During the winter of the year, RETARIUS travels to Africa to investigate the rebel Malaros the Corinthian. He gets permission from SEVERUS SECUNDUS to land behind the rebel lines, and discovers an army of zombies hiding in the shadow of a tree. They aren't hiding from the Romans; they are hiding from the sun. Retarius' Belgae kill them one by one, after defeating the mortal who was tasked to convey the army of zombies here.
Apparently they walk all night then lie up under shelter until the next night, each zombie horde being led by a single minion of Malaros. The minion, under questioning, admits that Malaros is Molasar, the undead sorceror we encountered under the Temple of Elemental Evil, and again in the Frozen North. He was last seen eaten by a colossal purple worm, but apparently, someone COULD survive that fate, irrespective of what it seemed at the time.
Retarius and company travel by boat to the origin of the zombie trail, where they discover an ancient, ruined temple in the desert, guarded by many zombies. Fortunately, as the zombies attack, a Roman legion arrives! Yes, JUNIUS received a letter from SEVERUS SECUNDUS, and brought the entire Legio XX to Africa, and just in the nick of time!
The boss here, we're told, is LAZLO, a wight from Molasar's homeland of Dacia. VESUVIUS takes Lazlo on face-to-face, and does all right, but Lazlo has a whole acre of skeletons and Frankensteinian abominations to throw at him. Eventually Vesuvius has to retreat.
The army defeats the zombies. ROSA flies over the temple, distributing holy salt, and seeing Lazlo, takes him out with a sun-bead arrow in the face. But inside the temple, a deeper darkness is stirring, rising like an ashy fume to cover the temple's interior.
As BJERN is transformed into a fire bear, RETARIUS and EDELWEISS rush the temple from the other side. They enter, where Edelweiss' glowing sword reveals a winged man in leather coat, armed with a cast-iron skull and a book of dead names -- Molasar himself!
"We meet again, play-soldier!" Molasar ought to have said.
"Yes, for the last time, dead man," Retarius should have responded.
And then the blades are flying! Molasar cuts Retarius, a little, but Edelweiss shield-slams him back over an ancient altar. Retarius pins Molasar's bat-wing to the stone, and even Molasar's eruption of black doom magic doesn't stop his nemeses.
Molasar rolls, ripping his own wing off, and faces his foes, now with a sword in each hand. Edelweiss and Retarius have each cut him seriously, but he seems not to mind.
And all around the temple, the ground shudders, collapsing into sinkholes from which purple worms snake hungrily into the world above!
"The worm did not kill me ... but I did learn a few things," Molasar says.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Thursday, March 9, 2017
The Eternal Kingdom of Perfect Harmony
Trying to walk back to Rome, our heroes instead encounter Elebrion, castle of the Elves. Which is strange, as Elebrion is 500 miles in another direction.
Haldir Stormchandler greets his elder cousin. Pejorative the dragon greets him in reply. The DRAGON is welcome in the elves' home, but the rest of us ...
Elrond Halfelven comes and talks to us. He's a half-elf, so not as worried about polluting his spirit by conversing with mortals. He explains that Lolth has put a spell on us so that, no matter where we go, we end up here.
Actually, the spell was supposed to lead us to the fires of Mt. Etna on Sicily. But the elves stepped in and tangled it up so it led here instead.
They want the Sword of the Dawn so they can find the Runestaff. Vesuvius and Junius swear by sunwine that they will give the Runestaff to the Elves, once they and their people no longer need the Runestaff. And should 4002 AD come, and they be still alive, they have to hand it over then.
The Elves want the Runestaff because the universe is ending. In 4004 BC, the world was made. And it gradually became stronger, richer and more complex until the Year of Our Lord, when it began to decline. In 4004 AD, existence will end. They don't want to die; Brother Aquila tries to get them to see the inevitable rightness of death, but they don't want to hear it. But with the Runestaff, which tells the destiny of men, they might be able to find a way out.
In exchange, Elrond will accompany us on our quest for the Runestaff. He also consents to advise Junius on swordsmanship (although not with Junius' old iron sword, it being IRON) and Vesuvius on sorcery. He has a conversation about the souls of dwarves with Brother Aquila.
Meanwhile, Rosa asks an elf named Farstriker for archery tips, and shoots a fire giant from a mile away.
Fire giant? Yes, for Vartox and his gang are still following us, and the spell leads them inevitably to Elebrion. A fight erupts between Elf and Giant, evenly matched, but for the Romans who are on the Elves's side.
DECINQUE challenges the giants (actually, he's just trying to get a set of Elven garb, but the Elves are playing a joke on him) and survives, fighting three fire giants along with RETARIUS and JUNIUS. They kill Vartox, which isn't as hard as it might be, since he and half his gang are all struck by lightning from the sky!
Elrond gives Retarius a green cloak as light as the wind, for Retaria.
VESUVIUS discovers that when he casts spells in Elfland, the energy he expends is instantly restored! This leads him to use a whole lot of spells, destroying two fire giants. His Reverse Missiles spell takes out three archers, who run away, get toyed with by Bowenn's illusions, and eventually die.
Haldir Stormchandler greets his elder cousin. Pejorative the dragon greets him in reply. The DRAGON is welcome in the elves' home, but the rest of us ...
Elrond Halfelven comes and talks to us. He's a half-elf, so not as worried about polluting his spirit by conversing with mortals. He explains that Lolth has put a spell on us so that, no matter where we go, we end up here.
Actually, the spell was supposed to lead us to the fires of Mt. Etna on Sicily. But the elves stepped in and tangled it up so it led here instead.
They want the Sword of the Dawn so they can find the Runestaff. Vesuvius and Junius swear by sunwine that they will give the Runestaff to the Elves, once they and their people no longer need the Runestaff. And should 4002 AD come, and they be still alive, they have to hand it over then.
The Elves want the Runestaff because the universe is ending. In 4004 BC, the world was made. And it gradually became stronger, richer and more complex until the Year of Our Lord, when it began to decline. In 4004 AD, existence will end. They don't want to die; Brother Aquila tries to get them to see the inevitable rightness of death, but they don't want to hear it. But with the Runestaff, which tells the destiny of men, they might be able to find a way out.
In exchange, Elrond will accompany us on our quest for the Runestaff. He also consents to advise Junius on swordsmanship (although not with Junius' old iron sword, it being IRON) and Vesuvius on sorcery. He has a conversation about the souls of dwarves with Brother Aquila.
Meanwhile, Rosa asks an elf named Farstriker for archery tips, and shoots a fire giant from a mile away.
Fire giant? Yes, for Vartox and his gang are still following us, and the spell leads them inevitably to Elebrion. A fight erupts between Elf and Giant, evenly matched, but for the Romans who are on the Elves's side.
DECINQUE challenges the giants (actually, he's just trying to get a set of Elven garb, but the Elves are playing a joke on him) and survives, fighting three fire giants along with RETARIUS and JUNIUS. They kill Vartox, which isn't as hard as it might be, since he and half his gang are all struck by lightning from the sky!
Elrond gives Retarius a green cloak as light as the wind, for Retaria.
VESUVIUS discovers that when he casts spells in Elfland, the energy he expends is instantly restored! This leads him to use a whole lot of spells, destroying two fire giants. His Reverse Missiles spell takes out three archers, who run away, get toyed with by Bowenn's illusions, and eventually die.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Fire Giants and Brass Dragon
The Legion of the Cross defeats the Machine Beast, making so much noise and light that Verity and Aristocles are dazzled and incapacitated.
Meanwhile, the other group is fighting Frost Giants. Most of the Valerians rush over there and help, along with the wind-up Dwarf King statues wielding truly enormous stone weapons! The giants lose, although Bjern gets quite severely crushed and has to be healed. Brother Aquila also gets mangled, which is less commonplace.
With the healers out of energy and the Sword of the Dawn safe in hand, it's obviously time to venture deeper into the Dwarven halls, though perhaps not into the room labelled "Sudden Death." Bjern finds a brass dragon, which is willing to follow him in exchange for treats. What do brass dragons like to eat? Gold, mostly. Silver is nice too.
However, Retarius and Adelweiss have gone down another hallway, leading to a lower level full of Fire Giants! They agree to fight for first blood, to see if they will treat the humans like warriors or like vermin. Retarius' flashing sword cuts Chroxilar the Smallish Fire Giant, and he acknowledges defeat, but when called upon to "yield", he gets all upset and appeals to his boss, King Vartox.
"Vartox the Valiant! Vartox the Vanquisher! VARTOX the VOLCANO-SPLITTER!" he introduces himself.
"Wow, that's a pretty cool name," says some human. "Which volcano did you split?"
"THIS ONE!" he says, and strikes the stone with his axe.
The stone splits apart, vomiting steam and smoke and ash and lava. During the eruption, Retarius and Adelweiss leave.
Unfortunately, the commotion has brought the attention of some cave trolls, who attack. Vesuviius gets one to peer closely at his ring, then Dazzles him. The Troll, blaming his eyes, strikes his face repeatedly with a massive iron mace, while Vesuvius skirts around him.
Everyone makes it to the exit chamber, but before they can crawl into the dwarf tunnels leading out, the floor cracks open and flames shoot forth! Clearly King Vartox is coming after them, and he's not bothering to walk through the tunnels to do it!
Vesuvius summons a wall, but horizontally, to bridge the volcanic gap. Everyone hastens out.
Everyone, that is, except Bjern and his dragon, Thorgibar Pejorative. They're still there when Vartox arrives. Bjern uses the box the mordite came it to hurl it at Vartox! It hits his armor, which is not alive, and therefore bounces off, uselessly.
Bjern retreats. The giants, being way to big to fit into the tunnels, cannot pursue.
In the tunnels, Rosa warns of an enchantment. She cannot call out to her spider friend. Retarius thinks it may be Bowenn Ivorybow's doing, and says his name three times. Bowenn, indeed, replies.
Bowenn is invisible, but the dragon can smell him out, wearing, as he does, many pounds of gold and jewelry.
Bowenn demands the Sword of the Dawn. Retarius refuses; he plans to give it to the Cardinal. But once he establishes that the Cardinal is a mortal man, Bowenn is satisfied. The doom which threatens all that lives can wait a lifetime or two before the Sword is needed. He gives everyone leave to depart.
Before that, however, Rosa's spider friend suggests an alternative way out. He appeals to Lolth, Demon Queen of Spiders, to show them to safety, and indeed, she does. Brother Aquila confronts Lolth, endures her terror-attack without panicking, and throws holy salt on her. Lolth withdraws. This causes Rosa's spider friend, halfway to safety, to fall out of the air and get stabbed by Brother A. Rosa finds him, heals him, and carries him to safety. Yes, the spider.
One xp is awarded.
Meanwhile, the other group is fighting Frost Giants. Most of the Valerians rush over there and help, along with the wind-up Dwarf King statues wielding truly enormous stone weapons! The giants lose, although Bjern gets quite severely crushed and has to be healed. Brother Aquila also gets mangled, which is less commonplace.
With the healers out of energy and the Sword of the Dawn safe in hand, it's obviously time to venture deeper into the Dwarven halls, though perhaps not into the room labelled "Sudden Death." Bjern finds a brass dragon, which is willing to follow him in exchange for treats. What do brass dragons like to eat? Gold, mostly. Silver is nice too.
However, Retarius and Adelweiss have gone down another hallway, leading to a lower level full of Fire Giants! They agree to fight for first blood, to see if they will treat the humans like warriors or like vermin. Retarius' flashing sword cuts Chroxilar the Smallish Fire Giant, and he acknowledges defeat, but when called upon to "yield", he gets all upset and appeals to his boss, King Vartox.
"Vartox the Valiant! Vartox the Vanquisher! VARTOX the VOLCANO-SPLITTER!" he introduces himself.
"Wow, that's a pretty cool name," says some human. "Which volcano did you split?"
"THIS ONE!" he says, and strikes the stone with his axe.
The stone splits apart, vomiting steam and smoke and ash and lava. During the eruption, Retarius and Adelweiss leave.
Unfortunately, the commotion has brought the attention of some cave trolls, who attack. Vesuviius gets one to peer closely at his ring, then Dazzles him. The Troll, blaming his eyes, strikes his face repeatedly with a massive iron mace, while Vesuvius skirts around him.
Everyone makes it to the exit chamber, but before they can crawl into the dwarf tunnels leading out, the floor cracks open and flames shoot forth! Clearly King Vartox is coming after them, and he's not bothering to walk through the tunnels to do it!
Vesuvius summons a wall, but horizontally, to bridge the volcanic gap. Everyone hastens out.
Everyone, that is, except Bjern and his dragon, Thorgibar Pejorative. They're still there when Vartox arrives. Bjern uses the box the mordite came it to hurl it at Vartox! It hits his armor, which is not alive, and therefore bounces off, uselessly.
Bjern retreats. The giants, being way to big to fit into the tunnels, cannot pursue.
In the tunnels, Rosa warns of an enchantment. She cannot call out to her spider friend. Retarius thinks it may be Bowenn Ivorybow's doing, and says his name three times. Bowenn, indeed, replies.
Bowenn is invisible, but the dragon can smell him out, wearing, as he does, many pounds of gold and jewelry.
Bowenn demands the Sword of the Dawn. Retarius refuses; he plans to give it to the Cardinal. But once he establishes that the Cardinal is a mortal man, Bowenn is satisfied. The doom which threatens all that lives can wait a lifetime or two before the Sword is needed. He gives everyone leave to depart.
Before that, however, Rosa's spider friend suggests an alternative way out. He appeals to Lolth, Demon Queen of Spiders, to show them to safety, and indeed, she does. Brother Aquila confronts Lolth, endures her terror-attack without panicking, and throws holy salt on her. Lolth withdraws. This causes Rosa's spider friend, halfway to safety, to fall out of the air and get stabbed by Brother A. Rosa finds him, heals him, and carries him to safety. Yes, the spider.
One xp is awarded.
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