Chapter #1198
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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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+ Dexitheseus 17th level human wizard, jack of all trades +
+ Lord Marcus 19th level human warrior and general +
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+ Pallin 18th level grey elven wizard, teleporter +
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+ Date: 1/5/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: midday +
+ Place: the Brass Hills, within the Bright Desert +
+ Climate: warm and dry +
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+ "Come. We have an army to build." +
+ - Magneto, from _X-Men: The Last Stand_ +
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MCXCVIII. New Allies, New Foes
While other members of the Bright Alliance deal with various matters,
it has fallen to the wizard Dexitheseus (and the allied warrior-general
Lord Marcus) to handle matters both military and diplomatic. After the
latter had reassessed recent changes in certain areas, he had re-tasked
small battalions to each of four different (and strategically important)
sites. These were the city under construction at the base of the Brass
Hills and the new fortress above, the road from there to Kalundi, the
road from Kalundi to Kalki's Leap, and the partially-built roadway from
Kalundi to Fort Whiterock. These re-alignments would ensure protection
for the workers engaged in these various projects, including Lyra with
the fourth group (which addressed Alindyar's concern from earlier this
day, although he still planned to burn the candle at both ends helping
Peyote in the mornings and then Lyra in the afternoons).
With that settled, Lord Marcus and Dexitheseus had wasted no time in
venturing to Perrenland with the aid of powerful magic. One moment they
sat atop sturdy horses, amidst the arid hills of the Bright Desert...and
the next moment, they abruptly found themselves in the western reaches
of Perrenland far to the northwest. Ahead of them, in the far distance,
loomed the massive mountain range known as the Yatils. It was downright
frigid here, and the sudden dramatic change in climate was equally as
startling as the instantaneous nature of their movement from one place
to another.
Lord Marcus: (breathes in the clean, cold air) Ahhhh. It is good to
be back here in Perrenland...my second home. (he turns to the aged
wizard) Your magic is still potent, old friend.
Dexitheseus: (smirks) Pallin may be the master of teleportation and
portals, but the rest of us are no amateurs.
Lord Marcus: (looking around) Good memory. You got us pretty close.
Dexitheseus: Well, I've been here before too. Your friend's castle
should be less than an hour's ride to the north, if I'm not mistaken.
Lord Marcus: (nods) He built his new home roughly halfway between the
cities of Krestible to the south and Exag to the north past the Mounds
of Dawn. I know the way - let us make haste across the plains.
They spurred their mounts - who were fresh and, to be honest, much more
comfortable in this northern climate than they'd been in the desert - and
the horses galloped hard and fast. Barely any time seemed to pass before
a tower became visible in the distance...the entire castle slowly coming
into view as they drew nearer. Fashioned of dark gray stone, the place
was as simple as it was imposing: a high square outer wall with a higher
square tower at each corner and an even higher square keep within those
walls. This complex was all business; guards with powerful longbows were
stationed all along the top of the wall, and ballistae of the finest make
rested atop each of the corner towers. The place was huge, perhaps four
hundred feet square, and was surrounded on all four sides by a wide moat,
the only way across this being a massive drawbridge built into the east-
facing castle wall. On the outer side of the formidable moat stood a
sturdy gatehouse whose walls extended back into the water, and which had
a thick gate of iron. A half-dozen sentries, armed with bows like those
atop the main castle wall, stood guard on its roof, and the small, wide
building surely held at least a dozen more inside.
Lord Marcus: Behold...the home of Nigel Bloodstone since he ceased his
work for Perrenland's rulers.
Dexitheseus: Impressive as always. It must hold a thousand people.
Lord Marcus: At least - and every one of them is skilled at arms and
has seen his or her share of battle. (he grins) Come. I am known
in these parts, and it will be good to rest and speak with Bloodstone.
As they rode toward the stronghold, its moat house gate opened as four
riders issued forth and approached the new arrivals. After some quick
pleasantries were exchanged - for several of these men knew Lord Marcus
already - the visitors were led into the moat house (which actually had
stables and a small basement, though these weren't visible from outside)
and bidden to wait while a runner headed into the main castle to inform
Nigel Bloodstone of his guests. Once that was done - a process which
happened surprisingly quickly - and the word was given, the adventurers
were led into the castle proper.
Lord Marcus: (admiring the build and layout of the place) Well-done.
(to Dexitheseus) There is no wasted space here, nothing that would
impede its defense in a battle.
Nigel Bloodstone: And that's the way it has to be, with the mountains
so close, along with the wild beasts that live within. (he strides
toward them with a combination of grace and power)
The man was gigantic - fully six and a half feet tall, broad yet lean,
and rugged. His long hair and beard were now gray instead of black,
and his face and eyes told of the many battles he'd fought, both long
ago and more recently. This was the legendary general of Perrenland,
the one who had slain the Wyrm of the Fell Swamp and once led an army
into the Horned Society, where against all odds he won a decisive battle
and slew two Hierarchs. This great warrior and leader of men no longer
displayed the fabled emblem of Perrenland with its crosshatched patterns
of red and white. Instead, his current coat-of-arms consisted of a rich
green background, over which was a red shield with a silver sword across
it diagonally.
Lord Marcus: Well-met, my friend! (they clasp hands with grips that
could crack the bones of lesser men) And you remember my long-ago
adventuring companion, the wizard Dexitheseus?
Nigel Bloodstone: Of course! (he carefully claps the old wizard on
one shoulder)
Dexitheseus: (nods) A pleasure as always.
Nigel Bloodstone: What brings you to cold, harsh Perrenland? I know
this cannot be a social call. (he frowns) No one comes to this land
for social calls.
Lord Marcus: (shakes his head) It seems that my long-ago adventuring
companion is now my current one too, along with some of his wizarding
allies.
For the next little while, Lord Marcus and Dexitheseus proceeded to
tell the mercenary general about the Bright Desert, the fate that had
befallen the traitorous archmage Rary, the various challenges that the
group had then faced (and often overcome) in the desert, and some of
the many efforts now in progress to remake the wasteland into something
better. Even Mongo's work in the Lost Lands was mentioned...
Nigel Bloodstone: Mongo! I remember the dwarf...and his hammer. And
yes, I'd heard of this "Killer of Giants" and his victories to the
south. (he nods) Always figured that one for greatness. And with
Yod Ironbeard as an ally, that greatness will be epic indeed.
Lord Marcus: Aye. But until we get things settled in the desert, we
simply need more troops. Right now I'm under three thousand...which
sounds like a lot to people not in our profession, but which won't be
enough if any concerted attack comes in these early days of the new
land.
Nigel Bloodstone: And you fear such an attack?
Lord Marcus: There are too many neighboring powers, both by land and
by sea. The world is still a chaotic place, prone to sudden attacks
on places seen as weaker or holding something of value.
Dexitheseus: In our case, opportunity. With the curse of the desert
lifted, it will only be a matter of time before we have visitors.
Lord Marcus: Agreed.
Nigel Bloodstone: Even with eight archmagi, you have this concern?
Dexitheseus: We do. There are seldom eight of us in the area at one
time, and we are busy. We are also a land in its infancy, a state of
transition from the old way to the new.
Lord Marcus: And someone, somewhere may soon realize that - while eight
archmagi and their allies might be nigh-invulnerable once finally and
firmly established - they are weaker beforehand.
Dexitheseus: As much as I favor magical solutions to every problem...
right now we need troops, at least for a few months until more work
is completed.
Lord Marcus: Knowing that you are now an...independent contractor not
bound to Perrenland's ruler, and therefore free of any, shall we say,
politically-motivated interference...you came to mind immediately
when I was considering solutions to our short-term problem.
Nigel Bloodstone: You need a temporary army quickly but have exhausted
all normal methods, while not quite reaching the numbers you sought.
Lord Marcus: Right.
Nigel Bloodstone: Well, it won't be easy, as I have some other potential
contracts pending-
Lord Marcus: I ask this as a personal favor. Granted now, that favor
will benefit the growing nation now...which will benefit many more
in the future. Consider the effort to retake the Lost Lands, and the
new Bright Alliance's support of that effort. (he crosses his mighty
arms) That's just the first of what I am confident will be many such
examples.
Nigel Bloodstone: (ponders this, as he's always been one to try and
do the right thing for people as well as the world around them)
Lord Marcus: And we can pay well.
Nigel Bloodstone: (nods, cracking his knuckles) Good, because you'll
have to. Expertise like that of my soldiers does not come cheap.
Lord Marcus: I know. When I formed my own mercenary group, in now-
lost Greyspire, I modeled it after yours and remembered everything you
taught me in the past.
Dexitheseus: At any rate, the funds won't be a problem. I just need
the numbers ahead of time, so I can share them with the others.
Nigel Bloodstone: Very well.
Lord Marcus: So you'll do it?
Nigel Bloodstone: How can I not? Coin aside, what you're doing in the
Bright Desert is just about the brashest, boldest power play I've ever
heard of. What a unique opportunity it represents. (he grins) How
the hell could I stay away?
Dexitheseus: Excellent.
Nigel Bloodstone: This is interesting...I'm hiring out my army as a
boon to an old friend, who is in turn employed by a group consisting
of an old friend of _his_...(he shakes his head) Anyway. I'll need
the rest of the day to prepare the men, and we can ride out in the
morning. If we make haste, we can be through the mountains by the end
of next week, and then turn east to Furyondy, and-
Dexitheseus: We're going to need you there a lot faster than that.
Nigel Bloodstone: ...oh. (he frowns) I don't see how that's possible.
Dexitheseus: (regards the general, a gleam in his eye) If you can have
your troops moving in the morning, it is possible that sometime in the
next few days, I can arrange something of a...shortcut to get the force
to the Bright Desert quite a bit faster.
Nigel Bloodstone: (genuinely curious) Do tell.
Dexitheseus: All in time. First, let me verify that I'm not making
promises I can't keep.
Nigel Bloodstone: As you wish. I'll focus on readying the soldiers and
getting them underway tomorrow. We'll bring all the provisions we can
reasonable carry, and resupply ourselves as we go. (to Lord Marcus)
I'll have to tally those costs and add them to our fee - but since we
have been friends for decades, I will front the funds short-term.
Lord Marcus: Much appreciated.
Dexitheseus: And now, we must continue on to the Duchy of Urnst.
Nigel Bloodstone: Ah, the realm of Duke Karll. A good king, and a good
fellow. I haven't seen him since we fought for him during the wars.
Give him my regards.
Lord Marcus: (nods) We shall.
In short order, Dexitheseus prepared to once more transport them across
a great distance - although this would be the last trip today, as he was
becoming fatigued from all of this teleportation. They would stay the
night in Leukish, capital of the Duchy of Urnst, if at all possible.
This promised to be an easy trip, as the Duke had played host to Parekh
and Belphanior a couple of months ago. While the nation was at somewhat
of a high point due to a massive influx of people and their money during
and after the great wars, it could always use more funds...and Belphanior
had plenty of those. He and Parekh had previously made an offer to the
ruler that was as direct as it was beneficial: a sizable donation to
his treasury in return for directing his duchy's merchants southward to
the newly-safer Bright Desert. There had also been talk of mutual aid
if problems ever sprung up in or around the Abbor-Alz hills between the
two regions. The Duke had been pleased with the exchange, and had given
the pair of wizards a seal that others of their group could use in the
future to more quickly secure an audience with him, if one was needed.
Within an hour of their abrupt appearance outside Rel Mord, the envoys
from the Bright Alliance were at the large, stately palace that was home
to Karll; they presented the diplomatic seal and waited...but not for
long, after which they were ushered further into the massive building,
soon ending up in the Duke's audience chamber.
Duke Karll: (stands to welcome the visitors) Greetings and well-met,
members of the Bright Alliance!
Some might have wondered why any ruler would just let strangers into
his halls; in this case, there were four reasons why. First, a dozen
elite guardsmen flanked their leader, each a seasoned veteran clad in
fine armor and armed with at least one magical weapon. Second, the seal
that Karll had previously given to the other two wizards was enchanted
by his finest court magi; this item's particular magical aura could not
be duplicated by any known method. It was a simple and harmless item,
but as a token of authorization it was virtually infallible. Third,
three of those court wizards also sat in this room, and all were quite
accomplished and ready to lend a spell or three if necessary. Fourth
(and perhaps most prominent) was the fact that the Duke of Urnst was
no typical ruler, soft and weak and sheltered. Karll was a tall, broad
man whose skin was well-tanned from many years outdoors. His powerful
form was clad in simple robes, but there was no doubt that somewhere, a
fine suit of armor and a well-notched sword waited for the next time he
chose to use them. The Duke's brown hair was cut short, and he regarded
the new arrivals with clear, ice-green eyes.
Dexitheseus: (steps forward) I am Dexitheseus, one of the group who
previously sent Belphanior and Parekh your way.
Duke Karll: (nods, clasping the older man's hand) Pleased to meet you.
(he turns to Lord Marcus) You, I'd venture a guess, are no wizard.
Lord Marcus: (extends his hand) Not in the least, but I know several.
Lord Marcus, at your service.
Duke Karll: (somewhat surprised) Lord Marcus, of the Host of Greyspire?
Lord Marcus: Formerly, but no more. I...now roam the world. Or did,
before accepting a role with the alliance of wizards to the south.
Duke Karll: I see. (he motions to a small, stout wooden table in an
antechamber to one side, where they can speak without being heard by
the others present in the chamber) Let us speak in private.
Dexitheseus: Certainly. (he and Lord Marcus follow the Duke into that
much smaller room, where they all take seats)
Duke Karll: (to Lord Marcus) The Duchy once had possible need of your
fabled fighting force, but it was sadly engaged elsewhere at the time.
(he shrugs) No doubt you kept busy during the wars, whatever your
numbers during those events.
Lord Marcus: I did. A long and violent time, that.
Dexitheseus: And we're fortunate to have him in the desert now.
Duke Karll: Yes, you'll need to build a strong army, and soon. From us
in Urnst - and Nyrond, and likely Greyhawk - you'll have no problem...
but the Pomarj lies to the southwest across the Wooly Bay, and the
Scarlet Brotherhood to the southeast across the Sea of Gearnat thanks
to their acquisition of Onnwal. (he frowns) Powerful enemies indeed,
and right at your southern borders. I know you've started building up
your forces - we saw a lot of the former bandits and other refugees in
this land head south in recent months - but you'll need more.
Lord Marcus: All true, and these troubles weigh on my mind near-daily.
We are doing all we can.
Dexitheseus: We would never ask you to aid us in the case of a full-on
battle in the heart of the desert, as that isn't an area of mutual and
common interest like the Abbor-Alz hills between our two lands. But in
the long term, it would be worth considering the fact that a friendly
and secure Bright Desert is a buffer between those to the south and
your Duchy. (he pauses, thinking) Both of the Urnst states, actually.
Duke Karll: In truth, we had a buffer before, when the desert was full
of gigantic scorpions and lacked roads and forts full of troops. But
I am not criticizing those efforts - in fact, I fully support them.
The commerce thus far has benefitted both of our lands...we export our
crops and livestock to you, and you export...coin, I suppose.
Dexitheseus: For now. By the time the coin runs out, we should have a
great deal of our own farmland and herds and such.
Duke Karll: (chuckles in amusement) Farmland? In the desert?
Lord Marcus: (drily) It can never hurt to try.
Duke Karll: And it's good to be optimistic. Hell, maybe you'll have a
lake there too.
Dexitheseus: (shrugs) One never knows.
Duke Karll: Anyhow, my advice - having lived in these parts my whole
life, and witnessed the events of the last few years - is to be ready.
Or as ready as you can. What you're doing in the desert will not go
unnoticed for long. I think people left Rary alone because of his
reputation and because his activities weren't as visible as yours due
to their smaller scope at the time.
Lord Marcus: Good advice, and we thank you for it.
Duke Karll: To be clear, as I prefer to be direct: I am glad for your
presence there, and the fact that you're actively trying to make the
region better. And the world, as there are rumors that you've lent
some of your considerable magical might to efforts in the Lost Lands
far to the west and south. I very much respect both your ambition
and your power, and our lands shall be allies in times of need. And
I will speak of this to Countess Belissica, who rules the neighboring
County of Urnst to the north. Your presence will not directly benefit
her lands, but she should at least be familiar with the situation.
Dexitheseus: All of this is excellent news.
Lord Marcus: Aye. If we can get Nyrond and the Domain of Greyhawk to
feel the same or similar, we'll be in a much better position.
Duke Karll: I am confident that you can, as long as the red-cloaked elf
is as rational and eloquent there as he was here, months ago. That one
has quite a way of explaining things and persuading others - a far cry
from his behavior at other times, from what I know.
Dexitheseus: (nods, smiling) Work in progress...much like the desert
itself.
Duke Karll: (laughs heartily) Indeed. (he rubs his temples) And now,
unfortunately, I'm afraid I must get back to the business of being the
Duke. I moved a meeting back to speak with you, but I need to finish
the day's business lest it become more of tomorrow's business. Night
will fall soon - can I offer you both dinner and guest rooms? You must
be weary from your travels.
Lord Marcus: Of course. We appreciate your hospitality.
Duke Karll: (nods) I'll have a steward take care of it, and your horses
will be fed and ready in the morning as well.
Dexitheseus: (knowing that they'll teleport back to the desert, and
recalling how the horses always get a bit agitated during that mode
of travel, he simply smiles to himself) Many thanks.
next: updates on the building & construction efforts...and maps!
map: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/Bright-Desert_1194.jpg
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 2/27/2026
notes: For reference, Nigel Bloodstone's last (and only) appearance
was in the Helgate arc of episodes 669-676. I'd originally planned for
this episode to cover not only his recruitment, but more diplomacy with
not just the Duchy of Urnst but also several other regions. But then I
decided to slow those efforts down a bit. Diplomacy takes time as well
as work. All of those talks will happen in time.
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