The glimmer of hope that the motes of light were reinforcements was stolen away, along with one of their friends when the fairy king and his entourage left in a flash, taking Elesia, or rather, Princess Elesianara with them. Aelistae couldn’t believe her eyes, as yet another person close to her was stolen away from within reach, and yet she was powerless to intervene.

“Xal l'Drathir wenress kyorl phor dos, lu'udossta menvissen thalra 'sohna.” She said as she set her mind back to the battle at hand. Not wanting to risk further critica injury to herself should she reenter combat, Aelistae moved closer to the fray, but stopped shy of any enemies, substituting her ‘Wave of Grief’ spell for another Cure Moderate Wounds spell, her body feeling mended and rejuvenated as her patron Goddess’ blessings washed over her. Unfortunately, the lycanthrope’s ‘heat metal’ spell was still in effect, and the sting of scorching links of chain offset the soothing healing somewhat. (Aelistae 22/38 hp)

(Drow translation: May the Moon maiden watch over you, and our paths cross again.)

As the entangling mass freed everyone involved, the wolf pack once again sprung with incredible speed and teamwork. The wolf below Talus barked at him and jumped again swiping at the warlock with a paw, but found little more than bark and air for his attempt.

The wolf previously in a magical slumber, now awake, had plenty of target’s to choose from, and once again, the animal’s instincts bade it take down the weakest of the herd, like a antelope or deer with a weak leg, the lupine loped off after Bart, stalking him before lunging with sharp fangs hungry for flesh. Incredibly, perhaps having been mauled continuously had triggered a heightened sense of survival instincts; Bartholomew managed to deflect the attack with a twist of his pitchfork’s shaft, and even managed to give it a solid whack with the blunt end of it as the wolf was disoriented. ((-4hp)

The Dire Wolf that had bitten Xaris lunged again for the gnome, having already savored the taste of the little-folk’s flesh, but Xaris was prepared, and skipped to the side just before the powerful jaw’s snapped shut.

The Lycan, still encased in stone gave a mighty shake accompanied by an equally impressive roar, and most of the stone encasing it crumbled around it. The lycanthrope grinned maliciously as another bolt of lightning split the night sky, this time striking Artanis fully on the top of her head. When the blinding flash vanished a second later however, Artanis stood there looking absolutely no worse for wear. The only sign of her even being attacked was the fact that another crystal on her shield had been charged. (Successful reflex save + electricity resistance = 0 damage)

Linnix, now free from the oppression of a hungry wolf fished for her crossbow, swapping it for her less skilled scythe, and with all haste slammed a silver tipped bolt into the channel…

Xaris, though tired, knew that to rest now meant the good possibility of never waking. Searching deep within himself, far below the layers of civil emotion or controlled aggression, he tapped into a bestial, almost primal rage of the simplest, purest sort. Letting out a blood-roar to match that of any regular wolf his beady eyes red with bloodlust, Xaris ignored, or possibly forgot of the Dire wolf right beside him, his sights set on the Lycan-leader, and with a scream he ran for him. Perhaps the sheer animosity the little gnome displayed was unnerving to the Dire wolf, for its snapping maw once again met nothing but the shudder of teeth on teeth as Xaris moved forward, a single thought on his mind as he closed within inches of the lycan. (Xaris’ double movement places him beside the Lycan but unable to attack this round)

Talus, fearing how close the leaping lupine was getting with it’s sharp claws, scrambled just that much higher into the safety of the tree line. Here, some two dozen feet up he was free from anything physical he wagered, and as he passed the boughs of the trees, his head poking through the top of the canopy, he peered down through the foliage to the Lycan leader below already breaking free of its mineral prison. Perhaps it was the leaves and branches obstructing his vision, or the fear of injuring Xaris who was so close, but Talus’ bolt flew shy of the lycanthrope scorching the earth beside Xaris, who hardly noticed if at all.

Elesia was gone. Just like that the woman who had been so sweet and kind to Artanis, pushing her to find beauty within when her physical appearance suffered, and even bestowing upon her a dress to aid her in her emotionally upsetting time was gone. Artanis ran a dirty hand through the hair that had begun to grow back, the few inches slick with perspiration from the heated battle as she tried to wrap her mind over all that had happened. The vines had freed her, and there was much at stake, pulling herself together, she prepared to make up for the moment of lost composure, and dish out more pain.. These wolves would suffer all the anger of her emotional maelstrom yet!

~*~* Round two ~*~*

Artanis’ mind raced as her eyes scanned the battlefield. Talus was safe from harm, the dire wolf was currently disengaged, and Bartholomew, though wounded seemed to be fending off his opponent well enough. Xaris however, had taken a beating, and now was trying to tackle the Lycan on his own. Worried about her half-sized combat counterpart, she raised her blade and moved to flank the Lycan hoping to increase her and Xaris’ chances of felling this most dangerous beast. Circling round the creature, she brought her sword down upon the mostly-free lycanthrope, but her sword almost seemed to bounce off the thick hairy hide of the creature as though the course fibers were as strong as steel.

Talus too, had already begun bringing forth an invocation for another eldritch blast; this time flinging it straight down at the wolf below him, the magical blow biting into fur and flesh as it burned the wolf, deepening its ire for the warlock. (-9hp)

In response, the wolf knowing it could not reach the target of its aggression, moved away from the direct line of sight of the spell flinger, and aid its master. Flanking Xaris with the Lycan just as Artanis had the lycan with Xaris, the wolf snapped at Xaris, but the gnome’s armor held firm taking the blow with ease.

The wolf fighting Bartholomew as well, sensed the danger of its alpha, and moved to flank Artanis, but Bart ensured it suffered for its decision, stabbing it hard in the side, a quartet of puncture wounds red with crimson evident of his strike as the wolf whimpered, and loped away towards Artanis. (-10hp) The wolf, taking each step with obvious pain still managed to get behind the warrior, and sink its teeth into her thigh, though its attack seemed to lack the strength or conviction to do much harm. (Artanis 28/50 hp)

The Dire Wolf however was not one to mess around, and seeing Bartholomew alone in the center of the clearing was enough incentive for the large beast to strike. The creature lunged at the farmer-turned combatant, and like its kin before it easily broke through the feeble defense offered, biting down once more upon the already wounded patron of the party. The sound of ribs cracking was mixed with a cry of pain turned into a gasp from shortness of breath, His eyes fluttered into the back of his head, and darkness overtook him once more as he fell to the earth, death’s cold fingers already reaching for him.

The lycan was surrounded, and any movement might involve unnecessary injury. He had his pack with him, and it was time to eliminate the opposition once and for all. Focusing on the gnome before him, he snarled and attacked,ripping free from the remaining stone and first biting down hard into the gnome, then clawing at him as well. It was a feat in and of itself that Xaris managed to keep his footing as the claw threatened to sweep him off his feet. As Xaris bled however and pushed the pain deeper within, he knew he was facing the deadliest opponent of his life. (Xaris 15/ 61 (+10 rage hp in reserve) = 25/61 Hp)

Aelistae knew she had to get to Bart, knew that the wolf looming over him was a fearsome creature indeed, and knew if she was going to be able to save her patron, and friend, she had only one chance. Getting as close as she could without risking an attack of opportunity from the wolf which literally stood over Bart (sharing the same square) she held aloft her holy symbol and prayed with every ounce of her being. For a moment, the dire wolf before her just growled, but as the creature’s eyes locked with hers, something came over it, and the beast began to withdraw, creeping backwards away from the priestess, and its once guaranteed meal. Aelistae’s grim smile of thanks however turned into a grimace as the ‘heat metal spell once more stole her strength with a painful sting. (19/38 hp)

Linnix’s eyes fell on the Lycan, but with two companions within melee, and a Dire wolf looming about, she changed her target. The sudden retreat of the Dire wolf however made her change target’s again and with her crossbow still moving into position she let the bolt fly. It thudded into the previously wounded wolf flanking Artanis with a thud, dropping the beast where it stood, much to Artanis’ appreciation.

(Took a liberty here, I figured if Linnix saw the Dire wolf being repelled, she’d rather take on a currently dangerous / wounded creature given the low damage die of a hand crossbow and wouldn’t you know, you hit for max damage, just enough to drop the wolf)

Xaris, finally within reach of his enemy hefted his sword with all the might left his weary body could muster, and ((holy s*** he fricken did it! )) the god’s shined upon him as his non-silver weapon miraculously bypassed the enchantments, and natural resistance of the werewolf, and drew a painful growl from the beast as the smell of its own blood finally filled the air. (Xaris someone shoved a horseshoe up your pint-sized arse I swear. Another critical and max damage for 32 points before damage reduction)

The battle, no, the slaughterhouse contained within these wooden walls was a gruesome and macabre debacle as flesh was stained with splattered blood and everyone teetered on the edge of life and death at the end of fang or claw. Somewhere beyond the material realm, a cruel smile splayed the lips of an onlooker, as they prepared for the addition of new arrivals to their eternal house of horrors.

Zorana and Silvara, pleased if not somewhat surprised that nothing horrid or dangerous had resulted in the retrieval of the candlestick, left the room and took the time to examine it by torchlight. The candlestick upon closer inspection was not the silver valuable once thought, for the outer coating of silver was tarnished, chipped, and thin, for behind the veil of value laid a hollow wooden tube. The candlestick was indeed hollow, and one could see clear through it were they to place it before their eye and gaze down the chamber. The outside of the candlestick was marked with the simple design of the moon in it’s many phases progressing from least to a full moon from the bottom of the stick working its way up.


Stowing the piece for now while their thoughts mulled over the possible importance of the item, the ladies continued on towards the library, or laboratory as their minds pieced together possibilities for the section of the map with illegible writing. They rounded a couple more corners bypassing two doors without incident, but as they turned a third, the "l r y" room supposedly straight ahead, they came across a hallway lined with five rows of three dozen 2” round holes each spaced along the hallway. The holes were 3” apart along the row, and 1’ apart between the rows, starting 1’ above the floor and moving to 1’ below the 7’ ceiling. At the end of the holed hallway hangs a tattered and worn curtain. The curtain though faded displays a cloud on a breeze, floating above a sea of spears.

He felt like a raccoon chased up a tree by a hunting dog. He couldn't climb down to help Aelistae with Bart and the dire wolf, nor could he effectively aid in the fight against the lycan with Xaris and Artanis so close to the werewolf.

The only way I can get to them, is get rid of this wolf first, then see where I can be of use. Frustrated with the situation he'd gotten himself into and his inability stand beside his friends, Talus began his invocations again, intent on swatting the wolf out of his way. This raccoon wasn't stuck just yet.

Linnix smiles a smug smile, watching the wolf collapse with her shot. Next on the list is the other bother to the main attacking party; the other wolf. Linnix squeezes the trigger, and lets her bolt fly, hopefully to some vital part of the wolf's anatomy...

After her bolt sails off, Linnix reaches down to her quickly emptying pocket of silver bolts, and places yet another into the crossbow.

"We keep the candlestick," says Zora looking at Silvara's prize. "I have a feeling it might be related to the riddle, the bit about silvery light, what at night means the moon."


After that they head down the corridor until they come to a hall leading to what was marked L-R-Y, There Zora halted and took in the holes and the curtain at the end. "Anyone have gaseous form? Noooo, how about fly, noooo." She knew the questions were retorical.

"Well do we run the gauntlet of spears or do you have some better idea?"

The inspection of the candlestick finished for the moment gave Silvara several things to thing about. First was the The ditty that Firin told them. It kept running through her mind.

While all that glimmers be not gold,
And warmth of love melts heart of cold
When sun retreats for orb of night
The way revealed by silver light.

As of right now she thinks that it contains two, if not more, clues that are not necessarily related to each other but they could be.

The first line she is not yet sure about. It could possible those refer to the candlestick. It glittered like silver well like silver leaf, but was not silver. The hole though it seemed to her to be purposeful and not just a odd happenstance of its creation, in fact, putting a hole though the wood would not have been an easy task. So therefore she reason it must have been put there for a reason. The phases of the moon inscribed on it reminded her of the third line about the orb of night. And the part about the way revealed might be a part of the third line too. Those two lines of the four seemed to go together. More than the first two did. Those could be clues to two separate things.

Silvara sighed; they just had so little to go on so far. And her suppositions could be all wrong.

Zora and Silvara made their way towards the room They stopped to survey it because of the strange holes that line the side walls. At the en of the passage way was a old curtain with the cloud floating in the sky over a what appeared to be spears.

Zora asked if she wanted to run the gauntlet with her.

Silvara snorts loudly in disgust.

"No. We do not want to run the gauntlet," Silvara replies emphatically. "You want to get us both killed before we even get started properly. Don't tell me they beat you common sense out of you during your Paladin training. Just let me work of this for a bit."

Silvara examines the holes at a distance. She is not willing to personally test out whatever they might be. She panned to walk out of her alive and well with the Lantern of Truth at least id not other objects of value. If she took a little time to check this out they could perhaps get by this without harm. First she needed to fine out what would happened if they passes by though she would get something to throw and not try it herself.

“Okay, I think we need to check up what these holes are for before we try moving down that hall. I cannot figure why a temple would have such a trap on the way to the library or laboratory unless there is another way into to it without traversing this hallway. The curtain down there may be a warning or may be a ruse. I don’t know but I plan to find out one step at a time,” Comment Silvara.

“I am going to find something substantial that I can throw down there and see what happens."

Silvara goes to find several small pieces of rubble like a chair, small table, a pot, something etc that she can throw down the way at about the height of 2-4 feet to see if there is any reaction to it. She tries it the first time aiming close and then later throws are successively further down the hallway.

There was no time for lingering sorrow or regret. Elesia had been taken and there was no sign of Sheva – the woman who had joined them at Castle Tethyr. But Aelistae could not allow her thoughts to wander. Not while there were those that still needed her.

“I will not let you die,” she vowed to Bart, after channeling her Goddess’ power to repel the lycanthrope that had been attacking him, and a little extra to save his life.

[Swapping out ‘True Strike’ to cast Cure Light Wounds on Bart]

“Keep yourself safe,” she added to the human, as she moved to join the fray.

[Move action to where her sword is lying (somewhere by the big bad?) and a standard action to pick it up]

Silvara snorted at Zorana's mentioning of running the gauntlet, and suggested they find items to toss down the hallway in hopes of triggering any traps from relative safety.

Silvara headed back to the mess hall, and gathered u a couple chairs and a cracked urn into her arms before returning to the hallway of holes. With a glance to Zorana, she threw a chair a couple of feet down the hallway, and once again expected the worst. Once again she was almost disappointed at the anticlimatic clanginig of wood on stone. In fact the most destructive thing to happen was the already weakened wooden chair's leg broke free.

Not wanting to chance anything, she threw the other chair over the first, and like before little happened aside from breaking a once simple wooden piece of furniture. With a little moreeffort, she underhand tossed the urn further still downhallway, and it shattered into a dozen pieces and many more smaller shards, the noice echoing down the hallways, but otherwise bringing forth no hail of spears or otherwise.

Silvara stands there after her last projectile is throuwn.

Nothing happened she doesn't know is she should be relieved or not. THere are just so many ways a trap might be sprung. PErhaps a stone on the floor will set it and trigger is.

No she is not at all certain that the hallway is safe to transverse yet.

"Zora, OI am not sure it is safe though I owuld say that so far it doesn't sem as if movement triggers anything, but I would rather be safe than sorry. Let me borrow that spear you bought and your shield. I am going to try moving forward by testing the footing. If I sling the shields passively from hy shoulders or at least upper arms it could give be some protection if those are weapons holes. Or we can try moving foot by foot and plug up the holes as we go. We could break up bits of those chairs and stuff the holes full one by one. That should prevent the weapons from being shot through the holes if we make the plugs tight."

Silvara much prefers a straight on fight than this slow advance of uncertainties. She wished they have a.....ah....person gifted with a talents for discovering traps and things.

"Any other idea," Silvara asks Zora. Just watch the whole floor and ceiling give way and these holes are all a ruse.

Xaris was mentally relieved that this wolf was not invincable, and it bled just like any other living creature, and apparently so did he. He took this moment to look over himself, and realize how wounded he really was. Only some sort of monstrous healing could help him. And then it dawned on him that he still had the healing potion with unknown side effects. Oh well, anything would help.

Xaris reached for the potion and drank it down, throwing the bottle to the side, and then readied himself for another attack from his fathers sword, spilling more blood from the monster wolf.

"There are not enough chairs to plug up all the holes. If we crawl on the floor we might just have to plug up the holes in the lower foot of the walls. Then, again, it could be all a ruse as I do not see any moldering bodies or skeletons about."

"I know that is not much help, but I am not one to give expert advice on the matter."

"Gads, it might go back to what I said in the first place. Run the gauntlet. I mean if these holes allow for shooting things out of then maybe if we run fast we can ge by them before they fire. Consider the time that the traps have been useless, they could be corroded, broken, or unable to work anymore."

Zora lifs her shoulders, "Sorry, I just am not knowledgeable about such things."

Silvara considered Aora words but the Paladin seemed and ill equipped as she was to detect and find traps. Still she was not just willing to run into the hallway and hope.

"No, I wil not run through there for all we know there is a floor trap. So I have one more thing I can try."
Silvara takes out her rope and ties it to her waist securely. IF anything happens to me and I can't get by myself you can pull me to safety. Just give me your shield and I will take mine and cover my torso up with them and use the spear to test the floor before I move. I will keep low to give myself best coverage that I can. You feed out the rope just enough= to let me move forward. If a floor trap is sprung that drips me down please don't let me drop into a pit."

Thus it ws with one shield hung on her back and holding the other to protect her body Silvara advanced into the hallway Leaning on the spear on each tile/stone. If the floor seems secure enough she scratches it surface with an big X before she steps onto it. She crouches low to keep herself protected as she does.

Silvara keeps telling herself that an once of prevention is worth a pound of cure. She reminded herself that adventuring is what she wanted to do. Though another part of her whisper. Not all parts are fun. This certainly wasn't one of the fun moments.

"Keep the slack out of the rope," Silvara cautions Zora.

Artanis had moved to assist Linnix in her fight against the wolf that was attacking her. She charged the wolf, her blade barely scraping along its flesh, and the beast turned toward its new attacker. Linnix took a slice from the creature’s body with her scythe even as it lunged for Artanis, and met his eternal end as her blade sliced through its flesh. Artanis took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as the wolf’s body fell lifeless at her feet in a pool of its own innards.

She gave Linnix a curt nod, hoping the girl will have seen what it’s like to help someone rather than turn her nose up at their distress.

Artanis turned and took in the scene around her. It was a gruesome site to behold, to say the least. She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead in an attempt to wipe away the sheen of perspiration which now coated her body.

An added weight of sadness settled upon Artanis’ already burdened heart as she saw her friend dispatch Moonshadow’s life. She knew it could not be helped, but it was a sad thing to witness just the same. She was sad too, for Xaris had to complete the distasteful task.


As the rain began to fall, Artanis turned in time to see Talus just barely escape the muscular jaws of yet another wolf, bent on consuming chunks of his flesh.

Then her eyes were drawn to the ground at her own feet. A puzzled look formed on Artanis’ face as she saw roots sprouting from the ground and slowly making their way up her legs, quite effectively “grounding” her feet. She was unable to help anyone now. She raised her questioning eyes as though in search of an answer to what was happening to her. She was met with the site of the entire group in the midst of the same dilemma. Even the wolves were being “rooted” to their prospective spots.

“What the hell is going on here?”
Then she noticed swarm of tiny lights, and just stared in wonder as the whole scene unfolded before her. Some of the fairies morphed into beautifully elegant elves, including, so it seemed, Elesia’s father. Artanis wanted to protest them taking Elesia away from them, but she knew she could not interfere. Family business, after all, is a family affair.

The swarm of lights/fairies were gone as quickly as they had come, and the group of would-be heroes were one member short. She had no time to dwell on that fact, however, as she was suddenly freed from the roots which had entangled her legs. So too, was the rest of those present, friend and foe alike.

Artanis heard a cracking noise, and turned to see the Lycan breaking free of its stone encasement. “Damn, I guess that would have been too easy now wouldn’t it?”

Almost before she really knew what was happening, everyone burst into a flurry of action. Xaris was raging again, and his target was the Lycan beast. Bart was holding his own, Talus was firing fire balls again, and Lynnix was back to using her bow and arrows.

Artanis saw that Xaris was in need of assistance with the lycan leader, and so she opted to assist him. She sprang into action, attacking the foul creature, only to be thwarted by it’s seemingly impenetrable fur. Almost before she could recover from the shock of the lack of damage done, it was as though things moved in fast forward. She felt like she was struck by lightning, but incredibly she was ok. She did note another crystal on the shield had lit up.

Then, as she and Xaris flanked the Lycan, two other wolves, flanked Xaris and her also. One bit into her leg, eliciting a barely suppressed groan of pain. The next thing she knew the wolf was dropped by an arrow from Lynnix’s bow. With a big smile of appreciation and gratitude directed at Lynnix, Artanis gave her a nod in acknowledgment before preparing to again strike at the lycan fiend.

This night would be likely forever burned into the memories of those involved, as death’s cold fingers raked and clawed at those so close to its eternal grasp. There wasn’t a single combatant uninjured, and more than a few were in dire need of healing, of those Bartholomew and Xaris the most. The lycan however, could see, could smell the death scent on those around him, and set into motion his trump card as it were, to ensure victory. Concentrating on avoiding unnecessary attacks and speaking in a mix of word and howl, the druidic lycanthrope summoned another trio of wolves, though these ones seemed far less imposing than his own pack. Immediately they picked their master’s targets and struck.

Wolf A Vs Aelistae: The first wolf struck out at the unarmed priestess who was doing her best to mend Bart’s grievous wounds. With her magically enhanced reflexes however, she was able to quickly outmaneuver the beast and avoid injury.

Wolf B Vs Linnix: The second wolf lunges at the woman as her silver bolt clicks into the channel. The woman is not unprepared however, and with a quick back-step avoids the snapping jaws of her opponent.

Wolf C Vs Artanis: Replacing its fallen likeness, the wolf returns to flank Artanis and lend some aid. With the added distraction of being surrounded, the wolf finds a grip on the warrior’s calf, teeth digging in for a painful bite (Artanis 20/50 hp)

The Dire Wolf, though a menace to behold, was still under Aelsitae’s divine repelling, and continued to shirk away from the priestess, towards the tree line near the horses, much to the terrified creature’s dismay. They fought and pulled at their rope bonds, their cries and whinnies echoing into the night.

The Wolf flanking Xaris snapped again at the forest-gnome, but like a skilled matador he nimbly side stepped the creature while fishing into his pockets for a much needed elixir.

Searching for the vial he was looking for, unstopping it, and quaffing the contents took his full attention off the battle around him, and both the wolves on either side of him were content to take advantage of that momentary loss of concentration. The wolf at his back snapped its jaws shut once more, narrowly missing the gnome’s legs, while the Lycanthrope before him lunged and with its massive jaws tore out Xaris’ throat, even as his eyes went wide in horror and pain, his salvation, sparkling bright blue in the vial mere inches from his lips. Xaris couldn’t even cry out, his larynx had been stolen, along with the front half of his throat, his jugular spurting blood like a geyser into the air coating the Lycan before him who reveled in the death throes of its victim. In a last rage induced reaction, he gripped the vial till his knuckles turned white, and smashed the thin glass container into his own throat, the glass exploded on impact, the sparkling blue liquid splashing over him in a mixture of blue, crimson, and glass.

For a moment, little seemed to happen as Xaris teetered on the verge of unconsciousness, Then an awe inspiring spectacle unfolded. Blue-white translucent strands began to appear around Xaris, the magical weave mending his wounds, as his throat and other injuries began to rapidly close and regenerate anew. What was more shocking, was that even after Xaris seemed completely healed, the bright blue white light continued to filter from his body, and his eyes took on a glow of the hottest flames. His body tingled, and for a brief moment, the forest-gnome felt better than he ever had before in his life. Then that feeling of well-being increased ten fold, till even the healing properties contained within his small frame became too much to bare and Xaris felt like he was going to burst. His eyes leaked positive energy, his hair became the purest white strands of energy, and then, in a brilliant blinding flash… Xaris exploded…

~*~*~
In a monastery some half days travel north, Zorana is struck by the overwhelming sensation of a great release of positive energy and goodness, enough to make her head ring…
~*~*~
In that same flash of released energy, the expelled healing energies spread out across the clearing, healing all those it came in contact with first and foremost.
(Lycan, Full, Wolf 1 Full, Artanis 50/50, Wolf C, Full, Bartholomew, Full, Wolf A full, Linnix, 37/ 37, Wolf B Full, Aelistae 29/3 As the wave washed over everyone, they felt themselves renewed in strength and spirit, unfortunately, the wave seemed indiscriminate, as the enemy seemed rejuvenated also.

When the flash subsided, where Xaris once stood now stood a completely bleached white figure with absolutely no pigmentation about the size and shape of a familiar forest gnome, with glowing incandescent blue veins crisscrossing his body and eyes of sparkling blue white energy. He stood there looking quite shocked at what had become, but the wolves around him, strengthened were preparing to continue the fight.
(See Q/a for amazing sequence of events)

Rejuvenated, Bart stood, looking quite unsure of how he was mended so fully, but as he once more saw Aelistae above him, he thanked her fully again, not knowing the truth to his newfound vigor. He did however take notice of the Wolf beside him and Aelistae, and with a sturdy lunge after hefting himself up, and dodging an attack of opportunity plunged his pitchfork clear down the throat of the attacking wolf, nearly skewering the beast in a single thrust, stealing the life from the summoned beast as quickly as it had been granted with a critical strike.

Aelistae, shocked but not going to waste words or time over the surprisingly positive turn of events, moved to pick up her court blade, and reenter combat.

Talus, free from the dangers of anyone nearby lined up an eldritch blast on the nearest wolf, the one attacking Linnix, and let it fly. The searing blast struck the beast square in the side, eliciting a howl of pain. Taking advantage of such pain (-7), Linnix took a cautious five foot step back, leveling the crossbow at the target, and let it fly. Incredibly, the wolf lurched at the last moment and the silver bolt streaked through its fur to thud harmlessly in the earth a few meters behind the beast.

Artanis, strength returned to the warrior, looked upon Xaris with amazement; her little partner was no longer the ruddy earthy gnome she knew. Now he was something so much more. He radiated an almost tangible aura of positive energy, and utilizing the renewed health she had been gifted with, she took her sword once more to the Lycanthrope, hoping their good fortune would continue. Unfortunately, the Lycan was aware of her advance, and with amazing agility swatted her incoming blade aside with a powerful paw.

So there was Silvara, looking like some leashed crab, rope around her waist and a pair of shields strapped back and front while she held a borrowed spear as a probe. She moved down the corridor cautiously placing some weight on the spear point on the tiles before her, scratching X’s into the dust as she went before standing on her marked sections. Zorana kept a tight grip on the rope keeping the slack from the coil as her partner and friend moved, and Silvara was halfway down the hallway when her spear point passed completely through the false floor, setting into motion a series of events.

First, the floor beneath her began to crumble, as though she were standing on nothing more than paper, and Silvara backpedaled with Zorana pulling her along so as not to fall. Safe back in the previous hallway, the ladies could gaze down into the pit lined with razor sharp spears tht was revealed, but the trap was not finished. From the holes lining the sides of the corridor came a awful hissing sound and the sound of grates moving. In a moment, snakes of all different breeds and colors slithered out from their holes, many of them falling into the pit to slither around, but at the scent of fresh life, many more began to crawl along the walls towards the women.

(you are facing off against 2 swarms’ for the purpose of combat)