Chapter #1212
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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 +
+ 1991-2026 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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+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
+ Irina 14th/7th level female human priestess/warrior +
+ Otto 12th/14th level dwarven fighter/thief +
+ Paige 13th level human female warrior +
+ Ys 14th level reptilian fighter +
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+ Shemeya 19th level human sorceress from ancient Sulm +
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+ Bosco 14th level halfling thief +
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+ Date: 4/16/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late morning +
+ Place: the Brass Hills, within the Bright Lands +
+ Climate: hot and dry +
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+ "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...all those moments +
+ will be lost in time..." +
+ - Roy Batty, from _Blade Runner_ +
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MCCXII. The Misdeeds of Volte
After her suggestion to the group yesterday, Shemeya prepares to lead
a small group into the heart of the Brass Hills - an area that has thus
far remained unexplored by the Bright Alliance. Even now, they soar in
that direction aboard the skyship, high above the desert sands.
Shemeya: (surveying the group, she speaks to Belphanior in a low voice
meant for him alone) As archmagi from the Alliance, you and I will
handle the conventional spellcasting today. Your priestess can heal
wounds and make divinations if needed. The large scaled one and the
sarcastic warrior-woman will likely handle any physical combat, and
the dwarf is clearly piloting this magnificent vessel. (she frowns)
So what use, exactly, is...he? (she points to Bosco, who is standing
at the rail to the starboard side, leaning over to stare at the ground
below as if he has no worries about falling off)
Belphanior: Trust me, the halfling has his uses.
Nearby, Bosco had shifted his gaze to Paige's rear end, which was ten
feet away and right about at his eye level. As she walked past him, he
backed off the railing and pranced after her, grinning.
Shemeya: (clearly dubious) We will see.
Belphanior: I hope you're right about these dragons. Not only would
they be useful to our cause, but it...worries me to see Dagger Rock
unoccupied.
Shemeya: It's as I said yesterday. More than a hundred years ago - by
this world's reckoning, although it was a lot less from my perspective
while my tower was trapped in time - I noted the arrival of the blue
dragon Volte to the desert and Dagger Rock, as he made his lair there,
emerging occasionally to hunt and feed. What very few know is that,
early in his time here, he encountered, fought, and slew a mated pair
of brass dragons that he came across during one of his flights above
the desert. What no one - no one else - knows is that those dragons
had a litter of young in their nest deep within the Brass Hills.
Belphanior: (nods) Which Volte never found.
Shemeya: He looked...gods, did he ever look. But the parents had hidden
their lair well, in a cave system far beneath the desert's surface...
and their offspring were as cautious as they were hardy, able to live
on the meager amounts of food and water available in the cave system.
They have been very careful, constantly wary of the larger, stronger,
and hostile Volte for nearly a century now.
Belphanior: But now he's gone. Cespedes had some sort of talk with the
blue dragon early last summer, and then six months later he'd departed
Dagger Rock for parts unknown. (he frowns) Presumably due to us being
in the area. It's good to know that even an old and powerful dragon
fears us.
Shemeya: And here we are, three months after that. The brass dragons,
now adults, likely are not yet aware that Volte no longer roams the
desert. By controlling that message, and offering them a ready-made
lair high above the desert - more fitting for their kind than hidden
underground caves - we may be able to convince them that the time has
come for them to live freely and without fear. (she smiles grimly)
As is their right.
Belphanior: And if we present ourselves as the ones who drove the blue
dragon away...
Shemeya: We could gain powerful allies. Allies who will grow even more
powerful in the future. Think about it: they don't require very much
food at all - a trait unique to brass dragons - and therefore will not
present us the same problem that Volte would have, with his voracious
hunger for fresh meat and general lack of qualms about where that food
came from.
Belphanior: (nods) Your ideas are proving as helpful as your knowledge
of the region.
Shemeya: I am happy to share both. Again, I was forced to sit and watch
for two thousand years, as my homeland destroyed itself under an insane
ruler, as the people were twisted into monstrous abominations and the
desert sands became a place of danger and death...as the peoples of the
region forgot the old ways and made their own small fiefdoms and tribes
and conflicts...as the dead under the sands rose and lived on, unseen
by and unknown to all...as countless explorers and adventurers came in
search of riches and lore but found only death. (she shakes her head
sadly) Tragedies...
Belphanior: I'm sorry-
Shemeya: (looks up, her jaw set) Don't be. I saw all of this and more,
things no one would believe, things I could do nothing about. But the
advantage - the sole damned advantage - of being trapped for all that
time was that I was able to come up with answers to the questions...
solutions to the problems. (her expression becomes even more serious)
The Bright Alliance found me at the right time...and I have much to do,
much to make right.
Belphanior: I believe you.
Shemeya: And I believe that these three brass dragons will be receptive
to our ideas, and will prove useful to our cause. (her stoic demeanor
fades, as suddenly as it came) Although we may have to "donate" some
treasure to them, if they choose to make a new lair atop Dagger Rock.
Belphanior: We can arrange that. (he frowns as an idea occurs to him)
They might also want to find and kill Volte one day in the future, when
they are large and strong enough.
Shemeya: To avenge their parents. Yes, I'd expect nothing less. If or
when it happens, they may desire our assistance.
Belphanior: And I'd lend it.
Their conversation was interrupted by a shout from Otto, who had seen
something of importance ahead.
Otto: Ho! The landmark you told me of lies ahead...a V-shaped ridge of
hillocks. (he points)
Shemeya: (strides over to the bridge) That's it. That marks the area
over their cavernous lair.
Belphanior: (joins her, eyeing the distinctly unusual rows of hills
ahead and below) What now?
Shemeya: Now, we go down there and parley...very carefully. (she eyes
Bosco, who is leaning over the rail saying something to Ys about riding
dragons) And it would be best if I did the talking.
next: here there be dragons
map: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/Bright-Desert_1203.jpg
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 6/5/2026
notes: Nothing much this time. I've been thinking for a while
about how they could best utilize Dagger Rock, and then I had an idea
about other dragons, and then I tied that to Volte, and now here we
are. I chose brass dragons for several reasons: they live in desert
climates...they are natural enemies of blue dragons...they are Chaotic
Good, the same as Shemeya...and they have personalities that could be
fun and entertaining if I do this right.
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