Month: February 2017

Erinnia checked the next pile of rocks. The elf deftly moved her hands among the rocks and removed the wriggling little viper. She uttered a lyrical phrase and touched the snake’s head. She brought the viper to her lips and the snake flicked her with its triforked tongue. She lovingly placed the snake in a safe place in her pack.

“Might come in handy,” she asserted and continued to search.

She found nothing of significance in the rock pile.

Nigel said, “You’re doing just fine, red haired elf.”

Erinnia frowned slightly and went on to the next pile. She found no snakes; she did find an odd brick shaped stone. She flipped it into the air; the brick sprouted wings and flew away.

“Flying Brick,” she reported.

“They can’t be controlled,” Knarra confided.

The next rock pile had one odd stone that adhered to metal. It was not Magick. Roscoe took the magnet.

The sorcerer said, “These are useful in casting Wizard Lock Spells.”

The ninth pile contained a very dense stone. The rock was only an inch in diameter, but weighed as much as a three foot boulder.

Boomer judged, “This would be valuable to a giant but I don’t think it would be worth the encumbrance.”

The others agreed, but they did take some of the round stones for sling bolts. Cade, Cyttia, Nigel, and Dael, and Erinnia were adept with slings.

The next pile contained a stone that was soft. The little rock emitted a faint glow when it was squeezed; the glow lasted thirteen heartbeats. It radiated minimal Magick.

Erinnia found only normal rocks in the next group of stones but found a triangular stone in the twelfth rock pile. It emitted a purple glow when the elf touched it. It emitted an orange glow when Boomer touched it; it emitted a red glow when Knarra touched it. The stone produced a different color for each member that touched its surface. Knarra and Cara felt it was important that each person touch the stone.

When the last person, Big Jon Loxly, touched the stone, the closed door on the opposite wall of the room opened.

Erinnia knelt down, uttered an elfish phrase, and touched the wound with a sprig of mistletoe. The dwarf’s convulsions stopped; his labored breathing returned to normal. The druidical Neutralize Poison Spell had been effective.

Boomer sat up and without hesitation quipped, “Go on ahead and check out that next pile of rocks, Nigel.”

Cara fumed, “Careless! My fault! We should have checked for Invisibility! I’m sorry, Boomer.”

Knarra tried to comfort her by saying, “We cannot expend Magick at every turn. The creator of this realm would like the fact we did and became exhausted and easy pickings.”

Kyrsstina expanded the spell she had thrown already and scanned the next three piles before the duration of the spell expired.

Nigel found a stone in the shape of a four leaf clover. The little stone had a faint aura of Magick. Nigel stuck it in his pocket and immediately stubbed his toe on a bigger stone.

“It’s a Gremlin’s Stone- get rid of it!” Roscoe advised.

“What’s a Gremlin’s Stone?” Dael asked.

Eyerthrein answered, “At the risk of sounding scholarly, I’ll tell you the legend. Gremlins are mischievous malicious little blighters. Gremlins are more of a nuisance than anything else. The clover plant is rare in Donothor. It usually has five leaves. If one finds a sprig of the green plant with four leaves, it supposedly brings you bad luck. Legend holds that Gremlins enjoy presenting their victims with four leaf clover sprigs.”

Erinnia responded, “That’s a bunch of Cottsdale wool!”

(Cottsdale was Lyndyn’s sister city in the north. It was situated halfway between Lyndyn and the Fane of the Setting Sun. The people of Lyndyn employed many trades, but one of them was not raising sheep. Wool from Cottsdale would be of questionable value.)

Erinnia continued, “Clover is a very useful and friendly plant. I’ve never seen clover work mischief!”

“It’s the Gremlins that foment the mischief. Its all legend anyway- bottom line- get rid of the rock, Nigel,” Eyerthrein said.

Nigel threw the four leaf clover to the floor.

Knarra said in awe, “That’s a Shypoke. That’s a Shypoke egg! Gather every fragment of the shell!”

Knarra distributed the precious fragments to Roscoe, Eyerthrein, Cara, Kyrsstina, Cyttia, Dael, Erinnia, and her pack.

Nigel, Boomer, Cade, Vanni, Eomore, Lyana, and Big Jon didn’t understand the thrill of the spell casters. Shypokes were long extinct. The eggshells were potent spell components and treasured by Dark and Light Sorcerers. The little creatures themselves had not been Magick. They made a pretty good soup.

How did a Shypoke egg arrive in Donothor? Did they know that a Shypoke was hatched fully grown? Did they know Shypokes were always thirteen inches long from the tips of their fuzzy noses to the ends of their little tails? Soup connoisseurs referred to them as possum on the half shell! How did Knarra recognize something that she had never seen?

The unlimited power of a Wish to summon something of greatest Magick significance associated with the number thirteen could produce even something long extinct.

Boomer went to the fourth pile of rocks.

“Ouch! I’m snake bit!” the dwarf shouted.

Eyerthrein proudly translated, “That’s a colloquialism that means he has bad luck.”

“No, it means I’m snake bit!” Boomer insisted.

He fell down and convulsed violently.

Kyrsstina waved her hand and dispelled the Invisibility Spell. The little viper was about to bite Cyttia.

Bad mistake!

Cyttia’s Drelvish boot squashed the purple viper. If anyone had measured the little snake, he would have found that it was thirteen inches long.

Eyerthrein cast Cure Poison on Boomer but the dwarf continued to convulse.

“He’s in big trouble!” Eyerthrein screamed.

“My spell is no different from yours!” Knarra said in a worried voice.

Erinnia knelt down, uttered an elfish phrase, and touched the wound with a sprig of mistletoe. The dwarf’s convulsions stopped; his labored breathing returned to normal. The druidical Neutralize Poison Spell had been effective.

Eyerthrein added, “There is nothing invisible; there is just a general sense of evil; I can sense no difference from the thirteen collections of rocks.”

Erinnia, Nigel, Vanni- with Exeter drawn, and Boomer walked cautiously into the room. The others followed. Erinnia and Nigel accompanied by the heavily armed warriors checked the walls of the room but found nothing. In frustration Roscoe hit the door with his staff and cast a “Knock” Spell. The door did not open. The sorcerer then tried a Stone to Mud spell but again there was no effect.

“It’s akin to a Wizard Lock Spell but stronger. I see no means of opening the door by Magick,” Roscoe added.

Erinnia and Nigel concurred that they found no mechanism of entry.

“We’ll have to find a way to open it; I suspect that entails inspecting the thirteen piles of rocks,” Cara suggested.

The collections of rocks were equally distributed throughout the room.

“Let’s start from the left and work to the right. We’ll check them one at a time,” Knarra added.

Dael objected, “That’ll take forever! Let’s split up and work through them.”

“We’ll check them one pile at a time,” Knarra repeated.

“Dwarves are good with rocks,” Nigel suggested.

Boomer frowned but walked to the leftmost stack of rocks.

Boomer probed the first pile of rocks with the tip of his broad sword. He knocked the uppermost handful of stones from the pile. The stones landed on the floor briefly and then “jumped” back to the top of the pile. He quizzically touched the top of the pile with his right gauntlet and disturbed the stones again. This time they stayed on the hard floor of the room. He spread out the remainder of the stones but found nothing.

The dwarf walked to the next stack and disdained using the blade. He scattered the stones with his armored glove.

He proceeded to the third pile. One of the larger stones felt different when he touched it. It was not as dense; it was lighter in weight than other stones of comparable size. Boomer gingerly raised the stone and shook it gently; it rattled. Boomer placed the rock on the ground at the suggestion of Roscoe.

Roscoe confirmed, “Magick!”

“What do you want me to do?” the dwarf asked.

Cara, Roscoe, and Knarra briefly conferred.

Cara said, “Break it! Everyone, be alert!”

Boomer tapped the rock with his axe.

Boomer hit the rock with his axe.

Boomer growled and smashed the axe against the rock with all his strength. The shell shattered, radiated immense blue light and Magick, and revealed a small skeleton. The skeleton looked like a little possum with a hard shell and two little wings. It was thirteen inches long.

“What’s that?” Eyerthrein queried.

“Do you mean to say that the history scholar doesn’t recognize something?” Dael chided.

Knarra said in awe, “That’s a Shypoke. That’s a Shypoke egg! Gather every fragment of the shell!”

Frightday sighed and then vanished.

A door appeared opposite the entrance. The door was thirteen hands wide. (A hand was half a foot.) If they had measured they would have found that the room extended precisely thirteen feet to the left and right of the door. If they had measured they would have found that the ceiling of the room was thirteen feet high. The stairs behind the door went downward at a modest grade- a thirteen-degree grade

Infernos

II:

Rocks

The stairs descended downward, downward, downward… If anyone had counted there were thirteen hundred and thirteen steps. Finally they could see an opening ahead.

Nigel and Erinnia crept forward. The area was illuminated. The opening was equal to the dimensions of the stairs. The elf and the thief peeked into the room. They saw nothing moving. The room was round; if anyone had measured it was one hundred and sixty-nine feet in diameter. There was a single closed door immediately across from the entrance. The ceiling was thirteen feet high. The source of the illumination was not apparent. Roscoe sneaked forward and peeked into the room with Nigel and Erinnia.

“Rocks?” the sorcerer asked.

“Rocks,” Erinnia answered.

“thirteen piles of rocks!” Nigel accentuated.

Roscoe peered through the prism and Eyerthrein cast Detect Evil.

Roscoe reported, “There are auras of Magick in all the rock piles but some are weak. The thirteen piles all look about the same; they are composed of stones that range in size from one inch pebbles to stones six inches in diameter. There is a powerful aura on the door on the opposite side of the round room.”

Eyerthrein added, “There is nothing invisible; there is just a general sense of evil; I can sense no difference from the thirteen collections of rocks.”

The stairs ended in a simple room about thirty feet square.

(It was intended to be thirteen paces on all sides.)

An elfish rune for the number one was etched in the southern wall of the room. The room was also littered with skeletal remains. Some were animal and some were men or manlike. The room was littered with bits of treasure and scattered weapons. All were rusted, but some were obviously finely made and still had some luster and utility. There was a single table in the room. A very decrepit creature sat at the table.

It managed to stand.

Vanni said, “I detect no enemies. The thing does not live! Is it mindless?”

It was barely more than rotten clothing draped over bones, but Knarra and Roscoe recognized the creature as a zombie.

Frightday had waited a long time to defend his realm. He shuffled toward them. The mangy being neared Nigel and moved with tortoise like slowness. It took a swing at Nigel. Nigel moved to the side.

“Do you want me to clobber it?” Cyttia asked.

“It smells really bad! I can do a Fire Spell!” Kyrsstina volunteered.

The zombie waddled among them; he made ineffective attacks. As he rambled Frightday dropped bits of himself here and there.

“Have we battled dragons, demons, and the Banshee΄ to find a worn out zombie in a dead end room?” Boomer asked.

“He must hold the real key to progressing in this dungeon,” Knarra said.

“What do we do with him?” Cara asked.

“Anybody that he can catch deserves to die!” Nigel declared.

“I can’t define anything in this room. Magick permeates the area. I have no orientation,” Roscoe said.

“Nor do I! It’s not just that it’s evil. It’s confusing!” Eyerthrein asserted.

Cyttia stepped aside to avoid the lumbering zombie and said, “This thing is a nuisance. I can’t find anything else to fight. He’s going to get it in a little while!”

Kyrsstina conjured and said, “ESP doesn’t help! Its mind just says over and over ‘Frightday guards forever, Frightday guards forever, Frightday guards forever…”

Dael added, “I’m for kicking Frightday’s rear!”

Boomer said, “Sounds good to me!”

Cara looked to Knarra.

Knarra said, “The most meager spell will destroy this creature. It has endured agony for centuries. I’m going to relieve its suffering with a Purify Spell. We’ll see what happens!”

The priestess cast a one phrase spell and touched the slow moving creature. The creature was bathed with a warm yellow light. A wry smile appeared on its contorted face.

“Thank you,” the creature murmured.

Frightday sighed and then vanished.

The stairwell was illuminated but the source was not apparent. The stairwell was littered with bones! The bones were mostly of men. Some were gnawed upon. Nigel used his boot to slide the bones aside; he did so respectfully.

“Why do you tarry? Just kick them aside!” Boomer said impatiently.

Nigel did not respond. The ring fingers of the skeletons bore rings bearing the insignia of the Assassin’s Guild- the Assassin’s Guild had been dissolved for eight hundred years. The annals of the Guild at Rancide talked of the sudden disappearance of many of the guild’s brethren. Nigel knew now what had happened to them.

Nearly all noted the ornate rings.

Cade was the first to say, “Nigel, the bony hands wear the same ring that adorns your right ring finger. Aren’t these valuable?”

The elf started to remove one of the twenty rings when Nigel snarled, “Leave them as they lie!”

Cade jumped back.

Cara placed a hand on her trembling brother’s shoulder and gave him a comforting and reassuring glance as she said, “Don’t disturb the dead. We do not seek treasures. Most of what we find here will likely be cursed.”

They stepped over fifty or more skeletons scattered on the thirteen steps. The stairs were thirteen feet across and thirteen inches tall; the ceiling was thirteen feet high.

 

 

Roscoe cast detect Magick.

The spell illuminated the glyph etched into the stone. The Glyph was shaped as the old elfish rune for the letter ‘T’. In his trance-like state after imbibing the Locating Potion, King Eomore reported the Death Glyph could only be removed by a series of spells cast in proper sequence. First Cara cast Cone of Cold – a coating of frost covered the Glyph. Kyrsstina followed with Flare – the glyph became red hot. Eyerthrein then cast Healing- the Glyph attained the color of smooth flesh. Finally Erinnia cast Plant Growth- the Glyph developed a wooden appearance. It was wood- bluewood. In order there had been iced T, hot T, medicinal T, and green T. The glyph was dispelled by enhanced Light, Dark, and Druidical Magick.

After the blue wood T fell to the ground, Erinnia picked it up and placed it in her pack. A handprint formed in the surface of the door. The handprint was the size of a very large man.

Cara stared at the handprint. She removed the Gate Key from her Bag of Concealment. She placed the Key in her right hand. The Gate Key formed a glove around her hand. She lifted her small hand to the handprint in the stone and placed it on the surface. The handprint glowed brightly and shrank to the size of Cara’s small hand.

There was an intense aura of Magick.

The door disappeared. There was a stairwell leading downward. The air coming out of the stairwell was very stale. The area immediately above the now open door began to glow. The glow faded and the old elfish rune for the number thirteen appeared in the stone.

Eight hundred years had passed since the door was sealed. The stale air rushed to escape. A putrid odor permeated the air.

Vanni directed Exeter toward the stairwell. He reported no enemies detected within thirty paces. Eyerthrein reported that there was an emanation of evil from the stairs. Roscoe peered through his prism and found a general effect of Magick throughout the area- but there was something else…a foreboding sense enveloped the mage as he glanced through the prism.

“I’ve never sensed such powerful Magick! Not even at Aulgmoor! Every instinct tells me not to enter. We seek the thing created to destroy me-   us! If this doesn’t kill us, it’s going to break our hearts,” Roscoe lamented.     Dael added, “Do we really want to go in there?”

“No, we don’t, but we must,” Knarra added. “We must proceed as soon as we are rested. Time is not our ally. I feel Uyrg’s power growing.”

The stairwell was illuminated but the source was not apparent. The stairwell was littered with bones! The bones were mostly of men. Some were gnawed upon. Nigel used his boot to slide the bones aside; he did so respectfully.

“Be careful. We know of no antidote to the paralyzing poisons of the sumac plant,” Knarra advised.

Erinnia began the difficult Turn Wood spell. She used mistletoe she had gathered during midsummer’s eve. Casting the spell required an hour. Eyerthrein patted her brow as she conjured. The elfish phrases were lyrical and beautiful. Erinnia inadvertently charmed Big Jon and Boomer. But the victims of the charm were not as mesmerized as much as Eyerthrein- he wasn’t charmed by Magick. He was charmed by elfish eyes as his father had been.

Grudgingly the sumac plants yielded to the power of the druidical spell and moved away from the entrance. There was a plain door. It was no different from the greenish gray stone that gave Jade Mountain its name. There was no keyhole apparent- only the outline of the door. This was disheartening.

Two ornate daggers were suspended in mid air over the door. The daggers had hollow points, and thick amber liquid dripped from their tips. Nigel studied the knives carefully. Cyttia joined him.

“What do you see?” she asked.

“There are no strings attached. I think these are Knives of Opposition. They attract yet oppose one another. Disturbing one will probably trigger a lethal response from the other. I really don’t know how to approach them,” Nigel confided.

“If one could spontaneously grasp the hilt of each and pull them apart, would that work?” Cyttia asked.

“I suppose, but I don’t know how muck strength it requires to hold the knives. I’ve only heard that the blades have an awareness that seeks to unite yet keep them apart once they are together. I know that sounds confusing, but…” Nigel said.

He was interrupted.

Cyttia’s hands moved with blinding speed and precision; each grasped a knife and drew them down. The blades vibrated and hummed in her powerful hands. She shouted loudly and slapped the blades together upon which they shattered and the pieces fell to the ground.

“The person who designed this trap had never met a Draith,” Cyttia said succinctly.

“Enough said,” Nigel uttered.

Roscoe cast detect Magick.

The spell illuminated the glyph etched into the stone. The Glyph was shaped as the old elfish rune for the letter ‘T’. In his trance-like state after imbibing the Locating Potion, King Eomore reported the Death Glyph could only be removed by a series of spells cast in proper sequence.

Cara gently touched the Gate Key. Her fingers tingled. She took the ornate key from the floor.

“It has no weight. It’s…it’s the shape of my hand. I wear it as a glove,” the queen marveled.

“Can you remove it?” Knarra asked.

“Easily!” Cara said.

When she removed the glove, it reformed to the shape of a long bone.

Nigel said, “I would like to kick some butt at Black Dragon’s Horn.”

Cara answered, “In time, Nigel. Now, time is against us. We must proceed to the point where Eomore has indicated that our quarry lies.”

They made a brief stop at the cave Knarra called New Sagain. The priestess placed several prismatic dragon scales within the cave as Taekora had requested. New Sagain had been a refreshing, nostalgic, and sad repose. The walk to the base of Jade Mountain required only a few hours.

At Jade Mountain, Eomore recognized a section of the greenish gray stone wall.

Nigel reported after checking the area, “No offense old boy but this is just a stone wall.”

“This is the illusory stone,” Eomore declared.

Erinnia checked the stone also. She shook her head negatively. Boomer the dwarf also took a turn at checking the stone.

Eyerthrein cast Dispel Magick. Nothing happened. Roscoe peered through his small prism.

“Queen Cara, would you please take the Gate Key and touch the wall of the mountain where King Eomore has indicated the entrance lies.” Roscoe said.

Cara held the Gate Key and the relic transformed to a tight fitting glove once again. Cara touched the wall.  Brilliant lights flashed thirteen times.

A Magick Mouth roared, “Finally to be challenged! Welcome to the Thirteen Tribulations of Tigarn!”

The outline of a man-sized door appeared about ten feet to the right of where Cara touched the rock wall. The queen removed the Gate Key and returned the artifact to the safe keeping of her Bag of Holding. The door’s location was now defined.

Enchanted poisoned sumac plants held fast before the entry. The plants eerily moved poison-tipped thorns toward any hand that approached the entry.

“Be careful. We know of no antidote to the paralyzing poisons of the sumac plant,” Knarra advised.