As Allustan's house guests get to know one another, another elf enters the room. Elves outnumbering humans in this part .. and a dwarf and half-orc to boot. Even this human seemed special for some reason unknown to even the elven eyes. Allustan entered the room as the newest arrival just made her introduction. Ah .. please come with me. I see Purple Prose has received my proposal. You must be Trialliane. This way He escorted the motley crew down a hall to a room that appeared more a board room than anything else. A mirror on the southern wall seemed to offer no reflection. Allustan ushered each guest into the room and the soft and decorative chairs around the dominant table in the center of the room were filled one by one.
I'm sure you are anxious to find out the reason for my summoning you. Some of you were hand selected while others have fallen into this fate. I understand if you are reluctant to assist me .. for this mission may hold some amount of danger. But I have confidence that each of you holds some small part of a puzzle that just might save the entire realm from a horrible danger He paused .. looking around the room into the eyes of each individual observing their reactions. Then he continued A great evil is building force in magical ways beyond even my scope. The first signs of a weapon against this evil are shown to me in an ancient tomb of mighty power. I was uncertain what this tomb might be until word of the recent adventurers in town came to my ears and I heard their plans for the Whispering Cairn. I believe this Carin might hold the key for a weapon that could be used against this evil. Allustan waves his hand and the mirror on the wall begins to depict a scene. A battle of wind warriors against a raging chaotic army. The rod of law thrust into Miska and shattered into pieces. As you heard Auric explain at the Feral Dog, the Rod of Law is a potent artifact. Although its pieces were scattered throughout the land, the Whispering Carin may hold one of these pieces. Even one piece is a very powerful item. I cannot, however let it fall in the hands of this adventuring trio. They are no doubt an unscrupulous bunch and I would fear to venture they might sell such a rod to the highest bidder. I cannot let this happen. So He looks around the room once more. Your task .. if you accept it .. will be to go to the Cairn, beat these other adventurers to the prize and return it safely. This is no easy task but I think you are the right ones for the job. What do you say?

As Brahm joined the others following their host Allustan to, and then into, the meeting chamber, he wondered what he had gotten himself into in the name of Pelor. The words of one of his brother-priests came to him:

"There can be no meaningful gain without some amount of risk."
He already felt a sense of being better than some dwarves he knew that would simply not have volunteered just because of the sheer number of elven personages in this group. Brahm did not feel threatened. In fact, he felt well-associated with most of this group. To be honest, there were some whose professions were a mystery to him, if he had to guess by mode of dress or equipment, but the assurance that each seemed to have in themselves and their worth, was reassuring to him, also.

As he listened to Allustan tell of the knowledge he had gained recently, he knew with even greater certainty that he had been guided here by the will of Pelor, in His Wisdom.

"Your task .. if you accept it .. will be to go to the Cairn, beat these other adventurers to the prize and return it safely. This is no easy task but I think you are the right ones for the job. What do you say?
After pausing only briefly, Brahm stood. "Some of you may be here because of fate, and some because they were summoned. I believe that I was sent by Pelor, and that his reason for guiding me here is that of which our host, Allustan, speaks. That blowhard of a storyteller seemed to fear competition and the sharing of glory, and yet he has unwittingly brought forward just that.in this company!"

He turns to Allustan, and speaks slowly and clearly: "Here stands one person who says yes, include me."

As Allusan explained his reason for summoning him there Lar'd Ner couldn't help but be dismayed.
"I know of these three, it was the big one who broke my nose just before I came here. I demanded to see a map of where the cairn with the intent of stopping them from entering and essentially grave robbing. I will have little part in this as far as removing the package is concerned." Stopping to take breath and for effect to see what reaction Allusan made but soon continued
"But it will be my honour to escort your other chosen ones into and out of the cairn if that is what you would have me do. I pledged my allegiance to Captain Trask and Captain Trask has given me order to follow your bidding so I will oblige."

Grakk waited for a while then shrugged his shoulders and grinned at Brahm. After a while two others entered their new "benefactor's" house. One asked if anyone knew why they were all here. Grakk just looked at him and shrugged again, lifting his hands from his sides slightly and then dropping them again. There seemed to be more not-humans than humans, and the not-humans, including Grakk himself, were an awfully strange lot. Not long after the last person entered, their host himself, one Allustan, came in and introduced himself, then asked the people gathered to follow him to a larger room, all set up for meetings like this, it seemed to Grakk. Allustan spoke of the artifact the "history guy" mentioned. And said he wanted them to beat the others to it and bring it back. One of the late-comers said somethin' about he'd go and help defend, but would not get involved other wise. To this, Grakk shoved up his bottom lip and raised one eyebrow, unable to understand why the man wouldn't go for it all. But defense was good. And the guy didn't look like the type to back off because he was afraid of somethin'. So maybe he had some religious thing that kept him from doing what Brahm's religion said was okay.

But they were being hired to beat the other three. That was all Grakk needed to hear, but still he waited for a good piece of five minutes after Brahm announced that he was in before he stood up himself. "Gods? Not likely. Fate or Fates? Don't necessariy believe in them either. It's just a coinsidd-, co-inkydin--, I just happened to be here when all of this happened. I like a challenge. This looks and feels like a challenge. I'll take the challenge."

Hunderel stood quietly as they moved into the next room, and listened as he made his speech on what their objective was. He just nodded and silently accepted the mission. He didn't feel the need to explain himself was necessary, but he did feel the need to make the mental observation about the racial balances within the party. Was it on purpose that it ended up like this? Does he trust elves more than anyone, especially humans? And one other question popped into his head. Does this put him in danger of being taken out because of the minority factor? Even though he thought all of these things, he still would take the job. Something new had to be done instead of that stinking dock work. Besides, he really didn't like that guy in the thigh huggers.

Aldaris moved into the 'board room' Jeeve's in tow, and both sat down and intently listened to Allustan's assessment of the situation along with a mission briefing. Brahm, Grakk,Lar'd Ner, and another whose name was unknown had all agreed to undergo the task at hand to one extent or another with minimal prodding. "It would seem we have a very driven coterie gathered here. Though our strings of motivation may be different, may we come together in harmony to reach a similar goal."

Aldaris took the time to look at each member's expressions as he gazed around the room. "You have brought me here and I have trained for this for many weeks now. Let us put my studies, and your tutlage to the test shall we?"

Jeeve's of course simply removed his head from his shoulders with a twist and a sickening 'pop' and placed it on the table. He was in.

Aldaris meanwhile was in mental communication with Allustan via the telepathic bond. ~Will you now inform me of this 'great evil'? I know you had intended to portend more facts before saying anything, but this meeting speaks of motions underway and surely you have knowledge of possible players whose pieces now set the dragonchess board of life. (pm mental reply if it contains anything important)

Trillian sat back. This could be a big shance for her to branch out a bit. SHe had been studying with the Purple Prose for a years now and finally reach her maturity or so it said in the books she was about to get about elves. SHe had a yen to know more about her people and so few resided or even passed through Diamond Lake.

Grave robbing though. she had to think about that for a bit. Triallian conclusion finally was why not the dead had no use for material things. If the dead did those things wouldn't be in the graves still.

After everyone else has their say. Trillian adds her decision to the rest, "I'll go with them for a fair share of the rewards and whatever else we find.

Good. It sounds like you are all interested. He places a bag on the table. It appears to be a common cloth sack and lays down on the table apparently almost empty. His hand reaches into the bag and pulls out a small chest. In looking at the size of the chest it is feasable that the chest would be able to fit into the bags opening, but an item of such size would have caused the bag to burst. Opening the chest it reveals its contents to be a number of potions. Allustan hands two potions to each person around the table. These will definitely come in handy. One is a powerful healing potion and if you need it .. well .. lets hope you do not .. but just in case. The other is a potion is of my own design. A potion linked to this location. Drink it and you will be instantly relocated to this room. Again .. only for emergencies .. or should your quest be completed. He motions once again to the mirror on the wall and it's reflection changes once again. This time a wooded scene appears. A hilly wooded area with thick undergrowth and what appears to be a concealed cave-like entrance. The detail is remarkable. Now .. I think that is the right place Allustan said with a smile Enjoy the ride. Just look deeply into that portrait and the magic will do the rest

Brahm accepted the potions from his host with a silent nod of thanks. His thoughts were wandering even then, though, trying to imagine what he was getting himself into. He absently put the potions into his belt pouch, intending to relocate them or pack them better and more securely later. For now, he needed to bring himself back to the here-and-now ...

"Enjoy the ride. Just look deeply into that portrait and the magic will do the rest ..."
Ah! Magical transport. That meant that Horse would be without him for a time. He hoped the stable would not think Horse had been abandoned, and would give him at least a modicum of care. But Pelor the Bright had watched over them so far, and Brahm knew of no reason for either Horse or himself to worry about being forsaken now. The Priest of Pelor simply got out of his chair, turned it to face the morror-picture, then got back into it. Then he leaned slightly forward and stilled his mind to a state of "Acceptance", a state wherein he usually became the willing and appreciative vessel of the divinely-granted abilities his God deigned to gift him with. As he reached this state he began to perceive the picture as an opening to pass through to be in another area, or room, or place, a passing as simply done as stepping through the doorway into this room ...
[ the missing ortion of the post ]
... and once he was calmed and "evened-out", he rose and walked toward the gate, noticing others either approach it or pass through it.

With silent thanks for the potions Lar'd Ner packs them safely into his backpack and moves towards the mirror.
"This better work, you've had some accidents with this before. I know." are Lar'd's last words before he focuses his attention on the scene in the mirror and is whipped out of site by its magic.

The very first thing he dose when he arrives is to do a proper reconnaissance of the surrounding and immediate area, draw his sword and weigh for the others to arrive.

Aldaris greatfully accepted the potions, tucking them away for later use if need-be. He looked across the room at the mirror a moment and waited for Allustans' mental reply before entering with a concentrated gaze; he didn't want the distance travelled to be too far for Allustan to respond before he embarked on the mission.

Jeeve's picked up his head resecuring it and walked through the portal just before Aldaris, replacing his deep cloak as he went masking his true nature from prying eyes.

Grakk took the proffered potions from his host and even tried to smile while he did so. He wasn't going to be overtly rude to the mage, but he really had no intention of using this "quick out" provided by Allustan. Unless for the benefit of the group, of course. It had already become one aspect of this "Test" or "Challenge", as he referred to it, for him to complete this task and return here -- on his own power. If he took the "easy way", where was the test of any of his abilities or skills?

Then Allustan waved at the mirror again and the scene changed to a woodsy, hilly kinda area with dark undergrowth surrounding and -- mostly -- hiding an entrance leading underground.

"... look deeply into that portrait and the magic will do the rest ..."
( See? No test of stamina, strength, and resolve to get there. The easy way. ........ Now hold it. This guy knows things, so maybe the task itself will be test enough. ) Grakk had never been one to accept most things just because others believed them, but at this point, he didn't see much choice. And there was also the fact that if he didn't go along with this, he didn't know where the others would be and might not find them. By not going this way, he would be locking himself out of the "mission". Grakk grunted softly, frowning.

Then he turned to look at the picture shown and, as he looked he felt as if he was being lifted out of his seat gently, then being thrown toward the place he was viewing --- He snapped back and shook his head, watching some others step through, and into the picture. One promptly moved to one side and out of view when he had passed through. ( Okay, so this is how we get there. I ain't gettin' left behind. ) He stood and left his chair where it was, striding forward toward, and then through, the portal. He immediately dropped into a defensive stance, for no reason he could think of. But something had triggered the wariness. Grakk went the opposite direction of the man he had watched move out of sight earlier, cautiously performing his own "walkabout" of the area. Not necessary to focus on being silent, not yet. Just be quiet -- and alert ...

The group finds themselves in the very place the picture depicted. Deep foliage surrounds them and they stand in the middle of a dense and dark forest. The area is somewhat hilly here and many hills are covered in dense vines and trees and roots. One particular hill, however seems to have a cave entrance in the side. Although the entrance is overgrown with vegetation and vines, the entrance itself can been seen. Howling can be heard off in the distance echoing from all directions as the shrill sound bounces off the hills and trees.

Last of the group to arrive, an elven rogue tumbles into the darkness behind the others, quickly surveying the scene with her eyes.

Note *I am bringing in Brianna's Character so we don't have to wait and you guys can reply to the next part. I assume she would enter in as well*

Trillian eyes the bag of holding on the desk. What she could do with on of those. She waits until she is the last to pick up the potions from Alustan's hands, the rest having already transported via the mirroe. "My horse is outside please she she gets back to the Purple Prose. She represents quite an investment for me. putting the potions carfeully away in her pack wrapped in her extra clothes she then slings it over her shoulders and moves over to the mirrior. She focuses carefully on the protrait and is transported away.

Triallian Joins the others who had gathered together. She looks about to get her bearing. (Is there anything she recognizes in the way of landmarks visible from their location). Since woodsmanship, or out of doors activities were not her specialty she would stand back and let other lead the way.

As the group stands in front of the cave entrance, they hear the howling approaching closer. The number or howls seems to have increased as well as the proximity of the howls to the group. It almost seems as if they are coming right towards them. The cave entrance seems to give off a faint green glow from within offering a small amount of light. It was already night when these friends hopped through Allustan's mirror and the stars offer little light. Only elven and dwarven eyes are able to make out the details of the surroundings with some certainty.