Chapter #181
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic II +
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+ The various characters contained in these writings are +
+ copyright 1994 by Thomas Miller. Any resemblance to any +
+ persons or characters either real or fictional is utterly +
+ coincidental. Copying and/or distribution of these tales +
+ is permissible only under the sole condition that no part +
+ of them will be used or sold for profit. In that case, I +
+ hope you enjoy them... +
+ +
+ Thomas Miller +
+ tmiller@cimmeria.oit.gatech.edu +
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+ THE PARTY (currently missing three members): +
+ +
+ Arnold 11th level human warrior (NG) +
+ Belphanior 12th/14th/14th level high elven w/m/t (CN) +
+ small immaterial wispy thing +
+ Mongo 16th level dwarven warrior (CG) +
+ Gorin 6th level dwarven warrior (CG) +
+ Peldor 18th level human thief (N) +
+ Bosco 7th level halfling thief (CN) +
+ Rillen 16th level human warrior (N) +
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+ Date: 11/8/573 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: early morning +
+ Place: the Welkwood Forest +
+ Climate: cold +
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+ "It is a crime to wander in my land without leave. Do +
+ you forget that you were in my kingdom, using the road +
+ that my people made?" +
+ - the elven king, from _The Hobbit_ +
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CLXXXI. Faeries
The adventurers are continuing to ride through the Welkwood,
headed westward toward Celene. Having gotten off to an early
start this morning, they have made significant progress...
Belphanior: ...bullshit. We should have been out of the
forest by now.
Mongo: (utterly lost in this woodland) I get along great
underground or in mountains, but this is elf territory. I
couldn't tell you how far into this damned place we are -
or aren't - if my life depended on it.
Rillen: (looking around) Still the trees grow larger than
they should.
Gorin: Yeah. (he pats the trunk of a massive tree) These
are pretty big, even for roanwoods.
Bosco: Looks like a million feet. (inspired by yesterday's
events, he wonders if he could climb one of the tall trees)
Arnold: I woulbn't try it.
Peldor: Bah.
wispy thing: (floating along behind the party) ssss.
Belphanior: (suddenly alert) Yo! People are approaching,
from all around! Everywhere!
Peldor: (becomes invisible and wanders away to one side)
Everybody readied their weapons and formed a ring, for
optimal defense. Moments later, scores of elves appeared
from the surrounding forest. Scattered among these were a
few horse-like creatures, each with a single sharp horn
protruding from its forehead.
Bosco: (his eyes widen in amazement) Unicorns!
Belphanior: And faeries!
Mongo: Huh?
Belphanior: Grey elves. Like Ged.
Rillen: I see.
Mongo: They don't look happy.
Gorin: Wonder what they want?
Arnold: Maybe they want to say "hi". (he addresses the
nearest grey elf cheerfully) Hi!
Peldor: (sitting on a nearby tree branch, invisible, he
rubs his chin, considering the odds)
Bosco: (wanders over to a unicorn and reaches out to touch
it)
unicorn: Neigh! (it rears back)
grey elves: (glaring menacingly at Bosco)
Bosco: What did I do?
grey elf: (chastizes Bosco in grey elven)
Arnold: (quickly steps in front of Bosco protectively and
points at the grey elf) Shud up, you.
Belphanior: (trying to calm down the agitated grey elves)
Now, now...no need for violence...heh heh.
Rillen: (wondering if the elf is serious)
grey elf: (a leader-type, he steps forth proudly and begins
babbling in a strange tongue) Ixwali b'un ilhi sarbin!
Mongo: Huh? (he shakes his head no) We don't understand.
grey elf: (speaks again, in a different language)
Belphanior: Ah. (begins conversing with the elf, in high
elven)
grey elf: (rather arrogantly) Who are you people, and what
is your business in our forest?
Belphanior: Hmm, you weren't here the _last_ time we came
through. Are you really sure it's your forest?
grey elf: Do not try my patience, commoner.
Belphanior: Or you mine...(his eye glows red) We are mere
travelers, headed westward on a great quest.
grey elf: A great quest? Those are rather rare these days.
What are you up to? Robbery? Or perhaps a mission for
the dwarves? I can see that you have two in your party
now.
Belphanior: Oh, come now-
grey elf: We do not take kindly to random ruffians wandering
amidst our forests.
Belphanior: We're just passing through...westward, like I
said. (he considers the consequences of starting a battle
here)
grey elf: Into Celene? Where are you going after that?
Belphanior: You really want to know? Okay...my companions
and I are riding to the lands of the Sea Princes. Once
there, we intend to free all the slaves and start a civil
war of epic proportions.
grey elf: (looks flabbergasted)
Belphanior: (shrugs) Well, you asked.
other grey elf: (speaks to the first in the strange tongue
that none of the adventurers can understand)
first grey elf: Aie. He says that his magic shows that you
speak the truth.
Belphanior: Naturally.
first grey elf: (declines to shake Belphanior's hand) I
am called Firindral. (he gestures to the other elves)
These are some of the folk of the forest, hereabouts.
Belphanior: We-
Firindral: While we do not usually take kindly to wandering
adventurers in our domain, your...quest is a noble one, if
somewhat insane. Pray, continue onward, to your fate. Or
your destiny.
Belphanior: Well, on behalf of my companions, I have to say
that I'm glad you approve. Of course, if you have any
magical items, or perhaps spellbooks, that you'd care to
loan us as we pursue our noble quest-
Firindral: (looks sternly at Belphanior, and points to the
west) Out.
With that, the ring of elves parted in that one direction,
affording the seven adventurers an exit. They rode westward
quickly, wishing to leave the impudent grey elves far behind.
Belphanior: Little bastards.
Mongo: Yeah, they weren't too happy with us.
Bosco: Can't imagine why.
Belphanior: I'll tell you something else. All those twerps
knew how to speak Common, I'm pretty sure. They just like
making people talk to them in _their_ language.
Rillen: Maybe they don't like outsiders walking around in
their woodlands.
Peldor: Hey, _I_ don't like walking around there either.
Gorin: Only elves are that protective of their forests.
Rillen: You would no doubt act the same way, if intruders
marched through your native mountains.
Gorin: Hmm, good point.
Mongo: Bah. Assholes are still assholes.
Belphanior: Yeah. Maybe we should've fought them...
Arnold: (shaking his head negatively) Naa.
wispy thing: (sailing around Bosco's pony) ssss.
Bosco: Hey! Cut that out!
Gorin: (looking around) Say, where'd Peldor get to?
Belphanior: (cracks a grin) Oh, I'm sure he'll turn up
somewhere...
Rillen: (looking at Peldor's horse) Hmm.
wispy thing: (it also looks at the horse) pff.
Peldor: (sitting on the horse, invisible, he begins to
whistle loudly)
Gorin: Hey!
Before the day's end, they emerged from the western edge
of the forest, into a lush, healthy grassland.
Mongo: (looking around) Where the hell are we?
Belphanior: Celene. Land of elves, elves, and more elves.
Gorin: Grey elves?
Belphanior: Yup.
Peldor: Wonderful. A land of Geds.
Belphanior: (not looking too happy either) The best thing
is probably to ride on and get out of these parts before
too many other people find out what our mission is.
Bosco: You mean we can't tell anybody?
Belphanior: (eyes the halfling)
Bosco: _Anybody_?!?
Arnold: Nod a good idea. Then we'd have peoble trying to
stop us...
Belphanior: Or join us.
Arnold: Yah, there is that.
Mongo: We don't need anybody to join us. They'd just get
themselves killed.
Peldor: Perish forbid. We're already going to get ourselves
killed! Why would we want anyone _else_ to do it with us?
Belphanior: Oh, calm down. This is a mission of great glory
and prestige!
Rillen: Honor.
Bosco: Glory, honor...where's the treasure in it?
Peldor: Exactly. Where?
Mongo: Don't worry about money - this is a great quest we're
on!
Belphanior: We'll be legends.
Peldor: Yeah...what will the historians say, years from now?
I can see it now..."The most futile quest ever conceived.
They were noble...they were benevolent...they were stupid."
Gorin: You're not chickening out on us, are you?
Peldor: Not I. I just don't see what we can possibly hope
to accomplish.
Rillen: Accomplish? If we can free seven slaves - that's
one for each of us-
Peldor: Yeah, I can count just fine.
wispy thing: (looks extremely put out)
Rillen: -then we'll have saved seven lives that were being
wasted. That is enough for me!
Bosco: (now thinking of himself as a great liberator) Cool!
Peldor: (still not convinced) Hmph.
Belphanior: Seven slaves freed, eh? Sounds like a quota...
I'll remember that.
They rode through eastern Celene, camping in the plains at
night, mostly. One night they stayed in a small town of
elves and half-elves...
Bosco: The guy was half-elf and half-human, I tell you! He
was just like that guy Ged hired...Deryck what's-his-name!
Mongo: Go to sleep, Bosco.
Five days after leaving the Welkwood Forest, they arrived
in Courwood, that small city just east of the foothills of
the Lortmil Mountains, just after midday.
Peldor: (his eyes light up) Courwood! Now this brings back
memories!
Belphanior: (to Mongo) At least he seems happier now.
next time : the Lortmils
ftp site : ftp.cs.pdx.edu in /pub/frp/stories/adventurers
notes : Hmm, it's about time to take a look at what Ged
and the drow are up to.
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