"I want those creatures," Wembley commanded, indicating the rest of the party, "to be released and left unhindered. They are our guests. Make sure no harm comes to them."

The gigantic beholder moves away from the throne and floats towards the party, “VERY WELL. YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED MERCY BY LORD PUTNAM THE GREAT. OBEY ALL HIS COMMANDS AND WHIMS OR ELSE WE SHALL RETURN TO EAT YOUR FLESH AND DRAG YOU SOUL DOWN INTO HELL!!!!”
The beholders all vanish again in puffs of smoke and the lighting in the room returns to normal. You are left alone with the silver pole still up before the stairs.

"Oh that's just not fair!" Dudley pouted as Wembley commanded the beholder and it listened!
“VERY WELL. YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED MERCY BY LORD PUTNAM THE GREAT. OBEY ALL HIS COMMANDS AND WHIMS OR ELSE WE SHALL RETURN TO EAT YOUR FLESH AND DRAG YOU SOUL DOWN INTO HELL!!!!”
"I'm the cleric, I should do the saving." With that Dudley reached over Wembley to press his Red Button.

"No it's mine." Wembley blurted and swatted Dudley's hand away.

The Cidal Cleric then doubled his attempts..and the Rogue batted his fingers.

Then there on the throne there was a flurry of little arms and hands, reach..swat..reach ..swat. reach reach bat..bat..push..shove..."Mine"..."No My Turn".."No"..."Yes"...reach..swat.


The Cidals tusseled in the great throne pushing, shoving as the party now realized they needed to get those two off of there before something actually appeared and attacked them.

Crow as normal in the rear of the party took in the throne and the area around it and had a strange image of long haired humans holding weird stringy objects jumping all over it. Another human banged on barrel shaped drums behind them all under crazy flashing lights. This image for whatever reason flashed across his mind then was gone.

"BOW DOWN!!!! BOW DOWN IN THE PRESENCE OF LORD PUTNAM THE GREAT OR ELSE DIE A BURNING DEATH!"

It was here that the Elf Ranger finally noticed that the two Cidals had seated themselves upon the throne and were pushing buttons. As he focused on the voice he saw to his disbelieve a cluster of Beholders had appeared. Quickly drawing his swords he slowly begin to back towards the west portal behind him hoping to go unnoticed and hopefully escape.

"GROVEL INSECT BEFORE THE MIGHTY PUTNUM THE GREAT! OR YOUR DOOM IS ASSURED!"

"Oh hoho! Guys, isn't this great!" the cidal rogue Wembley squealed.

"NOW YOU WILL DIE IN PAIN AND SUFFERING!

Crow with a quick glance behind him found himself at the portals entrance, escape at hand. However it finally registered that none of the rest of the party had moved to escape all watching the two smallest party members playing 'push the button' on the throne. With that he paused seeing the Beholders seemed to be taking no interest in him.

"PUTNAM IS MERCIFUL, IF YOU SUBMIT TO HIS WILL!"

"I want those creatures," Wembley commanded, indicating Crow and the rest of the party, "to be released and left unhindered. They are our guests. Make sure no harm comes to them."

The gigantic beholder moves away from the throne and floats towards the party, “VERY WELL. YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED MERCY BY LORD PUTNAM THE GREAT. OBEY ALL HIS COMMANDS AND WHIMS OR ELSE WE SHALL RETURN TO EAT YOUR FLESH AND DRAG YOU SOUL DOWN INTO HELL!!!!”

The beholders all vanish again in puffs of smoke and the lighting in the room returns to normal. Crow not looking a gift in the mouth quickly moved, almost at a run, towards the throne and the two Cidals.

“Off that throne right now you two before you create more trouble and bring those creatures back”

Reaching towards them he ‘helped’ them off the throne and back onto the floor in front of it. Turning to the others he decided now was a good time to push them a little.

“Wembley check this room quickly for anything we can use. Malrinn, Dudley, Gamard guard the portal behind the throne we‘ll leave that way. Alôndas up here with me to help cover the room with your magic and my bow as the rogue does his thing.”................

“Off that throne right now you two before you create more trouble and bring those creatures back.” Crow bellowed out across the room.

"What!!," Dudley sputtered. "It was his Red Button that brought 'um. Mine gave you fair warning, see I'll show you." Dudley reached over to hit Wembley's Red button and once again got his hand slapped.

"Ok, I guess that's enough." The small cleric hopped down off the great throne and trundled toward the ranger. "Where to now?'

Life with Cidal could be called many things but boring was not one of them. A flurry of fingers met a bank of buttons and things got interesting rather quickly. It was the arrival of beholders that seems to break Crow's patience and he called for the two to step down. Amazingly they actually did. Alondas heard Crow call him to help watch and he made his way to the platform.

Crow attempts to get the Cidals off the throne as they slap the buttons and each other. The skulls go up and down bursting into flames and calling out their warning. The pole goes up and down and the beholders return to fly around while the giant one says the exact same lines over again.

They are just illusions. No real threat to anyone in the room except ivan who freaks out every time they appear. “that is just uncool man! Stop it!”

“Wembley check this room quickly for anything we can use. Malrinn, Dudley, Gamard guard the portal behind the throne we‘ll leave that way. Alôndas up here with me to help cover the room with your magic and my bow as the rogue does his thing.” Crow says curtly, fed up with Wizard tricks and shadowy rooms.

The rogue finds nothing in the room except the obvious. No secret doors or traps reveal themselves.

The party gathers itself and goes through the portal behind the throne. They pass through hthe darkness to find themselves ...

In the same room that you first entered upon the island. You enter through the north doorway to the dark green room. On the walls are gold fabric wall hangings and paintings of wilderness landscapes. A watermelon shaped metal object is moving back and forth across the floor in a regular pattern. It has two stubby legs and feet but no head or arms. Against one wall is a simple oak table next to a large corner cabinet of dull metal. On the oak table is what appears to be a wooden cage (for a small animal perhaps?) smashed to pieces. In the other corner is a wooden closet door. A mirror on the opposite wall has a very heavy filigreed frame of unfamiliar metals. Two comfortable sofas and two chairs are arranged in front of a fireplace which glows with a fire and gives off a lovely warmth.

Alôndas looked upon the room, the same room they started from. "Looks like we have come full circle." He wondered if the portals always led to the same locations and if they reset after being visited. "Well, what now? Do we try again?"

Finally realizing that the Beholders and all the rest were nothing but illusions had a two fold effect on the Syl Ranger. First embarrassment at having been so duped, second anger for the same reason. Not one very good at hiding such emotion as anger Crow did not try just allowing it for as the party made ready to move out. With Wembly finding nothing of worth or use to the party, with Mal in front and Crow right behind him. The six moved through yet another portal only to find themselves in the same room as first entered within this island labyrinth.

Once more the walls were of gold fabric with wall hangings and paintings of wilderness landscapes. A watermelon shaped metal object is moving back and forth across the floor in a regular pattern. It has two stubby legs and feet but no head or arms. Against one wall is a simple oak table next to a large corner cabinet of dull metal. On the oak table is what appears to be a wooden cage (for a small animal perhaps?) smashed to pieces. In the other corner is a wooden closet door. A mirror on the opposite wall has a very heavy filigreed frame of unfamiliar metals. Two comfortable sofas and two chairs are arranged in front of a fireplace which glows with a fire and gives off a lovely warmth.
As Crow stood quietly in the room’s center, for a moment he felt more wore out then angry. Was there no end to this maddening maze!
"Looks like we have come full circle” Alôndas stated looking upon the room. “"Well, what now? Do we try again?"

A deep breath and Crow was Crow once more.

“Yes, we have no choice, the only question this time is the same one as has faced us our entire time here, which portal do we choose this time. Suggestions?”

"I wonder if the portals always lead to the same location or if they are random. Perhaps we should try retracing our steps? That might shed some light on how they function and if all the rooms reset once we leave."

Wembley nodded at the syl mage's suggestion. "I was thinking the same thing, Alan! Guess wizard's minds do think a like."

The cidal "led" the party around the bend and made his way to the southern portal. "Hopefully this takes us back to the wine cellar. Can you imagine if these portal just send you to any other portal at random? We've only seen six spaces so far and... twenty-four portals."

The little rogue paused, his faced scrunched up, as if he was doing some real serious thinking. "Hey... has anyone else noticed that each of the spaces we get sent to each had four portals? That's interesting... hmmm."

Wembley gets ready to step through the southern portal, lost his thoughts about the rooms and portals.

OOC: I'm fine with taking a different course of action. Someone will just have to call Wembley's name and tell him which portal we are taking.

“Wembley please hold a moment and be not so hasty to access yet another portal. Perhaps it would be better for us to discuss what we have learned so far. In that time cast what healing is needed, and restore, again if it is needed, you and the others category of readied spells” Crow suggested as the Cidal Thief/Mage made ready to move through a new portal. Though not believing they needed such a rest it was always better to ask then assume. Crow had to admit though he had no time for mages, what good is a spell-caster without spells, in this twisted maze they could be the answer to getting out.

(Can't remember if we have already did this since we entered so thought I'd put it out there)

Wembley looks at the cabinet and sees the liquor they had "borrowed" before was indeed still missing and there were still skeletons in the closet. There was no sign of the dead undead mice but the walking silver housecleaner probably took care of that.

Malinn blinked a few times, 'One room is starting to look like the next,' he whispered as all his senses came back to him. He looked up at the stone ceiling, 'Maps without stars.' He smiled, 'It is good to have folk who can map under such a sky. His had gripped tightly around the hilt of his sword, that last trip seemed to change him a bit inside. Mal was not sure if a bit of him was left behind or a bit more of him showed up.

"So it has been suggested we attempt to retrace our steps. If that is the case are all willing to once again continue through the Southern portal?".

Crow's comments had made Dudley feel a bit less than regal. The Cid crawled off the throne and joined the party as they decided to move on. The cat had said how he'd taken the portal behind the throne and ended back in the wine cellar, so they were a little surprised to step out into the first room they visited.

"Well this is lucky that we are someplace we know, too bad we don't need a cleaning." The started to follow the little silver pod around the room.

He heard the converstion lean toward going back through the same portal they had used,"Oh, so we'll start this ride all over again." The cleric stopped his amazement with the cleaning michine and again followed the party.