"Teleportation Magics?", he said looking panicked once again,"No I never had reason to explore. We in the Order of Transposition take our duties as guardians very seriously. I have all my body needs right here in this room. My job is to keep the evil on the other side of this
portal from seeping into this world. Thus far I've been successful, though I don't know how successful I've been of late with claims of "teleportation Magics" and Black Dragons invading this house."

The guardian looks fatigued by the questioning, though he seems interested in continuing the conversation and passing on what he feels is valuable information to you.

(OOC: Spot DC 18 to see the Guardian slightly fade out
and back in quickly and seem weakened by the
effect. This is for all characters present in the
room. those looking over shoulders or have impeded
line of sight the DC is 25.)

Xavier was only half paying attention as he usually did. His mind was acting up for his bloodlust again, and with his acquaintances still not aware of his split ancestry, he thought it best not to just crack a flask right there. He probably should move a bit in secret... however there was not much secret to be had in this room.

"Hmm... Apples... Really red y'know? I don't like the green ones... they're not red enough... And blood oranges... So tasty..." Xavier mutters to himself. He didn't know what it was, but whenever he suffered from blood deprivation, his mind always turned toward fruit... Something that had happened since his childhood. His sister had always seemed to talk about dragons whenever she was deprived. But his ramblings were of fruit.

Trying to snap back, he coughs, and says in a louder voice, "I'm uh... gonna take some close looks at this room... see if there's anything here... Something we missed. The first time, you know? When we just, rushed through?"

Xavier moved towards a corner his back to the party. When he head Selummiel introducing him, he turned and said "Hi!" paying no attention to who she was talking to... He instead reached into the folds of his cloak and pulled out a flask that he had bought at the butcher shop before they left... a lovely flask full of blood. Un corking it carefully, he gulps it down. The bitter taste wasn't as appealing as a human's, but it was enough... And it was all he was having for a while.

Turning back to the group, he walks up to them and says, "Okay, nothing too major that I can see. So what's up?"

That's when he felt a dribble on his chin. Putting his fingers up to it, then pulling them back down, he saw a red liquid on his hands. There was blood on his chin. And nowhere to hide it.

looks at her brother. what is that on your chin. it looks like blood.

"Xavier," Chiron said without looking away from the Guardian, "If you're so hungry why not rummage through that pack of yours and find something to chew on?"

A moment later her heard Camille behind him asking if that was blood on someone's chin. The image of Xavier biting through his own lip out of hunger flashed across the paladin's mind and dropped his head into his hand, rubbing his eyes.

When Chiron looked back up, the old elf appeared quite haggard, the mere act of carrying on a lengthy conversation seemed to drain him thoroughly. The paladin feared how quickly the elf might fade if he were to carry on a conversation with the flighty Xavier.

"Sir, if you have never explored your surroundings here, what do you know of the other side of the portal you have been tasked with defending? You say it is a way out. A way out to where?"



((Spot Failed))

"A domain of evil it is! The house and I are linked. My time is short. The magics of this house are weakening and becoming unstable. Once gone am I so will also the house be. You MUST enter the portal if you are to have any hope to survive. If it makes the transition any easier, I bequeath what worldly possessions I have before I leave this world. I should have just enough power left for one more spell."

Before anyone can say anything else, he reveals a chest from invisibility, and it hovers over to the rocker and sets down beside him and opens up.

After the feat of magic the elf guarian used, his being starts to slowly become incorporeal.

As if talking from another dimension, his body just ghostly visible, "In you must go! Take the contents of my chest. It will be useful in the destruction of evil. One thing you must do, you must destroy any portals you find in the next world."

Guardian closes his eyes for his final rest and very slowly fades from existance. His fading appears to have left something of benefit behind. A rush of knowledge, health, and power overcomes you all!

(OOC- chest contents:Weapons: Dagger; Crossbow, light, Masterwork; Quarterstaff.

Magic: Wondrous: Amulet of natural armor (+2); Ring: Protection +2; Wondrous: Gloves of Dexterity (+2); Wondrous: Bracers of armor (+6)

Potion: Cure Serious Wounds (5);

The "something of benefit" is that the Guardian passed on his energy to all of you. All players present should Level up 2 levels)

"Now this place really doesn't make sense," Tenacity said to Chiron as she lifted from the chest the first thing her eyes fell on, a glittering amulet. "I saw him flicker, but couldn't work out why not just destroy this portal if he and his order wanted to prevent evil's passage through it. Do you suppose we can stop whatever's on the other side and make it safe to come back?"

She dashed through the door to grab Diligence's reins and urge her toward the portal. If the house was really collapsing, there was no way she would leave her companion behind.

"I would prefer a certain amount of foreknowledge, but it seems we have no choice. Take the gifts he bestowed and follow me shortly. If there is anything hostile, its attention will be on me first," she said. With a last look at everyone's eyes to make sure they understood, she stepped through the portal sword-first, her horse's reins in her shield hand.

Seluumiel bowed her head as the old Guardian faded away. She had so many questions and they would all go unasked. That feeling of loss and emptiness was soon replaced by a warm, vital force that flowed through her whole being. In that moment the priestess knew she would do as the Guardian had asked.

Turning to face her companions she saw Tenacity bringing her horse to the portal and nodded in agreement with the woman's words. It was time for them to go.

As the knight stepped through the portal so did Seluumiel step forward. She stood at the gateway in silence before looking back to the others. Just as she was about turn and walk through the portal her gaze fell on Xavier. At the sight of the blood dripping from his chin the moon elf narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. It was most definitely time for them to go.

"Xavier," Seluumiel began, "I do not know what is causing you to bleed but it is a sure sign that we need to leave now. I can offer you healing once we are on the other side, but for now we must go."

The moon elf turned to step through the portal then paused to shoot a final glance behind her, "I trust one of you men will carry the chest through."

With that Seluumiel stepped through the portal with spells already at her fingertips.

The guardian fades away after his final instructions, "In you must go! Take the contents of my chest. It will be useful in the destruction of evil. One thing you must do, you must destroy any portals you find in the next world." The rest of the house, tied to the Guardian, begins to fade as well.

Tenacity takes the first steps through the portal, followed faithfully by Diligence. Seluumiel was next, turning to step through the portal, pausing only to throw a final glance behind her, "I trust one of you men will carry the chest through."

"Yeah," Chiron responded to... nothing, as the moon elf had already passed through the portal and vanished. "Maybe the old elf bothered to leave instructions in here on just how we're supposed to destroy the portals on the other side." The paladin complained as he hoisted the chest and lumbered toward the fading portal. "We should really be moving now, Xavier. Maybe you can find some fruit on the other side. Don't forget to bring your sister, it would be a shame if she were to be trapped in this room for eternity."

Even as the words left his lips, Chiron knew he was being too harsh. The siblings were eccentric, no doubt, but they hadn't done anything to deserve being the target of the paladin's frustrations. "Forgive me. There is much about this whole situation I do not like and I shouldn't take it out on you. But we really should be going now."

With that, Chiron stepped through the portal to meet his destiny.

Camille walks through the portal next to her brother.. she smiles as she sees everyone.. "i'm glad to see that you are all here" she says with a sweet smile on her face

The sweet reunion of familiar faces was short lived, for the imposing shadow of a volcano loomed over them. The ground began to rumble under their feet. The smoke from the mouth of the volcano stopped for what seemed like an eternity then...............BOOM!!!!

After a thunderous sound as if the new world were to crumble, they see the forceful, white hot flow of lava come down the mountainside, and is about to cover the portal that is set into the mountain they just came through!


(DM: check the Q&A thread for the game to see the inits. The party must outrun the lava)

The sudden great cacophony pulled Seluumiel to attention. The moon elf snapped her head in the direction of the explosion to see the mountain peak erupt. Rivers of molten rock began to rush down the mountain side, speeding towards them.

With widened eyes she turned to her companions, "We must go now! I have no magics that can stop the volcanic onrush, I can only offer healing once we are beyond the volcano's reach. Run!"

Seluumiel spoke no more. Turning away from the portal the elf began to maker her way down the mountain moving at a swift run. All the while she offered prayers to Sehanine hoping the Seldarine would see she and her companions safely through this trial.

Hearing Seluumiel's admittance that there was nothing she could do about the oncoming lava, which was strange enough in itself, Tenacity sheathed her sword and hoisted the elf onto Diligence's back.

"If you don't know how to ride, just hang on and let her do the work," she said, wondering if Diligence would be able to carry maybe Xavier and Camille or Camille and the chest. No, Xavier must be fleet-of-foot enough, certainly. If Chiron's magic act of summoning his own steed would be fast enough, she had no idea.

"Camille, come here and get on! Chiron, give them the box and I'll set her off." She waited until it was all done before slapping the horse on the rear to start her running downhill and then took off after, making sure neither of the men fell behind, either.

Xavier, after emerging from the world felt energized. That sip of blood was delicious, and at the moment, nobody thought that he had drank the blood, simply that he bit his lip hard, and that it was bleeding. The blood did have a bit of an old, stuffy taste, but that was acceptable. It livened Xavier up so much, he just couldn't resist doing a bit of a tumble and a backflip right as he got out of the portal.

(OoC: Tumble 26)

Landing on his feet and smiling, Xavier looks around him, taking everything in when the ground started to shake. His mirth immediately transforming to panic, Xavier decided to forgo the words and run. Lava wasn't really his thing... He was much more of a cold kinda guy.

Running off looking awkward, but quite efficiently, Xavier ran down the hill, looking for something to hide under while the lava flowed, granting him sanctuary from the flowing lava.

Xavier acted first. Seeing his possible demise flowing quickly towards him, he took off like a shot, looking all the way for a place to hide or avoid the hot deluge.

Meanwhile, Tenacity concerned herself with saving all she could loading up her horse with two others, Seluumiel and Camille, figuring the two men could handle themselves.

(DM says: By which way, conveniently the two passengers now share Tenacity's movement intitiative)

On the run, Xavier spies up ahead a canyon, and most conveniently a rope and wood bridge about another hundred yards away.

The world exploded. The mountain shook violently as it expelled ash and smoke into the sky and sent molten rock pouring down at the newly arrived group.

"Oh... Gods..." Chiron stood for just a moment, mouth agape, as he stared up the mountainside at the wanton destruction playing out before him. A call from Tenacity pulled him from his trance.

"Chiron, give them the box and I'll set her off!" instructed the knight as she helped Camille onto the horse's back.

"Right." The paladin shook his head to clear his mind and dashed over to the two riders, hoisting the box up to them. "Each use a hand to steady the box and one to hold on yourselves. Do not let yourselves fall! We might need the contents but I'd rather lose it than either of you." Once it looked like they had a hold of the chest he helped Tenacity in setting the horse to running, then followed it down the mountain with all haste.