OK, thanks FragarachZ!  I don't think one spell more or less will tip the scales, anyway.<br/><br/>I don't know, Miroque.  Splits are certainly a bore if one character isn't able to do anything, but if two or more groups are active at the same time, that works fine - and better in play-by-post than tabletop.  They can also be a way for a less-active player to take a breather, when RL calls, or whatever.  Those who are rarin' to go can usually (not always) find an in-character reason to bend a little to the needs of the plot.  But in our case, I don't see that there was a viable alternative; Hunter & Bree must be roleplayed true to their characters as much as Aleria must be, and their circumstances have driven them forward, while hers kept her stationary.  At least Aleria wasn't bored, and hopefully you weren't either!   :-)<br/><br/>From a practical standpoint too, going back now simply wouldn't work, as there remains no way to move Aleria up through the portal between floors unless she looks in the pool... and then the next pool, and the next.  In addition, it's been made clear the Path is actually very long and windy between floors, not simply taking stairs from trial room to trial room - otherwise a return down to try re-convincing her would have been viable... and surprising for them.   ;)<br/><br/>Definitely I'd rather have them all together, but having them all together sitting in a room waiting for the battle to be over, so they can be rooted out and killed, is not something that makes any sense for Bremorel, nor I suspect for Hunter.  I think it would have been fun to see them trying to convince her, and perhaps simply forcing her in the end, but again that didn't seem an in-character choice, especially while they had reason to hurry upward with every second counting.  I know schnookums very kindly dangled the possibility of going back, and I apologize for not taking it when I'm sure you'd prefer to be reunited in interesting circumstances, but I can't see how that course makes any sense at all... it can't work in the first place, and to trek a long distance back to fetch someone who won't come, and by her own account can't fight, when they're on the actual threshold of Hagan's lair, well.... it would be madness!  So we have this situation for a short while longer, and then, who knows?<br/>