Send a spelling or grammar correction to: Tracy Johnson
This site sponsored by Agenda Games LLC
Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
This is a first draft of a story set in the world of Greyhawk.
It is based on a home campaign so some of the people, places and things
may be different. Any helpful comments or suggestions are very welcome.
Thanks
Jason Zavoda
"What kind of monster is this?" asked Harold. The halfling peered
at a column sculpted in the shape of dozens of tiny creatures, each no
more than two feet high. The stone was carved into a human shape, two
arms, two legs, a head, but with baggy skin and a wrinkled scowling
face. A bulging middle was set on spindly legs, a jowly chin on
narrow shoulders, a pair of glaring eyes deep beneath beetled
brows, behind a huge bulbous nose and framed by wide protruding ears.
"That is a type of gremlin," said Talberth, "A jermlaine."
"Vermin." Ivo said with some distaste.
"They certainly abide with rats, but it is said that they are
distant cousins of the gnomish race." Talberth continued.
"Foul lies!" Ivo exclaimed. "They are cousin to rat and gremlin,
not to gnome."
"An ugly beast." said Harold. "Is this their size?"
"Maybe they were bigger when these stones were carved," Talberth
said, "but they are smaller now, some just half this size, no more than
a foot tall."
"Look at all of these," Harold walked from column to column as
they made their way to the center of the room, "That is an ettercap,
a merchant I knew had a pair of them to guard his wealth. He kept them,
and more importantly his treasure, in catacombs beneath his manor."
"They plague the Dim Forest, ally with spiders and the like." the
ranger added. He'd gone on ahead, found the pit again, returned and
now stood beside them.
"They are skilled at setting traps and filled with poison." Harold
shuddered.
"All the pillars seem to be carved in the shape of monsters." said
the ranger. "We could spend hours looking at them."
"These carvings are wonderfully done," Ivo said, "but we waste
time, you are right Harald. Show us to this pit."
They passed by a dozen more of the columns, the creatures carven
on them grew, from ettercaps to ogre's and trolls, then giants and as they
neared the center of the room the columns were shaped into the form of
great dragons, their forelegs raised, their heads down and their spread
wings forming the vaulting roof. The power of Ivo's spell shone further
than Harald's torch had done. They could see the top of the pillars and
the roof of the vast hall.
The apex of the ceiling was split, a center stone slipping from
the grip of the adjoining rocks. Below, the cover of the pit had fractured
and fallen down into a dark and bottomless shaft. Harald leaned over the
crumbling edge and held the enchanted light above, it lit the sides and
showed the walls of the shaft, dark openings could be seen, like the
hollows of eyes in a fleshless skull. Four gaps wer set some
twenty feet down, each opposite the other like the points on a compass,
but there was no floor,
"You think the gibberlings came from there?" asked Harold.
"Maybe, but their marks seem to be everywhere." the ranger
bent and felt along the edge of the pit. "Just like the other..."
Ivo stood at the rangers side. "We could climb this." he said
looking at the grooves cut into the side of the shaft.
"Maybe, I wasn't able to check the entire chamber, there may
be other doors or other pits." the ranger said.
"We could throw those gibberling down this hole." suggested
Harold.
"If it didn't kill them they would just climb back up." said
Ivo shaking his head. "This is an open door, I hate to leave it at our
back but we need to see what else might be in this chamber. Talberth,
the light on that torch will not last much longer, can you renew it?"
"I know the spell, but I do not have it prepared." Talberth
told him. "Just light the torch, Harald do you have any more?"
"I do but I hate to waste them."
"No waste when there is need." said Ivo. "But I say we return to
Telenstil. I want to hide the opening up above, make it appear that
the ravine is choked with falling rock, keep the giants from doing such
if they follow the gibberlings path back to here."
"There are things I need to gather, wood for one, and I want to
check our trail." said the ranger. "I will go back."
"Well I'm leaving the orcs here." said Talberth, then he thought
for a moment. "No, I'll stay as well. These carvings interest me."
"I'll stay." Harold joined in. "I want to look around myself."
"Me too!" Little Rat spoke up cheerfully.
* * *
(To Be Continued...)