The second portal competition was scheduled to begin on Soldi, the 57th day of summer 551, at 2:10 PM. We again came early to move the green portal from Falinea's Garden to Dal'Noth for the contest,

Dueling Glove.
"All it takes to enter is a dueling glove."

since the purple portal seemed to be stuck on the Cloud. Lorikeet stationed herself by the mirror to explain the situation to those who happened by. PMF offered pick up and healing services for any who wanted to hunt on the Cloud and skydive off. A little while before the event was scheduled to begin, Malkor announced. "The Portal Search and Assault Contest is now registering contestants. Collaborate for the purse or conspire against the weak! All it takes to enter is a dueling glove." Kintok, Highlander, Chi, Manquilor, Insanelife, and Dobbin registered first, although Dobbin retired to the library shortly thereafter. Malkor sunstoned, "Late registration is allowed throughout the duration of the contest. Bring a glove." Chi sunstoned, "Healers welcome for the portal challenge! Chi can't be only one. *gulp*!" The group moved

Lorikeet waits for fallen.
Lorikeet waits for anyone needing a heal to walk, fall, or get chained into the hut.

to the ocean, and just as they reached the island, Malkor announced over the sunstone, "And I'm giving a thousand coins to whomever manages to kill the most contestants. Good luck!"

The exiles started to fall quickly as they landed on the shore. Daimoth dragged Insanelife to town for a heal. PMF decided to send Lorikeet to Dal'noth town. She ran into most of

Tas talks about the contest.
Tas explains the rules.

the group in the first snell. She set up in the hut northeast of the river crossing to serve as an "equal opportunity healer" for any who wanted a heal or chained a fallen to her. The Noth gods were delighted with the opportunity for mischief, and soon the town was full with a couple landews, some pallidews, and assorted other creatures. Chi polished his chain and started ferrying fallen fighters to Lorikeet. In the meantime, a second group of six--Thalion, Lanna, Tas, Nyika, Zed, and Brackus--entered the contest. They chose to land on the north side and headed to the underground.

While Thalion directed the underground group (being the only one who knew the way),

Taking the pf underground
Tas leads the way to the underground.

the first group of exiles was having trouble with the massive spawns in Noth town. They wanted to start searching away from town, but they kept falling. At about that time Michael came to the hut in town and asked Lorikeet to fill him in on the rules. The group in the underground was searching, the group that was in town spread out and fell, and Michael was down to lightning.

At the Dal'Noth Barrier
Taking a look at the barrier underground.

Frozen Shade came along to chain some of the fallens to Lorikeet. She was able to get a couple, but warned us of a hel that was in the neighborhood. While the underground group continued searching, passing by the underground lake, running into a little trouble with two pallidews but nothing they couldn't handle, the exiles in town felt like they were trapped by the large number of creatures patrolling the huts. While they talked about making a run for it out of town, they had some difficulty, retreating to the hut for a heal each time. In the meantime, Michael's spirit was drifting by a lake.

Chi explained that he had to leave soon for the library.

Getting  lost underground?
Checking the map and trying not to get lost.

The others in town sunstoned for more members. Coriakin came along to help, and about the same time Knucklehead brought Michael to Lorikeet for a heal. Highlander was having extremely bad weather and left to try and recover in the library. The six underground hunters started to wonder if they were going in circles, and looking in the wrong places, as the monotony of the rock walls and barren ground seemed to stretch on endlessly. They got a couple chests from a pair of xars to perk them up and then headed out the Western Outpost. Since they had heard others had been in town, they decided to head down to the south beach to search. Meanwhile, back in town, a hel had arrived and Lorikeet was still healing fallens that were chained to her, only now they tended to be mangled.

Malkor's sunstone message.
Malkor takes the opportunity to advertise for his prize.

Everyone had been searching for quite a while, so it was time for the first clue. Lorikeet sunstoned, "This is a clue. Where the portal is found, you don't need pf. Malkor added his own twist on the clue as well.

The underground group that was now above ground headed south and then west, to the west beach. They managed to avoid the hel'noth Coriakin sunstoned was in the passes before he fell, seemingly

Michael kills Zed.
Michael drops Zed with an eye on Malkor's prize.

participating in a different contest than the beleagered group in town. After getting to the west beach, they proceeded through the pf to the south beach area, where they ran into Michael. Michael sunstoned, "What's the current count for most kills?" Malkor replied, "15-way tie at zero, I believe." Michael came back to the group and dropped Zed quickly. Then he went after Tas.

Michael warns Nyika.
Michael tells Nyika she's next.

Nyika asked, "He is killing us all?" just as Tas fell. Michael left but came back soon after, felling Brackus and then aiming for Nyika to ensure his prize. It took a while, but he was successful. Michael headed north and the others continued south to the south shore. They were there when the last clue was given, and so were in a poor position for the final stretch run.

Highlander had reappeared in town, having shaken off the fog. Lorikeet explained that the group he had been with were all fallen, as was Frozen Shade, in a valiant effort to chain them to the hut. Highlander sunstoned, "How many teams still up on Noth?" Malkor sunstoned the reply, "Not sure. To which team does that Hel'Noth belong? It's definitely winning," as Michael fell to lightning. The next clue was given: "From the portal I see bricks." Michael, having been raised after falling to the hel in town, and Highlander, who was also in town, sprinted for the castle north. Michael got through the portal first, with Highlander arriving 20 seconds later. Lorikeet sunstoned to those fallen that a rescue would be mounted shortly.

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