In the Hall of the Mountain King

[Brian]

Nathan is still holding his glowing and humming sword, which, to judge by the appearance of the guards, they don't really want to accept anyway.

In short order, Phil is able to go inside and find Radagast, who is going through a stack of his notes on one of the tables in his study.

[Dracos]

"Greetings Radagast.  Do you have a moment to investigate that issue now?  We got distracted last time, but I think it is best to figure it out one way or another."

Dracos

[Brian]

"Yes," he agrees, pushing the notes away.  "I'd thought I had something else about the crystals ... but no matter.  I'm certain it will come to me in time."

With that, he heads out and meets up with Nathan, where Phil is able to reclaim his sword.  "Beneath the keep?" Radagast asks.

[Dracos]

"That's where I last saw it heading." Dracos confirmed.

Dracos

[Brian]

"Very well," Radagast says, then leading everyone down staircase after staircase, until everyone finds themselves in the chambers of the Interers.  Phil sees (now) the thread coming down through the cieling, and then headed down again, through the floor.

[Dracos]

"Deeper than this.  It heads through the floor."  Dracos directed.  "Is there further basements?"

Dracos

[Brian]

"There is one," Radagast says, shaking his head.  "Follow me."

Radagast then leads everyone into another sub-basement.  Now the opressive feeling of weight overhead is much more intense, and the hallways are abandoned, not even glimpses of black-cloaked Interers ghosting about at the edges of sight silently.

This hallway leads to a massive double-door, which fills the hallway -- a good four meters high, and wide -- and is solid iron.

A huge black iron star is pressed across it, like a seal.  At a guess, it appears to be of dwarven manufacture.

[Dracos]

"What is behind this door?" Dracos questions, pausing before it.

Dracos

[Brian]

Radagast sighs.  "This is directly below the point you said you saw the ... the thread at.  The door is sealed, of course, by Ekim, to protect ... the crystal."

[Dracos]

"I feel I'm missing something.  Can you explain what's this crystal?  It's clearly important."

Dracos

[Brian]

Radagast nods, turning to face Phil directly.  "The crystals -- and there are three of them -- function as the focuses of the gods will upon earth.  The crystal of Hammar was taken back to the south by the Archon that came here.  In this room is the crystal of Aestock, which Bjorn and Parthipan -- and Madame Mirallia -- found in the pass on their way here.  It ... fights off the dread and fear that proximity to the Dreadmarch should inspire.  It's our chief defense against the overwhelming fear that they use as a weapon against us.

"My suspicion is that it was left in the pass specifically to be found.  I don't think we should mistrust it ... but while it protects us, it also grants some gift or power to Elric.  The question is then, how we deal with this quandry."  Radagast hesitates.  "Might you be able to discern more about the relationship of the crystal and the thread if you were to see them?  I can summon Lord Boneforge to open the seal and let us examine it."

[Dracos]

"While I believe I could, I think it would be wise to give Lord Boneforge some time to recover from what happened today.  We also should look into a plan then on what to do in the worst case anyway, now that we know it's a possibility.  I do think though it's a little much to expect that they planned for us, or some other group, to have gone through that pass, taken that specific route, and brought the crystal here.  Though at the same time, someone did pass through that pass before us, somehow."

Dracos

[Brian]

Radagast looks surprised at hearing this last.  "Truely?" he asks, frowning.  "How do ... what evidence did they leave behind?"

[Dracos]

"The torc, that should have been on Nathan's ancestor's body where he lay slain was missing.  Sure, there is a possibility that it was merely slagged by the beast, but at the same time...  It renders the possibility that someone very careful slipped through there since we did not spot the melted remains of it."

Dracos

[Rezantis]

"It wasn't slagged.  That part of his body was mostly intact, it was definitely removed.  That could have happened at any time, though - it could have even been one of his retainers who promptly fell into the chasm, so don't get too attached to that fact."