Chapter #1225
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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 +
+ Neera 12th level female human wizard (sage/savant) +
+ Dexitheseus 17th level human wizard, enchanter/generalist +
+ Parekh 18th level female human wizard, innovator +
+ Sir Drexel 17th level human paladin of Heironeous +
+ Limbor 13th/14th level elven wizard/priest +
+ Halbarad 16th level human ranger of Ehlonna +
+ Shemeya 19th level human sorceress from ancient Sulm +
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+ Date: 4/23/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late morning +
+ Place: Chendl, capital of Furyondy +
+ Climate: warm and pleasant +
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+ "I thought you were dead." +
+ "I was...but now I'm better." +
+ - from _Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D._ (1998) +
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MCCXXV. A Historic Reunion
After a monumental find in the depths of a foe's hidden stronghold,
selected members of the Bright Alliance have spent the last couple of
days planning, preparing, and reaching out to key allies to arrange a
hasty but important audience with the leader of the largest and most
powerful kingdom in the Flanaess. And now, three days after the first
discussions in their desert fortress, the Bright Alliance contingent has
arrived in Chendl, capital of Furyondy, to speak with King Belvor IV
himself.
Belphanior: (to Halbarad) You have my thanks for helping arrange this.
I doubt the king would otherwise have cleared his schedule.
Halbarad: No, you have _my_ thanks. The only real challenge revolved
around not being able to tell him the reason for the meeting. I had
to assure him, and the highest-ranking among his court, that the ones
bringing the message had to deliver it.
Belphanior: Excellent.
Halbarad: In any case, I can hardly believe what you told me...even now
it still seems like a dream. The king...the nation...hell, the entire
world...will owe you a great debt for what you have done.
Neera: (quietly) Or will do. We're not quite there yet.
Halbarad: On the contrary, you are very nearly there. The king should
be welcoming your group any moment now.
Belphanior: This wasn't just my doing; I had help, as always. (he nods
to Irina)
Irina: It was Istus' will. She granted me the spell that gained us the
information that led us to the hidden citadel. And it was surely fated
that Otto would find evidence of the hidden chamber buried deep beneath
the dungeon floor.
Sir Drexel: (barges right into the conversation, as is his way) Or it
was simply the destiny of a great one thought lost, to finally return
and make all things right. (he closes his eyes) Thanks be to almighty
Heironeous.
Dexitheseus: If so, old friend, then he had plenty of help. Belphanior
has made a habit of finding and searching places either lost or unknown
to history and legend.
Sir Drexel: Of course, of course.
Limbor: (stays close at the side of his liege, simply offering brief and
quiet greetings to those he knows and nodding politely to those he
doesn't)
Shemeya: (drily) I still remain unsure why I'm here. Certainly the
necessary spells could be cast by any worthy wizard. (she glances at
Parekh, Dexitheseus, and Belphanior) Or at least you three, as I know
nothing of the capability of the court wizards of Furyondy.
Dexitheseus: I daresay we'll all find out fairly soon.
Shemeya: (still looks somewhat annoyed)
Parekh: We can cast the spells, but you have more knowledge of stasis
magic and how it works...and how it can be undone. (she frowns) Well,
Kronos likely also knows, but we couldn't exactly bring him here...that
wouldn't have gone well, considering his very nature. (she glances at
Sir Drexel, whose plate mail armor is gleaming as if he spent many long
hours polishing it to absolute perfection) Especially with _him_ here.
Dexitheseus: Good point.
Shemeya: (smirks suddenly) This wasn't a ploy to introduce the last
survivor of Sulm to the leader and court of a major world power, was
it? Some attempt to foster relationships, perhaps?
Parekh: Perish the thought. Your expertise is needed here, otherwise
we wouldn't have pushed you to come along.
Sir Drexel: (now busy talking with Halbarad about the recently-bolstered
army and defenses of western Furyondy)
Dexitheseus: (pleased that Sir Drexel was able to attend on such short
notice, as his friendship with King Belvor was instrumental in setting
up this audience)
Belphanior: (thinking the same thing about Halbarad)
The elf hadn't seen or talked with the ranger for a year...and hadn't
seen Sir Drexel for six years, since the assault on the underground city
of Skava-Ra and its vampiric population. The one thing both allies had
in common was that they were first located and then brought here through
magical means.
Belphanior: Well, I suppose that's two things.
Neera: Eh?
Belphanior: Nothing.
He had left the bulk of his team in the Bright Lands, taking only Irina
(for her connection to Istus and the resultant divination abilities) and
Neera (because she didn't get out much, and because having a polymath on
hand never hurt). Parekh and Dexitheseus had always planned on attending
this audience, and as for Shemeya...although she made a show of grumbling
about having to come along, her unique knowledge was necessary to safely
bring Prince Thrommel out of his unusual magical stasis, and she knew it.
Of course, it also didn't hurt for her to get away from the desert and
engage in some measure of diplomacy (intentionally or otherwise). Parekh
had indeed thought this through and used one reason to convince Shemeya
to accompany them on this mission, while quietly having a second reason
as well - just as the temperamental sorceress had suspected.
Neera: I know the original plan was to restore him first and then bring
him here, but this way is better.
Belphanior: I still think we'd be better off knowing that he was intact,
alive and well, before contacting his father and others. (he sighs)
But I would be a fool not to listen to your input. (he nods at Irina)
And yours.
Neera: And Parekh's. And most of the others, after they thought about
it some more the other day. (she folds her arms) This is much better,
because it lets King Belvor - and his court wizards and high priests -
be fully involved in the process, as they would want to be given that
choice.
Irina: And later, after all the initial excitement, doing it this way
will end up sitting better with all of them...as the Prince will have
awakened to see his family and friends, rather than a group of strange
magi from another land who would then have had to bring him home right
away, delays be damned.
Sir Drexel: (helpfully) While I do not agree that the king should be
surprised with this news today, I realize that is not my decision and
that I must respect the wishes of those who actually found the Prince.
(he makes a slight huffing noise) As difficult as that may be.
One of the Alliance had even had suggested not surprising Belvor at all,
instead telling him the news first and then bringing his ensorcelled son
to him afterward, so that a grand ceremony could announce his finding and
return to the people of Furyondy in a very direct and public manner. The
problem with that idea was that he needed to be safely restored before his
existence could be shared with all...not to mention his identity verified.
Given that unknown evildoers who had originally abducted him and put him
in a state of suspended animation, it wasn't out of the question for them
to have replaced him with some sort of double. And that was yet another
reason for King Belvor's powerful wizards and priests to be part of the
process of freeing the Prince - for they could certainly confirm Irina's
initial finding that he was who he appeared to be. And if all went as
planned, there would be plenty of opportunity for a great, kingdom-wide
celebration in the near future.
Belphanior: (nods to both Neera and Irina) Don't worry. I get it.
Shemeya: I don't. If I had my way, he'd already be revived and enjoying
a cold and powerful drink while waiting to be re-introduced to those
who thought him lost. (she frowns) Which leads me to wonder, exactly
how will the people we're about to speak with handle this sudden news?
Neera: (nods toward the immense pair of ornately-decorated doors that
are now opening, revealing the great hall beyond, as the dozen royal
guards on each side of the short stairway snap to attention) I think
we're about to find out.
The group - nine in number, plus the black coffin of iron borne atop an
invisible magical force-disc - ascended the handful of wide, shallow steps
and entered the great audience-hall of King Belvor IV, ruler of Furyondy.
The chamber was massive, and used on a near-daily basis for all manner of
visitors and discussions. On this day, it was nearly clear of the usual
minor officials and nobles who were in attendance for the more common and
trivial administrative matters. At the far end of the hall was a massive
throne of iron, gilded with finely-wrought designs of gold and platinum.
Resting on this seat of power was King Belvor IV himself - ruler of this
mighty nation of Furyondy, the largest and most powerful bulwark against
the likes of Iuz the Evil and other hostile lands. In the past, potential
battles and actions had been averted simply by the threat of Furyondy's
involvement, such was its might and its influence.
King Belvor rose from his throne, standing to greet the group as they
entered the hall - something he didn't ordinarily do, but several of the
visitors were close friends of his, while some of the others were more or
less heads of state from the Bright Alliance, to the southeast.
King Belvor IV: Greetings, and well-met.
The monarch had the appearance and bearing of a man somewhat younger
than his sixty-plus years. One did not remain king of a great nation
for fifty years - and still be able to lead military forces as he had in
the Greyhawk Wars - without being unusually healthy and vigorous. Some
theorized that the man's aging had been slowed through magical means; he
was, after all, a veteran warrior and paladin of Heironeous and clearly
had the favor of his deity. At any rate, he stood well over six feet in
height, with broad shoulders, short brown hair that was mostly gray, and
a strong, handsome face. Indeed, those of the Bright Alliance contingent
who had previously seen the stasis-bound Prince Thrommel in the black
coffin could instantly see the resemblance between son and father.
King Belvor IV: As requested in your strange and urgent message, only
the closest and most trusted of my courtiers and allies are present.
(he frowns) This is not an group that would typically assemble, nor do
so lightly...but when both the vaunted Sir Drexel and the accomplished
wizard Dexitheseus urged me to speak with the representatives of the
Bright Alliance, I knew there must be a good reason.
Belphanior: (smiles thinly, well aware that the king surely knows about
his past gift of a small fortune in gemstones to aid in Furyondy's
rebuilding efforts)
King Belvor's chief adjutant and primary councillor was Duke Hamlin, a
stout, middle-aged former warrior who was the ruler's right-hand man for
the bulk of the kingdom's affairs. It was Hamlin who now introduced the
visitors to the handful of people lined up on either side of his king,
mere steps down from the throne.
Duke Hamlin: Your Majesty, my Lords and Ladies, I present the Archmagi
Belphanior, Dexitheseus, Parekh, and Shemeya of the Bright Alliance,
rulers of the Bright Lands...the ladies Irina of Istus and Neera...Sir
Drexel the Valorous...and Halbarad of the forest.
The man, who was obviously well-experienced in matters such as these,
paused for a moment before announcing the king and the others assembled
here with him.
Duke Hamlin: (bowing to King Belvor and those gathered near his throne,
he then turns to face the eight guests and introduce their hosts)
In addition to the king, and Duke Hamlin himself, there were five other
individuals in the great hall, representing Furyondy or its allies. Next
to Hamlin stood the stocky Garaeth Heldenster, High Priest of Heironeous
and old friend to Belvor. Near him was the elderly Esim, High Wizard of
Furyondy and the leader of its Guild of Magi; his power and experience
were far greater than his slight frame and average appearance indicated.
On the opposite side of the thickly-carpeted central aisle was another
mighty high priest, albeit of a different god than Garaeth, and from a
different kingdom: Canon Hazen of Veluna. Aside from being the ruler
of that neighboring allied land and the Archcleric of Rao, the venerable
Hazen had been the driving force behind the Flight of Fiends last year,
which permanently banished all demons from the Flanaess. Next to the
holy man stood another from Veluna, a fine-looking woman of perhaps forty
who seemed both sad and distracted. This was Jolene of Samprastadar, the
Supreme Mistress of the Celestial Order of Veluna. Rounding out the small
group was a capable-looking grey elven warrior and mage, his name known
to some of the visitors: this was Melf, of Celene, a veteran adventurer
and roving emissary to Celene's allies and potential allies. While it
was unclear exactly why he was here - it might well have been a simple
coincidence - the Bright Alliance party had already been advised that
this grey elf was a trusted friend and confidant of King Belvor who was
frequently found in Furyondy.
Aside from these seven people, no guards remained in the audience hall,
as was normal for matters of great import or that needed high security...
but several dozen remained stationed just outside the great chamber. Of
course, the seven still present were fully capable of besting far greater
numbers of foes as well as monsters, demons, dragons, or whatever. And
the king had a great deal of trust in any group that included Sir Drexel,
Dexitheseus, and Halbarad; royal guards would not be necessary this day.
King Belvor IV: (takes his throne once more, addressing the visitors)
Now that we're all here, and we all know who is who...please tell me
what is important enough to draw us all together this fine day.
Belphanior: (sighs, as one might commonly do before giving a speech of
great import, then clears his throat) I'm not sure how to best say this
so I'll just make it simple: on a recent excursion to a mighty wizard's
hidden stronghold, we found a secret dungeon, worked hard to overcome
its powerful defenses, then explored it. Within that place was another,
even more secret vault...which contained something most interesting.
(he turns, gesturing to the black coffin of iron which floats nearby)
Canon Hazen of Veluna: (nods) I have already taken note of that...its
magic is quite powerful, but not in an evil way.
Garaeth Heldenster of Furyondy: (frowning) I concur. Which begs the
question, what _is_ it?
Parekh: The identity of the occupant is of great interest to some of you.
(she magically causes the coffin's lid to open)
Upon seeing the apparently-sleeping one within, the reactions of King
Belvor's party varied. Most of them gaped in sheer surprise...Canon Hazen
took a few steps toward the floating coffin to get a better look, as did
Melf, who looked like he'd seen a ghost...while King Belvor abruptly stood
up, his face betraying his utter disbelief as he struggled to find words.
The most pronounced reaction, however, came from Jolene of Veluna...who,
overcome with sudden emotion and shock, simply fainted.
Melf: (deftly catches her before she can fall to the floor, which while
thickly carpeted is still a stone floor)
Duke Hamlin: Oh, my.
High Wizard Esim: (quietly) How can it be?
King Belvor: (slowly staggers over to the coffin) Is...is this...?
Belphanior: From everything the Bright Alliance can tell, using all of
our magic and prayers, this is indeed your lost son. But we thought it
best to engage your greatest clergy and most experienced magi, to be
sure. (he smiles) After all, those of Furyondy would best know their
own prince and heir. (he nods to the king) Particularly his father.
King Belvor: (visibly in somewhat of a state of shock) Y- yes...
Canon Hazen: This is - and believe me when I say I do not use the term
lightly - a miracle. (he studies the man within the coffin) Of course
those assembled here can confirm that this is Prince Thrommel himself.
Melf: (sets the unconscious Jolene in a nearby chair, then makes his way
over to the coffin) Some sort of magical stasis, I assume?
Parekh: (nods) We didn't want to attempt to undo it without involvement
from his family and friends - for his safety, and also because it is
your right. (she nods in the direction of Shemeya) However, Shemeya
here is an expert on time-related magic-
Shemeya: (muttering) Among other types.
Parekh: -like that which surely ensorcels the young Prince here. She is
with us to advise and help - as, or if, you desire the assistance.
High Wizard Esim: (using a simple spell to discern the nature of the
enchantments that have been used on the Prince, he nods) This will not
be easy.
Belphanior: That's why our party includes three archmagi. Our skill,
our experience, and our magic is at your disposal.
King Belvor: (still visibly shaken, he leans on the coffin for support)
I had...given up. Long ago. (his eyes well with tears) If my son...
if this is indeed him, and he can be...awakened...it will change the
world. And make me whole again. (he turns to the unconscious Jolene)
And make her whole again as well.
The king regained his bearing, standing up straight and proud once more
as he decisively issued orders to his court.
King Belvor: (to Esim) Gather your inner circle from the Guild of Magi,
only those who can comprehend sorcery this powerful. (to Garaeth) And
gather the wisest of the kingdom's high priests. I want our best minds
at work on this - and I want my son back safely and as soon as possible.
Canon Hazen: I can offer assistance with this, as well.
King Belvor: (nods) And that is much appreciated - please help as you
are able. (he thinks of something else, and frowns) We will also need
to plan and implement protections for Thrommel, if- (he stares at the
black coffin intensely) -when he is restored. Whoever took him all
those years ago may strike again...but this time we will be ready.
Canon Hazen: I assure you, he will have the best and most powerful wards
and guards that both our kingdoms can devise.
King Belvor: Excellent. (he turns to Melf) As for you, old friend...
Melf: I can watch over Jolene until-
King Belvor: No, I will attend to her. Someone will have to explain all
this when she wakes up, and it should be me, as father of her betrothed.
Please work with our visitors- (he nods to the Bright Alliance wizards,
particularly Shemeya) -to integrate their knowledge and experience into
the restoration effort. We must take every measure to bring him back
without harm, which means not only making sure this is actually him in
body and mind, but also making sure there are no curses or other such
evil bound into his current state.
Melf: (nods, and begins conversing with Shemeya and Parekh about various
details and risks and solutions)
King Belvor: (turns to Dexitheseus and Belphanior) Should my returned
son prove...not recoverable, you still have my deepest thanks for your
work to find him and bring him back to me. (he sets his jaw) And if
he does recover and resume his previous life - which will undoubtedly
include a long-postponed marriage to poor Jolene there, and may one day
lead to a unification of the two kingdoms - then, well. (he pauses)
The Bright Alliance will have Furyondy as an ally for all time.
Belphanior: (nods) Which would be a beneficial partnership for both of
our lands, and indeed the entire world...but that's not why we brought
him to you.
Dexitheseus: It was the right thing to do, plain and simple.
King Belvor: Whatever the rationale, you have brought hope and joy to an
old man who thought he'd lost those things forever...and to a kingdom
that has seen dark days and great challenges in recent years. (he once
more turns his gaze to the black iron coffin, which is now surrounded by
the majority of the spellcasters in the audience hall) But first things
first.
It had been late morning when the Bright Alliance first unveiled their
great surprise. By midday, the necessary individuals had been assembled,
right there in the great hall. Duke Hamlin took charge of whatever daily
affairs his king had previously been scheduled to deal with, and handled
that in another area of the castle. High Wizard Esim had selected a pair
of his most powerful and skilled court magi, while Garaeth Heldenster had
summoned his three most senior clergy; this latter group was being advised
and guided by Canon Hazen, whose old age didn't seem to be affecting his
words and ideas at all. Shemeya, Parekh, and Dexitheseus - along with
Neera - worked closely with all of these wizards and priests to study and
scry the ensorcelled prince in much greater detail. First, multiple and
varied methods were used to fully confirm his identity...and then further
measures were taken to search for curses, traps, or other harmful wards.
Fortunately, there were none, which wasn't surprising given all of the
security measures and guardians that had been in place just to reach and
extract the coffin in the first place.
By the time everyone was ready for the final stage of the effort, it
was late afternoon. This crucial and complex last step involved the safe
disruption of the magical stasis and other effects that bound the lost
prince. After much scrying, analysis, and spirited discussion, it was
ultimately decided to employ a quintet of extremely powerful spells in a
very particular order...firstly a carefully-worded wish to bolster the
chances that all went well and safely...then an incantation to ward off
any unknown harmful contingencies that might exist and be triggered by
the prince's freedom...then a negation of the outermost magic binding the
coffin to its occupant...and then a total disjunction of the actual stasis
effect itself...and finally, a supremely-powerful spell of healing to deal
with any undetected or unforeseen wounds or effects on the prince himself.
Two of these five steps were performed by Bright Alliance archmagi - the
first by Parekh and the fourth by Shemeya - as they were deemed the most
qualified to execute those particular steps. Parekh had a wish (actually
three, though no one was telling) to spare thanks to the mighty ring found
in the depths of Chargrim's citadel, whereas Shemeya had by far the most
experience of anyone present when it came to stasis and time magic.
So it came to pass that - on the 23rd day of Planting, in the year 587
by the reckoning of the Common calendar - the Crown Prince Thrommel IV,
missing for fourteen years and generally thought to be dead, miraculously
rejoined the living. It had been a complex and challenging effort, one
whose results would not immediately be shared with the general populace;
the priests and wizards of the high court of Furyondy needed a day or two
to make certain that there were no latent curses or other ill effects on
the returned heir. After that time had passed and all was confirmed to
be well, the prince was presented to the kingdom at large in a hastily-
organized formal ceremony which drew thousands...and the sudden, joyous
news took Furyondy and the surrounding lands by storm. While the general
involvement of the Bright Lands in this momentous event was made known to
all, the specific details were not...those responsible were never named,
nor were the nature of the prince's disappearance or finding made public.
It was simply enough that he was alive and well, returned to his kingdom,
his father, and his betrothed. This lack of clarity came about per the
Bright Alliance's wishes, as the deeds of its individual members were
less important than the perception of the group as a whole.
Exactly what the future of Prince Thrommel and Furyondy would hold yet
remained to be seen, as even Istus herself could not connect all the many
myriad threads of fate and destiny at this time. But certain key players
in the surrounding world each had their own thoughts when they learned of
the lost prince's return...
Back in the Brass Hills, within the great mega-fortress of the Bright
Alliance, the strange and unique lich Kronos simply nodded his pale head
with satisfaction.
Kronos: Yet another step to this region's ascendancy as a superpower.
In the heart of the Free City of Greyhawk, within a study shrouded in
mystery and steeped in magic, gray-bearded Mordenkainen frowned, nodding
as if he always knew this would happen...yet at the same time scowling
in annoyance at the ultimate result of his own lack of effort.
Mordenkainen: Should have been us.
Elsewhere in the Free City, the Lord Mayor Nerof Gasgal sat in his
plush office, privately contemplating the news he'd just received.
Nerof Gasgal: (muttering to himself, as he often does these days) Well.
This will certainly strengthen the desert's position among the major
players in the central Flanaess. We may have to formally ally with
them after all...
And far to the west, in the twisted and evil capital city of Dorakaa,
the tall red-skinned fiend known as Iuz leaned forward on his horrific
throne of skulls and bones, cursing in surprise and anger.
Iuz: Shit.
next: profiles, part one
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: 9/4/2026
notes: I'll get the Rogues' Gallery section of the website updated
as soon as I can for Belvor and the others he gathered in his audience
hall for the events of this episode. I found stats for Belvor IV and
his kingdom's high priest Garaeth Heldenster in the official accessory
WGR4: The Marklands from 1993. It's a wealth of information about all
things Furyondy (and more) as of the end of the Greyhawk Wars. While
I don't know that I can fully read and utilize the whole thing, it'll
at least help me as a reference. Belvor and Garaeth are detailed on
pages 38-39 (Belvor is a 15th level paladin, Garaeth is a 15th level
high priest of Heironeous). Both of these guys, based on their stats
and descriptions, are noble and powerful individuals who possess a lot
of potent magical items.
It's a little early to detail the repercussions of the finding of
the missing prince, but the hints have been laid out for the future.
If nothing else, this was a shrewd political move by Belphanior and
others of the Bright Alliance - they just secured a partnership with
the single most powerful Good-aligned nation in the known world.
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