From: Mike and Micky Gunn > The Dark Elf warmage had turned to J'layah as he mentioned her name, and now he > spoke to her. "J'layah, would you be so kind as to introduce our new companions > to the rest of our party, while I go with Alduin to recover his ink-jar? I would > not seem ungracious, but I fear it will be covered by the shifting sand if we do > not hurry." Taking the scribe by the elbow, he strode off to the other side of > the rocky spur, where they had sheltered from the storm. Unaccustomed to addressing a group of strangers - most of whom looked decidedly unfriendly, It took a moment for J'layah to find her voice. The Werre seemed ready to slice her into ribbons without warning, and judging by their ripe aroma had bathed only in sand and dust for the past month. It was all she could do to keep her delicate nose from wrinkling. The female Khajit's tail tip quivered ever so slightly, whether in irritation or amusement she couldn't tell, but it made her nervous nonetheless. J'layah swallowed and summoned a friendly smile. "Ah......may I introduce to you my companions," she turned and gestured toward the group, who inclined their heads respectfully as she spoke their names. "Elfiran, Tabanallis, Mea Culpa, and Torgath. Lord Balefire has already introduced you to Twilight and myself, and you have obviously made Alduin's and K'tarrin's acquaintance elsewhere. Honourable allies and fearsome foes, every one." Pleasantries completed, she recounted the events leading to their unexpected arrival at Thoth Durghanti, and was describing Torgath's dramatic dragon slaying feat when Alduin trotted up, robes hitched high to avoid tripping over them, his face flushed red with exertion, and eyes fair gleaming with excitement. "We have found it! Quickly.....you must come and see for yourselves!" He looked expectantly around the group. There was an lengthy pause before Mea spoke, her tone suggesting that perhaps the scribe had lost his marbles. "Er, I'm sure you are happy to have found it old man, but it's just an ink jar. Why such a fuss?" "Ink jar?" Alduin looked puzzled for a moment until he realised the skein of conversational thread was rather tangled. "Oh....no, no, no! We *did* find my ink jar, but Balefire has discovered something even better - a secret passage into the citadel! Now quickly, you must come quickly!" He fluttered his hands impatiently as the group gathered their belongings and made to follow him, pausing only to tether their mounts in the cleft where they'd sheltered from the storm. Balefire had made slow progress down the rough-hewn passage, checking every few feet for potential traps - who knew *what* defences had been built into this place? His senses were finely honed from years of use (and had saved him from an assassin's dagger more than once), but it didn't help matters that he couldn't use the Art to magically sniff out glyphs, wardings, and tripwires. Blast this place! He unstoppered his canteen and took a swig of the lukewarm water, wishing for the tenth time it was a cool, foaming mug of Elfiran's finest draught. Ah! The others had finally arrived. He could hear them milling around the entrance. He replaced the canteen in his pack and continued his cautious advance. The party wasted no time. Led by the Werre they entered the dark passage, torches held aloft and weapons drawn. Loriella, Tabanallis, Torgath, and Elfiran were next, followed by Alduin - wearing an ingenious device on his head (consisting of a metal headband, a candle holder, a lit candle stub and a reflective disc) that allowed him to write as they walked. Indeed that is just what the scribe was doing, and the harsh 'scritching' of his quill could be heard above the soft clank of armour and shuffling footsteps. Twilight, Mea and J'layah brought up the rear, stifling their amusement at the scribe's mutterings and comical contraption. To'Khar K'than had reached Balefire and was quietly conferring with him when Alduin - who was looking down at his notes and hadn't realised the party was no longer moving, ploughed straight into the back of Elfiran. "Oof!" The flaming candle on his headband singed a good deal of Elfiran's hair before it was extinguished, and a blob of hot, melted wax dripped onto the tip of Alduin's pointed nose. "Aargh!" he yelled. The distraction caused Balefire to step back a pace......onto an uneven slab in the floor. There was a "click" followed by a grinding noise and ominous cracks began to appear in the ceiling of the tunnel directly above Alduin. "Ware!! A trap!" bellowed Balefire as he sprang into action, bodily hauling two of the Werre further into the passage with him and shouting at the others to follow. Twilight, whose reactions were equally fast, dragged Mea and J'layah in the opposite direction - towards the tunnel entrance. Chunks of rock were now falling from the ceiling, and sand was beginning to pour in through the ever-widening cracks in a deadly cascade. Elfiran grabbed a bemused Alduin and hoisted him out of harm's way, and not a moment too soon. With a deafening roar the ceiling collapsed, effectively separating the Elven women from the rest of the party..........