Chapter #1221
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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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+ Alindyar 18th level dark elven wizard, illusionist +
+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
+ Hope 16th level female human wizard +
+ Poulos 8th level human warrior +
+ Irina 14th/7th level female human priestess/warrior +
+ Neera 12th level female human wizard (sage/savant) +
+ Otto 12th/14th level dwarven fighter/thief +
+ Adolphus 10th level half-ogre warrior +
+ Damien small, renegade imp +
+ Peyton 11th level gnome thief +
+ Rogar 10th level human priest of Olidammara +
+ Sylus 8th/10th level dark elf warrior/thief +
+ Wembly 10th level human wizard +
+ Paige 13th level human female warrior +
+ Razor Charlie 12th level human fighter +
+ Skektek 14th level human wizard +
+ Ys 14th level reptilian fighter +
+ Lyra 14th level female drow wizard, invoker/evoker +
+ Pallin 18th level grey elven wizard, teleporter +
+ Socrates large albino hound +
+ Talos adamantine golem +
+ Parekh 18th level female human wizard, innovator +
+ Drak 15th level human barbarian +
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+ Date: 4/20/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: morning +
+ Place: the northern end of the Rakers mountain range +
+ Climate: cold +
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+ "What do we do now?" +
+ "Survive." +
+ - from _Good Guys Wear Black_ +
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MCCXXI. Depths of the Hidden Citadel
The occupants of Chargrim's hidden mountainside citadel, who have
suffered more than five years without any word from their master, now
have a new concern...
Wanzock: (watching this group draw nearer, although they are still more
than two hundred feet away, at the upper end of the roadway before it
opens to the flat patio outside the citadel's gate and double doors)
I daresay they mean business.
Cleavus: No doubt. And they haven't given the designated signal that
would be known to anyone sent by our missing boss. (he absently rests
one hand on his sword's pommel) So...how much closer are we going to
let them get before we attack?
Both men's control over their highly-disciplined underlings was total;
not a single arrow or spell would fly until the command was clearly and
decisively given.
Wanzock: Not much longer. We might need-
Cleavus: Look there.
One of the approaching group, a tall elf with a billowing red cloak,
had stepped forward in front of the rest. A sword was sheathed at his
side, and he held up a white flag - the universally-recognized signal
that one desired a parley.
Wanzock: Well.
On the path below...
Belphanior: (standing in front of the others, holding the wooden pole
atop which the large white flag flutters in the cold mountain wind,
he clenches his jaw and waits) I hope they're receptive. I'm really
not in the mood for a fight.
Otto: (standing behind the elf, he scans the parapet above, noting its
defenders and their readiness) Well, they haven't fired on us so far,
and that's a good sign.
Alindyar: (to Belphanior, quietly) Fear not. If they launch any sort
of missiles, or even most spells, my barrier will deflect them.
Belphanior: Much appreciated.
Alindyar: To be sure, it would take something like a meteor swarm to
get through the shield...and I doubt a wizard of that ability would
still be here.
Otto: I'm just glad you and Pallin and Neera were able to trace that
pendant's magic back to this place.
Alindyar: There are advantages to having multiple archmagi working in
concert. (he eyes Neera in the ranks behind) Not to mention a gifted
sage and savant.
Neera: (not one to directly take credit for her work, she simply smiles
to herself)
Pallin: It was some good collaboration, for certain.
Socrates: (stands ready at its master's side, silent as always)
Parekh: (noting various details of the citadel ahead) An unusual place,
this. I sense more than meets the eye here.
Drak: Magic? Treasure?
Parekh: (simply nods)
Paige: (ignoring these wizards and their vague talk, she turns to Hope)
Where did we get a white flag, anyway?
Hope: One of the drow conjured it out of thin air.
Paige: Oh.
Poulos: (looms behind Hope, ready to protect her should a battle happen
here today)
Ys: (looms behind Neera, with similar intentions, as the slim young
sorceress isn't usually out in the field with the team)
Talos: (looms over both Poulos and Ys, its bluish-gray twenty-foot form
gleaming dully in the morning sunlight)
Skektek: (looks up at the massive metallic golem) I bet just seeing him
will make them surrender. (he clenches the fist which holds his thunder
ring) Although I kinda hope not.
Razor Charlie: (eyeing the bowmen atop the ledge ahead, he grimaces)
Irina: Istus willing, there won't have to be a fight this day.
Damien: (hovering in the air nearby) I hope there is.
Irina: (pretending not to hear the imp, she begins talking to Hope and
Paige about the sturdy-looking front gate of the place, and how strong
it might be)
Peyton: If there's to be battle today, we'll join it. As my dear old
uncle used to say, if a fight's worth fighting, then fight well.
Adolphus: Huh? A fight?
Sylus: Not just yet. Wait and see...let these wizards work it out. (he
frowns) Or not.
Rogar: I'd bet they will; they seem rather formidable.
Wembly: (this being the first time he's ever been near some of the
Bright Alliance, much less marched in the same ranks as them, he is
more than a little starstruck) Formidable, to say the least. These
are archmagi...real archmagi! I can only hope to be like them one day.
Rogar: Perhaps you will be, lad. (he takes a long drink from his wine
flagon, then stifles a belch) Perhaps you will be.
The Bright Alliance had opted to send five of their number, just over
half. Kronos had mentioned other priorities that required his time and
effort, Dexitheseus had been happy to rest and let others undertake this
particular mission, Wu hadn't seemed to care one way or the other and so
had simply not volunteered, and Shemeya had very directly mentioned that
this endeavor had nothing to do with the Bright Lands or their people,
which meant she had no need to be involved. Belphanior had suggested to
his peers that the mercenary group, led by Peyton, come along to bolster
the overall delegation's strength...in case negotiations failed.
Belphanior: (watching as the fort's gate opens and two individuals come
from within, heading his way) Here we go. (he steps forward, Alindyar
joining him)
This was by design; Lyra would remain among the main group, watching
those who had emerged to parley (as well as the defenders above). If she
saw or detected anything amiss, she could alert Alindyar via ESP. This
freed him up to actively participate in the coming discussion with the
pair from the citadel.
Belphanior: Here they come. (he plants the flag in the road and walks
forward to greet the contingent from the stronghold)
Alindyar: (advances alongside the elf) A warrior and a wizard...these
are most likely the ones in command of the soldiers and any wizards,
respectively.
One of the men was a bit heavyset, with short gray hair; he looked like
he had seen his share of battle over the years. The other one was older
and quite thin, with long white hair braided into a ponytail that hung
behind his back. Obviously a wizard, this fellow looked both intelligent
and competent.
Belphanior: (forces himself to smile pleasantly) Greetings and well-met.
I am Belphanior, and this is Alindyar; we represent the Bright Alliance.
Cleavus: (nods) I'm Cleavus, the commander here.
Wanzock: Wanzock...a mage.
Cleavus: If this is the same Bright Alliance that rumors say now rules
the Bright Desert, then you are far from home indeed. What brings you
to our small, meaningless outpost?
Belphanior: Well, to-
Alindyar: Let us not mince words. I will state what we know to be fact.
This place is a stronghold belonging to the fell wizard Chargrim, who
has not returned here in quite a long time. (he frowns) The reason
for that - which you likely are not aware of - is that he was slain a
while back, along with his companions.
Wanzock: (keeps his expression neutral, not without significant effort)
That is...a bold assertion.
Cleavus: To put it lightly.
Belphanior: It's not an assertion, it's a statement. And we can prove
it. (he frowns) I have something in my pack, if you'll allow me?
Wanzock: (turns to Cleavus and nods)
Cleavus: (turns and holds a hand up, signaling the archers above not to
do anything rash)
Wanzock: Proceed.
Cleavus: (mutters to his companion, quietly) I sure hope there's not a
severed head in that pack)
Moments later, the elf had removed a folded bundle of purple cloth from
his pack, and now he proffered this to the others.
Belphanior: I believe you know these robes, and the one who once wore
them.
Cleavus: (to Wanzock) Could it be...?
Wanzock: (steps forward to take the robes)
Cleavus: Wait-
Wanzock: The magicks I have in place confirm both a lack of traps or
harmful effects...and a substantial amount of magical power, of scope
commensurate with our departed master. (to Belphanior) If this is a
trick of some sort, rest assured that every resource in our stronghold
will be deployed against you.
Belphanior: No tricks. These are Chargrim's robes, all that was left of
him after he was disintegrated.
This statement wasn't exactly accurate, as the wizard had left behind
a few other things upon his obliteration, but the robes were the best
proof-of-death that could be offered...and had also, luckily, been deemed
least useful to any of the wizards of the Bright Alliance. Accordingly,
they were the ideal item to give up in this particular negotiation.
Wanzock: (takes the robes from Belphanior, and quickly works a spell to
confirm their nature and powers)
Cleavus: (waits patiently, arm at his sides, ready to draw his sword if
anything goes bad here)
Wanzock: Hmm. (he completes the spell) Hmmmmm.
Cleavus: Well?
Wanzock: (shaking his head) This elf tells the truth. These are indeed
the robes worn by Chargrim in the past.
Actually, Wanzock wasn't completely certain of his assertion - there
was no utterly foolproof way to be sure, beyond the shadow of a doubt -
but the red-cloaked elf didn't know the extent of Wanzock's abilities.
Besides, having spent a lot of time around Chargrim, he was reasonably
confident in his spell's results. If these weren't Chargrim's actual
robes, some insanely powerful magic - almost certainly coupled with an
actual encounter with that wizard - was at work here. If that had been
the case, this entire parley wouldn't even have been necessary.
Cleavus: (whistles) So he really is dead.
Belphanior: Dead and gone, never to return. (he eyes the stronghold
built into the mountainside) Which brings us to the reason for our
visit here today.
Wanzock: (frowns) Explain.
Alindyar: We interrogated another of your slain master's group, and we
know that this citadel belonged to him and him alone. As he will not
be returning, your service to him would seem to be at an end, with no
real reason to remain here.
Cleavus: We have a duty-
Belphanior: Not any more. (he sets his jaw) And I want to be clear on
something. We didn't have to come here and talk diplomatically. The
other way would have been a swift and deadly attack, leveling the whole
place in mere moments. The only problem with that would be digging it
all up afterward.
Neera: (wondering whether her companion is serious, she realizes that
he's simply bluffing, as that much excavation would be a substantial
waste of time and effort)
Belphanior: (sighs) Also, we're trying to give you the benefit of the
doubt, and avoid bloodshed.
Wanzock: (hearing these words, but also somewhat dubious) An attack
that would level the entire citadel? You seem to be forgetting those
who defend this-
Alindyar: Ahem.
Wanzock: Eh?
Alindyar: Let me convince you. (he points to the nearest neighboring
mountain) Watch carefully.
At first, it was unclear what the dark elf was doing...but then, a few
moments after he had spoken, the distant peak gradually became hazy, even
blurred as the mountaintop changed. Its solid rock shifted, becoming as
liquid and flowing down over the rest of the mountain.
Cleavus: Whoa.
Wanzock: (watches, transfixed, realizing that this is no illusion but
rather an actual change in a extraordinarily large chunk of matter)
Less than ten breaths after Alindyar had first announced his intention,
that mountain no longer had a peak...for it had melted away, leaving just
a rough, blunt top of massive size.
Belphanior: (casually) Interesting.
Alindyar: Perhaps one day, dragons will make a lair there. (he frowns)
Or perhaps not. (he turns back to Wanzock and Cleavus) You have now
witnessed the power of just one of the Bright Alliance. Be aware that
there are nine of us.
Wanzock: You make...a very strong point.
Belphanior: (nods) Undeniably, but what we _don't_ like to make is more
enemies. And we try to be fair and give people a chance.
Cleavus: (still shaken from the demonstration of power, he now sees how
things are going to be) Wh- what are the terms of this chance?
Belphanior: Leave. Just leave. I am sure that Chargrim left you plenty
of coin and supplies. Take what you need. Hell, take it all. If my
guess is correct, there's more than enough to set you all up for life.
And you must be weary from spending the last five years and more here,
far from civilization and its comforts.
Cleavus: (to Wanzock) He makes a good point.
Wanzock: Yes, but...(he frowns)
The wizard no longer believed that Chargrim was ever coming back, and
he was already thinking about all that could be taken, and how to carry
out that effort. His problem was the unknown contents of the deepest
floor of the citadel, the sub-basement that held secrets known only to
the departed Chargrim.
Wanzock: (muttering to himself) Gone. Not departed, gone.
Cleavus: Huh?
Wanzock: He's never coming back. We'll never get- (he stops talking,
glancing at the two elves he's been speaking with, one tall and lean,
the other dark-skinned and immensely, even catastrophically powerful)
Alindyar: Please do not worry about the unknown secrets locked away in
the lowest reaches of yonder stronghold. We will deal with those.
Wanzock: How...how could you know about...?
Alindyar: We know everything. And we can do anything.
Belphanior: I'll repeat my offer, and it's a good offer. Gather your
forces, and your belongings, and whatever you want to take...and go.
(he looks up at the sun in the sky) You have one hour.
Alindyar: Or...(he glances at the leveled mountaintop in the distance)
Wanzock: (sighs) I don't see that we have a choice. We will leave.
About an hour later, the Bright Alliance wizards and their various
companions stood in the now-open double doorway that led into the main
floor of the citadel. In the distance, just over seventy people rode,
marched, or flew down the path that would take them down the mountain
and away from this place.
Parekh: You think they'll really leave, and not circle back around later
for an attempt to reclaim the citadel?
Lyra: (regards the peak-less mountain in the distance) They'd be fools
if they did.
Alindyar: (allows himself the faintest of smiles) Aye.
Belphanior: I'm a good judge of people and their intentions. Based on
the talk we had with them, I don't think they'd dare to return. But
still...(he glances at Peyton and his crew) We can post sentries here
while we explore the place - sentries with powerful capabilities.
Pallin: A wise precaution. (he looks around) All in all, not a bad
morning's work.
Parekh: It's not over yet. (she glances into the large hall just inside
the citadel's massive, iron-banded double doors) There's something in
there...something significant, as we know from our scrying efforts made
ahead of the confrontation. Whatever it is - a hoard of magical items,
an artifact or two, a huge pile of coins - we want it.
They wasted little time. The adamantine golem (which was far too big
to enter and traverse the man-sized passages and halls of the citadel)
and Peyton's team were stationed at the entry doors as guards. Those
among the latter group who understood what was happening did some quiet
grumbling, as they felt they could have been better-used in the dungeon
explorations ahead, but this was not a debate they would win. The rest
of the explorers - the five Bright Alliance wizards plus their various
allies - split into two smaller teams, quickly and thoroughly checking
the primary floors of the stronghold. The cursory but helpful briefing
given by Cleavus and Wanzock before they left proved accurate: the entry
level started with a sizable entry hall and also held guest quarters,
multiple large storerooms, several wells, and a stable that was now all
but empty, containing only a few old but sturdy wagons. The floor above
had been the soldiers' quarters and armory, and was pretty well cleaned
out after their hasty departure. Above that was the much smaller level
that led to the outside defensive ledge and had housed the sentry-archers
manning that area. Overall, the citadel's new owners were surprised by
just how neat and orderly these areas were, even after the forced exit
of their long-time occupants. It was clear that discipline in this place
had been strong, even without the dreaded Chargrim around.
All this aside, it was the floors beneath the main one that held the
true interest of the Bright Alliance. Directly beneath the large central
level was the basement which had housed the dozen wizards commanded by
Wanzock. While Skektek had been disappointed that none of them happened
to forget any magical wands or rings, he reassured himself with the idea
that there was another chance at such treasure yet ahead.
Belphanior: (facing the wide stone wall in a particular corner of the
cellar, from which a large quantity of crates and barrels had just been
cleared) Wanzock said this was it...an unusually thick wall concealing
the stairway down to the sub-basement.
Alindyar: And a golem, standing guard.
Parekh: (drily) It was thoughtful of the wizard to let us know about
that.
Belphanior: (smiles grimly) I assured him that any nasty surprises we
found would directly translate into us finding and punishing him at a
later date. He seemed to understand.
Alindyar: Having said that, his knowledge ended at the door behind the
golem, whose nature he claimed not to know...along with what lay beyond
that portal.
Lyra: There's only one way to find out.
Rather than use magic to pass through the wall that blocked the way,
they let Alindyar shift the thick stone aside (which, after the fact,
had the appearance of someone having melted a wide tunnel right through
the stone). Behind the wall was a short hallway, about fifteen feet in
width and height and thrice that in length. They now stood at one end,
while almost fifty feet away at the far end, their magical light-sources
revealed the shape and contours of an iron golem - just where Wanzock had
said it would be. The massive, dull gray construct was roughly ten feet
tall and just as wide; unlike most golems, it held no weapon in either
hand... but each of its fists was unusually large and heavy, and could
no doubt do serious damage to anything or anyone they hit. The golem
clearly had not moved for a long time, judging by the thick layer of dust
that covered its huge form.
Alindyar: (studying the hallway and the golem via magical means, he rubs
his chin) Interesting.
Belphanior: That's for sure.
Pallin: What are you seeing that we aren't?
Alindyar: The floor and walls of this area have been augmented with a
variety of metals and enchantments. Aside from resisting teleportation
and other means of movement through them, that means they cannot easily
be, for example, changed into mud to trap the construct.
Belphanior: And the hallway is also a kill zone. It's precisely the
ideal width and height for the golem to fight without being outflanked
or bypassed. Also, assuming it breathes poison gas, as iron golems do,
that deadly vapor will be a lot more concentrated and dangerous in such
a small area. (thoughtfully) That also rules out area-effect spells,
which would fill this entire hallway and probably most of the floors
above us. (he nods) Clever.
Alindyar: There are also multiple powerful but unseen fire-generating
wards set throughout the floor, walls, and even ceiling here. Those
would harm attackers while repairing damage to the golem.
Belphanior: An interesting challenge. To defeat each one of the series
of defenses, we'd have to move closer...which would likely cause the
thing to charge at us.
Pallin: (frowns) Unfortunate that we could not bring our adamantine
golem down here. None of these issues would affect it, and I daresay
it could overpower this guardian. (sadly) But its oversized stature
prevented that.
Parekh: Which seems to happen a lot. That thing was simply...overbuilt.
Skektek: (muttering to Ys) Well, at least it's up there guarding the
main entrance, along with those mercenaries. Between all of them, we
should be safe from anyone who might show up outside.
Ys: Do you worry that the former occupants of this fort may return to
oust us?
Skektek: Not really. They'd had it with this place...you could see it
in their eyes as they left. (he frowns) But you never know.
Otto: (to Belphanior and the other archmagi, helpfully, as he eyes the
iron golem stationed in front of the door ahead) Speaking from the
perspective of a non-wizard, the only apparent way to deal with this
guardian involves a hell of a lot of direct and very dangerous combat.
Belphanior: (nods) That's for sure.
Parekh: We seem to have a conundrum.
Pallin: Not really. (he produces the small gilded cage that formerly
belonged to Cespedes, and until recently held the monk Babuk)
There were five of these artifacts - known as Prisons of Zagyg to the
few who were aware of such things - in existence. Amazingly (although
perhaps not surprisingly given their power and experience) the members of
the Bright Alliance possessed two of the mighty devices. Alindyar's cage
currently held the beholder, Father Eye...but after the interrogation of
Babuk just a day ago and that one's subsequent death, the second of the
powerful prisons was currently empty. Bringing that item along on this
endeavor had been an easy decision...and now provided an option to solve
the problem ahead.
Lyra: (ESPing to Alindyar) Will that work on a golem? They are immune
or impervious to a great variety of magic.
Alindyar: (ESPing to Lyra) Zagyg was an archmage of extraordinary skill
and experience before he became a demigod, and these cages were some of
his greatest creations. I suspect the thing will indeed serve to trap
yonder foe.
They prepared themselves, Pallin standing out in front but the entire
group poised to retreat in a hurry if the artifact failed to contain the
golem. Pallin faced the golem at the far end of the hall, brandishing
the miniature adamantine cage tentatively. While he had already learned
the device's basic operation, he lacked the experience needed to claim a
complete mastery of its capabilities. Still, Pallin was a wizard of high
intellect and great skill and power. The grey elf spoke a few arcane
words of command as he held the tiny cage out toward the guardian.
iron golem: (turns its head toward the invader, ever so slightly)
Incredibly, impossibly, the massive metal form had begun to shrink! At
first the effect was barely noticeable, but within moments the huge golem
had been reduced to the size of a child, then an infant, then an apple...
and suddenly, it was gone, vanished from sight!
Pallin: (holds up the tiny cage, within which can now be seen the golem
in miniature form) Ah. (he smiles thinly)
Parekh: Well done!
Belphanior: Another golem for the Bright Alliance.
Pallin: (nods) Of course, it answers - answered - only to Chargrim. We
will have to wrest that control away from the slain wizard and gain it
for ourselves. That will take time, but can be achieved.
Alindyar: (eyeing the door which, with the golem's capture, now lies
ahead)
Now that a closer inspection was possible, without the golem attacking,
the magical fire-traps along the hallway were studied and neutralized in
sequence - either by dispelling or erasure. Despite the careful teamwork
utilized during this process, even the archmagi weren't perfect; one of
the fire-wards exploded while being disarmed, spraying the passage with
raging flames that were only contained thanks to Alindyar's protective
magic.
Parekh: (wipes sweat from her brow) Damn. (she turns to the dark elf)
Good save.
Alindyar: 'Twas no problem...as long as some of us focus on shielding
our group while others attend to the defenses. (he frowns) Or perhaps
offenses is a better term.
Pallin: Offensive defenses.
Belphanior: (thinking of the analogy between this and a band of thieves
working their way through a trap-filled dungeon, he smiles thinly) In
any case, it's solid work. Everyone just keep focused, and if you get
tired, let someone else assist.
The process was long and tedious - and fraught with peril that only
wizards of high caliber could understand and deal with - but eventually
the group had worked its way through the protections and approached the
far end of the passage.
Alindyar: More deterrents lie ahead, spanning not just that portal but
the very stone around it.
Lyra: And they're of substantial power, too. The wizard was certainly
taking no chances.
Parekh: This may be the greatest sheer number - and widest variety - of
protective enchantments I've ever seen in a single passageway. (she
frowns) Barring, perhaps, some of those beneath our fortress.
Pallin: This place's master did not want anyone else coming this way.
Belphanior: Or finding whatever treasure lies ahead.
The thick door was fashioned of some strange greenish-brown wood, which
was reinforced with black iron bands and also secured by multiple powerful
enchantments. The five archmagi spent long moments studying and scrying
it, to learn the various protections and the order in which they had been
woven upon the portal and surrounding stone...and then they began to work
spells. One at a time, each defensive ward was engaged and defeated; the
work would have been thoroughly exhausting (and likely impossible) for a
single wizard, but was possible for a team of five such spellcasters who
worked together in a careful, precise, and patient manner. Neera stood
nearby, her keen mind hard at work double-checking these efforts as they
were performed a step at a time. It helped to have an extra set of eyes,
one not involved in the details, watching over the deconstruction of the
complicated series of protections. While they were highly potent, and
carefully laid down all those years ago...they were not insurmountable
given the right combination of power, skill, and patience.
Otto: (mutters to Razor Charlie) This is like cracking a complicated
safe.
Paige: Or peeling open a really big onion.
Hope: Except with magic.
Razor Charlie: (watching as a vaguely-blue magical barrier shimmers into
visibility briefly before being dispelled by Parekh, he just grimaces)
The process seemed to take forever from the perspective of all present.
Those not versed in the ways of magic - the party's warriors and thieves,
and to a lesser extent Irina - understood that there was a great deal of
spellcraft at work here, but all they could do was watch, stay out of the
way, and wait. Those who could comprehend the true complexity of what
was happening here (and the magical power and skill needed to do it) but
were not casting the spells - Skektek, Neera, and Hope - marveled at the
diverse assortment of protections placed here by Chargrim. There were
invisible but potent glyphs...there were barriers that would have proven
impenetrable to any physical force...and other barriers that would have
spelled doom for lesser wizards...and even multiple symbols, each poised
to exert its own unique and powerful influence on trespassers. It felt
like hours had passed...but after an immense amount of effort, the five
archmagi suddenly and visibly relaxed. All of them looked tired, and a
couple of them seemed exhausted - but they were no longer chanting and
working their collective magic on the stout door.
Paige: What happened? Is that it? Is the door secure?
Irina: (sensing a sudden and significant shift in the vicinity) Yes...
something has changed.
Pallin: Of course it has. The wards, at long last, are all defeated.
Parekh: (her face pale, she leans on Drak) We...will need a moment to
rest.
Alindyar: (the dark skin of his face beaded in sweat, he yawns wearily)
Aye.
Belphanior: (having somewhat greater physical stamina than the others,
he takes miniature potion vials from a pouch and begins handing them
out to the other four) Here. These will help - they're small doses of
vitality potion. I figured they might come in handy at some point.
Lyra: (takes one of the tiny bottles gratefully, nodding her thanks)
After a brief time of rest and preparation, the group made ready to use
the formerly-invincible door. Otto first checked it over carefully and
completely for any physical traps, but found none; it seemed that Chargrim
had held complete confidence in his magic when it came to protecting his
secrets. After Otto gave the all-clear, Ys stepped forth to actually pull
the portal open; it swung outward easily, on well-oiled hinges.
Belphanior: It would have to, since Chargrim wasn't exactly a physical
powerhouse.
The now-opened door turned out to be a good four inches thick; behind
it, a wide stairway descended into the unknown. About six feet in radius
and with unusually wide steps, this spiral walkway was illuminated by
torches held in sconces which were set into the curved wall at regular
intervals. These had flared to life just after the door had been opened,
their flames initiated and sustained magically without conventional fuel
or the production of heat. The torches (as well as the oversized stone
steps of the staircase itself) were checked by both magic and physical
means to make sure they held no traps, triggers, or other surprises.
Pallin: It seems that the wizard concentrated all his guards and wards
in a single place. (he frowns) Although we must of course be careful
at every point here.
Belphanior: That's for sure.
The elf led the way, using his crystal eye to scan ahead as they moved;
Otto was beside him, surveying the stairway as only an experienced thief
could do, occasionally stopping the group so he could run a finger across
a crack in the stone, or test a step ahead with a long, thin metal rod.
Alindyar also marched close behind, employing his own unique spellcraft
to check ahead and around as they went. The group made sure to spread
themselves out into a long marching order, distributing the wizards and
warriors evenly; this provided the greatest flexibility and capability
just in case something went wrong.
As it turned out, they didn't have far to go. The spiral steps wound
downward, taking them perhaps fifty feet below the basement level where
the iron golem had stood guard. Multiple additional barriers were found
along the way, and defeated one at a time with a combination of careful
analysis and powerful magic. These included a pair of walls of force,
between which was a compressed cloud of lethal gas...some arcane glyphs
that would have spelled doom (in five different ways) to a lesser group
of explorers...a pile of dust that, after much study and scrying, was
finally determined to be all that remained of some powerful extraplanar
creature that had either perished or suddenly been free to depart upon
Chargrim's demise...and an unusually thick, sturdy wall of dark stone.
That last protection, after it had been dispelled, turned out to be the
very bottom of the staircase - which now opened into a large, sprawling
laboratory!
Otto: (considers the dozens of different tables covered with all manner
of strange and unknown magical tools, apparatuses, and other items)
Wow.
Belphanior: (like the other four archmagi, he surveys the huge chamber's
myriad contents from a different perspective, one that recognizes their
value to spellcasters of the power and experience to properly utilize
all of the equipment) You can say that again. (he turns to the other
wizards, a smile on his face) Jackpot.
next: Chargrim's treasure
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: 8/7/2026
notes: I did something with this episode's quote that I haven't
often done in the past: it applies not to the heroes but to the bad
guys they encounter in the episode. I like to think that despite any
sense of duty (and the potential missed valuables) any rational person
would realize when they're completely, overwhelmingly outgunned, and
would thus take an offer that lets them leave and live. Belphanior's
had his share of fighting, so avoiding that every so often is fine.
On a more general note, this episode was largely written in late
January 2026 during the massive ice storm that bombarded the entire
eastern portion of the United States. And the very next weekend we
got snow! Just some trivia for you there. I have always been a bit
more creative in cold weather, moreso when I'm stuck at home (assuming
of course that I have power).
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