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+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + THE ADVENTURERS + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + The various characters contained in these writings are + + copyright 1993 by Thomas Miller. Any resemblance to any + + persons or characters either real or fictional is utterly + + coincidental. Copying and/or distribution of these tales + + is permissible only under the sole condition that no part + + of them will be used or sold for profit. In that case, I + + hope you enjoy them... + + + + Thomas Miller + + tmiller@cimmeria.gatech.edu + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + THE PARTY: + + + + Alindyar 14th level drow elf mage (N) + + Lyra 10th level female drow elf mage (N) + + Belphanior 10th/11th/12th level high elf w/m/t (CN) + + Ged 11th/12th level grey elf priest/mage (NG) + + Arnold 9th level human warrior (NG) + + ? grey cat (familiar) (NG) + + Mongo 13th level dwarf warrior (CG) + + Flint 9th level dwarf warrior (CG) + + Peldor 16th level human thief (N) + + Rillen 13th level human warrior (N) + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Date: 6/3/572 C.Y. (Common Year) + + Time: late morning + + Place: the ruins of Greyhawk Castle, north of the City + + Climate: cool and dry + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + "All great things must come to an end." + + - variously attributed + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CXXV. The Grand Finale The adventurers have descended to the sixth level of the dungeon below the Greyhawk Ruins. They stand in a circular room with smooth walls and no apparent exits. However, a secret panel has just been found... Belphanior: (slides the stone aside to reveal a hallway) Mongo: Hey, let's get to it. Rillen: (looking around) Ged: You know, we're getting pretty far underground. I think we'll soon be within Zagyg's inner sanctum, so to speak. Lyra: How's that? Ged: (points) Look. Ahead could be seen an emaciated old man, sitting behind an ancient desk. Beyond the niche that the fellow sat in, the corridor continued on, about forty feet, and ended at a large oaken door. old guy: (turns toward the adventurers, slowly, and holds out a tattered book in one hand, and a pen in the other) Mongo: Huh? Belphanior: If I didn't know better, I'd say he wants us to sign in. Alindyar: Indeed! Ged: Hmm. (he walks toward the old man) grey cat: (peeps its head out of Ged's pack) Meow? Lightbringer: (speaks up loudly) Undead! Kill it! Ged: (looks around) Undead? Where? Lightbringer: Right before your eyes! Are you blind?!? Belphanior: (peering at the old one with his magical eye) Yep, he's undead all right. old guy: (regards the party blankly, but doesn't speak) Belphanior: (wondering where the wispy thing is) Mongo: Hey! Hey you! What's the deal? Lightbringer: No deals! Slay that vile one! Ged: (notices that the old fellow is indeed crumbling in several places) Hmm. Alindyar: 'Twould seem that the fellow is un-dead after all. Belphanior: (thinking of possible ways to control the old guy) Lightbringer: Enough talk! Kill it! (glows brightly) Ged: Quiet! I can't think. (casts Detect Evil) Hmmm. (the old man radiates no aura of evil) He isn't evil... Lightbringer: Inconceivable! All liches are evil! Alindyar: Lich? Lyra: Ulp. Belphanior: Lich? Lightbringer: Lich! Ged: Forget it! He's _not_ evil! We don't _have_ to attack him. lich: (regarding the party with a glare) Alindyar: Verily, I would not advise an attack... lich: (walks toward the group, the book and pen held in his hands) Lightbringer: (shrieking now) Kill! Kill! Ged: One more word and I'm tossing you in the portable hole. Mongo: I'll second that... Belphanior: Fuck this. (sheathes his sword and walks forth) Hey! lich: (regards the elf) Belphanior: I'll sign your book. lich: (hands the elf the pen, and opens the book) Belphanior: (notices that the book is in a guest ledger type of format, and carefully signs his name) There. lich: (turns toward Alindyar, who is slowly approaching) Alindyar: (makes his decision, and signs the book as well) Hmm. Ged: What? Alindyar: I just noticed...only ten others have signed in before us. Belphanior: Yeah, I saw that too. Ged: Names? Ten? Who? Alindyar: Err...Mordenkainen...Bigby...the other names I do not recognize. Ged: Mordenkainen?!? Wow! Mongo: Morden-who? Ged: One of the mightiest magi of all Oerth! (he runs forth and grabs the pen) lich: (staring at the elf, and his glowing weapon) Lightbringer: I've got my eye on you... Ged: Hush, by Boccob! (he signs the book) I sure am glad that we didn't attack... grey cat: (peeking out of its master's backpack, it wonders if the lich will try to pet it) lich: (turns to the others, as the far door creaks open) Rillen: (wondering how the door could be in such good shape compared to the others the party has seen in this place) Hmm. (signs the book) Peldor: (decides that he'll sign in last) Nine is always a good number to be. Eventually, they had all signed the book (even Arnold, who had no desire to), and they approached the open door at the end of the hall. The lich took its seat once more, presumably to wait for more visitors. Belphanior: Weird old guy, he was. Mongo: Yeah. Lyra: I'm glad we didn't have to fight that thing. Belphanior: Yeah, me too. I need to save my spells and other powers for the big fights... Mongo: Big fights? Belphanior: Yep. Think about it - any place that has a _lich_ as a doorman isn't going to be a cakewalk... Mongo: Oh. (wondering what all the fuss is about, since the old guy looked pretty harmless to him) Belphanior: Hold up a second. (on a hunch, he casts a Stoneskin on himself) Lyra: A little extra protection, eh? Belphanior: Couldn't hurt. Flint: Magic? Bah, I say. Arnold: Yah. They entered a T-shaped corridor, of which they were in one of the side wings. Several doors were visible, but a more pressing issue quickly presented itself. Belphanior: Yo! (he looks to the passage in front of the party) Something's coming! Something invisible! Peldor: Where? (squints) I don't see anything. Ged: (to Peldor) By Boccob, this is no time for jokes! Belphanior: Three of them! And they're pretty big! Mongo: (in the front rank, he, Rillen, and Arnold heft their weapons) Cripes, I don't see anything! Suddenly, powerful gusts of wind battered the warriors in the front of the party, knocking them into the walls and each other. Mongo: (collides with Arnold) Argh! Arnold: (collides with Mongo) Aaa! Rillen: (manages to avoid hitting anything) Whoa... Belphanior: (leaps between Rillen and Mongo, and takes a swing at one of the invisible foes that only he seems able to see) Die, you! invisible thing: (emits a windy hissing sound) Belphanior: Ha! Got 'im! Rillen: (looks around, puzzled) Ged: Shouldn't the monsters have turned visible...? Alindyar: Yes. Unless... Ged: Invisible stalkers! Alindyar: Verily. Lyra: Yipes. Rillen: (swings his staff in whirling arcs ahead of his body, and is rewarded with an apparent hit) Hai! invisible thing: Whoosh. Belphanior: Yeah! You got him! Mongo: (recovers, and swings his hammer) invisible thing: WHOOOOOSH! Mongo: Feels like I busted him a good one... Arnold: (trying to emulate Mongo, he swings, but misses, hitting the floor instead) Aaaa...? Rillen: (sensing his foe, he closes his eyes and presses his attacks forward, relying on his blind-fighting skill to see him through) invisible foe: (hit twice more) Whoosh! Whiff! Mongo: (getting the idea, he strikes out again, and hits his own foe again) invisible foe: (hit again) Whoooosh... Arnold: (also swings out, hitting something) Ah-nold joins the baddle! The warriors had successfully figured out how to fight these invisible foes - they kept swinging, using the winds and sounds made by the things to pinpoint their whereabouts and inflict damage. Though the opponents' windy attacks were formidable, the adventurers' weapons proved more so, for within another minute, there were no more winds, and a great silence filled the hall. Belphanior: (looking around) They're gone. Dead, I'd guess. Alindyar: Actually, when invisible stalkers are slain- Mongo: No one cares. Let's get on with the exploration. They turned right, ignoring the numerous doors for the time being, and continued onward. Eventually, the hall ended, and doors had to be opened to allow any further progress. Mongo: Here goes...(opens a door) Beyond the portal was a large square room, about fifty feet on a side. The chamber was filled with clay jars, set along its perimeter; each was about five feet high and three feet wide. There were thirteen of the jars here, but one had been shattered, and its contents - a fine grey powder of some kind - spilled onto the stone floor. The other jars were sealed at the top with some odd sort of lid, which appeared to make them airtight. Belphanior: What's this? (gets a pinch of the powder) Mongo: Instant troll, just add water. Heh heh. Flint: Hardy, har, har. Arnold: Shouldn't the powdber be green then? Ged: What is it? (moves up to Belphanior) Belphanior: (tasting the stuff) Ptui! It tastes pretty bad, whatever it is. Alindyar: (smells some of the powder) Sulfurous, 'tis. Ged: Hmm. Maybe some rare spell component? Lyra: Yes... Alindyar: Perhaps. Belphanior: (pops the lid on another, random jar) Same stuff here! Ged: (picks a third jar, and opens it too) And here! Lyra: All the jars must contain the same thing... Alindyar: 'Twould appear so. Belphanior: We should take some. Ged: Agreed. Hey, Mongo! Mongo: What? Did you decide what to do with the powder yet? Ged: Yea. We want to take a barrel and stash it in your portable hole. Mongo: Oh, you do? (gets the folded cloth out, and opens it up) Hmm, we're running out of room in there. Belphanior: So, we ditch some of the coinage. Arnold: (wondering why any of the coinage would need to be thrown away) Aaa? Mongo: Yo, which one do you want? Alindyar: (points to a barrel) That one would do nicely. Mongo: Okay. (he singlehandedly lifts the big pot, and sets it down among the coins) Unf. Belphanior: Hey, careful with that... Mongo: (uses a goblet in the hole to empty coins) This should get us enough room. Packed good and tight, it is. Peldor: (picking up the golden coins on the floor) Hey, don't throw this stuff away! Ged: Sorry, but it's a matter of priorities. Peldor: Well, I know what _my_ priority is...(picks up more gold) Belphanior: (muttering to himself as he prepares to open the far door) I wonder if the stuff burns... Fortunately, no one had to find out, as the party moved through the doorway and into another square room. This one contained a dozen of the clay jars, but three had been opened, and their contents - small, black 3/4" glass beads numbering in the hundreds - were spilled across the room. Ged: (picks up a bead) You know, I'd swear that this was a bead of force... Lyra: Just don't test it out in here. Alindyar: Force beads? Belphanior: Let's get one of these jars too. Mongo: (sighs) As the magi stuffed their pockets with loose beads, and Peldor stuffed his pockets with the golden coins that Mongo and Rillen were throwing out of the portable hole, Arnold stood around bored. Arnold: Aaa. I am borded. grey cat: (batting around a glass bead, he scoots between the warrior's feet) Arnold: Whaaat? (picks up the cat) Whad are you up to? grey cat: (bats Arnold's helm) Meow. Flint: (checking for concealed doors) Looks like it's back out to the hall for us. Soon, they re-entered the big hall, and went through the nearest door, entering another square room full of jars. This chamber had nine intact jars, and another six that had been smashed open. Around these jars were dark spots on the floor, and small bits of long-rotten flesh. Mongo: What the hell...? Belphanior: (peering in one of the jars) Phew! This mess stinks! Ged: (looks in another jar, and almost gags) Ugh. Alindyar: Who can say what these jars contain? Ged: We can...once we open some of them. (he begins to pry the lid off of one jar) Arnold: Id really smells in here. Peldor: (looking around, he finds no hidden treasure) Ged: (opens the jar) Boccob! (reaching in, he grabs something, holding it up for all to see) Lyra: Ugh. Ged held a large eyeball, mounted on a stalk which had been severed from its host body. The thing seemed to be perfectly preserved...and the jar was brimming with many similar eyes. Alindyar: By the gods! There must be hundreds of these in the jar. (examines an eye) Such perfect specimens, indeed... Flint: I don't get it. Whose eyes _are_ these? Ged: Isn't it obvious? Mongo: Nope. Not to me, anyway. Alindyar: These are beholder eyes. Belphanior: But there must be _thousands_ of them here! (he verifies this by opening another jar) Thousands! That means... Ged: Yea. Someone slew hundreds of beholders. Wow. Rillen: Hmm. Lyra: Quite a feat. Belphanior: Yup. One reserved for only the mightiest of parties. Peldor: They must have had a Peldor or two in their group when they did it. Ged: (smirks) Must have. Arnold: (picks up an eye, but tosses it away in disgust) grey cat: (runs after the eye, and bats it around the floor) Mongo: This room is stupid. (heads for the door) Alindyar: A sample, perhaps- Ged: Got it. (he finds his box of preserving, and puts a dozen of the eyes inside, closing the lid carefully) Belphanior: Those eyes will, of course, be split equally among the magi... Ged: (irritated) Of course. We're no thieves. Lyra: Beholder eyes for all, then. Alindyar: Excellent. The next chamber held a door, and also thirteen of the large clay jars. Amazingly, none had been opened up or smashed in. Ged: We should consider the implications of this. Peldor: (listening intently) I hear something. Mongo: Yeah, me too. Rillen: It sounds like insects. Arnold: Bugs. grey cat: (looking around) Meow? Peldor: Definitely insects. Belphanior: Buzzing around. But where...? (walks up and listens to one of the jars) Aha! Ged: You mean it's coming from _inside_ the jars? Peldor: (listens at another jar) Yep. Mongo: Hey, now this jug-collecting has been okay, but even the dumbest halfling would know not to open these things. Rillen: My thoughts exactly. Lyra: (musing to herself) I don't know, halflings as a rule are pretty dumb... Ged: Who said anything about opening them? Belphanior: Let's just take one. Alindyar: Yes. Lyra: (admiring the way that the party's magi are working and thinking toward the same goals here) Sounds good to me... Mongo: Okay, I'll make some room, and you guys lower the jar down to me. Shortly, this was completed, though Ged insisted on taking a bit of chalk and marking each of the jars they had taken thus far, for future reference. Ged: After all, who knows what would happen if we opened the wrong one back in Greyhawk? The party prepared to move on, re-entering the main hallway, but before they could, a strange, ominous sound was heard. It sounded like a horrible funeral dirge, and reverberated throughout all the rooms and halls. The hideous combination of shrill high notes and thunderous low ones caused the very walls and floor to shake, such was their intensity. The terrible sound had a profound effect upon the adventurers. Alindyar: (feels a headache coming on) Aie. Belphanior: (looks around, his eye glowing) Neat music. Flint: (flees in terror) Aaaaaaaaie! Ged: Boccob! Foul forces are at work... Mongo: (scratches his head) What the hell got into him? (chases after his henchman) Peldor: (listening to the music) Geez, this is pretty bad. Rillen: Yes. Arnold: (drops his sword and runs away) Aaaaa! Lyra: (unexpectedly flees, wide-eyed with terror) Eeek! Ged: Hey! Get back here! Alindyar: (runs after Lyra) The henchmen made it into the previous room, where the three of them cowered in one corner, trembling in abject terror. The other six adventurers quickly followed them into the room. Ged: Arnold! (shakes his henchman) By Boccob, what's the matter?!? Arnold: (looks around) Aaa? Flint: A sudden terror gripped me - one that I had to run from. I've never felt its like! Lyra: (recovered now) What happened? Peldor: Hey, I don't know if anyone noticed, but that strange music stopped. Alindyar: (looks around) Most passing strange. The henchmen seemed to be back to normal, and shortly the party resumed its explorations. The next room they entered contained nine intact jars and two broken ones. Exotic smells filled the air, and multicolored powders and leaves had spilled from the smashed jars and onto the floor. Peldor: Spices? Alindyar: Or potpourri... Mongo: What's popurree? grey cat: (sniffs the spilled leaves) Meow! (begins prancing and dancing about) Ged: Boccob! He's gone crazy! Peldor: Looks stoned to me. Belphanior: (picks up a handful of the leaves and then inhales deeply) Whew! Ged: (puts his familiar back in his pack) grey cat: (objecting) Meowowow! Ged: Quiet. This is for your own good. Rillen: Odd. Alindyar: I think we should take one of these jars, as well. Ged: Yea, why not. Mongo: (grumbling) Thousands of gold pieces is why not. Hey, you guys can start shoveling and digging around in the portable hole if you want to keep picking up one of everything we find... Five minutes later, the adventurers had gotten one of the spice-jars, and after a short walk, they were within another jar room. This room had thirteen intact jars, three broken ones, and four exits. the jars here seemed to contain rotting food - breads, cheeses, fruits, meats, and other common staples of the dietary sort. Mongo: (holds his nose) And you thought the eye room was bad... Rillen: Interesting. (pries open a sealed jar, revealing all kinds of fresh food) Jars of preserving, maybe? Ged: Who knows? Alindyar: Perhaps we should retain one... Lyra: Why? Belphanior: We don't need one of these. Arnold: Food! (grabs a apple and eats it in two bites) Ged: Hey, that could be poisonous... Arnold: Glump glumph. Ah-nold is immune to diseases. Ged: Oh? Arnold: Yah. Besides, the abble is good! Mongo: (having decided that these jars are interesting, he and Flint are loading one into the portable hole) Rillen: Hmm. Peldor: (helps unload gold coins from the magical hole) Belphanior: Oh well, at least we're not tossing platinum out... Ged: Not yet. Rillen: Any ideas about what these jars are, or where they came from? Alindyar: 'Twould appear as if someone had a major trip to a marketplace. Lyra: A big shopping trip. Ged: I bet Zagyg had something to do with it. Rillen: But where does one shop for jars full of eyes? Alindyar: The outer planes? Ged: Hey, by Boccob, that's a good guess. Momentarily, they were headed for one of the exits that led out of here. Passing through an empty room (!), the adventurers walked into another passageway, and noticed a section ahead that was accessed by a downward-sloping area of the passage. Belphanior: Hold! I detect a soul...there! (points to a door that stands right before the sloping section of passageway) Mongo: Oh fuck. (readies his hammer) Carefully, they opened the door and entered the square chamber beyond...and stopped in shock. Thick, gnarled trees filled this room, growing right out of the stone floor! The ceiling was nowhere to be seen, as numerous branches and leaves twined and crossed above. Amidst large bins of seed and soil, a huge troll was kneeling, a trowel held in one gigantic hand. As they entered, it turned its head and looked at them. Ged: Boccob! What's a troll doing in a garden? Belphanior: Who cares? (he advances toward the troll, his sword held meaningfully in one hand) Ged: Wa- Alindyar: Remember the lich...? Mongo: Hey, hold up! Belphanior: No- troll: (moves one arm, slightly, and a wall of thick, sharp thornbushes springs up in front of Belphanior) Belphanior: What the hell? Ged: (using his spell from earlier, which is still in effect) It's not evil! Belphanior: Not...evil? (fuming) Wall of thorns? troll: (regards the adventurers, its eyes glowing in a bright white hue) Ged: In fact, I think it's _good_. troll: (points, and flowers spring up around Ged and Alindyar) Alindyar: Inconceivable! Ged: By Boccob, I declare that no harm shall come to this troll! Lyra: (snickering) I think the troll has that covered already... Belphanior: All right. Okay. (turns to the big troll) Sorry. troll: (ignores the elf) Peldor: (notices that the troll is blocking the far exit from this room) Uh, maybe we should go back and try another door. Mongo: Good idea. Bye, good troll! troll: (once more engaged in planting its seeds) Leaving the strange troll and its gardens behind, the intrepid adventurers next entered a room crammed, from wall to wall, with sealed barrels. One was opened, and found to contain tasty wine. One of these was put into the portable hole, and the group then continued, entering another hallway with several doors. Taking one door, the party entered a large square room which was split by a stream of silvery liquid which ran across its middle. The strange stream emerged from one wall and disappeared into another, in both cases without the benefit of openings. Other than this oddity, the chamber was empty. Peldor: Streams of silver? (walks up to the stream) Belphanior: Silver? Peldor: We're rich! Mongo: We're already rich... Flint: In fact, we've been dumping out silver pieces all day long. Peldor: (pokes a dagger into the silver stream, and the weapon is coated with the stuff) Hah! Silver! Yahoo! Ged: Obviously, this is a room for fools. No doubt Zagyg had some ulterior motive here. Peldor: Yeah, like paying Peldor the tribute he so richly deserves. Ged: Quiet, fool. Had the adventurers not already had all the gold and gems that they did, the silver stream would have proven more interesting. However, as things were, it didn't hold their attention for long. Soon, they were entering a nearby chamber, in which a window was mounted on the far wall. Mongo: What's this? A window? At this depth? Belphanior: I smell a rat... Flint: That's just Peldor. Belphanior: (his magical eye spots a pit trap in the middle of the floor) Pit trap! (he runs forth and triggers the pit with his foot) Look out! Rillen: (looks down into the pit, but it's only ten feet deep, and also empty) Oh well. Mongo: (looking out the window) Hey! Everyone come check this out! (he sees a sunny, windswept desert which stretches as far as the eye can see) Rillen: How can this be? After all had entered the room, the door slammed shut firmly, and wouldn't open for Peldor. At the same time, a fierce wind whipped into the room, and sand began to pile up on the floor... Mongo: Shit! Rillen: (tugging at the door) It is held fast! Peldor: I could've told you that. Ged: (stung by the abrasive sands) Eyagh! Lyra: (likewise) Alindyar: (likewise) Help! (he staggers around) Flint: (pulls Alindyar aside, for the drow was headed straight into the open pit) Whoa! grey cat: (secure in Ged's backpack, it is safe for the time being) Mongo: (bleeding from sandy scrapes, he runs for the entrance door) Out of the way! (he charges the portal with all his might, and slams into it - knocking it out into the hall beyond, and freeing the party from the sandy room) Yeah! Let's hear it for giant strength! The adventurers emerged into the hall, and quickly ran away from the open door, where sand was blowing into the passage with wild abandon. Only two doors remained unexplored in this section of hallway, so they chose one and opened it. The room beyond had large (seven feet in height) stone statues in three of its four corners; the things represented falcons. Five of the large flagstones in the floor were raised slightly, one after another, in a linear pattern. Alindyar: Are these falcons not identical to the one we saw as we approached the ruins above, several days ago? Ged: By Boccob, you're right! They are! Belphanior: (walking toward the line of five raised floorstones) Hmm, I wonder what these do? Ged: (picking up traces of evil in the vicinity of the stones) Whoa, I think they may be traps. Belphanior: Traps? I detect no traps here? Ged: (thinking quickly, since he's not sure anymore if the concept of evil would deter Belphanior) Cursed traps, that is. Something's not right with the stones. I get the impression that something terrible would happen if we bothered them... Belphanior: Is that so? Mongo: (wondering about using the orb of fate to answer that very question) Belphanior: (decides not to risk it) Hmm, I must be getting old. Since no one else was willing to take the chance (not even the mighty Peldor, whose bravery knew no bounds), the adventurers left this room, and headed for the other door. Behind the portal, they found another large and squarish room. This one was totally empty, except for the far wall, upon which was mounted a large, black, silvery mirror. Belphanior: Wow. Ged: It's not evil. Belphanior: (using his eye) But it _is_ magical. And muchly so. Alindyar: I hate to ruin this for everyone, but this mirror could be dangerous. A trap, perhaps. Why not explore some other areas of this place, and then come back to this one? Mongo: Hey, it's just a mirror. Ged: No, I think he's right. This thing could be very dangerous. I just...feel it. Rillen: I can _see_ it. (he is made uneasy by the big mirror) After much deliberation, they decided to break for a quick lunch, and then resume explorations. However, no one really wanted to eat lunch by the black mirror, with the exception of Belphanior, so they ate in the empty chamber near the troll's garden. Ged also cast several minor spells of healing at this time, for no one had escaped the sandy room without harm. After lunch, they continued, finding a previously un- explored passageway and following it. After several twists and turns, the hall ended in a huge double door, and smaller doors on the right and left preceded the passage's end. Two statues, depicting lions, stood to either side of the great door. the adventurers checked the door on the right, but it to a tiny, empty room with no exits. The other door, on the left, led to some kind of altar room, containing a huge but only vaguely humanoid statue. The thing seemed to have no set shape, but two large stone hands were out- stretched, palms up, as if asking for something. Ged: Boccob! Peldor: What? Ged: No, this _is_ Boccob! (he immediately kneels in humility) Arnold: (follows his liege's example) Ged: O great Boccob, we stand before you, thankful... Peldor: Oh, great. Belphanior: (looking around) Ged: (engaged in some kind of meditation) The others waited for a minute while Ged did whatever it was he was doing, and finally the elf stood up. Ged: I have learned much. Mongo: Like what? Ged: First, a tribute is required here. Peldor: Tribute? for what? Ged: I wouldn't question Boccob in the presence of his shrine, amidst his most powerful servant's lair... Belphanior: Mmm, perhaps there is merit in what you say. Flint: what kind of tribute? Ged: Why, a magical one, of course! Boccob is a god of magic! But weapons and armor are not ideal. Alindyar: What? Ged: Observe. (he digs in his backpack, bypasses the grey cat, and holds up a wand) Only the most powerful of items are worthy of Boccob's tribute. (he places the wand in one of the statue's hands, and the hand closes, then opens) The wand was gone. Ged: (simply) Boccob. (actually, it was his wand of exorcism that he gave up, not the powerful fire wand) Peldor: Must we all go through this? Ged: Of course! And the power of the item given up will be reflected in Boccob's gifts. Peldor: (somewhat skeptical) Sounds like a scam to me... Mongo: Ah, well, I have magic to spare. (he offers his chime of opening to the statue, and the chime is taken, much like the wand was) Wow. (motions to Flint) Flint: (to Mongo) Hey, I don't have anything to give that's not a weapon or armor. Mongo: (hands his henchman his magical bowl of boiling) Take this. Flint: (sacrifices the bowl, successfully) Huh. Alindyar: (offers up his horn of fog) Alas. Lyra: (offers her packets of dust) Oh well. Belphanior: this is madness...(gives up his magical flask) Never did know what the damned thing did... Arnold: (sacrifices his scroll vs. demons) Ah-nold can'd read anyway. Rillen: (truly torn, he finally offers his rod of inertia) Aarg. Peldor: Uh...err...(realizes he can't talk his way out of this one) Damn. (offers his wand of darkness) statue: (takes this last item silently) Ged: Ah. Peldor: So, where's Boccob's gift?!? Ged: (ignoring the thief) Now we may proceed. Belphanior: To where? Ged: Why, the double doors, of course! Alindyar: And what lies there? Ged: What else? The most inner sanctum of he whose personal chambers we have been wandering through for the last few days - a place which ten, at most, of our fellow mortals have ever had the luck of beholding - the final resting place of Zagyg himself!!! Mongo: How'dja know that? Ged: (shrugs) Boccob. They approached the large double doors, flanked by the two lion statues. Ged stepped forth and opened the doors in one fluid motion. Ged: (rather excited, he looks into the chamber beyond) Mongo: Hey, you shouldn't do that, you know. There are monsters walking around here. Ged: True... The next room was rectangular, with doors to the left and right. Five huge stone statues of warriors were lined up against the wall ahead, heavy swords grasped in their still hands. Belphanior: (glaring uneasily at the things) I wonder if they're alive? Ged: Who can say? I think that we had better watch it in this area. (looks at Peldor) If we disturb the wrong things, dire consequences may result. Alindyar: Verily. Mongo: Great. Just great. (he heads for the left door and pushes it open) Huh? Beyond was a large domed room, containing an immense coffin-like structure made of a glassy substance. Within the thing was the body of a beautiful woman, apparently asleep. At the foot of the coffin was a stone table, upon which rested an open tablet and a pen. Alindyar: More signatures required? Ged: Hmm, I don't know. Peldor: (captivated by the beauty of the woman within the sarcophagus) Aaah. Flint: (notices Peldor) Hey! Stop looking at her! Peldor: What? Why?!? Mongo: Both of you quit! Ged: (also captivated by the woman) Whew. Belphanior: (moves to block Ged's view) I must see... Ged: Hey! (they begin bickering) Arnold: (quarreling with Rillen about similar issues) Alindyar: (to Ged) She is _mine_ to look at! Avert your eyes! Ged: Why, you... Lyra: (wondering what's going on) The majority of the party - all the males, in fact - quickly fell to bickering and arguing about the woman and her beauty. They seemed interested in nothing else save the sleeping (?) lady, and it appeared that fighting was about to break out over the matter. Fortunately, Lyra quickly had an idea that might solve the problem. Lyra: (casts Darkness, 15' Radius upon the whole coffin assembly, cloaking it from the sight of all the males among the party) Mongo: What?!? (snaps out of it, as do the others) Arnold: Aaa? Belphanior: (looks around, his eye glowing bright red) Alindyar: What foolishness overtook us? Ged: Some great, powerful discord...fortunately, Lyra was here to help us. Lyra: Fortunate indeed. You all might have killed each other rather quickly. Alindyar: (upset that he fell prey to such a base form of magic) Damn the gods... Rillen: (looking at the table and its tablet, which are still visible near the great dome of darkness) Belphanior: (walks over to the tablet and signs it) Ged: Uh, good idea. (he signs it next) Peldor: Ah, Peldor must sign in at all these places... Shortly, they had all signed the thing, and since the coffin had caused so much trouble before being darkened, it was left alone. The thieves searched the walls for secret portals, but found none. The group went back to the room with the five statues, and took the other door, entering a room much like the last one, except that it had two other exits. Another glass coffin dominated this chamber, but it contained an ancient, shriveled man. A blank tablet rested on another stone table at the feet of the body. Mongo: Who the fuck's this? Alindyar: We males should have no problems here. Peldor: (half-jokingly) Maybe Lyra will go crazy this time... Lyra: Hmph! Ged: (staring in awe at the body within the glass case) Just as the legends say...! Rillen: Who _is_ it? Ged: Zagyg! Belphanior: Really? Are you sure? Ged: More than sure, I'm positive! Peldor: (searching for a means of opening the coffin) Alindyar: Might I suggest desisting, foolish one? Peldor: (unable to find any means of opening the thing) You might. Ged: It is not wise to disturb sleeping demi-gods... Belphanior: Actually, there's no soul here. Ged: Yea, this is probably just his physical body. The spirit of Zagyg roams the planes and universes for all eternity. Flint: (bored) Mongo: (heads for the door to the right) Well, can I open Zagyg's door here? Ged: Of course. Mongo: Good. There seemed nothing else to do here, save possibly breaking open the coffin - an act which Ged refused to allow. The adventurers went into the room that Mongo had opened, and found it to be a large, square place. A massive black pyramid rested in the center of the chamber, ten feet on any side. Ged: Agh! Belphanior: What? Ged: It's evil! Powerfully evil! Mongo: (feeling ill) Yeah... Arnold: Aaa. Alindyar: Perhaps it would be prudent to depart now. Ged: I think so. Peldor: (bored, yet uneasy, due to the pyramid) Mongo: That thing's _black_. Ged: Let's go. Rillen: If you say so. Belphanior: (as the others leave, he remains, trying to discern the purpose of the pyramid; however, even he begins to feel a draining sensation, and makes his exit shortly after the others) Hey, wait for me! They took the left door from the Zagyg-burial room, and entered a square chamber containing another pyramid. This one was made of glass, though, and radiated no evil. Ged: It's magical, I'd bet. Belphanior: Yep. Mongo: (feeling blissful) Say, this room makes me feel good. Rillen: Funny, but I had the same feeling. Flint: Me too. Alindyar: Aye, and I as well. Belphanior: Even I can feel it. Lyra: I think we all can. grey cat: Meow! Ged: Some greater power must be at work. They checked the room for secret doors or panels, but could find nothing, so they returned to the room with the coffin of Zagyg. Searching here revealed nothing, and with a collective, resigned sigh, the adventurers left this area and began backtracking in the dungeon. They felt that this couldn't be the end, that there had to be some great guardian or mighty treasure. As they passed the room containing the black mirror, several of them had the idea to check the thing more thoroughly. Flint: But couldn't it be evil, like that pyramid? Ged: No. We already checked it, but anyway, it has no evil auras - just extremely powerful magic. Alindyar: Powerful indeed. Belphanior: (examining the mirror's edges) I wouldn't touch its surface just yet. Peldor: Nope. (he sees that the mirror doesn't have any definite surface) Ged: Maybe it's a portal to another place. Alindyar: I concur. Rillen: (wondering how smart it would be to walk into a mirror) Hmm. Arnold: (bored) Aaa. Lyra: A portal, eh? That would figure. Belphanior: If so, how are we to know if the place it leads to is a harmful one, or not? Ged: I have no idea. Alindyar: Hades, perhaps? Peldor: Or some heavens... Mongo: I'll try using the orb. (he gets out his orb of fate, thinks a second, then addresses the item) If we go through this portal, will we have a chance to survive? Alindyar: (whispering) Cleverly worded... orb: (taking its time) Mongo: (frowns) orb: (finally) YES. Mongo: Well...we could try this, instead of fighting our way back through the dungeon... Ged: Hmm. Alindyar: An interesting idea. Belphanior: Fine by me. The unknown is always great fun to jump into. (notices that the wispy thing has been on his shoulder for a few moments) Where did _you_ come from? Mongo: The unknown... Rillen: I am not so sure this is a good idea. Peldor: (considering touching the mirror with a dagger, he finally does, and the weapon is pulled into the ebon surface of the mirror) Belphanior: Well...? After some deliberation, they decided to go through the mirror. Belphanior: Sure, I'll go first. (he sheathes his sword, touches the mirror, and is pulled in) Yieee- Mongo: Aw, tohell with it. (he leaps in) Gerinomo! The others readied themselves, and leapt through the portal, vanishing instantly. Momentarily, the room was empty, but for the dust of the ages...and the huge, black mirror... next time : "Anyone touching the mirror is drawn into an- other dimension. Adventuring may continue, but not in this universe." - from _Greyhawk Ruins_ (p. 86) ftp site : ccosun.caltech.edu, in pub/adnd/fluff/adventurers notes : Well, that was it! The saga ended, not with a bang, but with a whisper. After 125 episodes, I've at long last succeeded in writing up every- thing we did in the campaign. The total length of it all approaches 2.54 Mb, and it took a year and ten months to write. Before I begin to look back on it all or other- wise blabber, I've got some things to say. First comes a complete list of credits, which is rather exhaustive. I was going to put the adventurers' stats and item lists in here too, but the posting would get even longer, so I'll post an epilogue, simultaneous with this posting, which will have those lists. If you really only want to read about what will happen next, skip to the very bottom of this post and find out - the credits are rather long from what I understand (though, as one person pointed out, after writing for almost two years, I'm really entitled to write whatever I want in the credits...) + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + CREDIT LIST FOR THE ADVENTURERS SAGA - this hopefully includes all those who were either 1) Directly involved in the campaign 2) Directly involved in proofing stories 3) Somehow influential in shaping my mind to the point where I started creating FRP adventures 4) Miscellaneous influences - I don't necessarily know each and every person on this list personally, cases in point being people who fall into category #3 above - If you're not listed here but think you should be, don't take that as a bad sign - I'm pretty busy these days and it's hard to remember all the pertinent names. In fact, I'm surprised that I got as many as I've listed below. Vadim J. Akselrod a frequent reader, the first of many who will be listed here Kevin C. Almeroth a good friend and roommate Eric W. Anderson one of my first readers, indeed THE first Victor Appel a reader who joined up later, but provided quality feedback Dave Arneson co-creator of the old D&D system The Atlanta Braves their 1991 season kindled in me an amazing interest in baseball John Belushi in the time he was with us, he had a lot of outstanding, if raunchy, humor to offer Ashley W. Bone the player of Ged, part irritant, part leader to the party; he set out to play a certain role, and did it well Leonard Bottleman another of my first readers Eric L. Boyd yet another of my first readers Charles Bronson his star has fallen, but his great movies are still out there James Cameron director of some of the very best action and sci-fi movies ever made John Carpenter director of some of the best horror and suspense movies ever made Sean Connery he's a legend; he IS James Bond Richard Corben noted fantasy artist, and creator of Den, who you may have seen in the _Heavy Metal_ movie Peter A. David one of the few people in comics today who can write good stories that are also genuinely humorous Chuck Dixon ditto what I wrote for P. David - Chuck has done some excellent work, whether with the Punisher, Alien Legion, or whatever David A. Donald a fairly recent (relatively) email correspondent, who has given me much excellent feedback G. Lance Dooly a reader, proofreader, DM, and confidant Alexandre Dumas centuries ago, he wrote one of the most awesomeof all novels: The Count of Monte Cristo Clint Eastwood without Clint, there might never have been a certain breed of western hero Errol Flynn a true master of the sword, his dashing antics on the movie screen deserve high acclaim Frank Frazetta a fabulously grim fantasy artist H. R. Giger if you don't know his work, he designed most of the weird stuff in _Alien_ Rick E. Glotzbach the player of Belphanior; inspired by demons, he role-played his character like one Ed Greenwood one of the few people who produces FRP material that has that "old" feel to it Peter Gross author and illustrator of the very short-lived b&w fantasy comic series _Empire Lanes_, he had a true and obvious love for his characters; if you only read one FRP-like comic, read his Gary Gygax let's face it, he's practically the father of AD&D and TSR Andrew D. Hackett the player behind Halbarad; he tried for a while to lead the party, but gave up and left Tracy Hickman co-creator of the _original_ Dragonlance saga, a trilogy I hold in high regard Robert E. Howard the creator of Conan, and others; he had a wonderful sense for grim fantasy Stephen King one of the all-time great authors KISS four guys who created a rock&roll legend, though an amazingly large number of people fail to appreciate this ($100 million in income per year speaks for itself, and besides, I like the music) Dean R. Koontz another great horror author Gary Larson a master of weird humor, he created _The Far Side_ Justin Larue another fairly long-time fan Bruce Lee perhaps the father of modern martial arts, dead at a far too early age; I respect him even more after reading his biography J. R. K. "Rob" Lefevbre III the player of Rob, the 'idiot savant', I have never known someone so out of it Kevin V. Lehde a local proofreader, also speaker of many foolish statements Fritz Lieber creator of the mighty Nehwon saga Kenneth S. Lightner the player of Peyote; he never quite found what he was looking for in the campaign Cris-Jon Lindsay random mover and shaker, he had a far greater influence on the stories than we'll ever see Marc A. Lindsell the player of Alindyar, and also Lyra; he set out to play a character like no other he had ever run before...and succeeded Nick Mancuso his old _Stingray_ TV series has an appeal all its own Chrysopoulos Marios still another long-time fan Robert M. McCammon yet another great horror author Patrick S. Meyers a former boss of mine, he was a cross between Peldor and Homer Simpson, and caused a number of humorous things to transpire Marc Midura another long-time fan Frank Miller noted comic artist and sometimes creator; in my mind, his old _Wolverine_ mini-series began a new breed of anti-hero Kurt R. Miller the player of Krug; he filled the role of the person who makes sure the party lineup isn't static, by causing strife right from day 1 Michael Moorcock creator of the mighty Elric sagas James E. Morse the player of Mongo, the symbol of strength and power within the party; also a close friend who helped me along in countless ways as I struggled through my undergrad hell Richard B. Mosher still another of my first readers Chuck Norris he played some of the best no- nonsense heroes ever scripted Matt O'Brien like any good English prof, he made me think; unlike others, he also made me write, which helped hone my skills to no end Dan Parsons author of Navero, a series that preceded mine, yet had many of the same elements as my own campaign; definite required reading among the net.sagas Greg Peters yet another of my first readers Dave E. Pope a local proofreader, chronicler, and friend, whose notes of one of our adventures were what started the postings Patrick Rannou another reader, not an early one, but still a faithful reader and feedback provider Mark A. Rillen the player of Rillen; I've never known anyone else who could fall asleep while vacuuming... George Rivero a little-known actor whose only notable role was in the movie _Fistfighter_, which was rather inspiring to me at the time I saw it Marc R. Robert the player of Peldor, he took a silly name and created from it a legend Gene Roddenberry his vision created a universe Bob Salvatore the father of the modern drow, by virtue of his Drizzt novels Will Scarvie another of my first readers (understand that allof these readers were giving me feedback long before the series really took off) Jonathan Schneer a prof whose history class I almost dropped, he instilled in me a sense of the importance of history (and caused me to think about its importance in a FRP setting as well) Karl Schroeder yet another of the first readers, and a fellow Braves fan to boot Steven Seagal his lines may be awful, but his movies remain classics, and his fighting style...yow! Dr. Seuss it was his stuff that first activated my brain's creative powers, back when I was 2 or so Adrian Smith quite an inquisitive long-time reader Jeff Standish the creator of Aristobulus, a net.saga featuring a classic anti-hero Gregory Stratton another long-time reader who has offered valuable feedback J.R.R Tolkien need I say more? Susan S.D. Tucker a long-time correspondent, she was evaluating D&D material I wrote before the Adventurers were born Boris Vallejo one of the all-time great fantasy artists Thomas Vallow a very recent correspondent, who has some good ideas for the henchmen Casper G. C. Van Dijk and yet another, you guessed it, faithful reader from early on; his insights were of rather high quality right from the start Karl Edward Wagner notable for his Kane stories, in my mind; Kane is a different, more chaotic kind of hero Bill Watterson creator of _Calvin and Hobbes_, one of the best cartoons ever Patrick Weeks a more recent, but still valuable, reader Margaret Weis co-creator of the first (and best) Dragonlance trilogy John-David Wellman another of the recent readers Colin Winfield yet another regular reader + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Now for the big question: just where in the hell have the Adventurers gone? I don't know. I have my ideas, but they have to be made into an adventure, which will be played (sometime during the month of September, hopefully) by a reunited party. So, I'm basically taking a sabbatical, to design an adventure worthy of a reunion - and worthy of the cliffhanger ending that was used above. I don't really have much to say about the overall series, mainly because I've babbled so much over the course of the 125 episodes, but also because it's not like I'm going away or anything. After the reunion, I'll write up that session and post it, and then I'll run the characters through what- ever adventure ideas I make up, or you people send in. Thus the stories will live beyond the 125 originals, provided nothing drastic happens to me. To sum it up, I'm glad everyone enjoyed the stories, and I'll be posting again sometime in October! THE END +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++