Chapter #1219
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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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+ THE BRIGHT ALLIANCE +
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+ Alindyar 18th level dark elven wizard, illusionist +
+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
+ Irina 14th/7th level female human priestess/warrior of Istus +
+ Dexitheseus 17th level human wizard, enchanter/generalist +
+ Kronos 22nd level lich wizard, necromancer/generalist +
+ Lyra 14th level female drow wizard, invoker/evoker +
+ Pallin 18th level grey elven wizard, teleporter +
+ Parekh 18th level female human wizard, innovator +
+ Shemeya 19th level human sorceress from ancient Sulm +
+ Wu 18th level human wizard, alterer/generalist +
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+ Date: 4/19/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late morning +
+ Place: the Brass Hills, within the Bright Lands +
+ Climate: hot and dry +
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+ "You don’t mess around, do you?" +
+ "Not if I can help it." +
+ - from _The Punisher_ volume 6, issue 13 (2002) +
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MCCXIX. Turning Information into Action
After a brief and somewhat startling interrogation, the captive monk
from the Crimson Blades has perished, and Kronos has finally vocalized
something that a couple of the archmagi have long suspected...
Parekh: Are you saying what I think you're saying?
Kronos: (crosses his arms, frowning) I do not like it, but I will say
it: there seems to be a strong possibility that both our group and
the Crimson Blades were covertly manipulated by some unknown third
party...manipulated into venturing somewhere that would conveniently
remove us from the worldwide conflicts of the Greyhawk Wars.
Alindyar: A turn of events which very well may have altered the outcome
of those events.
Belphanior: (nods) I don't like it at all, but I think you're right.
Pallin: The question is...who?
Dexitheseus: One obvious candidate would be the Circle of Eight.
Parekh: (folds her arms, scowling) It's just like them, to shape events
but then fail to take any actual advantage of said interference.
Kronos: (shakes his head) I do not believe it was the Circle, if for no
other reason because they could not have accurately predicted outcomes
during the wars, with both of the other groups absent. The chance that
those absences would actually steer the world toward a true neutrality,
with neither Good nor Evil coming out ahead would have been...minute.
Belphanior: At any rate, we'll know soon.
Parekh: How's that?
Belphanior: Because if it really was the Circle of Eight, then they'll
have long ago ventured to Chargrim's second stronghold - or even both
of them, if the Circle got ambitious - and plundered it. (he shrugs)
So when we get there ourselves, we'll see.
Alindyar: Good point. (ESPing to Lyra) He never fails to amaze me with
his unconventional ways of thinking about things.
Lyra: (ESPing to Alindyar) I know. It's no surprise that he's usually
several steps ahead of his enemies. Let's hope that holds true in the
near future as well...because we'll probably need such advantages.
Shemeya: (regarding the corpse of the monk, from whose facial orifices
blood has leaked onto the floor) Hmm. (to Irina) Interesting magic
your goddess grants.
Irina: (frowns) Trust me, this never happened before.
Kronos: In any event, we need to dispose of this body - permanently, so
that it cannot be found or used by anyone - and we also need to gather
what information we have about the deceased wizard Chargrim.
Dexitheseus: From what little I've heard over the years, he was as cruel
as he was powerful. (he shakes his head) A mass-murdering mage.
Belphanior: (frowns, recalling what he knows of that one based on the
journal of Drusilla) This is what I know. He was quite a powerful
wizard, and was at one time a member of Rauxes Guild of Magi. Maybe
concurrently, he was one of the leaders of the Crimson Blades...let's
face it, their warrior-types likely weren't pulling the strings and
coming up with the missions.
Kronos: That corresponds with the information I have. Chargrim was not
constrained by normal desires and ethics; for him, the magic itself was
the most important aspect, not the outcome. Speaking of magic...(he
takes an ornate amulet from the corpse's neck, pulling it free) They
all wore these highly-enchanted devices, which reportedly allowed them
to communicate with one another across great distances.
Parekh: What use will it be now? He said the others are all dead, so
none remain to be communicated with. (she points at the lifeless body
with a thumb) And it's not like anyone will come looking for _him_.
Kronos: While none of them remain for us to speak with using this final
amulet...it is likely that Chargrim was involved in the construction
and enchantment of it and the other such amulets. Which means we can
study this device and attempt to link its magic with the place we seek.
Perhaps there is some residual link across physical space...(he glances
at Pallin questioningly)
Pallin: (nods, slowly) It's possible. In theory. I would need to do
a quick study of the item-
Kronos: (silently hands him the amulet)
Pallin: (studying the thing)
Belphanior: Maybe Neera can help - she's good with this sort of thing,
divination and analysis.
Parekh: I'll assist as well. While there should be no rush, I get the
feeling that we need to act on this sooner rather than later.
Dexitheseus: (nods in the direction of the monk's corpse) You think the
shredding of his mind will somehow warn others?
Parekh: I don't know, but...(to Pallin) Let us make haste.
Belphanior: That's the kind of talk I like to hear.
As some of the group mobilized to research the monk's amulet, Irina
looked somewhat disturbed, a frown having settled across her face.
Belphanior: Is something wrong? Are you upset that he perished during
the interrogation?
Irina: Not that...not in and of itself. Live or die, I don't care about
his fate. I'm bothered that the spell didn't work as well as expected,
and didn't get you more answers.
Belphanior: It got us more than we had...and I think we know all the key
points that the prisoner knew.
Kronos: Yes. The other, secret citadel of Chargrim held treasure...it's
in the central Rakers, far from his main lair in the capital of Aerdy...
and it's the only stronghold of real interest from that group. That
monk had never actually been there and thus knew nothing of its defenses
or treasures - which means more risk and work for us.
Lyra: So what's the plan?
Belphanior: We find it - with or without learning anything from the
amulet. We go there, scout the place, figure out who's inside, then
plan and execute an attack.
Alindyar: You make it sound so simple.
Belphanior: (he shrugs) Maybe, but there's no sense in making this any
more complicated than it has to be.
As it turned out, it only took those tasked with cracking the amulet's
mysteries the rest of the day to do so. While the item had obviously not
seen use for years, and all of the other such items were destroyed or
lost - and certainly not in this world any longer - the magic used to
construct the things was somewhat distinct...and therefore traceable.
Neera's great skill at scrying, combined with Pallin's expertise with the
quirks of moving across space, tied together with Parekh's variety of
unconventional magic...yielded a better result, and more quickly than
anyone could have hoped for. That evening, she explained everything to
the reconvened group of archmagi.
Neera: -and using this amulet as the crux of a divination spell, focused
on seeking treasure and itself in turn augmented by magic concerning
spatial portals...(she nods) We can actively search for this citadel
you seek while flying over the mountain range.
Belphanior: "We" ?
Neera: I'll need to be present for the divination. (she frowns) So no
leaving me behind with the other academics this time.
Parekh: (to Belphanior) It's fine. Between whichever of the Alliance
are present, plus your team, we'll certainly have a powerful force on
this mission.
Belphanior: (thinking about other forces that can be brought into play)
That's for damn sure.
next: the citadel of Chargrim
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: 7/24/2026
notes: Oddly enough, all this time (right up until I was working
on this episode) I thought Sydaar of the Crimson Blades was alive for
some reason. Then I found that she actually died, 100% for certain
given that Belphanior backstabbed her and took her soul, in episode
739. So my idea that they could find her and see if she knew where
Chargrim's fortress moved...had to change to another approach. And I
got her entry corrected on the website.
Here's an updated list of past episodes relevant to this story arc:
- 707 ( 3/26/579) (Chargrim's citadel was situated in Aerdy)
- 738 ( 3/31/579) (battle of Panagaea begins)
- 812 ( 5/ 8/580) (interrogation of Drusilla, by Jenna)
- 976 ( 2/25/581) (contents of Drusilla's journal revealed)
- 1094 ( 7/18/581) (Chargrim's citadel was still sited in Aerdy)
- 1099 (~ 7/19/581) (last appearance of Babuk, in battle)
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