Chapter #362
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next chapter (#363)
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic II +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and +
+ other terms used in these stories are the property of TSR, Inc. +
+ However, this does not mean that TSR in any way endorses or +
+ authorizes their use, and any such items contained within these +
+ stories should not be considered representative of TSR in any +
+ way, shape, or form. +
+ The player characters contained in these writings are copy- +
+ right 1991-6 by Thomas Miller. Any resemblance to any persons +
+ or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. +
+ Copying and/or distribution of these tales is permissible only +
+ under the sole condition that no part of them will be used or +
+ sold for profit. In that case, I hope you enjoy them... +
+ +
+ Thomas Miller +
+ tmiller@cimmeria.ns.gatech.edu +
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+ THE PARTY: +
+ +
+ Arnold 12th level human barbarian (NG) +
+ Ged 14th/14th level grey elven priest/wizard (NG) +
+ Mongo 17th level dwarven fighter (CG) +
+ Gorin 9th level dwarven fighter (NG) +
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+ Date: 1/23/576 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late afternoon +
+ Place: the Free City of Dyvers +
+ Climate: cold outside, warm inside +
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+ "I trust no man until we have faced a legion of foes, and +
+ their blood lies spilt at our feet. Only then does a man +
+ know who he can call friend." +
+ - Conan +
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CCCLXII. New Friends and Allies
Mongo, Gorin, and Arnold followed the big, plate-mailed fellow to
a corner table. There, already deep in discussion with another elf,
was Ged. A third elf sat to one side, leaning back against the wall
as if he was asleep. However, his eyes opened a hair as the others
approached. Ged and the second elf, too, looked up as the others
arrived at the table.
Ged: Ah! Mongo, we have found our allies. (he points to the elf
he was talking to) This is Eyer.
Eyer was a high elf, perhaps even a forest elf, judging by his size
and build. His grey cloak and shirt didn't entirely conceal the worn
leather armor beneath them. On his feet were dusty, well-worn boots;
atop his long, light brown hair rested a forester's cap, from which a
bright red feather jutted flamboyantly. The elf seemed older than Ged
(or, for that matter, Belphanior) - his brown eyes and weatherbeaten
face bore the look of much experience and adventure. A light, ornate
longsword was sheathed at his left hip, and a dagger at his right.
Eyer: (clasps hands with Mongo) My pleasure.
Mongo: Likewise.
After Eyer had been introduced to Gorin and Arnold, he gestured to
the other elf, he who had apparently been dozing.
Eyer: My henchman, the elven archer Baltek.
Baltek: (nods lazily at the adventurers)
Gorin: (to Arnold) I wonder if he's as much of a bum as he appears
to be?
Baltek: (opens his eyes fully) Don't count on it, friend.
Gorin: Wh- (he turns away, embarrassed)
Eyer: (laughing) Baltek doesn't sleep much, and so he has to grab
combat naps wherever he can. But fear not, he's a fine warrior
indeed. (he turns to the large fellow who broke up the impending
fight a few moments ago) And I believe you've already met Drexel.
Drexel: (smiling yet serious) _Sir_ Drexel, please.
Eyer: Of course. Sir Drexel, of Furyondy, is a holy knight serving
Heironeous, the Invincible.
Sir Drexel was a very large individual, about Arnold's size but
maybe bigger - it was hard to tell under the heavy armor he wore.
He had the build of a blacksmith, his broad shoulders and mighty
thews easily supporting the great weight of his armor. Shoulder-
length blond hair framed a wide, craggily handsome face. The man
smiled a lot, displaying perfectly white teeth that most royalty
would have killed for. Mongo wasn't fooled, though, for he knew a
born warrior when he saw one. Drexel might act like a nice guy,
but Mongo got the impression that in a pitched battle, the fellow
would be heavy-duty bad company.
Somehow, Drexel combined all the best elements of a great warrior
and a blue-blooded noble. Mongo noticed Gorin and Arnold sizing
the man up as well - a good sign, for Mongo didn't really trust a
warrior until he had fought alongside him. Still, the big knight
practically radiated an aura of confidence, and cheerfulness...and
power. There was no mistaking this, though Mongo couldn't know that
Ged, attuned to such things, had already sensed it.
The knight's clean, shining armor - full plate, the heaviest armor
ever forged - bore the silver lightning bolt of Heironeous. Drexel
also had a shield, similarly emblazoned; a heavy bastard sword hung
at his side. Mongo blinked as he eyed the weapon - was it shining
within its sheath, or was that a trick of the light?
Drexel: (slaps the sword offhandedly) This is my greatest ally in
the ongoing crusade against evil. It is called Chaosbane.
Ged: An intelligent weapon?
Drexel: Of course.
Chaosbane: (glowing brightly within its sheath) I speak, and act,
when necessary to vanquish vile miscreants and avenge foul misdeeds.
Lightbringer: (glowing with a violet hue as it speaks up) And I am
Lightbringer, slayer of rotting ghoul and blackest vampire alike!
Chaosbane: Ah, a kindred spirit! We must talk.
Lightbringer: Indeed.
Mongo: (smirks)
Ged: (looks at Mongo, shrugging)
Drexel: It would seem that the two weapons are well-met.
Eyer: (smiling thinly)
Ged: Yea. (he breathes a silent prayer that Belphanior, and his
sword, aren't here)
Arnold: So you three will come on this quedst with us...
Drexel: We shall. Heironeous has spoken, and I, as always, listen.
Mongo: (to Eyer) And you?
Eyer: I follow the ways of Fharlanghn...though that deity certainly
didn't tell me to join this quest.
Ged: Oh?
Eyer: I owe Drexel a favor, and anyway, I'm an adventurous sort.
Mongo: Sounds like Peldor.
Eyer: What is a "Peldor?"
Gorin: (to Baltek, the archer) What about you? What's your story?
Baltek: (gestures to Eyer) Where he goes, I follow.
Gorin: Ah, I see.
Ged: We need a plan of action, here.
Drexel: What say we rest tonight, and depart eastward on the morrow?
Mongo: Sounds good to me.
Gorin: Me, too. Especially since we already paid for lodgings for
tonight.
Eyer: Well, there we have it, then. (he looks around) Err...I don't
know about you people, but I haven't eaten since lunch, and I'd be
game for a good, hot meal right about now...?
Mongo: Sounds good to me, friend.
Ged: Well, there's much preparation and-
Eyer: I'm buying.
Mongo: No way. _I'm_ buying.
Eyer: I think not.
Mongo: I think so.
Eyer: Give it up.
Mongo: Not a chance.
Eyer: Shall we flip for it? (he produces a silver coin from some-
where)
Mongo: Uh...sure.
Eyer: (flips the coin) Call it.
Mongo: Heads!
Eyer: (watches the coin land on the table, tails up) Ah, you lose.
The meal is mine to buy.
Mongo: (grumbling) Whatever.
Gorin: (mutters something to his liege)
Mongo: (his eyes brighten) But I've got the liquor tab!
Eyer: (gives up, grinning) Very well.
Ged: (to Arnold) This could be the start of a good friendship...
Arnold: Yah.
Drexel: Believe it.
Over the next few hours, the group ordered and ate an impressive
amount of food. While they ate (and before that, waited on) their
food, they exchanged stories and histories. It was then that Ged's
group learned something of their new allies' pasts.
Eyer had come from the Grandwood Forest, near Aerdy; this meant
that he had spent his childhood and early years fighting the forces
of the mad Overking. Besides his prowess at arms, he counted among
his skills things such as wall-climbing, tightrope-walking, jumping,
and tumbling. He also knew something of disguise and etiquette, and
was a wanderer at heart, never content to settle down.
Baltek didn't talk much, mainly because he was busy eating - for
once, he showed some energy and motivation to accomplish a task.
He didn't seem to want to talk about his past, and since Eyer didn't
encourage him to, Mongo and the others didn't push the issue. The
elf was a nice enough fellow, though, and he did talk about a good
many other subjects. It seemed that Baltek was slowly but surely
becoming comfortable with his new allies.
As for Drexel, his tale was much like that of any other holy knight
of Furyondy. He had been born to a noble house, and had grown up
amidst both the priesthood and the knights. A large, strong, and
brave lad, he had become a page to a famous knight. From there he
had risen to squire, and eventually to knight. A natural leader,
Drexel rose among the ranks of Furyondy's finest, eventually gaining
the attention and praise of king Belvor himself. At the present
time, he commanded a company of holy knights when not away on quests
or errands of mercy.
The trio also listened intently to the tales of Ged, Mongo, Gorin,
and Arnold. To the latter group, of course, these accounts were old
news, though fun to tell. Eventually, the hour grew late, and the
company split after agreeing to meet at Dyvers' southeastern gate at
dawn.
next: the quest gets underway
ftp: ftp.digex.net in /pub/access/dpm/rpg/stories/adventurers
www: http://www.access.digex.net/~dpm
http://www3.hmc.edu/~kshobaki/adventurers
homepage: http://www.gatech.edu/oit/oe/design/thomas/adv.html
mail: tmiller@cimmeria.ns.gatech.edu (preferred)
thomas.miller@oit.gatech.edu (emergency)
notes: I hope the discussion in the last episode helped to
show you where the various adventurers are, and (in some cases)
what they're doing. I know that the party keeps splitting and
pressing questions don't get answered (when/how did the drow move
into their house?...where's Victoria?...what are Rillen and Songa
up to?) but bear with me.
About the recent chronology...here's something I put together
to un-confuse _me_:
6/10/575 big battle with Necros
7/ 4/575 340 Rillen finds Songa, we haven't seen him since
1/10/576 349 Belphanior loses eye, demon fight
1/14/576 351 Some adventurers discuss the battle
1/15/576 352 Belphanior chastized by Tanya, leaves Greyhawk
1/17/576 353 Peldor finds Alindyar a house
1/18/576 354 Ged and Nenya have their depressing talk
1/19/576 355 Felicia reappears, ferrets run amok
1/20/576 356 Mongo's little barfight
1/21/576 357 Ged talks to Nenya, then to avatar
1/22/576 358-60 Peldor etc. hunt for missing ring
1/21/576 361 Ged etc. on road
1/23/576 362 Ged etc. meet Eyer, Baltek, Drexel
It's at those last two entries that things get a little confusing.
And when we see Belphanior again, we'll have to go back to 1/15/576.
For Rillen, it may be even earlier.
Hope this helps.
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next chapter (#363)