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Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"
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<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5806145" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>Alaria rolled her eyes and left the assembled party to inspect the watery remains of their "crystalline" foe. If was, to all appearances, that the statue had, in fact, simply been made of ice. Enchanted, supernaturally strong ice, yes. But ice nonetheless.</p><p></p><p>"The door didn't open." Braddok noted. "Aren't the trap doors supposed to open when you defeat the trap?" The Grinlian swordsman didn't know why he thought that...but he did.</p><p></p><p>"Put the top back on the sarcophagus." Festus posed. "That oughta reset the thing and let us move the door again."</p><p></p><p>"Like hells! Are yeh mad, goat-butt?" Duor burst.</p><p></p><p>Healan, who was in the midst of healing the wounded dwarf, frowned at the interruption.</p><p></p><p>"We'll see what's inside first. We just destroyed the guardian after all. Shoulda known...tombs always have guardians. But fair's fair! We beat the guardian, the treasure is ours! Them's the rules." Duor continued in protest.</p><p></p><p>"The rules?" Fen said with an amused grin on his face.</p><p></p><p>Braddok conceded that since they had just faced death, and the sarcophagus was already open, they might as well take a look before closing it.</p><p></p><p>With great effort by the two human men, they swung the lid to the side a bit more.</p><p></p><p>Duor raced up to peer in. "But...wuh...Haelan bring that light over here."</p><p></p><p>The daelvar cleric came over and reached his mace-head out over the top of the opening. He raised himself onto his toes to get a limited peer inside.</p><p></p><p>"I dno't see anything." the Hilltender informed the rest of the group.</p><p></p><p>Duor had stuck his whole head in the stone box. "This can't be right! Where's the treasure?! Where's the magic goodies?! We beat the guardian!"</p><p></p><p>"And we're still trapped in some swan champion's tomb." Coerraine noted. "Replace the lid."</p><p></p><p>"Buh...but..." the dwarf was reaching in to feel around the interior of the box. "It has to be an illusion. Alaria, do the magic detecty thing you do.</p><p>Something has to be here."</p><p></p><p>Alaria strode over to the open cask and, not seeing anything herself, conceded to Duor's request. A moment later, she confirmed there was no illusion nor any kind of magic in the sarcophagus.</p><p></p><p>"Why'd yeh be daft enough to build a tomb, enchant the entrance, put a great big slab of stone in front of it AND a magic icy thing to guard it if there was no treasure! There's not even a body in here!" the dwarf was beside himself.</p><p></p><p>"But look there." Alaria pointed back to the alcove where the statue-guardian had stood. "That, is most definitely magical."</p><p></p><p>The feathered wings that formed the back of the five-foot tall alcove were glowing to her mystic sight and the dweomer seemed to be increasing as she neared it.</p><p></p><p>With all of the attention on the stone slab that trapped them and the sarcophagus, noone had noticed that the carved crystalline ice that formed the feathered wings had begun to melt. Water was quietly dripping and beginning to stream off the sculpture.</p><p></p><p>"I see a light beyond it..." Haelan mentioned as he moved closer. "Do you see that?"</p><p></p><p>It was evident as the remains of the alcove continued to melt away, a light was obvious through it. Much brighter than the light was outside the mound in the mist-shrouded Feldmere.</p><p></p><p>"Put the lid back. Let's get out of here. That could be another guardian or some other threat." Coerraine proposed. It was sound tactics not fear that fueled his desire to leave this place.</p><p></p><p>Haelan tentatively reach up with his mace and tapped the melting structure. A good chunk of it gave way and crumbled to the floor of the chamber. Followed by a blast of cold air. Fresh, but cold.</p><p></p><p>A few snow flakes flew into the opening.</p><p></p><p>Alaria back away as the warriors moved forward. "Haelan, get away from there." she suggested quietly as the rest of the ice "wings" melted and crumbled out onto the floor revealing a four foot high, two foot long opening that looked out on a peaceful rolling landscape, entirely blanketed in snow.</p><p></p><p>"This is a portal..." Alaria said with more than a bit of surprise and awe.</p><p></p><p>"A portal to where?" adked Festus as peered closer at the opening.</p><p></p><p>"To where the treasure is, that's fer sher." Duor said with absolute certainty.</p><p></p><p>"We...hnnnn...don't know that." groaned Coerraine as he tried to replace the lib of the sarcophagus by himself.</p><p></p><p>"Could be to an alternate dimension...the fairy world perhaps?" Fen said in sincere curiosity. </p><p></p><p>"Or just to somewhere in our own world filled with snow...high in the Worldcrest mountains, perhaps." mused Alaria. She was thoroughly intrigued but had a limited understanding of magical portals and did not wish for them to be trapped beyond.</p><p></p><p>"Well, it's not outside." Haelan said in a completely sincere attempt to aid in the analysis.</p><p></p><p>"Yeh don't say?!" Duor exclaimed in exaggerated mocking.</p><p></p><p>"Or a silver white realm of snow and ice?...the <em>Ballad of the Swan Prince</em> seems to be more accurate than it first sounded." Erevan observed. </p><p></p><p>"So, you think the Swan Prince's realm is through there?" Haelan asked.</p><p></p><p>"That would mean that's where the Black Swan...er...Dragon is then? I thought ut was in Nor Gorthok?" Festus inquired. "I'm all for a trip to the fairy-land...but it looks awfully cold in...or...<em>out</em> there. Couldn't we find a portal to the 'spring' side of things? Or summer?"</p><p></p><p>The air now easily breezed into the chamber, with snow occasionally accompanying it. It was getting quite cold in the chamber. But the scene was very peaceful. The air crisp and clear...the scent of freshly fallen snow all around them. There was a brightness in the sky, but no sun, per se, that could be scene and the snows that fell were the softest flurry...almost welcoming, as opposed to a raging blizzard.</p><p></p><p>Therer was a thud and a "hssss" again as Coerraine finally got the lid closed. The stone slab that formed the "door" to the tomb chamber did not open. The paladin and warrior strained upon it, again, as they had from the outside. It still would not budge.</p><p></p><p>"We really aren't equipped to go there." Alaria noted. "If we camp here and wait until tomorrow, I could use the spell of opening again to get us back to the swamp...if that is, indeed what is still outside that door."</p><p></p><p>"Can't you just read it from the book?" Haelan asked.</p><p></p><p>"I am <em>not</em> sacrificing one of my upper tier spells, and one of the most useful, just to leave here, now." Alaria said with a bit of irritation. "If we <em>must </em>get out now, there's the way." </p><p></p><p>"Well....could you magic us up some fur boots?" Haelan again suggested.</p><p></p><p>"Got my own, thanks. Heh heh." Festus said to lighten the mood.</p><p></p><p>"Erevan and I...and Festus could go scouting?" Fen offered.</p><p></p><p>"I would rather you not." Alaria replied. We don't know how this portal works or where it actually leads. I would not want you trapped on the other side. If we are to go, we will all go. What say you?" The magess turned to the rest of the group.</p><p></p><p>There was further discussion and it was decided that they would attempt to explore the winter wonderland before them.</p><p></p><p>Haelan agreed to invoke his goddess...he was fairly sure he could ward the three humans and himself against the cold. But once they were out of the chamber. He didn't want his prayers to fizzle in the chamber as his Blessing had. He still didn't understand that.</p><p></p><p>They passed through, one by one, to come to standing on the snowy hillslope that looked down upon a narrow wood and a silver lake beyond.</p><p></p><p>"Wooooooah." Haelan said in his typical way.</p><p></p><p>Following the daelvar's gaze, the other companions turned to see they had "entered" this strange realm from between the legs of a massive statue, whether it was crystal or the enchanted ice, they couldn't say. The figure was that of the "swan knight" they had seen in the chamber.</p><p></p><p>Even more impressive were the three other statues that dotted the landscape "behind" them. A fourth, partially destroyed, "broken off" about half-way up its torso rose from further back in the snow laden woods. Two more giant shoulders and heads could be made out even further back in the woods.</p><p></p><p>"DAMMIT ALL!" shouted Duor as the dwarf raced back to the "portal" they had walked through, which appeared from this "side" to be just a wall of ice. </p><p></p><p>A few of the heroes ran back with Duor as the dwarf discovered that he could reach his hand into the wall of ice...with a bit of pushing, he felt as if he were reaching "through" it. </p><p></p><p>Braddok, without a thought and before anyone could stop him pressed his face into the ice wall until his head and shoulders were gone. </p><p></p><p>"Oh my gods!" Haelan cried in dismay.</p><p></p><p>Alaria's heart leaped up into her throat.</p><p></p><p>Coerraine and Festus quickly grabbed the warrior and pulled him back.</p><p></p><p>There was a smile on his face. "It's ok. It goes back to the chamber. We can get back if we have to."</p><p></p><p>"See. That's why I love this guy!" Duor smiled. "Now we know! Well done dead-man."</p><p></p><p>"Braddok, please do not do something like that again." Alaria said with a calming exhale.</p><p></p><p>With Haelan's invocation, Alaria and the other humans noticed a distinct drop in the cold. It was more like a late autumn chill than any debilitating winter's cold. Fen's cloak afforded him some protection from the elements and the half-elf did not complain. Similarly, Erevan and Fen's physiology were not adversely effected. Duor, also, refused to complain. </p><p></p><p>"Colder'n this in the rocky deep." he smiled though there was the occasional chattering of teeth which the dwarf deeply avowed were not his.</p><p></p><p>"Look there." pointed Festus.</p><p></p><p>Out, across the lake, a single towering spire of white and silver rose from the lake.</p><p></p><p>"Looks like a destination to me." Duor piped up. "Good place to hide some loot. Let's get a move on."</p><p></p><p>The party began their descent to the narrow stretch of trees that seemed to surround the lake.</p><p></p><p>Fen noted, compared to the time of day they had entered the mound, the hazy white ball of light in the sky was not where "a sun should be".</p><p></p><p>"Definitely not." Festus comfrimed.</p><p></p><p>Everyone was startled by two snowy white grouse that burst from the field ahead of them.</p><p></p><p>"Dinner!" Duor exclaimed. But frowned in disappointment when neither Festus nor Erevan raised their bows.</p><p></p><p>Fen and Erevan watched the frightened creatures in blissful appreciation. They disappeared somewhere behind a small dune far away from them. </p><p></p><p>"I don't think we're in the Feldmere anymore." Haelan stated, as if he were revealing some great secret.</p><p></p><p>"I am inclined to agree, friend Hilltender." Fen smiled. "Besides, Duor, don't you know you never want to eat anything in the fairyland? You will never be able to return to the mortal realms."</p><p></p><p>Everyone looked at Fen in surprise.</p><p></p><p>"That's how my mother told it." the druid shrugged in response.</p><p></p><p>Festus was distinctly on edge. Duor took great pleasure in teasing the satyr that they "must be in the fairy realm, prob'ly pixies all over the joint."</p><p></p><p>The party was nearly at the treeline below them when they first heard the wolves.</p><p></p><p>"Awooooo" sounded form somewhere far behind them. </p><p></p><p>Erevan's head pricked to the side. He turned to look up the slope behind them.</p><p></p><p>A second howl went up, further away. Erevan turned to Fen.</p><p></p><p>"We should hurry." the druid said. "That sounded like a 'hunting' howl."</p><p></p><p>Festus jumped up into the air to land ten feet behind everyone else. "Did'ja see that?!" he said with alarm.</p><p></p><p>The party looked to where, along the trees, the ranger was pointing with his falchion. They saw nothing.</p><p></p><p>"Pixie, was it?" Duor mumbled under his beard and continued to trek through the snowy field that was nearing the dwarf's waist.</p><p></p><p>"No! There was a lady...a white lady...made of snow..." Festus explained. Though the nervousness in his tone belied the fact he firmly believed...whatever he saw, was somehow "fairy related."</p><p></p><p>"The satyr's powers of perception seem very acute, Duor. You are wrong to tease him." Coerraine said.</p><p></p><p>The party continued walking but kept an eye in the direction the ranger had pointed.</p><p></p><p>"There she is!" Haelan said triumphantly. "Oh. No...Nevermind. Just a snowy covered tree stump."</p><p></p><p>The howls of wolves again rose to their ears. Even the humans could tell they were closer than before.</p><p></p><p>"Double time it, people." Duor said in all seriousness.</p><p></p><p>They were following the ranger and elf into through the woods, fully expecting to break through and see the lake and silver spire before them at any moment. </p><p></p><p>Yet minutes went by and all they saw was the pristine forest blanketed in snow and ice.</p><p></p><p>A breeze blew through the trees and disturbed the flurrying snow. Alaria sworn she saw a woman's figure form before them, but in a moment it was gone.</p><p></p><p>"I...think...I just saw her too." Alaria alerted the others. "Anyone else?"</p><p></p><p>Erevan was tempted to pull an arrow back in his bow, but somehow didn't feel the need. The whole of the place was peaceful. Natural. Entirely beautiful. Nothing about it, or the female form he too had noticed in the blustering snow, caused him alarm. Still he confirmed that he had noticed it and stated that he didn't feel they were in any danger from it.</p><p></p><p>"A snow woman in an enchanted winter-land?" Festus asked. "Really, my good friend master elf. What could be more dangerous!?"</p><p></p><p>The wolves sounded behind them again. Several of them coming from different sides.</p><p></p><p>"To the trees, I think." Fen suggested. "They are only moments away."</p><p></p><p>"Then we fight!" Braddok snarled and turned at their would-be assailants.</p><p></p><p>"I would rather we didn't." Fen said calmly.</p><p></p><p>First one, then two, snow white does came bursting through the trees and underbrush, and a fawn behind those, all racing passed the party without a thought other than to avoid trampling them.</p><p></p><p>"Wow. White deer are really pretty." Haelan said to noone in particular. "I wonder why we don't have white deer in the Free Hollows. I've heard of a black one before. Gilbert Brambletoes has a stag's skull on the wall of his tavern that he claims to be a black stag...but I've never actually seen one...The white ones are much..."</p><p></p><p>"Haelan, focus please." Alaria mentioned casually as she sped her own pace and looked nervously to either side of the path they were on.</p><p></p><p>"...nicer." Haelan finished quietly.</p><p></p><p>There was rustling in the snowy bushes on both sides. But no wolves were yet seen.</p><p></p><p>Then the wind whipped up again and the female form in the blowing flakes formed before them again. Everyone could see her now.</p><p></p><p>"GAH! SNOW FAIRY!"Festus shouted in alarm.</p><p></p><p>Fen used his spear to lower the ranger's swords.</p><p></p><p>The form seemed to be motioning to them with her hand. Motioning to follow.</p><p></p><p>Then a dark grey wolf leaped out onto the path behind them. It was most definitely larger than a normal wolf and snarled menacingly at the party ahead of it.</p><p></p><p>Two more, both mostly white, crashed through brush and jumped over fallen snow-covered trees to either side.</p><p></p><p>Erevan, reluctantly drew <<em>Dm's note: <strong>not</strong> from his enchanted quiver</em>>and fired at one of the flanking wolves. It struck the leaping creature and with a whine of pain, the wolf fell into the snowy brush.</p><p></p><p>Alaria jobbed at the other beast leaping at her and with a spark of electricity, sent it flying over their heads to the opposite side of the path. The beast's fur smoldered a bit and the whole area now smelled of ionized air.</p><p></p><p>"Follow her!" Fen said and made a break down the opening in the crowded forest flow toward the snow-formed woman. She dispersed well before Fen reached her, but the direction was clear.</p><p></p><p>Alaria followed and Haelan. Then the rest. Festus cursed under his goateed chin, decidedly more happy to take on a pack of wolves.</p><p></p><p>Erevan fired another arrow to land at the feet of the large grey wolf who had yet to dare to take on the spear-wielding Redstar Knight or the sword-swing warrior beside him. </p><p></p><p>Two twists through the woods later, they broke the treeline to stand upon a beach of white ringing the lake's edge. </p><p></p><p>The howls of the wolves close behind.</p><p></p><p>"Come on, there!" Fen pointed again and took off. Further down the beach was a long skiv, seeming carved of ice and in the swape of a swan at the prow.</p><p></p><p>Fen waited as the others climbed into the boat and waited for the wolves to break onto the breach before he intoned, again, the incantation of entanglement. To the druid's utter surprise, insytead of roots and vines breaking from the ground, the snow covered and white-barked birch trees bent and reach down to grab the lupines and fling them high up over the trees back into the forest.</p><p></p><p>The creatures howled and whined as they flew and landed somewhere far back in the woods.</p><p></p><p>"That's new." Observed Haelan.</p><p></p><p>The druid climbed into the ice-carved boat and as they noticed a lack of paddles or oars, the boat simply left the beach. Floating them out, smoothly, across the curiously unfrozen water toward the tall shining spire in the center of the lake.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 5806145, member: 92511"] Alaria rolled her eyes and left the assembled party to inspect the watery remains of their "crystalline" foe. If was, to all appearances, that the statue had, in fact, simply been made of ice. Enchanted, supernaturally strong ice, yes. But ice nonetheless. "The door didn't open." Braddok noted. "Aren't the trap doors supposed to open when you defeat the trap?" The Grinlian swordsman didn't know why he thought that...but he did. "Put the top back on the sarcophagus." Festus posed. "That oughta reset the thing and let us move the door again." "Like hells! Are yeh mad, goat-butt?" Duor burst. Healan, who was in the midst of healing the wounded dwarf, frowned at the interruption. "We'll see what's inside first. We just destroyed the guardian after all. Shoulda known...tombs always have guardians. But fair's fair! We beat the guardian, the treasure is ours! Them's the rules." Duor continued in protest. "The rules?" Fen said with an amused grin on his face. Braddok conceded that since they had just faced death, and the sarcophagus was already open, they might as well take a look before closing it. With great effort by the two human men, they swung the lid to the side a bit more. Duor raced up to peer in. "But...wuh...Haelan bring that light over here." The daelvar cleric came over and reached his mace-head out over the top of the opening. He raised himself onto his toes to get a limited peer inside. "I dno't see anything." the Hilltender informed the rest of the group. Duor had stuck his whole head in the stone box. "This can't be right! Where's the treasure?! Where's the magic goodies?! We beat the guardian!" "And we're still trapped in some swan champion's tomb." Coerraine noted. "Replace the lid." "Buh...but..." the dwarf was reaching in to feel around the interior of the box. "It has to be an illusion. Alaria, do the magic detecty thing you do. Something has to be here." Alaria strode over to the open cask and, not seeing anything herself, conceded to Duor's request. A moment later, she confirmed there was no illusion nor any kind of magic in the sarcophagus. "Why'd yeh be daft enough to build a tomb, enchant the entrance, put a great big slab of stone in front of it AND a magic icy thing to guard it if there was no treasure! There's not even a body in here!" the dwarf was beside himself. "But look there." Alaria pointed back to the alcove where the statue-guardian had stood. "That, is most definitely magical." The feathered wings that formed the back of the five-foot tall alcove were glowing to her mystic sight and the dweomer seemed to be increasing as she neared it. With all of the attention on the stone slab that trapped them and the sarcophagus, noone had noticed that the carved crystalline ice that formed the feathered wings had begun to melt. Water was quietly dripping and beginning to stream off the sculpture. "I see a light beyond it..." Haelan mentioned as he moved closer. "Do you see that?" It was evident as the remains of the alcove continued to melt away, a light was obvious through it. Much brighter than the light was outside the mound in the mist-shrouded Feldmere. "Put the lid back. Let's get out of here. That could be another guardian or some other threat." Coerraine proposed. It was sound tactics not fear that fueled his desire to leave this place. Haelan tentatively reach up with his mace and tapped the melting structure. A good chunk of it gave way and crumbled to the floor of the chamber. Followed by a blast of cold air. Fresh, but cold. A few snow flakes flew into the opening. Alaria back away as the warriors moved forward. "Haelan, get away from there." she suggested quietly as the rest of the ice "wings" melted and crumbled out onto the floor revealing a four foot high, two foot long opening that looked out on a peaceful rolling landscape, entirely blanketed in snow. "This is a portal..." Alaria said with more than a bit of surprise and awe. "A portal to where?" adked Festus as peered closer at the opening. "To where the treasure is, that's fer sher." Duor said with absolute certainty. "We...hnnnn...don't know that." groaned Coerraine as he tried to replace the lib of the sarcophagus by himself. "Could be to an alternate dimension...the fairy world perhaps?" Fen said in sincere curiosity. "Or just to somewhere in our own world filled with snow...high in the Worldcrest mountains, perhaps." mused Alaria. She was thoroughly intrigued but had a limited understanding of magical portals and did not wish for them to be trapped beyond. "Well, it's not outside." Haelan said in a completely sincere attempt to aid in the analysis. "Yeh don't say?!" Duor exclaimed in exaggerated mocking. "Or a silver white realm of snow and ice?...the [I]Ballad of the Swan Prince[/I] seems to be more accurate than it first sounded." Erevan observed. "So, you think the Swan Prince's realm is through there?" Haelan asked. "That would mean that's where the Black Swan...er...Dragon is then? I thought ut was in Nor Gorthok?" Festus inquired. "I'm all for a trip to the fairy-land...but it looks awfully cold in...or...[I]out[/I] there. Couldn't we find a portal to the 'spring' side of things? Or summer?" The air now easily breezed into the chamber, with snow occasionally accompanying it. It was getting quite cold in the chamber. But the scene was very peaceful. The air crisp and clear...the scent of freshly fallen snow all around them. There was a brightness in the sky, but no sun, per se, that could be scene and the snows that fell were the softest flurry...almost welcoming, as opposed to a raging blizzard. Therer was a thud and a "hssss" again as Coerraine finally got the lid closed. The stone slab that formed the "door" to the tomb chamber did not open. The paladin and warrior strained upon it, again, as they had from the outside. It still would not budge. "We really aren't equipped to go there." Alaria noted. "If we camp here and wait until tomorrow, I could use the spell of opening again to get us back to the swamp...if that is, indeed what is still outside that door." "Can't you just read it from the book?" Haelan asked. "I am [I]not[/I] sacrificing one of my upper tier spells, and one of the most useful, just to leave here, now." Alaria said with a bit of irritation. "If we [I]must [/I]get out now, there's the way." "Well....could you magic us up some fur boots?" Haelan again suggested. "Got my own, thanks. Heh heh." Festus said to lighten the mood. "Erevan and I...and Festus could go scouting?" Fen offered. "I would rather you not." Alaria replied. We don't know how this portal works or where it actually leads. I would not want you trapped on the other side. If we are to go, we will all go. What say you?" The magess turned to the rest of the group. There was further discussion and it was decided that they would attempt to explore the winter wonderland before them. Haelan agreed to invoke his goddess...he was fairly sure he could ward the three humans and himself against the cold. But once they were out of the chamber. He didn't want his prayers to fizzle in the chamber as his Blessing had. He still didn't understand that. They passed through, one by one, to come to standing on the snowy hillslope that looked down upon a narrow wood and a silver lake beyond. "Wooooooah." Haelan said in his typical way. Following the daelvar's gaze, the other companions turned to see they had "entered" this strange realm from between the legs of a massive statue, whether it was crystal or the enchanted ice, they couldn't say. The figure was that of the "swan knight" they had seen in the chamber. Even more impressive were the three other statues that dotted the landscape "behind" them. A fourth, partially destroyed, "broken off" about half-way up its torso rose from further back in the snow laden woods. Two more giant shoulders and heads could be made out even further back in the woods. "DAMMIT ALL!" shouted Duor as the dwarf raced back to the "portal" they had walked through, which appeared from this "side" to be just a wall of ice. A few of the heroes ran back with Duor as the dwarf discovered that he could reach his hand into the wall of ice...with a bit of pushing, he felt as if he were reaching "through" it. Braddok, without a thought and before anyone could stop him pressed his face into the ice wall until his head and shoulders were gone. "Oh my gods!" Haelan cried in dismay. Alaria's heart leaped up into her throat. Coerraine and Festus quickly grabbed the warrior and pulled him back. There was a smile on his face. "It's ok. It goes back to the chamber. We can get back if we have to." "See. That's why I love this guy!" Duor smiled. "Now we know! Well done dead-man." "Braddok, please do not do something like that again." Alaria said with a calming exhale. With Haelan's invocation, Alaria and the other humans noticed a distinct drop in the cold. It was more like a late autumn chill than any debilitating winter's cold. Fen's cloak afforded him some protection from the elements and the half-elf did not complain. Similarly, Erevan and Fen's physiology were not adversely effected. Duor, also, refused to complain. "Colder'n this in the rocky deep." he smiled though there was the occasional chattering of teeth which the dwarf deeply avowed were not his. "Look there." pointed Festus. Out, across the lake, a single towering spire of white and silver rose from the lake. "Looks like a destination to me." Duor piped up. "Good place to hide some loot. Let's get a move on." The party began their descent to the narrow stretch of trees that seemed to surround the lake. Fen noted, compared to the time of day they had entered the mound, the hazy white ball of light in the sky was not where "a sun should be". "Definitely not." Festus comfrimed. Everyone was startled by two snowy white grouse that burst from the field ahead of them. "Dinner!" Duor exclaimed. But frowned in disappointment when neither Festus nor Erevan raised their bows. Fen and Erevan watched the frightened creatures in blissful appreciation. They disappeared somewhere behind a small dune far away from them. "I don't think we're in the Feldmere anymore." Haelan stated, as if he were revealing some great secret. "I am inclined to agree, friend Hilltender." Fen smiled. "Besides, Duor, don't you know you never want to eat anything in the fairyland? You will never be able to return to the mortal realms." Everyone looked at Fen in surprise. "That's how my mother told it." the druid shrugged in response. Festus was distinctly on edge. Duor took great pleasure in teasing the satyr that they "must be in the fairy realm, prob'ly pixies all over the joint." The party was nearly at the treeline below them when they first heard the wolves. "Awooooo" sounded form somewhere far behind them. Erevan's head pricked to the side. He turned to look up the slope behind them. A second howl went up, further away. Erevan turned to Fen. "We should hurry." the druid said. "That sounded like a 'hunting' howl." Festus jumped up into the air to land ten feet behind everyone else. "Did'ja see that?!" he said with alarm. The party looked to where, along the trees, the ranger was pointing with his falchion. They saw nothing. "Pixie, was it?" Duor mumbled under his beard and continued to trek through the snowy field that was nearing the dwarf's waist. "No! There was a lady...a white lady...made of snow..." Festus explained. Though the nervousness in his tone belied the fact he firmly believed...whatever he saw, was somehow "fairy related." "The satyr's powers of perception seem very acute, Duor. You are wrong to tease him." Coerraine said. The party continued walking but kept an eye in the direction the ranger had pointed. "There she is!" Haelan said triumphantly. "Oh. No...Nevermind. Just a snowy covered tree stump." The howls of wolves again rose to their ears. Even the humans could tell they were closer than before. "Double time it, people." Duor said in all seriousness. They were following the ranger and elf into through the woods, fully expecting to break through and see the lake and silver spire before them at any moment. Yet minutes went by and all they saw was the pristine forest blanketed in snow and ice. A breeze blew through the trees and disturbed the flurrying snow. Alaria sworn she saw a woman's figure form before them, but in a moment it was gone. "I...think...I just saw her too." Alaria alerted the others. "Anyone else?" Erevan was tempted to pull an arrow back in his bow, but somehow didn't feel the need. The whole of the place was peaceful. Natural. Entirely beautiful. Nothing about it, or the female form he too had noticed in the blustering snow, caused him alarm. Still he confirmed that he had noticed it and stated that he didn't feel they were in any danger from it. "A snow woman in an enchanted winter-land?" Festus asked. "Really, my good friend master elf. What could be more dangerous!?" The wolves sounded behind them again. Several of them coming from different sides. "To the trees, I think." Fen suggested. "They are only moments away." "Then we fight!" Braddok snarled and turned at their would-be assailants. "I would rather we didn't." Fen said calmly. First one, then two, snow white does came bursting through the trees and underbrush, and a fawn behind those, all racing passed the party without a thought other than to avoid trampling them. "Wow. White deer are really pretty." Haelan said to noone in particular. "I wonder why we don't have white deer in the Free Hollows. I've heard of a black one before. Gilbert Brambletoes has a stag's skull on the wall of his tavern that he claims to be a black stag...but I've never actually seen one...The white ones are much..." "Haelan, focus please." Alaria mentioned casually as she sped her own pace and looked nervously to either side of the path they were on. "...nicer." Haelan finished quietly. There was rustling in the snowy bushes on both sides. But no wolves were yet seen. Then the wind whipped up again and the female form in the blowing flakes formed before them again. Everyone could see her now. "GAH! SNOW FAIRY!"Festus shouted in alarm. Fen used his spear to lower the ranger's swords. The form seemed to be motioning to them with her hand. Motioning to follow. Then a dark grey wolf leaped out onto the path behind them. It was most definitely larger than a normal wolf and snarled menacingly at the party ahead of it. Two more, both mostly white, crashed through brush and jumped over fallen snow-covered trees to either side. Erevan, reluctantly drew <[I]Dm's note: [B]not[/B] from his enchanted quiver[/I]>and fired at one of the flanking wolves. It struck the leaping creature and with a whine of pain, the wolf fell into the snowy brush. Alaria jobbed at the other beast leaping at her and with a spark of electricity, sent it flying over their heads to the opposite side of the path. The beast's fur smoldered a bit and the whole area now smelled of ionized air. "Follow her!" Fen said and made a break down the opening in the crowded forest flow toward the snow-formed woman. She dispersed well before Fen reached her, but the direction was clear. Alaria followed and Haelan. Then the rest. Festus cursed under his goateed chin, decidedly more happy to take on a pack of wolves. Erevan fired another arrow to land at the feet of the large grey wolf who had yet to dare to take on the spear-wielding Redstar Knight or the sword-swing warrior beside him. Two twists through the woods later, they broke the treeline to stand upon a beach of white ringing the lake's edge. The howls of the wolves close behind. "Come on, there!" Fen pointed again and took off. Further down the beach was a long skiv, seeming carved of ice and in the swape of a swan at the prow. Fen waited as the others climbed into the boat and waited for the wolves to break onto the breach before he intoned, again, the incantation of entanglement. To the druid's utter surprise, insytead of roots and vines breaking from the ground, the snow covered and white-barked birch trees bent and reach down to grab the lupines and fling them high up over the trees back into the forest. The creatures howled and whined as they flew and landed somewhere far back in the woods. "That's new." Observed Haelan. The druid climbed into the ice-carved boat and as they noticed a lack of paddles or oars, the boat simply left the beach. Floating them out, smoothly, across the curiously unfrozen water toward the tall shining spire in the center of the lake. [/QUOTE]
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