Chapter #1157

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                       +      THE ADVENTURERS      +
                         +                       +
                           +      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       +
+   1991-2024 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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+                                                                         +
+   THE BRIGHT ALLIANCE                                                   +
+                                                                         +
+   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:          6/26/586 C.Y. (Common Year)                            +
+   Time:          morning                                                +
+   Place:         the Brass Hills, within the Bright Desert              +
+   Climate:       hot and dry                                            +
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+   "But when you get in the professional world and you're outpacing      +
+    people and you're doing things different, then it becomes a          +
+    competition and they don't appreciate it.  I've heard it all, and    +
+    this is very typical:  'Are you just trying to overdo it because     +
+    you're a woman?'  No, motherfucker.  This is how I am."              +
+                  - Rachel Balkovec                                      +
+                    (first female manager in professional baseball)      +
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                   MCLVII.  Circular Delegates





  Less than a day after their latest discussion and prioritization of
tasks and missions, the nine wizards of the Bright Alliance were all
still in the Brass Hills preparing to go about their individual missions.
About an hour after sunrise, however, an unplanned (but not completely
unexpected) distraction occurred, as certain magical measures were
triggered...

Parekh:  (stops eating her breakfast of fruit and bread, stands up, and
  exits the small metal fortress)
Alindyar:  (already outside, looking up at the sky)
Lyra:  We have visitors.
Parekh:  I know.

  Whoever it was, they were being careful not to move too quickly toward
the hilltop.  From this distance, they were just barely visible atop the
flying carpet; two figures were seated on the enchanted platform.

Parekh:  The others are about, here and there, but we don't need everyone
  in order to go see who's come to pay us a visit.  (she begins working a
  spell of flying)
Alindyar:  Save your magic.  (he makes a couple of gestures, and the slab
  of stone beneath the three of them detaches from the hilltop, carrying
  them gently into the sky)

  Alindyar's makeshift platform was both sizable and perfectly steady,
and carried them up swiftly but safely up toward the flying carpet.  As
they closed the distance, they recognized the visitors as two members of
renowned Circle of Eight.  One, a woman, was perhaps forty with rather
pale skin, curly blond hair, and striking features.  The other was a
middle-aged fellow, with a short, neatly-trimmed brown beard; his tanned
skin spoke of much time spent outdoors on the road.  He wore fine garments
including a jet-black overcoat that glimmered in the morning sun and a
fashionable hat of black cloth, with a dark blue stripe.

Alindyar:  Jallarzi Sallavarian.  It has been a while.
Jallarzi:  (nods to Alindyar)  My pleasure.  (to Lyra)  It's nice to see
  you again as well.
Lyra:  (pleasantly)  Likewise.
Parekh:  (somewhat surprised, as she hadn't been aware that the dark elf
  couple knew any of the Circle of Eight by name)
Alindyar:  And this must be Warnes Starcoat.
Warnes:  (bows deeply)  At your service.
Jallarzi:  A fine morning, this.  I would normally ask whether you are
  doing well, but-  (she regards the hills below, and the vast desert
  all around)  -it's apparent that you've not only won yourselves this
  region but are also staying busy.
Warnes:  (notes the partially-constructed base of the great wall below)
  Quite busy.
Parekh:  (rather annoyed, she decides the time has come to speak up)  What
  does the Circle of Eight want here?  Why are you here?
Lyra:  (ESPing to Alindyar)  I believe she has some past issues with the
  Circle, particularly its leader Mordenkainen.  We need to keep her from
  getting too upset here.
Alindyar:  (ESPing to Lyra)  Aye.
Jallarzi:  (sighs)  If you wish to cut through the pleasantries...fine.
  We simply wanted to know what you were doing in the desert, after the
  fall of Rary.
Parekh:  He didn't fall, he was slain...and not even for anything he did
  in Greyhawk, although gods know he deserved justice for all that.  No,
  he threatened some of Belphanior's people and also stole a fortune from
  the elf.  And, so...  (she shrugs)  Well, you know Belphanior.
Jallarzi:  (nods)  Sounds about right.  And believe me, I wasn't alone in
  wanting Rary brought to justice.  I bear no ill will.  To tell you the
  truth, I didn't want to come.  This isn't Circle business, or Greyhawk
  business...at least not yet.
Lyra:  Rest assured, we have no plans to expand beyond the hills.
Warnes:  Ah.
Alindyar:  However, _within_ the hills - this region - we will do as we
  please.
Jallarzi:  I see.
Parekh:  (pleased at this show of solidarity, she regains her composure)
Warnes:  All that being said...you do appear to now be building your own
  stronghold in Rary's place.
Parekh:  (eyeing the foundations of the great wall below)  It does seem
  that way, doesn't it?  There are other places in the world, better
  ones...but this one is now, shall we say, available.
Jallarzi:  Let me now be the one to be direct.  Mordenkainen's concern,
  when Rary lived, was that the renegade wizard would seek out the cursed
  artifact known as the Scorpion Crown and attempt to use its foul powers
  for evil, and perhaps infect nearby lands with that evil.  So naturally
  his concern now is similar-
Parekh:  (holds up a hand)  Please.  We are not Rary and we are absolutely
  not following in his footsteps.  In fact...if anything, Mordenkainen
  should be thanking us for dealing with Rary.
Lyra:  (ESPing to Alindyar)  Every time she says "Mordenkainen" she likely
  actually means "the Circle of Eight."
Alindyar:  (ESPing to Lyra)  'Tis possible.  Although not all of them are
  fully aligned with their nominal leader.
Warnes:  Thanking you?
Parekh:  Absolutely.  Mordenkainen had his chance - chances.  Firstly, he
  didn't realize that Rary was disillusioned and on a bad path.  And then
  he did nothing after Rary sprung his trap and slew two of your number.
  Further, we know that Mordenkainen knew that we were going to assault
  Rary's stronghold, and still he did...nothing.  (she folds her arms and
  stares the two visitors down)  So we acted, and it's over with now, and
  we don't need or want his opinions on the matter.
Jallarzi:  I...can't argue with that.  And I won't.  You're preaching to
  the choir here; I agree with you that Rary needed to be dealt with, and
  certain parties refused to pursue that.  Months ago, Mordenkainen spoke
  with Tenser, knowing well the course on which he was setting himself in
  joining you to overthrow Rary.  At that time, he chose not to assist or
  oppose, due to other concerns across the Flanaess.  And Tenser pointed
  out that such inaction had led to sorrow and death in the past.  (she
  pauses for a moment)  And he was, of course, right.  (she frowns)  He
  also advised Mordenkainen and the rest of us, to consider what it would
  mean if your band succeeded in defeating Rary and his forces.
Parekh:  And here we are.
Jallarzi:  Indeed, here we are.  And make no mistake, I'm personally glad
  that Rary met the fate he deserved.
Warnes:  As am I.  Nevertheless, I think we can all agree that the things
  which lie buried somewhere beneath the desert sands here are...of great
  power, and thus cannot be ignored.
Lyra:  We're not ignoring them.  We're just letting you know that we will
  deal with them - in time.  Yes, this is a wasteland, and lies atop the
  remains of an ancient empire which fell into decay and evil.  Yes, it's
  filled with multiple hostile parties and monsters and dangers as yet
  undiscovered.  But we'll turn our efforts toward all of these things in
  due time, and in the end, we will come out ahead, as will this region
  and its people.
Alindyar:  Verily.
Parekh:  Kingdoms great and small are still recovering from the recent
  conflicts...and while we can't fix the world, we can damn well fix this
  one small piece of it.
Jallarzi:  An ambitious undertaking, to be sure.
Parekh:  Perhaps.  (she shrugs)  I could suggest a dozen plans, and in
  response someone would give me reasons why each of them would never
  work.  Which is their right, but need not dictate reality.  At some
  point decisions had to be made, and things moved forward.
Warnes:  (ponders this)  I see.  So essentially, you are telling us that
  due to seeking and slaying Rary and his allies, you are claiming this
  desert and now intend to improve the lot of its denizens - while not
  planning to exploit the powers of the Scorpion Crown, should you find
  it?
Parekh:  Yes, I can truthfully say that.
Alindyar:  Aye, as can we all.  (he nods to the visitors)  You may return
  to the Circle and its leader and advise him of all this.
Lyra:  And also that we have no intentions to venture outside of this
  region, or infringe upon Greyhawk's territory.  We simply wish to be
  left alone here, in peace.
Jallarzi:  (nods)  Understood.  And this is a good thing; without Rary
  and his ambitions, the Bright Desert will be a better place.  Perhaps
  one day it will even become allies with the Free City of Greyhawk.
Parekh:  Perhaps.
Warnes:  Very well.  We thank you for your time, and your words.  (he
  bows slightly)
Jallarzi:  (speaks some hushed words of command, and moments later the
  flying carpet turns to the northwest, then speeds away)
Lyra:  (waits a few moments before breaking the silence)  Well, that was
  interesting.
Parekh:  I knew they'd come calling sooner of later.  (she frowns)  I'm
  actually surprised it took this long.  And that they only sent two of
  their number.  (she frowns again)  And that it was _those_ two.
Alindyar:  (shakes his head)  It makes sense.  Mordenkainen would never
  come here himself; aside from that not being his way, it might have
  caused...agitation.
Parekh:  (remembering her long-ago efforts to join the Circle of Eight,
  efforts which were rebuffed gently but firmly by the stoic leader of
  the group)  You're right about that.
Alindyar:  And the others...Bigby was Mordenkainen's apprentice once, and
  would not have been objective.  From what I hear, Drawmij has become
  somewhat apathetic, and would not have been a good choice as emissary.
  Nystul was close to Rary, so might have been too vested in all of this.
  The others are likely either not fully aligned with Mordenkainen or are
  too new to the Circle to be chosen to represent it.  (he smiles thinly)
  All of which Mordenkainen would have considered quietly while avoiding
  sharing those thoughts with the others.  That fellow is as shrewd and
  calculating as he is powerful.
Parekh:  So in other words, he sent the two nicest people who he could
  count on.
Alindyar:  (thinks for a moment)  Aye, a fair summation.
Lyra:  So, all that being said...what can we conclude from the talk we
  just had?
Parekh:  I'd say they wanted to get a sense of what we're doing here,
  both short- and long-term.  And now they know we're building a sizable
  fortress of some sort, and that we want to help people, and that we're
  not planning to use the Scorpion Crown if we ever find it.
Alindyar:  Agreed.
Lyra:  They may not believe us on that last one.
Parekh:  I don't care.  But they do need to stay out of our way.
Alindyar:  I believe they will, but I also believe they will attempt to
  infiltrate this region in some manner, at some point...a soldier, or
  a miner, perhaps more than one.  (he folds his slender arms)  We must
  be vigilant.
Kronos:  Well put.

  The lich emerged from the small adamantine building nearby, joining
them and peering at the sky, in the direction the flying carpet had last
been seen as it flew away.

Parekh:  You were here this whole time?
Kronos:  I was.  I imagine some of the others were as well, as most if
  not all of them have not yet begun undertaking of the tasks determined
  yesterday.  I felt that my presence would have tilted the numbers even
  further in our favor, so I stayed back.  (his red eyes continue to scan
  the sky, unblinking)  Rest assured, had any serious argument begun, or
  had they actually attacked you, I would have stepped in to lend a hand.
Parekh:  (nods)
Lyra:  They would not have attacked.  Aside from being in our land, and
  being outnumbered, they were not here for a fight or even an argument.
  This was intelligence-gathering, plain and simple.
Alindyar:  And they know only what we wished them to know, nothing more.
Parekh:  I suppose I'd call this a win.  (she frowns)  For now.





next:        finally, Mongo gets his help for the Sterich assault!
map:         http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/bright_desert_1156.jpg
www:         http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage:    http://www.peldor.com/
email:       tmiller@peldor.com
released:    7/5/2024
notes:       Not much to say here.  This episode's events were inevitable.
  This was the first episode with content written after I was actually
  retired (I wrote the second half on June 1 2024).  It's still too early
  to give a full accounting of my thoughts and feelings about that and how
  it's going, but rest assured, those will come sometime soon.
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