Protecting the Ancient Past

[Morgause]

The familiar gust of cold wind and sparkling flakes of snow once again fills the tavern as Morguase reappears, ending her spell. She looks about the room and sees the group of adventurers gathering at the entrance of the establishment. She sees Rusty running towards Kaylan through the door.

"I see the two dwarves are finally here.... just like in my premonition."

The Winter Witch walks to the side of the elven Sage and notices his stern face.

"You have nothing to fear, elf. You see those dwarven men over there..." she points to Rusty and Kaylan. "With that pair in our company, I assure you we will not perish this day. Kaylan is arguably the strongest warrior Brennondale has seen in a long time. And as for Rusty, you will find no other healer in town of his ability."

Morgause then points in Khorvalis' direction and sees the strangely armored Gondowon in the distance, lumbering towards the tavern.

"And we have the two capable sages of the Redwind with us as well, Kolvar. The wisest and craftiest members of their maritime crew... Hmnnn..." Morgause places her hands on her hips in a statement of contentment and quiet confidence.

"Is our adventuring party now complete?" Morgause calls out to Nellie and her other companions.

[Nellie Duncan]

Scroll in one hand, stick in the other, Nellie finishes drawing the image of an elven gate into the smoothed-out sand beside the tavern porch. "If someone else could fill the others in...? I don't use magic that often, so I need to concentrate."

From memory of years long past, from a time before King Korrigan stopped adventuring, Nellie dredges up the runes needed to finish the casting. Sketching the gate runes of Gateway about the drawing while simultaneously feeding her energy into the scroll, she makes the final stroke and steps back.

[Kaylan Chargeender]

***OOG***
ahem....


*mouth slightly agape, when the focused knights down cast eyes catch a glimpse of the booted feet of those gathered inside of the tavern, Kaylan pauses and look up with a start. His eyes sweep the gathered adventurers a moment before he speaks in a more civil tone as the door swing shut until it thumps against the orcs head.*

[Nick]

-A crackle sounds in the air, arcs of arcane lightning lancing out from a small central point that has appeared above Nellie's inscription in the sand. With a great rending sound a portal splits open before her, scathing wind blasting out around the master craftsman. But it's different from before. She's sure her inscription is picture perfect, and her use of magic was just as she had seen and done before. But the portal itself was ragged, and not at all as stable as before.

It had the color of midnight, with small motes of white light appearing and disappearing at random. Like looking up at a moonless night sky, albeit the sky had decided to roll like ocean waves. Power continued to surge around it, and the air was like a flame. But it was indeed a portal, and...probably...would take them where they needed to go?

If you have Spot

---

In the swirling madness of the portal you can see glimpses beyond. A moment of green plains of grass. A forest. An ocean. A desert. Each one appearing for only a second before disappearing back into the maelstrom.

If you have Improved Spot

---

The destination beyond is ever-changing, though more often than not one place appears and stays present longer than the others. After a bit you realize there is a pattern, and can exploit that to your benefit. Roughly every 10 seconds the portal is stable for 4 seconds.

If you have Recall Level 1

---

With a bit of time and focus you recall the events of the recent past, and no doubt they are having an effect on portals. Something is awry. The portal might be dangerous.

If you have Recall Level 2

---

With a bit of time and focus you recall the events of the recent past, and no doubt they are having an effect on portals. Something is awry. The portal might be dangerous. The destruction of the portal network has done more than expected to the fabric between worlds. The portal is waxing and waning. With a bit of focus you might be able to determine the cycle and proceed safely.

If you have Recall Level 3

---

With a bit of time and focus you recall the events of the recent past, and no doubt they are having an effect on portals. Something is awry. The portal might be dangerous. The destruction of the portal network has done more than expected to the fabric between worlds. The portal is waxing and waning. With a bit of focus you are able to determine the cycle and proceed safely. Not everyone can go through on one cycle though. You have to let folks know the timing, otherwise there might be problems. Every 10 seconds the portal is stable for 4 seconds.

[Nellie Duncan]

Nellie frowns heavily as she takes a few more steps back from the generated heat. "Damn... I thought something like this might happen considering we closed the Nexus, but I had really hoped the degradation wouldn't be this far along."

She turns to the others. "This portal won't stay open for long, and is probably dangerous. The only other options are months long travel over land, or hoping we get a visit from a man with a certain sword who doesn't even live in this immediate area, and as far as I know has no more business with this town." She bites her lip, turning back to the portal. "If anyone has any ideas on how to make this safer, I'm all ears. Either way, I'll be going through."

[Khorvalis]

"Wait, my dear... do not rush into things just yet." Khorvalis holds his staff in front of Nellie, barring her passage through the portal.

The Hierophant examines the magicks that surround the gateway, stopping momentarily to consult a small prayerbook he draws from his leather satchel. His fingers trace the shapes of the runes made by Nellie and compares them to those in his book.

"The portal is indeed dangerous and I do not advise us to pass through just yet. From what I can see, the magic here is fluctuating..." Khorvalis scratches his scarred chin.

"Yes, Nellie... most likely due to what the Heroes of Brennondale have done while in the Nexus to the other dimensions. But look! See... there is a pattern to all this chaos."

Khorvalis taps his fingers on his staff as if counting time like a maestro would while conducting a symphony.

"But alas, I cannot seem to figure out the exact cycle as the portal waxes and wanes. By the Light of the Sun, I know that understanding this confounded pattern is key to our group's safe passage through the portal."

The old druid tries once more to decipher the rhythm of the magical gate, but to no avail.

"Drrraaat!" Khorvalis sighs in frustration. "Understanding this fluctuating pattern is beyond me and my talents. Perhaps if we work together and pool our knowledge... we would be able to solve this magical dilemma?"

He looks to his companions: "Nellie, Gondowon.... or you, the elven sage... What is your name again? Koldor? Maybe you could examine the portal as well? Let us see if we can discern anything more."

[Morgause]

While Khorvalis is examining the portal, the Winter Witch sees Kaylan step to the tavern door with his bloody haul.

"While I am relieved that you've decided to join us, Kaylan, must you bring that disgusting corpse along with you into this respectable establishment. It is leaking orcish goo all over the place." Morgause says jokingly.

"Now, now, Kaylan... I hope you don't intend to bring that cadaver with us through the portal to Nell's ancestral hall?"

Morgause carefully sashays past the dwarven warrior and the bloodied orc. Having avoided sullying her elegant dress and flowing cape, the Seer proceeds down the tavern steps to get a better look at the magical gate conjured by Nellie Duncan.

[Gondowon T. Falbor]

Gondowon turns to Khorvalis as he hears his name, nodding his approval at the sage's plan.

"I'll do what I can with what little knowledge I have. Let me know which points to ponder and I'll pour all my energy into it."

With that, and a small flourish, Gondowon produces a notebook, opening it to an earmarked page about portals.

[Kaylan Chargeender]

*Kaylan eventually registered the offered blade and takes it with a deep nod and smile of respect and thanks to his fellow dwarf. The haggard knight then kneels next to the corpse and begins using the dagger to widen the opening his hammer has created, in hopes of freeing his favored weapon.

When Kaylan hears the Valkin Vi presume his reason for being in the area, the knight sighs and shakes his head without pausing his attempts to coerce the orc skull into spitting out his weapon.*

Adventuring party?!?! Not a chance witch, I am on business for Korrigan, I’ve no time for …”adventures”

*Kaylan pauses his efforts to expand the dead orcs mind, with the barrowed dagger and his head snaps around to see the source of the pyrotechnic display outside*

What…..in blazes are Nell and that druid doing now?!

*Morgause’s taunt is greeted with an expression of confusion and surprise twisted into a scowl as the burly dwarfs face slowly swings around after hearing the witches ramblings*

What…in the nine halls are you muttering about?!?! First…I am NOT joining you, like I said already…Korrigan….Mission. Second…. I had no choice about dragging this dead idiot along as I lost MY dagger in the fight so could not free my hammer. This….

*Kaylan looks around with exaggerated intent, swinging the brain adorned dagger as an ironic pointing tool*

…is a tavern…they have big knives… I came here for a big knife. Third…no I don’t intend to take it anywhere…especially where I am not going. Finally…what in all the realms is that batty dwarf sage doing and …WHERE does she think she is going???

*Kaylan turns his head to look at Gondowon and raises a wagging finger*

Gondowon….no…nope…uh uh…no helping them kill themselves and others…hold on ONE moment. Korrigan's head will burst into green flame if this group goes running off to some dimension Nell just has an itch to go visit on a whim.

[Morgause]

Morgause greets Kaylan's sneer with a toothsome smile.

"You are always so serious," the Winter Witch saunters over to Kaylan.

"So serious and oh so grumpy, no wonder why you look so old."

Morgause bend slightly to as she peers at the stuck warhammer lodged in the dead orc's skull.

"So you want to get back your weapon but you cannot free it from this corpse?" Morgause teases.

"I could set your hammer free from this bloodied orc with a simple spell... if you but ask."

The Valkin'vi woman resumes her poised stance as she awaits Kaylan's response. She begins to circle her fingers in an elegant but intricate pattern, tracing runes in the air... obviously charging a spell.

"But make sure you ask politely... you are in the presence of a lady, after all."

[Khorvalis]

Khorvalis pays no attention to the antics of Kaylan and Morgause. Instead, the old druid remains focused at the task at hand. Together with his crewmate, they consult their books for clues as to the portal's rhythmic pattern.

"Gondowon, look at this rune here in my prayerbook... it looks awfully similar to the one Nellie drew in activating this magical gate."

Khorvalis shows his finding to the Redwind's master craftsman and then refers to the notes in Gondowon's hands.

"And here the symbol appears in your book... but it does so 4 times then it is followed by a series of old Ga'vin runes."

The Hierophant begins to draw some calculations in the ground with his staff and after a few moments...

"Ah-ha! I think we have it!" Khorvalis stands before the portal and taps out a complicated rhythm with his staff.

"It repeats over and over again but if you listen closely and refer to the notes in our books, it is quite easy to follow," Khorvalis continues his tapping and then raised his staff high above his head.

"And here it is... when I lift my staff just like this... then it means that it is safe to enter... 1, 2, 3 and 4!"

The druid then lowers his staff, blocking the gate.

"But when those four notes are over, the portal magic returns to dangerous levels and is unsafe to cross."

Khorvalis continues to follow the ebb and flow of the portal, using his staff to signal the safe and unsafe fluctuations for the rest of the party. 

He patiently waits until Nellie or someone suggests otherwise.

[Kaylan Chargeender]

***OOG*** I would hope Khorvalis "pays no attention to the antics of Kaylan and Morgause" as he is OUTSIDE...and therefore CANT KNOW what's going on inside...***

[Nellie Duncan]

Nellie looks at Khorvalis. "I said I'd hear out any ideas on making the passage safer. I may be determined to see this through, but I'm not *quite* reckless enough to just run in, or I'd have done it the second it opened."

Nellie looks on, fingering a pouch she rarely uses as Khorvalis and Gondowon work together. Figuring out the working of elven portals had never really interested her, so she knows she has little to input, but willing to help however she can if they can't figure it out themselves. Instead she closes her eyes and concentrates, trying to remember the tricks and focusing techniques needed to see things that most look over.

Hearing their answer, she grins and opens her eyes. Follows Khorvalis' staff as it raises and drops.

"There's another component, though," she says, squinting into the portal. "Each safe beat has a different landing area. The first a grass plain, the second a forest, the third an ocean, the fourth a desert." She frowns. "It's so fast though, and my eyes aren't trained as another's might be."

She twists to open and dig through the pouch at her side. "No...no...that's not it either... Ah!" She pulls out a map to consult.

[Khorvalis]

***OOG***

Khorvalis and the portal are right outside the steps of the tavern entrance...

And Morgause was standing at the threshold of the tavern looking outside...

[Nellie Duncan]

After consulting the map and her memories, Nellie huffs. "We definitely don't want the ocean landing. Gateway is no where near an ocean. I don't remember any grass plains either, the place being between mountains and the salt flats. That leaves the forest and the desert landings." Here she pauses, looking up at the sky. "Either could work - the Wastes are a desert beyond the Great Salt Flats. And Gateway proper had some small forests here and there between the Crescent Mountains and the Salt Flats."

She looks down and grins wryly at herself. "When I realized the options available, my first feeling was the desert. But seeing as I know empirically that I get 50/50 questions wrong seven out of nine times, we probably should go with the forest landing."