0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 "It's amazing, magical stuff, and was already here when the Empire found these caves." "She created the trees that grow in stone, so we could have a meager supply of wood. She summoned down several plants from above, and changed them so they'd grow down here. The one thing she didn't make was the glowing fungus on the cave ceilings." 0 plants 0 Cheeseball fidgets about, in a thoroughly unintimidating display of fury. He purrs. "Now the Tower! That was the place for a cat! Prestige! Excitement! Mice! Mutant catnip! Other cats, some of them a different sex than me! So what if there were demons? I could handle them! I want to go home. I deserve it." 0 tower 1 He coughs and shakes soot out of his fur. "What do you think this place is? Lava. Can't ever leave. No mice. No dignity. If I wasn't magically obligated to stay with Baldy, I would be off. Now the tower, that was a place for a cat." 0 hell 1 "I am the loyal servant of Solberg. I assist him and watch over him, and accompany him, even when he takes me down to the lowest pit of hell." 0 familiar 1 "I'm a familiar." It meows, then looks at you as if it were deciding whether or not to bother. Finally, it says, "My name is ..." It hacks, in distaste. "... Cheeseball." You see a large, lazy, calico cat. It looks at you with utter disdain. 0 stnd 1 "And, to tell the truth, I'd rather not know what she is up to." "Ways to bring doom to the surface world. She began to perform strange experiments, and consort with demons. Soon, all she was good for was planning her revenge. So, we asked her to leave. She now lives far, far to the west, in a huge tower." 0 plot 0 "For those who cast her down. The mages above, together, were strong enough to curse her with death should the light of the sun touch her. When she realized she couldn't break the curse, she began to plot." 0 hatred 0 "She built the tower. She led us. Then her hatred drove her away." "It was her that created the strain of mushrooms that grow quickly and are so nourishing, and other special plants as well. It was she who used her powers to steal things from the land above, like tools, and books." 0 barbar 0 He smiles sadly. "Erika Redmark. Wizard without par. Banished into Exile by the fools above. Consumed with utter hatred. Without her, we would all be barbarians, rooting about in the filth." 0 erika 0 "Almost, but not quite." "The Triad rules the Tower of Magi. There is myself, Linda, the initiator of this foolish operation, and 'X', who is too lost in bizarre schemes to do anything about it. Oh, the Triad is a sad thing these days. It almost makes me long for Erika's return." 0 triad 0 "An onyx scepter, which gave great power to the mage that wielded it. We recovered it, but couldn't figure out how to use it. They used it as bait to lure the Haakai to the Tower." 0 scepter 0 "Of the third piece, we know nothing. But some believe the Nepharim took it." "When the sword was broken, the creatures that slew the humans took the pieces as trophies. The Slithzerikai took a piece to their holy shrine, in a swamp far to the south. Another piece was taken by a lich, to an ancient den of undead far to the west." 0 clues 0 He thinks. "That reminds me. The scepter was brought down by the First Expedition too." "A mighty sword, brought down by Karzoth, leader of the first (and doomed) expedition down here. When he was slain by a Haakai, the sword was broken into three pieces. Long have we tried to find the pieces, but all he have are clues." 0 demon 0 "It's hidden to the south. But please don't take it until you are sure you have the power to fight the demon, for I have no duplicate. It would be best to wait to take it until you have found 'Demonslayer.' 0 crystal 0 "The crystal key will enable you to reach where the demon is kept." "I wish some bold adventurers such as yourself could destroy him. It is a dangerous, gruesome mission, but one that must be done, and soon." He looks at you hopefully. "Should you ever wish to undertake it, return, and ask me for the crystal key." 0 destroy 0 "No. He must be defeated. Destroyed." "I dare not say his name, but they must be mad to have brought him down upon Exile. They have great dreams of what they can win from him, but not even they have the power to contain him for long. Nor, I suspect, can they force him back to his home." 0 chieftain 0 "And now this foul deed is done! Heavens help us all!" "Ah. Be careful where you say that word. It has dangerous power. They are the lieutenants of demonkind, powerful, and cruel. And my colleagues planned to summon one who is powerful enough to lead them. A chieftain, as it were." 0 haakai 0 "Yes. A messy, dangerous business. They plan to summon a Haakai! And not any Haakai, but a Haakai Lord!" 0 business 0 "For my fellow members of the Triad to complete their business." 0 waiting 0 His face sours as he looks at you. "I would like to welcome you, visitors, but your arrival fills me with fear. Let us just say I am here waiting." He looks at you nervously. "I am Solberg, of the Triad," he says. You see an aging, bald man in brilliant crimson robes. He supports himself with an oaken staff carved in the shape of a cobra. 0 stnd 0 "I don't know." 35 7 A basalt slab says: Violators will be poached. A basalt slab says: No trespassing. Hidden Tower