Jason Aller Floppy Collection/122.img/DWDOC.ZIP/DWPARA3.DOC

Text File | 1990-03-12 | 26KB | 414 lines

                                 Dragon Wars
                                 by Interplay

                              Paragraphs 101-147

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101.   You receive a note with your feeble meal for the day:
       'I am Berengaria, Acolyte of the Temple of the Sun.  Mystalvision has
       gone made.   He punishes me and the others for no reason.   He has been
       corrupted by Namtar. 'We of the Sun serve justice; you must believe
       that.   Mystalvision has brought dishonor to our Order.   These are
       dark times.   You have been unfairly imprisoned. 'I have unlocked your
       door, and made certain the jailor is drunk.   If you are cautious, you
       should be able to sneak past him and escape.  The jailor's room adjoins
       the cell block.  Look for the secret door in the south wall of the
       jailor's room-beyond is a passage that leads to people who will help
       you.  I regret that I cannot give you a weapon...just doing this much
       has placed me in great jeopardy. 'Should you escape, meet me at the
       Icarian Triumph tavern in the northeast quarter of the city.  I'll have
       something for you. 'For justice and the Sun, I remain your friend-
       Berengaria'

102.   This is the jailor's room.  The fat jailor snores in a drunken slumber.
He's slumped over his table, but there is a rope tied to his hand, and a bell
tied to his rope.  Should he stir, the bell will ring, possibly summoning
guards.  The jailors is asleep and doubtless very drunk, but turn-keys are
notoriously light sleepers.

103.   These are the private chambers of the master of the house.  The
curtains are drawn across the windows permitting little light to enter the
room.  In the murk, you can see that this room, like the others in the house,
is strangely devoid of wall hangings...and that no mirrors are present.
The Master is in, sitting in his favorite chair.  He wears the garb of an
artist-specifically of a sculptor...and he wants you to be his next
masterpiece!

104.   In the dark shadows of the dungeon you find a pit, at the bottom of
which is a frothing dragon.  The beast is constrained by a series of chains,
but it seems to you the saurian could hardly be bound by such puny restrains.
Suspended above the center of the pit is a wooden platform, on which a
demented hunchback struggles with a bound prisoner.  The hunchback is about to
push the prisoner into the pit, evidently intending him as a sacrifice to the
dragon.  The prisoner thrashes back and forth, impatient to receive its meal.

105.   There are evident signs this chamber was formerly the lair of a beast
or large animal.  A pile of straw in the corner indicates where a large
creature could have slept.  The walls scraped with claw marks, and the room is
pervaded by an unpleasant odor.  The room makes you feel instinctively uneasy.

106.   This torture chamber is a vision of misery.  The walls are lined with
chains for securing prisoners in place; the center of the room is occupied by
racks, iron maidens, a fire pit, and other horrible instruments.   In the
corner is a hole into which are hurled the grisly remains of stubborn
heretics.
A dying druid is stretched on the rack.  You have rescued him from his
torture...at the same time, it is evident he will soon die.   There is nothing
you can do to save his life, but perhaps you can ease his final moments?

107.   This tower chamber is in very ill repair.  The supports are sinking,
and half the floor is flooded with inky black water.   The contents of
innumerable vials and potions are emptied on the floor alongside the smashed
vials that formerly contained them.   What was once a great magical library
has been destroyed by fire and water damage.
Amid a pile of debris you find the fragments of a journal.  Much of it is in
some magic language you can't understand, but a small part is legible.  The
journal is dated prior to the destruction of the City of the Yellow Mud Toad.
You surmise the journal was maintained by Lanac'toor.
'The chicken remains animate, not that it matters any longer.  That pinhead
Mystalvision has changed the rules again.  Where will I find a vole in this
weather?...Have resumed expansion of my tower's basement, using Soften Stone
and Create Wall spells to clear rock, but this whole damn building is sinking.
I keep running into pockets of water. Furthermore, I uncovered an entrance to
Magan, and all manner of berserk Underworld denizens are running amok in my
tunnels...The hell of it is that I've lost my spectacles that Utnapishtim the
Faraway game me.  I'll never see the entrance to the COllege of Magic without
them. They're buried somewhere in the rock.  I don't know if I can locate them
at this late date, with Namtar's thugs loose and my name on the his list.  I
should prepare the city for defense, but I haven't done my laundry in weeks,
and it's beginning to smell.'
Such are thee concerns of sorcerers.

108.   You are lead to a secret throne room beneath the city of Byzanople.
There Prince Jordan and several advisors huddle around a map in a council of
war.  Jordan is stunned when he sees his sister has brought you into the heart
of his defenses.  Jordan's private guards tense as they lock eyes with you.
Prince Jordan recovers his composure and listens with interest to his sister's
story.  He is very interested to learn you are infiltrator recently pressed
into service with the Kingshomer army.  "You are not native to Dilmun, I can
see that," Jordan says.  "This isn't your way.  No Outlander reaches the
interior without going through Purgatory...and Purgatory is administered by
Kingshome.  I know because my sister was formerly Governor of Purgatory."
Jordan invites you to sit and offers you wine.  "My father is King Drake of
Kingshome," Jordan says.  "I haven't seen my father in over a year-not since
Namtar rose from the pit.  My father is a peaceful man, and he loves his
children...but he has recently dismissed my sister from her post at Purgatory,
and then layed siege to me here at Byzanople.  My father loves me and the
succession is not disputed.  I want to see my father die in bed-I do not covet
his throne.  There is no reason for the King to make war on me.  It must be
Namtar's doing.
"My father is not perfect, but it was never his way to imprison Outlanders for
no reason.  Namtar has stolen my father from me; he has robbed you of your
dignity.  He is our common enemy.  I make you an offer-reject Kingshome and
join me in my struggle against Namtar.  When my father is restored to the
throne, I will see you are richly rewarded."

109.   Jordan smiles.  He leads you to the map he and his men were examining.
You recognize it as a plan of the Kingshomer siege camp.  Jordan pumps you for
information concerning the camp and the size of the force stationed there.
"We'll attack them tonight," Jordan decides.  "There is a secret way from the
citadel to the enemy camp-we will take them by surprise." Jordan looks at you
as he continues, "Feel free to explore the city until we are ready to leave."

110.   "The time has come," Prince Jordan says as he meets you on the stairs.
Together with several of Prince Jordan's best fighters, you sneak away from
Byzanople through a secret passage.  Only a skeleton garrison is left behind-
you realize Jordan is throwing everything into this attack.
Using a local guide, you pick your way through the mountains surrounding the
Kingshomer siege camp.  The guide seems to lead you though solid rock at
times, and you soon have little idea of where you are.   Suddenly, from ahead,
you hear Buck Ironhead bellow orders to a pack of new "recruits."   The battle
is about to begin!

111.  You enter the dusty and perhaps forgotten ancestral crypt of Nyzanople.
The murky vault stretches off into the darkness, harboring the remains of
several generations of royalty.  Perhaps they were buried with treasure...?
If you listen, you think you can hear a faint rattle of chains, and the raspy
sound of a corpse drawing breath.

112.  Deep beneath the live volcano, you find the dragon hatchery.  Here
fantastic riches are free for the taking.  Your perilous journey across the
northern desert, so terrible in its undertaking, at last seems worthwhile.

113.  The priests gratefully accept your knowledge and help in restoring the
temple.  "Truly you are people of the Toad," says a priest.  "Please accept
these boots as our gift."  You are provided with several sets of oversized
golden boots.  The boots are fashioned so as to resemble the flipper feet of a
toad.  It will be difficult to walk wearing such thing.  "The owner of Magic
Golden Toad Boots can leap great distances!" the priest says with pride.

114.  In the darkest heart of this palace of the dead you find an incredible
sight...the court of Nergal, consort to Irkalla and King of the Underworld.
The bloated white mass of Nergal slouches on a throne of skulls, attended by a
score of pallid goblins.  Worms squirm in his hair, bats nestle in his loins,
and rodents peer at you from within Nergal's mouth.  About his neck, on a
silver chain, you see a large and ornate key.
"Topsiders...in my Court!" Nergal roars.  "Bad enough I am in exile without
fool clodhoppers barging in on me.  Goblins!  Ghoulies!  Bring them here!"

115.  "Haw!  Most entertaining," Nergal laughs.  The hideous god raises one
fist and his court of freaks-though you just hacked them to pieces-lurch to
their feet like puppets on invisible strings.  The goblins and ghoulies look
ready to fight again...it's evident the undead monsters will eventually wear
you down.  "You have entertained me...but you must also feed Nergal and serve
Nergal before you can ask a boon of Nergal.  That is the law!"
Negal looks at you expectantly.  A ghoul titters.

116.  Just as advertised by the blind juggler, there was indeed a secret
tunnel out of PUrgatory.  Beneath the rock marked with the secret sign you
find fresh armor and weapons...thus armed, you are ready to seek revenge for
your imprisonment.

117.  Here in the open garden you find an unusual statue.  It is of an
apparently wealthy man, if the quality of garments is any clue.  he is in poor
shape, and appears to be afraid of something.  The quality of the work is
excellent, but the statue is very unflattering.

118.  A massive mechanical brass automation stands at silent attention in this
chamber.  It is a flawless piece of engineering, massive yet agile, and
heavily armed and armored from heat to toe.  It would not do to run into this
thing in a dark hallway.

119.  This vault is filled with slumbering dwarves...but if they sleep, it is
the sleep of the dead, for the dwarves have been turned to stone.  The dwarves
are frozen in all variety of poses-sleeping, eating, working, and just a few
while fighting. It seems the dwarves were surprised by something terrible that
turned them to stone.

120.  The Dragon Queen recoils when you show the Dragon Gem.  "Curse you!" she
hisses.  "The Dragon Gem marks you as friend of dragons, and brings me to your
will."  The Dragon Queen looms above you, seeming impossibly large.  "I grant
you your life, and I dismiss you from my presence.  When next you use the
Dragon Gem, I will respond...but the sacrifice you offer must be sweet, or I
will turn on you, and the Dragon Gem be damned!"
With a beat of her sings the Dragon Queen is gone.

121.  Peals of hysterical laughter assail your ears.  You've discovered the
secret undercity of Lansk, and where the city above is staid and conservative,
this place is a true party town.  Citizens stagger about in drunken stupors,
angry soldiers wrestle with one another, women and animals run through the
streets.

122.  This status represents Irkalla, the reigning deity of the Magan
Underworld.  It is to her you must appeal if you will long survive in the
Underworld.  She frequently wars with her consort Nergal, sometime King of the
Underworld.

123.  Here is a statue of Nergal, the cowardly King of the Underworld.  When
he is not getting along with Irkalla, Nergal is exiled to his palace in the
Necropolis, a city of the dead hidden on one of Dilmun's many isles.  Nergal
is a bloated and ridiculous creature, but from the look in his eye you surmise
the might have a sense of humor.

124.  This status honors the Universal God, the most popular deity of the
surface realm of Oceana.  The Universal God is a faceless deity with multiple
arms and hands.  Each hand is posed in a different signal, sending messages of
hope and fear to the faithful.  The Universal God is said to offer power to
those who serve Freedom-it was a patron of the legendary Roba of Freeport.  An
ancient shrine to the Universal God on the mountain of Nisir attracts millions
of pilgrims annually.

125.  Here you find an image of Enkidu the beastman, patron deity of animals
and Druids.  His worship is strong in the wild places, but has declined in
cities with the rise of Namtar and the destruction of the Druid sect.

126.  Here you find Lansk's dragon, perhaps first glimpsed from the city
square above.  Up close the dragon is not nearly so impressive.  It is an old
dragon-its fire has gone out, and its teeth have been pulled.  It is still a
powerful beast, but age or drugs seem to have robbed the beast of its fighting
spirits.  The animal looks at you with something close to sadness in its eyes.

127.  The cave is much large on the inside than without.  The interior of the
cave is lined with thousands of natural crystals that crazily reflect the
light.  After your long dark journey through the Underworld, you are dazzled
by the sudden light, and become disoriented.
A voice rings in your ears.  "You are the heroes of Oceana, and to you has
fallen the burden of this adventure. Listen closely, for this is what you must
do...
"The fair world of Oceana is sinking as the seas swell ever large-there is
little to be done for this.  The world has its span of life like any man or
beast.  The pilgrim Isles of Dilmun have been usurped by Namtar, a renegade
demon from the realm of this Underworld.  He has disposed of King Drake of
Kingshome and rules in the late King's name, using the King's legions to
pursue his path of conquest.
"Namtar must be destroyed.  He has isolated his enemies,k dispersed the
magical brotherhood of the world and taken control of the dragons.
"The Sword of Freedom must be found and reborn in its forge.  A reconciliation
of sorts must be set between Irkalla and Nergel, for without accord in the
Underworld, there can be no peace on the surface.  When all is ready, seek the
Mountain of Salvation-Namtar must be returned to the pit of hell from which he
came.'
The voice fades...

128.  You sprinkle the ashes on the dark water of the well, which abruptly
begin to swirl.  Although the night of the Underworld is absolute, you think
you see a reflection of starts in the swirling black waters.  The motion of
the water intensifies and the ashes are sucked into the depths.
You stand back as a ghostly apparition rises from the well.  At first the form
is a shade, then a ghost, then a spectre, then a living corpse.  Gradually the
shape take corporeal form...blood, bone, muscle, teeth, hair is restored.
The ashes are restore to life!

129.  The meeting of the Dilmun Underground is called to order.  Al those in
attendance at the meeting are cloaked in dark robes, and although you
recognize a few voices, no faces are visible.

130.  Formerly the imperial court of King Drake, this hall retains none of the
splendor of ages past.  Where once hung brilliant tapestries, the walls are
now bare.  Empty pedestals mark where renowned sculptures formerly stood.
Blocks of marble are missing in several places where materials have been
removed to construct fortresses for Kingshome's campaign army.  This is not
the court of a king in residence.

131.  This is a private bedchamber.  A man wearing a simple robe lays on a
divan.  He seems neither old nor young.  He has no distinguishing marks or
characteristics...there is no evil air to him, his eyes do not piece to your
soul, his brow has no spark of mad genius.  He sits up lazily as you enter,
swings his feet to the floor, walks across the room, and shakes your hand.
"I'm Namtar," he says. "I suppose you guessed that.  You've given me quite a
lot of trouble." Namtar smiles "Disappointed? Expecting something more? Later-
I promise you. Won't you sit down?" Namtar offers you a chair.
Namtar looks sleepy. He keeps rubbing his eyes.  "Administering the conquest
of the world is a bitch," he says. "If I'd know how much work this was going
to take, I doubt I ever would have started.  Or maybe I never had a choice. No
matter. We need to talk.
"I am the son of gods.  It is my destiny to rule men such as yourselves.  You
don't have to like it-I sense you do not-but that is the way of things.  I
have some grand plants, but I can't begin until this futiles resistance is
quelled.  It's just a matter of time.  You know that as well as I.  Why don't
you pack it off to the Isle of Damned-it worked for old Drake. You're not even
native to Dilmun...there's little reason for you to oppose me. Granted, that
episode in Purgatory was nasty, but into everyone's life a little reign must
fall.  Ha ha.  That was a pun."
No on laughs.  Namtar sighs. "Ah well, I suppose we'll have to do this the
hard way.  I'll be leaving now. If you're very dedicated, and very lucky, we
may meet again within the Mountain of Salvation.  I will kill you then.  In
the meantime, consider yourselves to be living on borrowed time.  It's the
least I can give you in gratitude for the entertainment you've provided thus
far.
"Oh...by the way. You can move again." Namtar's sorcery was so complete, you
did not notice you were under his compulsion until he brought it up.  "I wish
you the worst of luck, my friends."  Suddenly Namtar is gone-no flash of
light, no peal of thunder-just gone.

132.  Aradrax screams as the first pint of blood is pumped from his body. This
is going to be a long night-a single pint will never satisfy the Vampire Lord,
but it seems none of the blood is going to come easy.  You check the machines
and see they function as advertised, but it still seems your volunteer is
experiencing needless paint.

133.  "You're all right," the troll laughs, wiping the froth from his lips.
"We have many other strange and wonderful customs of which you should partake.
Meet me at the crossed oaks when the moon is full, and you will have your
promised meeting with the king."

134.  In the very heart of the valley you find the sacred hive of the Dragon
QUeen.  The Queen sits atop a mountain of eggs, some of which hatch young
saurians even as you watch.  The Dragon Queen is colossal-easily ten times the
size of any beast you've confronted thus far.  She fixes you with a fierce
glare.
"You carve your way through my valley," she hisses, "destroying my creatures,
and now enter the presence of the Mother Dragon.  You will die for what you
have done, but you will die slowly...as food for my brood."
The Dragon Queen rears up and prepares to breathe a blast of poisonous fire.

135.  "I trust you have read Poe," Namtar laughs.  "The best place to hide
something is in plain sight.  You paranoid dolts would never consider that,
would you?"  Namtar slides another rod into his arcane box.  "Soon my work
will be complete...soon I will fulfill my destiny-and then you will rue the
day you laughed at me!!"

136.  The galleries are crammed with fools, each exiled here for their
inability to follow directions.  The fantasy is only so real as you allow it
to be, and while at times life may seem a fool's errand, it is only what you
make of it.  There is little sense in cheating yourself at solitaire.

137.  Bound in chains upon this lonely Isle of Woe you find the dark queen
Irkalla, Mistress of Magan.  The chains are made of enchanted silver, and she
is unable to move.  "Topsiders!" she snarls when she sees you.  "It's always
the same.  The water level rises, your toilets back up, and everyone rushes to
the Underworld for help!  Well, I have problems of my own, as you can see.
That filthy halfbreed Namtar chained me here, and gave the key to the one
creature who owes me no favors."
Irkalla regards you.  "Perhaps you could be of some use," she says, her tone
suddenly becoming incredibly seductive. "Find the Silver Key and set me
free...you will be richly rewarded.  Namtar is our mutual enemy.  Serve me,
and I shall serve you to defeat him!"

138.  You stand at the edge of the Isle of Woe, looking out across the dark
waters, and are convinced nothing is going to happen when a sudden flight of
bats overhead heralds the arrival of momentous events.  An ominous ringing
fills the air.  A few yards offshore the dark waters part, and offered up from
the depths you see the legendary Sword of Freedom.  Forged from dwarves steel
in the fires of hell, powered by the essence of the legendary hero Roba, and
tempered in the Apsu waters that underlie creation, the most powerful artifact
Oceana has ever known has been record!

139.  The dwarf has the engine running in no time.  With a shudder and a
cough, the ancient airship lumbers aloft, and for the first time in centuries
something other than a dragon plies the airways of Oceana.
After several days journey to the west, you spot and uncharted island.  At the
center of the island is an odd ring of standing stones, and in the center of
the ring you see...

140.  You are up to see the dawn as the sun's ray brilliantly spread across
the waters of Oceana.  Nights on the trail have their own sort of beauty, but
you can't hope helping it won't always be like this.  Someday you will no
longer be an outlaw.  Someday you will sleep beneath a roof like other people,
and at last be considered a true citizen of Dilmun.  You won't always be port-
this is just a phase.

141.  In the next chamber, you see fires identical to the first.  "Very good,"
the voice intones.  "You have potential, but I detected a flaw in your form.
Please negotiate this wall of fire for me, that I might study your finer
points."

142.  "Now you are learning.  Not everything is as it seems," says the voice.
You enter a chamber occupied by a stone gargoyle.  The gargoyle's gaze is
fixed on the door through which you must exit the room.  "To be seen by the
gargoyle is to know death," says the voice.  "Yet the gargoyle sees the exit.
What to do, what to do...?"

143.  "Now you have learn to listen.  Excellent...you are half-way home," says
the voice.  You detect genuine admiration in it's tone.  "This college exists
in the rarified atmosphere of the true academic, but not everyone you will
encounter appreciates the Art.  You must learn to deal with such ruffians."
Out of thin air, a huge warrior appears, wielding a sword in both hands.  "I'm
gonna split yer lobe, highbrow!" he snarls.

144.  "I'm sorry that was so brutal, but I had to prove a point," the voice
explains.  "Some people can't appreciate Art...in such times, you must rely on
more direct measures."  You find yourself in a chamber over which is suspended
a huge block of granite.  The block is hung by a cable...the cable trails to a
wall and down to the floor, where it stretches across the floor as a trip-
wire.  It doesn't take much intelligence to figure it would be unhealthful to
trip on the wire.  The voice is strangely silent.

145.  "That was novel.  I don't think I've seen that solution before."  Across
the room you see your mysterious host.  "I am Utnapishtim, also called the
Faraway.  I have been your teacher, now you must teach me something.  I want
to see something novel and new.  Give me your best shot...you go first."  The
wizard waits for you to act.

146.  This time it is Utnapishtim in the flesh who greets you.  "Well done!"
he says.  "Having learned to listen to me, you've learned you don't have to
listen to me.  Lanac'toor could not have done better."  The old wizard shows
no concern when you tell him Lanac'toor is dead.  "There's death, and then
there's death.  I wouldn't worry about Toor."
Utnapishtim shows you to a cabinet, within which are three magic items.  "For
completing my gauntlet, you may select one item.  I offer the Soul Bowl, the
Laguth Staff, or the Sing Ring.  Which will it be, my friends?"  The wizard
looks at you with a hint of impatience.  From the way he introduced the items,
you judge he does not want to select the Soul Bowl."

147.  You emerge from a narrow pass and look out on a hidden valley.  The
valley is narrow and wet and confined on three sides by mountains and by the
sea on the fourth.  The swampy mass of the valley floor at first appears to be
moving...Until you look closer, when you realize the valley floor is covered
with a mass of living creatures, crawling one atop another as far as the eye
can see.

To venture into the Dragon Valley is to invite certain death.

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