Trouble In Xanth - Chapter 6: Sinking

[Theonewhoisodd]

The man mutters something under his breath about needing major characters before storming off. The group begins to head away but Duncan glances back as they begin to pass out of range of the town and it's gone! Where there was once a town now there is nothing but trees. Duncan quickly notifies the rest of the group and as hard as Tenel tries he can't even point out the location of the town. It seems to have completely disappeared off the face of Xanth.

The party can not fathom the reason but the centaurs have a couple ideas even though they don't make complete sense including a massive illusion, but the only person capable of creating an illusion that powerful is Queen Emeritus Iris.

OOC:

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Sorry for getting slightly political you guys I couldn't resist the puns. I have to remember that most of you guys don't have the same political ideas as I do, so I will refrain from controversial topics in the future. Also the reason the man only wanted help finding the arms will become clearer later.

[Dlover]

"Lady Emeritus is not the only illusionist in the lands, and I am sure we do not have the sole person capable of enhancing the powers of others in our presence. It was probably one of many distractions our enemy had prepared should anybody come looking for him. My guess is that he expects any heroes would not be able to ignore the impoverished peoples, and with the town being an illusion there would also be no baboons, so we would have wandered, lost, for days on end... Oh, and Bill? You do NOT tell people that we are on a quest which the entire kingdom depends on! It is guaranteed to be a bad thing, when we want to be unknown so that our enemy cannot target us."

[Quarg]

Jas nods, "Duncan has his head on strait on that little bit..."

[Dlover]

"Of course I do, Jas. When somebody doesn't have powerful magic or powerful family, they have to have reason at their disposal."

[WearsHats]

I had been holding my tongue on the nature of our quest, but since others had already mentioned the king being in peril I figured it could not do any further harm. You're right, though. We should not speak of it where others can hear.

[Jacon]

" Well good riddance...All that wordplay and puns were starting to hurt my head."
Tenel will take lead and continue.

[GathersIngredients]

Thunderhoof tilts his head and scratches his chin in thought. "Why would the queen do something like this? A test perhaps, whether we keep our eyes on the target or dilly-dally, allowing us to get distracted by every banal little request anyone else approaches us with?"
When he hears the remarks of the others, that it might as well have been someone else trying to delay them, he says: "That makes a bit more sense. Well... in any case I am glad that we don't have to track down a bunch of baboons - be they real or imaginary - over someone else's animal parts."

[Theonewhoisodd]

Following Tenel's lead the group comes to a large field. Walking through it seems safe enough until massive sink holes begin opening up. Before any of them can react the holes swallow up the group seperating them into 3 groups, Tenel with Allune, Bill with Synge and Jas, and Thunderhoof with Duncan. They close up before any of them can make a plan of escape. Luckily each leads forward in the general direction Tenel was originally pointing.

[Arch Lich Burns]

"I am guessing that there is somesort of traps in here, or potential ambush., perhaps youcan use your talent to point us the safest way out while going twoards our destination?"

[Dlover]

"Well, seems we're stuck here. You're certainly one of the preferable people to be trapped with, though. Let me try something before we keep moving, though." Duncan cups one hand, focusing on filling it with light, "I've not tried to create an illusion of something that isn't material, so I'm not really sure how well this will work. Making light is supposedly one of the more basic illusory creations, but I don't really know how I can make any light if I don't know what it's lighting up, considering illusions are just deceptions of the senses."

[Synch]

Synge brushes himself off and helps up the other two.

"Hole be dark. Can one give spark?"

[GathersIngredients]

Thunderhoof ruffles his hand through his hair, not quite sure what to say to Ducan's compliment. He eventually settles for: "Gee, thanks. I'm certainly glad you are with me, too.
On the illusion: Maybe you could try looking at it the other way. Try not to create a presence of light, but an absence of darkness. We all know what darkness looks like, and you are able of making it look like there's less of something within any container, right? Just imagine this cave - or whatever we are in, precisely - emptying of blackness. I'd also be happy to assist you in your efforts, would you like me to?"

If the answer is yes, Thunderhoof will once more lay his hand onto Duncan's shoulder and aid his talents the best he can, else he just supplies moral support.

[Dlover]

"For an entire cave... And with darkness just being a concept, the idea of the absence of light... If I can manage it at all, I think I will need your help. Don't exert yourself too much, though. I don't want to make you weak or anything like that."

[Quarg]

Jas looks about..."I'm less talented in making sparks than making confusion. You'll need my wife for the fire...although do either of you see some flint around? I might be able to make a few sparks that way..."

[WearsHats]

"Flint and steel? I keep some in my saddlebags. Let me reenlarge it so I can fish it out.

"Speaking of enlarging things... Synge, take a few steps back. I'm going to make you taller until you're big enough to reach the roof. See if you can dig your way through it. Just try to push the dirt behind us, not on our heads, okay?"

[Jacon]

" Theirs only one way ( I think) to go." Tenel says looking down the tunnel (?) " Let's get this over with and find the others."
He starts down the tunnel

[Arch Lich Burns]

"Perhaps that is so, but perhaps it is another illusion or trap? It seems highly unlikely that the ground was naturally like this."

[Jacon]

Tenel does some humming to answer Allunes question although he thinks it's a waste of time.

[Theonewhoisodd]

Tenel's magic ascertains that this was indeed a trap but the passageway is indeed a somewhat safe path.

Duncan begins trying to remove the darkness from the room, with Thunderhoof's hand on his back he is able to do it immediately. Slowly Thunderhoof lifts his hand off of Duncan's shoulder and the illusion remains, even growing stronger albeit slower than before. A tingle of accomplishment spreads through Duncan having never known he could do something like this.

Slowly Synge grows to massive proportions taking up most of the space in the cavern. He tries to dig his way through the roof but the dirt has been magically hardened and he can't get through it.

[WearsHats]

"It was worth a try. I'll bring you back to normal size, Synge. Can you use your talent to control fire to sustain a light for us? Just enough to see by, not enough to burn."

[Synch]

"It was worth a try. I'll bring you back to normal size, Synge. Can you use your talent to control fire to sustain a light for us? Just enough to see by, not enough to burn."

As Bill uses the flint and tinder, Synge captures of one of the sparks and grows it into a small flame on the ground. The flame slowly takes on the shape of a small mouse, which scurries along illuminating the path in front of them. Synge gives them an almost childlike grin of glee and follows after the flame mouse.

[Dlover]

Duncan's eyes widen, seeing his accomplishments, "How is this even possible? I've never got more than a water trough to change, and I didn't even think I could do anything involving a concept... You're sure the strength you lend doesn't remain for a time after you stop making contact?"

[GathersIngredients]

Thunderhoof rubs his chin in thought. "Well, if it works this way on you, you'd be the first. But then again, we never know what we are truly capable of, until we try, ain't that right?" Thunderhoof states and gives Duncan an encouraging grin.
"Now let's put this absence of darkness to good use and try to find the others or a way out of here. You did good, kid, you did good." Thunderhoof places his hand upon Duncan's shoulder once more, patting it once or twice amicably and sets off in the general direction Tenel was guiding them before.

[Dlover]

Duncan hurries along with Thunderhoof, trying and failing to hide a grin.

[Quarg]

Jas follows along. 'Well this is rather undramatic...'