Kejim: As you wish, Starfor! *Kejim waves his staff and shouts a spell. A black orb appears in midair*

*The antimagic field saps at the Maralith. It screams and coughs, and begins to slump over. Starfro stabs it, and it dies. As it dies, it begins to bleed from it's mouth, carrying several strange magic items with them.*

Jorvak: I know that Axe! It's stone fire, the blade that destroys undead! And look at all that gold!

*seeing the maralith dead, Kejim closes the black field*

*Arthur looks at the items, fascinated*

I think we should go in there. Whatever's causing the problems, we should find some answers down there...

*The party enter the cave, and instantly feel the heat. They have entered a massive fiery cavern. Below them, weak fire elementals manage the forge, overseen by strange dark humanoid features*

Jorvak: I'd know those anywhere, those are drow, the dark elves. We must be cautious.

*An elf approaches the party with a concerned look on his face. The party instantly becomes cautious of this creature; this elf looks different from the rest of them*

Maklin (elf): Who are you people?

We came to see what's going on here. I'm a paladin, so if you're evil, you die.

Maklin: I'm not evil, but that's something I don't want these other elves to know. They are definitely evil and I would watch it if I were you. If they find out you are here then it won't be pretty. I can lead you through this cave if you would like.

*A dark elf sees the party talking to Maklin*

Maklin: Uh oh.

*stands in the background observing*

[OK, here's the lowdown on Drow, like regular elves, except evil, have real hard equipment that disintegrates in sunlight]

You want us, chase us!

*Starfor runs back to the mouth of the cave*

Kejim: You! Maklin! Get out of here!

*while Maklin dashes down another corridor, Kejim, Starfor, and the others retreat to the cave mouth. Kejim lifts his staff to the sunlight and shouts an arcane spell, lighting his staff up like a glowrod. He then points his staff at the advancing Drow, blinding them with beams of intense sunlight*

((OOS: Yes, Kejim read Maklin's mind...that's how he knew his name :D))

Maklin: My armor will have no with sunlight. It has surpassed the evil drow's armor from adding elements to it.

*The drow gasp as they run into sunlight and their weapons and armour crumble to dust. They then drop to their knees in submission*

Drow Leader: Oh great warrior, spare our feeble male [drow society is matriachal, so females have power] lives, and we'll help you.

Very well. Tell us what you know.

Drow: There's a secret passage in the temple. It takes you right to Ardui's Inner Sanctum.

Kejim: Who is this Ardui?

Ardui is a matron mother. She'll be the high prietess, very strong, and in league with the Drow god Lolth, the Spider Queen.

Let's go.

K: *sighs* So, we run into a god already...

*they follow Starfor into the secret passage*

Gods aren't all bad. There's this really cool story about my particular patron god, Furro, God of the Righteous Blade, that he made some real powerful sword. It could kill other gods, and he had to give it humans, who could never use it's full potential. Then the evil god of hate was able to split it into a good and evil one before he died...I forget it's name, but it travells all over the planes. Have you heard of an ancient man named Elveron...?

I have heard legends of a man named Elveron Starkiller. About gods...they do not tend to take kindly to me. I am an unknown to them; they do not understand me. *Kejim suddenly frowns, sensing something* ...We have another problem.

Arthur: ...Is it...?

Kejim: Yes. Yes, it is. K'Warra K'laar has arrived in this dimension.

*they reach the end of the passage*

Maklin: Whos is this K'Warra K'laar? Will he be a problem for us?

Jorvak: LEGENDS?! Those were no mere legends! I was the same Jorvak Highhammer he pulled from the wreckage of the ogre-sacked village he came from! I saw the death of the first Darkstar!

*Starfor places his hand on Jorvak's shoulder*

My Lordship, I am honored but puzzled. Why do you choose to follow me?

Jorvak: Telling you would cloud your judgement. Now let us continue...

Kejim: K'Warra K'laar is one of the few stronger in my type of power than I am. Not only that, but he was born that way. I'm not sure what he is doing here, but I doubt that it is for good...

I have never before seen proof that a Starkiller exists, or existed. Beings in my home dimension know them only as myths, dim and twisted.

[I have never seen proof that a Starkiller exists or has existed... Ho Ho Ho!:D ]

Jorvak: You want proof?

(Jorvak removes a strange axe from his sack on his back. It glows blue)

This is the very axe of healing which I was able to slice off the reborn Lokpihet's arm, Starkiller by my side. There's your proof.

*Kejim looks dubious* Could not you have just as easily sliced off the reborn Lokpihet's arm without Starkiller by your side?

[OOS: I'm actually slowly writing all the legend stuff down, but it's only 8 pages long at the moment...]

Jorvak: Believe me, if it weren't for Elveron, I wouldn't have sliced off of his arm. And you can always trust a dwarf.

[OOS: Awesome! Can you, like type it, so we can see it? :D]

Kejim: It has not been my experience to know many dwarves.

[I'm trying to finish it first, and when I do, I'll send you a copy. The party have to meet up, (They're my original Icewind Dale party. Jorvak was one of them.) , but the Darkstar has already been introduced.]

Jorvak: We're good folk

Starfor: You two, quiet! We're almost there.

Kejim: *neutrally* Of course. *says nothing else*

*suddenly Kejim notices that Malkin is no longer with them...vanished somewhere down the path. But before he can say anything, an entrance looms ahead...*

*Starfor steps on a panel and narrowly dodges an arrow*

That was an 'arrow escape!:D ;)

Kejim: Careful! Luminus! *Kejim's staff lights up like a beacon, illuminating several silvery trapwires along the ground*

((OOS: Can't think of anything creative for this one---FORCE PAUSE RPG!! *RPG pauses* There we go :D))

Jorvak: I can disarm these, they are not the best of traps...

*Jorvak slowly moves to the trip wires and cuts through each of them*

Kejim: Be careful, Jorvak.

*Arthur begins to walk forward*

Kejim: No!!

*Too late, Arthur snags a tripwire. A wall slams down between them. Kejim and Starfor are cut off, leaving Jorvak and Arthur on the other side. Kejim and Starfor will have to find another way in...*

NOOOOOOOO!

Dammit mage! Tell me you know the spell "Dimension Door"! Tell me you can get through that!

Kejim: Something is blocking my powers. I cannot even see what lies ahead. We must find another way into this place...

*A door suddenly opens...revealing a side entrance to an altar, covered in spiders, and adorned with spider statues, surrounded by angry looking drow priestessess*

Uh-oh.

*Kejim swings his staff and shouts*

Ice!!

*A blast of ice shoots at the drow, who duck, letting the ice hit the altar*

----------

*Arthur raises his hands and a green energy blast rushes from his hands and smashes into the wall---and rebounds right back at him*

No! It's sealed by magical means!

*The dark altar is shattered, causing the priestesses to collapse and wither away. They are bound by the dark magic to the altar. A spidery apparation appears*

You dare destroy my altar....I send Kithhax to deal with you!

*A horde of drow and a massive spider emerge from the lower caverns...*

*Kejim swings his staff dramatically and the end glows white* I think not, foul creature---

*a voice comes from behind the spider* Oh, do cut the banter, Master Kejim.

*a ball of blue light shoots from the shadows and hits the spider. Kithhax dramatically explodes.

The originator steps into the light.

He is a seven foot tall, blue-green-skinned, winged, clawed, and tailed gargoyle. His face bears spiked brows, a double-spiked chin, glowing eyes, and scuplted, lean features on a powerful body. His hair flies about, swirling on top of his head to a drooping point, as if someone had neatly decorated his skull with whipped cream, changed it to hair, and permanently charged it with electricity. An evil smile laces a fanged mouth. He holds no weapon, only his hand carrying a ball of icy blue light.

Kejim recognizes him. K'Warra.

K'Warra: Yes, K'Warra. We meet again at last. Who's your friend?

I am Starfor Etoilemort, demon. And I do not like creatures from the lower planes...

*K'Warra points a finger at Kejim* We have business to discuss, old mage. *to Starfor* I'll advise you to be silent once. If you don't listen, then I'll introduce you to the very lowest dimensions of all.

*Starfor stands silent and angry. This demon is a powerful one, but there are more powerful avatars to deal with. Someday Starfor will be able to summon a planar being, and then he'll see whose boss.*

Kejim: *wearily* Simply, what is it?

K'Warra: Simply, your young friend stole something from me. I want it back.

Kejim: *raises an eyebrow*

K'Warra: Not this fine example of a lower being. The boy, Kejim. The one with the Emerald powers.

Kejim: "Emerald powers"?

K'Warra: You know of whom I speak...where is he?

We got separated, demon.

*Starfor raises Carsmoyr*

And what do you intend to do with power?

Kejim: What do you believe he stole from you?

K'Warra: Something called the Cauldron of Life. Among other jewels and artifacts. I believe he used the Cauldron...to carry them away.

Kejim: *raises his eyebrows again* The Cauldron of Life?

What is the cauldron of life? And what would you do with it, demon?

Kejim: The Cauldron of Life is a very powerful magical artifact. It is called the Cauldron of Life, because if you put the correct brew in, and dip yourself in it, you will become immortal; you will live "as long as the mountain stones".

K'Warra: Immortality...never dying. What a fascinating concept, no?

You forget the afterlife...for a Paladin, death is recruitment into their god's holy army. I will be a Captain of Furro's Legion, but what becomes of you after Death? Can you have one

[Note: Creatures from the lower planes have no death. If they are killed away from their plane they return home, but if they are killed on their plane they are destroyed forever...]

((OOS: Kejim, Arthur, and K'Warra are from Earth; Termand Rwos' dimension. I'm not revealing everything...but K'Warra is still alive in Termand Rwos' time, several thousand years later, although they have never met.

K'Warra is the same species as Rwos actually; only a different race.))

*K'Warra grins disdainfully at Starfor* Of course, "Paladin".

Kejim: Since what time is the Cauldron one of your possessions?

K'Warra: Since its owner died.

Kejim: You killed the owner of the Cauldron of Life?

K'Warra: No, rather, he killed himself.

Kejim: So he didn't use the Cauldron? I presume he didn't know the potion...and you do?

K'Warra: Yes, I do indeed.

Kejim: What makes you think my apprentice stole this Cauldron?

[How about I make this very interesting in a familiar style?]

*Starfor can think of nothing else to say, and raises Carsmoyr*

Die demon!

*Starfor charges at K'Warra*

Kejim: No Starfor! No!

*K'Warra raises his hand and a stream of bright blue energy bursts out. The energy catches Starfor in midstride, and K'Warra waves his hand to the side, throwing Starfor away against the wall.*

K'Warra: As you know, old wizard, my powers are far beyond yours. Now, back down.

*K'Warra throws another stream of energy at Kejim. Kejim raises his staff and absorbs the energy*

Kejim: I do not think so.

((OOS: :D))

-----------------------------------------------
#Meanwhile#

There is a place beyond the prime plane, where the gods themselves meet. The room is made enitrely of stars, save for the marble furniture and a model of the planes which all gods seem to be required to have. A meeting goes on between three of them:




And you think that this human is the right one?

We don't approve of the power you intend to give...

That is because you fear what Alminstar made...

Do not speak his name!

I will speak his name! He is my son and I do not care what you believe! I inspire more faith than a god whose worshippers fear the sun! It is done!

--------------------------------------------------

*Starfor lies in a heap against the rock, Carsmoyr broken in two, however, the roof of the cave appears to open, and a distant star like object falls to earth, revealed as a golden sword, lands perfectly into the rock before his hands. He takes it, and instantly feels courage, and a sense of companionship. He turns to the duelling K'Warra and charges again*