
label d05:

    scene d05 01
    play sound LS04.mp3
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    play music act04 loop
    f "Ungghhh!!!"
    "The female swoops down like a raptor and gives an unearthly scream that both chills and shakes my bones."
    "The Captain of the Fianna is caught in the middle of it and bravely advances a few steps before collapsing to the ground."
    mc "Finn!"
    scene d05 02
    play sound strike01
    with hpunch
    "A momentary distraction will get me killed. The Hooded Man targets me, leaping down from the Sidhe mound and slashing at me with a large Forvorian style sword."
    "Wait... can it be?"
    "It is an exact match for the sword wielded by Balor of the Evil Eye on the field of Moy Tura! The image of Lugh on the ground, about to be beheaded by this sword is burned into my memory."
    scene d05 03
    with fade
    "Using an incantation of speed, I leap out of the way. I whisper to the earth for stones with which to pummel my enemy."
    play sound earth
    "The palm of my hand feels hard and full as the very soil of Celtica heeds my druidic call."
    play sound rocks
    "Stones fly towards the hooded man as though shot from a sling."
    mc "Who are you?!"
    scene d05 04
    play sound punch03
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    "The hooded man reels back as he is hit in the skull and the sword arm simultaneously."
    "I intended those shots to be lethal, yet the hooded man is only momentarily stunned. There is no blood, though my hit to his head was true."
    "To my relief, the copy of Balor's wicked sword is now out of his hand."
    "It must be a copy, surely..."
    scene d05 05
    with fade
    "Hooded Man" "Give... me... the... stone..."
    "The man's voice sounds as though it comes from the depths of a tomb. I cannot help but feel unease."
    mc "I have no idea what you are talking about!"
    "Hooded Man" "Then... you will die..."
    scene d05 06
    play sound bowhit2
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Suddenly, an arrow sprouts from the hooded man's head. An ordinary man would drop lifelessly to the ground, but my antagonist only takes a few staggered steps back."
    "Woman's Voice 1" "To Finn!"
    "Woman's Voice 2" "For the Fianna!"
    scene d05 07
    with fade
    "Axe Woman" "He does not die! A fiend from the Sidhe, no doubt!"
    "Bow Woman" "Regardless, press the attack! Finn is in danger!"
    "Axe Woman" "Let's see what happens when I remove his head!"
    scene d05 08
    play sound dagger01
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Bow Woman" "NO!!!"
    "The skulled woman swoops down onto one of the newcomers and lifts her into the air, like a hawk taking a hare."
    "Bow Woman" "Let me go!"
    "Axe Woman" "Lia!"
    scene d05 09
    play sound punch
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    "The distraction of the two women may well be fatal for me. The Hooded Man leaps upon me, his hands squeezing against my throat."
    "Hooded Man" "The stone..."
    "My hands flail and I grasp at the air. I want to yell, but no sound comes out. Surely this can't be my end?"
    scene d05 10
    with fade
    mc "Ugk! Hck!"
    "Hooded Man" "I will take the stone from your corpse..."
    "My eyes bulge in their sockets. I feel the pulse of my blood beating against my head like a mighty drum."
    "An incantation... that's all I need..."
    scene d05 11
    play sound stab04
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Axe Woman" "Back to the darkness with you, fiend!"
    "The Hooded Man cries out and releases his grip on me. Suddenly, I can breathe again through my bruised throat."
    "The woman's strike is decisive, yet no blood is shed. There is only a swirling mist of Otherworldly energies."
    mc "Stay on your guard, woman! That won't be enough!"
    "Axe Woman" "Nonsense! I've severed his sickly spine with that blow!"
    scene d05 12
    play sound punch02
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Axe Woman" "HNNGHHH!"
    "I almost feel the blow myself when it lands, such is the crunching sound of the fist that sends the woman sailing through the air."
    "She should have taken my advice. Instead, she was caught off-guard and with her shield down. A lessoned learned for her, if she survived."
    scene d05 13
    with fade
    play music act03 loop
    "The ground beneath me begins to hum and vibrate. Or... is it coming from me?"
    mc "Enough of this foolishness..."
    "I take pained breaths as the Stone of Fal emerges from inside of me and onto my chest."
    play sound rune02
    mc "Enough..."
    "Voice" "Yes, that's the way. Draw on the power you have been given!"
    mc "Silence, you!"
    scene d05 14
    with fade
    play sound storm
    "My bones burn. A lifetime's worth of blood feels as though it is racing through my heart in an instant."
    "Everything becomes alive and colors that were hidden from my sight suddenly bleed into the world around me."
    "Truly, this is the power of kings, and it is within me."
    scene d05 15
    with fade
    play sound lightning
    "I merely need to will a bolt of energy from my hands, and it is so."
    "Nothing can harm me. I am power incarnate, and I am retribution."
    "I will show these fools the wrath of a druid wronged!"
    scene d05 16
    play sound fireball
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "Skulled Woman" "Aiieee!"
    "It is impossible to miss."
    "The explosion knocks back the skulled woman, who had roughly handled the archer called Lia."
    "But this was not my true target. My rage is directed elsewhere."
    scene d05 17
    play sound blind
    with vpunch
    with vpunch
    mc "DIE!!!"
    "My only desire at this point in time is to erase the Hooded Man from existence - he that dared put his hands around my throat."
    "The hairs of my body stand on end as the area around me crackles with static power before a ragged, powerful bolt shoots down from the clear morning sky."
    "Never in my life have I brought down lightning so pure and focused as this!"
    play sound cry03
    "The Hooded Man's cries are more akin to a beast than to a man. I pour my rage into the attack, watching it grow stronger as my enemy catches on fire."
    scene d05 18
    with fade
    "When the lightning finally dissipates, there is nothing left but charred earth and a strange writhing mist."
    "The mist gathers together and scoops up the Forvorian sword that the Hooded Man had wielded."
    mc "TCH!"
    "I click my tongue. The Hooded Man is not dead. The mist is what remains of his earthly form, yet what little of it that is left is maintained by an Otherworld power."
    "It will take time for this mist to reconstitute itself into a solid body once more, but when it does, I'm sure the Hooded Man will be back."
    "Voice" "Stay your hand. You cannot do anything to your foe in his current form."
    mc "I didn't ask for your advice!"
    scene d05 19
    with fade
    play sound LS06.mp3
    "Furious at the defeat of her partner, the skulled woman's scream pierces my ears. Perhaps it is just my imagination, but I sense despair in her cry as well."
    "She steps towards me as if to tear me apart with her claws, but I am not afraid. She is merely a snowflake approaching the sun."
    "Voice" "Strike her down!"
    "The voice inside me that is not my own will not stop giving me foolish advice."
    scene d05 20
    "Finn is silent. I remember Saivah telling me the Fianna were all skilled hunters."
    "He raises his sword, which glimmers in the rays of dawn's early light."
    "Skulled Woman" "The stone!"
    mc "I think not."
    scene d05 21
    play sound strike02
    with hpunch
    f "This is the end for you, witch!"
    "The cut is clean and swift, sending the head with its wild crown of hair tumbling through the air."
    "As with the Hooded Man, there is no blood, just the wafting mist of the Otherworld."
    stop music
    scene d05 22
    with fade
    play sound day
    "With the danger gone, the energy of the Stone fades away and the mundane world comes back into view. The voice in my head fades away."
    f "Is she vanquished? I cannot strike through this mist with steel."
    mc "She is vanquished for now."
    mc "But I would bet that she and her partner will return, when their bodies can be reconstituted."
    f "Who are they? Fiends from the Dark Sidhe?"
    mc "I couldn't tell you, Finn Moc Huul."
    "But they know of the Stone of Fal and they are seeking it. It appears I have more enemies."
    scene d05 23
    with fade
    l "Finn! Clio is hurt!"
    cl "I'll... be fine! I've taken harder blows from the warriors of Connuct..."
    f "You've both done the Fianna proud this day. Let us return home to tend to our wounds and tell the tale of our victory here against fiends of the Sidhe!"
    stop sound
    scene d05 23a
    with fade
    pause
    scene d05 24
    with fade
    play music cin10 loop
    "We return to the Hill of Allen, and the smell of smoke and charred wood hangs heavy in the air."
    "I observe members of the Fianna going through the blackened ruins of the outer huts, looking for anything salvageable."
    show finn neut at right with moveinright
    show dia neut at left with moveinleft
    f "How goes it, Diarmud?"
    dm "Not a one of our number was lost, but as you can see, the outer bailey was lost. What of Avahn?"
    f "He'll trouble us no more. My sword sent him back to the Otherworld."
    show dia happ at left
    dm "Then that is a tale worthy of beng told at tomorrow's feast!"
    f "Indeed! When everything here is in order, I am calling a hunt. Aengus needs fresh meat for the roast..."
    dm "I'll spread the word!"
    hide dia happ at left with moveoutleft
    f "Clio..."
    show clio hurt at left with moveinleft
    cl "Yes, Finn?"
    f "Take yourself to the Fianna's healer."
    cl "No! I can hunt with the rest! My wounds are nothing!"
    f "Listen to your captain! You are to recover by the time our guests arrive tomorrow evening."
    cl "..."
    cl "Yes, Finn..."
    hide clio hurt at left with moveoutleft
    scene d05 25
    with fade
    f "And you, master druid..."
    f "Without your wiles, my wife would be a slave to the Far Dorocha."
    f "Without your spear, Avahn would have been free to burn down the Hill of Allen for yet another year."
    f "And without your magicks, the dark forces of the Sidhe may well have taken my life."
    f "Know that you have the friendship of Finn Moc Huul and the Fianna and if you wish it, you may take the trials to join us."
    mc "Thank you for the offer. I will consider it."
    scene d05 26
    with fade
    show saib happ at center with moveinleft
    s "Allow me to thank you personally, [mcname]. It seems I need never fear when you are around."
    mc "You flatter me, Saivah."

    menu:
        "Last night, I saw my old comrade Flida...":

            jump d05a
        "There is to be a feast tomorrow? For Aengus, son of The Dagda?":

            jump d05b
        "I was attacked by a Hooded Man. Do you know anything about him?":

            jump d05c

label d05a:

    show saib neut at center
    s "Yes, Flida is a friend of the Fianna. She often takes our warriors into the depths of the Carrow Coil to do battle against the Dark Sidhes."
    "Fighting against the darkness certainly sounds like the Flida I know."
    mc "Where is she now? I would like to talk to her about all that has transpired."
    s "She is out on the hunt, chasing an elusive boar that has been seen in the area."
    s "I'm afraid the main hall is going to be quiet tonight, as the Fianna prepare for a big feast tomorrow."
    s "Unfortunately, you will just have to settle for my company, master druid!"
    jump d05d

label d05b:

    s "Yes. Aengus of Bru-Na-Boyne is a good friend of the Fianna and often comes to visit Finn. Tomorrow, he will be coming here with his betrothed, who will serve in the Fianna for a time."
    mc "Aengus' betrothed? Do you mean Etain?"
    show saib talk at center
    s "I'm sorry, [mcname], I do not know who you are referring to. I'm told Aengus' beloved is a princess of Ulaid and a druidess in training."
    mc "You mean she is a Milesian???"
    s "Y~ yes."
    "I did not think Aengus would settle for women who were not Tuatha De Dannan like himself. He is the son of The Dagda, after all..."
    show saib neut at center
    s "I'm afraid the main hall is going to be quiet tonight, as the Fianna prepare for Aengus' feast tomorrow."
    s "You will have to settle for my company!."
    jump d05d

label d05c:

    show saib sup at center
    s "Another foe?"
    mc "A man with blood red eyes and wielding a sword fit for a Forvorian lord. He wanted the stone within me. Did the Far Dorocha have any allies?"
    show saib neut at center
    s "The feuds and alliances among the Dark Sidhe are not easily known! I never heard the Far Dorocha talk about such a man..."
    mc "Saivah, for the safety of your husband and the Fianna, it is important you never talk to them about the stone I possess... the one that broke your deer transformation."
    show saib sad at center
    s "Yes, [mcname]. I understand..."
    s "I trust your judgement..."
    jump d05d

label d05d:

    stop music
    scene d05 27
    with fade
    play sound fire loop
    "Evening falls and the main hall of the Fianna is only sparsely patronized. It's a far cry from the crowded chaos of the day before."
    show osh talk at left with moveinleft
    on "Finn and the Fianna will be gone until tomorrow. I have no doubt they are spending the night camped under the stars with a mound of game from this afternoon's hunt."
    mc "But you are not with Finn, your father?"
    show osh happ at left
    on "Ah, I have a different role for Lord Aengus' visit! As one of the best poets of the Fianna, my task is to compose new verses to recite tomorrow night when all guests have arrived."
    "It seems odd to me that a bunch of rowdy and uncouth warriors would value poetry and the arts."
    show saib neut at right with moveinright
    mc "My lady Saivah..."
    s "Good evening to you, master druid."
    hide osh neut at left with moveoutleft
    "Osheen excuses himself, leaving me alone with his mother."
    show saib neut at center with moveinright

    menu:
        "You look gorgeous, Saivah. Perhaps you could keep me company tonight, like you did in Brac Cogrim?":

            $ d_sus += 1
            jump d05e
        "{color=#00ff00}It's always a pleasure to be in your company, my lovely Saivah.":

            jump d05f

label d05e:

    show saib sup at center
    s "[mcname], you knave! You cannot say that with my son so close!"
    show saib mad at center
    s "What happened in that wicked place stays in that wicked place! I already have a man and in my heart, there is no competition!"
    mc "Calm yourself, Saivah, I jest!"
    show saib talk at center
    s "Well, then your humor is very dry indeed. More poor jokes like that and you're liable to get your head boxed in by my husband!"
    mc "Thank you for the warning..."
    jump d05g

label d05f:

    show saib happ at center
    s "It will not do for you to flatter me like that! But..."
    s "...your compliment is gratefully received, my savior."
    "I smile and bow graciously, as I was taught in the royal court at Tau-Ra in what seems like a lifetime ago."
    jump d05g

label d05g:

    show saib neut at center
    mc "Saivah, I notice that there are people here tonight that are not Fianna. In fact, I would say they come from mundane walks of life."
    show saib talk at center
    s "Yes. The Hill of Allen is one of the Six Great Hostels of Celtica, by royal decree of the High King. A Great Hostel offers any who visit food and shelter for the night without need for compensation."
    "I glance around the warmly lit hall and take note of the guests. They sit together and talk quietly, and many wear clothing spun of wool. Their cloaks are fastened with modest brooches of bronze."
    s "We have many of the local herders and farmers that come here for supper. In return, the Fianna offers them protection."
    "Then, my eye catches someone in the corner..."
    scene d05 28
    with fade
    "Old Man" "Do you really think he's up to it? He is no hero!"
    "Old Man" "Give him the knowledge, you say? Guide him?"
    "It's a face a recognize - the old pauper from Bru-Na-Boyne, just before my audience with King Nuada!"
    "He's talking with somebody, but he sits alone. He did seem a little mad last time I met him, but it cannot be a coincidence he is here."
    mc "Oy! Old man!"
    "I walk towards him, but he gets up and heads towards the door with a spritely step."
    mc "Oy! I need to speak with you!"
    "Too late. He disappears into the hallway and I rush after him."
    stop sound
    scene d05 29
    with fade
    "The hall only leads to a stairwell that goes to the ramparts of the tower. The old man is nowhere to be seen."
    play sound hawk
    "A lone hawk sits on the stonework, watching me as I approach. My druid sense tells me its intelligence is far greater than that of an average beast."
    mc "So old man... you're either a druid that can transform or this is one of your familiars..."
    mc "Either way, I have some questions that need answering!"
    play sound hawk
    "The bird cocks its head at my demands."
    scene d05 30
    with fade
    "Then, an instant later, the hawk takes flight, lifting itself into the night sky. It wants me to follow him."
    "The decision is not hard to make. I leap down from the rampart and roll upon soft, mossy ground upon landing.."
    "I look up to find the hawk's dark shape outlined against the bright starry sky."
    scene d05 31
    with fade
    play music trav07 loop
    "Keeping track of the hawk, I follow it as it travels in a steady line northwards."
    "I use druid words to fortify my endurance as I run, otherwise, my lungs would be burning by now."
    "The cool night wind blows past my ears as I dodge low hanging branches and weave my way through the undergrowth."
    scene d05 32
    with fade
    "I follow the hawk through the night, noticing my boots are treading on progressively more rocky ground."
    "In the distance, I see the blue haze of the Vandalar Lyneham mountains in the early light of the morn."
    mc "Just where are you taking me?"
    scene d05 33
    with fade
    "The hawk glides effortlessly on currents of air, seemingly without a care in the world."
    play sound hawk
    "For what purpose I am being drawn into the mountains, I know not. But one thing I am sure of is that whoever I am being led to will think to use me."
    "Still, I may find some answers and my would-be manipulator could find they are the one that will be used."
    "We shall see..."
    stop music
    scene d05 34
    with fade
    play sound wind loop
    "At the base of the mountains, hidden in a valley, I reach my destination."
    mc "I... did not expect this."
    "The architecture is ancient and in the High Forvorian style, judging by the patterns."
    "I push ahead through the main courtyard towards a great, baleful eye carved into a huge block of stone."
    mc "I know you..."
    stop music
    scene d05 35
    with fade
    play sound cave loop
    "Behind the great monument, I find a passage leading downwards into a sparsely lit cave."
    "Is this place a dun fort? I doubt it. It seems more like a place of worship, although it looks like it hasn't been used for a long time."
    "The musty smell of damp rock fills my nostrils as I travel further into the depths of the complex."
    scene d05 36
    with fade
    "At the end of the downward passage is a dim chamber with a monument much like the one outside, only smaller."
    "I squint my eyes to make out the shapes in the shadows, half expecting an ambush. Most of the light comes from a mirror that is alive with a whirling red light."
    "But what interests me more is the dark figure standing next to it."
    mc "I take it you are the one that sent the hawk and the old pauper to the Hill of Allen?"
    mc "I warn you, I don't have a good opinion of people in hoods lately. You're advised not to antagonize me."
    "Hooded Woman" "I have no intention of harming you, Scythian."
    mc "It's a bold assumption to think that you could. Who are you? Answer without speaking in riddles."
    "Well, this hooded woman knows who I am, which is a first since my awakening."
    "Hooded Woman" "I keep the faith of Balor. I am one of the last."
    mc "Then you are a priestess of my enemy?"
    "Priestess" "I am a priestess of sorts, but I am not your enemy."
    mc "Even though I had a hand in slaying your... god?"
    "Priestess" "It was meant to be."
    scene d05 37
    with fade
    "I approach the mirror. The swirling vortex reflected in the glass makes me queasy if I focus on it for too long."
    "As I get nearer, I notice the reflection staring back at me is not the reality around me."
    mc "What is this?"
    "Priestess" "It shows people as they truly are. In your case, you see the great power within yourself, as well as your dark intent as reflected in your eyes."
    "Priestess" "The one that can master this ancient artifact can change another person's reflection to their will, and if that person stares at their altered image for long enough..."
    "Priestess" "Then they become what the altered image shows them to be."
    "My heart races faster at the thought that such an artifact could exist. For the Tuatha this would be a forbidden art, but not so for the Forvorians."
    scene d05 38
    with fade
    show prie neut at center with moveinright
    mc "And what is it you want from me?"
    "Priestess" "To teach you what I know of the dark Forvorian arts, before they are lost to Celtica. The blood of Forvoria runs through your veins, and you are needed to carry on this knowledge."
    mc "Why would you do this?"
    "Priestess" "You sense it, Scythian. Something is wrong here in the mortal realm. The ones that hunted you are... wrong."
    mc "What do you know of the Hooded Man and Skulled Woman? Speak quickly!"
    "Priestess" "I know no more than you, but they are of the Otherworld, and should not be here."
    mc "Who sent them?"
    "Priestess" "That knowledge is hidden from me, but what I do know is whoever sent them will try again, and you will need all your arts and wits before the end."

    menu:
        "{color=#00ff00}What is this place?":

            jump d05h
        "Why choose me?":

            jump d05i
        "What if I refuse your 'generous' offer?":

            jump d05j

label d05h:

    "Priestess" "It is many things, but it was first built as a tomb, to lay Balor of the Piercing Eye to rest. Underneath you lies his bones."
    mc "..."
    "Priestess" "Over time it became a sanctuary. Those of Forvorian blood that were hunted by the victorious Tuatha De Danann sought refuge here, where it was hidden from the sight of King Lugh and The Dagda."
    "Priestess" "And finally, it was a temple, where Forvorians offered prayers to the Otherworld gods they worshipped and druids taught their secrets to new initiates."
    "Priestess" "But now these halls and chambers are silent and soon they will be lost to time, as all things are."
    "Priestess" "Now... will you learn what I have to teach you? These will be the final lessons given within the confines of these walls."
    mc "Knowledge is the trade of a druid. If you have something to offer me, I will not spurn you."
    jump d05k

label d05i:

    "Priestess" "The better question is how could it be anyone other than you?"
    "Priestess" "You have seen the darkness bleeding, haven't you? The Otherworld is being assaulted by forces unknown..."
    "Priestess" "...and here you come, with the Stone of Fal in your heart. The threads of fate are all around you, Scythian, and you must make things right before the end."
    mc "The only person I ever owed anything to died in my arms. I am under no one's obligation!"
    "Priestess" "You will find that sometimes, you don't get a choice. Now, before the Hooded Man returns, do you want to learn the Forvorian magicks I have to teach?"
    mc "..."
    mc "Lead the way."
    jump d05k

label d05j:

    "Priestess" "Those are the words of a fool, which you know full well. A druid would not refuse new power the way a champion would not refuse a worthy opponent."
    "Priestess" "I fear your trials are only beginning, Scythian. For what you carry within you, you will be hunted relentlessly by foes that do not sleep. Where are the other three Treasures of the Tuatha? They remain lost."
    mc "Why does the Hooded Man seek the Stone of Fal?"
    "Priestess" "You would ask such a simple question? There can only be two possible answers..."
    "She's right."
    mc "Either he seeks its power for the one he serves..."
    mc "...or he seeks to prevent the Tuatha from having it."
    "Priestess" "There you go. You are not as dull as you portray yourself. Now, will you learn what I have to teach?"
    mc "Let us begin."
    jump d05k

label d05k:

    stop sound
    scene d05 39
    with fade
    play music cin04 loop
    "She calls herself a priestess but she is more accurately a witch. The magicks she teaches me are strange and alien and nothing like the druidic arts of the Tuatha."
    "It is impossible to tell how much time passes in the underground cavern as I train, learning to harness the darkness that has always been in my blood."
    "Aside from learning new arts, I understand my Tuatha craft in a different light, as though I had only been reading every second page of a book."
    "This feels right. This feels like balance."
    scene d05 40
    play sound missile
    with hpunch
    with hpunch
    "How old this priestess is I cannot say, but I know that she is much older than her youthful appearance would suggest."
    "She teaches me to fight as the dark druids do, like the ones that were slain on the fields of Moy Tura. Their arts didn't help them much in the end."
    "But what makes me different is what lies within. I can feel the Stone of Fal in my chest, alive to the magick and incantations that flow through me."
    "The Stone does not judge, but serves as fuel for my growth. The priestess is right about one thing - the Stone chose me for some unknown reason, and I fear I will find the truth of it sooner rather than later."
    stop music
    scene 00 00
    with fade
    "How much time has passed, I cannot say."
    "Weeks? Months?"
    scene d05 41
    with fade
    play music eer03 loop
    "Priestess" "You have already done a rudimentary form of soul walking, when you touched the wounded heart of darkness in Brac Cogrim. That is when I first sensed your presence."
    "Priestess" "Many druids can enter the Unwaking Realm, but usually only through visions we call the Druid Sight."
    "Priestess" "But you, with what I have taught you, can now do so much more."
    "Priestess" "Cut the tether of your soul from your body, so that your spirit may travel freely across this mortal land."
    mc "..."
    scene d05 42
    with fade
    "Priestess" "Travel south towards the kingdom of Ulaid. Mountains, hills and forests will pose no obstacle to an incorporeal body."
    "Priestess" "You are also not limited by the muscles of your physical frame. You will fly there many times faster than the hawk that led you here."
    mc "What am I searching for?"
    "Priestess" "Something that ignites your dark passions. You will understand soon."
    scene d05 43
    with fade
    "My consciousness travels into the heart of the kingdom of Ulaid, to the dun fort of Aun Macha, where the king has his feasting hall"
    "In the time of the Tuatha, this would be a provincial town center but in this age, it is one of the largest cities in Celtica."
    "Around the outer edge is a wooden palisade that encloses the entire outer district. In the center, a large earthen mound has been raised where the royal keep is situated."
    "Priestess" "You have arrived. Enter the royal keep. Follow your desires..."
    scene d05 44
    with fade
    "I enter a chamber where a mature and curvaceous woman sleeps upon a bed of fine silk."
    "Priestess" "This is Queen Muina, the wife of the ruler of Ulaid, King Concovir. Many men have desired her."
    "Priestess" "You may enter her dreams, if you wish. Such a feat is now within your ability."
    mc "In the Unwaking World between the mortal realm and the Otherworld, I am supreme."
    "Priestess" "Indeed. You can manipulate the unreality of dreams and nightmares like a potter working clay. Queen Muina will be drawn into a world with rules of your making."
    scene d05 45
    with fade
    "I take a closer look at the slumbering form of the queen. Her shoulders gently rise and fall with each breath she takes."
    "Her hair is a lustrous auburn color and her lips are full and rosy."
    "Her breasts push against the silk covers she lays upon, hinting at a chest that is buxom and shapely."
    "Priestess" "Perhaps she is not to your tastes tonight? Try a nearby lodge here in the Lady's Quarter."
    scene d05 46
    with fade
    "I float through torch-lit corridors until I sense a doorway worth entering."
    "Inside is a younger woman with fine, toned legs and hair like ripened wheat."
    "Priestess" "This is Evera, one of the finest maidens in all of Ulaid. She is being courted by one of the kingdom's mightiest young champions."
    "Priestess" "Evera has all of the womanly gifts. The gift of beauty, the gift of a good voice, the gift of sweet speech, the gift of needlework, the gift of wisdom and the gift of chastity."
    scene d05 47
    with fade
    "Priestess" "Now, which of these ladies do you prefer, Scythian? What you do in the Unwaking World has less of a consequence than reality."
    "Priestess" "A mundane and ungifted man only catches glimpses of this realm in their most lucid dreams but here, if you enter their slumbering thoughts, you are master."
    "Priestess" "I will leave you now to do as you will, to make practical use of the Forvorian arts I have taught to you."

    default mod_d69_druid03v040_entrambe = False

    menu:

        "Spend the night with Queen Muina":
            jump d06


        "Spend the night with Evera":

            jump d07

        "{color=#00ff00}Mod: Spend the night first with Queen Muina\n and then with Evera":
            $ mod_d69_druid03v040_entrambe = True
            jump d06


        "Soul walk to the ruins of Tau-Ra instead":
            $ lugh_s = True
            jump d07a
