Chapter #1204
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic VI +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and other +
+ terms used in these stories are the property of Wizards of the Coast +
+ which has in no way endorsed or authorized their use. Any such +
+ property contained within these stories are not representative of +
+ Wizards of the Coast in any fashion. +
+ The player characters depicted in these stories are copyright +
+ 1991-2026 by Thomas A. Miller. Any resemblance to any persons +
+ or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. +
+ Copying and/or distribution of these stories is permissible under +
+ the sole condition that no money is made in the process. In that +
+ case, I hope you enjoy them! +
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+ Kronos 22nd level lich wizard +
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+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
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+ Hope 16th level female human wizard +
+ Poulos 8th level human warrior +
+ Irina 14th/7th level female human priestess/warrior +
+ Otto 12th/14th level dwarven fighter/thief +
+ Paige 13th level human female warrior +
+ Razor Charlie 12th level human fighter +
+ Skektek 14th level human wizard +
+ Ys 14th level reptilian fighter +
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+ Date: 4/3/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: early morning +
+ Place: the skies over the Abbor-Alz hills +
+ Climate: warm and dry +
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+ "There have been disturbing reports." +
+ "What kind of reports?" +
+ "The kind I don’t want to believe." +
+ - from _Game of Thrones_ episode _Lord Snow_ +
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MCCIV. The Way to Azak-Kil
The day after dealing with the sun gateway and the lair of the slain
yellow dragon Witherhusk, Belphanior and his team have continued to stay
busy. Having set out in the skyship just after dawn, they now soar high
above the hills below, making steady progress north and west.
Belphanior: It's long past time we figured out what's afoot in the Pits
of Azak-Kil.
Otto: Sounds like undead, and plenty of them. (he looks around) Good
thing Kronos finally got this ship repaired. It's a good way to move
around the desert.
Belphanior: (nods) Not quite as fast as teleportation, but it lets us
see things from a...safe distance. And it also projects our power to
those below.
Otto: Yeah. I doubt that any of them have ever seen a ship sail through
the sky above their heads.
They both turned, sensing another presence on the vessel's bridge.
Kronos: A fine vessel, this. (he frowns) Although I never imagined it
would be sailing above a desert. (he scans the hills below)
Belphanior: We'll be there within the hour, I think.
Kronos: Good. I know that you prefer your team to act independently,
but in this case I believe I may be of use. If there is some magic or
other factor at work in the Pits that affects the living...I will be
immune. And I may also wield some influence over undead, thanks to the
power of the book I carry.
The pale lich was referring to the Book of the Dead, a grim and arcane
tome that had actually been loaned to him by Belphanior some time ago.
Initial attempts to scry the object and determine its capabilities had
only revealed that it was extremely dangerous to the living...which made
Kronos its ideal keeper. Only he knew what dark, grim secrets and potent
magicks might be contained in its ancient, musty pages. When Belphanior
had informed the other archmagi of his intention to venture to Azak-Kil
and determine the threat there, Kronos had immediately insisted on being
part of the expedition.
Belphanior: I hope you were right about not needing any more priests.
We had plenty, not just those from Histak but also the assorted clergy
of Trithereon, Istus, and Obad-Hai who now occupy the temples and their
grounds in our city.
Kronos: I am confident in my assertions. Those of Histak are healers,
likely not well-versed in fighting undead. Obad-Hai's followers are
better suited to the forests and plants. The priests of Trithereon and
Istus, particularly the latter, could be useful- (he eyes the tome that
he carries under one arm) -but I believe this volume to be all that we
will need in the Pits of Azak-Kil.
Belphanior: (playing a hunch) Do you mean to try and control whatever
foes we encounter?
Kronos: An interesting idea, and certainly one that could help us in some
sites within the desert, namely the necropolis and Darkbridge Temple.
It may be that Azak-Kil will be a proving ground for new and innovative
tactics in the conquest of the desert.
Otto: (saying nothing as he instead listens intently, remembering this
conversation for the future)
The dwarf was no wizard and so he didn't - and couldn't - understand
Kronos in the same way that Belphanior, Alindyar, and the others did...
but in his mind, a lich was a lich, and undead were undead. Despite the
multiple times they had fought on the same side in battles, Otto still
had some hesitations in fully trusting the unique lich and his motives.
Thus, while Belphanior and the other wizards dealt with Kronos as a peer
and collaborator, Otto always made sure to pay a little extra attention
to everything, just in case.
Belphanior: (nodding at Kronos' last words) There's nothing wrong with
new and innovative tactics. Speaking of which, we need to discuss what
to do if you are unable to parley with whatever roams the place.
Kronos: Controls.
Belphanior: Eh?
Kronos: We know that the mine is overrun with the living dead, but there
must be something - someone - guiding and directing them. That will be
the individual we deal with. The rest are ancillary.
Belphanior: Mmm.
They discussed strategy and tactics while Otto piloted the skyship and
passively listened. Belphanior was utilizing the Seeking Scroll to guide
them directly to the Pits, and as mentioned, they expected to get there
fairly soon. Meanwhile, on the open deck behind the bridge, between the
fore and aft masts, the others had gathered to discuss the mission, the
spectacular view, or whatever else was on their minds.
Paige: (hands on the railing, she looks out at the hills far below) You
know, I've seen and done a lot in my time, but this...is pretty damn
amazing.
Skektek: (nods) It never gets old.
Razor Charlie: (sitting atop the edge of a row of large barrels, one of
several such rows which have been tied and secured atop the deck and
covered with thick blankets to protect them from the elements) The
ship was broken for a long while there. (he grimaces as the cold wind
blows through his unkempt hair) Good to have it back.
Ys: Indeed. (to Skektek) I know some of us used it when we set out to
destroy that crown, many months ago...but from this group, that was just
you, me, and Otto.
Skektek: And Charlie's been here before. But for the others, this is
their first time.
Ys: And some do not appear to be pleased.
The big reptilian was referring to Irina, who had a strong fear of
heights and was actually in a cabin below decks, where she felt more
comfortable. She had asked them to leave her alone until they reached
their destination (and ideally until they were once more down on the land
below). More, she had used some minor spell to ease her discomfort during
this trip. None of the others begrudged her these methods of dealing with
her fear, as she was otherwise tough as nails and had proven herself in
combat and other stressful situations plenty of times.
Poulos: I agree with Paige. This is an amazing means of travel. (he
looks down at the land below) And a safe way to look for, or at, any
foes.
Hope: We're certain to be dealing with undead, and lots of them. Though
you shouldn't have to wade into their midst. I'll cover us all with my
magic - your job will be to cover me in case any get through somehow.
Poulos: (pats the pommel of his gigantic scimitar) I shall be ready to
do whatever is needed.
Paige: So what's the story with this place anyway? Some kind of mining
operation that's now filled with undead?
Ys: From what I gather, the place was a busy and profitable operation
some six decades ago...producing iron, gold, mithril, even adamantine,
and in large quantities. A large dwarven clan ran the mining, and they
even built a small port city, Zarak, in the western edge of the hills
a day's journey from the mines. (he frowns) All was well for perhaps
five years - metal flowed out of the region, profits flowed in, it is
even said that the markets for metals were disrupted across the entire
continent. Then everything simply stopped. Zarak heard nothing from
the mines, the secret paths between the two faded as terrible storms
pounded the region...and all expeditions to the mines never returned.
Paige: Sounds like some other lands we all know.
Ys: (shrugs his massive, scaly shoulders) At any rate, for reasons now
lost to history, the dwarven clan eventually gave up on the mines and
declared them cursed, an outlook shared by both the hill people and the
nomads of the desert.
Paige: And now here we are, headed into the place avoided by all others.
Razor Charlie: (grimaces) It's what we do.
Ys: Heh.
Skektek: Good story. How come you know so much?
Ys: (frowns) I talked with Neera. If you haven't, you should sometime.
She knows something about everything, and if she doesn't she can learn
it quickly. (he pauses) At some point recently, she conferred with
Shemeya for the background, then did some further research about the
Pits of Azak-Kil, anticipating that we would visit the site in the near
future.
Skektek: Hey, I think the future is now. We may be getting close - feels
like the ship is slowing down.
Indeed, their destination was now in sight, as was being discussed on
the bridge near the fore end of the deck.
Kronos: (points ahead) Azak-Kil, I presume.
Otto: Whoa.
They were looking at, simply put, the largest crater any of them would
likely ever see during their lifetimes. It was bigger than the one made
by the fall of the sky castle, and much bigger than the one Belphanior
and Skektek had encountered during their adventures in the dark dimension
(though that had been more of a furrow). Several thousand feet across and
perhaps five hundred feet deep at its center, the massive hole had been
blasted into the world's surface long ago when something fell from the sky
above. While that object was buried, presumably in the center of the huge
pit, a multi-tiered mining operation had risen up all around it. Pathways
lined the great rounded depression at descending levels, while dozens of
passages led into the cliff faces.
Belphanior: The falling star, or whatever it was that hit the place, is
likely underground in the center. It would have blasted rock and earth
all around, too - and maybe pieces of itself. In which case this whole
place would become a source of who knows what ores. Hence the mine that
sprung up here.
Kronos: And this event happened a long time ago. Note the bush and scrub
all around the area; some are quite large and have been there a while.
Belphanior: (nods, studying the awe-inspiring sight below) That is one
big blast site.
Otto: Looks like they just built up the mines all around the center.
Kronos: Thus the term "Pits" for the Pits of Azak-Kil.
Skektek: I have to say, it makes a whole lot more sense when seen from a
thousand feet up like this.
The others had joined them on the ship's foredeck, ahead of the bridge,
to get a better view of the unique terrain below.
Paige: As much as something like that can make sense, anyway. But I see
what you mean. If I was standing on the ground down there, I'd think I
was in a normal valley.
Otto: (peering into the huge, rocky crater below, his keen eyes noting
some disturbing things) It definitely isn't normal. Check out all the
action below.
The pits were not abandoned (not that the adventurers had expected them
to be based on the knowledge they'd gathered ahead of this trip). Though
the figures were small when seen from this altitude, they were down there
and moving about...many hundreds of them, shambling about as if the mines
were still active.
Belphanior: Would you look at that...
Otto: I think they _are_ doing digging and other mining work. Some of
them are carrying picks and shovels. (he frowns) But they're moving
pretty slow.
Kronos: Because they are undead. (he doesn't glance at the Book of the
Dead which he holds under one arm) I can sense their presence even at
this distance.
Irina: (having finally come out to join the others on deck) As can I.
The combined evil from below would stagger any priest of decent ability.
Paige: (frowns) Is it just me, or can we hear them too?
The warrior-woman was right, for the wind around their ship had just
died down - which meant they could now hear a horrible keening sound from
the hilly ground far below - a low but continual moaning, as if thousands
of tormented voices groaned in despair at the same time.
Ys: Quite an ominous sound.
Skektek: (nods) Those poor bastards.
Irina: The cry of those doomed to toil away but never die.
Hope: If we can see hundreds of them down there now, working outside the
numerous mine tunnels in evidence, then there are probably thousands of
them in total. (she pauses) That's a lot.
Razor Charlie: (grimaces as he checks the edge of a fine longsword)
Skektek: Huh? I thought knives were your thing.
Razor Charlie: They are, but that's no good against big mobs of undead.
They don't care if I put out an eye or hit a throat...they just keep
coming. (he hefts the fine weapon, which he borrowed from the trove of
magical weapons that had recently been moved into the new fortress in
the Brass Hills) And with those numbers, I need more killing power.
Skektek: Hey, suit yourself. Me, I'll just blast the shit out of them
with my spells. (to Belphanior) That's the plan, right? Deal with the
massive horde of undead by hitting them hard and fast with overwhelming
power?
Belphanior: That's one plan...but Kronos prefers to try the diplomatic
route. (he nods to the pale lich)
Kronos: Diplomacy, yes, but also a display of power. Best case, we can
learn the exact nature of the area below and those who inhabit it, and
bring them in line or keep them here.
Otto: And worst case?
Belphanior: Worst case is a failure of those negotiations. (he sweeps
his gaze across the ship's deck and his companions, then turns it back
to the undead-haunted mining pits far below) Which would call for an
entirely different type of negotiation.
next: Kronos tests his diplomatic skills (and his power)
map: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/Bright-Desert_1203.jpg
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 4/10/2026
notes: In published canon, the source of the undead-generating
power at Azak-Kil is very similar to what I did back in episode 1050.
That was a five-foot-wide meteorite which itself was the evil artifact
and the source of the (zombie) problems. Here we have (based on what
I found in 1988's _Greyhawk Adventures_ and 1992's _Rary the Traitor_)
what is implied to be a much larger meteor. Said big meteor contained
all sorts of precious or useful metal ores...as well as a small, evil
artifact with undeath-related powers and properties. So be it, I can
work with that. They will deal with said artifact (and its possessor)
in their efforts to make the area safe.
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