Chapter #1213
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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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+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
+ Irina 14th/7th level female human priestess/warrior +
+ Otto 12th/14th level dwarven fighter/thief +
+ Paige 13th level human female warrior +
+ Ys 14th level reptilian fighter +
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+ Shemeya 19th level human sorceress from ancient Sulm +
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+ Bosco 14th level halfling thief +
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+ Date: 4/16/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late morning +
+ Place: the Brass Hills, within the Bright Lands +
+ Climate: hot and dry +
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+ "So what happens now?" +
+ "I'm gonna go look for trouble." +
+ - from _Green Lantern_ (2011) +
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MCCXIII. Here There Be Dragons
After an hour or so of flight, the group has just reached the unusual
formation of hills that marks the underground lair of the dragons they
seek. After securing the skyship, they have teleported to the ground
below to finish their journey on foot...
Bosco: Dragons, huh?
Belphanior: Dragons, Bosco. And they're most likely really, really
hungry, so mind your behavior.
Paige: (smirks to herself) Aren't brass dragons are especially known
to crave halfling meat?
Bosco: Huh? (he looks up at her, looking slightly concerned)
Paige: (loses the smile, frowning now) That's what I heard, anyway.
Shemeya: (unable to resist joining in) You know, I think they are.
Bosco: Hungry? Halflings? (he frowns) Uh-oh. No one told me this
trip was for seeing dragons.
Otto: Just stick with us and you'll be okay.
Ys: (stares down as the halfling casually moves to take cover behind
his leg)
Irina: (rolls her eye in exasperation)
Belphanior: (to Shemeya) Where are we going exactly?
Shemeya: (leads the small group around a gigantic boulder and then
under a natural stone overhang) There.
She pointed to the voluminous cavern ahead; concealed as it was by
surrounding rock formations, it was completely undetectable from above
(and barely detectable even by one standing and facing it, due to the
placement of certain boulders, smaller stones, and rubble).
Otto: If I didn't know better, I'd say they concealed the entrance to
their lair.
Shemeya: (nods) That's exactly what they did. (she reaches into her
belt pouch, quickly revealing it to be magical as she removes a horn
that, while small, is yet too large to fit within the pouch)
The horn was fashioned from a single curved piece of antler taken from
some long-extinct exotic creature, and had no cords or other attachments.
Shemeya: This enchanted horn will not only amplify my voice, but cause
it to reach far into these caves...and translate my words into whatever
tongue is used by any who hear. (she brings the device to her mouth
and speaks)
Although her voice was at normal volume, it was (as promised) greatly
increased when it came out of the horn.
Shemeya: BALGEZO...OLUNZAL...SURTOZA. AS YOU ARE NO DOUBT AWARE, YOU
HAVE VISITORS THIS DAY.
Bosco: (to Otto) Should we really be doing this? (he frowns) Not that
I'm worried, mind you. Just asking.
Paige: (keeps her hand near her sword) He does have a point.
Otto: Just stay calm. Shemeya knows what she's doing. (he exchanges
glances with Belphanior, who just nods slightly in affirmation)
Shemeya: WE COME NOT ONLY IN PEACE, BUT WITH TIDINGS OF GREAT IMPORT,
THAT YOU WILL WANT TO KNOW.
Nothing happened for a few tense moments...and then the rock beneath
their feet trembled as something large and heavy approached from within.
The ground shook more deeply as whatever lurked beyond their sight drew
closer, and they could hear something nearby taking great, deep breaths.
Actually, more than a single something; the multiple combined sounds
from somewhere ahead were almost booming in their volume, like a set of
gigantic bellows pumping massive amounts of air in and out. Suddenly,
a pair of bright, glowing green eyes appeared in the darkness of the
cave...and then a second opened, soon followed by a third.
Bosco: Ulp.
The closest dragon's head, which was the size of a small wagon and
protected by a ridge of bone that fanned out behind it, slowly emerged
from the shadows. That head was at the end of a long, muscular neck
whose scales had the color and appearance of burnished brass. Some sort
of thin horns - or perhaps thick whiskers? - of the same color jutted
down from the bottom of the creature's lower jaw, curving back toward
its neck.
brass dragon #1: (slowly moves its head around, shifting its gaze from
adventurer to adventurer before settling on Shemeya) I am Balgezo...
brass dragon #2: (its head appears, the jaws slightly open as if it is
considering unleashing a breath weapon upon the intruders) ...I am
Olunzal...
brass dragon #3: (its head also appears next to the other two, although
this third one lacks the horns/whiskers that the other two have, the
reason for which becomes apparent when it speaks in a deep and rumbling
but distinctly female voice) ...and I am Surtoza. We are the last of
the noble line of Urvelthal.
Paige: (whispering) How in the hell are three of them all fitting in
there side-by-side?
Surtoza: Because this cavern is immense, and our wings are folded when
not in use.
Olunzal: We can hear you, even when you try to not be heard.
Balgezo: And we are deeply curious why you have sought us out.
Shemeya: Can we illuminate this place, that we might speak like the
civilized and cultured beings that we are?
Balgezo: You may.
Momentarily, the answer to Paige's question was more apparent: the
cavern was massive, perhaps four hundred feet deep and almost as wide.
The roof remained at about the same height throughout, but only because
the stone floor gradually sloped downward as one moved deeper into the
colossal chamber.
Otto: (looking around, he silently observes and notes the size, shape,
and any distinguishing features of the huge cave)
Balgezo: (to all of them) Welcome to our lair. You shall be our guests
for now.
Surtoza: (snorts) At least until we hear what you have to say. Then
we will see.
These were dragons in the prime of their life, fully grown and quite
powerful, but not yet old and wise. Nevertheless, their sheer presence
was intimidating, and would have overwhelmed less-experienced and less-
disciplined individuals. As it was, Ys and Paige were uneasy and kept
themselves ready for a sudden fight...Irina drew upon the power of her
goddess to remain calm...Otto relied on his trust in Belphanior and (to
some extent, here) Shemeya...and as for Bosco, the halfling did whatever
he had always done to keep a level head in dangerous situations.
Bosco: (looking around nonchalantly, he wonders where these dragons'
treasure is hidden, although he knows not to ask that out loud)
The dragons each had beds of sand in the larger rear portion of the
huge chamber, and they now settled into these, becoming comfortable as
they prepared to hear out their visitors.
Surtoza: Do not mistake our leisurely behavior for complacency. If any
hostile move happens to be made, we can and will deal with it.
Shemeya: Fear not. We come in peace, and hope to leave in peace, or
perhaps as allies... (she pauses) ...for we have an interesting tale
to tell you.
All three dragons' ears perked up then, and their heads bobbed just
a bit more toward the adventurers - which was just what Shemeya had
expected, for she had not only done her research on brass dragons in
general but had observed these three in particular while trapped in her
tower over the last century of Oerth time. She knew that this species
tended to be somewhat brash and egotistical, while at the same time this
trio had lost their parents to - and lived in abject fear of - the more
powerful blue dragon in the desert above. And now, it was time to get
down to business.
Shemeya: First things first. The blue wyrm Volte is gone, departed
from the desert, and will not return.
All three dragons were not only surprised at this statement but had a
physical reaction, shifting in place and pawing the cavern floor, their
claws digging deep furrows in the hard stone. They were visibly agitated
now, growling and hissing to each other. Finally, the one called Balgezo
(who was slightly larger than the other two and seemed to be a bit more
dominant) spoke.
Balgezo: How can this be? That one has been there for...a long time.
Surtoza: (bitterly) Far too long.
Shemeya: Well, therein lies a tale. (she turns to Belphanior)
The pair of them spent a short time explaining all of the events that
had taken place in the Bright Desert (and then Bright Lands) over the
past year, starting with the wizard Rary's various misdeeds and ending
with the recent efforts to change the fundamental nature of the region.
The dragons listened as if entranced - for all brass dragons loved good
stories - while the elf and the ancient sorceress alternated narrating
all that had happened, was happening, and might happen in the near and
far future.
Belphanior: -and so here we are today, offering you a chance to dwell
out in the open, high above the desert in a lofty perch befitting of
your might...and your birthright.
Shemeya: And in complete peace with us and the people of this land.
The great dragon bloodline of Urvelthal would become synonymous with
the Bright Lands, its rulers, its people, and its future. (she looks
at the three dragons, who are now busy conversing in their own tongue)
Shemeya: This could take a while.
Belphanior: Agreed. (to his team) Just stay calm. Whether it looks
like it or not, I think we're making progress.
Paige: (watching the dragons talking and gesturing animatedly) Gotcha.
Some time passed...and then some more time. And then yet more time.
The dragons didn't even seem to notice the adventurers now, though it
was certain that any hostile move or casual wandering-away would surely
be detected.
Bosco: (bored, he sits down on a natural protrusion of smooth stone
and retrieves a small bag from his pack)
The halfling reached into the sack and pulled out a sizable loaf of
bread, setting it on the stone slab next to him. Then he reached back
into the bag, removing a small wheel of cheese that joined the bread.
Moments later, a wooden bowl also rested on the stone; it was quickly
filled with several different fruits.
Paige: (watching in equal parts fascination and disbelief)
In short order, the halfling had added a modest pile of dried beef to
the layout. Last but not least was a jug of some sort of liquid that
was most likely not water.
Bosco: (staring at the feast laid out before him) Ahhhh.
Shemeya: What in the world is this?!?
Bosco: (cheerfully) It's second breakfast!
Whistling to himself, having seemingly forgotten that he was sitting
in a cavern containing three gigantic dragons, the halfling proceeded
to tuck into his meal. A moment later, the other adventurers realized
exactly why - aside from his seemingly-boundless appetite - Bosco might
have forgotten where he was and why: the trio of dragons were no longer
conversing with each other.
Bosco: (chewing noisily, he abruptly becomes aware of the silence...
and senses something above and to the side of him and his makeshift
dining area) Eh?
A chunk of bread hanging from one corner of his mouth, the halfling
slowly turned to the right, his gaze tilting up...to meet that of the
dragon which was about five feet away.
Balgezo: (regards the tiny visitor, green eyes narrowed to slits, huge
pointed fangs bared and eminently visible within his gigantic mouth)
Bosco: (stops chewing his food)
Balgezo: I have only one question.
Bosco: (his eyes wide, the bread stuck in his mouth, he remains frozen
in place)
Balgezo: Did you bring enough for everyone?
next: will Bosco's legend grow? or will he become part of lunch?
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: 6/12/2026
notes: I'll likely never match the humor of the old Thunderdelve
story arc - that was probably the zenith of funny yet still serious
Adventurers tales - but every now and then I like to try and generate
some laughs for the readers...a joke here, a line there. Sometimes it
so happens that several of those end up in a single episode. Research
showed me that this was more possible and likely with brass dragons,
of all options...and they live in and like desert climates. So it was
an easy plot point to decide to use.
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