Chapter #1129
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic VI +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and other +
+ terms used in these stories are the property of Wizards of the Coast +
+ which has in no way endorsed or authorized their use. Any such +
+ property contained within these stories are not representative of +
+ Wizards of the Coast in any fashion. +
+ The player characters depicted in these stories are copyright +
+ 1991-2023 by Thomas A. Miller. Any resemblance to any persons +
+ or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. +
+ Copying and/or distribution of these stories is permissible under +
+ the sole condition that no money is made in the process. In that +
+ case, I hope you enjoy them! +
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+ Alindyar 18th level dark elven wizard +
+ Lyra 14th level female drow wizard +
+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
+ Cespedes 19th level human wizard, elementalist +
+ Dexitheseus 17th level human wizard, jack of all trades +
+ Kronos ancient lich wizard +
+ Pallin 18th level grey elven wizard of Celestian, teleporter +
+ Parekh 18th level female human wizard, innovator +
+ Wu 18th level human wizard, transmuter +
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+ Date: 5/28/586 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: morning +
+ Place: the Brass Hills, within the Bright Desert +
+ Climate: hot and dry +
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+ "There’s nothing that can’t be done." +
+ - McManus, from _The Usual Suspects_ +
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MCXXIX. A Lengthy Agenda
After Belphanior's return from the eastern reaches of the desert, the
wizards have once again gathered to discuss next steps.
Belphanior: -and the centaurs, led by the war-chief Strongbow, seem to
understand that this region is better off with us than without us.
Parekh: That doesn't sound too convincing.
Belphanior: I think the idea of getting rid of the scorpions, as well
as working to change this desert wasteland into a more fertile place,
appealed to them. Now they won't serve as our soldiers or guards or
anything like that, but they seem willing to coexist peacefully with us.
(he pauses) Needless to say, their future disposition will depend on
what we're able to accomplish here. I promised a lot. (he looks around
the table) But this group has the power and the resources to deliver a
lot...if, in fact, all of us remain committed to this.
Parekh: I am. This desert is the largest unclaimed area in the central
Flanaess. If we move fast and succeed in fortifying it, we can do much.
Pallin: Agreed. Its location is optimal.
Belphanior: And I know I'm on board. (he glances around) What about the
rest of you?
Kronos: (flatly) As one who prefers a much colder climate...I would not
still be here if I was not intending to follow through. (he clenches a
pale fist)
The lich now wore a ring of white metal, a unique and powerful item that
radiated intense cold in the immediate vicinity of its wearer. This ring
would greatly help Kronos with the discomfort that the hot, dry air of the
desert would otherwise inflict on his strange undead body.
Alindyar: Nine wizards can do much more than one...or two. This alliance
has value, so Lyra and I stand ready to participate further.
Dexitheseus: And I as well. In decades of adventuring and fighting foes
across the land, I have yet to see a chance as ripe with potential as
this one.
Cespedes: (simply nods) We may possibly fashion the world's greatest
laboratory, and lay bare even more secrets. For that chance at new and
greater knowledge, I will happily lend my services.
Wu: In the past, I was able to do much in my homeland, to the far west.
Now, here, I may yet do more. I was always for this idea.
Belphanior: (looking pleased)
Parekh: (glances at the elf quickly, wondering what he's thinking)
As before, Belphanior had been fairly certain that this group could and
would remain allied and committed to a common cause. After all, if that
potential hadn't existed, they never would have previously united as the
secretive cabal organized by Parekh. The elf had assumed that - given the
chance to do more, and a basic plan to make things happen - they would be
ready to act...and they were.
Kronos: Now that Belphanior is back from his journey to speak with the
centaurs, we should review the progress made on various endeavors.
Alindyar: Aye. (clears his throat) Lyra and I conferred with Tenser.
While he was appreciative of the invitation to join this group, he yet
prefers to remain in his home at the lake's edge and deal with his own
affairs...and has departed for those more familiar environs, along with
his retinue.
Lyra: Needless to say, he stands ready to aid us in the future, if the
cause is just.
Parekh: (silently glad that their number didn't increase yet again, she
also realizes what Belphanior likely already knows, that Tenser never
would have joined another group of wizards, at least not so soon after
all that happened in recent years)
Dexitheseus: Relmar and Oakly Greenleaf have returned to their homes for
now. Should the time come to discuss construction of a new temple of
Pelor, or the cultivation of a new savannah or woodland in this region,
they shall return and engage with us yet again.
Kronos: Regarding a potential new woodland...is it possible that one
such as the Great Druid would think that any other terrain - say, this
desert - has as much right to exist as a forest or anything else?
Dexitheseus: I actually thought about that. Oakly postulated that the
current wasteland is not natural, and should not exist...and that he
would thus support any effort that restores the region to its original
state.
Kronos: (nods)
Dexitheseus: Anyway, we have much to do before then.
Belphanior: The centaurs will talk to the other folk of the desert, let
them know of our intentions as far as getting rid of the manscorpions
and making the desert safer for everyone. There are multiple tribes of
nomads out there...some will be friendly, others not so much. We need
them to know that we have no intention of intruding on their lands or
attempting to rule over them...as opposed to them hearing no message
and instead assuming the worst.
Cespedes: It is fortunate that you've taken the time to deal with such
things, or set into motion the dealings. I for one lack the time and
inclination to be involved in such matters.
Belphanior: We each have our own contributions to make. Anyhow, the
real work will be in dealing with the unique sites in this region, one
by one. Or maybe several at once. (he unfurls a large map, spreading
it out on the table for all to see) Combining everything we learned
from Tenser with what we've been able to find in Rary's notes so far -
and then adding on the centaurs' knowledge of the desert - I was able
to take this map and make a rough list of places we should be concerned
about. Some of these we've talked about already, in the planning phase
of the earlier assault...others, you may have already been aware of.
Kronos: (studying the map) Hmm.
Belphanior: Starting from the northwest, at the desert's edge, we've
got the town of Ul Bakak, which is a major trading site, mostly for
the barbarians of the hills and the nomads of the desert. While the
town is a neutral place, the surrounding area isn't; we need to meet
with the barbarians and see if we can come to some accord. One way
to accomplish that might be to help clear the nearby area of certain
fell, feared sites that lie deep in the hills to the north and west
of the trading town. One is a mysterious old tower, said to be the
former lair of a powerful wizard; the barbarians completely avoid the
place. Another area of note here is a small, barren valley known as
Fool's Rest, for obvious reasons. Those who venture in...don't come
out, and the barbarians give it a wide berth.
Dexitheseus: We might be able to kill two birds with one stone there.
Belphanior: Agreed. To the east of those places are yet others that
bear mentioning, nestled within the hills of the Abbor-Alz. There's
a dwarven city, once prosperous but long abandoned and said to be
as empty as it is vast. Nearby is an old dwarven mine, now called the
Pits of Azak-Zil...it's said that deep within are the remains of some
kind of fallen star. It's also well-known that swarms of undead are
found both within and around the place, and few go there. Since the
mine and city both came _after_ the fall of Sulm, I doubt there's any
chance of the Scorpion Crown being there...but if we don't want the
dead roaming the hills freely, we'll have to venture there and learn
the area's secrets, at some point.
Kronos: (considers using his own force of undead to undertake this
particular endeavor)
Belphanior: Quite a distance to the east of those pits, but still in
the hills proper, are a series of mines. It's not clear who or what
controls them, but the area is considered hostile by the barbarians,
so it's possible that the mines had something to do with Rary and his
plans.
Pallin: More work...
Parekh: (helpfully) Kingdoms are not built without effort.
Belphanior: So then, moving roughly east into the desert sands from Ul
Bakak, we have two oases...the Tulwar and Shembai. The former, until
recently, held a token force of Rary and Robilar's troops. Those were
overrun shortly after our victory, thanks to the centaurs and some of
their nomad allies, and the oasis is now open to all once more. This
other oasis, the Shembai, is both important and well-traveled...but,
oddly enough, only in the daylight hours. None dare venture there at
night, and it is said that any who do vanish, never to be seen again.
Kronos: That is worth looking into, but is not pressing.
Belphanior: Somewhere south of the Tulwar Oasis, much deeper in the
desert, is a spring, said to be both magical and holy to the goddess
Geshtai. Unfortunately, the nomads consider it a sacred place, not
open to outsiders...and the penalty for going there is death.
Parekh: A local oddity, and perhaps worth investigating at some point,
but not pressing compared to most of these others.
Belphanior: Turning north from there, we have Dagger Rock, which seems
to be little more than a tall, narrow spear of stone rising high above
the desert floor. The denizens of the Bright Desert use it as an aid
while navigating through the sands. (he frowns) But...rumors tell
of some powerful beast that lives in the area, amidst the spire and
the plains of rubble around it. That bears investigation.
Wu: Indeed.
Belphanior: East of Dagger Rock is an area generally known as the Old
Truun Northlands. To its north, as the desert sands give way to the
hills of the Abbor-Alz, can be found Knife's Edge Pass. This leads
northward, up into Urnst, but it's a difficult and dangerous trip
thanks to its narrow, treacherous, winding path as well as numerous
monsters and bandits. Chief among these is one known as "Hugo the
Axe", the Bandit King of the Abbor-Alz. He controls a small fortress
near the pass, and both that place and the hundreds of bandits there
are said to be formidable. (he frowns) At some point, we'll need
to clean this pass up and make it safe for travelers.
Parekh: Because people won't come to a land if they might die in the
journey.
Cespedes: Perhaps this is a job for Talos. He could simply make his
way through the pass, crushing all who stood in his way.
Belphanior: That would work until either a wizard found a way to push
him into a ravine, or more likely everyone just fled before him. For
cleaning out of such infestations, we really need a larger and more
varied force.
Cespedes: (shrugs)
Belphanior: Fear not. There are several other places where the golem
could be employed. (he points at the map once more) Continuing to
the east, there are the ruins of Darkbridge Temple, said to have once
been a place of worship for the dark gods revered within the ancient
kingdom of Sulm. This forsaken place is said to be cursed, and also
is blamed for recent disappearances among local tribes. Before his
demise, Rary had supposedly been approached by those nomads for help
with this problem, so it's possible we might as well...another "two
birds with one stone" situation.
Pallin: Most convenient.
Dexitheseus: Not without a strong force of priests or paladins. Most
buried temple sites are packed full of undead, in my experience.
Belphanior: East of those ruins is the column of rock called Gai Hur,
which serves as a gathering place for the desert centaurs and nomads
at each spring and fall equinox. North and east of that, in the low
foothills of the Abbor-Alz, is another buried place that's avoided
by pretty much everyone: the Necropolis of Unaagh. This ancient
burial ground held countless generations of Sulm's people; said to
have once been a place of great splendor, it has become the opposite
over the long centuries.
Kronos: I may have a friend or two interred there.
Parekh: Hah. Funny.
Kronos: (quietly) I was not jesting.
Belphanior: Anyhow, whatever's left of this series of mausoleums is
half-buried beneath the sands. Some say the place is full of lost
wealth and other treasure, but none of the nomads, centaurs, or
anyone else will venture there. I'd mark this site, and also the
temple ruins, as two possibilities for the final resting place of
the Scorpion Crown.
Kronos: Locating that lost relic...won't be easy.
Belphanior: No, but I'm hoping that Neera will find some long-lost
clue to point the way for us. (he turns back to the map) South of
the ruins and Gai Hur is this...Fort Whiterock. The outpost held
a sizable garrison of Rary's troops, and like the Tulwar Oasis, it
was overthrown within days of Rary's fall. We have centaurs to
thank for that, although word is it was a faction not quite loyal
to Strongbow.
Alindyar: That could be worrisome. Perhaps we need to offer that
chieftain some additional support, that he can unite _all_ of his
people and rule with a firm hand.
Belphanior: I already did that. Before we left our parley with his
people, I gifted him a new shield - a magical one - as well as a
potent weapon we recovered from Rary's tower, one of those which
he stole from me and that he still had. I can only assume he was
waiting to identify the right recipient to give it to, but...he
waited too long, and so I got it back. (he smirks) And now it's
in the hands of an ally who will work to help our cause.
Wu: This item...what is it?
Belphanior: It's a short spear with three branching points, used in
battle by a long line of legendary Suel generals. It apparently
amplifies its wielder's natural leadership abilities, potentially
allowing that person to command and control large numbers of other
people.
Kronos: That is a great gift indeed.
Belphanior: I know. Between that, and the shield, and a fair stock
of food, drink, spices, and such...I wanted Strongbow to know that
our intentions were genuine.
Parekh: Smart move, I'd say.
Belphanior: I do what I can, even if it meant giving up a powerful
magic item. (he frowns) But then again, none of us can use all
of the many dozens of such items we undoubtedly possess. This is
the kind of sacrifice and selflessness that makes building a new
kingdom just a little easier.
Parekh: (like all of the others, she ponders this)
Belphanior: Anyhow, the bleached granite walls of Fort Whiterock are
no longer under hostile control...though it's not quite friendly
control. (he frowns) Yet. (he moves a finger along the map's
surface) Continuing southward, here's Kalundi, a small village
that was happy paying protection money to Rary. I'd guess that,
without having to worry about raiders, these farmers were able to
focus on their crops and herds. We'll need to offer them similar
protection, although I'd suggest not making them pay for it.
Cespedes: Why not just destroy the raiders?
Belphanior: Because- (he pauses) That...is actually a very good
idea. We'll need to look into it. We also might be able to turn
them to our cause, if they aren't too far set in their marauding
ways.
Cespedes: Or we could simply obliterate them. (nonchalantly) In
the interest of saving time.
Belphanior: I understand...believe me, of all people, I understand.
But we'll see.
Parekh: (eyeing the map) The site of Rary's former stronghold, as
well as the area where we now sit, is just southwest of Kalundi.
What is this, to the east?
Belphanior: A smaller cluster of hills, the uplands of Unath. Its
southern portion contains the ruins of Utaa, the capital of Sulm
back in the day. It's huge, and almost completely buried beneath
the desert sands, with portions of an old building or two being
randomly uncovered by the winds from time to time. Excavating
even a small part of this city will be a lot of work, but along
with the other two ruins we've discussed, this is another place
where we should seek the Scorpion Crown, when the time comes.
Kronos: (thinking about the most efficient way of digging out all
of these buried places, he remains perplexed for now)
Belphanior: South and east of Utaa is the Plain of Spears, which
is an ancient battleground where Sulm fought its final battle
against a rival kingdom. The place is said to be littered with
old bits of bone, weapons, armor, and such - and perhaps intact
items and treasure. But it's also said to be the resting place
of evil spirits who roam the area by night, bringing madness and
death to any living who dare intrude there.
Wu: I see more oases to the west of that.
Belphanior: Yes. The Kolum Oasis was friendly to Rary's forces,
although that won't matter much now. There are some ruins in
the area.
Dexitheseus: That now makes four possibilities for the Scorpion
Crown's location, if anyone's counting.
Belphanior: The Var Oasis sees much traffic from the nomads, and
Rary had left it alone to this point. South of that is Histak,
a small village that somehow stayed completely neutral in the
conflicts between Rary's forces and the nomads. I'm told it's
full of healers. At some point, we need to stop by and figure
out what's going on there and why. (he points to another fort
depicted on his map) And here, south of these hills, is Kalki's
Leap, which was Rary's main fortress. It's fairly new, and damn
near impregnable. Unlike the other places where he had soldiers
garrisoned, this one hasn't been overrun and is still hostile.
Dexitheseus: Then we'll need to go deal with it, and soon.
Belphanior: We certainly will. (he gestures to the map) While
we've now reviewed everything that was both general lore and
more localized knowledge, there are two sites that you don't
see on that map...because we don't know where they are. One is
the ruins of Shattados' palace - from which he actually ruled
Sulm before its curse and subsequent fall. At this point, we
know nothing about it, and so it could be anywhere within this
desert, or even the hills. (he nods to Dexitheseus) And that
makes a fifth possible location of the crown.
Wu: And the other site not shown on the map?
Belphanior: It's called the Tower of Sleep by the nomads and centaurs.
It's said to be a tall, white tower that appears in random places,
remaining for a short time before vanishing. Any who venture near
the thing fall into a deep sleep, and upon waking always find the
tower gone.
Cespedes: Now that sounds intriguing.
Parekh: If dangerous.
Belphanior: The most common legends say that the tower is home to
an evil god, constantly shifting about as it seeks to escape into
the world. Others say it's ruled by an undead wizard who seeks to
steal the dreams of sleeping victims. We don't know the truth, of
course...but it might be worth seeking.
Kronos: Indeed.
Parekh: I'd like to reiterate that we have another problem to worry
about. It can't possibly be much longer before we get visitors here.
Belphanior: Aside from those who might originate from any of the various
locations we've just discussed?
Parekh: Yes. The Circle of Eight will send someone - they have to. As
will others...religious groups, perhaps. Or anyone seeking power and
seeing a potential opportunity. (she folds her slender arms) An event
as momentous as the fall of Rary won't be ignored for long.
Kronos: And that brings us to the other associated matter...we need some
sort of stronghold here, a footprint that lays our claim to the region.
Belphanior: That's what I said the other day.
Kronos: And it still holds true. But it needs to happen, and fast, else
certain types of visitors may get ideas...
Parekh: ...in which case we might have to fight to defend the area.
next: construction
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 12/22/2023
notes: Let me take a moment to give full (and much-deserved) credit
to the 1992 accessory "Rary the Traitor", which was TSR product number
WGR3, written by Anthony Pryor. I've never heard of him, and I imagine
he was simply tasked with fleshing out the post-Greyhawk Wars activities
of Rary...but he did a pretty good job. This accessory is now doing for
me exactly what a D&D accessory is supposed to do: providing ideas and
other fuel for countless adventures, perhaps even a long-term campaign.
Everything mentioned in this episode came from that accessory.
I took the original map from that accessory and added in the notable
locations that were missing. It will greatly complement this episode,
and is here: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/bright_desert.jpg
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