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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
"This place is amazing." there was a childlike wonder in
Talberth's voice. "Ivo, these enchantments must be from the days of
the imperium."
"Evil days." Ivo said. He pulled hard on the silver wire several
times and waited for a reply. Strong hands dragged at the metal strip from
the other side of the mist.
"We must explore, there is so much to discover here" Talberth went
on not listening to the gnome.
"That will be up to Telenstil to decide." Ivo told him. "We are
not here to search ruins. Remember that Talberth. I'm going back to get
the others you stay here."
Ivo looked over at the mage. Talberth had turned away, he examined
the door-frame that surrounded the reddish mist as Ivo watched and did not
say a word. "You're not listening. Talberth!" Ivo shouted.
"What?!" the mage spun, startled by the call, he had drawn an
enchanted wand from his sleeve quick as a back-alley thug might draw a
knife and held it ready, a word of activation on his lips.
"Come here, I'm not leaving you behind." said Ivo wagging a finger
at the mage. "We will go through here and collect the others."
"That is the way I went," Talberth said, "well, that is where I
was thrown, but it was through there that the skeletons caught me."
"Yes, we had the same encounter." said Ivo. "Harald made short
work of them."
"They should listen to me now." Talberth shook his head. "If only
I'd realized what they were saying at the time. They were trying to
talk, I'm not sure what they tried to say but the were speaking ancient
Suel no doubt."
"They're still rattling about," Ivo lead him to the mist, "we
can let one pull itself together and you can talk with it all you like.
"I don't want to..." Talberth objected.
"Nonsense." said Ivo as the old gnome nudged him through the
doorway and into the mist.
* * *
"Curse it, what is Ivo doing?" Harald complained.
"It's that portal, hells." cursed Harold. The halfing gnawed at
his thumbnail in frustration. "We couldn't find some cave, no, we had to
come here. I hate ruins, I hate the woods, I hate the stinking giants.
When we get out of here I'm going back to Greyhawk and I'm not leaving
it again."
"Wait," Harald felt the silver wire shift in his hand, "something
is happening, I'm getting a signal from Ivo." The ranger stumbled back and
the good length of wire came through the mist. "What is he playing at,
there's the signal again. Harold stop complaining and grab your knife,
there is something strange going on."
"You drop that wire and grab your sword." Harold told him.
"I'm not letting go till we find out what happened to Ivo."
said Harald, but he shifted the wire to his left hand and balanced
his claymore as best he could in his right.
Three strong tugs were placed on the silver strip and Harald gave
back two short pulls. "That is the signal, he's coming through."
"That's not Ivo." yelled the halfling.
Harald let the wire slip from his hand and grabbed the hilt of his
sword with both. "Talberth!" he exclaimed as he brought the blade back and
prepared to strike.
"Wait!" it was the halfling's turn to yell. "How do we know it's
Talberth. Where is Ivo?"
"Don't move." Harald warned and brought his arm back again.
"Don't be stupid." Talberth put up his hands as if to ward off the
huge steel blade. "It's me! It's me!"
* * *
(To Be Continued...)