Month: March 2017

Eyerthrein and Kyrsstina gave Roscoe light as he laboriously scrutinized the minutia of the rune scroll. The old elfish was elusive but Erinnia and Cara were helpful. Every phrase had to be precise. Roscoe was powerful and had extensive knowledge of spells, but he did not have knowledge of the anti-Magick shell. He did have plenty of Shypoke eggshells. He did have a magnet.

Big Jon picked an apple, and another appeared. The fruit was delicious. They harvested fruits from the trees and were bathed by another shower. The door on the opposite side of the cavern remained closed. Roscoe studied the scroll for four hours. Roscoe crumbled the Shypoke eggshell fragments, and started the incantation. Finally, he placed the magnet against Lyana’s forehead. The sheriff of Knottington was bathed by a deep blue light and then an iridescent glow. She smiled weakly.

Lyana again asked, “Assuming the weapon exists and we can find the thing, I’ll bear the weapon only until we return to Lylysis. If there is a more capable wielder, I’ll yield the blade.”

Dael whispered to Cyttia, “Can you imagine how terrible it would be to know that you would never be able to experience the effects of Magick again?”

Lyana stood and stepped onto the mossy floor of the cavern. A downpour started immediately. The raindrops did not “keep a-falling on Lyana’s head”; they were directed around her and sprinkled harmlessly to the ground. The others were soaked. They proceeded to the door.

The tree shepherd said, “Goodbye Erinnia and good luck!”

Erinnia thanked the tree shepherd for his help. The door opened easily. They faced a short stairwell.

Eomore looked despondent.

He looked at Knarra, sighed, and said “I’m given the power of a Shield Spell. It is continuous; I’ll not have to carry a shield again. I’m endowed with Magick. Does this mean that I can’t touch the Death of Magick?”

“Yes,” Knarra said despondently.

The rain only made the spell casters wet.

Boomer, Cade, Big Jon, and Eomore were empowered with shield spells. They were fourteen endowed by Magick and Lyana Rikmon.

There was a glow on the far wall of the underground forest. A door appeared.

The elfish rune seven appeared on the wall above the door.

The sky was still cloudy.

Cara took a deep breath and said, “The hope of Donothor rests upon your shoulders, Lyana. This is an unfair twist of fate.”

Lyana asked, “Assuming the weapon exists and we can find the thing, could I bear the weapon only until we return to Lylysis?”

Knarra said, “Questions! I have many as well! The sky remains cloudy. Rain could occur at any time.”

Roscoe said, “This room has a purpose- to eliminate candidates to bear the Death of Magick. We have to cross the room. The way back is barred. What we seek will now want to destroy fourteen of us. Lyana, what I am going to suggest will place you in added peril. I have the scroll from the “May I”- the permission room. The scroll is in effect an anti-Magick Shell. It prevents the effects of Magick. It’s probably permanent.”

“Is that like a Shimmering Spheres Spell?” Kyrsstina asked.

“No. The Shimmering Spheres can be removed one at a time by the appropriate counter spells. The anti-Magick Shell is impenetrable to Magick and reflects many spells. I suspect that’s what protected the Fire Dragon Faranzer,” Roscoe added.

Lyana said, “I serve you and Donothor willingly and steadfastly. You may have them cast any spell upon me that you want, my king. I love you! I love Donothor!”

Roscoe continued, “Lyana, the anti-Magick shell keeps out ALL Magick. That includes our Magick. That includes Healing Magick. That includes Protective Magick. We will not be able to protect you with spells.”

“Then I’ll be safe,” Lyana said.

“Remember Faranzer, Lyana. Taekora entered the shell and destroyed the Fire Dragon. She took great damage- lethal damage- but she killed a dragon inside the shell. You are a woman, not a dragon. If a powerful creature breaches the shell, you will be vulnerable; also- our normal weapons penetrated the shell. You will only be safe from Magick,” Roscoe emphasized.

“Then we’ll have to protect her!” Big Jon asserted.

They huddled

“May I?” they asked obediently.

“Yes, you may,” the voice permitted.

There was radiation of Magick and a scroll tube appeared on the third square to the left.

Nigel inspected the silver tube and picked it up.

There was a chorus of fifteen “ouches!”

Nigel dropped the tube.

“You didn’t say ‘May I?’ ” the Magick Mouth scolded.

“May I pick up the scroll tube?” Cara asked.

“Yes, you may,” the voice replied.

Old elfish runes identified the spell etched on the vellum within the scroll tube as “Protection from Magick”; there were runes of infinity, forever, and the number 1 etched on the tube.

Cara gave the scroll tube to Roscoe.

“Ouch!” fifteen voices rang out.

“You didn’t say “May I?” the voice boomed.

“May I give the scroll tube to my friend Roscoe?” Cara asked indignantly as she rubbed her derriere.

“Yes you may,” the Magick Mouth permitted.

Roscoe studied the runes etched on the ancient scroll tube and reported, “The spell on this artifact, a Rune Scroll, is the last of its kind. The runes say this scroll was one of two ‘sisters.’ As you know once a rune scroll is read and cast, the Magick is lost. The Magick of this scroll grants immunity to most Magick to the recipient of the spell- permanently. I think Faranzer the fire dragon was protected by the Magick of the ‘sister’ of this rune scroll.”

Knarra smiled, “Tigarn may have unwittingly and unwillingly given us a chance to succeed in our ultimate quest.”

The voice said, “Move four squares to the right.”

“May I?”

“Yes, you may.”

“Move three squares to the right.”

“May I?”

“Yes, you may.”

“Move four squares to the left.”

“May I?”

“Yes, you may,”

“Move three squares to the right.”

“May I?”

“Yes, you may,”

“Move three squares to the left,”

“May I?”

“Yes, you may,”

“Move three squares to the left,”

“May I?”

“Yes, you may,”

“Move two squares to the right,”

“May I?” they asked.

“Yes, you may,” the Magick Mouth permitted.

They stood on a square at the wall opposite the door they entered. A door appeared on the wall when the last member of the group squeezed onto the square.

Nigel touched the side of the door to check for traps.

“Ouch!” fifteen voices chorused.

“You didn’t say ‘May I’?” the voice chastised.

“May I open the door?” Nigel fumed.

“Yes, you may,” the Magick Mouth said.

A glow appeared above the door and the elfish rune for the number six appeared.

The stairs descended a long, long way.

If anyone had counted there were thirteen hundred and thirteen steps. Finally they saw an opening into a brightly lit room. The source of the light was again not evident. The room extended one hundred and sixty-nine hands to the left and right of the door and was one hundred and sixty-nine feet across. The ceiling was high. If anyone had measured it was thirteen arm lengths.

(An arm length was considered three feet.)

The floor was highly polished and divided into light and dark squares that were thirteen hands on each side. Their devices once again revealed auras of Magick and again the room created a sense of uneasiness more than a direct threat.

Erinnia eased onto the first square on the left side of the doorway. The doorway was two squares wide.

“Ouch!” she cried out.

She was zapped on the backside by a little bolt of energy the came up from the square she stood on. She jumped off the square and back into the doorway.

A Magick Mouth reverberated within the chamber, “You didn’t say ‘May I’!”

Erinnia indignantly rubbed her backside.

The little spell was more mischievous than harmful; it had opened no wound; it felt more like the effects of a trip behind the barn for a whipping from one’s father as payment for misbehavior.

Nigel laughed, “You have been bad! You needed a spanking!”

“That’s very funny Nigel. You go next!” Erinnia pouted.

Nigel harrumphed and walked onto the first square.

“Ow!” he exclaimed.

The Magick Mouth again said, “You didn’t say ‘May I’?”

Nigel jumped back into the stairwell and rubbed his seat.

“That stings! I’m embarrassed more than hurt,” he reported. “It’s more like a sprite or imp’s spell. My daddy gave me a lot worse behind the barn. But enough of them would add up!”

Cara shrugged her shoulders and asked, “May I enter the room?”

The Magick Mouth said, “Yes, you may.”

Cara stepped onto the first square and said to the others, “Stick close together.”

The group squeezed onto the first square. There was a chorus of fourteen “ouches!” as all but Cara felt the sting upon their backsides. They jumped back.

“You didn’t say, “May I?” the Magick Mouth reminded them.

All fourteen said, “May I enter the room?”

“Yes, you may,” the Magick Mouth said.

They managed to stand on the first square but it was a bit cozy. Boomer and Big Jon took up a bit more of their share of the forty-two and a fourth square feet.

They waited.

The Magick Mouth uttered, “Step forward two squares.”

“May I?” the fifteen voices chorused.

“Yes, you may,” the voice replied.

Erinnia went to door number eleven. There were no smells or sounds. Vanni checked for enemies as always. Erinnia opened the door. There was another small thirteen by thirteen foot room. There was an unlocked glass case sitting upon a blue wood table. There was a lute lying in the case. There were runes etched in the lute.

Eyerthrein gasped, “My goodness! The Twelfth of Nivere!”

Kyrsstina asked, “What are you talking about?”

“You’ve never paid enough attention in history class, sis! Centuries ago, there was a master craftsman named Nivere Saydeigh. Nivere numbered his instruments. He was said to be a Bard. He could charm his listeners with his tunes. He ran afoul of some rich merchants after charming their, shall we say, companions. He was found out and was forced to use his creations to barter with unsavory types to save his hide. Many of his works were destroyed by irate spurned merchants. His greatest creation, his twelfth lute, was never accounted for. This lute is perhaps the greatest stringed instrument ever created,” Eyerthrein said.

Roscoe inspected the lute.

He said, “It has an aura of Magick. The old elfish runes are the number ‘twelve’ and the initials ‘NS.’ The instrument is made of blue wood and appears new.”

“May I have it?” Eyerthrein asked.

“Place the lute in this,” Knarra requested as she gave Eyerthrein one of her Bags of Concealment.

Eyerthrein smiled widely as he placed the lute in the bag. He glanced at Erinnia.

“Eyerthrein, don’t you dare try using that thing on me!” Erinnia warned.

They gathered before the tenth door. The door opened before they touched it.

There was a glow over the door.

The elfish rune for the number five appeared over the door.

A Magick Mouth laughed and said, “Play me a song!”

He door opened to a stairwell that was dark. It descended downward. It was a long one!

The quest for the Death of Magick continued.

“Nigel, silver hasn’t been used in armor for centuries. These men would have to be eight hundred years old,” Eyerthrein observed.

“You are a good student of history, Eyerthrein. I suspect nine families were heartbroken a long time ago when a loved one vanished. The Magick that we now struggle against created great hardship and heartache to those who lived many generations ago,” Knarra said.

The barrier in the door disappeared with the destruction of the knights. The fifteen comrades were reunited. When Eyerthrein dispelled the Darkness they saw the bodies of the other knights littering the room.

“Like I said, ‘nice move, Eyerthrein’,” Nigel conceded.

He turned to Erinnia and said, “Your turn!”

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine. I don’t know what it will be but room ten will have ten of it,” Cade predicted.

Erinnia said, “Why don’t we go the last door, #thirteen. It’ll be the tenth door we’ve opened.”

No one objected.

Erinnia listened at the rightmost door and reported that she heard faint sounds of Musick.

“Guard your ears!” Knarra warned.

“Do you think it’s another boogie man? I thought they were rare,” Nigel asked.

“I have some ear plugs,” Erinnia reported.

The elf gave two of the harmless little furry creatures to each member of the group.

“Don’t worry. Remember ear plugs are harmless. They saved us in the Banshee’s lair. They are fond of ear wax. They’ll clean your ears and you gain the added benefit that their furry bodies will protect you from harmful or unwanted noise,” Erinnia added. “They are fragile. They are sensitive. Their feelings are easily hurt! Please don’t hurt them. They are my friends.”

The elf then opened the door. They saw ten maidens in formal dress gracefully dancing across a polished floor. The elves could still detect Musick- faint Musick- chamber Musick- very pleasant chamber Musick!

“Shut the door, Erinnia,” Cara urged. “Then reopen the door.”

When Erinnia reopened the door the women were gone and the Musick stopped. There was an empty one hundred and sixty-nine by one hundred and sixty-nine foot room with a thirteen foot ceiling.

“Was it illusory?” Erinnia asked.

“No. They were real- Ten more heartbroken families. Musick doesn’t sound like that now!” Knarra said remorsefully.

Three doors remained- number ten, eleven, and twelve from the left.

“Open any one of them,” Cara said.

Nigel went to door number twelve. Faint pleasant smells wafted from the bottom of the door.

“Be ready!” Cara warned.

Nigel opened the door. The air was warm and humid. There was another thirteen by thirteen foot room. The ceiling was thirteen feet high. There were eleven barrels of pipe weed in the room. There were eleven finely carved briar pipes, eleven carved ivory pipes, and eleven corn cob pipes by each barrel.

“Eleven sets of pipes and pipe weed! What in the Lachinor…” Nigel said.

Boomer sighed and said, “I’d love a good smoke.”

Nine figures materialized on the far side of the room. The nine who had entered the room saw nine heavily armored knights. The shadowy knights wore black armor and carried a lance with a banner emblazoned with the red T crossed by the two daggers and the sumac.

The knights lowered their lances and charged the characters.

Cyttia, Vanni, Nigel and Boomer formed a front rank and dropped to one knee to give the spell casters behind them a clear field of vision.

(And to avoid being stung by a departing spell!)

Kyrsstina, Erinnia, Eyerthrein, Cara, and Roscoe made up the rear guard.

Erinnia cast Firestrike against the middle three knights. Roscoe fired a Magick Missile from his staff at the leftmost knight. Kyrsstina pointed her hands toward the charging knights. Flames fanned out before her and bathed the entire group of charging knights with red flames. Cyttia released a Cone of Cold Magick which hit the five knights in the center of the formation. Cara cast a Magick Missile against the rightmost knight. The spells had an unexpected boon!

The lances carried by the knights burst into flames.

The knights were bathed with an assortment of Magick as they reached a point one hundred feet from the group.

Nigel, Vanni, and Boomer waited with weapons drawn.

Eyerthrein cast Darkness fifteen foot radius in the area ten feet in front of them.

They could not see the enemy.

The enemy could not see them.

“Nice move, Eyerthrein,” Nigel chided.

“No! It’s good! Hit them again with area-encompassing spells!” Kyrsstina urged.

Cara, Kyrsstina, and Cyttia cast Flaming Hands. The red flames went through the darkness, but passed between their comrades. Erinnia cast Firestrike which exploded just beyond the area of Darkness.

Four knights who were badly burned and who carried long swords ran around the darkness and closed. Cyttia leapt to cut off the approach of the two coming from the left. Nigel followed her. Deron and Vanni opposed the two coming from the right. The battle was short. Cyttia and Nigel disposed of the badly injured knights in one round of melee. Boomer and Vanni required two blows to end their conflicts. The group received no injuries.

“That was an easy fight!” Boomer quipped.

“We battled nine lords of the East, Boomer,” Nigel said. “Their armor is old and tarnished but when polished will reveal its silver content. Only a lord of the manor could wear silver. The attainment of that rank required great skills and training. We burned a lot of Magick to defeat these foes.”

Erinnia and Nigel listened and heard gruff cackling sounds. Vanni grasped Exeter and detected no enemies. Erinnia opened the door easily and discovered another of the “open spaces”. There were four short gnarled trees with an unattractive bird perched upon a branch of each. The birds resembled ugly buzzards.

“*!#&#!” the first bird muttered.

“!**#%@*” the second chirped.

“*#@!*&!” the third crowed.

“*$#!@**” the fourth cawed.

“They’re calling each other names!” Erinnia said bewilderedly. “Expletives! I…I can’t repeat what they are saying!”

“They are Calling Birds,” Roscoe said. He added, “Centuries ago they were prized as door guards. But they are messy and they bite. They don’t taste good.”

“*!*!” the first bird cawed.

“How dare you!” Erinnia protested and slammed the door shut.

She added, “You’ve got the next door, Nigel!”

The fifth door was quiet. Nigel checked carefully for traps, slowly opened the door, and discovered a thirteen by thirteen foot room. One of the small blue wood tables that they had encountered before sat in the center of the room. Five rings rested on the table.

Roscoe tried the prism and said in frustration, “I can’t see anything!”

Nigel carefully picked up one of the rings and studied it.

“Don’t put the ring on!” Knarra urged.

“I agree. We must worry about cursed items,” Cara said.

Nigel commented, “These are made of Old Pewter. They are extremely rare- precious in the east, even if they are devoid of Magick. May I keep them?”

“Put them in this and don’t open it,” Knarra said as she gave him a tiny black “Bag of Containing”.

Nigel shut the door and proceeded to the sixth door. 

“I hear clucking noises,” he reported.

Vanni checked with Exeter and detected no enemies.

Nigel threw open the door. There was another thirteen by thirteen foot room. There were six noisy, less than attractive birds. The geese were laying golden eggs.

“Darn!” Nigel exclaimed. “It looks like they would at least be laying something valuable. Gold!”

They wasted no time in the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cara replied, “I have no other suggestions. Proceed with the second door, Erinnia.”

Erinnia checked for traps, found none, and easily opened the door. The second door opened to a very small room thirteen feet in all dimensions. Two gray birds sat on a short bush and cooed. They were unusual birds because hard shells covered their backs- the shells were heavy and prevented their vestigial wings from getting them airborne. Cade immediately recognized them as turtle doves.

“They are ground nesters. They cannot fly; they make good soup,” the elf volunteered.

“I’m not in the mood for soup,” Nigel confided.

After a brief discussion, Erinnia checked and opened the third door. Three deep red feathered chickens were sitting on coupes. The nests were replicas of four-wheeled carriages with a seat for two people inside and a seat for the driver outside. The wealthiest citizens and barons of the East popularized them.

“Why would chickens be sitting on coupes?” Kyrsstina asked.

“Yes, chickens in the Fane nest in coops. Are coops too good for these?” Eyerthrein added.

“These are Burgundy hens. They are found in a barony of the East called Burgundy. They produce some pretty good vintages but I prefer the vintages of Nappy Valley near Kanath and Three Forks. The wines are so good there that folks tend to imbibe a bit too much and get sleepy. I guess that’s how the place got its name,” Nigel answered.

Big Jon, Boomer, and Cade proceeded into the room and captured the three fowl.

Erinnia cast Create Wood and Kyrsstina cast a Fire Spell. They enjoyed roasted chicken before they proceeded to the fourth door.

Erinnia and Nigel listened and heard gruff cackling sounds.

Light appeared ahead.

The group edged forward. The massive cavern was shaped like a semi-circle. The ceiling towered above. There were thirteen doors equally spaced along the semicircular wall. Auras of Magick flickered throughout the room.

“There are thirteen doors. I’m not surprised,” Cara said.

“Any ideas?” Nigel asked.

“I don’t think we should open them all at once if we can open them at all,” Roscoe said.

“I would agree with that,” Vanni added. He continued, “We are too far away to detect enemies. Exeter has been perplexed by the Magick we have encountered. It’s hard to define an enemy.”

The ceiling was very high.

(If anyone could have measured it was one hundred and sixty-nine feet above them.)

The floor was solid stone. The radius of the semicircle was one hundred and sixty-nine feet. A brief inspection revealed the doors were identical. They were thirteen hands wide. All had simple door knobs.

“We may as well check them left to right. One of them must either lead to our goal or else show us a way out,” Cara said.

Knarra said, “Go to the first door.”

Erinnia opened the door easily. She found a room with no defined dimensions. There was a blue sky filled with small fluffy clouds. The floor was grassy; there was a small tree with light green fruits. A white bird warbled in the tree.

“OK! This has to be illusory! I know we are deep within the world,” Nigel declared.

Roscoe peered through his prism and reported, “It’s a partridge in a pear tree.”

Cade drew his bow and released an arrow which struck the bird. The bird shrieked and fell out of the tree. Nigel inspected the bird and the tree.

He said, “It was a partridge in a pear tree.”

Eyerthrein picked one of the fruits and said, “They are entirely edible.”

He munched on the juicy pear and was soon joined by the others. Once the bird fell the walls of the circular room appeared. Erinnia inspected the walls. Cade fired another arrow into the air; it soared high and fell harmlessly near the far wall. There did not appear to be a ceiling. Roscoe tried to activate the Fly command of his staff but could not. Levitation did not work either. They futilely searched for another exit; there was only the door through which they had entered.