Kelfour Edition volume III number III
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_______________________________________________________________________
/ \ \
| | Great Potpourri of Tips and Tales |
@_/_____________________________________________________________________/
| |
| GemStone III's August 1992 |
| Vol.3, No.3 |
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| / /_/ / ____ / / _/ ( ____ __ __ ____ |
| / __/ / __ ) / / ( __) / _ ) / / / / / ___) |
| / /\ \ / ___/ / / / / / (/ / / (_/ / / / |
| (_/ \_) (____) (_( (_( (____/ (_____( (_( |
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| / ____) / ) (/ _/ ) (/ |
| / (__ ___/ / _ ( _) _ ____ ____ |
| / ____) / _ / / ) / / / ) / _ ) / ) |
| / (__ / (/ / / / / / / / / (/ / / /) / |
| (_____) (____( (_( (_( (_( (____/ (_((_( |
| |
| The Kronicles of Kulthea |
| |
|_____________________________________________________________________|
|_____________________________________________________________________|
| |
| Noblesse Oblique ..................... Lord Gallenod Varynesti 1 |
| Some Notes on Commands ....................................... 2 |
| Talespinning, Songsmithing, Dreamweaving . Llorien Silvanestii 3 |
| Inyigo's Lost Love ............................ Inyigo Montoya 4 |
| The Merchant's Wagon ......................... Rastur Shibatae 5 |
| The Etiquette of Dying .................. Aegyptia Nyctadaemus 8 |
| Tips for Healers ............................ Jhembryn Durrock 10 |
| Mad Glimmering .................................... Rhea Sibex 10 |
| High Sorcery: Correction! ................. Dartaghan Darkstar 11 |
| Of Arms and Their Evolution ................. Melchion Merdaen 12 |
| The New IBM Front End ........................ Altor Arlington 13 |
| Immediate Environs Map .................. Aegyptia Nyctadaemus 15 |
| Wearbear Revenge ............................... Thellra Dumas 16 |
| Quest of Love: The Resolution ................. Bolivar DiGriz 17 |
| Life of a Mage ........................... Llorien Silvanestii 18 |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream & Barriers............ Elyria Blythe 19 |
| A Wight's Revenge ...................... Elminester Silvanisty 21 |
| Every Little Bit Helps ..................... Celestin Drowstar 24 |
| The Story of My Coming, Part II ............... Iomadh Dauphin 26 |
| Rhea's Troll Call Song ............................ Rhea Sibex 27 |
| The Death Of A Thief ............................. Tapor Lieff 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. |
| __________________________________________________________________|___
| / /
\_/_____________________________________________________________________/
Noblesse Oblique
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
____________ by Lord Gallenod Varynesti
/ \ ____ \
\@| /~/~~\\ |
||~| ~~ | reetigs, one and all! and weapons. Lady Taarna, the lead-
_||~| |==| | Once again I take pen ing cleric in the Land was one of
/@| \~\__// | in hand to address an the original Kelfour pioneers. Lord
\_/ ~~~~~ / issue near and dear Enegue, the only Bardic Lord. Lady
~~~~~~~~~~~ to any who strive for Kayla and Lord Rhys, Master Healers.
excellence in Kulthea. Today's top- And no list would be complete with-
ic: the obligations of nobility in out Lord Yuri and, of course, Lord
our littletown. Having lately achie- Fxg, GemStone's own version of a
ved noble rank, I feel a certain Battlemaster and the mightiest
obligation to explain what noble warrior in the Landing.
status means from both the per-
spective of struggling to reach These puissant Lords and Ladies and
noble rank and what it feels like to their contemporaries have been
have finally achieved it. joined of late by a second gener-
ation of nobility. Lord Mikhail,
It's not easy to earn ennoblement. the Landing's master questor. Lord
Of the hundreds of players listed on Dartaghan, who achieved noble rank
the fame lists, less than 50 are in only six weeks! The list of new
Lords and Ladies. Far fewer are Lords and Ladies grows each month,
still active in the game, for having and the evil powers that threaten
reached this long-sought goal, many our existence are hard-pressed to
adventurers go into semi-retirement stem the rising tide of increasingly
or bring younger siblings (and even capable adventurers. But what does
offspring) into town. Some just this "nobility" entail? What are
leave, looking for new thrills. the responsibilities of nobility,
Living legends such as Lord Dagmar, and what are the perks?
Lady Valeria, Lord Erebor, among
others, have disappeared into the I can't speak for my fellow Lords
mists of time. Younger players will and Ladies, so I'll give you the
hear their names only in old perspective I formed while a young
stories, along with that of the Mad adventurer working my way up. My
Mage Lythe, his mortal enemy Lord views are a mixture of both personal
Laeg. Young players who pass the experience and the studies I under-
House of the Rising Phoenix may took parallel with my advance in
never have the privilege of meeting experience to better prepare myself
its founder, Lady Wisraith. And we for noble rank.
are all poorer for the passing of
the great cleric Lords Sindar and Nobility means power. Lords and
Bashir. Ladies fear little in this land, as
they've gained enough ability to go
Among those who remain, however, are almost anywhere with impunity. Lords
some of the most powerful and routinely battle monsters that would
influential residents of Kelfour's kill three quarters of the residents
Landing. Kulthea's greatest Healer, of Kelfour's with two strokes. And
Lord Strom, the highest level woe betide lesser adventurers who
adventurer extant in the landing. raise the wrath of a less than scru-
Master Thief Lord Moonpie, who is pulous noble. Several young adven-
rumored to be able to pick a gnat's turers have died at the hands of the
nose with a crowbar. Lord Odds and enraged (or sometimes bored) Lord
Lord Lose, who, while no longer they offended. While most nobility
permanent residents in Kelfour's, are patient, I recommend younger
are still the only two mages to ever characters tread carefully in the
gain the ability to enchant items presence of Lords they don't know
-1- More...
well, as some will go out of their fear, and other nobility usually
way to "educate" the ill-mannered or take a dim view of that.
ignorant.
Nobility involves certain expecta-
Nobility confers a certain societal tions. On major quests, nobility
respect. As a young adventurer, I are expected to take a prominent
dreamed of one day being a Lord role, and face the most dangerous
myself. The title itself adds a cer- challenges. Younger adventurers come
tain image to a character, and most to depend on their noble mentors for
nobility have acquired a rather defensive and offensive enhance-
personal style in dress and manners. ments. A noble greeted properly by
How they act beyond that determines a liegeman has a certain obligation
whether they are respected, feared, to the safety of his or her vassal.
or ignored. Whether or not I per- This may mean casting spells, loan-
sonally liked the nobles I met, how- ing money, opening chests, etc. Of
ever, I respected their achievement course, the noble can't be forced to
in attaining noble rank. provide these services. However,
almost every Lord or Lady I've met
It's never wrong to show respect to here has, to different degrees,
any noble you approach, usually with fulfilled these expectations.
bow or curtsey when you address the
Lord or Lady. (Note: while it may Many will never reach noble rank;
be appropriate for female characters the road is not easy. Becoming a
to bow, it would be insulting for a Lord or Lady is only a milestone,
male character to curtsey.) Some not the end of the road, and pro-
nobility prefer being addressed as gression beyond is possibly even
"Lord" or "Lady," while others are more difficult than getting there.
uncomfortable with the formal con- Some stop to rest and never progress
ventions. You'll never be wrong, further, content with their place in
however, to use the honorific unless life. Some grow restless and leave
a particular noble has told you it town entirely in search of new ad-
isn't necessary. And respect works ventures. Others continue on, look-
both ways. Nobles who do not return ing for new challenges down the
the respect of subordinates will road. The higher you climb, how-
quickly lose even the token respect ever, the steeper this road gets.
their titles confer. They may then See you there.
only maintain their status through
______________________________________________________________________
/ \
| Some Notes on Commands |
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| The MEASURE command has been added which allows you to determine the |
| approximate number of doses left in a potion or herb. |
| |
| A DIAGNOSE command has been added which will be of special interest to |
| those inclined towards the healing arts. This command, when used on |
| another chracter, will allow you to quickly determine their injuries |
| based on your medical skills (first aid skill). |
| |
| As you may know, there are some magical pools of water in Kulthea that |
| can help with bleeding. These have been adjusted somewhat as they now |
| do not cure bleeding, but rather clot it for a period of time. On the |
| plus side, they now affect all bleeding not just one area. However, |
| the behavior of these pools is unpredictable and overuse of them may |
| lead to a depletion of whatever magical properties still persist. The |
| lesson is this: guard your precious natural resources, lakes, forest, |
| magical pools, things like that. |
\______________________________________________________________________/
-2-
Talespinning, Songsmithing and Dreamweaving
_____________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/ \ _________ \ by Llorien Silvanestii
\@| ||=|=|=|| |
| ~~ |_| ~~ |
_| |_| | he bard is probably automatically be raised to 90. I
/@| _|_|_ | the least played and would then put the 4 highest scores
\_/__________/ most misunderstood into the other development stats in
class in the world of GemStone III. the following order: AG, CO, RE,
Bards don't have a clearcut role as and SD. I will go into development
do the other professions. Yet this points further in the section on
class offers one of the best choices training.
when it comes to role-play-ability
-- at least in this humble bard's When it comes to the physical stats,
opinion. Let's explore the world of STrength, QUickness, PResence, IN-
the bard. tuition and EMpathy, the choices are
fairly easy. EMpathy is the other
Stats prime attribute of this class, so
~~~~~ put the lowest remaining score into
The first step in rolling up a bard it. It will also be raised to 90.
is deciding which direction of Then put the two highest remaining
training you are going to pursue. stats into ST and QU. The order in
Since the advent of the new lock- which you do this is partially
picking system, I strongly recommend dependent on your choice of race.
not try- __________________________________________________
ing to / \ The Elven
create | Bardly Skill Cost Total Notes | races seem
the ever | ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ | to be the
popular | One Handed Edged 3/9 12 Always take 2 ranks | most suit-
bard- | Body Development 3 15 One rank should do |able, giving
thief. | Directed Spells 10 25 A MUST every time | bonuses to
even with| Wands 6 31 | your quick-
LockLore,| Runes 5 36 | ness but a
the | Spell List 4/* 44 Try to invest twice | half-elven
ability | per Level. |character is
to train \__________________________________________________/a good choice
only once for the addi-
per level in picking and disarming tional strength bonus. Finally, put
makes this option unfeasible. Be- the last 2 stats into IN and PR, in
sides, if you've read the manual, that order.
you know a bard is a SEMI-Spell
Caster - although the training costs A last note on stat generation.
would have you think otherwise. When viewing the potentials of your
stats, keep in mind that the higher
The bard's best trait is the ability the EM potential, the more spell
to combine a reasonable strength at power points you will get in the
arms with spell casting. With this later stages of development. Also, a
in mind, and the fact that most decent potential in ST and QU is de-
training costs are fairly high for sirable to allow the bard to become
this class, here is my approach. effective in combat.
First and most important to a bard Training (See Illustration)
is the number of development points ~~~~~~~~
he has. These are determined by 5 Due to the costs, a bard must by
stats: COnstitution, AGility, Self necessity have a fair number of dev-
Discipline, REasoning, and ELoqu- elopment points, even to start. Let
ence. ELoquence is one of a bard's me demonstrate by showing you the
primary stats, therefore I would put skills I trained in and their costs
the lowest score there as it will at the early stages of my career.
-3-
As you can see, even the most rudi- way to develop a bard, but I have
mentary skills will end up costing found that it works fairly well.
you a large number of development (This from a bard who hunted pumas
points. You may start with less at level 2.)
than 44 points, in which case you
could only invest in one rank of But never forget the primary purpose
spell list and use any left over of a bard. Not squashing critters,
points to invest in, say, Perception or blowing up castles with that neat
or Climbing or First Aid. But by the new spell of mass destruction. We
time you reach third level, you'll are the historians and storytellers
want at least those 44 dev. points. of GemStone III. Much has happened
and much will happen that future
As you climb levels, you may want to generations would benefit by if the
skip a level training in wands and knowledge of these events is pre-
invest points in your spell list. At served, whether by song, story, or
higher levels, when weapons training anecdote. Maybe we can't go kill
is only getting you +2 to your wea- centaurs or spiders by ourselves now
pons skill (or perhaps when it hits (if ever), but we can write the
+3), you would do well to consider stories of those who can, or those
training only once/level in weapons, who were foolish enough to try.
thus freeing 9 valuable points which
can be put into your spell list. Inyigo's Lost Love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Which spell list to choose? The by Inyigo Montoya
bard class has 2 lists to pick from,
neither of which are yet fully imp- I sit here thinking of Piffen,
lemented. The Bard list has two As she picked my chest,
spells implemented while the Open Oh, how I've been smitten,
Essence List has four. Rumor has it My heart stolen by the best.
that the Open Essence list is under-
going revision and may soon have A stalwart champion,
many more spells available, so this A prince from faraway,
may be the best choice at present, None sways her falchion,
but the proposed Bard list has great Her pride will not stray.
potential. Given the cost of train-
ing in spell lists, it is probably She is one of zest,
best to concentrate on one list for She is one so pure,
the time being, so that when the She rides the wave's crest,
spells are available, you can take With her sultry demure.
immediate advantage of them.
I ask not to be your knight,
If you have high AGility, you may This I know will never come,
want to train in First Aid. In For like a thief in the night,
addition to being able to help your My search has just begun.
fellow adventurers when they forget
to duck, you'll find there are Piffen, my fair maiden,
plenty of critters whose pelts are I can never make you happy,
worth a small fortune (centaurs and For my soul has been stricken,
pumas come to mind). Train only With the blackness of Anarchy.
once per level in this skill as the
extra 6 points for the second level A love as deep as mine,
can be better spent elsewhere. must not give you fright,
It is more like aged wine,
Conclusion for my thief in white.
There you have it -- what, through To harbor you from the cold,
trial and error, I have found works Your wounds for me to tend,
for me. This is by no means the only And may I be so bold.....
-4- I'd like to call you friend.
____________ The Merchant's Wagon
/ \ ____ \ (A view from the inside)
\@| /~/~~\\ | by Rastur Shibatae
||~| ~~ |
_||~| |==| | ypsy wagons sighted!" to the bank. Galauriel and Garret
/@| \~\__// | The hand-printed sign handed over some silvers while Dolph
\_/ ~~~~~ / in the square told us called out everyone's name as they
~~~~~~~~~~~ they were coming that paid. It seemed like somone could be
very day, with "a big surprise." My making a list of the lucky few. My
mind raced with the stories fellow teacher, Natasha, looked frightened,
adventurers told me of trinkets and but I had no second thoughts; into
special clothes, of weapons, armor, my pocket I reached and out came my
and magic things sold by the travel- 500 silvers.
ing merchants. Maybe I could buy a
great weapon or a unique ring of The merchant unlatched the door on
power. Without hesitation, I gave the back of the wagon and swung it
up killing torkaans and kobolds to wide open. I gave Dolph my coins and
wait for the gypsy wagon's arrival. stepped up the ladder. From the
dark interior, Alhana asked, "What's
The townsfolks' excitement grew to a the surprise?" I felt a sharp pain
frenzy when the Town Crier rushed in on the back of my head and then all
to announce, "The Gypsy Wagon is now went black.
just outside town! It will arrive in
minutes!" And off he ran to proclaim When I came to, I found myself sit-
the good news in a different part of ting inside a very dark "merchant's"
town. I checked my supply of hard- wagon, bound and gagged. I cried,
earned silvers and bolted for the "Oh, no!" but the only sound to find
center of town, hoping to get first its way into the air was a muffled
pick of the wares and to sample the "MmMfmmmMf." Then I watched help-
"big surprise." as Gilthor was pushed into the wagon
bound and gagged. He was soon fol-
It seemed like hours before the lowed by Galauriel, then Hagar and
colorful wagon arrived. The gypsy Kalas. Garret was pushed in next,
merchant looked to be a Fair Elf, then Talabane and Tranar.
well dressed in a silk shirt, fancy
trousers, a black jacket and threk Hagar struggled to his feet just as
hide boots. He sported a black mus- Alhana was pushed into the wagon,
tache and wore a gold pendant shaped bound and gagged. Gilthor tried to
into a clenched fist. His name was say something but again only
Dolph and he seemed a true showman, "MfMfmmmMf" was heard. Galauriel
waiting for the crowds to grow to and Tranar struggled to stand up but
just the right size before opening were knocked down by the entrance of
for business. Bardo and Maruko. We tried to stand
and make our escape but the wagon
I looked around me at the turnout: suddenly lurched forward knocking us
Alhana was there, and Mikhail, and all to the floor.
Jhembryn, Natasha, and Gilthor, then
Galauriel, Hagar, Kalas, Garrett, From the way the wagon was shaking
along with Lose and Kayla, Zinderin, and jolting, I guessed that we were
Gandalf, Bardo, and others I did not going pretty fast. As a result, all
recognize. I knew there must be the motion didn't allow for much
something really special on board. action. Still, we tried to stand up
again and communicate with each
Just then Dolph called, "The first other with muffled noises, blinking
ten people to hand me 500 silver can eyes, and shaking heads.
see the most amazing surprise!" In a
flurry of activity, Jhembryn gave As the wagon lurched back and forth,
Dolph his coins as Alhana rushed off the thought struck me that its floor
-5-
was made of wood. My jump caused the "Well, it looks like our visitors
floor "give a little." My fall took have broken out of their cell," she
Bardo down too; however, now every- said. "Ah, so many pretty little
one began to jump up and down, to playthings. They will provide hours
break through the wagon's floor. It of fun for me."
got comical afer a while, with all
of us jumping, falling, standing, Cyanidia Banewort had pale skin,
blinking, shaking heads, whatever we dark eyes, and unkempt, long black
could do while bound and gagged. hair. Just looking at her made me
shudder.
Meanwhile, the wagon continued
careening around corners, down Cyanidia was well equipped with a
alleyways, and over bumpy black shaalk shield in her left hand
cobblestones. I could only imagine and a "deadly black broadsword" in
what was occurring outside this her right. She wore a long dwarfskin
contraption. Were others following cloak over a gruesome black-as-death
the wagon? What was going to happen tunic, a spiked leather collar, and
to us? Why didn't I pay heed to my a dull white skull helm. She also
teacher's frightened look? Where had leather wrist guards, dull black
were we and where were we heading? leg guards, and platinum armbands.
I continued to jump and fall on the
floorboards, occasionally taking my "Now what do we do with them?" Dolph
companions down with me. asked. "I don't think we can get
them all back in. I suppose we'll
The wagon lurched once more and came have to do away with the bigger
to an aburpt stop, sending us all to ones, and drag the smaller ones on
the floor again. We heard Dolph the ship by themselves."
giggle, "You folks *fall* for things
mighty easily." Cyanidia smiled at Gilthor and while
the rest of us exclaimed our muffled
"Nice job, Dolph," some female said. dissatisfaction with being kept
against our wills, she "playfully"
Dolph appeared inside the wagon just rubbed her broadsword down Gilthor's
as we began to jump around again. He chest! Gilthor groaned and I saw
said, "Well, see you all after the that he had some deep lacerations.
lovely boat trip. Did you see stars
when my deary knocked you on your "Damn!" I thought to myself, "I'm
head?" He chuckled and added, "Fare- only a level 2 healer, I can't take
well. Don't struggle too much. You chest damage." I was outraged,
need to save your strength to finish scared for my life and the lives of
the trip." my companions; we all were! Gags
muffled our curses to grunts.
We continued to speak to each other
through our "MfMfmmmMf" noises and "You folks are in for a nice treat.
nudges and motion with our heads and Would you like to see what I have
eyes the feelings of fear and planned for you?" she asked. While
helplessness we all felt. While Dolph mumbled something about the
some of us slumped to the floor, money they could have made from us
others continued to jump up and down being "alive," Cyanidia removed a
causing the floor to "give a little" shrunken halfling head from her
each time. Suddenly, the floor broke belt. She held the halfling head up
apart under out feet, sending all of in her hand and smiled softly at it.
us tumbling to the ground outside. Suddenly, Cyanidia clenched her fist
and squeezed! The remains oozed out
We found ourselves in the cargo room between her sticky fingers.
of Iolan's Warehouse, with Dolph
exclaiming, "What the..!?" I recog- Dolph removed his claidmore from
nized his female companion at once inside his cloak and while looking
from her "Wanted" poster in town. down its edge, he aimed it at each
-6- More...
one of us like it was a ranged Talabane and Alhana attacked with
weapon. "Who should I start with?" blades and Kalas cast shockbolts;
he asked. still nothing could touch Cyanidia.
Kalas muttered, "Oh boy, where is
Gilthor groaned as Cyanidia rubbed Odds when we need him!"
her broadsword down Alhana's arm.
Alhana hopped up and down exclaiming Cyanidia swung her deadly black
"MfMfmmmMf!" Dolph laughed and then broadsword at Garret--and missed!
swung his claidmore at Gilthor. Galauriel severed Dolph's left hand
Gilthor's abdomen opened up and and Talabane hit him with a bone-
Dolph swung again splitting the crushing blow to the leg, following
chest cavity and destroying his up with a slash to the forehead when
heart. I went numb. my blow went wide. "Dolph!" cried
Cyanidia, as Alhana's blow sent him
"Poor Gilthor," Cyanidia smiled. She to the grave.
bent over and kissed him gently.
"You have destroyed one of my men!
Kalas groaned and Maruko shook his I will not tolerate that!" Cyanidia
head. The rest of us hopped up and cried out. She crushed Garett's
and down trying to get free. Alhana throat as she threw off every spell
and Galauriel moved a little closer and attack. I healed the injured as
to the crates lined up against one well as I could, and Gilthor's ghost
wall of the warehouse and rubbed cried, "Get help! Get a cleric!"
their bonds against the crates.
While I watched in horror, Dolph's
"Dolph, please do something with corpse rose and walked right out of
that body. It's beginning to the warehouse. The fight followed
smell." Cyanidia said. Then turning him out and moved down the streets
her gaze towards Maruko, she said, of Kelfour's waterfront.
"Maruko dear, you look a little
tired." Cyanidia dodged Rory's thrust and
stunned him. Maruko's blow, though
All at once, Galauriel broke her invisibly guided, also went astray.
bonds and began to untie our hands Lose waved a cold steel rod at
so we could free ourselves. At that, Cyanidia, lightly stunning her; but
Cyanidia prepared for battle. She two more attacks missed, allowing
rubbed a necklet of halfling fingers her to recover somewhat. She shouted
and a deep blue glow surrounded her. to Dolph for help, but the coward
She rubbed a black widow spider came out of hiding and fled!
earring to envelop herself with a
wall of force. Finally, Cyanidia Cyanidia tried to take cover behind
rubbed her black onyx buckle and a Zinderin. She rubbed him gently,
translucent sphere formed about her. saying, "Come with me, Zinderin. I
can teach you all about life -- and
Amid cries of dismay from Alhana and death," and clasped his hand.
Kalas, Garret urged "Parry up!" and
Galauriel shouted, "Go for her!" A wicked slash from Maruko's katana
cut Cyanidia's abdomen, causing her
With that, we attacked, swinging our sword to clash with Mikhail's. Rory
swords and throwing spells at the got in a gash to her leg, and Maruko
evil Cyanidia. She had protected sent a crushing blow to her back.
herself too well, however; our THT Waldo2 fractured her ribs, paving
against her was over 530! Above the the way for Maruko to administer the
din, we could hear Gilthor's ghost final blow.
shouting, "Get her! Avenge me!"
* Cyanidia just bit the dust!
Galauriel replied fiercely, "We
will!" and Maruko growled, "On your Cyanidia's possessions were quickly
honor, Gilthor!" Hagar, Galauriel, claimed by the victors. Of her evil
-7- Continued on Page 9
_____________ The Etiquette of Dying
/ \ _________ \ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\@| ||=|=|=|| | by Aegyptia Nyctadaemus
| ~~ |_| ~~ |
_| |_| | here I lay on the The next item is deeds. You need to
/@| _|_|_ | the Upper Kaldsfang, start accumulating these because you
\_/__________/ broken and bleeding, will lose one every time you die and
newly level two. An orc stomped on get resurrected, and you will lose
my weapon and shield and flung oaths two if you depart. If you die with
at my body. Through the panic and none, it's an automatic departure to
confusion of death, I heard someone the Character Manager. Don't think
shouting at me, "Don't depart! Log it's safe to go about with one deed,
to 1045;2!" because if something goes wrong with
a resurrection and the cleric has to
I thought the adventurer who stopped try again, you've lost your one deed
to save my gear was speaking to me and you're out of luck.
in Seoltang! Precious time slipped
by before I understood him and left It's best to start buying deeds at
the surface of the planet until a first level. My advice is to buy a
resurrection could be arranged. lot of them because they become more
expensive as you get older. At low
Perhaps the information that follows levels, deeds can be purchased with
will spare new adventurers some con- agates. As you go higher you will
fusion. It might also spare those need tourmaline stones, topaz or
who find the body the trouble of opals, which are all found in
describing details under less than chests. At any level, you can buy
ideal circumstances. Jamel's article deeds with silver. The formula,
"Life After Death," in Vol. 1, No. 9 given by Vizier quoting Kayla in the
of the KE, is useful, though much KE, Vol. 1, No. 12, is this:
has changed since then.
100 silver per level
The gods now allow you ten "free" +100 silver per number of deeds
deaths in the first year of training you already have
(Level 1). They may not SEEM free, +101 silver
because you may lose your gear when
you depart and have to re-equip. Now Agates count 500 silver towards a
if someone is on hand to get your deed and tourmalines count 1000. I
stuff, the DRAG command allows the don't know how much topaz and opals
good soul to fill your sack or back- are worth; I've never found any.
pack with your equipment and drag it
into town, even if it is too full to Here's how you get a deed: take your
pick up. offering (agate, silver, etc.) into
the temple. "Go black arch," and
What makes these deaths "free" is then go behind the tapestry ("go
the fact that you do not lose a deed tap"). Strike the hollow brass chime
when you die, you do not lose your two times ("hit chime with mallet").
character and wind up back in the Tyriyn will tell you to kneel and
Character Manager, and your stats prepare your offering. Kneel, drop
are not affected when you reach your agate or silver ("drop agate,"
Level 2. Everything changes once you "drop 500 coins"), then hit the
train for Level 2, though. Death chime with the mallet one more time.
becomes a much bigger deal. If you If your offering is acceptable, your
depart, some of your stats will most your deed will be recorded. Type EXP
likely be randomly lowered when you to see how many deeds you have.
train at your next level. Potential
stats are not changed; you will gain Now you're ready to die. Here's what
back the points eventually. Still, will happen. Say you underestimate
the loss can affect your ability to a troll:
function. Think before you depart. * Aegyptia just bit the dust!
-8- More...
A message will tell you how long you right afterward. The cleric usually
have before your soul automatically casts Lifekeeping first, to allow
departs. This period of time depends time to tend your injuries and/or to
on your race as follows: Common Man, drag you to a safe place for the
8 minutes; High Man, 7 minutes; Half rez. If the preliminary steps take a
Elf and other Elf races, 4 minutes; long time and the spell wears off,
Dwarf and Halfling, 10 minutes each. you still have as much time left as
A cleric with the Lifekeeping spell remained before the spell was cast.
can give you 30 seconds more for Lifekeep can be re-cast as often as
each level of the casting cleric. necessary. You can stay Lifekept
More about this later. even if the attending cleric doesn't
have the resurrection spell.
When you die, you drop any items in
your hands, but you do not drop the Resurrecting in the wilds is risky
things you are wearing. As long as for the cleric as well as for the
you don't depart, your clothing and victim. While LifeKEEPING can be
backpack or sack will be safe, along cast with no risk to the cleric,
with rings, anything you wear around LifeGIVING will leave both the
your neck, and your shield, if you cleric and the newly raised person
happen to be wearing it. Ask someone low in life levels and with
in your party to get your weapon and dangerously lowered defenses against
shield. If you are alone, you can attack. In addition, the cleric will
wait and hope someone will find you, be stunned for about 45 seconds.
but don't wait too long. You can
lose everything if you depart. In an area with monsters, the cleric
will probably calm everything in
Your best chance of a quick sight. If you hunters see calmed
resurrection is to exit and go to monsters, try to find out if a
the Temple Room in the Muliplayer resurrection is in progress. If it
Games Round Table, at page 1045;2. is, don't attack a calmed monster.
When you are prompted for a room,
type 9. Usually, someone will show Ideally, you and the cleric both
up there within a few minutes and ring back to safety as soon as you
help arrange for a resurrection, or are able to move. If you have no
"rez." If no one shows, go to the ring, you will have to make other
MPG Bulletin Board, page 1045;1, arrangements, perhaps borrowing a
Category 17, Topic 9, and post a shield from someone whose defenses
notice that you need resurrecting. are in better shape than yours. The
Some clerics will make appointments improvements to the DRAG command,
for resurrection by e-mail. however, mean your cleric or friends
will try to drag your body to safety
Be sure to leave basic information before a rez is even attempted. Work
about where you died, as exactly as out the details ahead of time, and
you can remember (room exits too, if all will go smoothly and safely.
you know them). Also say something -*-
about the injuries that killed you, Merchant's Wagon - Cont. from Page 7
so you can be tended or healed when ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
you come back to life. Otherwise, goods, I recovered a black leather
you will simply die all over again. knapsack that I now wear as a remin-
At present, instant death criticals der of the gypsy merchant wagon and
don't bleed and won't kill you a the horrifying adventure that lay in
second time, but that could change. wait for the curious that day. I
Disease also will not kill you a don't know if she and Dolph are
second time, but poison can. alive, dead or -- undead. Though I
hope our paths never cross again,
When you've made your arrangements, the encounter brought me comrades
the cleric and party will want to be and gave me the will to become the
on the spot before you log back into best healer I can be and to share my
the game or near enough to find you knowledge and skill with others.
-9-
_____________ Tips for Healers
/ \ _________ \ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\@| ||=|=|=|| | by Jhembryn Durrock
| ~~ |_| ~~ |
_| |_| | his list is intended ambitious, and that is great! But I
/@| _|_|_ | to be advice to low am 7th level, and need all the exper
\_/__________/ level healers about ience I can get. Take turns if there
good healing practices, training, is more than one healer around.
and survival.
6.) Take care when you transfer con-
1.) Download Kelfour Edition No.7, cussion points, keeping a sharp eye
Dec. 90. It is available in the on how many you have left. You can
Multiplayer-Games Library in several die from transfering too many. Don't
formats, file numbers 14-17. On page be offended if someone you are heal-
9, you will find a complete list of ing says to be careful. They have
herbs and what they do. For you probably seen a healer heal himself
younger healers, a neck injury is to death. You can transfer 5 points
treated as a head injury. per level, so watch it at second!
2.) Always carry Edram Moss, Mad Glimmering
Arfandas Stem, and Pasamar Grass. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These three herbs will keep a person by Rhea Sibex
live long enough to get them to a
better healer, and they do not leave I see it it's gleaming
nasty scars! I want it it's sheening
I hides so's to catch it
3.) Keep up training in the healers' I know I'm no match yet
list and worry about closed and open
channeling after you can succesfully I'll wait in these shadows
heal any wound. It is also important Till I see my chance an
to train every time in channeling. I don't think I'm strong e
Your skill levels determine not only 'nuff to make attack yet.
the percentage of power points you
can successfully send but your abil- So I'll wait - ears a twitch
ity to receive points as well. For the footfall and swish
Of a warrior fine,
4.) On a hunt, always travel with a To make its treasure mine
fighter-type person or a mage or
sorcerer. At lower levels we need Whats that! Why's it sniffing?
the help. Also, stop along the way How come its a stiff'ning
and check for wounded. Sometimes I scrunch myself smaller
newer people don't have amulets and Kaedena! It's taller
cannot call for help. Worse, some
don't even realize they are hurt! Mouth snarling - Teeth gaping
It raises its axe an
5.) You know, I wouldn't believe No time to leap back as
this if I had not seen it. I have It starts to attack - ah!
seen healers get upset with each
other over who gets to heal who! It's skewered in time by
Come on folks, we all need A warrior's blade who's
experience; let's not fight over it! Just entered this glade an
Any respectable healer will advise Has my scruffy hide saved!
you to trade off. Take what you can
and call for help on what you cannot Before he can blink or
handle. Me stop to think I take
Its treasure to clink in
Even Lords need experience, but they My loot sack and
will give you a chance, just let Slink... Away!
them. I know, you young healers are Whats that? Is it gleaming...
-10-
High Sorcery: Correction!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_________ by Dartaghan Darkstar
/ \ _____ \
\@| ~| |~ |
| |~| |
_| |~| | it has been discovered Disruption. These spells will not
/@| _|~|_ | that a gang of nefarious only make you very powerful but very
\_/ ~~~~~ / elves broke into the KE popular when hunting parties are
~~~~~~~~ Building the night before forming.
the July print run and hacked the
last three paragraphs from the High If, however, you want to be as
Sorcery Part Two: Guide to Power destructive as possible, as most
article. They then pasted on their Ultimate Destroyers do, then look to
own stuff asserting that sorcerers the Sorcerer's base list. Mind Jolt
should train in ambush. This is and Mind Shock can stun your foes.
absolutely false! Sorcerers should Word of Panic will make anyone
-NOT- train in the ambush skill. helpless before you. Demonic Ass-
The ambush skill only applies to assin can offer you companionship if
weapon attacks. Spell attacks like your destructive nature makes it
TOD do not derive any benefit hard to find hunting parties to
whatsoever from training in Ambush. join. Shatter may free you even
Hiding on the other hand can be use- from that thief Larton. If you take
ful skill even without the benefit this path to high sorcery, learn the
of Ambushing. Since casting attack first three spells in the Open
spells do not have round times, a Channeling list. Protect 1, Air-
sorcerer can come out of hiding, wall, and Aura protect you from
cast TOD at a target, and then hide physical and magical attacks. The
again before he can be attacked. more daring might want to train in
With the right macros, and enough Hiding. With the right macros, such
hiding skill, this tactic might make a sorcerer can attack from hiding
a sorcerer invincible in a player v. and hide again before anything can
player battle. return the attack. To make this
work, you have to train in hiding
Readers should cut the last three every level. Otherwise, you will
paragraphs from High Sorcery Part not be able to hide near monsters
Two and paste the following cor- and players with high perception.
rected paragraphs in place: Perhaps the sorcerer taking this
path should only train once per
level in Directed spells, thus
Which spell lists to learn and in freeing up five development points
what order is a tough question. for the Hiding skill.
Every sorcerer should have Touch of
Disruption by level two. TOD will If your goal is to be the most des-
become your primary form of attack tructive of all the mortals adven-
as you approach lord level. Of the turing in the Shadow World, this is
two proposed spell lists in the the path for you. Even the bravest
tomes, Sorcerer's base list and the hobbit mage would not be able to
Open Essence, the Open is more stand for long before the Ultimate
versatile and perhaps even more Destroyer casting Disruption True
powerful for the sorcerer training from hiding.
to use elemental attack wands. ______________________________
Spells such as Essence wave, Word of / REWARD! \
Opening, Essence Blast, Guarding, | A tidy reward is offered by |
Essence Blade, Inbed and True Strike | the Author for information |
makes the Open Essence spell list | leading to the capture of the |
the one that a sorcerer should con- | Nefarious Gang of Elves guilty |
centrate on once he has Touch of | of this dastardly editing. |
-11- \______________________________/
Of Arms and Their Evolution
_____________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/ \ _________ \ by Melchion Merdaen
\@| ||=|=|=|| |
| ~~ |_| ~~ |
_| |_| | here is available to and cutting, or a narrow pointed
/@| _|_|_ | us in GemStone III a blade purely for thrusting. The cut
\_/__________/ rather wide array of of a straight blade was more of a
weaponry. While the choices are not hacking cut than that of the curved
as staggering as a look at the blade. Examples: standard "Long
entire history of arms, at the out- Sword," short sword, Claymore,
set you must still choose from 7 Rapier.
types of edged weapons, 2 crushing
weapons and 2 polearms. Through the The different blade types can be
course of adventuring, more types seen to be associated with certain
become available. Why the great var- geographical regions. With some ex-
iety? While functional improvement ceptions, the curved, slicing blade
often played a large part in the predominates in the east and middle-
history of a weapon, changes in east. Warfare from horseback and
fashion could also result in change Chariots was common, and the curved
in weapon design. I would like to blade is much better suited to this.
offer some insight into the func- Armor was also generally lighter,
tional differences of weapon types and a broad, heavy sword was not
in a group. By no means am I an ex- needed to penetrate it.
expert in this field, and this arti-
cle is not meant to be the defini- The broad, hacking blade predomin-
tive work on the topic. ated in Europe. Heavier and sturd-
ier than the curved, it could pene-
The sword has been been held in the trate the heavier armors associated
highest regard through out history, with the region. Early European
as an art form, an heirloom, a swords had blunted points and were
symbol of war, justice and honor. effective only for cutting. Later,
Of variable gender; he, she or it the blade began to taper to a point,
has been worshipped, has been the giving the ability to thrust.
favored gift of the gods and endowed Curved and half-curved blades, in-
with human and super-human qual- fluenced by eastern weapons, began
ities. It has been said to sing, appearing in Europe after the
speak and dance, and been lovingly crusades.
named and cared for. At its most
basic, the sword is a long metal It can also be seen, again with some
blade, designed to cut, thrust or exceptions, that there was a varia-
both, with a grip at one end. Blade tion in sword types from north to
types typically fall into 2 forms: south. People of the southern lati-
tudes were generally active and
Curved: When the curve is inside, agile races of light build and _com-
this blade is particularly efficient paritively_ small strength. They
at cutting, while a poor choice for have been seen to have generally
thrusting. Example: Scimitar. preferred pointed swords, whose
thrust can deleivered without re-
Less common is the ouside curve. quiring a great deal of strength and
These weapons were commonly broader weight; whereas the people of the
and heavier at the front and made north, often larger and stronger,
excellent chopping weapons. Exam- chose the long, straight blade more
ple: Kukri. suited to their power and stature.
Straight: one or two handed. A Following is a list (hopefully com-
broad, blunted blade for cutting, a plete) of the edged weapons avail-
broad pointed blade for thrusting able in GemStone and some comments
-12- Continued on Page 14
____________ The New IBM Front End
/ \ ____ \ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\@| /~/~~\\ | By Altor Arlington
||~| ~~ |
_||~| |==| | emstone's new Front from a room, as well as UP, DOWN,
/@| \~\__// | End has the potential and OUT. Bar graphs which represent
\_/ ~~~~~ / to show beautiful CP's, PP's, life levels, parry per-
~~~~~~~~~~~ detailed illustrations centage, and round time appear here.
and graphic creatures. I hope this
article will help you decide if the In the top right window, the actual
program enhancement is something graphic interface begins to unfold.
which would interest you. In this corner, illustrations of the
forest, Upper Kaldesfang, Lower
When you load the interface for the Dragonsfang, the temple, and other
first time, you will be asked to go places appear. The pictures are
through a setup menu for baud rate, well-designed, and they load from
ports, and colors and fonts for the resource files that come with the FE
program's windows. You also set up and can be updated. My only
a Chronicles function to capture all complaint with them is that there
of your session to a file for later are not enough of them! Although
reading/grimacing. monsters have not been added to the
pictures yet, I am sure they will be
The graphical part of the Front End sooner or later.
takes control when you enter Kulthea
from Option 3 of the Gemstone III The bottom two-thirds of the screen,
menu. There are three main sections not counting a border, is devoted to
to the interface: a window in the the interface you are used to
top left, one in the top right, and seeing. It has been enhanced to let
one that covers the bottom 2/3 of you set certain lines in bold, such
the screen. as the "Also here" line you see when
you enter a room or LOOK. The window
The top left corner window gives you can be split, so that your familiar
graphics that tell you about your will have its own window.
character's position in the game.
There are graphics of your left and The border around this window
right hands and a hand with fingers changes with respect to where your
extended. These graphics represent character is in the game. For
respectively what you have in your instance, when you are in the
left hand, right hand, and what forest, the window has tree branches
spells you have ready for casting. surrounding it.
You can see at a glance what you
have readied for combat without Surprising and fun little animations
using the INV command. The only show up here when you least expect
error I have found with this section them. Once when I was in the city, a
is that it does not update your little dragon ran across the top of
right hand when your weapon is of the border, shooting flames.
knocked from your grasp. It served the purpose of amusing me,
is worth it.
There are small and large icons that
look like your character. The small You can create a variety of macros
icon represents what your character with the FE, up to 480 of them, each
is physically doing; if you are with up to 512 characters. These can
kneeling, the small icon adopts a include returns, pauses, wait for a
kneeling pose. This is a neat gadget particular character, or wait for a
to play with while you rest in round time to finish, to mention a
the temple. The larger icon shows few. I use these macros to parry up,
any permanent or current damage to parry down, parry tag, attack,
to your character. A compass-like prepare and cast spells, and log on
graphic shows you the obvious exits to GemStone.
-13- More...
The Front End also lets you use the Of Arms & Evolution -- From Page 12
keys on your number keypad to move ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
in compass directions. The center on their relationship to similarly
(5) key is OUT. Each of these edged weapons in history:
keystrokes is automatically followed
by a return. The number keys used The Short Sword: Probably most
with a macro set up around the DRAG closely resembles the Roman Gladius
command make it easy to move a or European Spatha; a double edged
friend's body to safety or pull a blade of approximately 50cm.
LARGE sack of loot back to town.
The Scimitar: As described earlier,
Another aspect of the front end an Eastern weapon composed of a
which is useful in combat is a curved, single edged blade of
programmable icon bar that can be approximately 80cm. One of the most
put at the bottom of your edit efficient cutting designs ever.
window. Some icons duplicate what
is already on the screen, but some, The Two Handed Sword: A heavy (some
like the Room Name, are not. examples weigh close to 20 pounds),
long (up to 6 feet total length),
New resource packets should be bladed sword, single or double
coming along soon that will let you edged, designed to smash through
hear sounds, add new pictures and heavy armor by sheer weight and
animations, and perhaps give you momentum. Remained in use on the
even more information such as battlefield into the 16th century.
companions in your group or items in
your sack or backpack. A nice The Rapier: A long, narrow bladed
feature for Simutronics to work on thrusting sword from about the 15th
is a button bar (for function keys) century. Elaborate systems of use
and a compass which you can use with developed around this sword, and it
the mouse. As it is now, a mouse is was an item of high fashion.
not really implemented to any great
degree in the FE. The Broadsword: As it appears in
GemStone, the broadsword seems indi-
As more resource files and other cative of the standard European
enhancements are produced, I will fighting sword; a blade of approx-
review them as well. This Front End imately 70-80 cm., double edged,
is a great start for the game and with any of a variety of hilt and
undoubtedly makes it more fun to pommel designs. The swords actually
play. I would recommend it to anyone called "broadswords" in history
who has an IBM compatible computer showed great variety: they could be
and a VGA display. It is not only of straight or half curved design,
entertaining, but also helps you be single or double edged, with plain
more productive while you are in to elaborate "basket" style hilts.
Gemstone III.
The Falchion: A sword with a heavy
_______________________________ blade of aproximately 60cm., with a
/ \ single, curved edge. The back could
| FREE WEEKENDS in KULTHEA! | be straight, curved or clipped near
| ========================= | the point. The over-all appearance
| Earn an entire FREE WEEKEND | is that of a very long Bowie knife.
| to spend as you wish anywhere | A formible chopping type sword, the
| in Kelfour's Landing or the | effect was probaly much like a large
| surrounding wilds. | meat cleaver.
| |
| How? By contributing to the | I have left the dagger out of my
| Kelfour Edition. Send GE Mail | discussion. While it is one of the
| to P.HERRINGTON for details! | oldest edged weapons known, I
\_______________________________/ question its practicality in combat,
except as a last ditch effort.
-14-
______________________________________________________________________
/ \ \
|@/____________________________________________________________________/
| |
| COASTAL CLIFFS--go road--X Entrance Gate to Arena |
| \ |
| ,X -===- |
| / \ Jousting IMMEDIATE ENVIRONS |
| N / X Area of Kelfour's Landing |
| W + E , |\ (often ASCII Map by |
| S | X \closed) Aegyptia Nyctadaemus |
| | / \ with thanks to |
| | go path,\ Trebor, Zepath, |
| ============= | / ne \ Elzbeth and Torgas |
| | Beware of | | X \ -===- |
| | Karnelins | | \ \ |
| ============= | go arch \ X |
| | \ \ | |
| go path X \ go dinghy |
| go | Wedding \ | |
| X--dep/---X | one Glade \ X--X--X |
| up / \ | way W \ / |
| / X XX<-|-------X--go path--OUTSIDE---X |
| Karnelins X | XX--X | TOWN GATE |
| \ X | /| go | (go gate) |
| go \ /| |/ `------>X |
| path---X | X path | Torkaan |
| to up/ / (one way) X Row X--X |
| CLAEDSBRIM down X | North OLD | |
| CASTLE | | X MINE ROAD X |
| X--X--X Kobolds | & MONASTERY | |
| \ | <---- X | X-go |
| ============== \| | climb | trail |
| | Beware of | X Torkaans X bank X to |
| | Wolverines | | ----> / \ go | / Grave- |
| ============== X X X--X--X--bridge--X--X yard |
| | | | |
| X X X |
| Kobolds & /| \ |
| Karnelins / | X |
| / | | Torkaan Row South |
| X | X |
| | | \ |
| go X---X go X go |
| trail \ / path | X--opening/--X |
| WERE- X | out Iorak's |
| BEARS. | go Gate |
| . X path House |
| . | | |
| ======================= . X X IORAK'S |
| | Note: Werebears are | . / / REACH |
| | much more dangerous | . X--X (Reasonably safe) |
| | than Wolverines | . | |
| ======================= . X <--go path to return north |
| . | |
| WEREBEARS------X To Hobland, Danjirland, |
| and Grey Orcs, \ Greater Orcs, Manticores, |
_| go clearning Threks, Hill Trolls, Glacier, |
/@| to return Stalkers and Lava Flows |
\_/_____________________________________________________________________/
Wearbear Revenge
____________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/ \ __ \ by Thellra Dumas
\@| / "| |
| //|"| |
_| //=|"| | hunter I'll never be. dismay, it wasn't a tree. I almost
/@| // |"| | Oh, I try. I guess fell over as the huge shape moved
\_/ ~~ ~~~ / I'm a middlin' kind away a few paces, towering over me.
~~~~~~~~~~~ of hunter. My trophy I froze, gazing helplessly at that
case has more than a few skins: giant werebear frothing at the
orcs, hobgoblins, trolls and pumas. mouth... such a cavernous mouth...
My pride and joy, however, is the long razor-sharp teeth dripping with
backpack I had made from the hide of slime... darkness.
a ferocious werebear.
I still cannot believe I made it out
I remember when I first arrived in with my life. The werebear must
town. A young and innocent little have tired of playing with my almost
thing I was. Kind folks tried to lifeless body, and I regained
set me straight on armor, weapons, consciousness in the temple, pain-
and the most likely places for an fully aware of being the center of
amateur to hunt. I only listened attention. A beautiful Healer with
with half an ear though, impatient long dark curls was soothing my
to be out on my own. Yes, I thought terrible wounds while a few others
I was a legend in the making. milled around, trying to get a
Dreaming of the epic poetry I would glimpse of the young fool that went
inspire, I dashed right out into the up against a werebear.
forest without rations, a map, or
the name of a healer...just in case. I felt weak, coming so close to
"Just in case of what?" I laughed to death, but I thanked the Healer and
myself, "I won't be needing anyone's made my escape from the temple.
help this day!" Anything to be away from those
pitying looks everyone was giving
Wielding a rusty second-hand broad- me. Retreating into my wretched
sword, I stomped into a clearing, room at the inn, I checked myself
bold as can be. I caught a glimpse over. The Healer had done a fine
of a kobold hiding behind a huge job. Only a few pink scars were
rock. It appeared that it was try- evidence of the horrible wounds that
ing to close a sort of wooden trunk, the werebear had inflicted on me.
but the latch was giving trouble. All of my possessions were gone save
a fair quality lockpick tucked into
"Treasure!!!" I screamed with glee, my boot and the bloodstained
running toward the creature. It clothing upon my back. Woe is me!
took one glance in my direction,
grabbed the trunk, and disappeared Needless to say, I managed to
into a stand of windak trees. survive. With the help of some good
friends, I regained my self confi-
"That treasure will be mine!" I dence. I immersed myself in train-
snarled and took up the chase. It ing and even managed to save enough
seemed that just as I was gaining on money for a decent weapon. I was
that ugly kobold, it would slip cautioned many times, and for once I
away, taunting me as it ran. listened to the lessons the older
folks told. I bought a map and
Before I knew it, I was in a dark, started hunting in groups. To my
dead part of the woods. There was surprise I made even more friends
no sign of the fleeing kobold or its and I could always glean something
wooden trunk, so I took the oppor- useful from their experience. I
tunity to lean back against a sturdy slowly honed my skills and became a
tree to catch my breath. To my better hunter. Still not a great
-16- Continued on Page 23
Quest of Love: The Resolution
____________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/ \ ________ \ By Bolivar DiGriz
\@| ~|~|~~\~\ |
| |~|__/~/ |
| |~ __ < | olivar awoke to the Bolivar looked around the main
_| |~| \~\ | sound of birds sing- chapel of the temple attempting to
/@| |~|__/~/ | ing merrily and fro- sort out the confusing mass of
\_/ ~~~~~~~~ / licking in the air. sights and sounds as the many
~~~~~~~~~~~ adventurers of Kelfour's Landing met
"Such a beautiful morn," he thought, their friends and planned for the
folding his arms behind his head. days adventures.
"I wonder what adventures might come
my way today?" He saw Natasha the kindly, seasoned
healer speaking to Jhembryn, a good-
Rubbing the last of dredges of sleep natured and relative novice in the
from his eyes, he stretched lazily trade. He noticed Garret the notor-
and hopped out of bed. Reaching ious cannibal, and his newly wed
under his pillow he withdrew his wife, Galauriel, who apparently
copper sheath, admiring its engraved enjoyed his affectionate nibblings.
design and the craftsmanship of the The noble Lords Gallenod and Whilder
item. He withdrew the drake fal- were also present, quietly discus-
chion contained within and tested sing their recent exploits in the
its sharpness. land of the Golems; Lord Whilder was
gently stroking his pet bluebird.
"Hobgoblins beware!" he chuckled. Before he could continue his
observations, Bolivar was awestruck.
Quickly dressing in his camouflage His eyes instantly became focused on
tunic and accessories, Bolivar the most beautiful of fair elves he
pulled a large treasure sack from had ever chanced to see.
under his bed. Peering inside he
saw his black laen lockpick and a Bolivar's eyes strained to their
golden ring. limit, admiring the long, flowing
white hair that caressed the
"Alas! I spend all my money on voluptuous curves of the wondrous
these blasted picks." Bolivar mut- fair elf's body with every head
tered, smiling wearily at his tool movement. He nudged Gandalf.
of trade. Then, holding up the
golden ring, he stared at it admir- "Who, by Elyssa, is that gorgeous
ingly. "But my wonderful Naviga- maiden," he whispered.
tor's ring has saved me many times!"
Gandalf blinked and followed
Slipping the ring on his finger, he Bolivar's gaze. "Why that, my
gave it a little turn to set its friend, is Elyria Blythe. A most
destination to his home. Tapping stunning lady, indeed."
his purse to make sure he still had
some silver, he stepped outside and Bolivar stared intently at Elyria,
made his way to the temple. Upon noticing the charming beauty of her
arriving, he strolled inside the violet eyes, and the pearly white-
magnificent structure, quickly spot- ness of her fair skin, as it teased
ting his good friend, Gandalf. his imagination through the various
openings in her armor. Surprised,
"Hello Gandalf! How are you today?" Bolivar suddenly realized he was a
asked Bolivar, smiling broadly. victim of love at first sight. His
heart was beating at an alarming
"Ah, Bolivar! Just resting up a bit rate and blood was racing through
before I go to hunt some orcs." his veins.
Gandalf replied. More...
-17-
"Will she take just a common human, colors, reminding Bolivar of the
a thief with no riches, fame or confusion of his emotions. He was
power as a husband?" he wondered. standing back in his home. Flinging
Suppressing his doubts he thought, himself on the bed he began crying,
"It isn't relevant. I must have wracking sobs shaking his body.
her, as no other will ever do for me
now." "Never shall I give up on her," he
cried. "If I must wait till my death
Frowning at Gandalf's knowing smile, death bed, so be it. I shall never
Bolivar said, "I must get to know love another." The day wasn't so
her better." beautiful after all."
"I can see by your face that you
will not give up until you have won Life of a Mage
her hand." Gandalf responded, chuck- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ling and nodding his head. by Llorien Silvanestii
"You know me too well Gandalf." Dedicated to
sighed Bolivar, his gaze never Lords Odds and Whilder
leaving the lovely Elyria.
There he was, in the forest
With the stealth and subtlety only His wand shiny and new
one of the thief profession has, Knees shaking at the thought
Bolivar quietly melded into the Of the kobold he must hew.
shadows and began sneaking his way
toward Elyria. Picking his way A rustle in the bushes
around pews and columns, he suddenly A disturbance of leaves
saw her turn towards him and smile. A swing of his sword
Blinking dumbfoundedly, wondering The kobold family grieves.
how she could have ever noticed he
was there, he suddenly realized she The thrill of killing
wasn't looking at him. She was In his mouth sits tart
looking past him. He pledges his life
To refinement of his art.
Curious, he turned his head and
looked back over his shoulder. He His power ever growing
noticed the handsome and honorable Onward the mage goes
figure of Lord Baram filling the Shock bolt, fire bolt
temple entrance. With utter horror Vanguishing all his foes.
and dismay he watched as Elyria ran
towards Baram, her arms flung Soon even the trolls fear
outward, smiling sweetly at him and The one who casts stun cloud
calling his name lovingly the way The orcs run screaming
only one truly in love can do. From the mage who stands proud.
Cruel and sharp, comprehension slow- He wanders with impunity
ly grabbed hold of Bolivar's mind. Nothing he cannot fell
A feeling of great sadness washed "One more lich", he says
over him, like a wave upon a sand "And I have yet another spell."
castle, sweeping away the hopeful
and happy feelings he had felt a Having done his training
moment before, leaving him empty And telling all his friends
inside. He could not bear to see He has failed to consider
them meet. With tears in his eyes, What it all portends.
Bolivar removed and replaced the
golden ring on his hand. Now he sits in the temple
Deep in contemplation
The world suddenly faded out and was Wondering about the merits
replaced by a myriad of swirling Of ET concatenation.
-18-
_________ A Midsummer Night's Dream
/ \ _____ \ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\@| ~|_|~ | by Elyria Blythe
| |~| |
_| |~| | t had been a rough day. shiny depression at the top of the
/@| _|~|_ | I was hitting poorly, my cave's entrance, but failing to find
\_/ ~~~~~ / ax as ineffective as a a way up to it, we ignored it and
~~~~~~~~ dull knife. It seemed my passed on into the cave.
my companions had far surpassed me
in strength and skill, for they were Inside it was odd to my eyes, and I
having more success than I. Wearily could see that Bolivar had furrowed
I went home, but sleep was not his brow. The walls were curved and
easily found. Tossing and turning we could dimly see a tunnel twisting
produced only a restless doze. away into the darkness. Arches
supported the walls and ceiling at
I awoke what seemed like only regular intervals, fostering a
minutes later to some sound or luminous moss that gave off sickly
movement I could not identify. Soft green light. Our steps, magnified
breathing in the shadows nearby by the echoes, competed with the
caught my ear; I turned my head rustling sounds of animals scurrying
toward the sound as a dark shape around in the dark. Once our eyes
detached itself from the deep adjusted to the dim light, Bolivar
shadows and knelt by my bedside. began to notice depressions in the
walls just about at waist height.
"Elyria. Elyria, it's me, Bolivar,"
the shape whispered into my ear. It was as he was pointing one out to
"Look outside. Something strange is me that a finger-length projectile
happening outside." He pulled gently shot out from it, striking my heavy
at my sleeve. hide. It became a snake, hissing as
it hit the floor and slithering off
I dragged myself from the warmth of under cover of the darkness. The
my bed and went to the window, weaving and undulating tunnel had
pulling on my various armors and a calming, almost hypnotic effect on
placing my cloak over my shoulders. us, making it hard to respond to the
Out the window thin, glowing attacks upon us by rats and spiders
tendrils of mist stretched away and other denizens of the tunnel
toward the town gates, weaving complex. These creatures were not
patterns of phosphorescent light. particularly dangerous, but the
tunnel's lulling rhythm made our
I took Bolivar's hand in mine and responses slow and weak.
led him outside, intent on following
the tendrils wherever they led. We The constant barrage of creatures
walked for what seemed like forever and attacks by hissing snakes took
until we were completely lost, with their toll on us while we slashed
only the shifting mists to guide us. our way on, dispatching each
Abruptly, we came into a clearing. creature as it appeared. We had
Directly ahead up a slightly rising risen an estimated three levels in
incline, was a dark cave, its height above the entrance when I
shadows deepened in contrast with noticed that the quality of the
the pale silvery light of the moon. light had changed in the distance.
The entrance was shrouded with moss I tapped Bolivar lightly on the
hanging in strands, and fingers of shoulder and nodded in the direction
fog disappeared inside. of the light. He squeezed my hand in
response and we went on. It was at
We heard no sound at all as we this point that it occurred to me
approached the cave; no footsteps, that neither of us had spoken since
no breath, no animal life, nothing. he had come to me in my room.
Bolivar pointed out a semi-circular More...
-19-
"Bolivar," I whispered, "what is object never fell from its tenuous
this all about?" He shook his head hold. We heard a noise, soft at
at me and tugged again at my arm. I first, then louder, ominous. It was
sighed and shrugged and we went on. hissing at us in a peculiarly jerky
The light around us became silvery manner, almost as if it were
again as we entered the end of the laughing. I frowned at it, not
tunnel. Silhouetted by the light, taking my eyes from the object I
two stalactites curved down over the could see more clearly now. It was
exit from the tunnel. A slow drip a pendant of some sort.
came from their direction punctuated
by an occasional bubbling hiss. "I think I'm going to have to try to
steal it from that beast," Bolivar
We edged carefully past them, but I said. "Just in case something goes
was splashed by a drop of fluid, and wrong, I'll have my ring ready." He
it burned when it touched my skin. then removed a brass and gold ring
A gasp escaped my lips, causing from his finger. Edging even closer,
Bolivar to spin about and look he prepared himself for the moment
searchingly at me, his eyes ahead. Drawing several deep
gleaming. I shook my head at him and breaths, he relaxed, then with a
gestured toward the light. lightning quick movement, he
snatched the pendant from the jaws
We emerged onto a broad platform, of the cobra. Its jaws just missed
the view revealing the lands below him as they closed with a loud snap.
us. A movement off to my side stole It began to sway back and forth upon
my attention from the surrounding the altar, hissing and sensing the
lands, and I saw what had alerted air with its tongue. Its body began
Bolivar. There was an altar in restlessly to slide against itself
front of us. Upon the altar lay as we backed away from it. I
coiled a giant cobra. Depending prepared myself to fight, but the
from its open jaws was a shiny creature merely lowered itself to
object, swinging slightly in the the platform and slithered into the
cool breeze, points of light darkness.
striking off it as it moved. The
eyes of the cobra glittered in the "Stash that thing and let's get out
pale moonlight, seeming to watch us of here," I hissed.
closely, bespeaking an intelligence
I had not yet encountered in the As we turned, I noticed a faint
snakes I had already fought. trail highlighted in the moonlight,
so I nudged Bolivar in that
"Bolivar," I whispered, "I don't direction. We climbed the trail,
think I can get that thing, whatever arriving out onto the top of the
it is. You're a thief, can you?" tunnel. Next to us, sloping down
and away into the darkness, was
He cocked his head to the side, another semi-circular depression
considering, then nodded at me once. like the one we had seen earlier.
We both edged closer to the object, Looking back toward the altar, I
squinting against the darkness, happened to glance down. Below me
trying to see what it was. Bolivar were two hugely glittering eyes,
drew his drake and attempted to gazing sightlessly over the altar.
cleave the cobra in half. He was Below them was a gaping jaw with two
stunned by the reverberations sent dripping fangs. We had traveled to
coursing through his arm when the this place through the body of a
falchion not only bounced off the rock snake. I shook my head with
cobra, but actually shattered in his wonder. Bolivar started to chuckle
hand. softly, his body shaking.
The cobra never moved, its glittery Bolivar sat down at the top end of
eyes never closed, and the dangling the depression, patting the space in
-20- More...
front of him and smiling. I glanced der of its body spiraled around the
back one last time at the altar, and leg of the cross. Its eyes were
noticed that there was another giant blood red ruby chips and its fangs
cobra coiled upon it, still as were smooth white bone.
stone, a shiny object depending from
its jaws. Bolivar draped the pendant around my
neck with a tired gesture. I
I sat down in the vee of Bolivar's indicated that he could stay, as it
legs and he held me tightly, our was too far for him to walk home in
weight giving the impetus to start his condition. I fell into my bed,
us on a slippery journey down the fully dressed, too tired to care.
back of the rock snake. It was Strong arms wrapped around me as
swift and cold on the way down, even Bolivar joined me, his warm breath
slightly nauseating the way it on my neck a contrast to the icy
twisted and dipped. We shot off the cold of the pendant against my
end and landed in a bed of soft chest.
moss, where we had begun our quest
only an hour earlier. When I awoke I was alone in my room.
I sat up in a flash of memory and
Fog now billowed up over the scrabbled at my neck. There was
entrance to the cave, pushing us nothing there. I was as I had been
back to the trail we had followed when I had first gone to sleep, not
earlier. We were guided away as wearing armor or jewelry of any kind
before by wisps stretching in but for my ring. Things were all
tendrils, lost in an endless weaving neatly stacked where I had left them
pattern of glowing mist, until we the night before.
saw before us the gates of town.
Back in my room, we lit a lamp to I reached out my thoughts to Bolivar
examine our prize. It was the and was answered by a sleepy echo in
oddest thing I had ever seen, a my mind. He had never left his own
snake ankh pendant, a pale oak room in the night and was puzzled as
colored t-piece of mithril, to why I was contacting him so
surmounted by a glittery deep green early. I let him go, telling him
snake. The snake's body formed the I'd see him later, and merely sat on
arch of the ankh, with its head the window ledge, gazing out into
positioned at the juxtaposition of the dawn, feeling the ghostly
the leg and arms of the cross, mouth impression of ice against my chest.
opened as if to strike. The remain-
Barriers
~~~~~~~~
by Elyria Blythe
Even the ice encasing your heart
Is not enough to cool my love
Which burns so hot it sears the sky
Perhaps enough to warm your soul.
Even the dark engulfing your soul
Is not enough to dim my love
Which shines so bright it lights the sky
Perhaps enough to illuminate your mind.
Even the wall surrounding your mind
Is not enough to hold back my love
Which burrows deep between the cracks
Perhaps enough to capture your heart.
-21-
___________ A Wight's Revenge
/ \ _____ \ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\@| ~|_|~ | by Elminester Silvanisty
| |~| |
_| |~| __ | ong months had gone After checking my account, I headed
/@| |~|__|| | since I came close to to the city gates. It had been a
\_/ ~~~~~~~/ my dismissal from while since I called upon my art, so
~~~~~~~~~~ this world, five of I felt I should practice on a puny
them if my memory doesn't fail me. creature before hunting big game. I
I came face to face with death called on my invisibility spell and
itself and I survived, though the lurked in the grassland waiting for
memory still sends chills through my a wolverine or torkaan to come along.
bones. Just looking at my new leg Later, confident that I still knew
reminds me of how close it was. the spells, I left the body of a
torkaan smoking behind me.
A check of my bank balance showed me
that I had spent too many months and Invisible again, I reached the ruins
too much of my wealth drinking in where I had been so close to death.
the taverns, forgetting my studies, I looked nervously around, knowing
trying to shake my fear. Now it was that the old man might still be
time to go back to work! there. Sometimes I wonder if my
chosen path will bring me to the
I needed to adventure for wealth and same end as him, servant of a Lord
to continue my search for power. How of Unlife. I shudder at the thought.
much I have paid for the power that Surely I've heard rumors about the
I wield! Not many know of the dark master of my guild but he never has
shadow that follows me everywhere. ordered me to harm an inhabitant of
Still, I don't regret paying the Kelfour's Landing.
price, for it brings me incredible
power at little cost. Then I saw it, a steel golem but not
a common one. It was much larger,
Power hunger! That is how I was and glowed around its metal body and
raised, the son of a noble fair elf eyes. It looked straight at me.
and a high human. I was raised by my
father in the way of the Silvanisty Suddenly a woman came from behind
family, a struggle between all the me, and with a gesture she dispelled
sons of the family for supremacy my magic. I turned my head and saw
over the rest. Masters of the what she was. During my time in
essence are the Silvanisty. Though town, I heard about the mountain
I followed the family trade from an hags but thought of them as some
early age, being half-breed meant overblown tale. Looking at her was
that I could never hope to achieve a mistake because the golem moved
anything more than the rank of with incredible speed, casting a
captain in the Clan's army. As soon wind that threw me to the floor. The
as I was of age, I fled the conclave last thing that I remembered was
and went to the fair elven capital. the golem lifting its huge hand and
aiming at my head.
The Silvanisty don't look kindly on
traitors. They sent a group of arch- I woke in a dark cell, my hands
ers to "discipline" me. To make it chained to the wall. The smell was
short, I was able to escape and get nauseating. I could see huge forms
to the main city of Palia in Mazo- around magic wards that call a minor
berruna. There I used gold to flee spell of light. To my horror, I saw
to the north. I hired a Navigator to the still forms of various creatues.
bring me to this frontier town, and
here I remain, still thirsty for Most were from the goblinoid races,
power, still keeping the Silvanisty but I could see dwarves, elves and
name up to its reputation. humans, too. I shuddered because
-22- More...
each body had all its skin removed. Werebear Revenge - Cont from Page 16
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sudden pain made me realize my head hunter, but I learned.
was throbbing where the golem struck
me. But I was not badly injured. A few months ago, I left town on a
personal quest. I snuck through the
The sound of keys brought me to forest so quietly that not even the
notice the opening door. A man in blades of grass I crept upon knew I
black robes came in. It was the old was there. It took me several days,
man of my nightmare! For how many but at last I found myself near the
sleepless nights had I dreaded this lair of the old werebear. From my
moment! He lit a torch, mostly for hiding place, I surveyed the area.
my sake, I assumed. The way he Broken shields littered the ground,
walked in the dark hinted that he evidence that I had not been the
had a spell of light. Of course, he only victim.
could not know that I did also.
The sound of a snapping twig broke
He approached me smiling. "Welcome the silence like a thunderbolt. I
to my humble home, master Elmin- whirled around and there was my long
ester," he said. He laughed when I awaited foe, not ten paces away.
looked at him with hatred. "You The werebear glared at me with a
have noticed the bodies. Fear not, growl of recognition and advanced.
my good mage, they are not dead. Holding my blessed broadsword in
Yet!" front of me, I held my breath, took
aim, and swung with all my might.
His eyes glowed as he went on, "I My whole body shook as my sword hit
see you don't understand, master bone. It cleaved through the were-
Elminester. You see, to create the bear's flesh like a swimmer through
golem we must use a living water, separating its ugly head from
creature." He gestured toward one of its body. The head flew away to land
the orc bodies. "Common golems you in the grass, but the body didn't
have seen come from the goblinoid notice. One step, then two...
races. However, with much research, finally it collapsed at my feet.
I have found a way to use the
intelligent races to make golems of I let out a war cry that must have
greater quality. The process calls been heard for miles: "Wahoooooooo!"
for the intense suffering of the I kissed my sword, sheathed it, and
creature without it dying. Then, danced around the fallen creature.
using runes of great power, I meld After a minute or so, feeling rather
the body in there," he pointed silly, I stopped dancing and pulled
toward a huge cauldron, "with a out my skinning knife. Skinning the
magical mix of steel." He laughed. corpse quickly, lest another were-
"The golem that you saw outside was bear was lurking around, I rolled up
my first try -- a mage heading your the hide and tucked it under my arm.
city who got lost in the woods. He
put up quite a fight." Back safely in town, I swaggered to
the gypsy's tent and ordered a
I snorted at him. "What do you want beautiful azure backpack to be made
with me, old man?" of the werebear hide. That evening
I hosted a celebration at Helga's,
He got close to me and whispered, but that's another story.
"Not I, master Elminester. Him."
Today I wear that backpack proudly,
He pointed, and from the shadows a but also as a reminder of how impat-
familiar form appeared... the Wight ient and foolish I can be. I'm not
Lord! cured of these qualities (as many
Healers and Clerics can attest) but
(To Be continued) I believe I have grown a bit wiser.
-23-
Every Little Bit Helps
(or I Think, Therefore I'm in Trouble)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_________ by Celestin Drowstar
/ \ _____ \
\@| ~|_|~ |
| |~| | am pretty much a loner headed down the trail to where the
_| |~| | so I like to hunt on the greater orcs lived, Gorcland.
/@| _|~|_ | mine road for goblins,
\_/ ~~~~~ / lesser orcs, and kobolds After crossing the bridge where the
~~~~~~~~ because I seldom see cockatrices hang out, I wandered
anyone else there. With my laen about for a bit without encountering
shield and my quickness, not even anything. I got a good idea where
the orcs up there could touch me everything was, and found the
anymore, so I began to think about cottage and pool easily enough, and
bigger game -- like greater orcs. the fringes of the swamp. I didn't
want to go into the swamp, not even
The more I thought about it, the to chase a wounded creature, so I
more I was convinced that as long as was glad I found it ahead of time.
I was faster than a greater orc I
could survive going up against one. As I wandered around, I came upon a
My skills had developed so that I forest troll. He was armed with a
could now parry well enough to keep dagger that he wasn't very good
greater orcs from hitting me. So with, so I decided to attack him
early one morning I decided to give with my axe. Cutting through his
it a shot and head on out for heavy hide armor was hard, but I
Gorcland. I asked if anyone wanted scored a few decent hits.
to tag along, but there were no
takers. Others were going after He was bleeding in a few places, and
larger game than I was ready for. he started to concentrate more on
defending himself than attacking me.
I really didn't like the idea of After a while I was unable to hit
going into new territory alone, him with my axe, so I prepared a
because of the danger of losing the touch of disruption spell and cast.
shaalk axe that I'd just bought. The troll resisted the spell, so I
Still, I had gone into new areas pulled a metal wand from my sack.
before without any trouble. As I Quickly I waved the wand and
was getting ready to leave the released a cold ball at the troll.
temple, a friendly lord chanted and It blasted his leg, knocking him to
cast a spell of protection on a few the ground. I finished him off with
of us who were heading out into the my axe before he could get up.
wilds. We thanked him and left for
the gates of town. From there, each I hurriedly put my wand back in my
of us went our separate ways into sack, and readied my shield in case
the wilderness. some other creature might be lurking
about. Searching the troll turned
According to other hunters, greater up a few silver coins.
orcs are strong enough to break laen
shields. I couldn't afford to buy Before going on, I paused to think
another one after spending most of about the battle just ended. I had
my hard-earned money on my new axe, used only one charge from a metal
so I walked through the grass-lands wand and a couple of power points
toward hobgoblin territory to get a for a spell. "This is going to be a
wooden shield. It didn't take long breeze!" I thought.
to find a hobgoblin I could kill
without much trouble. I dispatched With that in mind I set out looking
him, took his shield, double checked for more quarry. It wasn't long
to be sure I had enough wands, and before I came upon a greater orc. I
-24- More...
decided not to rush this fight, so I greater orc, stunning him, and then
would only attack only once after took a quick swing with my axe. I
each of his attacks. The fight went missed, and before I could recover
about the same as it did with the my defenses, he came out of his
troll, but a lot slower. stunned condition and attacked me
with a mace!
This time I used four power points
for spells and seven charges on my He hit me really hard and took
metal wand before finally finishing almost quarter of the damage that I
him off. It was costly, but I was could sustain. Luckily, he didn't
happy since this was the first injure me critically before I got my
greater orc I had ever fought and defenses back up.
I'd beaten him! He didn't have any
coins but he wore a chain hauberk Right after that, the protection
that I knew could be pawned for a spell cast on me earlier at the
goodly amount. I set out to find temple stopped working. Since I am
more of his kind. a wood elf and a not-so-high-level
sorcerer (who has been known to
I found and dispatched two more neglect body development training to
greater orcs in much the same way as insure the learning of a spell), it
the first and grew yet more con- dawned on me that I could be pushing
fident in my ability to fight them. my luck to stick around. I turned
I even figured out that I didn't back toward town, to visit the
need to use my axe, since I could pawnshop and bank before going to
wait until an orc attacked, wear my rest my numbed mind at the temple.
shield, get a wand from my sack,
wave it at him, put my wand back in When I think about that fight now, I
my sack, and ready my shield before realize that if I hadn't had a
he could attack again. I ran out of protection spell on me, that orc
charges on my metal wand while would have landed a critical strike
fighting the first of this pair, so that could been fatal. The more I
I tried out a silver wand. That think about it, the more appre-
worked really well, and it did a ciative I am of those who are
good job of stunning him, too. generous in protecting others, even
when they are not asked to. Thanks!
I used the silver wand on the next Every little bit helps.
|
/ \
| / \
/ \ / \
/ \ / \ ________
/ \ | _ | / ____ \
| | | / \ | | | | |
| | \ | | / | |____| |
\ / || || \ /
| | || || | |
| | | ||___|| | |
__ | | / \ | | | |
| |_| | _ _ ( ) | | _ _ _ | | _
| | | |_| |__\ /_____| | | |_| |_| |__| |_| |
| |_| |____| |
| ____ |
| / \ |
| / \ |
| | | |
____| |________| _________________________________ |____
-25-
The Story of My Coming, Part II
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Iomadh Dauphin, Unbeliever
___________ Bearer of the White Gold
/ \ _____ \
\@| ~|_|~ |
| |~| |uckily I had the fore- serenity, as opposed to the Drow
_| |~| __ |thought - and the mat- ideal of destruction and rage), but
/@| |~|__|| |erials - to keep a still shaking inside, not knowing
\_/ ~~~~~~~/ journal of my travels. what to expect. The elders of my
~~~~~~~~~~ This journal may be of race have made it forbidden to talk
some small interest to you. Of about the ceremony of 'Moksha,' the
course, now that I read it again, I Drow coming of age; the time when
realize my reckoning of time will the boy becomes a man, the girl a
mean little to you, especially those woman -- even to each other. I had
of you that do not descend from no idea what to expect.
Elven stock. But perhaps I can pro-
vide some small assistance in this At any rate, I am no longer bound by
matter: a Drow shanra is called by the Drow elders, so I tell you this:
you a 'day.' A cushanra is roughly I still remember this day clearly.
equivalent to your week. A lemshan There I was on the dais, alone,
corresponds to your concept of shaking, not knowing what to expect.
'month.' Finally, culem can be tran- After an unbearably long time, the
slated as 'year.' Smaller or larger Elders filed into the room, taking
units of time are not significant in up positions that completely sur-
this account, as I did not bother to rounded me. The only opening they
write things hour by hour, nor did I left was quickly filled by a guard.
look further than the current culem
-- excuse me, I shall try to conform "Iomadh!" I heard my name called. I
to your standards of reckoning. looked about, but could not find the
Indeed, I did not look beyond the source of the voice. Surely it was
current day, as I found rather early one of the now-seated Elders? "You
on that looking forward or back too know why you are here," the voice
far did me no good. continued. "However, yours will not
be a traditional Moksha." My mind
One more item before I start: In raced. "This is because you are dif-
this account you will find the tales ferent, Iomadh, very different." Did
of how I came to be called the I detect a note of derision creeping
Unbeliever, and also of the White into the voice? "So different that
Gold that I profess to bear. we have no choice. Yes, we have
been observing you, Iomadh. So in
the name of all that is right and
Culem 1, Lemshan 1, Shanra 1 good, in the name off all that Drow
My Egress: hold sacred, I hereby try you for
the crimes of being GOOD to people,
And there I was, standing tall and of loving PEACE, of seeking HAR-
proud, just beginning my sixteenth MONY!" I could hear the loathing
year. What present do I get? What dripping from the speaker's words
boon do I recieve? Not a knife, no, now. "Therefore, I try you also for
nor any other implement of destruc- the crimes of being a traitor, a
tion. I do not recieve a cloak, man- spy, and a turncoat." The voice
tle, even a pair of boots -- instead paused, as my body went slack under
I recieve an excommunication! There its influence.
I stood, on the dais, wondering how
I had made it as far as I had I could not believe the words I was
without acquiring disfavour (if you hearing! The voice boomed again:
will recall, I am a pacifist at "And I find you GUILTY of these
heart; I desire peace, harmony and crimes! Is there anyone to stand
-26- More...
for Iomadh?" The room was silent; I never thought that I would find
nothing stirred at all. And the friends like the ones I have found,
voice went on: "The sentence for such as Bolivar, Jhembryn, Rimmer,
this is not death, for death is too Alhana, Rory, and a few others that
good for one such as yourself. But I am sure I forget at this point.
you may wish it had been death, for Certainly, I do not wish to offend;
you are to be cast out from this If you, gentle reader, consider
place, amongst all the things that yourself my friend, then by all
are wild and untamed. You will no means, include yourself in the list.
longer have the safety of the war-
rens, you will no longer enjoy the And I never dreamed I would find one
shelter of our caves, you will no Melissa Douglas, whom I met in
longer feel the cool darkness Kelfour's... I tried to protect her
within." I did not believe what the and we ended up falling in love.
voice was telling me. I did not Ha! A Drow? Love? Surely you jest.
believe what was happening to me. I But it is true, yes, a Drow can
knew what I believed in, but I had love. At least this one can, in the
never heard of anyone being cast out sense that one typically knows the
like this! Finally, the voice an- word. Romance, and so on. Ah, the
nounced, "Therefore, Iomadh, you are road with Melissa has surely been
to be escorted from this place, tumultous, but well worth it. That,
never to return. You may take however is another story altogether.
nothing except what you carry."
Luckily, I thought, I had taken the Rhea's Troll Call Song
habit of keeping a knife in my boot. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had encountered -dislike- like by Rhea Sibex
this before (although on a much
smaller scale), so I had had to Come to me my Trollie Baby,
learn to defend myself. The last Come to me my Trollie Dear,
words I remember the voice saying Let me see your waving ears,
were, "Take this half-Drow from our Those flapping wings of Fear.
presence! Escort him outside!"
Come to me my Trollie Darling,
Even when I heard the guards with- Come to me my Trollie Love,
draw into the cave, even when I saw I have a gift of steel for you,
the forest for the first time, smelt My dusky Turtle Dove.
the air that was not stuffy and
smelly, I did not believe. My mind I love the way you curl my hair,
refused to believe what had happened I shiver and shake in fear,
to me -- and to this day, I still do I await your thumping footfall now,
not believe that my kin would do Don't make me wait all year.
such a thing to me. Therefore, I
carry the title 'Unbeliever' -- as Come to me my Trollie Baby,
an affirmation to myself that what My fleabags furry delight,
happened to me was unspeakable, I only want to show you how,
unthinkable. It is a title I give A wand of silver lights.
myself, if only to remind me of what
happened. Despite my tendencies and All Trolls come now and hug me close,
desires, I can never forget where I I promise not to bite,
came from. Come to me my Trollie Baby,
Come visit me tonight!
________________________________
Upon reading this again, though, I / \
find I must add that I never thought | Rhea Sibex's Troll Call Song and |
I would find a place such as Kel- | Mad Glimmering, also in this KE, |
four's Landing, where the strong get | won 1st and 2nd Place Prizes in |
stronger and the weak die away. It | in the August Bard Competition! |
is almost like home in that respect. \________________________________/
-27-
The Death Of A Thief
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by Tapor Lieff
The temple filled with brave, good men A wounded man points to the ground
Who'd dare to go where none had been Then moves away without a sound
I sat alone The metal glint
My thief unknown Gives me a hint
I show my pride The breastplate there
I type in "hide" I'll quickly wear
They laughed at me, all ten Then I was Kobland bound
"ANY PICKERS?" calls a vet A Kobold steps into my space
"I CAN PICK THAT LOCK I'LL BET" The tension high my thoughts did race
A steady hand I'll kill him here
My smile grand I'll show no fear
I kneel down In just one blow
But then I frown I'll let him know
"GOT A PICK? I'M STILL IN DEBT" This, of course, was not the case
With borrowed tool, and treasure near I was parried up, could not get hurt
I searched the chest I knew with death I would not flirt
"NO TRAP, ALL CLEAR" He swung a miss
I went to pick My sword he'd kiss
But wait, no click A parry tag
A flash of light A system lag
Then all went white He knocked me in the dirt
"THE RIFT SEEMS COLD THIS YEAR"
But he who fights and runs away
I popped back in and soon felt strong Can live to fight another day
"COME HUNT WITH ME, I'LL DO NO WRONG" So I went east
I grab my shield And met a beast
My sword I wield He sure looked mean
Then I stop That Wolverine
I type in swap On the altar, now, I lay
The silence sure was long
I go alone, and trust to fate
I need no friend, no hunting mate
An hour out _________
I'm quite the scout | |
I find my prize | R.I.P. |
With widened eyes | |
"SO THERE'S THE CITY GATE" | | |
| -+- |
\* | | |
|/ | | ,'
~~~``~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
KEV3N3
[end]
-28-
See Also: