The Library

Fitheach, Fiesty, Talia and little Rorn gather on their airbus.

Fitheach Eun opens the portal book on the table and turns a few pages.

Portal Book

Fitheach Eun: “Look Fiesty, this one rune repeats often.”

Fitheach Eun: “It is on every one of these pages...”

Fiesty Lotus: “Yes. That be a bit odd.”

Talia Sunsong: “Does the Rune do magic to bring cream?”

Fitheach Eun rolls her eyes at the fae and cream.

Fitheach Eun traces the strange rune lightly with a fingertip and it begins to glow.

Fiesty Lotus “I wonder if we did one with just that rune?”

Rorn stretches out his neck and sniffs the book.

Fiesty Lotus reaches out and touches the glowing rune

Talia Sunsong pokes at the page. "What does this do?"

Fitheach Eun feels attracted and continues to trace the shape.

Fiesty Lotus feels a bit  funny.

Suddenly the rune glows brightly and the world swirls around them.

Talia Sunsong always feels a bit funny.

Talia Sunsong: “Eeep!”

Talia Sunsong: “This is as bad as using my bent wand.”

There is a soft thud.

Fiesty Lotus begins to nod and then gasps.

Fiesty Lotus: “ Now where we be? I am dizzy.”

Fitheach Eun looks around mystified.

Saphira Mistwalker looks up from her inspection of the scrolls and gasps.

Saphira Mistwalker turns to see her friends appear in front of her.

Saphira looks up.

Talia Sunsong lands on her bottom and gasps.

They are in a huge room full of books.

Fiesty Lotus:  “A library, the like of one I never seen afore.”

Talia Sunsong stands up and dusts herself off.

Fitheach Eun: “And Saphira!”

Saphira Mistwalker “Fit, Fiesty, Talia!”

Fitheach Eun stares at the dragon in shock.

Saphira Mistwalker: “Where did you come from?”

Fiesty Lotus turns and beholds their dragon friend.

Fiesty Lotus: “Ambassador!”

Talia Sunsong: “Greetings Saphira, giver of shiny coins.”

Fitheach Eun “Where are we?”

Saphira Mistwalker: “I'm not sure, other than it's a big library”.

Fiesty Lotus: “Tis that.”

Saphira Mistwalker” “I was looking through some of the scrolls, trying to figure out where I was, when you appeared. I'm not even sure how I got here.”

Fitheach Eun looks around at all the books hungrily.

Talia Sunsong: “I think it's the Druid's fault for tracing the rune.”

Talia Sunsong: “Not MY fault this time.”

Saphira Mistwalker: “ I'm so glad to see you all, it's been a while. We go separated after that Egypt business, and I haven't been able to find you since.”

Fiesty Lotus: “Well, I do like me books.”

"I do like me books."

Fiesty Lotus: “Let's do a bit a research while we be here.”

Fitheach Eun: “Look at all these books, surely some can help us?”

Saphira Mistwalker: “So, you came through a book, not a portal? That's new.”

Fitheach Eun: “Yes I was just tracing the shape of a rune.”

Talia Sunsong: “Some Fae tell me books are dangerous. Now I see why.”

Saphira Mistwalker giggles.

Saphira Mistwalker: “Fae and learning, probably not a good mix“

Fitheach Eun nods in agreement.”

Fiesty Lotus studies some scrolls on a table.

Saphira Mistwalker: “From what I can see, there are books, scrolls, and parchments from all sorts of different time periods.”

Fitheach Eun looks around; " When I was in the bookstore the magical books glowed..."

Fitheach Eun Looks around for any glow.

Talia Sunsong wanders around. She bumps into a stack of books and knocks them over

Saphira Mistwalker winces at the sound.

Fitheach Eun sighs at the clumsy fae.

Rorn jumps out of Talia's arms. He  starts sniffing around the scrolls.

Saphira Mistwalker looks across the room at  the other person present. I hope that isn't a librarian over there, she wouldn't be happy.

Fiesty Lotus looks sideways at the baby dragon, hoping he does not release any fire here.

Fitheach Eun smiles at the ambassador; " It is very good to see you again, Lady Saphira."

Rorn tries chewing on the feather quill.

Saphira Mistwalker: “It is wonderful to see all of you.”

Rorn spits out the quill and has a few ink stains on his mouth.

Saphira Mistwalker: “Well, except Savage, where did he go?”

Rorn pops his head up and looks towards a shelf full of scrolls.

Fiesty Lotus: “He be off somewhere.”

Fiesty Lotus. “I expect he will pop up somewhere like a bad penny.”

Fiesty Lotus: “What yer been doin since last we saw you?”

Saphira Mistwalker: “Oh my, I've been wandering all over the place trying to find you. I had just about given up, when I found another one of those portals, and remembered a couple of the runes. I think I must have gotten them wrong, because they brought me here instead of back to where we started.”

Rorn flies to the shelf of scrolls and begins eagerly nosing around the scrolls.

Saphira Mistwalker looks over and grins at the little dragon.

Saphira Mistwalker: “And Rorn, it's good to see you too.”

Rorn squeaks triumphantly. He grabs a scroll with his mouth and flies back to the group.

Saphira Mistwalker raises an eyebrow.

Talia Sunsong: "What have you got there, Rorn?"

Rorn's Glowing Scroll

Fiesty Lotus sees that the scroll is glowing.

Fitheach Eun looks with interest at the scroll and sees a faint glow.

Rorn holds the scroll out to the druids.

Saphira Mistwalker: “I didn't notice that one earlier, what did he find?”

Fitheach Eun takes the scroll and unrolls it.

Fitheach unrolls the scroll.

Fitheach Eun: “I do not know; we will have to study it.

Fiesty Lotus comes near Druid fit and examines the scroll.

Fitheach Eun: “Saphira, I think this is written in Draconic...”

Fitheach Eun: “Can you read it?”

Saphira Mistwalker looks over her shoulder.

Saphira Mistwalker: “Hmm, interesting. It appears to instructions of some sort for portals or linking books, if I read the horrible handwriting correctly.”

Fiesty Lotus nods eagerly.

Saphira Mistwalker frowns, "Or maybe it IS a linking book, I don't think the person who wrote this knew for sure."

Fitheach Eun: “Fascinating.”

Fiesty Lotus: “Kin you translate it fer us ambassador?”

Saphira Mistwalker: “Yes, but it will take some time. Draconic doesn't flow quite the same way as Common.”

Fitheach Eun hands the scroll to Saphira

Translating is hard work.

Talia Sunsong holds Rorn up to the scroll "Try reading it Rorn." Rorn who barely says any words, looks confused.

Is That a Portal? Part 3 of Calming the Volcano

The Minotaur Stands Waiting

As the boat grinds against the dock, they see the Minotaur standing there waiting.

Fiesty Lotus groans and drags herself out of the ship.

The Minotaur stands silent on the dock, watching the boat return to the shore

Talia Sunsong: "You young man! Stealing my wand!" Talia shakes her finger at Rorn, who playfully tries to bite it.

Fitheach Eun climbs carefully from the boat and leans on her staff.

Fiesty Lotus turns and sees the Minotaur standing there.

The Minotaur: "I didn’t think you could actually do it," he says to them as they climb out of the vessel.

Talia Sunsong: "See there Mr. Minotaur, these druids are verrrrry powerful." 

Fiesty Lotus growls in her throat.

Fitheach Eun glares at the Minotaur: " You should not doubt druids; we are not given to useless boasting."

Talia Sunsong: "Unlike me."

The Minotaur: "Well it seems you did help out the situation a bit. For that, the town will be grateful"

Fitheach Eun grumbles: " A bit; we calmed your volcano; you are all out of danger. That is way more than a bit."

Minotaur: chuckles at the elf, "Are you the one they call Fiesty?"

Talia Sunsong: "Does this mean you will give us shiny coins?" Talia asks eagerly.

Fitheach Eun stands up taller; " I am called Fitheach"

Minotaur: "Coins? Was there any mention of coins? I don’t recall...."

Fiesty Lotus: “ I am Fiesty.”

Fitheach Eun sighs at Talia.

Talia Sunsong: "Yes!" nods head although she doesn't remember coins exactly.”

Fiesty Lotus huffs.

The Minotaur: "Fitheach? How do you spell that?"

Fitheach Eun:  “What we need is the portal we know must lie here somewhere.”

Fiesty Lotus: “No shilly shallying Minotaur.”

Minotaur smiles at the hobbitess and winks, "You do look fiesty, little one."

Fiesty Lotus" “You promised to show us a portal.”

Fitheach Eun smiles at her druid sister.

Fiesty Lotus: “Now- we need to go.”

The Minotaur: "Portal? Hmmm...ah yes, the portal...I know just the place..."

Talia Sunsong: "I hope this portal leads to a fun place. No lava."

The Minotaur grins at them trying to seem cordial, but inadvertently comes off as sinister.

Fitheach Eun watches him with distrust.

Fae Talia and The Minotaur

The Minotaur: "Just follow me, ladies. I'll take you where you should go."

Fiesty Lotus peers at the creature and shakes her staff.

Talia Sunsong wonders if Minotaurs eat Fae.

The Minotaur beckons them with a large furry hand and starts walking down an alleyway into town.

Fiesty Lotus  follows.

Talia Sunsong follows slowly.

Talia Sunsong grabs a colorful Minoan dress off a clothesline.

Fitheach Eun follows at the rear watching carefully.

The Minotaur turns right, then left, then right, down a maze of back alleys, and soon they are not certain which way they are headed.

Talia Sunsong: "This path makes me dizzy."

Fitheach Eun grows more suspicious.

Fiesty Lotus marches along wearily, trying to stay sharp.

Fitheach Eun tries not to make it obvious that she needs her staff to lean on.

Before you know it, the painted sandstone walls have changed to rough-hewn dark granite and they find themselves inside a tunnel, not exactly sure at what point they transitioned underground.

Rorn sniffs the air and looks around.

The Minotaur keeps moving onward, not even looking back to see if you are still following, just turning corners, left, left, right, left....

We Appear to be in a Cave

Fitheach Eun looks at the ancient walls with concern; "We appear to be going into a cave."

Talia Sunsong: "Fairies don't like tunnels. We like fresh air and sunlight."

The Minotaur’s  hulking mass lumbers forward, the clop of his hooves echoing off the stone walls in an eerie fashion.

 Fiesty Lotus digs her feet into the earth of the cavern for a second, pulling on the earth for strength.

Fitheach Eun wonders if we can trust him and starts making plans.

Talia Sunsong whispers: "Mr. Minotaur, are you sure this is the right way?”

 Rorn growls.

The Minotaur starts to hum a low rumbling tune to himself, a slow dirge that resonates throughout the tunnels.

Fiesty Lotus: smiles at the Fae.

Fitheach Eun :  “Elves like fresh air and sunlight, too, Talia.”

The Minotaur:  "Don’t worry ladies, we're almost there," he says without looking back.

Fae like Fresh Air and Sunlight

Talia Sunsong looks at slime dripping down the walls of the tunnel.

The air gets heavier and more oppressive, the light gets dimmer, and we start to wonder if he can even see in this darkness.

Talia Sunsong trips over the skirt she pulled off the clothesline. "Ewww I brushed against the slime."

Fitheach Eun  calls on her staff to glow brighter;

Savage Taurus follows along in the rear, not concerned at all.

Fiesty Lotus gives a thought to her full skirts and how they work in damp environment.

Talia Sunsong: "I'm hungry. Is there food down here?"

Fitheach Eun :  “I'm sure there are mushrooms, Talia.”

The Minotaur moves faster and faster, and they find it harder to keep up with him.

Talia Sunsong: looks for mushrooms. "All I see is slime, unless that gray goo is mushrooms."

The Minotaur:  "There will be plenty of food where you are going...."

 Fiesty Lotus stumbles and is forced to give some of her strength to her staff for lighting.

Fit's Staff Glows Brighter

Talia Sunsong: "Are we there yet? I can't fly in narrow tunnels."

Fitheach Eun :  “ Will we get there, are you sure?”

The Minotaur:  “The tunnels go down and down, and the air becomes warmer, until you can nearly feel the weight of the mountain pressing down on you.”

Talia Sunsong: "This is where dwarfs go, not FAE."

The minotaur slows down, and suddenly turns around to face everyone.”

Fitheach Eun  wonders how their dwarf friends have fared since they left.

The Minotaur:  "It just around this corner folks. The reward you so richly deserve..."

 Fiesty Lotus gives her staff more power from the earth.

Fitheach Eun  sends some power into her staff in readiness...

Talia Sunsong: "Rich rewards? Where? Where?"

Talia Sunsong looks around for jewels and coins.

Fiesty Lotus throws a warning glance at the fae- while knowing it will be useless.

The bull steps aside and reveals a large hole in the floor of the tunnel. Foul air seems to rise out of its gaping mouth.

Fiesty Lotus: : “Ugh!”

Talia Sunsong: "What is that!"

Rorn stretches his neck and tries to look down the hole.

Fiesty Lotus: “It's a foul hole.”

Talia Sunsong: "That looks like a hole a monster pops out of."

The Minotaur:  "Or poops into.."

Talia Sunsong: "Like a giant tentacle comes out, and grabs you, dragging you down to some beak like mouth..."

Fiesty Lotus: : “Awwwk!”

Talia Sunsong: "Where's the rich rewards? I don't see gems or coins."

This is a Portal?

Fitheach Eun :  looks suspiciously into the hole; "This is a portal?"

 Fiesty Lotus holds her nose and looks down into the hole.

Fitheach Eun sees a faint glimmer.

Fitheach Eun :  "Savage, look down there, please."

Fiesty Lotus slides aside to let Savage see.

Savage Taurus  steps up and adjusts the knobs on the spectacles and looks down into the hole. "I see runes. This is indeed a portal."

Talia Sunsong: "You don't mean I have to jump into that hole?" she shudders.

Fiesty Lotus makes a face

Fitheach Eun  sighs with relief; " Ok, can you draw them in the dirt here?"

Savage Taurus nods and draws the runes in the dirt.

Fitheach Eun  looks at his drawings and traces the runes in the air above the chasm, as she adds the last one they all begin to glow.

Fitheach Eun  turns to the others; " Ok, time to go."

Talia Sunsong: "You first."

Fitheach Eun :  "Fine."

Fitheach Eun climbs onto the stones and jumps feet first into the dank hole.

Fiesty Lotus concentrates and feels her Druid sister's life force still active and sighs in relief.”

Savage Taurus :  "Ladies first," he says with a grin.”

Fiesty Lotus climbs up on the rocks , holds her nose and jumps.

Fiesty Jumps In

Talia Sunsong: "I don't want to jump in there! It smells."

Fitheach Eun  falls through blackness and then lands suddenly, stumbling a little and finds herself in a brighter cave.

Fitheach Eun steps back, hoping the others will appear.

Savage Taurus steps up onto the rocks lip of the hole as runes swirl around in the air above it and a glow emanates from the opening.

Savage Taurus :  *Rocky.”

Fiesty Lotus appears in the cave and stumbles to the side.

Savage Taurus takes a leap and playfully slaps the stalactite hanging over the hole with his hand before dropping through the portal beneath.

Savage Jumps Playfully

Fitheach Eun  greets her sister with relief.

Talia Sunsong realizes she is alone in the slimy cave with a Minotaur.

Rorn whimpers

The bull grins at the fae. "You could always stay here and be my servant girl, if you wish."

Talia Sunsong: "Me? A servant? I don't do work."

The Minotaur chuckles.

Talia Sunsong edges over to the hole.

The minotaur pinches the fae's behind, causing her to jump.

Talia Sunsong: "Eeep!"

Talia Sunsong jumps and falls through the portal.

Talia Sunsong screams all the way through the portal.

Fitheach Eun  exhales when she sees first Savage then Talia and Rorn appear.

Talia Sunsong: "Hey, that beast PINCHED me!"

 Fiesty Lotus shakes her head.

The bull sighs as the last visitor disappears and turns to trudge back up to the surface. "I'm in the mood for a gyro now."

Fitheach Eun smiles; "I guess we should find out where we are?"

Fiesty Lotus: : “Well, we are all here. Let’s go find some grub.”

Talia Sunsong: "Food!"