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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Broccli_Head" data-source="post: 909156" data-attributes="member: 105">The High Forest, Late Summer, 1378, Year of the CauldronAs Benito finished his tirade, the wind picked up and the fog swirled but did not blow away.  From the direction they were heading they heard the earth churning and coming closer. The wind and fog swirled even more and suddenly the remaining companions were lifted from their feet and buffeted by supernatural winds. "Air elementals!" shouted Benito futilely over the tearing and rending winds. Suddenly, he was airborne and moving faster. The elemetal stopped hurting him and was merely carrying him through and then above the fog. He was still made dizzy and could not concentrate enough for a spell, but at least he was not longer being ripped apart. He prayed to Ilmater to spare the suffering of his companions.  Ahead, through the waves of nausea, he saw an alien citadel with smooth, curving walls and apparently no doors at any level. In the center of the fortress, stood a tower, rounded and oval shaped, much like an egg. Towards this he was rushed. He closed his eyes ready to be smashed against the flying buttresses of those smooth, gibbous walls, but all he felt was a sudden chill and then he stopped moving. Benito opened his eyes and floated in a vast hall. The top and bottom were lost in darkness, yet a warm glow emanated from the cyclopean walls. More openings than he could count led from this grand "hall", but all this scenery was brushed aside by the tall, white-haired and pale man that floated towards him with two djinn in attendance. "You requested and audience, and now I am here. Do you still wish to kill me?"Benito, for one of the few times in his life, was left speechless.**Ivan sputtered as he lifted his face from the mud and reached all fours. He still had at least one of his scimitars and waved it in the air at the retreating air elementals. "That's right, you stinkin' bags of wind. Run or fly or do whatever you do because next time I will give you no opportunity to surrender."He rolled over and looked at the dimished but still cloying fog. Then, taking a deep breath he rose to his feet and looked around for his companions. He heard a low moan and cautiously advanced. Grim was sitting next to Kyros who was coughing up flem and moaning.He lives. Grim smiled.The halfling was also battered and bruised and was missing a tooth. "Benito?"Grim pointed towards the fog and sky. One of the elementals took him away."I could use some firewine to wash all this filth out!"Grim helped Kyros to a sitting position. "I guess the attacks were just figments of our imagination?"Grim rose and began walking. "Halfling, were are you going?"To find my best friend."Well hold on there. He's our friend, too."Ivan helped Kyros to his feet, and recovered his other scimitar. "So, Kyros, what happened?"Kyros gave him a smoldering gaze."I do not want to talk about it."Ivan shrugged his shoulders and fell in behind the Mithral Knight. Grim had already disappeared, but every now and then would call back to the other two steering them unerringly in the same direction. The fog seemed to clear as they continued forward...**Benito had finally found his voice, and was about to speak when the Mistmaster answered his first question."Your companions are fine. Your friend Kyros is not dead. He was merely stunned by his own inner fears."A fluted crystal floated towards the cleric of Ilmater and he saw the shadowy outline of Grim followed by Kyros and then Ivan."How do I know this isn't another trick?""You do not. But suffices to say that I could have destroyed you and your friends already. I have not.""Then why all the illusions?""I had to test your resolve. I do not like to be bothered by trivial matters.""The Gatekeeper's Crystal and our quest is no small matter.""You are correct. Power of such a world-changing magnitude is not. But such power should not be in the hands of the small-minded. It is best kept out of your hands.""So you won't help us? Remove the geas curse from my friends? Allow us to go to the ruins of Hellgate Keep?""No. The artifact is best left buried in the rubble and flung to the planes. It is too powerful for mere mortals.""But things are stirring beneath the ruins.""That is no concern of mine. Unless my enemies try and attack my gates, I will not interfere in the affairs of my neighbors, and you can see how futile an attempt it would be to attack me in my own domain.""But the gods demand...," Benito buried his face in his hands. "I would much rather be at home with my wife and child, but Ilmater has told me that the time is now. It is too much, Mistmaster, for one man to bear. Please take this burden from me then if you will not help."Something moved in the apathetic heart of the Mistmaster, as it had moved by the pleas of the Harpers who had emplored him to helpt to stop the denezins of Hellgate Keep years before. "Which gods?"Through tears Benito explained the task of Ilmater and how the Beastlord and the Spider Queen had inclinations to find or to have their minions find, the Gatekeeper's Crystal and use it for their own evil plans. "My companions aid me only because of their loyalty to me. They are not driven by a higher power."The Mistmaster appeared pensive and rubbed his chin. "Give me time, Benito Moltos. I will consult my god, Deneir. If he believes the cause is worthy, you will have your help. In the meantime, go and see your family."The Mistmaster pointed towards a portal that led to a shadowed passageway.  Then he disappeared. Benito looked at the two djinn who merely hovered impassively holding great scimitars. He looked towards the hall where the Mistmaster had pointed and floated in that direction. At the end of the hall, he came to another crystal scrying device and peered through. There he saw Johanna and Samantha alive and well an laughing.  And his tears of frustration became tears of joy</blockquote>

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