NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hairy Minotaur" data-source="post: 4165435" data-attributes="member: 11574">Divergent futuresThe journey north this time had been easy enough, no harassing dangers chased them and no blizzard slowed their progress. The party arrived in the Majestics only four days out from Highcastle and while the weather showed signs of the bleak winter ahead, the skies withheld their frozen treasure as the party penetrated the high central peaks of the mountains. The cutting slopes of the Majestics caused the wind speeds to accelerate to gale force in the valleys between the peaks, thusly the party attempted to remain on the sides on the peaks and not tread through the valleys. Xanthos transformed into an eagle and set out to locate the moving mountain, he spotted the mobile home after only a half hour of searching, easily picking it out against a backdrop of other mountains as it was the only peak moving. The druid began to dive in for a closer look when his mind reminded him of what his eyes bore him, a dozen young wyrmlings soared around the mountain and he broke off his examination and headed back to the party.The snow started falling heavily as the party trekked towards Thruvimhurax’s domain, it seemed as if the white dragon was toying with the party; once they got accustomed to the wind and snow buffeting them from one direction, it would shift and blow from another, a few times knocking over the drow as his body was inexperienced against this force of nature.“This totally sucks, what human god sat on his gilded throne and thought, hmm cold and windy? I like it!” Aust spat“Not any god I’d worship, it was probably some bored druid who was done stripping the bark off a dogwood tree to silence it.” Menthos answered“Your asinine comments are not warranted, if you’re going to spout out the first thing that pops into your head please do it in a language no one here speaks.” Xanthos replied“How human like winter wonderland?” Doopa asked of Dahlgrin“I’m fine, as I am not human.” Dahlgrin answered“Doopa not human also, Doopa is strongest ogre Doopa know.” Doopa boastsKourk walked in stupefaction, marveling at the size of the mountains surrounding them, “It is no wonder why my people live among such things of strength and beauty.” “Huh? Moron, you’re human, quit with the annoying dwarf acting, you’re bad at it and you look like you’ve never stepped foot in a mine let along the underdark, and take that ridiculous helmet off.” Aust mocks“What surely you jest darkling, I feel the sun’s rays constantly upon my brow.” Kourk answers“Great, our cleric’s caught the crazies, can you do anything to help him Xanthos?” Eeyore whispered to the shifter“Reincarnation, best to start over again; I believe he’s exhausted the mileage on that model.” Xanthos repliesThe party emerged from the final slope before the valley of Thurvimhurax came into view. Dark shapes sailed across the sky above their heads just high enough to be blurred by the heavy snow, but low enough to cause trepidation within the party.“The dragon’s offspring no doubt, probably deciding if we’re worth the trouble trying to eat outright.” Eeyore claimedIn the distance, rhythmic thundering could be heard and felt as the snow beneath them shook when the sound waves washed over the party. Pressing on, the party got closer and closer to the thundering as the skies slowed their assault on the party. Soon it became apparent what the sound was, as the Cunning Dragon’s abode strode into view. The mountain was no fixed structure, it walked on two legs possessed two arms and its peak was shaped as a humanoid’s head. The whole mountain was alive.Xanthos whistled in astonishment as Aust strained his eyes to look up into the blinding sky at the walking edifice. Menthos quickly retrieved his Kador symbol from within his robes as displayed it upon his ten foot pole.“What do you seek fire one?” a hissing voice spoke from within the storm“I seek Thurvimhurax the Cunning; I have payment for services to be rendered from Statinistor High Priest of Kador.” Menthos spoke“You may ascend.” A booming voiced echoed from aboveMenthos moved up to a stationary foot and began to spider climb up the icy mountain.“Chasten dragon! Fear keeps you from delivering us to your presence; I show my superiority by waiting here for your arrival at my feet!” Aust shoutsA solitary dragon dives in low and scoops up the assassin and carries him up the side of the mountain.“This is more like dragon; your hospitality shall not go unheralded.” Aust claimsThe dragon reaches the outstretched palm up hand of the mountain and deposits Aust there.“Hey! What manner of humor is this? Your joke is weak for I fail to laugh.” Aust complains, the mountain’s arm brings its hand within fifty feet of its cave like mouth opening and Aust feels a great inrush of air as if the mountain itself was taking in a deep breath, then a pause of silence and stillness.“Ah crap.” Aust mutters as the mountain blows a hurricane force wind out from its mouth, blowing Aust off its hand and sends him hurtling across the small valley on a collision course with an opposite peak.Xanthos quickly alights as a giant eagle and torpedoes up and grasps the flailing drow before he could be splattered across the landscape. Haimish joins Menthos in spider climbing up the mountain, Doopa however uses his bare hands to lift himself up the mountain. Kourk and Dahlgrin wait on the ground along with Xanthos and Aust. Eeyore shifts into aranea spider form and climbs alongside Doopa up the mountain.The four reach the cave mouth four hours after their ascent started, all of them out of breath and aching all over. The cave mouth had a breeze that seemed more like breathing than a natural occurrence as the wind would blow in from the outside and then pause only to reverse and blow out from within and then repeat. The journey to Thurvimhurax’s throne room was a quick one, The dragon surrounded itself with mounds of platinum and silver all buffed to a shiny brilliance that blinded those coming in.“You have wasted too much of my time, already the mountains grow thin of ox due to mortal meddling. I no longer wish to speak to you. Begone from my sight or face the wrath of my children.” The great white wrym statedThurvimhurax’s wyrmlings and half-breeds straightened their backs at the promise of easy food.“Great Wyrm of the Cold Hearth would the sacrifice of one or two of your children be worth more than the payment I bare to you?” Menthos askedHaimish kicked the back of Menthos’ leg, “what the hell are you doing? You don’t intimidate a great wrym.” Haimish whispered through clenched teeth.“You would dare to injure my sired?” The dragon moved its body so as to spread its wings across the cavern“I would dare to protect myself; I have to doubts as to the outcome of the fight, but which of your children die so that the others may feast?” Menthos’ words stirred amongst the dragon’s brood as each one took their eyes off their prey and focused instead on their brethren trying to ascertain which one of them would be the one to stab them in the back. “Little one you amuse me with your sowing of discord among my faithful, it appears I will be needing to thin the flock a little.” With those words the dragon recaptured the attention of his childrenMenthos shoved both hands in his pockets and he fingered a small warm opal in each one, waiting for the first move to blow the top off of this mountain.“Still I made a bargain; therefore I will let you have what I have sold. Leave the payment here, my children will escort you to the holding place where I keep the object out of reach. It is there for your taking along with its warning, go now before I grow too hungry to stand your sight any longer.” Thurvimhurax commandsMenthos, Haimish, Doopa and Eeyore are flown through a small cave at the back of the mountain’s left knee. They are told directions to the hiding place they seek and then left to their own devices. “I wonder why the dragon thinks this is a safe enough place for whatever object you’re retrieving if any of his children can just walk in here and take it, if my father feared something that much and I was a morally corrupt individual like a young white dragon that’s the first thing I would go after.” Haimish wondered aloudHis answer was no long in the coming as the first of dozens of desiccated and frozen white dragon corpses to litter the rest of the path were encountered.“If it kills like this, why would we want it too?” Eeyore asksThe corridor finally opens up into a small cave, placed upon a pedestal of ivory sits a black orb just smaller than a human’s head in size; it gives off a sickly green light that dimly illuminates the room.“Haimish, can you discern the writing on the wall behind the object?” Menthos asks pointing to an inscription Haimish casts a spell of understanding and the magic of the inscription leaps into the bard’s mind, there seemed to be two inscriptions one almost prophetic and the other a reply.How keen the unrevealed hunter’s eye prevails upon the landTo seek the unsuspecting and the weak;And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a handToward the foe the threatened from within.Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who saddened stand?Adrift upon a sea of futile speech?And to fall to fate and make the status quoBut no one there had heaven within their reach.Where was your word, where did you go?Where was your helping, where was your bow?Dull is the armour, cold is the day.Hard was the journey, dark was the way.I heard the word; I couldn’t stay.I couldn’t stand it another day.“What does it mean?” Eeyore said“I don’t know, there’s more writing on the orb itself though.” Haimish explainedTouched by the timely coming,Roused from the keeper’s sleep,Release the grip, fall from the keepHeld now with the knowing,Rest now within the peace.Take of the fruit, but guard the seed.“Maybe Xanadu know what it is?” Doopa offered“I think you should carry it Haimish.” Menthos surprised the gathered“Why me, it’s your reward.” Haimish dismissed“You’ll take care of it better than I can.” Menthos answered It seemed to Haimish that Menthos was withholding more than he was letting on, although this rare show of concern and responsibility enabled Haimish to brush aside those feelings and grasp the orb.A small frown appeared on the side of Menthos’ mouth, the erinyes’ words were starting to come true and he felt sorry for what he had offered the bard.</blockquote>

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