While Rimli hones his combative skills with Gurthang Ironbeard, a dwarven associate of Heward's, and most of the others research in the well-nigh limitless library, Alenniel and Ajax have remained in the forest which, somehow, seemingly lies within Heward's home. Alenniel: Hmm, maybe I could make a hammock or something. (he busies himself exploring the clearing) Ajax: (curious about what's keeping the scholarly-types, he heads for the library) Alenniel: (turns around) Hey, where did everyone go? Alexander: (says nothing) Alenniel: You're a lot of help. (he exits back into the study) In the library, a few members of the party are still occupied with their studies. Autumn, in particular, endeavors to find information regarding the unidentified magic items they've collected, but things aren't going smoothly. Autumn: We still have a few magical items we've picked up that we haven't been able to identify. I thought I'd try to find out something about them in these books, but it's taking forever! At this rate, I'll never figure out what they are. Heward: May I? (he picks up the rusty ball) Hmm.... (he turns around) Ozzy! Ozzy: (in the doorway) What? Heward: (throws the ball at him with amazing agility) Ozzy: What the-- (before he can complete his outraged sentence, the ball expands and hits him, holding him fast in several large bands of metal) Unngh! (he struggles to break free, but to no avail) Hey, what gives?! Ajax: (snickers) Autumn: I see! Heward: Eref! Ozzy: (the iron bands shrink and retract, freeing him immediately) Next time, ask for volunteers.... Heward: Anything else I can help you with? I still feel I have yet to repay my debt to you. Greythur: (looks in the party treasure bag) Well, actually.... Ajax: (looking at the iron ball) Rats. That's it? Heward: "That's it?" Good Master Tangleburr, Bilarro's iron bands are an excellent way to combat an opponent non-violently. (to Autumn) You said you had a few items you knew nothing about. What else can I help you with? Ozzy: (excitedly) How 'bout that rock and chain, who has that anyway? Alenniel: (enters) Well, if you wouldn't mind, we never did figure out what this was. (he holds out his rock and chain necklace) Ozzy: Ah, there it is! And hmm, let me see.... (he thinks a minute and then speaks loudly) Hey, what about that placard!? I'm sure Heward would know something about that! Heward: (smiling) It is entirely possible. Ozzy: (turning to Tasencia) You still got that placard? Tasencia: Yes, yes I do. (pulling it out from her pouch, she hands it to Heward) Heward: Hmm... where did you get this? (he flips it over and sees the Hextant symbol) Hextant, eh? I believe you may have found a powerful magical item. Ozzy: (interested) Really? Heward: Allow me some time to confirm my suspicions. Researching this shouldn't take long. In the meantime, please think about what I may be able to do for each of you in return for purging my household of that medusa. Ajax: (trying to think of something good to ask for) Hmmm... well.... (he scratches his head) Oh!... no... ummmm.... Eagle: (quietly, to Ajax) Gold, man-- _gold_! This guy must have tons of it! Greythur: (humbly) The only other request I have is leave to return here at some later date to peruse your library when we have time. Heward: Of course! You will always be welcome here, I assure you. Greythur: Speaking of time, do you think we should be off for the Stonehammers? Heward: Time is of little concern here. My home touches several other planes of existence, including that of time itself. I can control the flow of time here relative to the outside world so that when you leave it will seem like only a few hours have passed. Tasencia: (her eyes light up) Then we could spend a great deal of time here, I take it? In the library...? Heward: Indeed. There is plenty of time for study and training, if you so desire. If you'll excuse me.... (he bows his head politely and walks over to another section of the library) Ozzy: Hey, Heward... wait up. (he follows him) Meanwhile, Rimli tells Gurthang the story of the battle with the derro and the Bat-Bull, paying careful attention to the derro end of things and his role. Rimli: (disgustedly) Bloody derro scum! Gurthang: Aye, they are an evil lot. Rimli: Nah, I mean tha's wha' was all over me axe af'er I split 'is 'ead open-- bloody derro scum! Gurthang: Ah, but ye got this fine battle axe out of it. Ye can't complain 'bout that. Rimli: An' I don't! (he grins broadly) But I of'en wonder wha' 'er name means.... Gurthang: Enough talk, lad. Let's get back to it. (he leans his two hand axes against the wall, picks up a shield and warhammer, and rushes foward) Rimli: (parries the hammer strike and returns the blow) Yah! Gurthang: (raises his shield to block) Rimli: (brings his axe down upon the shield, which immediately splits into several useless pieces and falls to the floor) Och! Gurthang: (dodges the battle axe, which continues right through the shield as if it hadn't even been there) Easy, lad! Tha' was one o' my best shields! Rimli: 'Twas nae a heavy blow... but now we ken why she's named Shield's Bane.... Back in the library, Ozzy speaks privately with Heward for a few minutes while the others compile their "wish lists" for Heward. Ozzy: (rejoins the others) Ajax: What was that all about? Ozzy: Oh, nothing much really. I asked him about Zakk and whether or not he has any special powers I didn't know about. Alenniel: And...? Ozzy: (shakes his head) He said he's just a prototype and can't do all the stuff that Alexander can. Too bad. Tasencia: (with her nose in a book) Fascinating. Eagle: What? Tasencia: It's a book about Vecna. Ozzy: The hand and teeth guy? (suddenly interested) Lemme see that.... After an hour or two, Heward returns to you with a satisfied smile. Heward: It is as I suspected. As you may have guessed from your own dealing with the remnants of the Hextant, they used extradimensional gates a great deal. With them, they could travel from one secret lair to another, or open portals to other worlds, or go virtually anywhere within the blink of an eye. Greythur: Useful. It's unfortunate that such power resided in the hands of such an evil organization. Heward: The gates made it very difficult for us to catch them. Ajax: Us? Were you there? Heward: I was. The threat the presented was great enough that a few concerned and powerful citizens of the southeastern Flanaess, like myself, teamed together to hunt them down. Autumn: (looking at him with admiration) It must have made a great story.... Heward: Of course. Now, where was I? Ah, yes. The only disadvantage the gates had was that they were immobile, which made them easier to destroy. However, even as we exploited this weakness, they countered with another method of transport. (he holds up the placard) Tasencia: (wide-eyed) That...? Heward: (nods) And other like it. They were-- or are, I should say-- rather limited in that they could only have a single destination, unlike the full-scale gates, but their advantage lie in the fact that they were small and easily carried in a pouch or pocket. Alenniel: Or hidden in a desk. Ozzy: (takes the placard) So, if each of these only led to one place... where does this one lead?