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<blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 1656481" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #276] The Second Test[/PLAIN]&quot;Is that the tree outside?&quot; Ledare asked. &quot;The one behind the hedge?&quot;&quot;Yes,&quot; answered the water-woman on the right.&quot;Is the tree being held prisoner within these walls?&quot; Feln asked, hopeful that he had sussed out the mystery of the ruins.&quot;No,&quot; replied the water-woman on the left, dashing the half-orc's hopes and Feln snarled in disappointment.&quot;He waits while the Wheel turns ever onward,&quot; the women added in unison.&quot;Um?&quot; Vade called out, peeking out from behind Ledare's leg. He waved at the watery figures and smiled uneasily. &quot;What's the second test?&quot;&quot;A great evil has reawakened within the forest,&quot; said the first woman as she turned her liquid eyes onto the halfling.&quot;An evil that has not been seen upon the face of Orune for millenia,&quot; the second put in.&quot;It troubles the Great Oak and he would see you destroy it,&quot; they told the group.&quot;Aye!&quot; Karak grinned, thumping his hand appreciatively on his axe blade. &quot;Destroyin' evil be a test I can pass!&quot;&quot;Just a moment,&quot; Morier interjected. &quot;Where is this evil?&quot;The water-women pointed in a synchronized fashion, but only the woman on the right spoke. &quot;Amongst the goblins, a half-day's march to the northwest,&quot; she said. Morier, Feln and Ledare all made mental notes of the direction that must have been true north on the compass although they all knew that with the trees moving the way they had been it would still be all too easy to get lost.&quot;Can you guide us there?&quot; Morier asked.&quot;The way will be made clear,&quot; replied the water-woman on the left.&quot;What can you tell us about this evil?&quot; Ledare asked.&quot;It is a blight upon the natural order,&quot; they said together. &quot;An ancient evil thought long-vanquished.&quot;&quot;The Wheel turns ever onward,&quot; added the water-woman on the right.&quot;Uh-huh,&quot; Feln grunted, rolling his eyes. &quot;Can you tell us anything that might help us defeat this evil?&quot;&quot;Or give us anything?&quot; Vade quickly added.&quot;No,&quot; said the water-woman on the left.&quot;You have with you all the means that you require to pass this test,&quot; the two figures said as one and Karak harrumphed.&quot;Enough o' this tongue-waggin',&quot; the dwarf grunted anxiously. &quot;Let's be off!&quot;&quot;Wouldn't it make more sense to rest now and set out for the goblins at midnight?&quot; Morier asked. &quot;They said that it was half-a-day's march to get there and that way we would arrive at dawn...&quot;&quot;When them night-lovin'&nbsp; gobbos be beddin' down for the day,&quot; Karak finished and grinned. &quot;I like how ye think, elf!&quot;&quot;Is there any problem with us resting here before we deal with this evil?&quot; Ixin asked and the two water-women shook their heads and began to dissolve back into their pools.&quot;Respect the shrines,&quot; the woman on the right said.&quot;Respect the forest,&quot; the woman on the left added.&quot;Return here when your test is complete,&quot; they finished together and sank into the pools with a loud double PLOOP!While Morier, Karak and Ixin discussed watch rotations scheduled to ensure that the sorcerer's spells were at full capacity, Vade drew Ledare and Feln aside. &quot;I find it really hard not to sneak a little gem or two,&quot; he whispered earnestly. &quot;Help me. I don't want to ruin it all.&quot; The Janissary smiled down at him and Feln gave his slim shoulder a rough pat.&quot;Don't worry, Vade,&quot; Ledare told the halfling softly. &quot;We'll keep a keen eye on your hands.&quot;&quot;A keener eye than usual, she means,&quot; Feln said with a wink.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Jon Potter, post: 1656481, member: 2323"] [b][PLAIN][Realms #276] The Second Test[/PLAIN][/b] "Is that the tree outside?" Ledare asked. "The one behind the hedge?" "Yes," answered the water-woman on the right. "Is the tree being held prisoner within these walls?" Feln asked, hopeful that he had sussed out the mystery of the ruins. "No," replied the water-woman on the left, dashing the half-orc's hopes and Feln snarled in disappointment. "He waits while the Wheel turns ever onward," the women added in unison. "Um?" Vade called out, peeking out from behind Ledare's leg. He waved at the watery figures and smiled uneasily. "What's the second test?" "A great evil has reawakened within the forest," said the first woman as she turned her liquid eyes onto the halfling. "An evil that has not been seen upon the face of Orune for millenia," the second put in. "It troubles the Great Oak and he would see you destroy it," they told the group. "Aye!" Karak grinned, thumping his hand appreciatively on his axe blade. "Destroyin' evil be a test I can pass!" "Just a moment," Morier interjected. "Where is this evil?" The water-women pointed in a synchronized fashion, but only the woman on the right spoke. "Amongst the goblins, a half-day's march to the northwest," she said. Morier, Feln and Ledare all made mental notes of the direction that must have been true north on the compass although they all knew that with the trees moving the way they had been it would still be all too easy to get lost. "Can you guide us there?" Morier asked. "The way will be made clear," replied the water-woman on the left. "What can you tell us about this evil?" Ledare asked. "It is a blight upon the natural order," they said together. "An ancient evil thought long-vanquished." "The Wheel turns ever onward," added the water-woman on the right. "Uh-huh," Feln grunted, rolling his eyes. "Can you tell us anything that might help us defeat this evil?" "Or give us anything?" Vade quickly added. "No," said the water-woman on the left. "You have with you all the means that you require to pass this test," the two figures said as one and Karak harrumphed. "Enough o' this tongue-waggin'," the dwarf grunted anxiously. "Let's be off!" "Wouldn't it make more sense to rest now and set out for the goblins at midnight?" Morier asked. "They said that it was half-a-day's march to get there and that way we would arrive at dawn..." "When them night-lovin' gobbos be beddin' down for the day," Karak finished and grinned. "I like how ye think, elf!" "Is there any problem with us resting here before we deal with this evil?" Ixin asked and the two water-women shook their heads and began to dissolve back into their pools. "Respect the shrines," the woman on the right said. "Respect the forest," the woman on the left added. "Return here when your test is complete," they finished together and sank into the pools with a loud double [b][i]PLOOP[/i][/b][i][/i]! While Morier, Karak and Ixin discussed watch rotations scheduled to ensure that the sorcerer's spells were at full capacity, Vade drew Ledare and Feln aside. "I find it really hard not to sneak a little gem or two," he whispered earnestly. "Help me. I don't want to ruin it all." The Janissary smiled down at him and Feln gave his slim shoulder a rough pat. "Don't worry, Vade," Ledare told the halfling softly. "We'll keep a keen eye on your hands." "A keener eye than usual, she means," Feln said with a wink. [/QUOTE]

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