Chapter #1126
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next chapter (#1127)
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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 +
+ 1991-2023 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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+ Hope 16th level female human wizard +
+ Poulos 8th level human warrior +
+ Irina 14th/7th level female human priestess/warrior +
+ Neera 12th level female human wizard (sage/astrologer) +
+ Arusha 6th level human female wizard/alchemist +
+ Judhon 7th level gnomish illusionist +
+ 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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+ Deryck 13th level half-elven ranger +
+ Nenya 12th/12th level female grey elven warrior/wizard +
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+ Date: 5/6/586 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late morning +
+ Place: the Gedlands, west of the Free City of Greyhawk +
+ Climate: warm +
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+ "You can't help me." +
+ "Maybe I can tell you something you don't know." +
+ - from _The Six Million dollar Man_ episode +
+ _The Rescue of Athena One_ +
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MCXXVI. Side Missions
While Belphanior and the other archmagi are hard at work elsewhere, the
elf's lieutenants have ventured northward to take care of some unrelated
matters...
Hope: We appreciate you hosting us here. (she looks around) It's quite
a peaceful place.
Nenya: It's our pleasure...and besides, things are a bit tumultuous in
the Free City right now.
Neera: It's a good thing we got what we needed, when we did, then.
While most of the group had participated in the assault on the Bright
Desert and its now-late ruler, Neera and her two charges had been safely
in Greyhawk doing various research and other work. Per the elf's prior
arrangement with Nenya and Deryck, his three companions had left the city
days before the attack, relocating to the Gedlands to ride out the storm.
That had been about a week ago; the rest of the group - Otto, Skektek,
Hope, and the rest - had arrived this morning to gather the others and
bring them back to rejoin Belphanior.
Arusha: Our very own armed escort? How touching.
Ys: (grins toothily)
Otto: (to Neera) I trust you three are doing well?
Neera: We ought to be, after a week in Greyhawk followed by another in
seclusion here. (she frowns) I can't say I enjoy being separated and
isolated.
Otto: Belphanior just didn't want to risk something happening to you in
the battle. Besides, there were other matters you needed to attend to.
Neera: (nods, saying no more)
Nenya: It was likely safer for you here...not that anyone would retaliate
against you for what Belphanior and the others did. (she shakes her
head) But I'm still amazed that they succeeded.
Otto: I'd venture a guess that you're far from the only one.
Neera: (shrugs) Well, this _is_ Belphanior we're talking about.
Nenya: Good point. But to take on the traitorous archmage and his allies
directly, and in their own domain...
Deryck: Knowing the elf, he approached it as a tactical problem, to be
overcome with careful strategy...that doubtless contained at least one
surprise for the enemy. And with Belphanior, one surprise is often all
the advantage he needs. (he regards Otto questioningly)
Otto: (nonchalantly) That's about how it went. At any rate, it's done
now.
Nenya: It certainly is.
Judhon: (aware that the device he built for Belphanior had something to
do with the battle and its victorious conclusion, he smiles to himself,
happy to have been able to contribute)
Neera: (sighs) And more than one power base within Greyhawk has been
stirred up by these events.
Otto: Do tell. That's one reason we're here, and I'd prefer not to have
to ride to Greyhawk to get answers, if it can be avoided.
Skektek: But we might be celebrities!
Razor Charlie: (just grimaces)
Nenya: Doubtful. The general populace knows that Rary was overthrown by
some sort of alliance of wizards. I'd posit that very, very few people
know the identity of said wizards...or their allies.
Irina: That may be just as well.
Hope: Agreed. Anonymity won't hurt in the short term.
Otto: It's not like Rary had any allies left. They were all gathered in
his stronghold. (he smirks) Which was convenient.
Paige: (drily) The operative word being "were."
Deryck: The identities of those who took out Rary won't remain a secret
forever. This was a momentous event and things will now change. (he
pauses) Although exactly how...remains to be seen.
Nenya: I'm not going to ask for details about how you pulled it off; I've
known Belphanior long enough to have a general idea, and maybe someday
I'll discuss it with him. As far as the Free City of Greyhawk, I can
tell you this for sure: the Oligarchs are generally pleased at this
outcome, although they have some reservations about the intentions of
those who accomplished the feat...and what will now become of the Bright
Desert.
Hope: What about the Circle of Eight?
Nenya: Their thoughts and plans remain known only to them, but if I were
Belphanior and his allies, I would expect to hear from that group soon.
(she frowns) Probably before the Free City approaches them. Despite
what some may think, the two are distinctly different entities, and do
not always work toward the same ends, or for the same reasons.
Otto: (nods) I see.
Deryck: So, you're leaving now?
Otto: Soon. We need to pack up the supplies that these three picked up
while in Greyhawk. We'll need an hour or two.
Nenya: Very well. Make yourselves at home. We'll provide some fresh
food and drink, and mules or a wagon if you need them.
Hope: Many thanks.
Shortly, as the others loaded up the provisions and generally enjoyed
their first look at the small but thriving community that Nenya and Deryck
had built upon Ged's lands...a select few had a more private discussion in
the guest quarters that Neera and the other two had been using.
Otto: -waited long enough. I need to know.
Neera: I'll let Arusha explain; she did all the research.
Arusha: (nods) Greyhawk's libraries are quite extensive. I never even
dreamed that so much knowledge could be kept in one place. I could have
spent months there without ever becoming bored!
Neera: (smiles to herself, pleased at the younger woman's enthusiasm as
well as her work)
Arusha: Anyhow, to business. I pored through a dozen tomes concerning
lycanthropy, and took copious notes. (she waves a handful of scrolls)
But the operative question is...did anything unusual happen during the
last full phase of this world's moon - Luna - a week ago?
Otto: If you mean, did I change into a wolf and run around being crazy...
no. That didn't happen. I felt a little strange - I was on edge, like
one might be just before a big battle. (he smirks) But at the time, I
actually _was_ about to have a big battle, so who knows? Oh, I was also
unusually hungry at the time. But I'm not sure that proves anything.
Arusha: Very well. Based on my research, and talks with a couple of the
city's sages, I have a theory. I think that your curse, such as it is,
is inexorably tied to the moons of that other realm - the realm where
the bite and infection actually happened. But that place...is not this
place.
Otto: You mean that if I were to end up back there, I'd change into some
sort of beast at the coming of the full moon? But here, I won't, since
it's not the same world, or the same moon? Err, moons?
Arusha: Right. Now, we don't know for sure, and we won't, until more
time passes...and more full moons show themselves in the night sky.
Particularly the double full moons of Luna _and_ Celene, during the time
you call Richfest...about seven weeks from now.
Otto: (exhales) Okay, then. Right. (he glances at the slender young
woman) My thanks.
Arusha: Happy to help. And I'll keep studying this situation, to see
what more I can learn over time.
Otto: Right.
Oddly enough, the dwarf had mixed feelings about this. While he was
glad to hear that he apparently wouldn't suffer from the full, horrible
curse of the werewolf...he also couldn't forget what it had felt like to
run free and wild, in a more powerful and primal form. On that night, in
the town of Holmburg within some dark and faraway realm, he had never lost
control - on the contrary, he felt as if he'd kept his own mind even while
bounding through the narrow streets of the town or the dark forest beneath
the vampire's castle. He now wondered if he was gaining the best of both
worlds...some of the powers of a lycanthrope without the violent and often
bloody curse that came with those powers.
Otto: (peers at his forearm, where he suffered a deep cut during the
battle at Rary's fortress just six days ago...a cut which somehow fully
healed even faster than his magical ring normally allowed)
Arusha: (gathering up her notes, she organizes them neatly within a small
pack)
Neera: Were you able to find the other materials you needed while in the
Free City?
Arusha: Indeed I was. I've been able to make even faster progress with
my magical learning than I was before. Which makes sense.
Neera: I'm still amazed that you basically taught yourself magic, with
no tutoring and no guidance, all by yourself over the course of several
years.
Arusha: I'd attribute it to discipline, and focus. (she frowns) Intense
focus. But now, with these additional resources available to me...(she
smiles happily) The sky is the limit.
Neera: Glad to hear it. And we'll be back in Greyhawk, as well as other
such centers of learning, in the future. Fear not. (she nods, thinking
about the massive magical knowledge base afforded by the gathering of
magi Belphanior has set in motion) Hell, we may even build our own
someday.
Meanwhile, outside, Skektek had pulled Deryck off to the side to have
another discussion about yet another topic.
Deryck: Well, yes, they're still around. Not here - they tend to stay
in the smaller towns, like Narwell or Safeton in the northern reaches
of the Wild Coast. I doubt that crew would fare well in Greyhawk.
Skektek: I suspect not...but I know where they might fare better. So
you've got no issues with Belphanior hiring them out for some work in
the desert?
Deryck: (nods) They are not beholden to me; they do as they wish. I've
simply been able to provide them periodic, gainful employment in the
past. Lately, however, I've not had as much need of their services.
Skektek: (grins) Well, we do.
One other matter was not discussed at this point. Before sending her
to Greyhawk, Belphanior - always thinking ahead to potential future moves
on the game board of life - had tasked Neera with finding out whatever she
could about a certain long-lost, horribly cursed artifact from a long-dead
empire. As expected, the sage had enjoyed considerable success in this
endeavor. Her research in the Free City had resulted in a small stack
of parchments containing her detailed notes on that fell item. This lore
would soon be put to use, for if all went as planned, Belphanior and his
allies would need to know everything possible about the fabled Scorpion
Crown...its creation, its history, the curse it inflicted upon not only
the wearer but his entire kingdom...and even how the damned thing could be
destroyed.
next: discussing the future of the Bright Desert
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 12/1/2023
notes: We're getting there. Slowly but surely, we're getting there.
I'm back from my fall 2022 writing break, and it's time to see what a
large group of powerful wizards can do with a wasteland they just took
over.
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next chapter (#1127)