Chapter #1128
previous chapter (#1127)
next chapter (#1129)
+
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ THE ADVENTURERS +
+ +
+ Epic VI +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ 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! +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
+ 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 +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Date: 5/27/586 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: midday +
+ Place: the Bright Desert +
+ Climate: hot and dry +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ "It's the next step...if you have the courage to take it." +
+ - from _Captain America: The Winter Soldier_ +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MCXXVIII. Alpha Centaur
Three days have passed since the alliance of wizards discussed all of
the things they need to do (and worry about) if they are to establish a
foothold in these lands, and much has happened in that time...
Strongbow: It is good that we could break bread and talk of such things.
Belphanior: Aye.
The elf and his team - for even he would never have ventured this deep
into the desert alone - were in the eastern reaches of the Bright Desert,
amidst the mildly rocky terrain where the desert sands gradually gave way
to the hills that marked the Abbor-Alz proper. To the east of this area
was the portion of those hills that ringed the wasteland's eastern side;
beyond that was the Celadon Forest to the northeast, and the Gnatmarsh to
the southeast.
These foothills were but one of several places that the desert centaurs
called home, and Belphanior had come here as a peace envoy. In truth,
much of the groundwork that even allowed this conversation to happen had
been laid by Otto, weeks ago, when he and the others had made their way
through the desert toward Rary's stronghold. They'd had a key secondary
mission as well: to attempt to make contact with the centaurs and enlist
their aid in the fight against Rary. Otto had somehow integrated a strong
measure of diplomacy with his battle experience, and convinced the fierce
horse/human hybrids of the sincerity and benefits of the campaign to put
an end to Rary. With that battle in the past, today's meeting had been
arranged...and now the elf was here, dining and speaking with the burly
chieftain of the centaur tribes.
Belphanior: (pours the other and then himself another mug of potent mead
from the sizable bottle he brought along) To your people.
Strongbow: (raises his mug) And yours. (he drains the cup with a single
gulp) Fine stuff, this.
Belphanior: I got it as a gift from grateful gnomes in the...hmm. Maybe
that wasn't it. Hell, I can't remember.
Strongbow: That's to be expected, if half the tales the dwarf told me of
your exploits are true. (he wipes his mouth with the back of one hairy
arm) You've slain dragons, faced a demon lord, helped defend the Free
City against a beast from the stars, carried out an assault on a hidden
city of vampires, freed thousands of slaves within the Hold of the Sea
Princes...not to mention leading the attack on Rary and Robilar.
Belphanior: Those are definitely some highlights. (he regards the other,
now aware that the centaur chieftain is more than just a fierce warrior
and leader)
Although the elf had encountered a centaur or two in his time, this was
his first extended interaction with one of the creatures...although that
term was perhaps not dignified enough. Centaurs were most marvelous and
impressive beings, especially up close where their true size and strength
were apparent. At nine feet above the ground, Strongbow would have loomed
over anyone of stature less than an ogre. He had the lower body of a large
and powerful horse, and the upper torso of a man. A prime specimen on both
accounts, the chieftain was thickly-muscled and looked as though he could
break a man in half with his bare hands - or trample one to death with his
mighty hoofed legs. Otto had advised that the centaur, like the majority
of his people, was highly proficient with not only the lance but also the
composite bow. Strongbow also carried a club and large, round shield into
battle; the former was an enchanted weapon fashioned of unusually dense,
knotted wood.
Belphanior: I thank you for your aid in the recent battle.
Strongbow: You should thank Otto. That dwarf is a true warrior, and his
words made up my mind on whether to join that fray...or just ride away.
(thoughtfully) Or just kill the whole group and then get on with our
day.
Belphanior: Well, _that_ would have been unfortunate.
Strongbow: Mmm...and maybe painful. From our first meeting, I could see
that they were all warriors of great bravery and skill. (he frowns)
Except for the skinny wizard. I will tell you now, I do not care for
those.
Belphanior: (quietly avoids making mention of the fact that he himself
is also a wizard, a fact that the centaurs would not know since their
part of the battle was on the opposite side of the fortress from where
Belphanior fought) He may be a spellcaster, but he has proven himself
in battle time and again, standing his ground when lesser men would have
fled long before. He once had his hands broken because he refused to
talk.
Strongbow: (nods approvingly) Hmm. At any rate, my people and I fought
alongside with yours against Rary's forces, and yours have shown their
mettle. Otto plied his crossbow to great effect, then dealt much death
with his sword. The lizard-man built a heap of foes' corpses all around
himself, to the point where more attackers could hardly reach him. The
knife-thrower is as deadly as he is fast. And the warrior-woman...well.
(he nods approvingly) A fine woman, she is. (he belches) I cannot see
any of your companions falling without taking many enemies with them.
Belphanior: That's the general idea...well, aside from not falling in the
first place. Which brings me here today. (he tears loose a leg from
the roasted turkey on the large, flat rock they are using as a table)
Strongbow: (reaches out and grabs the other leg, pulling the rest of the
bird away in the process) Yes. Explain. (he rips the leg loose and
bites into the meat, its juices running down his beard)
Belphanior: We did not come here with any ideas or aspirations other than
deposing Rary before he could become more powerful and perhaps build his
own kingdom in the Brass Hills, and eventually the entire desert. After
he was slain, though...we realized that there was more work to be done.
Strongbow: Well. (he frowns) That may be, but who can say that you are
the one to do it? (he gestures with the turkey leg as he talks, to
better punctuate his points) We did not help to overthrow Rary just so
another Rary could take his place.
Belphanior: You're right. And I'm not another Rary - nor are my allies.
We are collectively more powerful, but also less ambitious. In fact, I
am the only one who understands the needs of the peoples of the desert,
and is thinking ahead to the future...and what could be. (he gestures
with his hands) A fairer land...grass...lakes...safety, security.
Strongbow: (intrigued, he pours himself more ale) You have my attention.
Go on.
Belphanior: I - we - have no desire to rule you, or the nomads, or anyone
else here. We instead propose an alliance, one which will benefit your
people greatly. Our intentions go beyond building new forts, occupying
the ones that already exist, and defending the oases amidst the desert.
(he locks gazes with the majestic centaur war-chief) We mean to rid the
area of the manscorpions, the haunted towers, the ruins infested by the
walking dead...all of it.
Strongbow: (truly surprised, his eyes widen and he sputters out some of
the ale he was just drinking) What?!?
Belphanior: (ignoring the spray of alcohol) I mean what I say. We will
find and deal with each of those places, one by one, no matter what it
takes.
Strongbow: (rubs his bearded chin thoughtfully) If what you propose can
be done...
Belphanior: It can. We have the means, and the power. I intend to see
it started within the week. (he points at the other) But I need your
blessing. After all, it's your home, not ours. Although I'd like us
to share it, once all of the work is done. (he raises his mug) This
won't happen quickly, and it won't be easy...but it will be the best
thing for the desert and its people. (he frowns) Real people, such as
your folk and the nomads, and us. Not manscorpions, or giant scorpions,
or undead. Or the metal constructs of an insane, exiled wizard.
Strongbow: (nods) As it was many generations ago, before the folly and
fall of Sulm. I like this idea, as will my people.
Belphanior: As will, I would say, anyone who wants to live a good life
rather than have to fight the spawn of evil just to move from town to
town.
Strongbow: Aye, aye.
Belphanior: But there's more. Aside from the hellspawn that lurk out in
the desert sands - and beneath them - there is rumored to be an item of
great power and evil.
Strongbow: (rolls his eyes) The Scorpion Crown, so the legends say. It
is the root of all the problems Sulm, and the desert, have ever had.
Belphanior: Indeed.
Strongbow: (suddenly eyes the elf suspiciously) You cannot mean to find
the thing and use it for-
Belphanior: (holds up his hands) Hell, no. I mean to find it and then
_destroy_ it, once and for all...and restore this entire desert to its
former lush, fertile state.
Strongbow: Is that possible?
Belphanior: (shrugs) I can't say, but given the legends and lore that
pertain to this desert and what happened here...I think it is possible.
That would be the first step toward making this bleak desert into the
sort of land where people want to live. People, and centaurs, and any
of the other peoples of the region.
Strongbow: (leans back, crossing his thick, hairy arms) Hmm.
Belphanior: I know this is a lot to think about, but I would never move
ahead with this unless I had the consent of your people. You have as
much say - no, more say - in this as anyone.
Strongbow: (nods) I thank you for your words, and for sharing them. I
must talk with others among my party. Matters such as this will reach
far and touch many, and must be considered carefully.
Belphanior: I understand.
Strongbow: You and your warriors will remain here. We shall give you our
answer in the morning.
Belphanior: (nods, extending his hand) I thank you for your time, and
for hearing me out.
Strongbow: (clasps the elf's hand in return) Aye.
With that, Belphanior rejoined his team, who had set up a large tent
nearby, to provide some shade while they waited. The centaurs kept their
distance, giving the adventurers some privacy while ensuring the same for
those centaurs who would now spend some time discussing the proposed ideas
that Belphanior had shared.
Otto: How'd he take it?
Belphanior: Pretty well, I think. I feel good about this.
Skektek: Are you really going to hold off on your plan if they say they
don't like it?
Belphanior: I suppose we'd still build some sort of power base in the
Brass Hills - which is far from these centaurs' lands - and then get
to work clearing out the dangerous places. And I think Strongbow can
see that, and would benefit from it. (he frowns) No, I'm not worried
about that. I'm after longer-term cooperation here. I want his people
to prosper and be happy...five years from now, I want them to be able
to say that things are better than they were before Rary was eliminated.
Ys: That seems inevitable. Every step that we - or the others - take
here pushes the desert toward a better future.
Neera: True, but that's going to be a lot of work, and so it may be hard
for these people to understand, or to envision. Their entire way of
life could change, especially if there's a way to render this wasteland
green and alive again.
Arusha: From what we know so far, it seems likely.
Neera: Time will tell.
Judhon: It seems that there's a lot to be done here in the desert.
Neera: (nods in agreement) We're still working on that list.
Skektek: (sweating fairly profusely, he wipes his brow with a cloth)
Hope: Are you okay?
Skektek: I'm fine...just not used to this sort of heat. Unlike some of
us. (he eyes Poulos, who almost seems comfortable)
Poulos: (shrugs his massive shoulders) My homeland's climate is much
like this.
Irina: (eyeing her sweat-soaked tunic) Mine isn't, but I'll make do.
Razor Charlie: (admiring her toughness, he just grimaces)
Paige: (takes a long drink from a skin full of water) Life is tough,
folks. That's just the way it is. We may not always be comfortable,
or happy, but it's how we deal with challenges that makes us who we
are...and makes the tales worth telling.
Ys: How true. (he yawns)
Skektek: I wonder how long these horse-men will take to make up their
minds.
Otto: I'd guess hours. (he produces some meager rations and settles
down to eat and then nap) Debate and deliberation are part of their
ways.
Belphanior: I know you're all hot and tired, but this mission was quite
necessary. We need the centaurs' buy-in, and all of you fought with
them to the eastern side of Rary's stronghold, while I was on the other
side. They saw your skill and bravery and hold you in some esteem, so
I needed you here. (to Otto) Damn good work, getting them to ride with
you in the first place.
Otto: (shrugs) I was able to talk to Strongbow, one warrior to another.
We had some common ground. And he had no love for Rary, his troops, or
his apparent plans.
Belphanior: Well, our plans are better. And that's the key, I think.
(he frowns) I hope.
next: more progress
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 12/15/2023
notes: I actually spent a fair bit of time researching centaurs, how
they think and act, and so on...and then tried to think about what their
leader would have to be like, especially within a tough desert species.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
previous chapter (#1127)
next chapter (#1129)