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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 3219228" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #369] The Key of Earth[/PLAIN]"Ah, now lookie there. We've got the rune key, ta be sure," Karak sighed, looking in awe at the stone in Morier's tightly clasped fists. "You know, I 'alf expected it to stick to Morier's head like fleece to a lamb. Heh!""Okay, Whitey," Huzair called, elbowing Morier. "What do we do with the keys now that we have one?""I'm not sure," the albino admitted, taking a hesitant step closer to the pattern of indentations in the center of the room. "I have a desire to place it in this depression here.""Hold up a minute," the mage suggested, grabbing Morier's arm. "If I cast identify, could I tell what it does?""I don't know, Huzair," Morier said again. "This is all new to me too." Karak harrumphed and stepped in front of the eldritch warrior."Now I do nae know who said it - maybe t'were the Great Oak - but I think the keys themselves be magical. I do believe the give us power over the elemental assigned to 'em. I say let us regroup 'ere in this chamber. It seems to me that we be safe in 'ere and when we are ready to go, we insert the key into the glowing spot there and we be let out.""Do you believe then that we cannot pass on to the next test until we've placed the key where it belongs?" Shamalin asked wearily. The place was beginning to take a toll on her spirit."Dunno," Karak shrugged. "But I'd like to do a bit o' checkin o' the thing 'fore we go stickin' somewhere it might nae come out of agi'n.""Morier, let Karak "play" with the key," Ayremac suggested and Huzair quickly interjected."Woah! This is some kind of artifact!" he protested. "I don't think it's wise to let the dwarf "play" with it; it's not a beer stein!." Karak glared at the wizard but Ayremac responded smoothly."I think these are instruments of good, so no harm will come to him," the holy warrior replied to Huzair before turning his attention once more to Morier. "When he is done, you can place the key in, is that acceptable?""I suppose," the eldritch warrior agreed, reluctantly offering the stone to Karak. As soon as it left his hands he missed its reassuring weight. The dwarf looked at the rune-carved rock with awe and Huzair snorted derisively."Fine!" he snapped, stalking away to the far side of the chamber. "I have some work to do before the dwarf makes us all blow up or something." He sat down and began pulling his many spellbooks out of his haversack.Karak fiddled with the key for what seemed like only a few moments to him but felt like an hour to those watching. He couldn't make it do anything, although as Morier had noted, holding the stone filled him with an urge to put it in the depression in the floor. At last he shook his head and relinquished it to the elf."I can nae make it do a thing," he scoffed. "Mayhaps we should have the wizard examine it with his magic." But Morier shook his pale head."Enough delaying," he said stepping up to the socket set into the floor. He knelt beside the earth rune and carefully lined up the key to the depression. It slid home perfectly, glowed briefly and then faded, leaving no trace of either key or socket. The floor beside the earth rune was seamless.Morier looked up at the others with the beginnings of fear touching his eyes."Did you lose it?" Huzair asked. He sounded perversely as if he hoped that Morier had. "No. Look," Shamalin urged, pointing at the central shaft sunk into the floor amidst the three remaining sockets. It glowed softly as if light were rising from some unguessable depth. Morier scrambled forward, looking down into the well and light bathed his features, making him squint painfully at first and then shield his eyes altogether as he thrust his arm into the shaft and drew a greatsword forth."A sword!?" Huzair spat, exasperated. "All this work and all we get is a stupid sword?""NOT JUST A SWORD, SOFT ONE!" a voice thundered from the dull gray weapon. "I AM STONEBLADE, SCION OF EARTH. MIGHTIEST OF THE ELEMENTAL BLADES! SPEAK ILL OF ME AGAIN AND YOU WILL NOT LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO REGRET IT!"</blockquote>

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