Chapter #1202
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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 +
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+ Hope 16th level female human wizard +
+ Poulos 8th level human warrior +
+ Irina 14th/7th level female human priestess/warrior +
+ 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 +
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+ Date: 4/2/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late morning +
+ Place: an abandoned complex deep within the Pelisso Swamp +
+ Climate: cool and dry +
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+ "We have resources most people lack." +
+ - from _Planetary_ issue 6 +
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MCCII. Return to the Sun Gateway
With the major initiatives of the Bright Lands well in hand, the time
had finally come to deal with other matters...in today's case, one from
Belphanior's past.
Paige: (looks around the dungeon they just teleported into) Where the
hell are we now?
Belphanior: It's been a while since we were here, and only Otto, Skektek,
and Charlie were with me then...so I'll catch the rest of you up before
we move on.
Paige: Move on?
Razor Charlie: (grimaces) You'll see.
Belphanior took a few moments to explain the system of magical gateways
created by the arch-lich Xusia, which the elf's group had explored after
that foe's demise. When they had finished that long and dangerous (yet
fruitful) effort, years ago, Belphanior had used the control rod to shut
the system down so that no one else could possibly try to utilize it...
and they had taken their leave of the master gateway in the hidden dungeon
complex beneath the Pelisso Swamp.
The lack of foot traffic and upkeep showed, too. Some water had seeped
into the halls and chambers, parts of which were now covered with mold;
the entire place smelled of musty decay.
Otto: Hard to believe we used to use this place as a base of operations.
Hope: (her nose wrinkles with the unpleasant smell of the dungeon) Ugh.
Belphanior: (quietly decides not to point out that, in her previous life,
the sorceress actually lived here)
Razor Charlie: (wondering if there's any possible chance that her simply
walking through here could remind her of that time, he notes some brown
mold on one wall and grimaces)
Skektek: At least the gateway's still intact. (he gestures at the stone
arch, with the control dial to its right, the latter inset with various
arcane runes)
Ys: Ah. (he frowns) The reason I had a light breakfast this morning.
Paige: What does that mean?
Belphanior: Utilizing these gateways often causes nausea, especially the
first time.
Paige: Great. Thanks for letting me know ahead of time, everyone.
Ys: My apologies. It well and truly slipped my mind.
Otto: (helpfully) The effect does vary from person to person. You very
well could be fine.
Paige: (shrugs) We'll see. I guess it's worth it, to be able to move
all over the world in mere moments.
Skektek: Maybe other worlds, too. (he frowns) The moon, anyway.
Paige: (considers this) Hmm.
Hope: Of course, now we can use teleportation magic as needed.
Belphanior: True, but for that you have to know where you're going and be
familiar with it. This network of gateways led us to a number of new
places - and treasures - that we didn't know about before then. It was
basically the key to my collection of power and wealth, which then made
everything else possible.
Otto: Well, that and the Lost Tomb of Panagaea.
Belphanior: (nods) Point.
In short order, the elf used the control rod to activate the gateway for
the first time in years...and then, once everyone was ready, he turned the
control dial to point to the "sun" rune. Moments later, the space within
the archway changed to mist, and the elf walked through, vanishing from
sight.
Paige: Well...okay.
Hope: It's perfectly safe. Same thing as if one of us cast a spell of
teleportation. (she heads into the mists)
Poulos: (puts aside any trepidation he might have about this, and follows
his liege into the magical archway)
Otto: Come on, let's go. It won't stay open forever. (he also walks into
the portal)
Paige: (looks to Irina)
Irina: It seems safe, as far as I can tell.
Paige: (sighs, then shrugs, then strides into the mists)
Skektek: (to Razor Charlie) Wonder if she'll puke?
Razor Charlie: Hmm. Hard to say. She's tough, though. (they head into
the teleportation mists)
As each adventurer emerged on the far end of the portal, the first thing
they noticed was the heat...a dry heat that lacked any measure of humidity.
Hope: It feels just like the desert we started in.
Belphanior: That's because it probably is. Last time, we deduced that
this gateway was most likely somewhere in the Bright Desert - we just
didn't know exactly where. Which is why we're here today.
Poulos: (emerges from the archway, looking a bit queasy)
Otto: (steps out a few moments later) Ah, I remember this place.
The chamber was octagonal, about thirty feet across. The wall behind
them held the gateway arch, which was built from bright yellow stone. In
the wall directly ahead was a stone door whose handle was little more than
a shallow indention with a notch. Torches on either side of this door had
ignited magically as the first visitors had arrived.
Belphanior: If I recall correctly, that door was pretty thick, though we
did have Mongo with us.
Otto: You're right, but it also had some sort of mechanism that made its
opening simple and smooth. Beyond was a large hall, and we were soon
attacked by scorpions made of stone. Which Mongo almost singlehandedly
smashed to bits.
Paige: (emerges from the mists) Whoa. Hot. (she looks around) Really
hot.
Irina: (soon follows, quickly stepping into the chamber) We're a long
way from where we were.
Skektek: (right behind her) Try saying that ten times, real fast. (to
Paige) So how was that mode of travel? Pretty cool, huh? You feeling
okay? Some people really get sick-
Paige: I'm fine, thanks- (she suddenly clutches her stomach) Ugh.
A moment later, the warrior-woman darted to a corner, retching as her
stomach fought back against the magical teleportation.
Skektek: (exchanges glances with Razor Charlie)
Razor Charlie: (just grimaces as he hands over a gold coin)
Skektek: (bites his lip as hard as he can to avoid showing his amusement
at Paige's reaction after using the gateway, as he knows that showing
that amusement could well draw her ire, and likely a punch in the face)
Otto: (to Belphanior) How is it that none of us thought to warn the new
people of this possibility during breakfast this morning?
Belphanior: I don't know...although it _has_ been a long time since we
used these gateways, and an awful lot's happened since then. Nobody's
perfect.
Paige: (finally done, she stands shakily)
Poulos: (suffering no such effects himself, he simply frowns)
Once Paige had recovered and everyone was ready, they moved through the
thick door and into the large chamber beyond. A good hundred feet long
and about half that in width, it had a high, arched ceiling stretching
more than thirty feet above. Double doors were visible at the far end of
the hall...but more interesting were the shattered remains of what looked
like numerous statues of giant scorpions.
Skektek: Hey, I remember fighting those! Although Mongo did most of the
fighting...
Belphanior: That he did. He was just then learning how to use his new
belt with his hammer.
Otto: (points to an irregular section of floor) There's the section you
turned to mud, sunk a few of the stone-scorpions, then turned it back to
rock.
Belphanior: (nods) They're probably still down there, entombed in solid
rock. (he puts his hand on his sword-hilt) But everyone be ready, just
in case.
Fortunately, nothing appeared (or reappeared) to menace the explorers
this time; they crossed the large hall and reached the heavy double doors
of stone. As before, these doors were not airtight, for a substantial
amount of thin white sand was scattered across the floor.
Belphanior: (nods) Definitely Bright Desert sand. And you can feel the
heat.
Otto: But now we're more used to it.
Last time, Mongo had pushed one of those doors open all by himself; this
time, it took the combined effort of Ys, Poulos, and Belphanior to move it
even a fraction of an inch.
Ys: It's jammed. I think there's something on the other side.
Belphanior: Probably sand. We need to move it out of the way.
Hope: (steps forward) Allow me.
One spell later, the sorceress had magically forced a massive volume of
sand away from the outer side of the doorway, and they were now able to
push the heavy door open. Beyond was exactly what they had expected: an
endless expanse of desert, as far as the eye could see in every direction.
Hope's magic had created a small furrow in the sands near the doorway, but
already some of the sand was blowing back down.
Hope: This is not sustainable.
Otto: I don't get it. Last time this was a huge bowl-shaped depression
in the surrounding desert.
Belphanior: Yeah. (he frowns) My guess is that the area was kept clear
of greater volumes of sand, more or less, by either some magic tied to
the portal, or by the yellow dragon when it was alive.
Paige: _Yellow_ dragon?
Belphanior: Its name was Witherhusk. We encountered it here, many years
ago; it attacked us and was slain.
Skektek: Check it out. (he points to something about fifty feet distant)
Jutting out from the sand were a few of the larger bones of a massive
skeleton - this belonging to the gigantic and unusual dragon that some of
them had encountered and fought here in the past.
Skektek: (proudly) Yellow dragon.
Paige: (eyeing the bleached tip of a gigantic rib) I guess you had to
be there. (she looks around) So what are we after here, today?
Belphanior: Two things. Firstly, I want to know where this place is,
within the desert. (he begins spellcasting) I'll go airborne and see
what I can see.
Otto: Will that work? When we were here the last time, you also flew up
there...but couldn't determine where in the desert we were.
Belphanior: True, but I had no context then, no knowledge of the area,
no landmarks, nothing. And also, I didn't fly high enough. (he smiles
thinly) None of that will be a problem today. We're about to find out
exactly where in the desert this gateway is situated.
Moments later, the elf rose into the air...and rose, and rose, quickly
becoming a distant speck in the clear sky above.
Paige: (peering upward, one hand shading her eyes) Boy, he's a hell of
a ways up there.
Irina: Hopefully he'll see a landmark or two...something.
Otto: There's a better way, one which we've used before. (he begins
spreading out a large black blanket) Some of you, come stand on the
corners of this thing.
Irina: Ah. When he comes back, this will help him find us from above)
Otto: Yup.
Paige: Aside from just learning where in the desert this little dungeon
is located...what's the other objective here?
Otto: Finding the lair, and treasure hoard, of that thing. (he casually
points a thumb in the direction of the dragon's mostly-buried skeleton)
We fought it, and it wasn't easy, but after we killed it we realized
that we had no clue where it came from.
Skektek: And, being dead, it wasn't exactly available for questioning.
Paige: Ah, that would pose a problem.
Otto: The real problem's going to be tracking the dragon's steps through
the desert - because we can't. It would've been hard enough all those
years ago, when any trail was fresh. (he looks around at the endless
dunes of sand) But now...(he shrugs)
Razor Charlie: (blinking his eyes against the sand being blown about by
the desert wind, he grimaces)
Irina: Perhaps some magical assistance is required.
Hope: Yes, I thought about Belphanior utilizing the Seeking Scroll, but
if I'm understanding that item correctly, it can only point the way to
specific people or things. (she frowns) Not "the lair of this dead
dragon before us."
Paige: Heh.
Irina: (quietly) Istus grants a prayer which can help here.
Otto: Eh?
Irina: Within the larger web of fate and the past, it is a relatively
straightforward matter to trace the past comings and goings of a given
person...or monster.
Hope: Wait, really? (she frowns, unable to think of the various magical
formulas that might achieve this effect, and how to link them) That's
not...hmm. How?
Irina: (shrugs) The ways of Istus are mysterious to those outside her
clergy. This spell is not for novices...but then, I am no novice. The
real challenge lies in the time elapsed. Had this wyrm died today, or
a week ago, retracing its path would be much more straightforward. But
years...(she frowns) Mmm.
Otto: But you can do it?
Irina: Possibly. Probably. I must concentrate-
Just then, Belphanior reappeared from above - first as a tiny dot, then
growing as he descended, rapidly and deliberately.
Belphanior: (lands on the ground moments later) Mission successful.
Skektek: So where the hell are we?
Belphanior: As best as I can tell, we're a few dozen leagues west of the
Brass Hills - basically in the middle of the desert's western portion,
far from any settlements, ruins, travel routes...anything. (he frowns)
Which makes sense, both for a stronghold and a dragon's realm. Now the
only question is, were those two things related, or coincidence? Was
Xusia somehow allied with the yellow dragon, or was it just coincidence
that the beast was here when we emerged from the gateway complex last
time? (he pauses) That answer might lie in the dragon's lair, if we
can find it.
Otto: Well, there's possible good news on that front. (he nods to Irina)
Belphanior: How so?
Irina: Some priests speak with the dead...others bring them back to life.
Istus' interest lies in their past...what came before, where they were
before the present time. I believe that - after a short time of focused
prayer, and with a potent spell granted by my goddess - I may be able to
trace the dragon's path before it came here and encountered you.
Paige: (chuckles) And perished.
Otto: (to Belphanior) Seems like a solid plan to me.
Belphanior: (nods) Agreed. Such magic will be very helpful here. Good
work, Irina.
Irina: (frowns) My predecessor, Jenna, lacked the power to use this
spell.
Belphanior: (frowns sadly)
The elf's mind wandered then, thinking about all those who had traveled
and fought with this group over the years, but perished...the priestesses
Aja and Jenna, the warriors Kinichi and Jutokai and Zhao, the gnome Elgon,
even the simple warriors Darrell and Jomo. There were also those who had
left or vanished, such as the vampiress Victoria and the strange, flirty
thief Neko (not to mention the enigmatic wispy thing). Belphanior idly
wondered if there were still more whose names and stories he was somehow
forgetting...and he frowned sadly as he thought about the nature of this
life that he and the others had all chosen.
Belphanior: (abruptly ends his reverie, his jaw set) I see. (to Irina)
Use your spell. It's long past time to see where the yellow dragon came
from...and retrieve any treasure it had.
next: the lair of Witherhusk
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: 3/27/2026
notes: Since I named Witherhusk in past episodes, I had to stick
with that name now. It's been a while - they fought him way back in
7/7/580 (episode 894) and his name was noted in Drusilla's journal in
2/25/581 (episode 976) and now here we are. I stretched it out into
a two-episode arc because that's how things have to be when I'm giving
out an episode a week....they can't all be like 1201, with the content
of seven average episodes. I say that not with any attitude but just
as an explanation.
Very soon, I'll be getting the Bright Desert region map updated again
to include the newer roads mentioned in 1201, the sun gateway, and the
lair of the yellow dragon once they find it.
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