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_______________________________________________________________________
/ \ \
| | All Hallow's Eve Masquerade! See Page 28 |
@_/_____________________________________________________________________/
| |
| |
| |
| GemStone III(tm) October 1992 |
| Vol.3, No.5 |
| _ _ _ ___ |
| / ) / ) / ) / __) |
| / /_/ / ____ / / _/ ( ____ __ __ ____ |
| / __/ / __ ) / / ( __) / _ ) / / / / / ___) |
| / /\ \ / ___/ / / / / / (/ / / (_/ / / / |
| (_/ \_) (____) (_( (_( (____/ (_____( (_( |
| _____ _ _ _ _ |
| /~~~~~~~~~~~\ / ____) / ) (/ _/ ) (/ |
| / _ _ \/ (__ ___/ / _ ( _) _ ____ ____ |
| / /^\ /^\ \____) / _ / / ) / / / ) / _ ) / ) |
| | \_/ _ \_/ |_ / (/ / / / / / / / / (/ / / /) / |
| | <_> |_) (____( (_( (_( (_( (____/ (_((_( |
| | |\ _ /| | |
| | \ |_| |_| / | The Kronicles of Kulthea |
| \ \ / / |
| \ ~~~~~~~ / |
|____\___________/____________________________________________________|
|_____________________________________________________________________|
| |
| |
| Local News .................................................. 1 |
| Gorcland: The New Player's Guide to Riches ...... Dayln Grimm 2 |
| Successful Thievery: Traps ....... Lord Artuero Bresnahanini 6 |
| Puma Chow ................................. Murdoch Ravenlock 9 |
| Cartographer's Shop: Kelfour's Landing ... |
| ........... Revision by Avondale de|{nightsaber 10 |
| We Were Expecting Someone Older ..... Lord Gallenod Varynesti 12 |
| Undermining Kelfour's (Pt. 1) .......... Llorien Silivanestii 17 |
| The Wight's Revenge (Conclusion) ...... Elminester Sylvanisty 19 |
| The Dock Boy .................................... Tapor Lieff 22 |
| Untitled Poem ............................. Greywulf Aliantha 23 |
| Cycles (Part III) .................... Lord Whilder Planrathe 24 |
| All Hallow's Eve Masquerade ................. Your Invitation 28 |
| |
| |
|_____________________________________________________________________|
| |
| Kelfour Edition of the Kronicles of Kulthea is devoted to the multi-|
| player roleplaying game GemStone III on GEnie Information Network. |
| Submissions may be edited for space, accuracy and readability. |
| Contact Assistant Editors Kalagay Halatil or Lady Rune Arundel, or |
| Publisher Phaedra Bleu by GE Mail to P.HERRINGTON for details. |
| Banner letters by Yonah |
| __________________________________________________________________|___
| / /
\_/_____________________________________________________________________/
Local News
~~~~~~~~~~ Auction In Town Square
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An interesting assortment of
.`~~~~~~'. merchandise was being auctioned
,` ', in a red striped tent on the
: (0) (0) : promenade in town square as
: /\ : this issue of KE went to press.
`,_ _,' Auctioneer Gwyllim ApLorien
:<||||>: (who, to your editors, seems to
\____/ have more scruples than some
0 ()======()=====() 0 travelling salesmen who have
| / () \ / passed through our gates)
| / == () == \ / claimed no responsibility for
| / == () == \ / magical or other properties,
o == () == o but had a reasonably nice sel-
() ection of things available, all
// \\ of which went to the highest
0 0 bidder, with a limit of two
each, including:
A flamberge
A laen falchion
_______________________________________ A diamond rod
/\ \ A threk figurine
\@| Open Essence Spell List |
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | An embroidered shaalk tunic
| No. Name Duration | A plaited straw sunhat
| -------------------- --------- | An emerald green satin dress
| 401 Guarding I 1 min/lvl | A shimmering translucent gown
| 402 Presence Immediate | woven of fog and mist that
| 403 Locklore *1 minute | clings and flows as an image
| 404 Traplore *1 minute | in a dream.
| 405 Essence Wave Immediate |
| 406 Guarding II 1 min/lvl | A golden unicorn mask
| 407 Word of Opening Immediate | A dragon mask: snarling visage
| 408 Word of Disarming Immediate | of a Red Dragon with jewel-
| 409 Essence Blast Immediate | led flames shooting forth
| 410 Detect Spell Immediate | A sinister black mask
| 411 Essence Blade 3 strikes/lvl |
| 412 Bladeturn 10 sec/lvl | Gwyllim offered to auction mer-
| 413 Vulnerability 10 sec/lvl | merchandise on behalf of resi-
| 414 Guarding III 1 min/lvl | dents, along with more of his
| 415 Essence Strike Immediate | own stock in a second session
| 416 Piercing Gaze Immediate | the next evening.
| 417 Dispel Magic Immediate |
| 418 Gather Flows *1 min/lvl | __
| 419 Guarding III 1 min/lvl | / /
| 420 Imbed Spell Permanent | /~~~~~~~~~~~\
| 425 True Strike 30 sec/lvl | / _ _ \
| 430 Guarding True 30 sec/lvl | / /^\ /^\ \
| 450 Flow Riding Immediate | | \_/ _ \_/ |
| *Not cumulative | | <_> |
| | | |\ _ /| |
| For details, enter SPELLS at the | | \ |_| |_| / |
_| Query Prompt in the Tomes on GEnie | \ \ / /
/@| GemStone III Page 931. | \ ~~~~~~~ /
\/______________________________________/ \___________/
-1-
Gorcland: The New Player's Guide to Riches
____________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/ \ _____ \ Part 2
\@| ~|_|~ | by Dayln Grimm
| |~| |
_| |~| __ |
/@| |~|__|| | ast month we covered tradeoff, but you can get a falchion
\_/ ~~~~~~~ / Hobland, a great spot cheaper, and a drake gives you those
~~~~~~~~~~~ to begin your life in special hits.
Kulthea. After a very few levels,
though, Hobgoblins no longer seem Eog gives you a +10 to your OB. This
exciting. You've tried the Trolls material is strong, and the added
and have mastered them, even when bonus makes it well worth the price
their weapons break. The Lesser Orcs at around 21,000 silvers.
fall to your blade after a short Ithloss, I understand, is a weaker
battle. It is time to move on. material and only gives a +12 to OB.
The price at around 30,000 silvers
Gorcland is a good choice for your is too close to laen to make this
next hunting ground. I include purchase worthwhile.
Lesser Orcs and Cockatrices in this
article. This area is much larger Laen is the material of choice in
and more interesting than Hobland. Kulthea. You have probably already
More dangerous too. seen adventurers using laen
broadswords. They give a bonus of
My articles are aimed at the +15 and are quite strong. They are
followers of the Realm of Arms: pricey, though, at 33,000 silvers.
Fighters, Thieves, Rangers, and
Bards. I know nothing of magic and Shaalk is very magical and gives a
do not know the tactics for the bonus of +20. However, it is
other realms. To hunt effectively in downright expensive at around 65,000
Gorcland, you need to generate an OB silvers.
of about 75, and more would be
better. If you are a little short of ET'd weapons (weapons with the spell
hitting power, read the section on Enchant True cast on them) are the
weaponry. most magical items you are likely to
see. You cannot buy an ET'd weapon
In my last article, I covered what at the armory like the others. You
should be worn as armor and which must first buy or find the non-
weapons are best for your means. The magical weapon you wish to have ET'd
same holds true for Gorcland, but I and then pay a high enough Lord Mage
will cover weapons further. to cast the spell. An ET'd weapon
has no added strength but will give
Weaponry a +25 bonus to OB. Prices vary.
By now you should have replaced your Please do not hound a High Lord Mage
broadsword with a falchion or a to enchant your weapon. You are
drake falchion. However, if you have taking up his time and enjoyment in
the means, then buy a broadsword the land. If you happen to find
made of magic material. yourself with one, be polite. The
cost in power to cast Enchant True
In my opinion, a mithril broadsword is considerable.
costing around 10,000 silvers is not
much better than a falchion. The Traveling Tips: There are 2 ways
falchion does more damage and hits to reach Lesser Orcs and Cockatrices
most armors almost as easily. and 3 ways for Gorcland. The places
However, the magic bonus for the marked X on the map can be navigated
material (+5 for mithril) is added by going down to Lesser Orcs or by
to your DB at parry 100. It is a climbing up to Hobland.
-2- More...
Map to Gorcland
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Back to Town)
| Map Key
K H K - Kobland
| |\ C - Path to Hobland
Kobland K H \ Hobland Lesser Orcs
| | \ and Dangirland
K H \ (Choose Carefully)
/ | H H - Hobland
K H | O - Lesser Orcs and
|-(go path) \ H Cockatrices
C H | G - Gorcland
\ | H S - Swamp
C H-H H | (30 sec round time)
\ / \ / H X - Ridge
C H H | (down to Lesser Orcs;
/ \ / X climb trail to Hobland
O-O C |--Down/ B - Bridge (go bridge to
| \ | Climb trail cross)
| (To) X T - Tree bridge (go tree
O (Dangirland) / to cross)
| O P - Healing pool (drink pool
| / to stop bleeding)
O Lesser O @ - Cottage (go door to
| Orcs \ enter)
| and O
O Cockatrices /
Up/Down--|\ | O Always travel at parry 100
O \| /
Up/Down--| O O-O--B Always hunt with a friend
T \ / \---(go bridge)
(go tree)-| O O B Skin your prey
T \ / \
| O G Pawn the armors
G--G |
| \ G-G Be courteous to others
| S Swamp / \
| \ / G
| S S |
| \ | G----to Threks and
| S-S S-S | Manticores
/ |/ G
/ S |
/ G
/ / N
/ Gorcland G \ | /
| / \|/
| G---G---G-G-G W---+---E
| / / /|\
| G P / / | \
| / |\ / S
G-G-G-G-G @ G
| (go door)
to
Deathwoods
and Black Stalkers
-3- More...
You can fall climbing up that trail. You can fall into the chasm,
My companion has hurt himself badly incurring damage, and then must
trying to climb it, with severed leg "climb walls" to get out. My
and bleeding from the ears, no less. companion is now 2 for 2 for falling
off the tree bridge. From here it is
From here you are in Lesser Orcs and a short trip to the bottom of
can get to Gorcland by going across Gorcland.
the bridge (marked B). Be careful of
Threks around the eastern edge. They The swamp is an area to be avoided.
sometimes appear there, and they are Every time you take a step you incur
fast and can surprise you. a 30 sec. round time. If you decide
to chase a critter in the areas
The second way to Lesser Orcs is on marked S, then be sure you are at
the way to Hobland. Be careful, as parry 100. The monsters incur no
the entrance to Dangirland is near. round time here, as they live in the
You can also get to Gorcland by area and are used to it.
crossing Lesser Orcs and the bridge
again. Keep at parry 100, as those The area marked P on the map is a
Cockatrices can gaze and immobilize lifesaver. This is a healing pool.
you. This is still the safest path Drink from this pool to stop any
though. bleeding you have. Be careful,
because a monster can come in and
The third way to Gorcland is hit you.
dangerous but fun. In the south-
western area of Lesser Orcs is a The place marked @ is a small
slope and a tree bridge (Marked T). cottage. You can enter it with the
A large elm tree spans a chasm. command GO DOOR.
Tactics
~~~~~~~
Forest Trolls: We have 2 new types Just as you get into the swing of
of Forest Trolls. The stupid Trolls parry tag they will stop fighting
thought they would do better with a and wait. If you drop parry and
weapon that doesn't break as often. attack they will tag you hard!
The dagger-and flail-carrying types
are just asking to be killed. Set A turtled Greater Orc is hard to
your parry to a point that they can kill. Rarely do Greater Orcs carry
barely hit you (0 for some), and chests, but I have seen them. I
just hammer away at them. double parry tag Greater Orcs and
hope for a stun (and hope no other
Watch out, just in case that weapon monster walks into the room).
breaks. Trolls have lots of CPs, so
it takes a while to kill them, but Goblins: These are the jokes of the
they carry good treasure so it is forest. They are easy to kill and
worth the time it takes. don't fight very well. Their ring
mail pawns for about 130 silvers,
Lesser Orcs: These are the same ones though.
we killed in Hobland. Parry tag
works well, but watch out for Cockatrices: At last a monster for
wandering Cockatrices. Being semi-low level folks that has
immobilized at parry 0 can get you several attacks and 2 special magic
killed fast. Lesser Orcs do carry attacks. The physical attacks have
chests but it is rare. different MTHTs, and it is hard to
judge where to parry. This almost
Greater Orcs: The challenge! These forces you into parry tag. Look out!
critters have a high OB and a low The gaze of a cockatrice will give
DB. This gives them room to parry at you a round time of about 7 seconds,
different levels. These are smart long enough for the creature to hit
critters and will try to fool you. you if you are at parry 0. More...
-4-
________________________________________________________________________
/ \ The Monsters \
| @/____________________________________________________________________ /
| |
| Forest Troll (Type A) Forest Troll (Type B) |
| OB = 36/70/60 DB = 29 OB = 40/70/60 DB = 29 |
| THT = 31 MTHT = 99/66/67 THT = 31 MTHT = 94/66/67 |
| CPs = 250 Level = 6 CPs = 250 Level = 6 |
| Weapon - Cudgel/Claw/Bite Weapon - Dagger/Claw/Bite |
| Armor - Heavy Hide Armor - Heavy Hide |
|_ Found above bridge Found above and below bridge _|
/ \
| Forest Troll (Type C) Lesser Orc |
| OB = 40/70/60 DB = 29 OB = 60 DB = 50 |
| THT = 31 MTHT = 80/66/67 THT = 84 MTHT = 79 |
| CPs= 250 Level = 6 CPs = 60 Level = 4 |
| Weapon - Flail/Claw/Bite Weapon - Short Sword |
| Armor - Heavy Hide Armor - Heavy Hide |
|_ Found above and below bridge Found above bridge _|
/ \
| Greater Orc (Type A) Greater Orc (Type B) |
| OB = 80 DB = 30 OB = 80 DB = 30 |
| THT = 65 MTHT = 89 THT = 61 MTHT = 89 |
| CPs = 85 Level = 6 CPs = 85 Level = 6 |
| Weapon - Scimitar Weapon - Mace |
| Armor - Cuirbouili Leather Armor - Chain Hauberk |
|_ Found below bridge Found below bridge _|
/ \
| Cockatrice Goblin |
| OB = 40/50/60 DB = 45 OB = 40 DB = 30 |
| THT = 80 MTHT = 83/66/94 THT = 70 MTHT = 89 |
| CPs = 70 Level = 6 CPs = 50 Level = 3 |
| Weapon - Pinch/Claw/Charge Weapon - Scimitar |
| Armor - As Light Hide Armor - Ring Mail |
| Special attack: Gaze/Immobilize Found above and below bridge |
| Found above bridge |
| _______________________________________________________________________
| @ \ The THTs and MTHTs assume use of a broadsword and heavy hide. \
\_ /_____________________________________________________________________/
The Immobilizing gaze is the same makes up for less frequent chests.
thing but with a much longer round Be careful with those Gorcland
time. Neither spell changes your DB chests; many of them are trapped.
(thank the Gods). I parry tag these
creatures but am careful with attack All of the advice I gave in my
timing. They will cast a spell and Hobland article last month still
then if it is successful they will holds true for Gorcland. This is a
attack you immediately. Cockatrices richer and more varied area. I have
often carry chests. I get more had many fine adventures and met
satisfaction and fun killing some of my favorite people hunting
Cockatrices than any other creatures here. I wish you all the best of
in the area. luck. Happy Hunting!
_________________________________
Chests in the area seem to be more / \
rare than in Hobland but have more | Earn FREE Weekends in Kulthea |
silvers in them. All of these | by Contributing to KE |
creatures drop magic items and the | For Details |
armor the Gorcs wear is worth a lot | Send GE Mail to P.HERRINGTON |
at the pawn shop. That more than \_________________________________/
-5-
Successful Thievery: Traps and How to Overcome Them
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
____________ by Lord Artuero Bresnahanini
/ \ _________\
\@| ||=|=|=|| |
| ~~ |_| ~~ | o begin with, a discussion of the mechanics of finding and
_| |_| | disarming traps is in order. A thief must first find a trap
/@| _|_|_ | in order to be able to disarm it. The formula for finding a
\_/__________/ trap goes something like this:
Rf = (Disarm Skill Bonus) + (Perception Skill Bonus)**
+ (IN Bonus) + (Other Bonuses) + D100 + (Trap Difficulty)
( ** Perception Skill Bonus = .5 or something. Higher level thieves
can detect any trap in one try, so this aspect is difficult to verify.)
If Rf is greater than 100, the thief may include kneeling, Traplore, and
is able to detect the presence and perhaps even Locklore. It does not
nature of the trap. If Rf is 100 or appear that the possibility of a
less, the thief fails to discover fumble exists in the realm of
the trap, incurring a round time as finding or disarming the traps on
if there were no trap at all. chests. Note that while the trap
difficulty is added in the above
The thief's disarm skill bonus is formula, the trap difficulty is
that which he earns from training. always a negative number, which
His perception skill is added, results in a lessening of the chance
although the bonus which goes for a thief to find and disarm the
towards finding a trap may be trap on a chest.
reduced by some factor. This
explains why it is much easier to Once the thief has found the trap,
find a trap than to disarm it -- a he may attempt to disarm it. The
thief's perception bonus does not formula for disarming a trap is much
apply to disarming. The INtuition simpler than that for picking a
bonus is just that. Other bonuses lock, and is as follows:
Rd = (Disarm Skill Bonus) + (IN Bonus) + (Other Bonuses)
+ D100 + Trap Difficulty
Other bonuses may include kneeling have a base of forty-five seconds
(+10), and Lord Moonpie swears that reduced in some manner which does
Locklore will add to your chances of seem to take the thief's skill into
disarming a chest, either by +20 if account, at least to some degree.
you cast the spell on yourself or by
+10 if an item is used or the spell Should Rd turn out to be 100 or
is cast on you by an accomplice. less, the thief fails. The extent
I believe that kneeling and Locklore of his failure is based on by how
help to disarm a trap trap as well. much Rd is less than 100.
The authorities however, say that The thief might learn the difficulty
Locklore does not help you disarm of the trap, should he come close
traps. Traplore should increase your enough (my guess: with an 80 or 90).
chances, although that spell remains Should he fail badly enough (less
unimplemented at this time. than 0?), the thief sets off the
trap. Of course, there could be dire
If Rd is more than 100, then the consequences for the thief and
thief successfully disarms the trap. bystanders depending on the nature
The round time involved seems to of the trap. More...
-6-
Types of Traps warp. This is known as "rifting"
and is a rather enjoyable pastime.
The Ever-Disarmable Poison Needle Nonetheless, certain groups frown
Trap: upon the practice of "rifting,"
especially when done by older
A tiny hole (through which a thieves. This trap has a -140
poisoned needle shoots) is the difficulty and can be disarmed by
giveaway for this kind of trap. It etching some extra lines around the
is the easiest of traps to find and lock mechanism, altering the magic
disarm, having only a -5 difficulty. of the original markings.
A thief blocks the hole through
which the needle shoots to disarm The only real harm this trap can
it. The trap may be set off by an cause occurs when the thief is alone
unsuccessful attempt at picking the and picking the chest. Often, when
lock, and results in a mild he returns to the present, the chest
poisoning of the picker should he will no longer be there, having been
fail a resistance roll. taken by a creature or another
player. In any case, once a thief
The Unpopular Gas Cloud Trap: is in a time rift, he can do little
but enjoy it while he wanders around
A chest containing this trap will in one direction or another before
have a hammer poised to shatter a he pops out, dazed and confused,
small vial of liquid if the lock is into what is now the present.
tampered with. Disarm it by bending
the weak metal of the hammer. This One useful aspect of the time warp
trap has a -30 difficulty. When trap is that it affords the
this trap is sprung, a gas cloud opportunity for the thief to spend
spews out of the chest, threatening his round time from picking a lock
picker and bystanders. A thief may in a safe situation. This allows
"pick around" this trap, but if he the thief to kneel and pick in the
fails to open the lock he will have field, and then stand up before he
to move quickly after his twenty is released from the warp.
second round time for picking
expires before the cloud begins to The Deadly Metal Rod Trap:
cause damage.
This trap was first discovered by
The Disappointing Dark Crystal Trap: Sagan Necropolis while hunting in
the Silver mines. Sagan died twenty
This trap consists of a small, dark seconds later in an attempt to
crystal embedded in the locking disarm the trap. This trap,
mechanism. If a thief fails his evidenced by a small, glowing metal
disarming attempt badly enough, or rod positioned in the keyhole, is
fails to pick the lock even by the often deadly. It requires great
slimmest margin, a hole will open in skill to nudge the rod out of
the earth and suck the chest into alignment (-150 difficulty). Should
the netherworld, never to be seen a thief fail badly enough when
again. Get around this trap by disarming, or fail to pick the lock
grinding down parts of the lock without first disarming this trap,
mechanism so that it will not he receives an electricity critical.
contact the dark crystal when one Although the severity of the
attempts to pick the lock. This critical seems to have lessened in
trap carries a -95 difficulty. recent times, the metal rod trap is
one to be taken seriously.
The Benign Time Warp Trap:
The Frustrating Explosive Trap:
Strange markings around the lock
mechanism empower this trap to send A "bomb" is the most difficult chest
the picker, whether successful in to open successfully. Although the
picking the lock or not, into a time trap's difficulty is the same as
-7- More...
that of the metal rod trap (-150), brunt of the explosion, receiving a
this trap detonates regardless of fairly serious and possibly fatal
whether a thief is successful in impact critical.
picking the lock. Thus, this trap
must be disarmed prior to a picking Should they fail to take cover in
attempt. With care and skill, a time by making a difficult maneuver
thief may rub some mud into the roll, bystanders receive a less
white substance that comprises the severe impact critical. To add
chemical / explosive mixture, insult to injury, the chest and its
rendering it harmless. Should the entire contents are destroyed in the
chest explode, the picker bears the explosion.
A short summary of the trap types
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trap Diff. Pick Around? Destroys Chest?
Poison Needle - 5 Yes No
Gas Cloud - 30 Yes No
Dark Crystal - 90 Yes Yes
Time Warp -140 No No
Metal Rod -150 Yes No
Explosive -150 No Yes
At this time, these six comprise the universe of traps in our region.
Now for an example. After reading roll, his Rd will always exceed the
last month's article, our friendly 101 necessary for a disarm.
thief Remus was able to pick enough
chests to gain a level. That would Realizing that this formula lends
make his level an unlucky number, so itself easily to a quick
I will grant him another. Thus he determination of his chances of
is now fourteenth level. Remus is a success on each trap, Remus does
"new generation" thief, and so he some arithmetic, and figures out his
has double trained in his disarm chances, at fourteenth level, of
trap skill throughout his career. successfully disarming any of the
His thirty-two ranks of skill give other traps. He will always be able
him a skill bonus of +124. His +8 to disarm a gas trap (+142 + (-30) =
IN bonus gives him a total natural 112), but will only be able to
skill of +132. disarm a dark crystal trap on 32% of
his attempts (+142 +(-90) = +32).
Remus has just picked a chest with a The time warp trap is only barely
time warp trap, and is in a time within his range (+142 + (-140) =
rift. Therefore, he is able to read +2); he has only a 2% chance to
this article and I can write about disarm this on any given attempt as
his reading this article. Remus has he must make his D100 roll either a
determined that he will put the 99 or 100 to succeed. Alas, Remus
information he has learned here to realizes, the metal rod trap and the
use while he is rifting by learning explosive trap are out of his reach
which traps he may disarm. completely (+142 + (-150) = -8).
Remus decides that he will generally Remember that the formulas given
kneel when disarming a chest, thus here are models based on experience
his total skill bonus for disarming and intuition. They may not be per-
is +142. Applying this bonus to the fect, but their predictions have
trap difficulty for a needle trap, turned out to be very accurate.
Remus realizes that he has a +137 to A better understanding of traps
add to his D100 roll. Thus, he will should lead to a safer world. I hope
always succeed at disarming a needle this article is a step in that
trap. No matter how low his D100 direction.
-8-
____________
/ \ __ \ Puma Chow
\@| / "| | ~~~~~~~~~
| //|"| | by Murdoch Ravenlock
_| //=|"| |
/@| // |"| |
\_/ ~~ ~~~ / few months ago a new some sword swingers and/or sorcerers
~~~~~~~~~~~ area opened up right who can stun the puma, at least one
outside of town off the mine trail. healer, and a cleric. If you can
One of the inhabitants in the new find a cleric who can blind them,
area is the puma, a large cat often all the better! I've seen some play-
referred to as a mountain lion. The ers hunt them solo, but if you are
pumas here live along a lake shore new to the area and have an aversion
and along a forest trail (see map). to becoming puma chow, then hunting
in a group is the best route.
Pumas are parry-taggable but are
quick enough that extra caution ________________________________
should be used. One of my cousins / \ Information About Pumas \
had his stomach ripped out by a puma |@/_____________________________ /
so I'd stay away from them if the | |
system is running slow. Pumas don't | Level 15, speed - med to fast |
carry chests, but their hides are | Attacks: Bite OB-150 THT 69 |
quite valuable. | Claw OB-135 THT 66 |
| DB - 70 (max 190) CPs - 150 |
The best way to hunt pumas is in a /@| THT with broadsword - 84 |
group. The group should consist of \/_______________________________/
Map of Puma Area
FP--FP
/ / ************************
FOREST FP FP--FP * Map key *
AREA MAP | \ * MT = Mine Trail *
FP FP * Va = Valley *
| \ \ * FP = Forest Path (1) *
FP ? FP * Fo = Fork in Path *
| | * WP = Winding Path *
FP ? FP * FT = Forest Trail *
| \ / * LS = Lake Shore *
climb FP ? Fo ************************
rockslide | / \
MT...........Va--Va Va WP--WP--WP..........FT----FT
(from Mine / | go trail /
Trail) Va ?--Va (to where FT
| \ / pumas are) /
? Va LS
/ | / \
? ? LS LS
| |
LS LS (2)
Notes: (1) Be careful of Black Bears, Giant Boars and other critters
that live along the Forest Path.
(2) There's a waterfall here that is so loud you will need to
yell if you want to talk.
-9-
Cartographer's Shop: Kelfour's Landing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Darwynn Ellessur
Revision by Avondale de|{nightsaber
The map on these two pages can be taped together to provide a quick
reference for old and new residents of Kelfour's Landing. It provides
accurate directions along the arcs from each location, although some arcs
have been stretched. To use the bridge between banks of the Colewaether,
use the command GO BRIDGE.
LEGEND
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ### Exterior Wall / NE-SW <UPPERCASE> Street Abbreviation |
| --- East-West = bridge <lowercase> Place Abbreviation |
| | North-South \ NW-SE XXX Colewaether River |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
1 WES--LAN--EAS
### gate ##############################################
# |
2 # NRG--NRG--NRG--NRG--NRG--NRG--NRG--NRG--NRG--NRG-------BAW
# / | fur | mil | hea | har
# / | | | | | N |
3 # --- EOG MEW YAR JAR WID | |
# / bat | | | thi /|\ |
# / | | | | | | |
4 #WRG SQNW-----SQNE--REA--MEW--REA--REA--JAR WID--MIR | COL
# | rti wea sta |loc,eng hel paw | | ndo
# | |\ /| | | | | | |
5 #WRG | \ / | IOR LAN JAR--WID DRA COL
#mer | \ / | bla hbr war kin | /war
# | | | | | | | | | / XX
6 # | | |WEL| | AND--KEL--KEL JAR--LAE--DRA--COL XXX
# | | \ | / | | | war | wha\ XXX
# | | \|/ | | | | | \ X
7 #WRG--BLU--SQW--SQC--SQE--HAL--AND KEL--JAR DRA COL
# | gro ban wel moo | | \ inn,bel |
# | | /tre\ | | | \ | |
8 #WRG | | | | AND CUL WIN--WIN--DRA--WIN--WCR=
# | | / \ | con cat | ban |
# | |/ \| | | | |
9 #WRG--GRI--SQSW-----SQSE | MOO--MOO DRA |
# \ arm hpa gen | | hph | |
# \ | | | | | |
10 # \ | AND--ORH--ORH HUD--HUD--DRA COL-
# \ | cle tem mus bak fle |
# \ | | | |
11 # \ FAE TER--TER DRA COL-
# \ scr,keo | | dre |
# \ | | | | |
12 # SRG--SRG--SRG--SRG--SRG--SRG-------SRG-------SRG--SRG--SRG-
# gem
#############################################################
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
-10-
Map --->
Cartographer's Shop (Continued)
Each node has a street name in capital letters: WID (Widow-wart Road);
a place name in lower case letters: paw (the pawnshop); and several
directional lines: N, E, S. This nomenclature is used for sites. A grid
system is provided for fast look-up from the cross-reference tables for
streets and places.
|
WID-- <-- Street Name
paw <-- Place Name (Blank, if none)
|
STREET CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
------------------------------------
AND Andraax Avenue G6-G10
AQU Aqua Regia Road Q5
BAE Bay's East Watch Q2
O P Q R BAW Bay's West Watch N2
BLU Bluestar Street B7
1 BOA Boatyard Q10
####################### BRI Bridge, Kelfour's O8
XXXXXXXX # COL Colewaether Way N4,N5,M6,N7-N11
XXXXXXXX BAE # 2 DRA Dragonfang Road L5-L11
XXXXXXXX cat # EAS East Tower E1
XXXXXXXXX \ # ECR East Crossing P8
XXXXXXXXX \ERG # 3 EOG Eogsmith St C3
XXXXXXXXXX alc # ERG East Ring Road R3-R8
XXXXXXXXXX | # FAE Faetherquel St E11
-NDOXXXXXXX | # 4 GAR Garden Q9,R9,R10
XXXXXXXXXX | # GRI Grimseer Lane B9
XXXXXXXXXX | # HAL Half Senit Street F7
XXXXXXXXXX AQU--ERG # 5 HUD Hudvaark Road J10,K10
XXXXXXXXX | coo # IOR Iorak Street H5
XXXXXXXXX | | # JAR Jarkarn Street J3-J7
XXXXXXXX RIV | # 6 MEW Mews, The G3-G4
XXXXXXXXX | | # MIR Mirenna Street L4
XXXXXXXXX | | # MOO Moonstone Lane I9,J9
XXXXXXX RIV ERG # 7 NRG North Ring Road C2-L2
XXXXXXX | bre # ORH Orhan Square H10,I10
XXXXXX | | # REA Reaan Street F4,H4,I4
=BRI==ECR--RIV--ERG # 8 RIV River Ramble Q6-Q8
XXXXX jet war | # SHA Shanty Town P11-Q12
XXXXX | | # SQC SQUARE Central D7
XXXXX GAR GAR--HAS# 9 SQE SQUARE East E7
XXXXXXXX shk has# SQNE SQUARE Northeast E4
XXXXXXX | # SQNW SQUARE Northwest C4
-----------BOAXXGAR # 10 SQSE SQUARE Southeast E9
boaXX # SQSW SQUARE Southwest C9
| XXX # SQW SQUARE West C7
------SHA--SHA XX # 11 SRG South Ring Road C12-N12
sha | XX # TER Teris Lane G11,H11
| | X # WEL Town Well D6
------SHA--SHA # 12 WES West Tower C1
# WCR West Crossing N8
################### WID Widow-wart Road K3-K5
WIN Windzak Street J8,K8,M8
O P Q R S WRG West Ring Road A4-A9
YAR Yarlek Lane I3
<--- Map -11-
ABBR. PLACE GRID DIRECTIONS
--------------------------------------------------------------------
alc Alchemist R3 GO HOUSE
arm Armory B9 GO ARMORY
bak Baker's K10 GO SHOP
bat Cheldar's Bathhouse C3 GO BATH
ban Bank, 1st Quellbourne C7 GO BANK, GO ARCH, GO WINDOW
ban Bank, Kelfour Secure L8 GO ENTRANCE, NORTH, GO WINDOW
bel Beldreck's Gaming Hall L7 GO HALL
boa Boatyard gate Q10 GO GATE
bla Blacksmith H5 GO GATE, GO DOOR
bre Brewery R7 GO GATE
cat Catacombs Q2 GO TOWER,GO STAIR,N,GO HID DOOR
cat Catacombs I8 GO CRATE
cle Cleric's Store G10 GO CLERIC
con Constabulary G8 GO BUILDING
coo Cooper R5 GO SHOP
dre Dress shop, (Sarii's) L11 GO SHOP
eng Engraver's Shop I4 Go SHOP
fle Fletcher, (Faeroudh) L10 GO DOOR
fur Furrier, (Jarik's) D2 GO SHOP
gate GATE D1 GO GATE
gem Gemcutter's D12 GO SHOP
gen General Store E9 GO STORE
gro Grocer B7 GO GROCER
har House, Arcane N2 GO GATE
has House, Argent Aspis S9 GO GATE
hbr House, Brigatta I5 GO GATE
hea Healer's Tent (Surtey) J2 GO TENT
hel Helga's Tavern J4 GO STAIR
hpa House, Paupers C9 GO GATE
hph House, Rising Phoenix J9 GO ENTRYWAY
inn Inn, Frith's L7 GO INN
jet Jetty P8 GO FOOTPATH
keo Kelfour Edition Office E11 GO BUILDING
kin Kintaru's Herbs K5 GO HOUSE
loc Locksmith I4 GO DOOR
mer Merchant's Guild A5 GO GUILD
mil Military Barracks H2 GO BARRACKS
moo Moot Hall E7 GO HALL
mus Kelfour's Museum I10 GO MUSEUM
ndo North Dock N4 GO WALKWAY
paw Pawnshop, Dernick's K4 GO PAWN
rti Raging Threk's Inn C4 GO INN
scr Scribe E11 GO SHOP
sha Shanty O11 GO SHANTY
she Shed L5 GO WAREHOUSE
shk Shack R9 GO SHACK
sta Stables G3 GO STABLE
tem Temple of Eissa H10 GO TEMPLE
thi Thingul Manor K3 GO GATE
tre Tree House D7 CLIMB TREE
war warehouse,OLD Q8 GO WAREHOUSE
war warehouse, TOWN J5 GO ENTRANCE
war warehouse, TOWN J6 GO WAREHOUSE, GO DOOR
war warehouse, IOLAN's N5 GO WAREHOUSE
wea Weapons, Tyron's Arms E4 GO ENTRANCE
wel Town Well D7 GO WELL
wha Wharf, South M6 GO WHARF
-12-
We Were Expecting Someone Older
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Lord Gallenod Varynesti
Our story to this point: A caravan led by the dwarven master trader Brugo
Ironhand is travelling through a dangerous mountain pass. Protecting the
caravan is a group of mercenaries led by the fighter Andar Trollbane. Also
with the caravan are Algo Stonearm, apprentice to Brugo, and a small half-
ling traveller, Wimby Littlefoot.
____________
/ \ _________\
\@| ||=|=|=|| | hey were a week into what happened to Pelag, a log sus-
| ~~ |_| ~~ | the trip when Gaden pended from two trees swung down at
_| |_| | reported something the front of the caravan and slammed
/@| _|_|_ | odd ahead. "There's into Gaden. Algo heard bones crack
\_/__________/ signs of some large as both the hapless ranger and his
creature up there," he said, gestur- horse were swept from the trail.
ing at the pass. Perhaps more than
one. It's hard to tell with all Then, from the shadows of the forest
this stone." and the ravine rose two hulking
figures: mountain ogres. Big ones.
"You think there might be a pro- Carrying small, uprooted trees like
blem?" asked Andar. "What kind of clubs, they charged the wagon train.
signs?"
"Rock Apes!" shouted Andar. "Delph-
"Well, how about half a dead grizzly ia, see if you can slow them down!"
bear." Gaden replied sardonicaly. Unable to turn his horse on the
narrow trail, Andar leapt from his
"Only half?" chuckled Pelag. "Per- mount and ran to meet the nearest
haps whatever killed it isn't hungry ogre's charge.
any more."
Algo could see the ogres more clear-
"It wasn't eaten," Gaden replied ly as they approached. They were
levelly. "Just torn in half. Don't huge, well over ten feet tall, but
know what happened to the other moved with surprising quickness
part." through the underbrush. Behind him,
Delphia muttered the beginnings of a
That sobered the group. Brugo spell. Then Algo heard a dull thump.
reached back into his wagon and Turning around, he found himself
pulled out a wicked-looking battle face to face with a third ogre,
axe. He smiled. "Well, let's do grinning over Delphia's prone body.
it, then. We've still got six hours
of daylight to get through the pass. Algo grabbed his axe and charged,
Perhaps the critter's only a night realizing that their only chance lay
hunter." Setting the darkly gleaming in giving the mercenaries enough
axe down next to him on the seat, he time to recover and deal with the
whistled for the caravan to resume ogres. The third ogre, however,
their climb up the steep trail. ignored him and moved to join its
fellows. The three ogres confronted
Pelgar was the first casualty. The Andar, who they obviously considered
group heard the sound of stone the most dangerous.
grinding on stone. Suddenly, a huge
boulder came from out of a side The fighter was strictly on the
ravine and knocked him from his defensive, as the three ogres herded
saddle. The surprised band had him farther and farther from the
little time to recover. While caravan. Finally, his back to a
everyone was looking back to see sheer cliff, Andar threw caution to
-13- More...
the wind. He rubbed a dull amulet air! The ogres laughed, and pro-
at his neck and then the silvery ceeded to play a gruesome game of
pommel of his greatsword. Moving tether-ball with the trapped dwarf.
faster than Algo had ever thought
possible for a human, Andar waded With a sinking heart, Algo realized
into the three ogres like a whirling he was now alone. The mercenaries
dervish, sword flashing like light- were obviously down for the count,
ning. and the other drivers had fled. He
gripped his small axe tightly,
Andar's enhanced strength and speed, awaiting his fate.
though, weren't quite enough. He
did considerable damage to all three "Oooh! That's terrible!" shrill
ogres, but in the end a powerful voice chirped. Algo watched in
blow from one of them knocked him stunned amazement as the tiny form
over the cliff. Satisfied, the ogres of Wimby jogged out to the ogres.
turned as one and headed for the They stopped batting the net, which
wagons. In the back of his mind, by now was still. Algo was torn
Algo seemed to remember something between hoping his master was still
about rock ogres having the brains alive and wondering what the hobbit
of the rocks they were named after. was doing.
Their tactics, however, belied that;
they had taken out the mercenaries The ogres seemed as confused as Algo
with military precision. Algo by the tiny, unarmed creature in
raised his axe and prayed to the front of them. Wimby looked up at
Forger for the strength to survive. the biggest ogre, eyes wide and
But in his heart, he knew it was shinning. "Wow, that must hurt!" he
hopeless. exclaimed, pointing to the largest
of the gashes opened by Andar's
Brugo, however, wasn't giving up. sword.
Raising his axe, edges gleaming in
the fading sunlight, he barred the The ogre, surprised by the un-
way to the wagons. The ogres stop- expected sympathy, dumbly nodded his
ped and stared at him. Then, amaz- head. Wimby pressed his opening.
ing for a creature marginally more "Here," he said, "try this." The
intelligent than a rock, one spoke. hobbit reached into a pocket and
pulled out a small vial of fluid.
"YOU.. HAVE... THING.. MOMMA WANTS," Running up to the ogre, he sprinkled
the ogre rumbled. "GIMMIE!" the fluid on the wound. Algo and
the ogres watched in amazement as
If Brugo had any idea what the ogre the wound closed.
was talking about, he didn't budge
an inch. "BETTER!" growled the ogre. "MORE!"
"You'll touch my goods over my dead "YEAH.. MORE!" roared the other two,
body, rocks-for-brains!" yelled the jumping up and down. Algo heard a
dwarf. Brugo charged the ogres and small landslide start down the
aimed a mighty blow at the closest. slope. The three ogres surrounded
The dark axe sliced through the Wimby.
cudgel the ogre was carrying like it
was a wet noodle. The ogre back- "But I don't have any more," cried
pedalled in surprise, trampling a Wimby. "That was all I had!"
small tree. Brugo darted forward,
sensing an opening, and swung again. The ogres frowned and glared at
The ogre, however, dodged with a Wimby.
speed seemingly impossible for one
its size. Brugo's axe cut through a "But I know where you can get some!
tightly strung vine and a net Do you want more?" asked Wimby.
hoisted the old dwarf high into the More...
-14-
"MORE!" roared all three ogres in quietly, and Momma won't hurt you,
unison. you nasty little hobbits!"
"Okay, then listen up. You see, The hag glared, energy flared, and
there's this magic pool," Wimby be- Algo felt his limbs freeze in ter-
gan firing off directions so fast it ror. Helpless to even run, he drop-
made Algo's head spin. The ogres ped his axe and stood frozen in
looked completely confused. "You'd place.
better hurry. If you don't get
there by sundown, the magic won't Wimby, however, seemed unaffected.
work! Now go! That way! Hurry!" "Oh dear," he sighed. "I had so
hoped to avoid this.
The ogres, completely forgetting
about the caravan, thundered off in As the enraged hag started forward,
the direction their newfound friend Wimby raised his hands and intoned a
was pointing. They weren't quite single word. It didn't sound like a
sure where they were going, but they hobbit's voice; it sounded more like
knew they had to hurry; sundown was the Voice of Doom itself. Then, too
soon. fast for Algo's eye to follow, the
hobbit slammed his hands together.
Algo watched the ogres thunder off A blast of essence shattered the
into the forest, and then all was fabric of reality for an instant.
silent. He heard a chuckle and As it washed over the hag, she
turned to see Wimby smiling up at wilted like sugar under a waterfall,
him. her entire form vaporized by the
force of Wimby's attack.
"Boy," exclaimed Wimby, "those guys
were nasty. Stupid, but nasty." As Vaporized. Algo's numbed brain echo-
he regarded the smiling hobit, Algo ed the word again and again.
remembered something about fortune
favoring fools and children. He Vaporized.. vaporized.. vaporized...
wondered if hobbits counted as both.
Just like that dragon!
Suddenly, the scene was shattered by
a loud screech and a crash like The sudden shock of realization
thunder. The ugliest female Algo broke the spell the hag had cast on
had ever seen appeared in a cloud of him. A new fear filled the young
choking smoke, glaring at the dwarf, as he slowly backed away from
hobbit. She was also the biggest, the tiny form of Whizbamph the
standing well over ten feet tall. Incredible.
"So!" she shrieked, "you think Algo stammered, "That was.. that
you're so smart, furball? So what was.."
if those idiot children of mine are
off on a wild goose chase! They've "Incredible?" chuckled the hobbit.
done what's needed. Now, where is "I guess so. I just hate having to
it? I can smell it! I wants it, do that, though. It's so violent."
NOW!!!" The tiny sorcerer looked almost sad.
Wimby looked innocently at the moun- "But what are you doing here?",
tain hag. "Where's what, ma'am?" He stammered Algo. You're.. you're.."
smiled sweetly at the huge old
crone. "The boss?" replied the hobbit.
"Well, yes, I suppose so. But I had
"None of your tricks for me, you a hunch about this one. Thought I'd
hairy thief!" Mystical energies come along to keep an eye on things.
began gathering around the hag, and Good thing, too. Ogres are pretty
the clearing grew dark. "Give it up stupid on their own, but that hag
-15- More...
was really nasty. Even got them to winked; Algo's blood ran cold.
follow directions. Quite well-
organized." "You mean, no one else knows what
you look like but me?" Algo asked
"But, you're not.. I. mean.. I was glumly. He could see where this was
expecting someone..." Algo's voice heading, and he didn't like it.
tailed off.
"You got it." The sorcerer sighed.
"Taller, perhaps?" chuckled the "Oh well, I guess it can't be
hobbit. helped. Good bye, Algo."
"Well," blushed Algo, "older, Algo tried to back away as the
anyway." sorcerer raised his hands again, but
the terrified dwarf tripped over his
"It's not the years, my friend, but dropped axe as the hobbit cast his
the mileage," smiled the sorcerer. spell.
"But what about the others? Andar, Algo stared around the clearing.
Gaden, Delphia? And the cleric?" The ogres were gone. And what about
Algo was almost panic-stricken, as the old woman. Old woman? Was
events settled in his still foggy there an old woman? Algo shook his
brain. head to clear the fog that seemed to
surround his brain. Where had he
"Oh, they did reasonably well, gotten these bottles? He heard a
considering the opposition. I hope groan from the net holding Brugo.
they're all right," the sorcerer
mused. Reaching into a small vest "Master, you're alive!" Algo stood
pocket, the hobbit pulled out two up and ran to cut the old dwarf
impossibly large vials and set them down. Brugo was bruised, but unbro-
on the wagon. "When you get a ken. Further searching revealed
chance, have them drink these heal- Gaden, Delphia, and Pelag, all
ing potions. If they're still severely wounded but still clinging
alive, that is." to life. Without questioning where
he'd gotten them, they all drank
Algo nodded again, picking up the from Algo's healing potions.
bottles.
"Where's Andar?" asked Delphia.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Andar felt Algo looked at her sadly. That much
slightly warm as the hobbit stared he remembered. He pointed to the
at him intently. "There's the cliff.
little problem of what to do about
you." "The ogres knocked him over the
edge," he answered quietly. The
"Me?" gulped the dwarf. "What about group carefully crept to the edge
me?" and looked down. Ten feet down, the
unconscious form of Andar hung from
"Well," the hobbit replied, "I can't the wrist cord of his sword, the
have someone blabbing to the world cross-brace of which was wedged in a
that Whizbamph the Incredible, the crevice. Thirty minutes of careful
most feared sorcerer in nine realms maneuvering, with Gaden hanging 300
and head of the largest mercenary feet in the air on a rope, and they
organization in the Star Empire is a managed to get the fighter's huge
cute, fuzzy, "cuddle-bunny," can I? body up the cliff. The little group
Think what it would do to my used the last of the healing potion
reputation! Can you imagine how to bring Andar around.
much business I'd get if everyone
heard that? She was a cute elf, "Where.. what happened?" the groggy
though." The hobbit grinned and fighter asked.
-16- (Continued on Page 18)
____________
/ \ _________\ Undermining Kelfour's (Part 1)
\@| ||=|=|=|| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| ~~ |_| ~~ | by Llorien Silvanestii
_| |_| |
/@| _|_|_ | he disappearances mention disturbing others' prayers."
\_/__________/ began nearly two
weeks ago. At first no one seemed "Aw, you sound just like Ignatius,"
to take notice. The flower girl who I pouted. "But you forgot to
enticed passersby with her fragrant apologize to everyone." As the words
white flower petals stopped coming. left my lips, I realized that the
The curious mystic who most thought brother had not yet returned. From
quite mad, seemed to have found him- the looks on my companions' faces,
self a remote hiding place to hole they were thinking the same thing.
up in.
"That's not like him," Pterelas
But then the unthinkable happened. noted. "He usually is gone but a few
Brother Ignatius, the kindly monk minutes. Perhaps his friend needed a
who kept the weary and injured hand closing up shop."
company while they laid around the
temple, had stepped out just for a Just then a muted cry of pain
moment to visit a friend at the drifted in through the open temple
cleric's shop next door. door. Penna leaped to her feet, the
knowledge of another's pain spurring
Pterelas and I were engaged in our her to action. The blood-splattered
favorite pastime, baiting each other form of the cleric shop owner
to see who would be left speechless staggered in the doorway, took two
first. Penna and Aegyptia talked steps, and fell into an unmoving
over the healing /resurrection that heap.
they had just completed, a hapless
bard who thought that he could lull Penna sprang to his side, quickly
a grey orc to sleep with a lullaby. checking over the inert form for the
extent of the injuries. "Aegyptia,
"It's a good thing that your Llorien he's seriously hurt and I haven't
can swing a sword, Penna," remarked recovered enough power to heal him."
Aegyptia. "With his voice, we would Aegyptia nodded and closed her eyes.
be picking up pieces of him every A brilliant blue arc passed between
time he stepped outside the town her and Penna, who then took the
gates." Penna giggled and glanced in poor man's injuries onto herself.
my direction.
"Come on Llorien!" Pterelas shouted.
With Pterelas seeming in fine form, "Ignatius may be in trouble!" As I
I decided to use an old trick which drew my falchion and ran after him,
always seems to fluster him. I the thought crossed my mind that for
whistled a complicated little ditty, a bright young lad, he tended
the sweet notes filling the air. towards statements of the obvious.
Pterelas immediately took up the
challenge and tried to do the same. We sprinted out into the murky
The tuneless sound that emerged from night, unslinging our shields as we
between his pursed lips sounded just ran. The faint rays of moonlight
like that kobold we had seen made deceptive shadows. As we
earlier, the one that wandered into approached the shop, Pterelas
the grip of a werebear. Aegyptia motioned for me to stop. He pointed
glanced over in irritation and shook at the open door and signed for me
her head. to take up a position on the left
side. I quickly maneuvered into
"Llorien!" Penna admonished. "You place, then checked his postion. He
know how that bugs Pterelas. Not to was nowhere to be seen. Only a
-17- More...
shifting of the shadows showed him weapons are gone!" Sure enough,
as he stealthily made his way to the there was no sign anywhere of the
open doorway. holy weapons that are a cleric's
best friend.
I gripped my blade tightly as he
prepared to enter. Thoughts raced (Continued Next Month)
through my mind that anyone who
would stoop so low as to hurt an
unarmed monk was a desperate type. I =================\\=================
crept closer, ready to jump in if
Pterelas uncovered the criminals
still in the act. Expecting Someone Older From Page 16
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a few seconds I realized that no "I don't know," shrugged Algo. "One
sounds of combat came from the shop. minute, you're all down and I'm
I let my breath out slowly, still surrounded by ogres. The next thing
wary of letting down my guard, as a I know, I'm all alone in the
glow lit the doorway and Pterelas clearing holding those bottles."
stuck his head out.
Andar nodded, examined one of the
"Looks like they've been and gone," bottles, thumbed a small mark on the
he said, putting down his lamp. The neck, and looked at Delphia. "I
place was wrecked. Cupboards had think the boss was here; that's his
been emptied, their contents strewn mark. Sounds like he hit you with a
over the floor. Vials of holy water Forget spell, Algo. Nice to know he
lay smashed, their precious contents was looking after us, though I think
soaked up by the thirsty ground. Lachmar's going to have quite a
lecture for us when we get to
"Any sign of Ignatius?" I asked. Pragor." The fighter winced, as if
Pterelas shook his head. he feared the lecture more than the
ogres. "Boy, did we get suckered."
"And they weren't common thieves
either," he noted. "The old man's Suddenly, Algo stood up. "Wimby!
cash is untouched." Where's Wimby?"
"Oh?" I asked, raising my eyebrow in "Oh, poor little hobbit!" cried Del-
his direction. "How do you know phia. "Yes, what happened to him?"
where he keeps his cash?" Pterelas
shrugged and started searching. Brugo, who had been checking some
cargo in one of the wagons, looked
Penna and Aegyptia entered the shop, up. "He's over here. Sleeping like
the strain of healing evident in a baby." The grizzled dwarf chuck-
Penna's face. She rubbed a fresh led. "I guess what they say is
scar on her abdomen and muttered true: the Gods protect fools and
something about the cost of scar- children. I wonder if hobbits
removing herbs. "How is he?" I asked qualify as both?"
although I knew that with Penna
looking after him, he'd be fine. Algo seemed to hear an echo of
someone else saying that, but
Penna started to reply, but Aegyptia couldn't quite remember where. The
exclaimed, "Where are they?" memory quickly faded as the group
turned to picking up the pieces of
A look of puzzlement on his face, the shattered caravan.
Pterelas replied, "Who? The crooks?
They obviously vamoosed." Meanwhile, Wimby Littlefoot, some-
times known by his professional name
"Not the crooks!" she exclaimed. of "Whizbamph the Incredible," was
Pointing at an empty locker, she dreaming of being cuddled by a whole
said, "The weapons! All the blessed host of female elves.
-18-
____________ The Wight's Revenge (Conclusion)
/ \ ________ \ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\@| ~|~|~~|| | by Elminester Sylvanisty
| |~|_ ~~ |
_| |~|-| | ace to face with a Spider Temple, greater than my
/@| |~| | wight lord! I could rivals in the evil Monastery. I will
\_/ ~~~~~ / feel the perturbing conquer your small town, and from
~~~~~~~~~~~ red orbs that served there I will send my great army to
for its eyes focus on me. It floated conquer Kulthea, and even the gods
toward me silently, and I shuddered will fear me!" The wight lord
and closed my eyes, hoping that when continued to boast, thinking that no
I opened them the nightmare would be one could thwart it.
over. A putrefying hand on my chin
forced me to look up. The old man said, "We shouldn't tell
this mage about our plans."
"Well Master Elminester, we meet
again, this time on my terms," the The wight lord's roar made the old
wight lord said. I sensed the evil man step back. "Don't fear, my
power that told me this was not one servant! Soon he will be another one
of the common wight lords you find of our destructive toys." It moved
in most dark dungeons. closer to me and whispered, "You
will suffer as the old master of
The old man stayed back as his this ruin did when I stole the
master made its appearance. Now the secret of the creation of golems
wight lord addressed him. "You have from him. He thought he had escaped
done well, Moshtrol. I told you that me, but he was as much a fool as
we had only to wait and he would you."
fall into our hands."
The wight floated away from me and
The wight lord moved close and clapped its hands. From nowhere,
looked at my leg. "Excellent work. the glowing steel golem appeared.
It still amazes me what mortals can "Soon you will be like one of these,
do with their magic." All the time I and more of them will be made." The
remained silent, but my leg grew wight issued orders to the golem:
numb and I shifted it. "You do not "Destroy anyone who enters, except
like your accomodations, mortal? You for me and Moshtrol. Come, Servant,
grow impatient?" it sneered. "Always we must prepare. The steel golem
in a hurry, even to die." It will guard the mage until the melted
laughed maniacally, "Oh, but master steel is ready."
Elminester, it will not be that
easy." With a gesture, the wight They closed the cell door behind
lord lit the furnace under the them. I had been quiet all the time
cauldron. The liquid in the cauldron absorbing information. The wight
boiled up, filling my nostrils with king planned to create more of the
sickly fumes so that I coughed and magic-using golems by trapping
my vision blurred. unsuspecting travelers. My mind
raced, trying to find a way to
The wight lord spoke again. "You escape. Then I had it! Most
will be another soldier in my army. controlled creatures follow
Soon I will rise to the most favored instruction but can't make decisions
position among the wight kings and on their own. I struggled against my
servants of Kadaena." chains to see the reaction of the
golem. It just stood there, of
So, it was a wight king! I knew that course. It had been ordered only to
the powers this creature mustered kill anyone entering the room
were too formidable even for a wight besides the wight and the old man.
lord. "I will be the favorite of
Kadaena when she returns," it went I reached into my pocket and lay
on. "Greater than her minions of the hold of a rune with the spell "Call
-19- More...
Familiar" on it. I couldn't cast bolt to a leg and another to its
spells with my hands chained, and my arm. The golem fell to the ground,
head hurt, but I could hold the making the entire room tremble. It
runes. I read them, and the power of started to rise; a final bolt caught
the spell was within my mind. I cast it full in the chest and the golem
the spell, and the magic called my fell still.
familiar.
I didn't waste any time. I used my
A calico cat appeared. The steel rune to unlock the door, made myself
golem lifted one of its giant legs invisible, and moved quickly down
to kick at the cat, but a magic the corridors of the dungeon. I was
shield appeared that kept the golem afraid there might be wards against
from harming the ethereal form of my gold ring, so I didn't use it. I
my familiar. I felt in my hidden heard voices from a door as I moved
pockets for something that would past. Through the small window in
help me get free of my chains. the door I saw the wight and its
Eureka! A rune with the spell "Open servant, planning their next move.
II". Four of them. I chanted the They had many scrolls on top of a
rune; my chains opened easily. The table, scrolls I had seen before.
steel golem kept up its mindless They were the copies of the scroll
attack on the familiar, and I knew I that the wight lord had given to the
had to hurry, as the shielding spell old man when I first spied on them.
couldn't last much longer. The wight king was talking, so I
moved closer.
I examined the cell, which was
really a much larger room. The door "I have brought all the existing
was just in front of where I was copies of the spell here to protect
chained. There was a small table to them from my rivals," the creature
the right with my traveling sack and said. "The mountain hags will keep
pouch. I moved quietly toward the them safe."
table while the golem was occupied
and pulled from my pouch the "Elminester will be a good soldier
medicinal roots I needed, some to our cause, Master."
pieces of Arfandas Stem. As I ate
them, the warmth of their magic The wight king nodded and replied
healed my wounds so that I could "Yes, soon I will have Kelfour's
summon all my protective magic. Landing, and those fools in the
Monastery and the Spider Temple will
First, I tried to call upon my dark kneel before me as Supreme Master of
powers, but they wouldn't work in the Unlife".
the cell. It made sense; the wight
king probably had enemies within its I had to do something, and fast. I
own ranks, so it had wards against moved away from the door, cast haste
their magic. I would have to fight again, made myself invisible, and
this golem with my essence magic. I prepared a Fire Storm spell. I open
took a blue crystal wand from my the door and let the spell fall
sack and one iron amulet. I rubbed inside the room. I prepared a Death
the amulet and felt my strength and Cloud spell and cast it and then a
agility grow. Stun Cloud spell. All these actions
took less than a second. Then I
I was ready! I cast my haste spell, blasted the old man with a well-
and everything slowed around me. I aimed firebolt to the chest.
dismissed my familiar, and the
calico cat jumped through the small The wight lord moved toward me with
window in the door and disappeared. its Slay-knife while one of the hags
The steel golem turned just as I moved to protect the old man. They
blasted it with a lightning bolt. It had not realized yet that the fire
tried to kick me, but I stepped back cloud was almost ready to pour down
and dropped it with one lightning its deadly shower. I had about three
-20- More...
seconds to leave the room, but the I could not find the body of the old
wight king lunged at me and would man. The hag that had tried to save
have made me one of their ranks if I him was dead. I heard maniacal
hadn't backed away. laughter and the old man's voice.
"Well, well, you are more resour-
I gestured at it and it fell down as ceful than my master thought." The
the ground under its feet melted door I was moving toward disap-
into lava. I called upon another peared. "I will show you now what
spell, and everyone in the room power is!" A door appeared in one
trembled and fell to the ground. wall and the old man stepped through
The wight king raised its blade it. He still had the scorched mark
again. I used the last of my power of my firebolt on his chest.
and pointed at its Slay-knife. The
weapon disappeared in a burst of He started to gesture; I recognized
fire. I had used too much power to the words of the spell. There was
cast more spells, but before the no time to worry about whether the
wight lord could strike me with its gold ring would bring me to safety.
life draining claws, I went out and I took it from my pouch, put it on,
blocked the door with a big rock. and the town gates appeared. People
stared and avoided me, as I was a
Heat came through the door and the mess.
cries of agony from the mountain
hags. Thunder sounded as the death I smiled to myself. Not such a bad
and stun clouds moved around the day, nothing that a good bath and
room, electrical bolts hitting the mug of ale couldn't fix. The old man
creatures. One bolt arced through was still alive, but without the
the window and almost hit me. I sat wight king to help him, he probably
down to wait till the spells had was just a minor problem for the
expired before I removed the rock brave people of Kelfour's Landing.
and opened the door. As soon as it We still have to deal with the
was quiet, I looked inside. All the Monastery and the Spider Temple, but
hags were dead, most of them burned they have become a part our life.
beyond recognition. The body of the
wight king lay on the floor, and the I went through the gates toward the
scrolls on the table had been turned bathhouse.
into ashes. ........
;::;;::;,
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____________ The Dock Boy
/ \____ ____\ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
\@|~|~~\ |~|~| by Tapor Lieff
| |~\~\|~| |
_| |~|\~\~| |
/@|_|~| \~~|_| ight mist rolled in He would simply load the ships hard
\_/~~~~ ~~~~/ off the ocean as a and fast, hoping to get a better
~~~~~~~~~~~ cry fell on the meal than the last for his extra
streets. Not the cry of death or labor. The meals he hoped for never
the cry of a woman, but the cry of a came. Soon Ben stopped feeding him
baby. Ben Tooldor had heard all the at all saying, "If you can work,
other cries in the night and slept you can eat." The pay Ben gave him
through them. He had worked on the was small, so small that to survive
docks for many years and was quite Dayln had to find another way.
used to them. But the cry of a baby
was new to Kelfour's Landing. It He would sometimes find food in the
woke him. crates he loaded and would eat it
in the ship's hold while he was
Tired and angry, he stepped out of alone. The sailors would call out,
the warehouse where he lived and "Hey Grim, what's taking so long?"
searched for the child that had Then he would drop the crumbs and
disturbed him. He found it in the rush to get the next crate.
alleyway, wrapped in a blanket of
silvery silk. He looked up and down He was living in fear: fear of Ben,
the alley for the parents, but there fear of the sailors, and fear of
were none to be seen. As he picked starvation. He grew tired of it and
up the child he noticed its started to plan for a better life.
features, the color of its skin. He knew the sailors carried money in
the ships, and he knew that Ben was
"Great, a half-elf," he said not as poor as he let on, but
sarcastically to himself. Then he getting to the cash was the problem.
noticed the cloth it was wrapped in.
"Probably the son of an elf harlot," One slow morning he walked the
he mumbled. He walked back to the streets of Kelfour's Landing trying
warehouse and took the child with to think. He walked behind Larton's
him. The note on the ground he locksmith shop, and there on the
never did notice. Its ink was slowly ground he saw some old broken locks.
running in the misty night and was He put them in his pocket and began
soon gone altogether. to work out a plan.
Ben tried to pawn the orphan onto At night, by the light of a candle,
everyone, but no one had the time or Dayln studied the locks. He dis-
desire. He often thought of throwing covered some of their secrets and
the brat into the sea and would walk their flaws. With a thin piece of
to the end of the dock. "Back to metal he could open them. "I will
wherever you came from!" he would never be hungry again," he thought,
say but never could really do it. "Ben Tooldar will pay what he owes."
He named the child Dayln, for the Dayln was patient. He still loaded
child woke him at the break of day the ships, worked their holds, and
each morning. For many years Ben stole small amounts of cash from
cared just enough for the child to their cabins, and got better at it.
keep it alive but not much more A little here and a little there,
than that. When he was old enough, he found himself with almost 500
Dayln was put to work loading the silver coins. "Now," he thought, "I
ships that stopped at the port. am rich, and my time has come."
The sailors would ask him, "Why so He waited for Ben to fall asleep,
grim?" but Dayln would not answer. and worked at the lock on his door.
-22- (Continued on Page 24)
Untitled Poem
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Greywulf Aliantha
Massive, ancient, rising hundreds of feet
above the dry brown weeds, this giant oak
for years is slowly dying, bark flaking
away like dandruff and falling
finding company in the litter scattered
over the blackened earth. Its leaves thin
and letting through the rain, branches rotten
dead and hollow, waiting for the first
strong gale, yet in their sickly arms
providing for the slender birch a home.
He's thinking of his parents now long dead
who left the land of heavy cliffs, he's
heard the tale, the fairness of the day
the sky of sunny cumulus while below,
the narrow strips of green between the rocks
sang promises to windak and forsythia
a gentler land far North, of
grassy slopes and duir groves, of gardens
nestled contentendly among the crossings
of River and canals, just west of Port Kataine.
Those days when first they
came were glorious; towering
trees shiny with the weight of leaf
the water clear and sweet
and busy with the land's bustling commerce
while atop the hills the nurseries,
famed throughout that land and many
housed silver-haired master horticulturists.
What joy, they said, to be a sapling then
But looking now through broken boughs,
below are waterways gone to swamp
barges, big and rusted remnants of
once vibrant trade float sickly
the rising stench ironic tribute
for history the birch is too young to remember.
Except that summer sky, that scarlet
Eastern sky and sparks that shot across
the moon, flames flickering high above
the tops of homes, motheries whispering their
fear, the horizon glowing a seering
symbol of the Woode's violent, fiery death.
Paint your horizon red, he thinks, and
watch while thousands flee; shoot death
across the sky and see familiar faces
race the Dawn to North, to South and West
to anywhere but East or oak they panicked run;
their lumber packed they leave behind forgotten
(Continued)
-23-
stumps. Some stay. The eldest ones whose
hearts deny goodbyes to trees their homes,
their friends, whose rings give
silent testimony to their lives.
Funny thinks the birch, unsmiling
while morning rain runs down his shoulder,
down his arm, his wrist, his clenched fist.
How funny that in truth it was not fire. No
flame did touch the tops of hills or lick this
mighty timber's leaves. It was the light,
the rolling, billowing clouds of sickly
brightness which poured in from the East,
unbreathable air that hid the moon and
over all the Woode cast death. No, he
knows no fire touched this oak, it is
rotting from within for lack of dark.
_________________________________________________________________________
The Doc Boy - Continued from Page 22
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It opened without a sound, and he "Well, Dayln Grimm," she said, "I
started to work on the chest at the think you are gonna live." She
foot of the old man's bed. The lock laughed and rejoined her friends.
was good, not like those on the
ship. It made a strange noise, and Dayln spent a few nights in the
Dayln felt a pain in his finger. He temple listening to stories and try-
felt a needle. His finger felt cold, ing to understand. He found his 500
then his whole hand. silvers would get him little. He
met a lovely lady named Aegyptia,
As he realized that he was going to who told him how to make money by
die, he yelled "Poison!" Ben woke killing the creatures outside the
and sat up in his bed, only to fall city. She took him to the shops,
back as the chest landed on his head and showed him what to buy.
with a mighty force. He never woke
again. Aegyptia introduced Dayln to a man
named Winter, who showed him how to
Dayln dashed into the street, not use the sword he now owned. Dalyn
knowing what to do. His head was braved the wilds several times, yet
throbbing, and he was getting dizzy. he always returned to the temple to
He ran into a temple, the only place hear the great stories.
with a light at that time of night.
One night a young warrior entered.
There were many people sitting in He did not join in the conversa-
the large room talking as he tions, but sat alone. Dayln joined
collapsed on the floor. A woman him, and they began to talk. The
asked, "What's wrong boy?" but Dayln young man's name was Tapor Lieff.
was too weak to answer. She knelt
beside him and uttered some strange "I know not these lands, sir, and I
words and the throb in his head was am in need of your help," he said to
gone. "What's your name, kid?" she Dayln. This surprised Dayln, for no
asked. Dayln felt confused as he one had ever needed his help before.
noticed that the conversation never
even stopped, and the woman seemed "I can help you," Dayln said,
very unconcerned. thinking of the kindness he had been
shown in the temple. "I can teach
"Grimm," he said, remembering the you of the lands, and perhaps you
sailors. He paused just a second could help me also." Tapor smiled
then said, "Dayln." and a long friendship began.
-24-
_______________ Cycles (Part II)
/ \ ____ ____\ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\@| +|~| __ |~|+| by Lord Whilder Planrathe
| |~|/~~\|~| |
_| |~/~/\~\~| | hilder rummaged in Whilder finished his spell and a
/@| _|__/ \__|_| the small locker bubble of force surrounded him. The
\_/_____________/ again. Carefully haze was disappearing from his
he removed and replaced wands and vision and he realized that the
amulets. He sighed in frustration. militia would kill him, then ask
He felt that he needed to prepare questions. Fighting the pain that
for a great battle, yet he knew still burned his right hand, he slid
that all the spells and enchanted a gold ring from his finger and then
items he had would be worthless. replaced it. While the first of the
Blast the dreams that plagued him guards were entering the square,
these last five weeks! He slammed Whilder vanished.
the locker shut and stormed out of
Moot Hall, his thoughts in turmoil. From the nearby shadows a figure
stepped out and looked around. The
Whilder walked across the central panic had cleared the square and
square, his mind not on the crowds caused some injuries, but luckily no
or sights around him. At least his one had died. Even now, healers
brother's voice had been silent all were arriving to help the injured.
these weeks. Or perhaps it was his The tinkerer found a seat where he
brother's ghost sending him the could watch the spot where the mage
dreams. Dreams of falling into had been when he teleported away.
nothingness, of being slowly turned If the mage returned, well and good.
into that same nothingness. No If not...
longer existing, or even ever to
have existed. "If not," he thought, "pray that the
destruction of existence is quick,
The steel statue kept its silent the suffering of the living short."
vigil as the guardswoman stepped
through the steel door. It never She fell, watching a visible wave of
reacted, even when the very core of her strength and even a little piece
the mountain shook with her scream of her soul rip from her and speed
of pain, anguish, terror. toward the far wall. Through pain
released with her soul-scream, she
Whilder fell to his knees, the world could see a small black spot growing
covered in a sudden red haze, the on the wall. She fought to block the
birthmark on his right hand burning pain with her mind as yet another
him so badly that he almost ripped wave of strength and another tiny
it off at the wrist with his left part of her soul struck the spot,
hand. He began chanting his most and the spot became larger. And as
powerful defensive spells, forcing she lay watching her very existence
his left hand away to gesture the being destroyed, the blank spots in
proper signs. her memory began to fill.
The crowd seemed to stop everything Memories... Of wars and battles and
for an instant, then it panicked. travels across a world... Of the
It was not the first time a mage had death of her physical body, of her
gone mad and begun casting great soul trapped in the armor... Of the
spells of destruction in the heart mage releasing her soul... Of the
of the town. People ran blindly, meeting with Eissa in the world
calling on the Gods for salvation. beyond the gate... Of the voices
Pandemonium spread throughout the that called her back from beyond...
square. The town militia shoved into Of the body she now had being made
the square, trying to stop the mage by the Gods themselves...
before he could cast. More...
-25-
The body she was now losing. With a sound like a heavy sword
Magically made. Faster and stronger striking unprotected flesh, the
than any mere flesh and blood. She tentacles ripped their souls from
needed to breathe only to force air their bodies and drug them into the
past her vocal chords for speaking, dark hole.
not to live.
The tinkerer glanced around for what
For the body was not real. It had seemed the thousandth time. Talk of
no heart to beat. It was simply a the mage was already dying away.
vessel to hold her soul and memories Many were heading to their homes for
of her life. dinner. The sun would set soon and
still the mage did not return.
And when the Gods didn't need her on
the world, they set her aside, she He reconsidered the three possibili-
unaware of time passing until they ties that had been discussed within
needed her again, like a child's toy the council.
set upon a shelf awaiting the
child's return. The mage would succeed in sealing
the portal they knew still existed,
At least when she had been trapped ending that threat that had lain
in the armor, she knew time was dormant for so many centuries.
passing.
The mage would fail, but the trigger
But the Gods thought it would be for the portal would remain out of
kinder for her to be unaware of the the grasp of the Unlife. What would
time which passed passing while she open the portal, they did not know.
wasn't needed.
The mage would fail, and in his
She released another soul-scream of failure open the portal. And the
anguish at her memories even as world would know the true tread of
Whilder teleported into the room. the Unlife. That is, for the short
time the world would continue to
Whilder fell forward, the second exist after the portal opened.
wave of pain from his birthmark
washing over him, threatening to She looked around at Nothingness, at
destroy him. He tried to block out a blackness that wasn't black. No
the pain. Slowly, his vision sign of the opening they had been
cleared. He saw Chance, lying there brought in through. She looked for
like a discarded rag doll, the pain the mage.
and anguish showing clearly in those
green eyes. She saw the wolf. Shifting greys
against the background of nothing-
Green, like the green of too-long ness. Its grey eyes shone like two
dead flesh. beacons of power flashing in the
darkness. It seemed to stand in mid-
He forced himself to look over in air yet to have solid footing.
the direction she was staring. He
saw the strange black area slowly Even as she puzzled on this, the
growing on the wall. It was not a tentacle holding her released her
hole like any he had ever seen and dissolved into the nothingness.
before. A cruel mouth formed in front of her
eyes, each fang being a smaller
It was nothingness. mouth with more jagged fangs. The
scratching voice of thousands rang
And even as he looked, two long, in her ears.
dark tentacles reached out from the
hole. One slowly wrapped around his "Thank you, my child, for coming and
body, through and into his soul. The providing the catalyst. To open the
second was doing the same to Chance. portal I needed a soul of one who
-26-
thought they served great good in a Tentacles, claws, hands, and teeth
form that was not a living being. shifted into being and attacked her.
As your reward, you shall watch me Always she avoided them, always she
destroy your world, your Gods, and continued to circle. She watched
the many stars and worlds around patiently. These were but small
them. Then you shall join them in bits of her enemy. She would be
non-existence." patient; she would wait for the
right target to attack. To slay.
She felt her sanity slipping away.
The Gods, in an effort to keep her The tinkerer shifted uncomfortably.
in their immediate grasp, had The sun was setting, storm clouds
provided the very means to release gathering off the coast. He wondered
their own destruction. if the storm would accompany the
destruction of the lands.
Whilder felt the pressure as the
tentacle around him tried to burrow Whilder ran on, dodging, jumping,
into his soul-being. He ran at the snapping at those things that
place where the tentacle seemed to attacked him as he ran. The hawk
originate, then suddenly threw him- wheeled and dipped and soared with
self into a roll in the opposite him, sometimes above, sometimes
direction. Twisting, he clamped his below him. He followed the scent
jaws down on the part that loosened that assailed his nose.
from his actions and released a
spell of power from inside his mind. The scent of death...
The tentacle burst into flames and
dissolved. From everywhere came a She banked sharply, avoiding a
scream of pain. grasping hand as large as her own
form. She did not know what drove
Whilder quickly looked up at the wolf to go in this particular
Chance. direction, but she would follow.
The mouth evaporated, screaming in It waited. These two had caused It
pain. The scream echoed in her mind some minor pain but had allowed It
long after it was gone. She glanced to gain access to that troublesome
at the wolf and was shocked to hear world. It could stop them, destroy
the mage's voice in her head. them at any moment. But the anguish
they would feel when It destroyed
"Fight. Or lie down and die." them so close to their goal would be
so sweet, so delicious. And then It
She wondered how she could fight could begin the destruction of all
Nothing. Whilder saw Chance suddenly living things.
shift her form. In its place was
a hawk, feathers of dark crimson The tinkerer looked around the dark
blood, eyes of green. square. The mage had been gone too
long. He must have failed. The
The green of too-long dead flesh... tinkerer could smell evil spreading
across the land. The portal was
She snapped her wings and realized open. He knew even though he had
she was soaring. She wheeled around not seen it. The storm moved closer,
the wolf, then under it. Reality and the tinkerer felt a touch of
here was what they made it, and she sadness. The storm was hiding Orhan
made hers a clear, open sky. Sharp from view. He would have liked to
eyes constantly scanned for signs of gaze upon it one last time.
something to attack or for something
that might attack her. (Conclusion Next Month)
-27-
__________________________________________________________________________
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-28-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KEV3N5
[end]
See Also: