jilliams to speak, while he eats with the other.
Holmes: "A trader come out of the mountains from Teth said that he'd barely escaped a mass of goblins. He says that he fears Teth may have been overrun by them. Said there were thousands of them." Jilliams relates.
Okhfels: "Was he a Tethite?"
Holmes: "Yes. Or so he said. I'm no judge," replies the lanky officer.
Okhfels: Okhfels takes a deep breath and blows it out again. "Well... perhaps the outer valleys. But I do not believe that they could take the tunnels, no matter how many there are. Still, dire as it is, I thank you for the news."
Okhfels: Okhfels sits and stares into the fire, brooding.
Holmes: "I'm sorry it's not good news," says Jilliams. "I hope there's nobody there who's in danger. I'm sure that the trader didn't really know. After all he'd slipped by already..."
Holmes: Jilliams does his best to sound sympathetic.
Okhfels: "Well, at least I know where my duty lies, right now."
Holmes: A small mishappen figure hobbles past, looking at the returned people. Agok the goblin seems to be heading to Speckler's shed.
Okhfels: With this new blow, Okhfels is just too tired to care about Agok right now.
Holmes: At this point Lady Aspasia comes by, "My Isadora says that you were going to fix the problem with the yellow...whatever it is. Will the ship be able to leave Mr. Okhfels?"
Holmes: She seems to be sizing him up as she questions him.
Okhfels: Okhfels looks up at the woman, then looks back down at the fire. "No... no idea. Ask Egani."
Holmes: She looks uncomfortable for a bit, and then looking to see that no others are around (Jilliams has wandered off not able to console the big man), "A mother has a certain sense about things...do you have... intentions towards my daughter Mr. Okhfels?"
Okhfels: Okhfels stands up and raises himself up to his full height. "You're her mother, so it's your duty to ask..."
Okhfels: Okhfels looks out over the camp, and then back down at Aspasia. "So I suppose I'll honor you with an answer. Yes, yes I do."
Holmes: "I... I see," she says simply. "Well your honesty is quite honorable. I have to ponder on this."
Okhfels: "Why?"
Holmes: "Well it's...I wasn't sure what you'd say," she replies.
Okhfels: "You don't even know what my 'intentions' are."
Okhfels: "You just asked if I had any."
Holmes: She looks confused, "I meant do you feel something for my daughter. Do you have...designs upon her state of matrimony?"
Okhfels: "I will serve her for as long as she will have my service."
Okhfels: "In any role she wants."
Holmes: "Ah, I see," she says. "Well, that's very comforting."
Holmes: And indeed she does seem to be comforted.
Okhfels: Okhfels' face says, "Oh, really?"
Okhfels: He gives a little bow, and then goes back to his incendiary contemplation.
Holmes: "Yes, quite," she says, "Again you seem most honorable. I'll take my leave."
Holmes: She backs off and then turns and trundles off.

Holmes: After a while things become less insane. The sorcerer has retreated, head and body of tentacles to some part of the fortress, and his daughter has gone back to tormenting some of the slaves. Wandering about, Archelaus has found himself on a span across the great hall at a dizzying height above.
Holmes: In the center of the span is an eye the size of a man that looks up into the heavens.
Holmes: It turns to look at Archelaus momentarily, and seems to peer deep into his essence.
Holmes: As the eye fixes on Archelaus, he innately senses a very symetrical and patterned essence radiating in and out from the eye focused around the pupil and the nerves at the back of it. By entangling oneself in the nerves one should be able to see what the eye sees. And the eye seems to be bringing in essence from far, far off.
Archelaus: Despite his new allegance, Archelaus feels a sense of satisfaction that even here, in the heart of chaos, such a beautiful pattern existed.
Holmes: The eye goes back to searching the heavens, and the essence reflected by them.
Archelaus: He steps forward to weave his way into that pattern of nerves, carefully calculating the best route.
Holmes: As he fits inside, Archelaus sees out amongst this strange cosmos and into others. Over the mountain, behind the fortress, he can feel without even directly seeing, the godthing that inhabits the plateau beyond. And he can plainly see Okhfels now as well along with the others.
Holmes: They seem to be looking to open a portal out of the pale that is the White Wood. Archlaus senses that he could help them. But it would probably send waves out that might awake some of the near powers...
Holmes: Aaron's birds glow brightly inside of him to Archelaus. He can see now how they are merely demons of this place altered to a more fitting form for Shadow World, from their patterns.
Holmes: Trying to reach out with essence carried by the pattern of the eye, Archelaus, discovers that it's built to resist such, and is repulsed. He also detects...a taint.
Holmes: Aaron has been...cursed...for lack of a better word, to be part of some machination of the Sorcerer of the White Wood.
Holmes: Archelaus, worried for his wife, reaches out with the eye to help Egani's ritual. And this makes all the difference, the pattern of the eye making the barrier between worlds weak. Moments after they pass back from the world, Archelaus sees a head arise near him, that of the Sorcerer.
Holmes: "Very well done. Very well," it says.
Holmes: It then begins it's crazed wheeling about and maniacal laughter.

Holmes: Isadora and the shaman trudge through the miserable mires that form the swamp around the southern part of the lake. She can almost see Egani's house occasionally when trees are not in the way.
Isadora did her best to set things up neatly before leaving--she told Jilliams where to look for final instructions "In the wildly unlikely event that I'm gone for long." Still, it feels strange to leave the camp behind her.
Isadora: "You said that Salast was disturbing the rest of your people."
Holmes: "Yes, whatever he's disturbing is penetrating out dreams. Somthing in the lake," he replies.
Isadora: "Dreams, right. Now that we're out here and safely out of range of saner ears, just how bad is this going to be? I have a sword and little regard for my own safety; will that be enough?"
Holmes: "It may well be. That said, I have no idea what a...what did you call him? Adept? No idea what an Adept can do," he says. "Perhaps you can inform me."
Isadora: "Ah... something to do with his wand? Transmutation and conjuration, if I remember my lessons. I was never much for learning about magic," she replies, grimacing a bit as she squelches along. "So I'll go for the wand, then."
Holmes: Looking out over the lake, Isadora sees something long in the water, and her mind snaps back to the serpent that Okhfels slew.
Isadora: "So," she says, carefully casual, "would the local snakes be mixed up with all this magic business, or are they just normal trouble?"
Holmes: Holding her ground, she sees that it's merely a fallen tree floating in the swamp. But a very convincing snake imitation for that one moment.
Holmes: "No, I don't think snakes would be," he responds.
Isadora: "Oh. That's grand, then." She smiles brightly just in case he looks back, and continues following. "How exactly are you finding them?"
Holmes: "I know some who've died here," he says, and as he does he bends down and parts the reeds so that some clearish water can be seen. Adrienne looking down sees a face seem to drifty by in the current.
Holmes: "They say the foul one is this way," he points towards a stand of trees.
Isadora gives the face her best polite smile and a quick nod, and avoids looking in puddles from that point on. "We're close, then?"
Holmes: The shaman nods with some confidence.
Isadora: "Good. I hate this mud. Back in time for dinner, right?" She grins and strides forward, hand resting lightly on the rapier hilt.
Holmes: Moving quite well, Isadora is betrayed by an unseen stick that breaks noisly as she slogs past it.
Holmes: A figure pops up from the brush and after a moment shouts, "It's...It's Isadora!"
Isadora: "Quite!" she says, smiling brilliantly. Stealth was never her strong suit, anyway. "Now, where's Salast?"
Holmes: Barely five feet from Isadora the soldier levels his spear at her, "Sorry m'lady, but you're not in charge here."
Isadora will attempt to draw her sword and skewer the man by way of correction.
Holmes: As Isadora charges, she remembers the man's name. Riku. A quiet one, why would he follow Salast in such an odd endeavor?
Holmes: Shoving the spear aside with her blade, Isadora defly closes the distance between them and Riku gulps with the rapier at his throat. He drops the spear almost immediately.
Holmes: "Don't do that to poor Riku, Isadora, it's me you're looking for, no?" Salast ducks under a branch and levels his wand at her about a dozen paces away.
Isadora: "Good lad." Isadora nudges the spear back in Fahd's direction with her foot, then half-turns as Salast makes himself known. "There you are. I brought you a picnic lunch and love from home."
Holmes: "You have no idea what's going on here, Isadora. The power involved..." Salast shakes his head.
Holmes: "It's pathetic, really. You don't really think you can stop me, do you?"
Isadora: "Pretend that I'll kill you if you don't explain it to me, then. That should help."
Holmes: "Salast laughs," he seems somewhat different than last she saw him. A look of crazed confidence in his eyes.
Holmes: "Fine. There are two spirits of monsterous power beneath this lake. They are associated with the power of crystals," he says raising up a fist sized green chunk of quartz.
Holmes: "And I nearly have them in my control."
Holmes: He smiles at her with more of the same confidence.
Holmes: "Would you like me to demonstrate?"
Isadora: "What will happen once you finish?"
Isadora is tensing, coiling up while moving as little as possible.
Holmes: This widens his smile even more. "There is a sort of shrine under the lake, long since submerged. Belonged, I think, to the people of the ruined city at the north end of the lake. I have figured out that it will rise soon, I will bind the two spirits, and then I will be akin to a god."
Holmes: "Heh, heh, he, he."
Holmes: His grin is quite out of conrol now.
Isadora: "Worms can't be gods," Isadora says, and launches herself at him.
Holmes: Strange wavy rays come from Salast's wand, and Isadora sidesteps then on her way to him. First a shrub becomes a toad. Then a stump. At one point Isadora has to roll around a tree trunk (the hit tree refuses to be a toad), and when she emerges close to Salast, she makes a low lunge under his last blast of arcane energy.
Holmes: Salast drops his wand, the sword entring his hand at the palm and coming out the elbow of the same arm.
Holmes: Salast cries out in pain, but tries not to move to make things worse.
Isadora grabs the front of his robes with her free hand and jerks her face close to his. "Akin to a god? You think you can do that under my nose, you son of a bitch?" She twists the sword, her face a mask of anger.
Holmes: "Aaaaaaa!" Salast collapses in pain.
Isadora goes down with him, knee on his gut, holding the sword--but not twisting it further--still lodged in his arm. "Tell me about the crystal, or I swear that Fahd here will see that your spirit never finds a home."
Holmes: This demand causes him great consternation, but Salast isn't used to pain at all, much less this. "I...I'll tell you how to work it. Just take the sword out!"
Holmes: Blood is starting to pool on the damp ground of the knoll beneath Salast.
Holmes: Fahd, holding Riku at swordpoint, comes closer to see what's happening. Isadora gets the idea that he feels he might have something to do in a moment.
Isadora will take out the sword and tell him, "Talk fast, blood is wasting." She'll staunch the bleeding, hear everything he's willing to say about the crystal, then drive the rapier through his gut and stand. "He's yours," she says to Fahd, spitting on the ground next to Salast.

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