Chapter #431
previous chapter (#430)
next chapter (#432)
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic III +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and +
+ other terms used in these stories are the property of TSR, Inc. +
+ However, this does not mean that TSR in any way endorses or +
+ authorizes their use, and any such items contained within these +
+ stories should not be considered representative of TSR in any +
+ way, shape, or form. +
+ The player characters contained in these writings are copy- +
+ right 1991-6 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.ns.gatech.edu +
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+ Belphanior (14th)^3 level elven fighter/wizard/thief (CN) +
+ Otto 8th/9th level dwarven fighter/thief (CN) +
+ Victoria 11th level female vampiric human fighter (NE) +
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+ Date: 4/15/576 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: dusk +
+ Place: Belphanior's castle, above Helgate +
+ Climate: chilly +
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+ "I try never to be where I'm thought to be." +
+ - from _The Quick and the Dead_ +
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CDXXXI. Spring Cleaning
Only half a day after Peldor and Tanya's wedding, Belphanior has
returned to Helgate with his companions, one of whom is rather
puzzled at the moment...
Otto: I don't get it.
Belphanior: (heading toward his study) Pardon?
Otto: (following the elf) I mean coming back here. I thought we
were going to take care of some stuff in the Greyhawk area, then
take the long way back.
Belphanior: Oh, that. Well, there're two reasons. One, I changed
my mind about the anti-magic sphere.
Otto: How so?
Belphanior: It would be nice to have it here, but it's even nicer
to have it there.
Otto: Hmm, that way, if you ever get into really deep shit in
Greyhawk, you have an ace up your sleeve.
Belphanior: Right. And reason number two: Victoria can't travel
long distances by land.
Otto: Why n- Oh. Oh, yeah.
Belphanior: So, that's why I teleported us straight here from our
room in the Green Dragon.
Otto: Where'd Victoria get to?
Belphanior: She's in her new bedroom...resting, I suppose. (he
glances at the setting sun outside) Though not for much longer.
Otto: Yeah...hey, what'd you think about what the thieves' guild
did to Peldor?
Belphanior: Hell, they plucked him and fucked him. He was more
deserving than that bitch they made guildmaster.
Otto: That's too bad...a damn shame.
Belphanior: Yeah. Big-city politics...what a mess.
Otto: Really. That's why I left Perrenland's arm-
Belphanior: (nearly trips over something) What the hell? (he picks
up an arm bone, the flesh all but gone) Hmm, battle residue.
Otto: Yo! Here's another one.
Belphanior: Another human?
Otto: (kicks at a bone shard) Hard to say. He's kinda thin.
Belphanior: Good gods, what a mess. Who were these idiots?
Otto: One of 'em said "the Company of Nine"...this must be number
nine.
Belphanior: Eight. One survived, remember?
Otto: Right.
Belphanior: (snaps his fingers, and the air near him shimmers) Get
to work.
unseen servant: (begins picking up the mess)
Belphanior: So much for that. (he sighs as the invisible servant
sweeps up the bone shards) We're going to have to get some real
servants, though.
Otto: Why?
Belphanior: These unseen ones aren't working out. They're fine and
dandy, but they lack...life.
Otto: Sounds like something Victoria would say.
Belphanior: She did.
Otto: Oh.
Belphanior: See, Victoria's used to having servants, when she's in
a castle.
Otto: Vampires stay in castles a lot, don't they?
Belphanior: Apparently so. And while she's here, I want her to be
happy.
Otto: Yeah, she needs to be happy. Otherwise she might bite me or
Charlie or Kyros.
Belphanior: You think so?
Otto: (shrugs) I think maybe, I hope not. 'Course, if we've got
servants around, she could always bite them instead. (he grins)
Yeah, let's get some real servants...
Belphanior: Also, the quality of the food the "fake" servants have
been preparing has been...abysmal.
Otto: Now _that_ I agree wholeheartedly with.
Belphanior: See, the things do what they're told...but no more, and
they don't have any motivation. So the food is bland, and nothing
I tell them will change that.
Otto: Real servants...from where?
Belphanior: (shrugs) I'll find some, somewhere. Hey, maybe I'll let
Victoria find them.
Otto: Yie.
Belphanior: So, that's that. (he rubs his eyepatch)
Otto: Yeah. What's next on the agenda?
Belphanior: I'm not sure. We need to see how things are in town.
Otto: I'll be chatting with Eduardo soon.
Belphanior: Good, that kid knows everything.
Otto: I'll also talk to Razor Charlie, and Kyros, and Herbert. The
mines are still producing silver, as far as I know, so all of the
riffraff is still in town.
Belphanior: Probably causing trouble...we're not going to get away
with leaving them alone for much longer.
Otto: (nods) And then some blood will flow.
Belphanior: You're right.
Otto: Speaking of blood, I've been thinking about the intruders we
had recently.
Belphanior: Yeah, me too.
Otto: Oh?
Belphanior: I think about this kind of stuff in the back of my mind
all the time.
Otto: Hmm.
Belphanior: It's not like we had a lot of problems, but still, we
can't just have monsters running loose. There's got to be some
control.
Otto: Well, the gargoyle was a good idea, but some of the other
things...
Belphanior: Like the giant scorpion, for instance?
Otto: Yeah, I'm sorry about that. He just got away from me, and ran
down the hall-
Belphanior: No big deal, we were safe upstairs.
Otto: I say we install more traps, and keep less monsters.
Belphanior: In the common rooms, at least.
Otto: I like all the secret passages, especially the second spiral
stairway. I was watching those idiots constantly, and they never
knew it.
Belphanior: Your trap worked well, though we'll need others, in the
more...strategic locations.
Otto: Agreed. I think Angus would have been better used right at
the front door, like usual.
Belphanior: Well, I wanted to give them a chance...
Otto: This isn't a game. You of all people should know that. Next
time it might be more powerful adventurers. We might not get away
so easy.
Belphanior: Hmm, I guess you're right. I'll see what I can do.
Otto: The trick is to be able to live here, but at the same time
make it lethal for any unwanted guests.
Belphanior: Shouldn't be too hard.
Otto: And what happened to all the webs and fog and bats and such?
Belphanior: Uh...
Otto: I mean, this place is sinister enough, but all those little
effects would help a lot.
Belphanior: I'll take care of it.
Otto: Cool.
Belphanior: Whew, that's a lot of things to do.
Otto: Yeah. Servants, scumbags, security...what else do we need to
deal with?
Belphanior: I've got one idea, but if I told you, you'd be surprised.
Otto: Believe me, man, nothing could surprise me anymore.
Belphanior: Wellllll...what I'd like to do is find some way to cure
Victoria.
Otto: What?!?
Belphanior: You know, cure her vampirism.
Otto: Uh, are you sure she'd want that?
Belphanior: Probably. If I find a way, at least she'll have the
choice.
Otto: That's pretty bold, and ambitious.
Belphanior: Yeah, but if anyone can find a cure, I can.
Otto: So how're you gonna do it?
Belphanior: I've got some books, tomes, and such that discuss some
of this stuff. I'll have to do some research, and expend some
magic, but I _will_ find a way.
Otto: Worth a try.
Belphanior: I think it is. I figure I'll have an idea of where and
how to start within the week.
Otto: Okay. I'll go find out what's been happening down in town.
(he exits)
Belphanior: (mumbling to himself) Vampirism...hmm, where to start?
(he looks up) The study. That'd be a good place. Yeah. (he
wanders in that direction)
Victoria: (flies by the window, outside, in bat form)
next: trouble in town
ftp: ftp.digex.net in /pub/access/dpm/rpg/stories/adventurers
ftp.nol.net in /pub/users/zac/rpg/adventurers/
ftp.tas.gov.au/misc/stories
www: http://www.access.digex.net/~dpm
http://www3.hmc.edu/~kshobaki/adventurers
homepage: http://www.gatech.edu/oit/oe/design/thomas/adv.html
mail: tmiller@cimmeria.ns.gatech.edu (preferred)
thomas.miller@oit.gatech.edu (emergency)
notes: I hate to jump around again, but I'll be consistent this
time. You got 5 for Peldor and Tanya, and now you'll get 5 for
Belphanior and company, and then maybe Mongo, and so forth.
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