ToU Part 3! Come join in before it becomes 40 pages!

[Dev]

Notice to everyone: Faw pointed out to me that the puzzle was too difficult simply because the death sprites for Talon and Lance were cooked chickens (and also because I went along with that for a while D=). Anyway, he got it right. If Rad had made actual death sprites you probably wouldn't have had any trouble here. <s>Blame him, not me.</s>

<b>I dragged the dead Birdclaw Brothers across the room and placed their wings to the surface of the "painting." The screen flashed again.
<i>"Welcome back, Talon and Lance."</i>
A console with a keyboard and various other buttons and switches slid out of the wall beneath the painting, and the painting itself converted into a computer monitor. The screen displayed the locations of booby traps and electronic locks throughout the mansion. At moment, only the Western door in the dining room was locked, and all traps were currently armed. According to the map, a secret passage in the room we were in led into the locked room, though I wasn't sure how to open it. This particular system was a little beyond my technological capabilities.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/C_E__.png

[Ae]

Ask L33tz4n to take a look at it.

[Dev]

<b>"L33tz4n, dazzle us with your l33t haxx0r skillz!" I said.
"I'll see what I can do," she said as she slithered up to the console. She entered in a few commands and looked over the map. "It looks like the door was locked manually and not electronically, but I can open the pass4ge that leads to the room from here. I should probably disable the traps, too..." She bit her lip and pressed a few more buttons. Uberbob was off in a corner arranging the corpses of Talon and Lance in suggestive positions, but Araches made him stop. After a few more commands L33tz4n stepped back and said, "Okay, that should do it." A circular hole appeared in the floor next to the console. Peering down, I saw a ladder leading into some mysterious dark passageway.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/C_E__.png

[cooba]

E, N, N, save, S, S, W, climb down the ladder.

Cooba - ClassBased Team Battle? says:
"Uberbob was off in a corner arranging the corpses of Talon and Lance in suggestive positions" ~Dev
Ulysses S. Grant says:
Blame Dev.
Cooba - ClassBased Team Battle? says:
I was laughing out loud on that actually ;D
Ulysses S. Grant says:
Yay =D
Ulysses S. Grant says:
Blame me, in that case. All my idea.

[Dev]

<b>I quickly stepped out to save, then returned.
"Wow, dude, what did you eat?" Uberbob asked.
"I was just saving," I insisted.
"There's no shame in having bowel irregularities, Faw," Uberbob said in a strangely sincere tone. "We all have problems downstairs every now and then."
I quickly pushed past him and began climbing down the passage. My comrades soon followed. Judging by the distance we climbed, it was safe to assume we were now underground. We traveled down a long corridor West, then came to a dead end with another ladder leading up.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/C_E__.png

[cooba]

Climb up.

[Dev]

<b>We climbed up the ladder. It was only about ten feet long, thus I assumed the end of it was settled on the ground floor of the mansion. As we crawled out of the passage we found ourselves in a large kitchen. There were several ovens lining the Western wall, as well as many sinks, drawers, shelves, spice racks, knife racks, and chopping boards. The floor looked like stone, but a lick from Fooruman's skilled stone-licking tongue revealed it to actually be painted linoleum. It was cool in the room, but not cold. In the back was a large metal door; most likely a freezer. To the East was the door leading to the dining room, and to the North was a door we had never seen before. Once again, there were no windows to be found.
"Who needs a kitchen this big?" asked Araches
"I guess Santa," said L33tz4n. "How else do you feed a whole sweatshop full of elves?"
"Not a sweatshop!" Uberbob declared angrily. "It is a WORKSHOP!"
"Yeah, sure," replied L33tz4n sarcastically. "Anyw4y, we should probably whip up some breakfast. I'm pretty hungry, and it could be monthes before we ever find food again."</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CNE__.png

[Odin]

"Not a sweatshop!" Uberbob declared angrily. "It is a WORKSHOP!"

Haha, that reminds me of a part in Gex 3 where there's a poster that says "Santa's <s>Workshop</s> Sweatshop."

Open freezer. If you can't open it, DISCO DANCE.

[MSB3000]

Open freezer. If you can't open it, DISCO DANCE.

Then try Dennis.

[Dev]

Pageclaim in the name of my best friend Tim. Hi Tim!

<b>I attempted to open the freezer, and succeeded (thank God). Inside, large pieces of dead animals hung on hooks, and there were a few sacks of frozen vegetables lying around. Everything had a thin layer of frost over it. I should also mention that it was cold inside, as is typical of freezers. Amongst the dead animals on hooks were cows, hogs, and alien demon vampires.
I then tried Dennis. It was okay, but I wouldn't reccommend it to friends.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CNE__.png

[MSB3000]

Take out an alien demon vampire and scare Uberbob with it. Then cook it up. Somehow. Then cook up some bacon.

Ask Fooruman to lick some of the metal on the inside of the freezer.}>

[Dev]

<b>I took one of the dead alien demon vampires down from its hook and snuck up behind Uberbob with it. I tapped him on the shoulder, and as soon as he turned around I shoved it in his face and made a sound that I assumed an alien demon vampire would make. Uberbob didn't seem particularly scared. "Do I know you?" he asked.
My brilliant plan having failed, I tried to cook the ADV. To my dismay, it had a hard exoskeleton that I couldn't crack open, so I just grabbed a hog from the freezer and tried my best to make bacon. I ended up with a large pile of badly burned hog parts, but I sprinkled them with nutmeg and they somehow tasted just fine. After we had eaten I told Fooruman to lick the metal inside the freezer.
"My good lady," he said, "it would be rude to lick metal I had not even sung to. Pardon me, if you will." He rowed over to the freezer and began singing some strange song I had never heard before. <i>"It's a foo day, but it all feels old! It's a foo life, that's what I'm told!"</i></b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CNE__.png

[Odin]

Ask if anyone knows how to cook pig properly.

[Dev]

<b>"Can anyone cook pig properly?" I asked.
"I set a pig on fire once," said Araches. Everyone stared at her. She looked around and said, "What?"
"It doesn't matter, we already ate," Shuri pointed out. "Let's stop wasting time, if you don't mind."</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CNE__.png

[UNKNOWNFILE]

okay. I suggest going northwards to... ADVENTURE!

[Dev]

<b>"Let's go Northward," I suggested.
"To ADVENTURE?!" Uberbob inquired.
"If it comes to that, maybe."
We left the kitchen through the Northern door, and were suddenly back outside in the freezing cold. I wished we could have taken the nice warm fireplace in the dining room with us, then wondered why Uberbob hadn't attempted to in the first place. On either side of the mansion were huge, rocky mountains, but stretching Northward was a trail that lead directly between them. The sun had risen over the horizon and bathed the snowy terrain in an orange light. It was pretty.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CN__S.png

[UNKNOWNFILE]

NORTHWARDS!!!!!!!1

[n00b]

Admire the pretty scenery before you get stuck in another dreary maze.

[Odin]

Admire the pretty scenery, too.

[MSB3000]

Go back (S) with everyone and tell them to stock up on food. Like, search everywhere for some more. If there is no food left, follow their ^ directions.

[White Rabbit]

Go S, then E. Guys, I don't think we should leave anywhere without exploring it all first, because...well, oh well. :|

[Fawriel]

Indeed.

[Odin]

I agree with WR.

[Dev]

Out of the first four people, only two specifically said they agreed to going North. Now three say go South and East, so guess what. =O

<b>We went back inside and began stocking up on nutritious, lightweight, generic food. After we had grabbed as much as we could convieniently carry, we unlocked the Eastern door and went back into the dining room. The long dinner table sat in the center of the room, and off in the corner was the fireplace. The fire was starting to die out. To the East was the staircase leading to the bedrooms and Save Point, and to the South was the foyer.</b>

Inventory </b>
<img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/weapon/Spear.gif " alt="Spear"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/FirstAidKit.gif" alt="First-Aid Kit"> <img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/notes/Note006.gif " alt="Pen and Sketchbook"> <img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/nature/flower2_by_ilicon/F20.gif " alt="Compass Rose"> <img src=" http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/devthemagister/sprites/foohair.gif" alt="Lock of Foo Hair"> <img src=" http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/devthemagister/sprites/tarot_deck.gif " alt="Tarot Cards"> <img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/system/bennosystem_by_bennomeyer/BooklatchGrey.gif " alt="Book of Canadian Runes"> <img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/food/foodonastick_by_madscience/Kabob.gif " alt="Nutritious/lightweight/generic Food">


http://www.foxmage.com/C_EWS.png

[Odin]

South.

[Dev]

<b>We stepped into the foyer. The golden chandelier was still lit, and illuminated the room much more effectively than the candles in the other rooms of the mansion. There was a small oak coffee table and a few overstuffed red chairs surrounding it. The dire wall which had attacked me the previous night was now gone, revealing an indentation in the wall. In the indentation was what appeared to be the doors of an elevator. To the South were the large double-doors that lead back outside.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CN__S.png

[Fawriel]

Hax.
Uhm. Check out the elevator, I suppose.

[Dev]

<b>I checked out the elevator. It had two sliding metal doors, and looked like it had not been serviced in a very long time. Beside the doors was a button with an arrow pointing up.</b>

[Odin]

Press button. DO NOT STEP IN.

[Dev]

<b>I pressed the button. It made a gentle beeping sound, then the doors of the elevator opened. The elevator was empty, and a thin layer of dust covered the floor.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CN__S.png

[Odin]

Enter elevator.

[Dev]

<b>I stepped into the elevator with my comrades. Inside, next to the door was the typical elevator control panel. There were three buttons, each of them labeled:

<i>1st floor
2nd floor
<s>Dennis</s> Out of order</i></b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CN__S.png

[White Rabbit]

1st floor. (Ok, we'll try <s>Dennis</s> later :p).

[Dev]

You're on the first floor.

[Ae]

Press all three buttons at once.

[White Rabbit]

Darn? Second floor then. :|
Don't listen to Adam. *hypno*

[Dev]

<b>I pressed all three buttons at once. Only the 2nd floor button lit up, most likely because it was the only real option. The elevator rose and delivered us to the second floor. The doors opened to reveal a huge factory filled with rusty machinery. Dust and cobwebs covered the assembly line, and boxes of half-finished toys were stacked all over the place. To the Western side of the room was a small desk with a computer and FAX machine, as well as two huge stacks of paper that almost touched the ceiling some thirty feet above. The floors with grey and stoney, as well as the walls and roof. It was very drab and dull-looking for a toy factory.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/C____.png

[n00b]

Have Uberbob read each an every sheet of paper in the two stacks.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

Fiddle with the fax machine and computer.

[White Rabbit]

No, get Leetsan to fiddle with them instead.
Fiddle=press the start button and find out what's on the computer.

[Odin]

Have Fooruman lick the floors, walls, and ceilings to see if they are stone or not. Have L33tz4n turn on the computer and look at what's on it. If AOL is on it, promptly throw the computer out the window. If it's bolted down, destroy the computer with your spear.

[Dev]

<b>"Uberbob, read those two huge stacks of paper," I commanded.
He glanced over at them briefly, then turned back and said, "No."
"Okay. L33tz4n, fiddle with the computer and FAX machine."
L33tz4n slithered up to the desk and pressed the start button on the computer. It wouldn't turn on, even though it was hooked up and plugged in. The FAX machine didn't work, either, but there was a lone FAX sitting on top of it.
"Fooruman, lick everything." Fooruman proceeded to lick the floor, walls and ceiling. "Is it stone?" I asked.
"No," he replied. "It is STONE."

http://www.foxmage.com/C____.png

[Risp_old]

Read the LONE FAX. Unplug the computer in case that will make it work better. You never know.

[Odin]

Look at the FAX.

[Dev]

<b>I took a look at the LONE FAX.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/devthemagister/Crud/blackraptorFAX.gif" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

Putting the FAX to the side for a moment, I tried unplugging the computer. It still didn't work.
"They might have cut the power supply to this floor," said L33tz4n. "The Birdclaws clearly weren't using it. I'm actually surprised they kept the elevator running, to be h0nest."</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/C____.png

[Odin]

"L33tz4n, could you go to the picture/controller at the second floor? Maybe the controls for the power supply are there."

Plug computer back in. Look for anything else electonic. Ask self why Furious the Monkeyboy is named after a hidden unit in Age of Kings.

[Dev]

<b>"L33tz4n, could you go to the picture/controller at the second floor?" I asked. "Maybe the controls for the power supply are there."
"I didn't see anything like that," L33tz4n replied. "It was just a security system, not a regulator for everything in the mansion. It didn't even show this floor on the map."
I plugged the computer back in and looked for other electronic things in the room. The conveyer belt and several of the toy-making machines seemed to run on electricity as well, as they were connected to huge power cords sticking out of a giant surge protector on the wall. None of the machines were running, or looked like they had been running in a very long time.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/C____.png

[Odin]

Disconnect power surge protector if possible.

[Torkell]

Get Uberbob to lick his fingers and put them in the socket to check if it is live. Tell him that you'll revive him if it is live.

(don't try that at home. Just don't)

[n00b]

Then get Uberbob to lick his fingers and put them in the socket to check if it is live.

Pageclaim in the name of mispellings

[Odin]

Misspellings, even.

[Erik]

Grab the LONE FAX. Just in case if it's needed.

And yes, i can post here because i posted on page 37. Or 36. Or something like that.

EDIT: it was 38.

I vote for OldManInTheCanoe OMICers united!

[Raven aka StL]

Check everything in the room closely... check behind the power-source thingy as well...
if you find nothing, burn the building down and take the path north...

EDIT: after reading at least some of the papers from the paper-stacks on the table.

[Erik]

has the emperor posted here before 40 pages?

[Dev]

@aegis: Everyone can play, regardless of if they posted before 40 pages, it's just that after 40 pages people no longer feel like joining in.

<b>I tried to disconnect the cables from the surge protector, and succeeded. I then commanded Uberbob to lick his fingers and put them in the sockets.
"Uh, no?" he replied. "I'll die. And I don't know where my finger's been."
"I'll Raise you back from the dead," I explained. "Come on, be a man."
Uberbob disdainfully licked a finger and shoved it into the socket. Nothing happened.
"Okay, so there's no power," I said as I pocketed the FAX. "Even though we've already established that twice already, it's always good to be sure." I then checked EVERYTHING in the room. I looked behind every machine, under every box, on top of every lawsuit form from the Easter Bunny, and still found nothing of real interest. The Birdclaws had probably taken everything useful before sealing off the floor.
I then glanced over the two huge stacks of paper. One was labeled "naughty" and one was labeled "nice." I found my own name on the nice list, which was... well, nice. The list also had the names of Uberbob, L33tz4n, Shuriken, Fooruman, Grandma Conquista the Ultimate Evil, Scholar Sam, and Furious the Monkeyboy. Amongst the names on the naughty list, a few stood out: Araches, Perfect Solstice, Talon, Lance, Unfooruman, Spotty, and Evil Canadians 1, 2, and 3. A few of the names had been crossed out, probably to signify deaths. At the bottom of the naughty list stack was an extra sheet of paper labeled "VERY naughty." The only name on the list was Lord Blackraptor.</b>

[Fawriel]

Grandma Conquista is nice? =O

[Dev]

@Fawriel: Pay attention? She gave you the middenite, helped fight Solstice, and runs a grocery store that sells pure evil at a reasonable price.

[cooba]

Are there any windows?

[Fawriel]

@Fawriel: Pay attention? She gave you the middenite, helped fight Solstice, and runs a grocery store that sells pure evil at a reasonable price.
And she's an evil warlord of sorts?

[n00b]

And she's an evil warlord of sorts?
I'm pretty sure she's out to conquer all lesser evils.

[Raven aka StL]

go to house front entrance, S S S W S W S E S teleport E E take rocket launcher W W telport N W N E N E N N N and back to the room with the surge protector in the house.
Then get out through the door downstairs and continue north.

[Dev]

Risp came up with an excellent character analysis of Conquista. He says that she considers "ultimate evil" to be a standard of how evil should be, and all evils that she does not consider "ultimate" must be destroyed. Basically, she fights all evils that aren't as evil as she is, and who could possibly be as evil as Conquista? :p

And there are no windows. In the entire mansion. There appear to be some from the front of the building, but they're fake windows meant to only imply that it's not a factory and somebody lives there. I guess they're lying now.

And you have to go down the elevator, Emperor.

[n00b]

Emperor, we have used the Rocket launcher already. We can not go back to it and waste time.
FORGET ABOUT THE ROCKET LAUNCHER, EVEN IF WE DID GET IT, DEV WOULD PROBABLY MAKE US LOSE THE ONLY SHOT IT HAD BEFORE WE RE-LEFT POLAR DERVISH
Itallics and caps so you can get it in your skull.

[Dev]

@n00b: Don't use bold font, it makes me seem less powerful and awesome. Try italics, or really big words.

[Dev]

I hope I didn't offend you, n00b, I was only joking. Rad's the only one who gets all discombobulated if you use bold font in Uberbob.

Sooo... commands, anyone?
And by that I mean commands that don't involve the rocket launcher.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

Check to see if the following names are in the lists:

Dev, n00b, UNKNOWNFILE, The Emperor, Radium, Fawriel

[n00b]

I hope I didn't offend you, n00b, I was only joking. Rad's the only one who gets all discombobulated if you use bold font in Uberbob.
Nah I wasn't offended, I just didn't want the potential of having an angry Rad at my heels.

[Dev]

<b>I checked the list for a few random names that popped into my head suddenly.

Dev- <i>nice</i>- took requests from desperate furverts despite his better judgement just to make people happy.
n00b- nice- never posted anything stupid or annoying.
UNKNOWNFILE- naughty- forked too many people this year.
The Emperor- ???- not verbally coherant enough to judge.
Radium- naughty- never salvaged Pinglag or Sterling Skies.
Fawriel- nice- never killed Uberbob, despite often having the motive and opportunity.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/C____.png

[Radium]

Kids, be nice, don't be bold, and stay on topic.
And for future reference, the 40 pages thing was sarcasm, meant to encourage people to join in early as opposed to later. So many people have misinterpreted that D=.


Anyway, take apart some of the machines. Parts are useful.

[Ae]

Look up Santa.
<STRIKE>Parts are useful, gears are especially good for trading.</STRIKE>

Check all of the broken machines for any loose parts for the taking, especially three-inches in diameter gears.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

UNKNOWNFILE- naughty- forked too many people this year.


Be careful... >O

[Dev]

@UNKNOWNFILE: Situational humor is ALWAYS funny.

<b>I looked for Santa's name on the list, but the closest name I found was Satan. He was on the naughty list, but not the VERY naughty list. That said, I wondered just how evil Blackraptor had to be to get his own list.
I took apart some of the machines and pocketed a few random parts. I assumed they would somehow prove useful for trades and things of that nature.</b>

Inventory </b>
<img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/weapon/Spear.gif " alt="Spear"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/FirstAidKit.gif" alt="First-Aid Kit"> <img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/notes/Note006.gif " alt="Pen and Sketchbook"> <img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/nature/flower2_by_ilicon/F20.gif " alt="Compass Rose"> <img src=" http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/devthemagister/sprites/foohair.gif" alt="Lock of Foo Hair"> <img src=" http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/devthemagister/sprites/tarot_deck.gif " alt="Tarot Cards"> <img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/system/bennosystem_by_bennomeyer/BooklatchGrey.gif " alt="Book of Canadian Runes"> <img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/notes/Note003.gif " alt="Blackraptor FAX"> <img src=" http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/sci-fi/robotmenace_by_etherbrian/PincherUnit.gif " alt="Random Machine Parts">


http://www.foxmage.com/C____.png

[UNKNOWNFILE]

Read the Canadian Runes.

[Torkell]

Have a look on the list for Derby, FQuist, Jazz, Spaz and BoggyB.

<s>Head back to the picture control panel, and see if there's anything else we can do with it.</s>
Better idea: get L33tz4n to summon Sphery (sp?) and have it zap the computer to life.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

And what in God's name is a furvert?

[Radium]

And what in God's name is a furvert?
You don't want to know and drop the subject there. Back on topic.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

Thank you <s>God</s> Radium.

[Dev]

@UNKNOWNFILE: The book of Canadian runes only has notes on translations of the ancient Canadian sanscrit. There's no point in reading it unless you need to translate something. And a furvert is someone who likes furries... I mean <I>likes</I> them, if you know what I mean.

<b>I asked L33tz4n to summon the Enchantresphere to shock the computer back to life. She did so. After the bolt of magic lightning struck the computer, the unmistakable cracking sound of a hard drive being fried echoed throughout the factory.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/C____.png

[Odin]

Oh, (-).

[UNKNOWNFILE]

Send Sphery the Enchantresphere back to wherever it is they come from.

[Dev]

Summons are assumed to go away right after they do whatever you tell them to do.

Did you all forget that there's a world outside this factory? In case I forgot to mention it, the elevator you rode to get here is still there.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

whatever. Go on the elevator and return to the kitchen. Go north twice.

[Dev]

Compass directions? D= I'll ignore it just this once, only because I'm dying to get out of here.

<b>We all got back in the elevator and rode it to the ground floor. We then went back into the kitchen and out the back door of the mansion.
We journeyed through the snow on foot for hours and hours. We didn't seem to be getting anywhere at all; everything looked the same: snow, snow, and more snow.
"I'm so freaking tired," Araches groaned. "How much farther is this North Pole, anyway?!"
Uberbob's eyes suddenly lit up as he pointed to something off in the distance. "BEHOLD!" he exclaimed as he pointed to a giant, candy-striped pole sticking out of the ground up ahead. "The North Pole! We finally made it!"
Uberbob took off running towards the pole, with the rest of us trying to keep up. As we approached, I noticed something else on the horizon: a lone figure standing beside the pole. He was of average height and build and had short blond hair, and he wore a pair of brown khaki pants, a white shirt and a light pink pullover vest. As we came closer it appeared he was smiling widely at us.
We all stopped running and stared at him for a while. We had never seen him before in our lives, but something about him still seemed inexplicably familiar. I wasn't sure if we should keep going or not.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CN__S.png

And check out this awesome ToU minicomic I drew out of sheer boredom:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/devthemagister/Crud/tou_comic.jpg

[UNKNOWNFILE]

N, I guess

[acid]

I like the comic. Good stuff.

Go north. I'm pretty sure that is Dennis, but it's been a while since I played Dungeonman. Perhaps someone else can back me up on this or disprove my theory.

[Dev]

@acid: Thanks!

<b>We slowly trudged on Northward. As we approched, the strange man continued to stare and smile. Normally it would have been creepy, but there was some odd sincerity to him, like he was really happy to see us.
We finally got within a few feet of him and stopped. There was a long silence as we stared at one another. He continued to smile and stare, then suddenly he spoke in a very jovial and friendly voice. "Hi!" he said. "I'm DENNIS!"
At these words, the Compass Rose I had been carrying in my pocket suddenly exploded.

http://www.foxmage.com/CDENNIS.png

[Odin]

D, I guess.

[Dev]

<b>"We want to go Dennis," I explained to him. He crossed his arms and nodded.
"Hey, that's GREAT!" he said in an almost overly-affectionate tone. "I can take you anywhere in the world! That's what I'm here for!" He paused, continued to smile, then added, "And I'm also here to be your... FRIEND!" As he enunciated the word "friend" he drew a heart in the air with his finger. It was a little weird. "So, FRIEND, where do you want to go?" He threw open his arms as if he was expecting a hug, though I really hoped he wasn't.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CDENNIS.png

[Odin]

"Are you in any way related to Chick-Fil-A?"

[Dev]

Pageclaim for Dennis!

<b>"Are you in any way related to Chick-Fil-A?" I asked.
"Hey, I LIKE Chick-Fil-A!" he said very enthusiastically. "Nothing beats chicken from a pocket dimension! Hey, that sorta rhymes!" He grinned, showing us his perfectly white teeth, then suddenly asked, "Do you want to go to Chick-Fil-A? It's a WONDERFUL place to be! But then again, every place is a wonderful place when you're with... FRIENDS!" He once again drew a heart in the air. I was starting to freak out a little.</b>

http://www.foxmage.com/CDENNIS.png

[UNKNOWNFILE]

Ask Dennis if he can take us to the enterance of Blackraptor's lair.

[Dev]

<b>"Dennis, can you take us to the entrance to Blackraptor's Lair?" I inquired.
"Hey, no sweat there, FRIEND!" said Dennis with a big smile. "I can take you there, but first... you have to give me... a..." he paused for a very long time. We all leaned forward, awaiting his next words, we he suddenly exclaimed very, very loudly, "...a REASON TO SMILE!" He pointed to Uberbob and said, "What's your reason to SMILE?"
Uberbob thought for a moment. "Trout," he said at last. "I really like trout."
Dennis then pointed to L33tz4n. "3rm..." she muttered nervously. "I really like... computers."
"Fighting," said Shuriken.
"Women," said Araches.
"STONE!" Fooruman exclaimed, raising his oar overhead.
"And what about you, FRIEND?" asked Dennis as he turned his head towards me. "What makes you SMILE?"
"Well... I really like art," I replied. "And video games... and anime... and anime about video games, or video games about anime, or just any of those things with girls in them. Preferably cute, sleepy-looking girls. And-"
"Yeah, that sounds GREAT!" Dennis interrupted. "All of you gave me GREAT reasons to SMILE!" He reached into his pocket and dug down deep. "All your happy thoughts have given me the magic to make things happen! Your destination... AWAITS!" He suddenly pulled his hand out of his pocket and threw out a huge, sparkling rainbow. It flew over the horizon and vanished over the sea. The end of the rainbow stood directly in front of us.
"Have fun, kids!" said Dennis, waving goodbye. "Remember: every place is a great place when you have... FRIENDS!"
We all glanced at each other. "I guess this is it," Shuriken said. "The final battle is at hand..."
"We're finally going to face the Dreadlord..." L33tz4n added.
"IF there even is a Dreadlord," said Araches. "I'm still not convinced."
"By the might of FOO!" Fooruman exclaimed. "At long last, the moment my TWO THOUSEND YEARS have all been leading up to!"
Uberbob looked to me and smiled. "Ready... friend?"
"Yeah... sure, Uberbob," I replied. "Let's go."
The six of us all leapt into the rainbow at once, and the magic of Dennis transported us through the skies and across the sea. When I jumped into that rainbow, I didn't know what to expect on the other side, but oddly enough I wasn't so worried. Like Dennis had said, any place can be a wonderful place, as long as you're with friends.</b>

And on that unbelievably corny note, my DMship comes to an end. Radmiums will be back to terrorize you tomorrow, same Uber-time, same Uber-thread! See ya, kiddos! ;)

[Ae]

Friends are so wonderful!

[White Rabbit]

*hugs Dev with Dennis*

[Erik]

EDIT: i didn't read the whole post and realized dennis wasn't here anymore. whatever.

Pick up the scroll. I know there is a scroll. No foolin' man.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

hopefully there's a save point so we can save when we get there

[cooba]

Risp came up with an excellent character analysis of Conquista. He says that she considers "ultimate evil" to be a standard of how evil should be, and all evils that she does not consider "ultimate" must be destroyed.By this logic, Araches would have been dead now.

[Raven aka StL]

look for a save-point after arriving IMMEDIATELY (especially if a 130 feet mutant alligator charges at you) ;)

[Erik]

Go to the nearest inn.

[Dev]

By this logic, Araches would have been dead now.
Araches isn't evil, she's just unpleasant, though she can be nice to someone like Shuriken from time to time.

[Radium]

<b>After a short and far too colorful and happy flight, we all landed exactly as we were standing before. We were in a man-made cavern of sorts; in front of us stood a narrow stone tunnel that faded away into darkness, and behind us was a metal door. I recognized it as the back of the handleless door on the Isle of Darkness. Strangely enough, this side also had no handle. It was as though the owner not only wanted to keep people out, but keep those that got inside <i>in</i>.
Fawriel began to discuss whether we were, in fact, all friends or not. My ears picked up a sound coming from the darkness and I silently signaled for everyone to be quiet. Naturally, nobody listened. I quietly drew my blade and crept towards the shadow.
"G'afternoon, m'gal. Long time n' see," addressed a familiar voice. A gray fox in a loose, brown trenchcoat and black gloves stepped out of the shadows. He was holding a rubber-banded bundle of papers under one arm and roll of blank parchment in another.
"Mr. Xei," I addressed politely, putting my sword away. Araches looked over her shoulder and noticed the fox. Her greeting was a bit less formal.
"We just spent like a WEEK trying to get through this door, how the HELL did you get in here like that?"
Fox (As the merchant Felipe Oliver Xei was so creatively nicknamed) chuckled. "NPC privilege," he explained, "an' me' Invisible Gremlin Oath o' Neutrality. Gotta' sell to the badguys, too."
I rolled my eyes. Some people took their job too seriously.
Uberbob noticed Fox. "ITEMS!" he cried, "WE NEED NEW ITEMS!"
"Sorry M'lad," said Fox, "'M fresh out of items. 'Ve got me spells, though, and 'm willin to trade, spell fr' spell."
"Fair enough," Uberbob said, "spells are like items, but they come back. So it's cool."


Fox's Spells:
<img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Defender.png" alt="Raises max HP and current HP by 10"> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Burial.png" alt="Removes a corpse from the battlefield"> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Martyr.png" alt="Heals target, but transfers its damage to Faw"> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Animdead.png" alt="Raise target, control them for one turn, then they die"> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Disbalance.png" alt="Does 3 damage, halves defense for one turn"> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/TheChaosEffect.png" alt="Makes attacks heal"> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Biohazard.png" alt="Does 2 damage per turn"> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Recall.png" alt="Destroys a friendly summon and transfers it health to L33tz4n"> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/shuri/Feat.png" alt="The most versatile spell ever. Period."> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/shuri/Seppuku.png" alt="Does target's attack in damage."> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Quantum.png" alt="Switch Fooruman and target character's locations. Doesn't work on immobile things"> <img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Custard.png" alt="Gives Fooruman +2 movement and makes attacking take 1 move. He dies following turn.">







Your Spells:
<img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Lightning.png" alt="Deals 10 damage."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Haste.png" alt="+2 movement. Takes effect round AFTER it is cast."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Poison.png" alt="-1 HP/turn."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Bloodlust.png" alt="Raises target attack power by 2"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Hypnotize.png" alt="Control an enemy for one turn. Enemy can't act its next turn."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/SummonMythslayer.png" alt="Summon a Mythslayer. Can cast Slay."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/SummonAWA.png" alt="Summon Arabian Accupuncturist. Attacks heal. Can use Needletime."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/SummonWElem.png" alt="Summon a Water Elemental"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/SummonESphere.png" alt="Summon an Enchantresphere. Immune to magic."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/FysicsPhailure.png" alt="Attack changes randomly and heals half the time."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Randomtacklemanashackle.png" alt="Every time the target casts a spell they take 4 damage."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/AntiMagic.png" alt="The target is disenchanted and becomes immune to magic."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Heal.png" alt="+10 HP."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Raise.png" alt="Raise a fallen ally with 1/2 full health."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Dispell.png" alt="Target's spell effects removed"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Heal.png" alt="+15 HP."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Raise.png" alt="Raise a fallen ally with 1/2 full health."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Foshizzle.png" alt="Attacks based on amount of damage caster has taken."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/RammingSpeed.png" alt="+8 attack and +2 movement for Fooruman until end of turn. Used before moving."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/shuri/Haste.png" alt="+1 movement. Takes effect round AFTER it is cast."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/shuri/NinjaSpeed.png" alt="+2 movement for Shuriken until end of turn"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/shuri/Foshizzle.png" alt="Attacks based on amount of damage caster has taken.">

[Risp_old]

All I say is trade poison for biohazard. I'll leave the tough choices to players.
I might also want to mention that you can't chose who gets what spells. So you can't give Custard's Last Stand to Shuriken, no matter how really awesome that would be.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

I say trade seppuku for haste.

[Dev]

Feat for Haste might be a better idea. Shuri already has a direct damage spell, and Feat has so many uses that it's like learning a ton of spells at once. Other than that I say...

Poison for Biohazard (it's like an upgrade).
Heal for Defender (another upgrade, heals 10HP like Heal and gives us more HP capacity).
Fysics Phailure for Disbalance (FP is too random anyway).

I like Quantum Squaredance and Custard's Last Stand, but Fooruman's spells are already so vital. Custard's Last Stand for Ramming Speed could be a good trade-off, I guess. What do you guys think?

[UNKNOWNFILE]

UBERBOB SHACKLES PERFECT SOLSTICE TO THE COSMIC FORCE OF FOOTBALL!

(That's a yes to Dev.)

[Erik]

Mock the lady for not having Elephantism.

[Blackraptor]

When you're done trading spells, ask Fox if he can open the door and let us through.

[White Rabbit]

Can feat be cast on anyone?
I would trade:
Biohazard for Poison.
Defender for Heal.
Feat for Haste.
Disbalance for Physics Failure.
Recall for Bloodlust.
Custard's Last Stand for Ramming Speed.

[Torkell]

Quick question:

Disbalance - who's defense get's halved?

[White Rabbit]

The one the spell is cast on gets half defence, but the caster himself also gets defence halved since he cast a spell. The caster, however, can have normal defence again if he defends after casting.

Disbalance should be an offensive spell (Solstice had it). If Solstice casts Disbalance on Faw, for example, Faw is the one who has 3HP removed but both get their defence halved.

EDIT: Can we go Not Dennis? :(

[Fawriel]

Custard's Last Stand in exchange for Ramming Speed doesn't sound too good to me...
...and just imagine the potential strategic value of being able to have Fooruman and an enemy trade places.. hrm.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

"Gives Fooruman +2 movement and makes attacking take 1 move. He dies following turn."

Are you sure that would be a good idea?

[cooba]

Also consider doing this, people: Animate Dead for RTMS. Burial for AntiMagic (or, if possible, the First Aid Kit). Foshizzle for Custard. The Chaos Effect for one of the summons?

[Dev]

The first-aid kit is an item, not a spell. You can only use it once and then it's gone forever.

Giving up a summon seems like a bad idea, and remember that Foshizzle is a really deadly move. Just imagine casting Defender on someone who knows Foshizzle; once they lose some more HP they'll have an incredibly strong spell at their disposal.

Also, it's true that the person who casts Disbalance takes double damage after casting, as with any other spell, but that only lasts one turn. The effects of Disbalance affect the target until they're pwned or Dispelled, so it's definately worth having.

Animate Dead and Burial seem like they have really limited uses. I can see trading RTMA for Animate Dead, but Burial is really situation dependant. You can unblock a path and keep an enemy down for good, but Anti-Magic is just as good. Really it's tough to choose good spells for Uberbob, since it's impossible to know which ones will be useful. Animate Dead and Burial would be useless in a fight against enemies like the Birdclaws who mostly use summons, and Anti-Magic and RTMS would be useless against enemies who rely on physical strength instead of spells. The only sure thing I can say is to trade Fysics Phailure for Disbalance, because FP is unpredictable while Disbalance is ALWAYS useful.

[Raven aka StL]

conserve the first aid AT LEAST!!! U know that we'll need it soon! :(

[n00b]

Dude, did you even read Dev's post?
First Aid kit is an item, not a spell. We can't trade it.

[Blackraptor]

Meh. I wouldnt reccomend trading Foshizzle for anything, since its a really kickass spell. Custards last stand is nice though, think of all the times Fooruman could attack in one turn (even if he dies, chances are he would take at least ONE guy down with him).

[Radium]

I should fix that description; Disbalance only lasts one turn. This is still usually enough to kill someone, and works great even if you're casters are in back and meleers (is that a word) are in front.

And there's no problem with trading someone's spell for someone elses; like Haste for Disbalance.

And as for Feat, it can (depending on the instance/person it is used on) stun, disbalance, heal, temporarily increase defense, raise, teleport, or give the caster multiple attacks.

[Radium]

Oh, and I almost forgot my sexu compass image.

<b>While Uberbob looked blankly at the piece of paper listing Fox's spells (awaiting imput from the "voices"), I glanced around for where to go next.

http://foxmage.com/CN___.png

[White Rabbit]

Custard's Last Stand in exchange for Ramming Speed doesn't sound too good to me...
...and just imagine the potential strategic value of being able to have Fooruman and an enemy trade places.. hrm.
I was thinking about the Haste-Custard's last stand combo, which would be even more powerful than Ramming Speed. From experience, Fooruman gets killed after using Ramming speed anyway, and if he doesn't risk getting killed, the battle is practically won anyway. We also already have *hypno* and, hopefully, Feat, both of which are very promising. *hypno* especially. :p

[Dev]

Disbalance lasts one turn? D= Aww. I guess I never knew because we always died after it was cast on us.

How does this sound:
Poison for Biohazard
(Fawriel's) Heal for Defender
Fysics Phailure for Disbalance
(Shuriken's) Haste for Feat
Ramming Speed for Custard's Last Stand.

And does anyone wanna try trading either Bloodlust or RTMS for Quantum Squaredance? It's a really good move.

[Risp_old]

You just say that because it was your idea D=

[Dev]

Faw agreed with me. >O And it is a good move, darnit. If Fooruman's surrounded he could switch places with someone who has more HP. Always good to keep the magic users out of harm's way.

I made up Martyr, too, but I can admit that it sucks.

[Radium]

I made up Martyr, too, but I can admit that it sucks.It could also be seen as a full-heal that might kill Faw. I'm thinking it would transfer damage even if it dropped Faw below 0.

[cooba]

I semi-made Burial and Frenzy ;O! Anyway, I say we replace RTMS with Squaredance.

(Bloodlust could always be saved to use on Fooruman so Custard would be more effective. Rad you didnt read this or did you :( )

[Dev]

It could also be seen as a full-heal that might kill Faw. I'm thinking it would transfer damage even if it dropped Faw below 0.

<s>You just want to kill Faw.</s>

[Radium]

<s>You just want to kill Faw.</s>No, I just like making spells and special attacks EXCITING. A regular "Full Heal" would be boring.

Anyway, decision, guys? You all seem to want to trade Poison for Biohazard, Shurihaste for Feat, and Fysics Phailure for absolutely anything (you guys just don't like that spell because you have no luck), correct? What else?

[cooba]

What else?Poison for Biohazard
(Fawriel's) Heal for Defender
Fysics Phailure for Disbalance
(Shuriken's) Haste for Feat
Ramming Speed for Custard's Last Stand.I am 100% sure everyone's going to go with Dev.

[White Rabbit]

I also want to trade Bloodlust for Recall. (It works for enemy summons too, right?)

[cooba]

RTMS rather than Bloodlust.

&lt;!---hidden pageclaim&gt;

[White Rabbit]

I don't think Recall works for Faw.

[cooba]

I don't think Recall works for Faw.It doesn't matter whose spell we sell.

[Risp_old]

I also want to trade Bloodlust for Recall. (It works for enemy summons too, right?)
Friendly summons only, sorry. It's not like unsummon plus.

[White Rabbit]

Then we should replace Recall with Animate Dead for RTMS, and either give Haste or Bloodlust for Quantum Squaredance.

[cooba]

and either give Haste or Bloodlust for Quantum Squaredance.Bloodlust is there so Custard's Last Stand is more effective.

[Raven aka StL]

we need nothing else... ignore the spell trader... ;)

[cooba]

ignore the spell traderEven though we haven't yet bought anything?

[Fawriel]

Ignore Emperor. ;/

[n00b]

Ignore Emperor. ;/
Sounds good
<s>Go back to polar dervish and pick up rocket launcher</s>

[White Rabbit]

Bloodlust is there so Custard's Last Stand is more effective.
With Bloodlust and Custard's Last Stand, Fooruman can inflict 28 damage, but with Haste, he can inflict 30. Besides, Haste and Custard's Last stand are nicely staggered together because Haste only takes effect the round after it is cast.

[Radium]

I also want to trade Bloodlust for Recall. (It works for enemy summons too, right?)Argh, forgot to clarify that. No.
*fixes*

[Dev]

Alright, how's this:

Poison for Biohazard
FawHeal for Defender
Fysics Phailure for Disbalance
ShuriHaste for Feat
RTMS for Animate Dead
Bloodlust for Quantum Squaredance

Pretty good trade. Any objections?

[Risp_old]

You forgot Custard's Last Stand.

[White Rabbit]

Alright, how's this:

Poison for Biohazard
FawHeal for Defender
Fysics Phailure for Disbalance
ShuriHaste for Feat
RTMS for Animate Dead
Bloodlust for Quantum Squaredance

Pretty good trade. Any objections?
Agreed.
Also trade away Ramming Speed for Custer's Last Stand.

[Radium]

So, the final decision is:

Lose:
Haste (Shuri)
Poison
Fysics Phailure
Heal (Faw)
Randomtackemanashackle
Bloodlust
Ramming Speed

Gain:
Feat
Biohazard
Disbalance
Defender
Animate Dead
Quantum Squaredance
Custard's Last Stand

?

[Dev]

Oh yeah, sorry I forgot CLS.

Yeah, that looks good to me.

[Radium]

Your Spells:
<img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Biohazard.png" alt="Does 2 damage per turn"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Lightning.png" alt="Deals 10 damage."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Haste.png" alt="+2 movement. Takes effect round AFTER it is cast."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/Hypnotize.png" alt="Control an enemy for one turn. Enemy can't act its next turn."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/SummonMythslayer.png" alt="Summon a Mythslayer. Can cast Slay."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/SummonAWA.png" alt="Summon Arabian Accupuncturist. Attacks heal. Can use Needletime."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/SummonWElem.png" alt="Summon a Water Elemental"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/arazan/SummonESphere.png" alt="Summon an Enchantresphere. Immune to magic."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Disbalance.png" alt="Does 3 damage, halves target's defense"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Defender.png" alt="Raises max HP and current HP by 10"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Animdead.png" alt="Raise target, control them for one turn, then they die"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/AntiMagic.png" alt="The target is disenchanted and becomes immune to magic."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/fawbob/Raise.png" alt="Raise a fallen ally with 1/2 full health."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Dispell.png" alt="Target's spell effects removed"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Heal.png" alt="+15 HP."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Raise.png" alt="Raise a fallen ally with 1/2 full health."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Foshizzle.png" alt="Attacks based on amount of damage caster has taken."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Quantum.png" alt="Switch Fooruman and target character's locations"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/foocanoe/Custard.png" alt="Gives Fooruman +2 movement and makes attacking take 1 move. He dies following turn."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/shuri/NinjaSpeed.png" alt="+2 movement for Shuriken until end of turn"><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/shuri/Foshizzle.png" alt="Attacks based on amount of damage caster has taken."><img src="http://foxmage.com/u/s/shuri/Feat.png" alt="The most versatile spell ever. Period.">







<b>I felt an odd feeling in my head, like I suddenly couldn't use that Haste spell I picked up earlier, but would able to jump across buildings holding a gun in one hand and sword in the other or something. It was really weird.
"Agreed," Uberbob said, shaking Fox's hand. The merchant smiled as though he had just sold us a used car. "By the way," Uberbob added, "could you open that door? It's coo' that we got in here and all, but it would be nice if we could leave now." Araches cast him a terrified look as though she thought he still had some sanity left and had just demonstrated its demise.
Fox shook his head. "M'sorry, can't wit' m' neutral'ty n' all."
"Oh well. So, how about north to ADVENTURE?" Uberbob charged off down the tunnel before we could respond, or ask how he knew it was north. We followed.
I halted the group. The tunnel felt considerably colder than it did near the enterance, though that wasn't why I stopped. Runes lined the walls and ceiling, similar to the ones on the doorway to Unfooruman's Citadel. In that case, the runes made it so we could not go back out; these were probably the same thing, but one couldn't be sure. It seemed extreme wanting to keep people in that badly. An ominous light blue glow came from the end of the tunnel in front of us.

http://www.foxmage.com/CN__S.png

[cooba]

More ominousness! Tell L33tzan to summon a Mythslayer. Make the Mythslayer go North.

[Radium]

<b>"Leetzan, Summon a Mythslayer," I ordered. "Make him go north."
"Why don't we just send Ub-" Araches began, but was cut off by the sound of Leetzan casting a summoning spell. A green column of light appeared, and the Mythslayer stepped out, sword and shield in hand.
"In the name of all that is righteous, all that was meant to exis-"
"3r.. could you walk n0rth a bit?" Leetzan requested before Araches could persuade Uberbob to run through the runes.
The Mythslayer muttered something about how when he applied for this job he thought it would be about putting poodles in microwaves and whatnot. He stepped through the ring of runes, unharmed. "Happy?"

http://www.foxmage.com/CN__S.png

[UNKNOWNFILE]

Northwards. Look around for save points while you're at it.

[Dev]

First tell the Mythslayer to walk back through, so we'll know if it's really a one-way door or not.

[Radium]

<b>"Come back through, now," I requested. The Mythslayer tried, but was pushed back by an unseen force.
"I can't. It's trapped."
"Right then," I concluded, walking north through the runes. I felt a slight rushing feeling pushing me forwards. This was definately some manner of a one-way enterance, just like that on Unfooruman's lair. "It's safe enough. Regular one-way barrier," I called back to the party.
The seven of us continued down the tunnel for aways. The blue glow at the end gradually got larger and a layer of frost grew on the walls until we finally reached an open room at the end. The atmosphere here was much different; the walls were made from ice, and a dome-shaped ceiling stretched up at least 60 feet overhead. The occasional scratch in the walls made it look like something had been etched into them at one time, but had since frozen over, likely by magic. Three more doorways were evenly spaced throughout the room, though the one to the north was much more elaborate. The room's most outstanding feature, however, was the elaborate fountain in the middle. It stood about 20 feet high and ten feet wide, covered with a complex geometric pattern. Something was keeping the water in the fountain from freezing, probably a heating system. A glowing sphere attached to the top illuminated the room with an eerie blue light.
"The walls here.. they no longer taste of stone..." Fooruman observed as his canoe slid freely across the icy floor. "A great evil is present. Not just any manner of present, <i>birthday</i> present."
The old man's words were followed by a mysterious silence, only broken by the sound of water coming down the fountain. Usually I would enjoy this kind of silence, though right now more pressing issues were at hand. "Has anyone seen a save point?"
"A wh4t?" L33tz4n asked, a perplexed look on her face.
"How is that supposed to work?" The Mythslayer asked, poking the water in the fountain, searching for myths or something, "if people could just turn back the molten wheels of time whenever it was necessary, time would have no means by which to progress."
"Er, sorry." I scratched the back of my head nervously. "I've been listening to Uberbob too much."
"Don't worry, Shuri," Faw encouraged (without sarcasm, I hoped), "I'll let you know if I find one."

http://www.foxmage.com/CNEWS.png

[Risp_old]

Have the mythslayer, fooruman, and l33tz4n go see what's north, faw and araches see what's east, and go see what is west of here with Uberbob. Have everyone report back to the center chamber when they see what is past their respective door.

[Radium]

<b>"We can cover more ground if we split up," I proposed, "Uberbob and I'll go west, Fawriel and Araches go east, and Leetzan, Fooruman, and the Mythslayer go north, and everyone come back in one minute."
Everyone nodded and went their respective directions. Uberbob and I passed through the western door, went through a short hallway, and came out in another open room. This one was smaller, but still dome shaped and made of ice. A simple, square doorway was on the north and south walls, a faint white glow coming from both of them.
"This room is boring," Uberbob observed. "It's like a connector for two other rooms because the designer of this place was limited to four exits per room."
"That's kind of a weird explanation, but yeah," I said, "Nothing of interest here. Let's meet back up."
We walked back to the fountain. A few minutes later, Araches and Faw arrived, and a few minutes after that came Leetzan, Fooruman, and the Mythslayer.
"Our direction was boring and empty. More doors," Uberbob said, "I'm never going west again."
"Boring?" Araches asked, "We found a campsite or something. And a dead person. And food."
"I brought food too..." Fawriel began.
Araches glared at him. "You brought a kabob. It was a cherry, a shrimp, and a piece of lettuce on a toothpick."
"You guys would get mad if I brought so much it slowed us down..."
"We found a deep cliff, a riddle, wall carvings... and... I guess a save point or som3thing," Leetzan interrupted, "you should probably come look."
"Said carvings, they tasted of - not ice - but STONE," Fooruman added
The Mythslayer described it differently. "And a great unholy presence radiated from the depths."
This already sounded like it wasn't going to be a fun day.
Fawriel snacked on the kabob.

http://www.foxmage.com/CNEWS.png

[UNKNOWNFILE]

Go north to savepoint plz kthx.

[Odin]

Wait, since when was the POV on Shuriken?

Anyways, north, save.

[Ae]

Should have sent L33tz4n alone with Faw ;l

[Radium]

<b>I lead the party through the northern doorway. This room got much larger here; the ceiling was taller, the walls were farther out, and the ground was... gone. A narrow semitransparent walkway, about a foot wide and slightly luminous, reached about 30 feet out and met up with an immense icy wall on the other side. There was no visible ground on either side of the walkway; stepping off it probably meant death. The walkway was also the only source of light in the room, magnifying our shadows on the walls behind us. Across from us, the walkway dead-ended with the icy wall, though some etching in the cliff face was visible.
I tapped my foot on the glowing walkway, checking it was stable. Confirming this, I carefully and slowly walked across to get a better look at the writing on the wall.

<i>time passes as one approaches the end
a step forward can take any form
outside it matters that face of the commands stay constant
there is no reason at all to be on the edge of caution
before you move, the point is simply to face left</i>

Below this was a carving.
http://www.foxmage.com/Carving.gif

Through the slightly transparent ice wall, I could vaguely make out the words "Save" printed on something on the other side. I saw no way to get through to it, though.

http://www.foxmage.com/C___S.png

[n00b]

Oh I love Icely puzzles!

[Odin]

Oh jeez, a visual aid. This does not bode well.

[Ae]

Face to your left and take a step forward!

[White Rabbit]

You came up with that? Agreed. :p

[n00b]

This reminds me of a segment in Frogger 2 for the GBC.
Let's do what AE says, and if he's wrong, well better dead than um, er nevermind.

[Radium]

<b>"This is probably like that part in Indiana Jones where there is actually ground and he just can't see it," I conjectured. I put my foot off the left side of the glowing walkway and checked the darkness for solid ground. There didn't appear to be any. I got down on one knee and held onto the platform so I could put my whole leg over the edge. Still, however, there was no sign of anything solid.
"Careful," Uberbob warned, "we haven't saved in a while." His comment was met by confused stares from Leetzan, Araches, and the Mythslayer.
"Hon, a 'leap of faith' might not be the right answer here," Araches concluded. From the evidence at hand, I had to agree.

Inventory</b>
<img src="http://www.geocities.jp/oopage/material/icon/style_wa-katana.png" alt="Katana">

[Raven aka StL]

face RIGHT and take a step forward (the arrow in the puzzle points west, not east...) nvm... just see if there is ground on the RIGHT side of the puzzle k-rap... ;)

[Radium]

<b>I moved my foot around the right side of the platform. Still, there didn't appear to be any ground.
"So.. if someone was trying to make it impossible to get into their lair, why would they even give the puzzle a soltion?" Fawriel asked. It was a rather depressing notion.
"I think it's a rule or something," Uberbob responded.

http://www.foxmage.com/C___S.png

[Odin]

Hey wait, when Dennis said he was Dennis, I thought everybody's compass roses exploded. Why does Shuriken still have hers?

Face left and take a step BACKWARD.

[Radium]

Hey wait, when Dennis said he was Dennis, I thought everybody's compass roses exploded. Why does Shuriken still have hers?Dran, thought it was just Faw's. Fixed.

<b>I knew there had to be some secret to this "left" thing I was missing. Maybe I had to face left and walk backwards? I avoided the urge; something seemed really stupid about stepping backwards off a ledge.

http://www.foxmage.com/C___S.png

[Odin]

Still facing left, strafe north.

[Radium]

<b>Still facing west, I took a few steps to my right until I was up against the icy wall. It was kind of cold, but still there.
"Are you dancing?" Faw asked.
"No, I'm trying to solve this puzzle."
"Can I dance too?"
I glared at him. He backed away, scared.

http://www.foxmage.com/C___S.png

</b>PAG CLAM

[Raven aka StL]

summon and blow up Water Elemental to see where the water lands = ground ;)

[White Rabbit]

Nah, just let the Mythslayer drop down. :rolleyes:
When that fails, look west.

[MSB3000]

You mean, blow up the Mythslayer to see where the ground is.

[White Rabbit]

Can't we use Lem's Killl Everyone spell? :(

[Radium]

Emp posted first.

<b>A new idea struck me. "Well, there's one way to be sure - Leetzan, water elemental," I said, walking back to the party and away from the walkway.
Leetzan raised her hands and in a flash of light a styrofoam cup materialized and filled with living water before us.
"Araches," I continued, "zap it."
The sorceress raised an eyebrow. "Why? It'll be destroyed."
"We can see where the water lands. It'll let us know if there are any platforms we can't see."
The sorceress nodded and snapped her wrist forward. A bolt of glowing blue lightning burst forward from her hand. The water elemental vibrated briefly before exploding into a mess of burning styrofoam and steaming water. The water splattered the already slippery walkway, but on either side siply fell down into the depths. We waited a moment in silence. We heard the faint sound of water hitting a solid surface far below us, then a loud growling noise and a noise that sounded strangely like pieces of styrofoam being torn into smaller pieces of styrofoam.
"You know," Leetzan pointed out, "we could have just gone to that fountain and gotten some water."
"But then we wouldn't have gotten to blow anything up," Araches pointed out.

http://www.foxmage.com/C___S.png

[Ae]

Go South.

[Radium]

<b>"I don't think there's anything else to be done here," I concluded. I lead the seven of us back through the doorway to the south.
We were once again in the icy dome-shaped room with the large fountain. It was still quite cold in here, and if we didn't find some way out soon Araches would start complaining again.
"We should check out the campsite to the east," she suggested.
"AND we should probably start looking for things that aren't nailed down," added Uberbob. With no obvious way to continue on, there was little else we could do.
I felt a chill down my spine. The Mythslayer and Fooruman were right; there was definately an eerie presence in this entire place; that looming feeling that something bad might happen.

http://www.foxmage.com/CNEWS.png

[MSB3000]

EASTWARDS.

[Radium]

<b>Through the east door lay the remnants of a campsite of some sort. A small, blue, partially fallen down tent was set up in the middle of the room. An open backpack was laying on the ground adjacent to it with some bagged snackfood scattered in front. Nobody appeared to be present. The lack of life was made even more unnerving by a skeleton on the right side of the room. It's species could not be easily determined, as it appeared to be missing is head.
Leetzan picked up one of the bags of food. "The 3xpiration date hasn't even passed. You know what that means?"
"The freshness seal is still there?" Uberbob asked.
"No," Araches said annoyedly as she walked over to the skeleton, "it means there was no time for the corpse to decay. Whatever killed this guy ate his bones clean." I couldn't help but notice a slight trace of frozen-over cracks in the icy ground below the body. "He's been here four or five months, at most."
"We should salvage what we can and keep our guard up," I said, "We could be here a while, and might not be alone."
The room itself was made of ice and dome-shaped. Two more doorways were on the north and south walls, with a pale blue light eminating from each.

http://www.foxmage.com/CN_WS.png

[Odin]

Take any snack food bags that aren't opened, plus one empty snack bag. Look through the camper's backpack and the tent to find anything else. Then, head west. Twice.

[Ae]

Fix up the partially fallen down tent, and eat some snackfood. Explore the tent.

[cooba]

Tell Araches to set the tent on fire. Then have everyone warm up.

[Ae]

Do what all three of us said, in a logical order.

[Radium]

<b>I kneeled down next to the backpack to gather up the food. It was nothing special; a few bags of generic potato chips. I opened the backpack the rest of the way. Inside, along two food bars of some kind, was what looked to be the man's PDA, GPS, or some other electronic device. A large crack was running across the screen, and all the buttons were nonfunctional. The switch on the side was already set for "on", suggesting that the batteries were dead too.
Strangely enough, I didn't find any empty bags of food. This could mean two things, I thought to myself. One, the man decided to dispose of his wrappers in the bottomless pit in order to keep the evil lair nice and clean; or two, the man didn't last long enough to eat anything. I tried to keep my mind off the latter, packing the food back into the pack and throwing it over my shoulder. These adventurer people are usually pretty environment-friendly.
The tent didn't require many repairs; just propping a support back upright. There wasn't much more inside; a folded up sleeping bag (some loose feathers suggested down) and an icy, light blue gemstone, maybe a piece of the tunnel that had broken loose. It looked to be carved into an angular, irregular shape. Likely the man had used it to test the strength of the walls.
"Araches," I said, coming out of the tent, "ignite the tent. We could use some heat." The sorceress obliged, striking a dramatic pose and throwing a bolt of lightning at the structure. It didn't catch on fire, though a hole melted through it. Fooruman pulled out a marshmallow on a stick and stuck it in the gooey blotch of melted material. Nobody dared ask where he got the marshmallow.

Inventory</b>
<img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/PowerBars.gif" alt="Generic bars of what is presumably food"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Gem.gif" alt="Gem thing"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/sci-fi/startrekobjects_by_iconfactory/FedPadd1.gif" alt="PDA"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/OldstyleBag.gif" alt="Sleeping bag"> <img src="http://www.geocities.jp/oopage/material/icon/style_wa-katana.png" alt="Katana">
I'm omitting the backpack because it's presumably what is holding your inventory.

http://www.foxmage.com/CN_WS.png

[Odin]

Ask Fooruman where he got the marshmellow. North.

[Ae]

And give a bag of chips to Fawriel and the Mythslayer.

[Radium]

<b>"Fooruman," I addressed the wizard, "where did you get that marshmallow?"
The archmage paused, briefly staring into space as though lost in thought. He propped the canoe paddle up against the side of the wall and pushed lightly, sliding the canoe in my general direction. It gradually deaccelerated as it approached me, coming to almost a complete stop at my feet. The old man, his head still tilted downwards as if a great burden weighed upon his mind, focused his eyes up at mine. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but paused, his brow twitching subtly as though rethinking what he was about to say. He raised a crooked hand, beckoning me to lean closer. I obliged. He put his mouth to my ear, and whispered a single word: "<i>Destiny</i>."
He paused after this. His head turned up towards mine, and his hand pulled mine closer. "But now," he continued, his other hand releasing the paddle and resting upon mine. His voice was calm, yet serious, as he slipped something into my palm. "But now," he repeated, "it is your destiny."
I looked at the marshmallow. It was kind of sticky, and had bits of melted plastic on it. "Oh... okay. Thanks."
"Let's go NORTH," Uberbob suggested. Everyone obliged.
As we walked, I moved over towards Fawriel and the Mythslayer.
"Hey," I said, "you guys are probably the most important people with us right now, so keeping you alive is a priority. I handed a bag of generic-brand chips to both of them.
"Er," Fawriel said, a bit nervously, "I still have food. Save this for Leetzan."
The Mythslayer kept his. "About time you used me for something besides trap-testing." He pulled the bag open and ate one. "Mm. Generic."

The room the hallway led to was something new, at least. The walls and ceiling were again dome shaped, and had no visible exits other than the way we came in. The floor, however, glowed a brilliant white, illuminating the entire room. At the center stood a single crystaline pyramid, about six inches tall. Uberbob approached it. "This looks important. We should probably take it and run."
Leetzan lingered back towards the doorway. "It l0oks like a trap," she said.
Araches nodded with agreement. "Nobody leaves a shiny, valuable thing in the middle of a room unless it's a death trap."
I wasn't sure what it meant, but it did look dangerous. The sparkle of something else, however, caught my eye. I walked towards the corner of the room and looked down. Jammed in the corner lay a single, delicate fragment of crystal, not even one quarter an inch in width, perfectly round, and pointed on both sides like a toothpick.

Inventory</b>
<img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/food/foodonastick_by_madscience/Marshmallowtoasted.gif" alt="Marshmallow on a stick"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/PowerBars.gif" alt="Generic bars of what is presumably food"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Gem.gif" alt="Gem thing"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/sci-fi/startrekobjects_by_iconfactory/FedPadd1.gif" alt="PDA"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/OldstyleBag.gif" alt="Sleeping bag"> <img src="http://www.geocities.jp/oopage/material/icon/style_wa-katana.png" alt="Katana">

http://www.foxmage.com/C___S.png

[Odin]

Take FRAGMENT.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

And be ready to run.

[Blackraptor]

Either the fragment is what's trapped or they're both trapped D;. Appearances can be deceiving.

[Radium]

<b>I looked down at the fragment. It looked insignificant and harmless enough, being somewhere besides the center of the room and all. Regardless, I remained ready to run. I bent over and picked the crystal fragment up. No sooner had I done so, however, than I heard a strange sound of sliding ice, followed by an audiable SQUELCHTHUNK and Leetzan shrieking in pain.
I turned around, naturally drawing my blade as I went. Eight crystal spikes had shot down from the top of the doorway, blocking the enterance and piercing the serpent girl's tail in three places. Purpleish blood gushed out surprisingly fast.
Fawriel was panicking about what to do, asking Fooruman if a healing spell would help if there was still a spike through someone. The wizard reached into his collar, whispering something about destiny and handing Fawriel a marshmallow, which was promptly thrown back in the wizard's face.
Uberbob turned to me. "We could probably take that pyramid thing now," he said.

Inventory</b>
<img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Toothpick.gif" alt="Crystal shard"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/food/foodonastick_by_madscience/Marshmallowtoasted.gif" alt="Marshmallow on a stick"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/PowerBars.gif" alt="Generic bars of what is presumably food"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Gem.gif" alt="Gem thing"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/sci-fi/startrekobjects_by_iconfactory/FedPadd1.gif" alt="PDA"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/OldstyleBag.gif" alt="Sleeping bag"> <img src="http://www.geocities.jp/oopage/material/icon/style_wa-katana.png" alt="Katana">

http://www.foxmage.com/C____.png

[UNKNOWNFILE]

I second uberbob. ;P

[Odin]

Tell Araches and the Mythslayer to help pull out the spikes (while pulling a spike yourself, mind you). After they're out, tell Faw to heal.

[Radium]

<b>Uberbob pranced over to the pyramid and brought it back to me while I tried to help Leetzan. With Araches and the Mythslayer's help, I tugged on the spikes. However, they seemed to be firmly attached to the top of the doorway, and stretched down all the way to the bottom, through Leetzan.
"It won't budge," Araches concluded, panting from trying to move the spike back up, "and we're trapped in here until we can get them out of the doorway."
Leetzan pouted with pain as Fawriel tore off a piece of his belt and worked on stopping her bleeding.

Inventory</b>
<img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Pyramid.gif" alt="Pyramid"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Toothpick.gif" alt="Crystal shard"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/food/foodonastick_by_madscience/Marshmallowtoasted.gif" alt="Marshmallow on a stick"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/PowerBars.gif" alt="Generic bars of what is presumably food"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Gem.gif" alt="Gem thing"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/sci-fi/startrekobjects_by_iconfactory/FedPadd1.gif" alt="PDA"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/OldstyleBag.gif" alt="Sleeping bag"> <img src="http://www.geocities.jp/oopage/material/icon/style_wa-katana.png" alt="Katana">

http://www.foxmage.com/C____.png

[Odin]

Whack spike with GEM.

[Ae]

Tell Fooruman to TRY to Quantum Squaredance with the spikes.
Stick the Pyramid, Crystal Shard, and Gem Thing to the marshmellow and touch it to the spikes.

[Raven aka StL]

carve a way past the bars, in the wall next to them with the sword...

[White Rabbit]

Put the gem thing on the pyramid pedestal (Indiana Jones style ;D) and the crystal shard back into its corner.

[Dev]

Do what WR said.

[Fawriel]

Do what WR said indeed! ;_;

In case of success, comfort Leetzy<s> with gentle hugs if necessary</s>.

[Erik]

Do what WR said and start playing Indy theme out loud of nowhere

[Radium]

<b>"So, any ideas on how to get back out?" Uberbob asked me. "And, like, unimpale whats-her-name," he added. Leetzan, presumably still in pain, cast him a glare that would have killed him if he had half a mind.
I did have a few ideas. I signaled for Faw to get out of the way and chucked the carved gem at the spikes as hard as I could. It bounced off harmlessly, producing nothing but a loud "TINK". With no success in damaging the doors, drew my sword and attacked the wall adjacent to the barred-off enterance. The walls obviously were not any kind of normal ice, as my blade bounced harmlessly off (though the recoil sent a painful, numbing vibration up by arm).
A new idea struck me. I tucked the crystal shard neatly back into its corner and put the gem we had found in the tent in the middle of the floor, where the pyramid once stood. Much to my surprise, absolutely nothing happened. We didn't even have to run from a giant rolling rock.
Fawriel had done a moderate job with stopping the bleeding, though Leetzan didn't seem too happy with it. Araches, who had remained fairly neutral through all of this, looked like she was going to snap and kill Leetzan soon if she didn't stop whining about being impaled. I decided to try one last idea.
"Fooruman," I addressed, "try that Quantum Squaredance thing on the spikes."
"No," he responded.

Inventory</b>
<img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Pyramid.gif" alt="Pyramid"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/food/foodonastick_by_madscience/Marshmallowtoasted.gif" alt="Marshmallow on a stick"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/PowerBars.gif" alt="Generic bars of what is presumably food"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/sci-fi/startrekobjects_by_iconfactory/FedPadd1.gif" alt="PDA"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/OldstyleBag.gif" alt="Sleeping bag"> <img src="http://www.geocities.jp/oopage/material/icon/style_wa-katana.png" alt="Katana">

[Dev]

Tell Fooruman that he's not your friend anymore, then switch the pyramid back for the gem thing.

[Radium]

<b>"Fooruman, you aren't my friend anymore," I stated to the wizard. This really didn't sound like the kind of thing I would normally say, and felt really awkward.
I put the crystal pyramid back on the ground and lifted the gem. As soon as the gem left the glowing white floor, the crystalline spikes retracted back into the ceiling with a satisfying "SSHZING" noise. Leetzan was left in a bloody -though unimpaled- mess on the ground. Fawriel immediately conjured up that familiar healing glow around his hands. Fooruman stared at me menacingly for a moment, said "I hope your marshmallow burns," and rowed away to help Faw.
"Most people would have tried putting the big, shiny crystal back <i>first</i>," Araches commented.
"I didn't hear YOU suggest anything."
"I didn't hear you ask for help."
"If I ASK next time, will you give help?" I asked, frustrated.
The sorceress chuckled. "Next time you'll have to <i>beg</i>. And I'll have to think up something entirely new for the time after next." She left to join Leetzan, Faw, Fooruman, and the Mythslayer, patting me on by back as she went. Uncomfortably low on my back.
I turned to Uberbob, awaiting some remark on the events that just proceeded, contemplating in advance ways to hurt him for said remarks. He seemed, however, fully concentrated on the doorway. "You know," he began, "if we put some potatoes in the doorway, then picked the pyramid up and put it down again really fast a bunch of times, we could probably make mashed potatoes." My brain felt offended, and I wondered how long I could maintain my sanity before becoming an Uberbob myself. The prospect made me feel sad, cold, and alone.

Inventory</b>
<img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Gem.gif" alt="Gem thing"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/food/foodonastick_by_madscience/Marshmallowtoasted.gif" alt="Marshmallow on a stick"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/PowerBars.gif" alt="Generic bars of what is presumably food"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/sci-fi/startrekobjects_by_iconfactory/FedPadd1.gif" alt="PDA"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/OldstyleBag.gif" alt="Sleeping bag"> <img src="http://www.geocities.jp/oopage/material/icon/style_wa-katana.png" alt="Katana">

http://www.foxmage.com/C___S.png

[cooba]

South twice.

[Ae]

And put the sleeping bag in the FooCanoe. Sleeping bags are bulky.

[Odin]

Make amends with Fooruman and if possible the FooCanoe. The ask to put the sleeping bag in.

[White Rabbit]

Take pyramid (since it's not it that causes the spikes to go down..I hope).

[Fawriel]

COMFORT LEETZY FIRST FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!

[White Rabbit]

That's 'your' job. :|
I claim page 69, the most suggestive number given Araches' pat on Shuriken. ;p

[Fawriel]

You would also want people to <i>care</i> if you got a solid object stuck right through your body. D=

[Raven aka StL]

<s> kill Leetzan! </s>

... Go south, then west...

[cooba]

go south, then westsouth, then south*

[UNKNOWNFILE]

<s>kill Emperor!</s>

I second kewba.

[Raven aka StL]

ok... lets go south, then south-west :lol:

[Radium]

Back. Sorry, I died.

<b>Fooruman seemed deeply insulted by my remark three minutes earlier. Despite his apparent uselessness, the wizard had helped us in many an occasion and I felt he deserved my respect. Or at least it was better to have him on my side.
"Fooruman, I'm sorry I..." I tried really hard to remember what I did, "said we werent friends or something."
Tears welled up in the archmages eyes as he stood up and hugged me. "By the Ultimate Foo, you ARE the chosen one!" I pried the old man off of me and pushed him back into his canoe. "Ms. Shuriken, I would have preformed the Quantum Squaredance," he explained, "but something here opresses my arcane powers. Well, not all of them, just that one. We may, in fact, be dealing with yet another teleportation ward."
"You used megawarp last time we encountered a teleportation ward," I pointed out.
"That's different. MW is a HAX program."
"Er... right." I remembered something else I had to do. "Leetzan," I addressed the now almost fully healed serpent girl, "I'm sorry I got you impaled. But, really, it was your fault for standing in the doorway." Something about this apology left me feeling that it was poorly executed<note from rad: I needed to use Dictionary.com to find a synonym for half-assed>. "I'm still sorry, though," I added.
She at least seemed amused. "5'ok4y. Just make sure you put F0oruman in the doorway next time."
Or Araches, I thought as the sorceress came to harass me more. "So, our leader has a plan now?"
"Yes. We leave and go south." I helped Leetzan up and lead the party back through the hallway to the campsite.

Nothing here seemed different than last time. However, I briefly saw something out of the corner of my eye; a pale shadow, as though seen through the ice. I snapped around to get a better look, but it was gone.
"Everything okay?" Faw asked, worried.
"Yeah. Let's keep going south."
"How do you know it's south, anyway? We're underground, and all the Compass Roses exploded."
"... Magic." I loved the fact this was a valid excuse. "Anyway, southward." I didn't want to bring up the shadow and cause a panic.
Soon, after going through another hallway, we reached yet another room with a glowing floor and rounded ceiling. Another small crystal pyramid stood in the middle, ominous and important looking. Rolled to the side of the room was a baseball sized crystalline sphere. It greatly resembled the gem I was carrying, only perfectly smooth and rounded. A single, incredibly thin, rectangular sliver of crystal was leaned against the ball. It was almost invisible and looked as though a single touch would shatter it.
"Let's pick the pyramid up and see if anything bad happens again," Uberbob proposed.
Faw raised an eyebrow. "Let's not," he said, "Both Archmage Fooruman and I no longer have any healing spells readied. It could take a while to regain the energy.
The Mythslayer drew his cutlass and struck a dramatic pose. "We can't afford to take any more risks; we should leave at once. An unholy presence draws near." Leetzan (big surprise) nodded with agreement.
"I have an idea, but you'll have to beg," Araches taunted. I scowled back at her.

Inventory</b>
<img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Gem.gif" alt="Gem thing"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/food/foodonastick_by_madscience/Marshmallowtoasted.gif" alt="Marshmallow on a stick"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.foxmage.com/u/Chips.gif" alt="Bag of chips"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/PowerBars.gif" alt="Generic bars of what is presumably food"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/sci-fi/startrekobjects_by_iconfactory/FedPadd1.gif" alt="PDA"> <img src="http://www.iconarchive.com/icon/objects/mountaineeringgear_by_iconfactory/OldstyleBag.gif" alt="Sleeping bag"> <img src="http://www.geocities.jp/oopage/material/icon/style_wa-katana.png" alt="Katana">
http://www.foxmage.com/CN___.png

[n00b]

Beg. And then kick Araches.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

And tell her that she's as straight as the letter "S", to get her more upset.

[Blackraptor]

...just beg because nobody has any healing spells ready ;P

[Odin]

Offer sexual favors to Araches in exchange for a plan.

I am entirely serious.

[Dev]

Offer Araches a <i>friendly</i> hug if she'll tell us the idea. One hug. In a very well-lit room.

[MSB3000]

That's 'your' job. :|
I claim page 69, the most suggestive number given Araches' pat on Shuriken. ;p

WR, just, NO. Ok? NO. :eek: <DEL>:lori: </DEL>
<DEL></DEL>
<DEL>Not here, at least.</DEL></DEL>

[Radium]

<b>I rolled me eyes. "What kind of begging?" I asked.
"Get on your knees, act pitiful, and beg for help."
This felt very, very wrong, but I had little choice. Screwing dignity, a got down onto my knees, held my hands near my heart, and initiated the best puppy-dog-eyes I could. "Please, tell me the plan," I said, secretly contemplating ways to kill the sorceress.
"Try to be more pathetic."
Hating myself, I obliged. "Oh, <i>pleease</i> Ms. Araches, all-powerful and all-<i>sexxay</i> dark sorceress, <i>imbue</i> me with the knowledge of your plan."
She laughed. "Okay, since you asked so nicely."
"I think I'm going to kill myself."
"You're so hot when you're suicidal. Anyway, plan," she continued, "if this room has spikes triggered to bar off the door like the last room, we could probably just slip the crystals between the bars near the bottom. We could have a summon do it, or use a hook or something to get the crystals out while we remain outside."
"I begged for that?" I asked, "that's just common sense."
"I don't give you much credit for common sense anymore."
I tried to kick her, but she saw it coming and my leg got hit by a painful electrical charge. I settled with scowling again.

http://www.foxmage.com/CN___.png

[Odin]

Araches is like a very very mean Farah. ;(

[Ae]

Ask Uberbob for the rope, then have everybody go North out of the room. Tie the marshmellow on a stick to the rope, by the stick. Throw it and stick the marshmellow onto the pyramid. PULL.

[White Rabbit]

Take pyramid (since it's not it that causes the spikes to go down..I hope).

Radium, you ignored my post. :(

EDIT: Also, pull while outside of the room... :roll:

[Raven aka StL]

Have Fooruman go and pick the shard on the floor near the wall (since its logical that nothing will happen)

[Radium]

Wait, should I go back and start with WR's because he posted first or start with <s>Odin</s> Ae's?

[Blackraptor]

meh. just do AE's.

[Ae]

BR's.

[Odin]

AE's.

[Radium]

<b>"Rope," I commanded Uberbob.
"You'll have to beg firs-"
"Rope or you die."
The rabbit obliged and handed me the roll of rope. I took the marshmallow on a stick out of the backpack and tied the rope around the stick. I stood back a ways from the doorway and threw the marshmallow out towards the pyramid. It missed by about two feet.
"Try again," Uberbob suggested.
I pulled the marshmallow back. "I wasn't planning on giving up," I said, throwing it again. It hit the pyramid and bounced off. I reeled it back towards me.
"It needs to be stickier," Faw pointed out, "try licking it."
I looked at the marshmallow. Two particular melted plastic pieces on it looked like eyes, and a few pieces of loose hair someone lost on the inside of the backpack gave it a frowny face to some degree. It stared back at me like a lost puppy. Well, a lost puppy that's all sticky, covered in plastic pieces, and carried around by an old man for God-knows-how-long. "Fooruman, lick this marshmallow for me." The Archmage took the marshmallow and stuck it in his mouth, sucking on it for at least a minute or two.
"Are you done?"
"MmFNo," he declared without taking it out of his mouth. We waited another minute. He removed the marshallow on a stick. "I now firmly believe, sir, you will never find a stickier marshmallow."
I accepted the soppy marshmallow, carefully holding it by the stick, and tossed it towards the pyramid. It missed by a few inches. I tried to tug the rope back, but the marshmallow was firmly stuck to the ground. I pulled harder, but the stick snapped.
"Can I have my rope back now?" Uberbob asked.

[cooba]

Take the pyramid, N, N, take the pyramid which's in there.

[Odin]

No.

Go take the stick, pull it off of the ground (making sure to keep the marshmellow on), tie the rope to that, firmly press the marshmellow on the pyramid, walk out, then pull.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

I second Cooba's instructions because he doesn't insult me as much.

[Odin]

I second Cooba's instructions because he doesn't insult me as much.

I don't insult you, I just think almost everything you do is annoying.

[UNKNOWNFILE]

OMG INSULT

[acid]

I second Odin. I see no reason why the pyramids wouldn't be the triggers for the spikes, and a couple of reasons why they would be.

[Radium]

tie DD=
someone be decisive

[Dev]

By my ARCANE WISDOM, I declare that we do what Cooba said (even though I don't think it will work).

[Blackraptor]

i second odin ;)

[Odin]

god (-)it Dev >O

[MSB3000]

Odin's plan.

[Dev]

Neither of them are going to work, you know, Cooba's just made the most sense. If Rad wouldn't let you use the marshmellow trick before, what makes you think he'll let you use it now?

[Odin]

Neither of them are going to work, you know, Cooba's just made the most sense. If Rad wouldn't let you use the marshmellow trick before, what makes you think he'll let you use it now?

Fine. Cooba's plan. And everyone that votes for me now votes for cooba. >D

[Radium]

Too bad. I started writing right after Canti posted and Odin posted as soon as I finished.

<b>Suddenly it occured to me - I could just stick the marshmallow to the pyramid and THEN pull. Feeling kind of stupid, I walked into the room to pick up the marshmallow.
I knelt down, grabbed the remaining portion of the stick coming out of the marshmallow, and pulled. The marshmallow didn't budge. I repositioned my feet to get better leverage, wrapped my hands around the entire marshmallow, and pulled back as hard as I could. The marshmallow remained firmly rooted. I fell sideways trying to get up, both hands stuck. "Fooruman, what did you do to this marshmallow?" I asked, laying on my side. The wizard shrugged.
After a few minutes of struggling and some help from Faw, Uberbob, and the Mythslayer, I got free of the marshmallow. I instinctively tried to wipe my hands off on the side of my pants, but both hands got stuck again.
"Let's ignore the marshmallow," I suggested, both hands still stuck to my pants.

http://www.foxmage.com/CN___.png

[UNKNOWNFILE]

Say, "@!&#@!#!@(*#!@"

[Dev]

And you all thought I was mad. *cackles maniacally* WHO'S YO FOO-DADDY NOW, G?!

I honestly don't know why I just said that.

Ask Fooruman if he can help you get your hands unstuck, with his arcane powers if neccessary. Don't ask for Araches' help, no matter what. =O

[White Rabbit]

I second Odin. I see no reason why the pyramids wouldn't be the triggers for the spikes, and a couple of reasons why they would be.
Well, tell us the reasons then! The spikes were, for the pyramid, triggered by taking the fragment on the floor, not the pyramid.

NOW do what Cooba wrote.

[Ae]

Have Faw cast resurrect on the PDA.