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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
The thumb squirmed like a worm. It wriggled free of the orc whose
body lay on top of it. The keeper paced across the floor and bent,
severed bone met and knit with a glow of red. A laugh boomed out from the
giant's throat, deep and hollow, as he flexed his hand, five fingers
once again.
"Ardare..." he mumbled, the voice was in his head. "I come,
I will be there." The keeper pulled open the cell door, what had taken
half a dozen orcs to move he flung aside and nearly tore the hinges
from the frame.
Ardare lay where it had fallen, half buried among the moldy
hay that filled the cell. At the keeper's touch it burst into flame,
the hay began to smoke, it was to damp to burn.
"Ardare!" the ghostly voice screamed out. "I serve, you avenge
me!"
* * *
"I count six dragons." said Talberth
"There are twelve pillars in the next ring." called Harold.
"What are they?" asked Talberth.
"Six are giants, the other six, I don't know."
Talberth walked to where the thief was standing. A horrific figure
was carved from the stone, skeletal limbs that looked as if they would
creak into motion at any moment, a scorpions tale barbed and hinting of
cruel venom, and in its hands a strange curved spear.
"A demon," said Talberth, "You are lucky not to know them by
sight. I have fought them, such as this were sent against Telenstil
once when I was his apprentice."
"Half the ring of pillars are giants," said Harold. "The other
half are these."
"Have you seen any writing?" Talberth asked.
"None. Why?"
"These carvings look familiar," said Talberth, I think this place
was home to the Suel from ancient times."
"Suel, old Suel ruins," Harold was intrigued, "good treasure to
be found in such."
"Danger as well." but Talberth could not hide the excitement in
his voice.
"What treasure interests you?" asked Harold.
"The Suel were the greatests of mages, the very word is
theirs." said Talberth. "We might find magic that has not been seen
for a thousand years, but we have to make sure it isn't used against us."
"What do you think this place is?" Harold looked from figure to
figure. "I've seen gallerys and trophy halls that these sculptures bring
to mind."
"There is the hall of fauna at the university back in Greyhawk,"
said Talberth, "or the chamber of summoned beasts at the College
of Sorcery in Dyvers, but neither are as fine as this. I wonder..."
Talberth turned a ring he wore so that the green gem set in its face
was down and only the silver band could be seen. He clenched his fist and
held it out as if he were using a dousing rod, "Vres-ko Magi" he said
and a ray of silver light shot from the metal band. It spread wide till
it was as broad as three men standing shoulder to shoulder and reached out
for a score of yards. The light did no dispel the dark, it revealed
nothing beyond what the ray actually touched, but when the light
ran against a pillar, the carving glowed with blue.
Talberth turned in a circle and bathed each column that crossed
his path with the magic light. A deep fierce blue erupted from the center
of the stones fading to a dull haze at the surface where the figures had
been carved. Two pillars glowed with a different light, an ogre dressed in
ancient banded mail and a minotaur, its horns and hooves sheathed with
what must have been metal plate. Each was lit with a green enchantment
that seemed to pulse with life.
* * *
(To Be Continued...)