- Tiggum
- Oct 24, 2007
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Your life and your quest end here.
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From a distance... we are helping you. From a distance...
Lost in the Kelderwastes posted:To reduce the risk of detection, you let the soldiers pass, and assault the rear guard. This way their neutralization should remain unnoticed.
This cautious strategy allows you to eliminate only two guards, but draws no attention. The Keldrathe you are trying to assist bears the brunt of the assault, and after shooting down a further soldier with its bow and knocking out another with its psychic powers, it finds itself locked in hand-to-hand combat against all the other troopers. It manages to kill another assailant with its powerful claws, but is finally overwhelmed and dies under their combined blows before you can help.
Realizing you should leave before the soldiers discover the corpses of their rear guard, you motion to Aberel and return to the cover of the forest.
The tumult of the battle vanishes behind you, but in the silence that ensues an inner voice calls you a coward for having abandoned a brave warrior to an unequal fight. You try hard to silence your conscience. Your mission is much more important than one unknown reptilian, regardless of its bravery. The look in Aberel's eyes does not help take the weight off your mind.
You leave the area as fast as possible, hoping none of the soldiers are still in pursuit. You have wasted valuable time.
Having penetrated deeper into the woods you spot a trail that will speed your retreat. You have only moved a few steps along the game trail when steam-gun projectiles fill the air around you. Again you start to run but you cannot locate where the soldiers are hiding. Shadows move above your head: the flying monsters have not abandoned the chase. Darkness seems to engulf the forest and a single soldier steps out onto the game trail a few yards ahead of you. He looks more like an animated corpse than a living man. His face and hands are white, his hair is grey, and the pupils of his red-rimmed eyes have a pale and translucent amber colour. He raises a hand and a wave of coldness sweeps along the trail towards you, covering the foliage in a thin frost. It is glacially cold, as cold as Death itself. You cast the Brotherhood spell of Counterspell, but a steam-gun projectile ricochets off a tree trunk to your left and strikes you in the temple. You pass out and collapse (lose 4 ENDURANCE points).
Endurance: 19/26.
When you are jolted awake it is dawn. Or could it be dusk? You are bound hand and foot to a thick staff carried by a patrol of soldiers. Without drawing attention to yourself you crane your neck backwards. With huge relief you discover Aberel is similarly bound to the staff. The soldiers are conveying you across a swamp. You presume the marsh is the same one you observed from the hilltop. A pool of oil burns fiercely as you pass it. The soldiers lead you to what is left of the Keldrathe village. Barely any of the buildings remain standing. The surviving Keldrathe have been packed into caged wagons.
Careful not to draw attention to yourself you take this opportunity to study the soldiers up close. You note that some of the officers wear a scarlet armband displaying the head of a tiger-like creature baring ferocious fangs. You recognise the emblem of Autarch Sejanoz, the ruler of the Empire of Bhanar, a vast country which borders the Kelderwastes to the east, and which Prince Karvas was forced to cross to reach his own country after he left you. In Toran, you learned how Sejanoz openly worships the forces of Darkness; how he has turned his country into a fearful dictatorship, threatening the safety of all the surrounding lands. You cannot expect any mercy from his soldiers, not to mention the terrifying flying reptilians that helped to conquer the village. A group of the spiny monstrosities have landed and are feasting on a heaped pile of the slain Keldrathe. You infer from their glowing eyes that they are Agarashi. The Autarch of Bhanar has now gone so far as to ally himself with Creatures of Darkness, the twisted and wholly evil grand-children of the most powerful champion of Darkness Magnamund has ever known.
You and Aberel are carried to the central square of the primitive village. The soldiers lower the staff you are hanging from, laying you upon the ground. You feel the blood rush into your numbed feet and hands. They untie your legs but keep your hands bound. With some effort you and Aberel are able to stand. In the centre of the square a strange ritual is being performed. The Bhanarians have brought an elaborate idol, fashioned from gold and jewels and crafted into the likeness of a tiger's head, strikingly similar to the emblem of Sejanoz. Two huge ivory fangs protrude from its jaws, and its jewelled eyes glow with a flickering scarlet light. It sits atop a huge slab white marble in the centre of the square. The idol is guarded by four formidable Bhanarian warriors clad in black quilted tunics edged with gold braid and emblazoned with the tiger's-head. You identify these soldiers as Imperial Guard, the élite bodyguard of the Autarch. A Keldrathe prisoner is dragged from a penned group of captives, and held in front of the sorcerous idol. The prisoner is barely conscious, but struggles desperately with all that remains of its strength, as the tiger head slowly rotates to face it. An awful stillness falls on the square. Suddenly two thin beams of light shoot from the eyes of the idol, bathing the Keldrathe in a pale red glow. Just as suddenly the light vanishes and the Keldrathe is released from the grasp of the Bhanarians. With renewed strength the prisoner kneels and bows its head. The creature then rises purposefully and walks towards a pack of Keldrathe you had not yet noticed. Unlike their caged brethren they all stand at attention as if awaiting orders. This sorcerous idol appears capable of subjugating the Keldrathes will. The Bhanarians are here to build an army of these powerful creatures.
The Imperial Guard are led by an even more fearsome warrior, flanked by a patrol of soldiers. Well over six feet high, he is sheathed from head to toe in shiny black armour and holds a metal staff in his gauntleted hand, which emanates an unmistakably evil aura.
Another Keldrathe has been dragged into the gaze of the idol. The thin red glow illuminates it, but rather than submit it roars in crazed anger, seemingly insensitive to the power of the tiger's-head. It throws off the two guards that grasp it and rushes at the tall Bhanarian officer, its claws raised to strike. The officer barely turns. As he calmly raises his staff it grows in length and tapers to a point at one end. The charging Keldrathe impales itself on the newly formed spear. The reptilian's head and limbs slowly go limp. Its lifeless body is held motionless at the end of the spear, wielded one-handed by the armoured warrior. You are impressed by this show of strength. The warrior very slowly turns, the Keldrathe's lifeless legs drawing a line in the dust as he pivots to face you. As you lock eyes his staff slowly returns to its original form and the slain Keldrathe collapses into a heap on the ground.
'Ah, new guests from the distinguished Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. I am so... honoured.' His tone oozes contempt and sarcasm. 'l am Kia-Tzing, commander of this glorious army. On behalf of the Autarch Sejanoz, Lord of Bhanar and rightful Heir of the Agarashi and Vaduzian Empires, I bid you welcome.'
Boldly, you retort 'So you know us? You may also know it is dedicated to the eradication of all the worshippers of Darkness. You think your allegiance to these forces intimidates us? We have allies of our own. Perhaps have you heard of Supreme Master Lone Wolf and his New Order Kai?'
At this the commander drops his pretence, and in a low, angry, voice drawls 'What are you doing in this remote timberland, Sommlending?'
You push the thoughts of Prince Karvas' voyage across their country from your mind. 'Well, you know our Guild is also an assembly of scholars. We are in these wastes to study...'
'Lies!' Booms the warrior-mage. He laughs condescendingly. 'Are you really so foolish that you would send out your minions with no common story? You are like children fumbling in the dark.'
A coldness fills your stomach realisation dawns that your patrol is indeed captured by this man. But how many have been caught?
'Do you want to see them?' The Bhanarian laughs.
Kia-Tzing, who is one of the Zhakka, the élite band of warrior-mages specially trained in the Black Arts by the Autarch Sejanoz himself, leads you to one of the remaining huts. Inside, you find not only Gardan but also all the members of the missing Lof patrol. They lie unconscious on filthy straw mattresses. They unsoundly sleep, twitching as if locked in terrifying nightmares. Pitiful cries of distress break the silence. You try to wake them using your psychic powers, but in vain. The Zhakka laughs.
'That was the final time you exercise your powers in my camp without my say-so, wizardling. You are experienced and not without strength, unlike these laughable novices. However, your tricks are nothing besides the dark radiance of my Master.'
He gestures through the door frame of the hut to the centre of the clearing and the tiger-head idol.
'These men were subjected to the will of the Tiger. My master has seen their souls and decided to amuse himself with them. They are in His thrall now. Only He can decide to release them, or else banish them forever in the Oblivion of the Tortured Souls.'
You cannot hide the horror you feel. Kia-Tzing mockingly continues. 'Whatever am I going to do with you, Magician? Perhaps you, too, want to gaze into the eyes of the Tiger and join your companions in the realm of nightmares? Oh! Such a pity this would be indeed!'
'What do you expect from me?'
'Ah! I propose a bargain, wizardling. The life of these men, in exchange for a small favour.'
You follow him, trepidation filling your heart, back the way you came. The Zhakka glances briefly with contempt at the slain Keldrathe lying broken in a dirty heap outside.
'My Master, may His name darken the kingdoms, has gained the power to command the Children of Agarash. Know this, guildling: the Keldrathe are descendants of a breed of Agarashi of Naaros which fled into the Great Forest of Kelderwood millennia ago. They have devolved into these pitiful creatures, insatiable no more for the bloody conquest of Magnamund! But my Master can give their will back to them. He has sent me to enslave the Keldrathe race to fill the ranks of His glorious army!'
Kia-Tzing leads you to a strange altar made of bones on a small prominence at the highest point in the village. On the altar lies the body of a very old Keldrathe shaman, wearing charms and talismans. It seems entranced, but in a different way from your unfortunate companions.
'He is connected to the Keldrathe Psychic Plexus,' explains the Zhakka. 'I do not know how, but these creatures have developed fascinating natural mental capabilities. All Keldrathe can psychically communicate with each other on sight. But rare individuals, like this shaman, are able to draw psychic energy from their fellow Keldrathe, to communicate at long range and focus it on specific individuals to boost their mental capacities.'
He laughs.
'This was first discovered by your own Guildmaster six years ago, when he came to Bhanar to perpetrate his despicable acts and pronounce his blasphemies against our Autarch. Now this discovery may be used for His Autarchic Majesty's own glory. The Keldrathe shamans have established a form of telepathic network connecting each Keldrathe village scattered across the Great Forest of Kelderwood. This village is far from being the largest settlement. In the west and the south are countless Keldrathe waiting to serve the Heir of Agarash. Connecting the tiger-head idol to the mind of this shaman could penetrate the entire Keldrathe Psychic Plexus.'
'However, the idol needs more power to permeate a psychic plexus sustained by so many minds. I cannot return to Bakhasa and demand a more powerful device from my Master. And so I must improvise. Once again your own master has shown us the way. He discovered the Elder Magi had established a temple in this forest millennia ago. My Master knows Banedon found it, and it is still protected by the spells of the Elder Magi. The Elder Magi are known specialists of Old Kingdom Magic. If their spells have been active since the Age of War, then there must be items inside capable of empowering them. I know the Elder Magi crafted Power Crystals to empower their long-lasting spells. With this power the Tiger-head Idol could enslave many thousands of these creatures, everywhere in the Great Forest, all at once.'
He breaks from his reverie and fixes your gaze.
'The bargain is simple, Magician. I know the Brothers of the Crystal Star are experts at penetrating magical illusions and counterspelling. You are an excellent choice to explore the Temple of Ghazam and bring back a Power Crystal to me.'
'And if I refuse?'
'Your men's souls will be damned. Forever.'
You don to have a choice. The Zhakka is a formidable foe on his own, and he is surrounded by lmperial Guards: an entire battalion of soldiers armed with steam-guns, and a squadron of Bavazanurs - winged Agarashi. Moreover, you are not sure you can cure your men even if you are able to free them. You consider psychically contacting Bo'sun Gora at the Starstrider crash site, and urging him to flee to Toran immediately. But the Zhakka would sense this instantly, and it would reveal the location of your crew. In order to save them, and perhaps also to save your unfortunate companions imprisoned in the Keldrathe village, you must for now cooperate. Aberel, who has been wounded more seriously than you during the escape, will stay in the village as a supplementary hostage.
Kia-Tzing allocates you a patrol of fifteen Bhanarian soldiers. They are commanded by the corpse-like man you encountered in the Great Forest as you were captured, a chilling sergeant named Kanoz. Sergeant Kanoz and his troops will guard and escort you to the Temple of Ghazam. Once there, you must retrieve an Elder Magi Power Crystal and return it to the village. The Zhakka promises to hand over your men in turn. You do not trust any word of this agent of Darkness, but you need time. Time to find a way to save them all.
As you leave the Keldrathe settlement you make a silent promise to return. You cross the burning swamp and head south-westwards. Kanoz explains that the temple lies 90 miles to the southwest as the crow flies, surrounded by a deep timberland where no Keldrathe tribe has dared to settle, possibly due to the magic of the temple. To the south-west lies Lake Shezess, which you spotted before being captured, fed by a small river flowing north-eastwards. To the south lies the small range of hills you crossed to discover the village. Kanoz is aware the Great Forest is a dangerous place, and to your surprise he asks your opinion regarding the first part of your journey. It seems Banedon's prowess during his mission - whatever it was - in Bhanar in MS 5077, deeply impressed the Bhanarians. They appear to hold the members of your Guild in high esteem, even if you are sworn enemies.
What will you advise?
I really hope we get to kill this guy just because of how much I hate having to scan and edit so much text all at once.
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Jun 5, 2020 11:56
