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Message: <blockquote data-quote="H.M.Gimlord" data-source="post: 5927415" data-attributes="member: 79440">Gathering his wits, Max realizes that the axe, though sentient, means him no harm, it just wants justice and reunion with its rightful owner. He feels, awkwardly enough, that he has been chosen by the axe as its bearer until such a time.[OOC]Minor Quest: Bring Stang back to Hankel.[/OOC]He lifts the axe, and stows it on his belt. Miraculously, the weapon changes size, becoming no more than a totem, yet not diminishing in power.Growing impatient, Riardon produces the maps he has been carrying in his pack, “Alright then. Let’s get off of this rock and find a way to get that axe back to Hankel, and maybe kill a few dragons in the process. I care not whether they be blue, green or both.” He unrolls the maps, “I can’t make out the details, but it looks like this Rioc Parvel is here.” He points to the volcano on the inland island[sblock=Map]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/RiocStangPointing2.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock]“Problem is, that we are here.” He points to the island at the mouth of a long, meandering river emptying out into the ocean[sblock=Map]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/RiocStangPointing.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> [/sblock]“Even if we sail on our little boat, we’ll be hard pressed to make it against the-” Max, looking over Riardon’s shoulder begins jumping up and down in excitement, “But don’t you see?” he interrupts, pointing to the other map, “This spot here says Rioc Stang’s Well!” Now pointing back to the map over which Riardon was pouring, “…and this spot says Rioc Stang.” Indicating the island on which they are all standing.Riardon looks amazed, “How do you know that?” “Can’t you read it?” Max asks looking puzzled, “It’s plain as day.“I’m afraid not. This is Dwarven scri-The axe!” Comprehension dawns, “Max, that weapon is allowing you to read this Map,” The eladrin shoves the maps into the startled Wizard’s hand along with a quill and ink, "Here! You take this and write down anything that you can make out."Max shrugs, “OK.” Max sets to work, and with relatively little effort, manages to translate the scrawls. He even manages to take a good guess at a draconic phrase on one of the maps. [sblock=Max's Map Markups]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/RiocStangMarkedUp.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />     <img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/AleinheistMarkedUp.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock]"See?" He explains once more, "The first map says that the name of this place is Rioc Stang. I don't know what the name means, but that's how you pronounce it." He then turns to the second map pointing to a small peninusla jutting out from the inland island, "And this spot is called 'Rioc Stang's Well'" He looks up, "I'm not sure what that means, but there was a well inside this lighthouse, and my guess is that these two places are connected somehow."  Max jumps up from the maps and runs over to the ruins of the lighthouse as if he is hunting for something. After disappearing over a small pile of pavers, he calls back to the others, "I found the well!" a few moments pass, and his voice is heard again, although this time it sounds as if it is resounding from within a small cave, "Hey! Come here and look at this!" The others bound over the rubble, and lean over the edge of the well to get a better look. "There's a secret passage down here!" The others scramble down into the well and discover that a portion of the well wall, just above the waterline, was designed to push away and reveal a hidden passage. On the floor of the passage are some solid gold coins on the floor. The coins are the same as the one found by Phoenix as she was climbing out of the well earlier.[OOC]120 gold coins worth 10gp a piece.[/OOC]Further past the false-wall, the passage continues into the dark. Max is undaunted, and Riardon accommodates the wizard with the light of his sword. After what seems to be about a mile of walking, the air gets less salty, and adopts a more earthen smell. Watter seeps down the walls and roots protrude into the passage, some hanging in curtains so thick that it causes the group to pick their way more carefully. Soon, natural daylight is seen filtering down from what appears to be a hole in the roof of the passage. Upon reaching the location of the hole, they realize that it is the bottom of another well. Climbing out, the adventurers find themselves in the ruins of a small, towered outpost on a forested outcropping of rock that overlooks an enormous, placid lake. "If my guess is correct," Max announces, "We've reached the island of Aleinheist." Confirmation of Max's findings becomes clear when he finds Dwarven runes on the side of the well translated,  Well of Rioc StangThe ruins are more than a century old, and overgrown with scrub. The group finds nothing of value left, but with Riardon's maps, they are sure of their way. Using the sun as a guide, the band of six set off for Rioc parvel. The trek is long and hard, taking several days comprising many encounters with wild creatures, but they meet with no sign of the dragons. On the twelfth day of their journey through the forests of Aleinheist, they strike what appears to be an old road, cobbled and torn up where the jungle roots and undergrowth has turned over pavers.  The road winds through the jungle, disappearing in places only to reappear just before the group loses hope of finding it again. The terrain continues to press higher in eleveation, until the deciduous trees give way to pines, and the ferns yield to dry dirt and boulders.  Two days after finding the road, the party reaches a clearing blocked by a sheer cliff wall, rising some one hundred feet into the sky, the end of a small dale cut into the side of a mountain, the top of which cannot be seen. Here, the road ends abruptly at the cliff face in a small elevated platform, ornately carved, surprisingly smooth and level. Decorations ring the steps leading up to the platform, weathered with countless years of neglect. Vines cover the entire structure, and it is hard to tell how long this dais has gone unnoticed. At the cliff wall on the far end of the platform, vines hang down, in a thick curtain. While inspecting this area, Tikchik makes an interesting discovery, "Hey Max!" he calls back, "Can you give me a hand? Remember I'm short one." The wizard walks over to the thri-kreen's location and his jaw drops. The two of them quickly work to brush the vines aside. The two discover a niche cut into the rock wall with a Dwarven inscription above it. [sblock=Niche]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/RiddleDoor.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock]Max sets quickly to translating and has the answer in no time.[sblock=Translation]I am my master’s favorite pet, though I am one of many. I’m shiny from my head to tail, but body haven’t any. I cannot sin, believe or not. And know not right from wrong. Yet evil’s tree finds nourishment from tendrils I have spawned. Caging me is vanity as anyone can see. For me to bring you happiness, I must be set free. I am my master’s favorite pet. Who am I? Have you guessed? If you know, then place me here. Welcome, humble guest.[/sblock]"It's a riddle of some sort," Max muses, looking up from his translation, "So it wants you to find some sort of animal and put it in this niche?" The wizard scratches his head. [GM]OK. I'm back. Sorry for the long haitus. I've had a lot of things going on, and I had to develop the story to get from point A to point B. I hope this gloss-over isn't too boring.[/GM]</blockquote>

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