Ye Ol'Dungeon: Right Group (FULL: closed to new players)

[Sarendara]

Sarendara bit her lip and tried to act like she did not mind what others were saying. It was harder than normal for her. The high elf longed for the days when she did not care what others thought and when she could mask emotions quickly and without thought. However, being with the guard had taught her that masking them was not always the best tactic. She had been taught wrong.

The high elf felt defeat as plans were made around her to cut the human down. They were ignoring obvious problems. However, when Finodborn spoke up, Sarendara felt all the tension release into one pleased smile. So, somebody else understood. If they kept on standing her and thinking, nothing would ever get done. "Someone do something."

[ForeverStarlight]

Ramsel-Ahn, himself, was not much of an adventureer. He had traveled out into the dessert a few times when he was younger. He had found the solitude their great for practice and thinking. Of course he had not had a chance to do that since he arrived in Abu`Sahir, and that was to the extent he had adventured. He woiuld not allow that to show however. He believed in knowing more than those around him, and horded what information he could.

He smirked at Finodborn's comment, "And perhaps if too much weight is placed on the net, it will set off a trap, or perhaps it is a timer, and this man" He pointed up to Yappet. " is the counter weight, and as he stays in the net, he slowly is setting off a trap. The point is, there are endless possibilities, and we cannot account for everyone."

Ramsel-Ahn drew a daggar, and approached Drinyr. Dispite her appearent dislike for humans and Ramsel-Ahn in particular, she seemed to be his only useful ally.

The Desert man held his dagger, handle first, to the high elf, "But if you will fill better, hand a rope over to the lady here so she can loop it through the net, and you can attempt to make up for the lost weight. I still want someone to restrain him as soon as he hits the floor."

He did not trust the man not to run off again.

[Drinyr Karet'lorin]

Someone do something. That was rich! Drinyr declined to respond to that remark, however. There seemed little point in grinding over the issue.

She slung her bow and quiver from her back and set them down on the ground on the other side of the net, lest Yappet land on them as he came down. Her torch followed and, after a nudge of her foot, so did Yappet's discarded one.

Belongings safe, and out of the way, Drinyr accepted the dagger from Ramsel-Ahn with a nod. "Thank you. I have a rope already." Drinyr gestured at the coil looped over her belt before glancing at Finodborn with a little sympathy. "I will string it through for you if you wish. Though I am not sure what we can tie it to."

The high elf tilted her head up to look back at Yappet, her tone distant, if polite. "Please remain as still as possible while I cut the hole, else I may cut you by accident." That said, she returned her attention to Ramsel-Ahn and gave him a nod, waiting for him to lift her.

[Shaeliana]

Whatever the net was made from, it was durable and tough. Ordinary ropes and fibers would have sliced easily but this material took persistence and energy, sawing enough of a hole to allow Yappet to squirm out and fall to the ground. There was no backlash when his weight was released, only the sudden sound of the ropes pulling even tighter against the sudden slack.

The air here smelled acrid and was warm, as were the walls - warm to the touch. Other than the net, there was nothing extrodinary here. Fresco's decoreated the walls, depicting Grandfather Kennis and his worshippers basking in the light of learning. A corridor led out of this area to the south, similar to the one they had just traversed. Down the long hallway, the evidence of light, a lamp or candle, glowed in the dark.

[Guest]

He went aside to study the images on the walls- Kennis et al in their own pursuits. His face close to the fresco, he felt its heat upon his flesh, and drew backward a step. The images fascinated him. He gazed south to a distant glowing from within a far darkness and, absorbed with the far light, pressed his hand to the torch at his side. When they went forth they could tie their ropes to each other. He was afraid of the heat beyond. It presented a hostility, something truly harmful, insurmountable, and he watched the distant light for flickers, anxious for movement.

[Sarendara]

Sarendara could feel herself grating against something and she had the sudden need to burst and take control or loose it for the rest of the journey. The high elf could feel her sword pressing against her side and she wanted to lift it and attack. Sarendara figured that she would win. None of the others seemed to know how to fight. Yet, the whole plan reminded Sarendara of Raevyn and she quickly threw the idea away.

Thus, Sarendara watched as the human was safely disposed on the ground. She watched the human... Yappet... coolly and wondered what he would do. She quickly strode in front of him and held his hand. With a firm voice she tried to assert her leadership over him, something she could not yet do to the others.

"Be quiet. Stay with me. I will protect you. We need to keep together in this... Wherever we are. Going ahead will do nothing." Sarendara had the sudden urge to touch his face and coddle him like a child, giving him the love that others needed. However, he was a grown man and a human. He was not as helpless as he seemed. Sarendara quickly released him and watched him carefully, making sure that he would not dash away.

Feeling unnerved by the room and the net hanging above, Sarendara motioned for Yappet to follow her. She guided him towards the other side of the room and the new passage. Grinning slightly, she called back over her shoulder, "Hurry. Follow,” commands that were hard to avoid.

[ForeverStarlight]

Ramsel-Ahn let out a slight smile, but it revieled neither humor nor friendlyness. So this elf wanted to lead, and lead she intended to do, but to what end. She seemed almost as wreckless as Yappet. Ramsel-Ahn did not mind letting her take the lead here, for he knew that true power cannot be measured by who is at the front of the line.

In Fact, it may be useful to allow her to proceded before them. Any traps she could not see she would soon discover. The Tall human then turned his attention to another elf, Drinyr.

"Well, done," He commented, as he reached out his hand slightly. "Now if you would be so kind as to return my dagger. . ."

[Yappet]

When Yappet finally got down her fell over. Having been stuck up there for so long his body was cramped. Crawling along the floor Yappet retrieved his lamp and sat on the ground. "I thank you lady elf" He said in elvish to Sarenda "May Ithrainne and Krynsathis not trip you on your path" he added in human, not that well versed in elvish.

Standing up and using the wall for support Yappet smiled at the group. "Well, i'm glad thats over. Shall we continue?"

[Drinyr Karet'lorin]

Drinyr stepped back as Yappet came down, her eyes drifting to Sarendara. Her ears twitched slightly in irritation as the other Cala'Quessir moved on. That elf had about as much maturity as a four year old human.

She inclined her head towards Ramsel-Ahn and returned his dagger hilt first. "Thank you for the loan," she replied, before she stepped away to pick up her belongings and then straightened, ready to move on. Yappet, she ignored.

[Shaeliana]

As the team moved down the hallway, the heat intensified, transforming the cool climate of the caverns into that of the desert in full hot sunshine. The only difference was this heat was not arid but moist and the sweat which their bodies produced to try and cool them, did nothing except dampen their clothing. Growing brighter and hotter as they approached the next room, when they finally arrived, it proved to be a magma pool.

A narrow shelf ran along the edge joining this hallway with another doorway and another tunnel running east. The stone walkway followed the wall headed about 10 paces east to the corner, the north about five paces to the next doorway but the width of it indicated it was never meant for human feet being half as wide as the average human foot.

Over the magma pool was a pulley system that looked as if it had been used to lower and raise something from this pool.

[ForeverStarlight]

Ramse-Ahn accepted the dagger from the elf, responding with nothing more than a nod. He glanced at who had left, and who was still with him. When he saw Drinyr ready to leave, he left without a word, expecting those still with him to follow.

When he arrived, he almost felt at home, and it might have, had their been sand at their feet. His pants were already damp. Sweat dripped from all over his bald head, and exposed torso and chest. The dropplets would run off and strike the dround leaving a wet trail behind him.

Out of all there, Ramsel-Ahn was perhaps the most perpared for the heat. The others looked as if they were not used to any heat.

He stood and looked at his surroundings waiting for everyone to arrive.

[Drinyr Karet'lorin]

As the heat grew, Drinyr forced herself to breathe slowly to quell the claustrophobia that threatened to arise, though the air itself seemed stifling in its heaviness. She forced her mind away from the feverish sensation of the sweat that refused to evaporate into the air and instead rendered her clothing sticky and uncomfortable and plastered her hair to her forehead.

When they arrived at the next room, she raised a hand to her face to dash the sweat from her eyes. Briefly, she envyied Ramsel-Ahn's seeming comfort in the heat before turning her attention to her surroundings. A few cautious steps took her close to the edge of the magma pool where her eyes trailed over the pulley system.

[Shaeliana]

Apparently quite useful at one time, the pulley looked large enough to have had heavy chain threaded through it. Set into the ceiling of the cavern, it could pivot back and forth from one door to the other. No chains were left in the mechanism now though and it was well out of their reach out over the middle of the magma pool.

[ForeverStarlight]

So, Has this thread died ?

[Shaeliana]

It sort of appears that way.. ..