Selene worked her way back to the party after her long meeting with the Green Man. She thought over the advice he had given her and about how she could use her special abilities to do far more than she had let on. The time was coming that she would have to show the party that she was more than a meer Healer...far more in fact. After a life of being told that she couldn't fight, that she was too small to do any damage, she was learning different. She was capable of doing more damage than most gave her credit for. With each passing day, she learned more and more. The Green Man gifted her with a staff and a box of leaves. The staff was really old looking, oaken and had lots of knots and bumps on it's smooth surface. It was 4 foot long, almost as tall as her. The box of leaves seemed to be just that. The Green Man assured her that with time it would come in very usefull. The red, yellow and orange leaves seemed to be sewn together in some odd sort of way, but she could not figure out just what it was to be.

When she caught up with the party, they were in a room where some big snake-like people were confronting them. They fought them off and succeeded in putting the snake people down as was their pattern. The wizard guy had fainted for some reason. Selene got the box from the fluffy one and enlarged the wagon to place her box of leaved in it. While it was available, the fluffy one put the wizard in it for safe keeping, or at least until he could be revived.

As they moved on to the next room Selene noticed that the fluffy one didn't quite seem himself. He was more wild, out of control, feral even...like something had snapped and he had lost some of his humanity. As they continued through other rooms, the fluffy one continued to go through the creatures like a crazed animal almost. He never stopped to question or even talk to these creatures. He just opened the door in his usual aggressive manor and laid into the slaughter of what ever was on the other side.

The monk ghost seemed to have gotten better control of his manifesting and possessing abilities, as this seemed to be his routine for battling now. He would manifest trying to communicate with the party. (Selene had pretty much been able to understand what he was trying to tell them, but the fluffy one still refused to even acknowledge the monk ghost was there. Every time she would try to tell the fluffy one what the ghost monk had told her, he would say, "Monk is dead dear." and move on without further discussion. Perhaps Monk's transformation bothered him a bit more than he had let on.) Once the monk ghost felt he had let her know what he wanted the party to know, he would walk into the body of one of the enemies and use it to attack another enemy. He continued to stay in the creature until all the others were dead and then be willing to move on. The fluffy one always killed the last creature regardless of whether the monk ghost had released it or not. Sometimes he would lay down in the body in a submissive nature, making it simple for the fluffy one to kill it. Then he would come out and move on. But recently, he seemed to be getting ready to move on, as if he was willing to keep the body for a while. Selene wondered just how strong the monk ghost was getting and how well he would be able to keep control of the creatures he entered. With the dragon lions she was willing to try and find out. The monk ghost had helped kill off the others, and was not lowering this body into submission. Though he was behaving very dosile and not being agressive toward the party at all. Selene took a chance and jumped up onto it's back. It seemed happy to have her there...even wagged it's tail like a faithful puppy. Fluffy, true to the pattern he had chosen in her absence, killed it with a blow to the head. Selene road the creature down to the ground as it collapsed and the monk ghost stepped out of the dying corpse. They were both rather upset with the fluffy one for this. They all knew that the fluffy one was more than capable of taking the creature down should the monk ghost loose control of it, but the fluffy one refused to even let him try. Selene tried to explain that the monk ghost was in control of the creature and it could have been helpful to have it's abilities for our defense. The fluffy one told her, "Monk is dead dear, and an enemy is an enemy and not to be trusted." He walked on as before, leaving no opening for discussion.

Selene continued to keep an inventory of all the treasures collected from the creatures the fluffy one slaughtered. Most of which she stored in the wagon in the box. There were some items she kept on her person. The keys she managed to take off the giant's bedpost, some of the small rocks with symbols on them from the resting room, a bag of rune stones, and a peep hole. The peep hole was an odd little object. It looked like a ring, but when put up to a wall, door or surface, it allowed her to see through. It only allowed her a 1 inch spot to see through, but it would still come in handy. She stuck it in her pocket. Often she would cast detect magic to identify which items where more important to keep. Some showed more magic than others. The peep hole, the bag of runes, some of the weapons, the fluffy one, several of the items, etc. But what caught her attention most, was the old staff that The Green Man had given her. It was very bright...more so than the others. She decided she needed to figure out just what this staff could do. She tried aiming, thumping, knocking, rubbing, spinning the staff trying to figure it out. But got nothing from it. Purhaps she didn't know the right words or methods. She would have to ask the spirits.

Chmeorl shook his head as he enterred the circle. His mood was content. The party had been very busy, if completely unproductive lately.

The normal stone circle that he had been meeting with the Green Man in had been replace by a ring of glowing moss. There were two green men in the circle. Both sitting on a log, calmly waiting for Chmeorl.

Affecting nonchalance, Chmeorl stepped into the circle and bowed his head reverently. "Master, you summoned me?"

One Green Man nodded assent. The other spoke "How fares the champions?" His voice was not quite the same. It was more tenor than bass. He was also not as lean as the other. His face held more leaf than bark. Chmeorl decided that this was not the Green Man, and therefore, not his Master.

Chmeorl addressed the other. "Master, I know not who this other is, however, he is not my Master. I would not speak personal issues before him without your leave." He nodded toward the imposter, trying to hide his distaste behind formality. While Chmeorl was a shapechanger, he NEVER tried to emulate another creature to perfection. At least Im and individual in all my forms, thought the grimalkin.

Laughter rumbled from both of the men. "Dear, Dear Chmeorl. As I am your Master, this is my Master. As you report to me, I report to him. He is a Obad Hai, the Shalm. You may speak freely before him. His interest in this party is as personal as mine."

At the mention of Obad Hai, Chmeorl shuddered. He was in the presence of a god. This is the god of the wood. He had met powerful creatures in his life, but this was the most powerful. Now Chmeorl wished he had taken much more care in his daily bath. His fur was all ruffled on his right flank, where he had sat next to a large rock. Drat the dust in here, on his fur as well.

"Masters, I would give my report then, should you desire it." When they nodded thier consent, he continued. "They have fought many creatures, and had to run from a few. It seems that they believe that the Heart of Cold is down here. They have fought Frost Wurms, Naga, Night Hags, and Dragonnes. Not all has been victories. About half , to be sure.

"The dweomers that you placed upon me have helped alot Master. Being able to see invisible, as well as see the Etherial are most marvelous helps in keeping abreast of the party. It seems as if the ghost has gained a penchant for trying to possess the enemies. That is how they won against the Frost Wurms. He possessed one of them, and then attacked one of the other two. However, that fight began the bloodthirsty rampage of the furry one. After defeating one of them, there were three total, He saw that the second was killed by the third. He proceeded to kill the third one, and it never attacked him, nor did it move. I did not notice the ghost enterring the body, however, when it died, the Monk's Ghost came out of it.

"The Naga cast a charm upon the Furry Beast, " Chmeorl had begun to think of the fighter like that. He has been very bloodthirsty, this made him a beast, which did not set well with the refined tastes of the grimalkin. "It made him run from them. He babbled a while about nasty snakes, then seemed to get over the issue."

"That is a similar spell to what I grant my followers." The Shalm explained to The Green Man. "I call it Antipathy." They nodded at the cat, who continued his explanation of recent events.

"He is still distastefull of snakes, but not frightened. They only killed one of the naga. It was just before that battle that the shamaness joined the party. She seems to have a new understanding of herself. She is using different spells, and seems much more sure of herself. She's rather scary now." At this both of his audience smiled. "She has a penchant for the invisibility spell. Though, she has learned a new spell as well. It seems that she can go invisible to just her enemies." Again, the smiles. All the smile between them disturbed the grimalkin. He was afraid that he was the joke of something.

"The battle of the Dragonne was much the same. The fighter took out one, the Monk controlled another, and killed the last. However, the shamaness jumped on the back of the last one, controlled by the Monk, in an attempt to stop her companion. He still clove the head of the tame dragonne. 'Its an enemy.' was his explanation." He shivered at the bloodthirstiness of the situation.

"The last battle, the one with the Night Hag. Now that was interesting. The Hags were taken by surprise. Completely by surprise. They tried many spells, all of which had no effect upon the party. The Hairy One's axes had very little effect, however, Frost Mourne hurt them badly, though. Once the first was defeated, the other ran. Here is where it got rather humourous. She fled into the incorporeal world. Right into the monk. At first he tried to warn the party, then he realized that she was in HIS world. He began to attack her, as the Shamaness attacked from the corporeal world. (she has learned how to affect the incorporeal from the real hasnt she?). This Hag fled."

The Shalm held up his hand to stop the grimalkins recitation. "Who has the heartstone of the deceased hag?"

"The shamaness, Sir. They did know know of its import. She carries all the treasure, placing it on the cart as she goes. She found another treasure. I am unsure how they intend to use it, but they are excited about it. They found a portable peep hole. Im not sure what good it is, but they are VERY excited about that find. They found it after talking to another ghost. I was not close enough to hear their conversation, the monk took care of that. He seemed friendly enough, though.

"Thats all I have to report right now. They have not yet found the Heart of Cold, but they are diligently lokoing for it." He sat waiting for them to respond.

"Chmeorl, You have done well." the Green Man said after a short period of contemplation. "Continue to watch the party. They are about to meet a very powerful individual. Pay close attention to what happenes. The interraction could redefine thier mission. Also, call me if Old Man Winter shows up. He is on the move. Pay attention dilligently. You are dismissed."

Chmeorl bowed reverently to each. Then turned to leave. "Master," he said looking back. "Do you really believe that Old Man Winter will move directly against the Champions?" This was getting very serious.

"Yes, it is entirely possible." This from Obad Hai. "They possess one of the items he seeks. They are near another. He does not yet have the third, yet knows its location. Things are about to get very rough for the party. Be dilligent, servant of the servant. You have served well. My blessings go with you."