Frequently you will be instructed by the computer to read a
certain numbered paragraph. Paragraphs frequently elaborate
on the information provided by the computer, and are an important
source of clues that should not be overlooked.
You'll greatly increase your enjoyment of the game by only reading
those paragraphs to which you are specifically referred by the
game. "Reading ahead" could spoil some of the surprises that
await you in DRAGON WARS. Don't try to read the paragraphs consecutively,
as they are printed out of order and will prove confusing. However,
should you use the paragraphs as a free "cheat book" and read
ahead, beware the wrath of Namtar...and be advised certain paragraphs
are pure fiction that will do nothing to improve your performance
in the game. In fact, acting on ill-gotten information could
prove hazardous to your health. You have been warned.
| Enter a paragraph number below (1 to
147) |
1. In this dark chamber are warehoused several
sculptures of decidedly inferior quality. Mostly they are crude
attempts at busts, or full-figure nudes of decidedly pornographic
intent. Whoever produced these disasters, it could not have
been the same artist that created the rest of the artwork you've
seen on the estate. Back to the
top
2. Renewed by the fruit of your sacrifice,
the vampire lord emerges from the tomb. "You have awakened me,
and for this I am in your debt,"' he lisps. "Do not presume
to command me, however. You have not obtained the Silver Wheel,
and until you do, my soul is my own!"
The Lord of the Undead vanishes, leaving behind only an oily
cloud of smoke, and the bucket of deep-fried jumbo shrimp. Back
to the drawing board. Back to the
top
3. This is a shrine to the dark lady Irkalla, queen
of Magan, the underworld of Oceana. Of all the structures in
this area, this is the best preserved. Simple offerings of weeds
and rocks lay before Irkalla, indicating some residents of this
world worship the dark queen.
Irkalla's image is blasted from bronze. She seems serene and
confident, with a terrible sort of beauty lurking in her fierce
countenance. The black pits of her eyes stare at you without
emotion. Here is a deity to be feared - perhaps also to beloved.
Back to the top
4. You stand before the gate to Purgatory's
great public arena. Bloodthirsty residents of the Dilmun interior
come here to enjoy the spectacle of outlander scum such as yourselves
fighting to the death on the floor of the arena.
A guard swaggers up to you He is clad in the trappings of authority
fine armor, a weather-beaten harness well-oiled weapons. "Oy
there, you filthy street scum," the guard growls. "you look
fit enough to hold a weapon. Why not haul your butt into the
arena and make yourself useful?" Why fight for another man's
pleasure when life in Purgatory is a daily struggle for survival?
You're about to turn away when the guard lays a heavy hand on
your shoulder and adds,"You'll get your choice of arms...and
if you defeat your foe, which I doubt, you might win Papers
of Citizenship. Namtar help me - heathen dogs like you living
in Dilmun! I don't like it, but the law is the law." Back
to the top
5. With distaste you discover the source of
the foul odor. Before you is a low structure, not so much a
building as an odd series of stone slabs leaning against one
another. Some ancient stonemason identified this place with
a legend carved into the rock: "Morgue". A more recent hand
has added its own opinion: "The way out, chumps!".
The stench of the dead is overpowering, but sensing there's something
important about this place you hang around on the fringes and observe
the routine. Sallow work gangs of malnourished slaves, themselves more
dead than alive, slowly carry corpses from the building and stack them
in sloppy piles. You dimly wonder what crime or heresy landed these
poor souls a job as salves in a city of criminals.
From time to time additional corpses are brought here by the more tidy
citizens of Purgatory. These are deposited in the house or stacked in
the piles without seeming purpose. After a time, several of the slaves
bundle one or more corpses into a crude canvas sack and hurl the
bundle over the wall. Distantly, you think you hear a splash. you
judge you're near the harbor wall are the dead of Purgatory hurled
into the waters of the city's harbor?
It occurs to you a living man could lay with the dead, and journey
with them in a sack over the wall and to freedom in the harbor
beyond. How far do the sacks of corpses fall? Are they really
tossed in the harbor, or do they tumble into a well? Could you
escape from a bag of cadavers before it sank to the bottom of
the sea, maybe forever mired in muck and weeds? Perhaps the
overpowering smell of this place is starting to get to you.
or perhaps this is your ticket out. Back
to the top
6. Here you find a simple wilderness shrine,
tended by a lonely druid. He welcomes you to his temple, saying
the place of worship is open to all.
The shrine is earthy and natural. The walls seem rooted in the
depths of the earth, the rock seems alive with animal spirit,
the very air is crisp and sweet. You see that the patron deity
of this shrine is the man-animal Enkidu. "He is the god of beast-men
and man-beasts," the druid explains. "He respects only the strong
and pure, to whom he will grant a powerful boon Before Namtar's
purge, the god was in residence in this forest, where he presided
over a vast druid colony. Now Enkidu is gone, the brotherhood
is broken, and knowledge of our magic is lost." Back
to the top
7. You secure yourself in a bag full of only
slightly stinking corpses and wait patiently. Someone sews the
bag up as you lie motionless. After some moments, you hear a
throaty voice call, '"Oy, yew! Run yer sword throo them bogs,
thar! You 'membar wot hopp'nd last week! We don't wont any mar
escayps now, do we?" You are bound and helpless! Back
to the top
8. A great cry of joy goes up as you debase
yourself. In a city of criminals, what shame is there in going
native? Just to make you feel at home, the beggars beat you
steadily for a week. Properly initiated into the world of mendacity,
you eventually are set free to wander the streets of Purgatory,
better understanding if not entirely fond of the city's lowest
class of citizens. Back to the
top
9. A statue of Namtar, the Beast From the Pit,
dominates this dirty city square. You carefully examine the
statue, trying to memorize the features of the villain who exiled
you to Purgatory. You struggle in vain. The citizens of Purgatory,
themselves no less fond of Namtar, have taken it out on his
image - the nose is broken, limbs are chipped, and the mouth
is deformed beyond all recognition.
As you watch, a wild beggar spits on the statue. "Filthy face
of stone!," she mumbles. "Layed down with lizards he did, that
stone face lies as much as he!" The poor mad creature wanders
off, still spitting and mumbling, leading you to wonder if a
similar fate awaits you in the months to come. Back
to the top
10. This back-alley building is in remarkably
good repair. Curious, you enter, and recognize the interior
of a modestly-appointed magic shop. A wizened gnome of a man
springs from behind the counter and scurries up to you. "Mercy,
mercy me...customers! Bless me, customers at last!"
The old man is insane but friendly. He explains all high magic
has been outlawed by order of Namtar, but instruction in the
low arts is still permitted in isolated regions. He is eager
to teach you what he knows, and will in fact refuse a fee, preferring
to teach for the simple joy of it. Unfortunately, the old man
knows little useful magic. Back
to the top
11. Try as you might, you just can't get your nose
to remain on your face. That Namtar sure has an odd sense of
humor. Back to the top
12. Just ahead you see a bridge. The bridge
is covered and armored doors bar the way across. The bridge
appears to be the only way to cross the water and reach the
land beyond. A pack of guards lounge before the entrance to
the bridge. As you appear, they snap to attention. A guard with
a narrow forehead and small eyes approaches you. Back
to the top
13. You're in the middle of the bridge. Although
the bridge is covered, you can hear water rushing beneath you.
It is astonishingly loud.
The bridge is longer than it appeared from the outside. You
recognize now that even a good swimmer would find it impossible
to swim from one island to the next. This bridge is the only
way across. Back to the top
14. Your knowledge of city lore serves you
well. This place isn't so much a city as a prison. The streets
are unpaved and evidently double as an open-air sewer system.
Many of the city's structures are buildings only in the loosest
sense of the word - several have holes in the roof (or no roof
at all), others have been gutted by fire. Everything is damp,
showing this city is little different from any other on Oceana...the
rising sea level is eroding the land upon which the city is
located, and it is slowly sinking. Doubtless those buildings
that have basements will be at least hip-deep in water. Graffiti
is scrawled on walls everywhere, generally curses directed at
Namtar and crude pornographic renderings of all the species
of Oceana In all, Purgatory is an ugly place you would do well
to leave as soon as possible. Back
to the top
15. The guards retire a few steps and converse
in low tones when you show them the ring. One of them approaches
nervously. "We're King's men, you know. We don't want any trouble."
He shuffles his feet and won't look you in the eye. "We just
went along with...with everyone else. You have seen the King?"
He frowns when you answer. "That ring means you're on King's
business, so you can pass...but if anyone asks, we never saw
you. Understand?"
You pass into the city. The guards still won't look you in the
eye. Back to the top
16. Before you is a tumble-down collection
of huts. A group of ill-clad unfortunates are gathered around
a fire. They see you approach and rush to your side. "We saw
you swim across the bay", says a toothless man who seems to
lead the group. "Any enemy of Purgatory is a friend of ours.
C'mon in and sit by the fire." Back
to the top
17. This is the temple of the Yellow Mud Toad,
dedicated to the patron beast of this city. The temple is a
run down and depressing as the rest of the city. The center
of the temple is dominated by a huge statue of the Yellow Mud
Toad, sunk fully a third of its height into the muddy floor
of the building. "Everything sinks these days," a priest of
the temple complains. "This whole city must be built on a lake.
We'll all sink away to nothing if this keeps up!" Back
to the top
18. The camp is deserted. Apparently everyone
who lived here was slain in your recent battle. You notice signs
of habitation, but whoever lived here was dirt poor. It's unlikely
you'll find anything of worth in the camp. Glancing back at
the pile of bodies left in your wake, and then at the bucolic
scene of the camp, you sense there was probably a better way
of handling this situation. The man who confronted you seemed
a lot like yourself. Maybe he mistook you for authority from
Purgatory, and only sought to defend himself. This was probably
a time for words, rather than swords. Back
to the top
19. After about an hour, the sick man's fever
breaks. He props himself up on one elbow and smiles. "I was
dreaming,"he says in a weak voice. "I imagined I floated on
a vast black pool far beneath the earth. I think it was in the
Underworld. I saw a goddess bound in chains. She was stranded
on an island guarded by monsters." He laughs. "I guess I had
a fever."
The man tries to stand up but finds he's still weak. You help him sit
up. "My name is Ulm," he says. "I guess I have you to thank for
breaking my fever. The guards at the bridge beat me up, and I just
can't seem to bounce back." Intrigued, you encourage Ulm to continue.
"I escaped from Purgatory through a secret door in the wall. I tried
to cross the bridge north of the city, but I didn't have the right
papers, and the guards beat me. I've been coughing blood ever since."
Ulm's eyelids begin to droop, and in minutes he's asleep again.
A moment later his body stiffens, and Ulm dies. At least his
final moments were pleasant ones. Back
to the top
20. In the center of the ruined tower that
occupies the heart of this city, you find a dais and what's
left of a statue. The dais stands about four feet high, and,
from the looks of things, appears to have been placed here since
the tower was destroyed. A plaque on the dais reads, 'This plaque
marks the original location of Lanac'toor's Tower and Magic
Academy. This statue commemorates his feats." There used to
be a statue atop the dais, but it has been removed, leaving
only Lanac'toor's swollen feet behind. The statue appears to
have broken off clean at the ankles. Back
to the top
21. You pick your way through the ruins and
come upon a spy post maintained by the defenders of Byzanople.
Several soldiers are gathered here. They are gaunt from months
of isolation - you surmise that if the city does not fall by
assault it will soon succumb from hunger. The soldiers are led
by a woman warrior dressed in white and red. As yet, you remain
unobserved. Back to the top
22. This shack has been set up as a universal
shrine for Dilmun's many religions. A priest welcomes you and
escorts you around the shrine. The majority of the shrine is
devoted to Irkalla, the Queen of the Underworld, and her consort
Nergal. The priest explains worship of Underworld gods always
spreads during times of strife, perhaps because people come
to view their own world as an extension of hell. Also represented
is the man-animal Enkidu, patron of the Druids, and the obscene
Refeek, god of things better left unsaid.
The priest lets you worship or observe as you see fit, neither
condemning nor encouraging your actions. "These are hard times,"
he says, "you had better pray to them all. We can use all the
help we can get." Back to the top
23. You intently scrutinize the murals for
several minutes, and are able to arrive at a few broad conclusions.
It seems this city square was used to confine a dragon. You
remember a legend of the cities of Dilmun holding dragons captive
as defense against their neighbors. The murals depict blood
sacrifice and obtuse ceremony being used to pacify the dragon.
In one of the ceremonies, a priest is depicted aiming a short
metal rod at a dragon, seemingly holding the beast under his
sway. There is no rendering of the dragon in action. It seems
the dragon demanded a terrible price for a purely defensive
weapon. Furthermore, the ruins surrounding this square offer
mute testimony to the effectiveness of a dragon for city defense.
Back to the top
24. You board the ship as soon as the last
of the pirates drops dead, eager to see what it was the thieves
were so deter-mined to defend. You see the ship's name is the
PRAIRIE MADNESS, and that it seems to be fitted out for fast
raiding missions. There isn't much of a cargo hold, so the ship
won't serve for long journeys, but it looks very fast and dangerous.
Back to the top
25. "Welcome to Phoebus, City of the Sun!"
chirps an odd mechanical voice. You stop in your tracks, trying
to identify the source of the voice. After a few moments, you
hear the message again, and determine it is coming from a raised
stone dais and plaque directly in your path. Evidently the message
is activated by your presence. "Welcome to Phoebus, City of
the Sun!" the voice says again, this time a little slower than
before. You examine the plaque and see it is a map of the city.
"Welllcoooome tooo Phoeeeeebussss, Ciiiityyy offff theeeee Sunnnnnnnn..."
the voice intones, now perilously slow. Something's wrong with
the device. a mechanical hand protrudes from the dais, frantically
trying to shake your hand, but there's no way you're getting
near it. Two stern looking gentlemen dressed all in black stare
at you, making you nervous. Committing the details of the map
to memory, you hurry away from the silly device. "Wellllllllllllllcooooooooooommmmmeeeeee.
. . !" Back to the top
26. The walls of this city are of bright marble that
seem to glow with an inner light. The streets are paved and
clean, and there is no sign of poverty or disorder. The horse
carts run on time. You can't shake the feeling something is
about to go tragically wrong. Back
to the top
27. You at last stand before the Sword of Freedom.
The hilt of the fabled blade is just inches from your grasp.
a hush comes over the city of Freeport. The furiously boiling
waters previously surrounding this isle have subsided. You look
up and see the citizens of Freeport have gathered all around
the harbor, waiting to see what you will do next. Some of the
citizens appear happy, others are proud, many just wear blank
stares. One large man stands silent, but tears roll down his
cheeks.
You smell a faint scent of ozone. Somewhere, a baby cries. Back
to the top
28. Two officers occupy this building, evidently
associated with the military force drilling on the parade grounds
outside. The officers quickly shuffle aside the dice game they
were playing when you entered, and snap to attention. They relax
when they see who you are, and you sense a change in their attitude.
The elder of the two officers gives you a close inspection.
"Such a fine lot of patriotic types," he says. "It's about time
someone from this feeble little burg enlisted in the army! Welcome
to the service of King Drake. Hail Namtar!" Back
to the top
29. Perilously weakened from your long journey
through the swamp, you at last enter the City of the Yellow
Mud Toad. The walls here are sagging and brown with grime. The
city smells almost as bad as the swamp that surrounds it. Still
pools of foul water and puddles of bubbling mud clog the streets.
The people of this city shuffle about on their tasks, letting
your greetings go unheeded and refusing to look you in the eye.
Back to the top
30. Sheltered at the base of the ruined city
wall you find a funky little souvenir shop. a sign in the window
identifies the place as "Your Lanac'toor memorabilia shop!"
Intrigued, you enter. An unseen bell chimes an offensively sour
note as you swing open the door to the shop. Inside you find
a remarkable selection of Lanac'toor souvenirs. Images of the
mad sorcerer are inscribed on mugs, bowls, plates, bookends,
trophies, boxes, candles, and lanterns. Lanac'toor grinning
face or family crest is embroidered on hats, ties, underwear
capes, and belts...a store clerk even offers to personalize
any item you select, sewing or engraving your name on your purchase.
a very small portion of the shop is given over to items unrelated
to Lanac'toor. Most of it seems like junk - bits of masonry
from the city wall, tiny images of the Yellow Mud Toad, and
odd scraps of metal. You are amazed by the single-minded devotion
this shop shows to an historical figure so insignificant outside
the walls of the City of the Yellow Mud Toad. Back
to the top
31. On the far distant horizon you spot the
menacing shape of a black sail. It seems these sea lanes are
patrolled by pirates and other scurvy beasts. The enemy ship
is down-wind from you - it is only a matter of time before you
are caught ! Back to the top
32. Huddled in the shelter of the city's ill-repaired
wall you find a militia of wild-eyed men. "Is the war over?"
one of them asks. "Does Lanac'toor live?" wonders another.
You are able to piece together something of the history of this place.
The patron of the City of the Yellow Mud Toad was a wizard named
Lanac'toor. He occupied a tower that formerly stood in the center of
town. Lanac'toor quarreled with Namtar when a general ban on magic was
announced, and war broke out between the City of the Yellow Mud Toad
and Namtar's city of Kingshome. As soon as the war began it was over.
Kingshome legions summoned a dragon from the swamp to shatter the
walls of the City of the Yellow Mud Toad. Lanac'toor's tower was
destroyed and the wizard himself was turned to stone.
After Lanac'toor was killed, the enemy army withdrew, apparently
unconcerned with the fate of the City of the Yellow Mud Toad.
The citizens of the city are convinced the worst is yet to come,
and thus maintain a feeble city militia as defense. It seems
unlikely the city has anything worth defending. The men of the
militia mutter to themselves as you leave. Back
to the top
33. Ahead you see the walled city of Byzanople.
The tattered banner of Byzanople still flies above the city's
unbreached walls. The approaches to the city are occupied by
the army of Kingshome. The besieging army is spread across the
countryside, indicating it has been several months since Byzanople
was invaded.
As you approach, several heavily armored soldiers launch an
assault on the city. They scramble over rubble and rush the
city's gate, waving their weapons and shouting war cries. a
hail of arrows, stones, and boiling oil descends upon the attackers
wherever they stray too near the wall. The defenders make short
work of the Kingshomer assault, and fewer than one in ten of
the soldiers launching the assault make it back to their camp.
Back to the top
34. a rough pile of rubble marks the perimeter
of the Kingshome advance siege camp. The cyclopean walls of
Byzanople are just a few yards away. a twisted path leads through
the rubble toward the gates of the city. The path passes beneath
the walls of the city, forming a savage killing ground. The
path is littered with broken arrow shafts, debris, and the bodies
of others who have tried to take this city by storm. Back
to the top
35. This massive central structure dominates
the city of Lansk. Unlike the walls that surround this city,
this structure is fortified and prepared for war. Armed Lansk
guards patrol the battlements, looking stern and ill humored.
Written warnings in a variety of languages advise passers-by
to keep their distance. And not without reason, for within the
structure, visible through a thick glass panel, you see a dragon.
The beast is huge, completely filling the fortress that is its
home. It must weigh at least eighty tons. The dragon is asleep,
but no less fearsome for all of that.
a plaque explains the dragon is maintained by the city as its primary
means of defense. Should disaster ever threaten the city, you read,
the dragon will be set free, destroying both the city and the army
that would conquer it. The dragon is maintained by expensive blood
sacrifice - primarily by hurling criminals into the dragon bunker.
The dragon is impressive, but you feel vaguely disappointed.
This isn't a fearsome flying saurian; it's an overfed monster
sitting in a cage. Back to the
top
36. You alert the warriors to your presence.
The soldiers are startled when you speak, and when they turn
you see they are pale with fright. They realize you could have
killed them before they knew you were there. The soldiers regard
you nervously as the woman in red and white approaches.
"You're the infiltrators the Kingshomers sent from their camp," she
says. "I see you are surprised - my city might be losing this war, but
we're not without our resources."
The woman shakes your hand as she introduces herself. "My name is
Princess Myrilla," she says. "If you meant us harm you would have
attacked us from behind. You don't look like Kingshomers; I choose to
trust you." Myrilla barks some orders to her men in a language you
don't understand. Turning back to you, she continues, "Follow me. My
brother will want to speak with you."
Myrilla leads you through a secret passage into the heart of
Byzanople. It's odd this girl has so abruptly taken you into
her confidence. You decide to play along...if she can't make
you a better offer than the Kingshomers, this is certainly an
easier way into the city than storming the gate. Back
to the top
37. Several squat figures surround the entrance
to a tunnel leading under the walls of Byzanople. a wooden palisade
shields the tunnel entrance from the eyes and weapons of the
city's defenders. You recognize the figures as siege engineers,
and surmise they are attempting to undermine Byzanople's walls.
A short and powerful man covered with mud and sweat emerges
from the tunnel. "I think we're through," he says. We had to
find our way through a patch of granite, but I think we've come
up against a cistern or basement wall. He looks at you expectantly.
"All we need now is a pack of brave idiots to try the tunnel,
find their way into the city, and open the gate for us." Back
to the top
38. Using your magic spell, you watch in wonder
as color flows back into the frozen dwarves. The chamber is
filled with a noise uncomfortably like the popping of popcorn
as the dwarves return to life, their joints made stiff from
ages of disuse. Before long, the entire clan is restored to
life. The dwarves give you the once-over. Back
to the top
39. You find a hidden cove. There's a dock
house by the water, and beside it you can sec several small
ships tied up to the dock. You must pass through the dock house
to get to the boats. To your right is a small wayside shrine
to some divinity or another. The cove is very quiet, aside from
the lapping of the waves and the rhythmic creaking of the boats
tugging at their ropes. It's hard to tell if this place is inhabited
or not. Back to the top
40. A wave of fetid humidity strikes you like
a slap in the face when you open the door to this room. This
place must be under an enchantment. Within the room is exactly
reproduced a hot and swampy environment not unlike the Isle
of Quag. The floor is a deep and bubbling mud bog, wide-leaf
palms grow here and there, and in the underbrush you think you
see small reptiles warming themselves on hot rocks. a most unusual
sight to find in a dungeon....all the comforts of home (if you're
a reptile). Back to the top
41. The pirates are friendly enough when you
pay them their gold. They offer you a seat and serve you a brutal
meal of calamari and grog. "My name's Long John Ugly," the leader
identifies himself. "And this here is my gal, Peg." Ugly's girl
has two peg legs and no teeth, but she's by far the most presentable
member of this motley crew.
You converse with Ugly and his band for several hours. Ugly used to be
a sailor in the Tarsian navy. He explains Tars was a minor city on the
isle of Forlorn, and that it was reduced to ruins in the early days of
the war with Kingshome."These ain't good times to be a sailor, me
bucko, Ugly growls, becoming increasingly maudlin as the grog does its
work."Namtar don't want folks sailing about from one island to the
other. Too hard to keep people in their place that way!".
You learn Ugly's band has scratched out a living raiding along the
coast, but pickings are slim. You also guess they do a bit of
smuggling. Ugly is hesitant to take you out in his boat, saying the
weather is wrong and the seas are too dangerous lately. When you
remind him of the gold you paid, Ugly smiles and Peg shrieks with
laughter.
"I didn't figure that gold covered the cost of a passage, mate!"
Ugly laughs. "That was just a fee for this fine repast and for
not gettin' yer throats slit." Peg whispers something in Ugly's
ear. "But Peg likes ya, and I'm in a charitable mood, so I'll
do ya a favor. Seein' as how ya should be dead anyway, I'm willin'
to ferry ya over to the Necropolis. There's plenty of loot to
be had in that place, which should suit you folks just fine."
Ugly gestures over his shoulder and points toward the south
wall. "The dock's on the other side of the south door. I'll
meet ya out there in a minute." Ugly looks you straightin the
eye as he concludes, "And I do mean the south door. You'll do
as yer told if you've got any sense." Back
to the top
42. In this dusty and disused chamber you find
what was formerly the throne of King Drake of Kingshome, the
mightiest ruler of Dilmun. The throne is heaped in the corner
and in poor repair. Carelessly tossed behind the throne you
find Drake's ceremonial crown. Maybe it will be worth something,
if there is ever a true king in Kingshome. Back
to the top
43. You sail through most of a day and night
through thick fog. There is no moon, and the going is slow and
treacherous. Several times you think you glimpse phantoms in
the fog, or hear strange beasts bumping against the hull of
your vessel. Just when you think you may never reach your destination,
an island looms out of the murk.
The island is an irregular mass of black stone, covered in moss
and green slime. Ruins of impossibly ancient design are just
visible in the center of the island. Luminous eyes peer at you
from dark hollows and forbidding bogs nestled along the coastline.
Back to the top
44. The magic paint works as advertised. Now
covered with the mystic colors, the formerly ruined walls of
the City of the Yellow Mud Toad stand tall and strong. You hope
strong walls will be enough to hold off the growing terror you
know lurks in the swamps, just a few feet away. Back
to the top
45. The sail to Freeport is a long one, and
your supplies are barely enough to last the voyage. You sail
east and away from the majority of the Dilmun islands, headed
into previously unknown waters. Once free from the war-torn
islands of the Dilmun interior, you are able to enjoy the natural
beauty of the maritime world of Oceana.
Presently you come in sight of a glistening modern harbor sheltered
in a strange coast. Your charts indicate this is Freeport, and
anchor your ship at a dock. Back
to the top
46. Your journey takes you to the frontier
known as the Eastern Isles. This area is unclaimed by any nation,
and you experience no encounters with hostile maritime forces.
The Eastern Isles have a rustic quality lacking in the Dilmun
Interior. Here things are unfinished and wild, and seem untouched by
the corruption of the Interior. This region is the closest thing
you've seen to the paradise you expected to find when you arrived in
Purgatory, many months ago.
Presently you spot what seems to be a ruined city, half-submerged
in the sea. You find a place to land your craft on a stretch
of sand southeast of the ruins. Back
to the top
47. Near the bridge you find a run-down building.
a sign above the door identifies the place as the 'Official
Quag Visitors Information Bureau'. The building is every bit
as run-down on the inside as out.
An ugly little woman with a cluster of purple eyes enthusiastically
greets you. "Welcome to Quag, Isle of Luxury!" she says. "I'm so glad
you're here. We don't get so much business since the war." You learn
that Quag's only city - the City of the Yellow Mud Toad - is sinking
into the swamp and the priests of the Yellow Mud Toad are powerless to
stop it."But it's really quite safe for travelers," the woman is hasty
to add. "Quag remains an isle of wonders, and many still dream of
taking the vapors!"
You judge the woman quite mad. Saying good-bye, you depart.
Back to the top
48. a wall of rock stands athwart your path.
Massive bronze doors guard a way through the rock; fearsome
beasts guard the way to the door.
Two creatures guard the way through the rock. They are half
scorpion and half dragon, but in some ways they look like men.
Their eyes glow with balesome fury. They glow with an inner
light, bathing the ground at their feet in glory. They appear
to be a man and a woman, and thus doubly dangerous for the bond
they must share. Back to the top
49. After a few hours of cautious work, you're
able to lash an appropriate rock to the broken pick handle with
the laces you received from the dying man. The result is a serviceable
if makeshift hammer. The hammer probably isn't worth much as
a weapon, but it might hold up long enough to break the chains
that bind you. Back to the top
50. The door closed behind you with an ominous
sound evoking the finality of the tomb. The door and wall from
the bridge must have been sound proofed, for no sooner do you
emerge from the bridge than a mad chorus of howls assails your
ears. Insane screaming seems to spring from every direction,
although you cannot see the source of the noise. It's enough
to drive a person mad! Back to
the top
51. You walk beside a clean and stylish harbor.
Although you are near the sea, this place has none of the stink
associated with Oceana's coastal places...either Freeport is
not sinking, or the port is engineered such that seepage is
not the problem here that it is elsewhere in the world.
The construction here is simple but attractive. There's rustic
feeling associated with the unfinished wood railings foliage,
and crisp scent to the air. The people of this place are dressed
in effective leather and cloth, and seem healthy and energetic.
Everyone is armed, and you judge the citizens of this place
know how to defend themselves. You are greeted warmly as you
approach, but the citizens of Freeport do not tarry to speak.
Everyone seems engaged in a mission of great industry. Back
to the top
52. To the south is a little island in the
harbor. Standing in the center of the island is an anvil, plunged
to the hilt within the anvil is a brilliantly gleaming magic
sword. There seems no way to the island...the water here seethes
and boils with magical energy. It doesn't take much imagination
to surmise a swim to the island would be fatal.
A Freeport citizen notices your interest in the island. "That is the
Sword of Freedom," he says. "Many years ago, the great hero Roba
delivered it from the Underworld. After many years of adventuring,
Roba retired here and founded our city. Shortly before his death, Roba
built this magical island to protect his sword."
The citizen is silent for a moment before continuing. "Legend says
that so long as the sword remains in the anvil, no harm can come to
Freeport, " he says. "At the same time, Roba warned a time would come
of great strife on Oceana. He said a champion would appear one day to
claim the sword. He who wields the Sword of Freedom will quell the
strife in Oceana, but at the same time will doom our city. Such is the
sacrifice we must someday make."
The citizen wishes you well and leaves. The Sword of Freedom
is just out of your reach. It seems to taunt you. How to get
it? How to get it...? Back to the
top
53. In this cell you find a weak young man
dressed in soiled motley. "Good evening ladies and germs, it's
good to be back at the palace," he says as you enter his cell.
"a funny thing happened to me on the way to the dungeon." The
poor man was obviously a court jester. "I ran into Sir Loin
of Pork this afternoon - he said he was about to become Baron
of Greymatter." This guy really stinks. If wiser men than you
consigned this man to the dungeons, who are you to set him free.
"I got a million of 'em," the jester says, seeming to notice
you for the first time and perking up considerably. This confirms
your worst fears, and you slam and lock the cell door. "Cancel
the Renaissance - it looks like a reign of terror!" comes the
muffled voice from behind the door.
Even Namtar has a good idea now and then. Back
to the top
54. "Thanks for putting me back together -
I feel swell!" Lanac'toor grins. "I was a little nervous when
you put my arms on backwards, but I guess I'll get used to it.
Having my elbows bend the wrong way will make it easier for
me to scratch my back!" Back to
the top
55. a yawning chasm stretches before you. a
violent gust of hot wind rises from the chasm...the void must
reach to the very roots of the world, below even the Underworld.
Out of the chasm, starting an unknowable distance beneath you
and stretching as far as the eye can see, you view a vomitous
mass of irregular black stone. The tower stands piled atop itself
and is at once designed and chaotic...from one angle it looks
like a sorcerer's stronghold, while from another it seems like
the exposed spine of a fantastic beast. Perhaps it is not really
there at all. More likely it exists in more than one dimension
at the same time, and is thus difficult to see in its entirety.
One thing is certain...this tower has nothing to do with god,
or salvation, or pilgrims. This is a tower of Evil. This is
the Tower of Namtar! Back to the
top
56. a tall and powerfully built man with a
greenish complexion greets you when you enter the building.
"I am Tarkas, first citizen of Tars," he says. You learn that
he and his fellow officers fled here to Freeport when their
home city of Tars was destroyed by the legions of Kingshome.
Tars was previously the foremost city of the Isle of Forelorn.
Now Tars is a sad ruin, while Purgatory passes for the isle's
only city. If you explore the ruins of Tars, Tarkas says, be
sure to seek the hidden chambers beneath the city - they might
still contain fabulous treasures.
Tarkas is bitter when he recalls the ruin of his city. "We were
betrayed," he says. "We relied on our dragon to defend us. We didn't
dream Kingshome would be so bold to assault us when our dragon was
healthy and awake. When they lay siege to our city, we released our
dragon...and the beast did nothing! A hundred years of blood sacrifice
to that terrible dragon, and what good did it do us in our hour of
need?"
Tarkas grows animated as he speaks, accidentally smashing a
table as he excitedly flails his arms. "I tell you, Namtar found
a way to usurp control of our dragon! Since Namtar rose Kingshome
against all of Dilmun, dragons have all but vanished! Namtar
controls them somehow...but no man can control the saurians
without paying a terrible price. If someone could learn what
he's done with the dragons - and learn how to wrest their control
from Namtar...then Kingshome would learn a thing or two!!" Back
to the top
57. This simple hall serves as the community
meeting place for the citizens of Freeport. You are greeted
by minor city officials who welcome you to their town and eagerly
ask you for information of the war in Dilmun. "These are dark
days," the official says. "Soon Kingshome will control all of
Dilmun, then Namtar will cast his evil gaze toward the Eastern
Isle and our fair city."
The official scratches his head. "It's odd," he says. "My father
was an advisor to the court of King Drake at Kingshome. He said
Drake was a peaceful old man. His son, Jordan of Byzanople was
a regular firebrand...but not Drake. Why suddenly make war on
his neighbors? It doesn't make any sense...Namtar must have
poisoned him." The official shrugs."I wonder if something's
happened to him. King Drake hadn't been seen in public for over
a year when I was last in Phoebus, and that was some time ago.
Maybe something happened to him." Back
to the top
58. After a long wait, you shuffle onto the
block with a host of other unfortunates. You are in better shape
than the poor wretches that surround you, and your group is
instantly the subject of spirited bidding. You shudder as you
are sold to a man with a fat neck for more gold than you are
likely to see in a lifetime.
You are led away from the slave auction and linked one to another by a
continuous sequence of chains and collars. Presently your new master
appears and introduces himself. "I am Master Mog," he says. "From this
moment on, I am your mother, I am your father, I am your God, I am
your world. I am Mog - Mog is All. Abandon all hope of freedom. You
are my property, to do with as I please."
Mog leaves you to the hands of his slave bosses, who spend the next
several weeks attempting to break your spirit. During this time you
are loaded aboard a painfully slow cog and sail to Master Mog's
estate. You are afforded a brief glimpse of Mog's luxurious palace
before you are led beneath the earth and introduced to Mog's salt
mines.
Then begins a mind-numbing series of repetitious chores. You
are not permitted to leave the mines. You work, sleep, and eat
in the same series of identical tunnels, never permitted to
see the sun. Back to the top
59. You are admitted to the camp and immediately
pressed into service. The army makes no attempt to provision
or train you - it's evident they consider you a band of cutthroats,
and that they like you just the way you are.
You are billeted in a siege camp located a few miles south of
the walled city of Byzanople, which for months has stubbornly
resisted the enlightenment of joining the unified Kingshomer
Empire under Namtar and King Drake. The besieging Kingshomer
army is preparing to take the city by storm. You are to be among
the waves of unfortunates they wish to send over the wall. You
may not take kindly to this idea, but there are many more of
them than there are of you, and this is no opportunity to desert.
Back to the top
60. These cramped quarters serve as home for
Mog's unfortunate slaves. Men sleep fitfully on the cold rock
floor, encumbered by the stout chains that bind them one to
another. An examination of your companions proves your chains
will never be removed - some of the sleeping men are still chained
to companions who have long since passed away. Back
to the top
61. The dying man gratefully gulps water from
your cup. "You are angels," he says. "I want to die, but not
alone, and certainly not thirsty!" The man wipes his mouth with
his wrist. His parched lips crack and smear his wrist with blood."Not
much longer," he says with a wan smile. "When I'm gone, I want
you to have these." The dying man shows you his boots. The soles
are entirely worn away, but the tops are still secured by stout
leather laces. "The boots aren't much good, but the laces are
strong - maybe you can do something with them." The old man
is abruptly seized with a coughing fit. You know the end is
near. "I hope you fare better then me," he croaks. Back
to the top
62. The last of the guards drops dead and silence
claims the mines. A ladder leads up out of the salt mines. In
the dim distance you can see sunlight for the first time in
uncountable hours, days, or months. Freedom is at hand. But
what awaits you at the top of the shaft? Back
to the top
63. Several people are huddled around a fire.
One of them offers you some stew which you eagerly accept -
it's bland and watery, but it's the first hot food you've had
in days and you eat every drop. After your meal you doze off
by the fire, grateful to at last be in the company of charity
and good will. When you awaken, you feel as if you've been reborn.
Back to the top
64. You stand before the gleaming city of Lansk.
The streets are clean, the people are orderly, and while the
city is walled, there is no gate. None of the busy citizens
you spy carries a weapon. The city shows no sign of war or occupation.
However, it does seem like a very rich place, and you can detect
a faint smell of dragon in the air.... Back
to the top
65. This guard room is occupied by several
menacing men who stand when you enter. "Well...look at this,"
one of them sneers. "Our prisoners have 'escaped'. We have to
'recapture' them - perhaps several times." The guards begin
to close in. "Remember, men, these prisoners were trying to
escape...we won't be accused of beating prisoners in their cells
again ! " Back to the top
66. This is Phoebus' incredible Temple of the
Sun, renown all across the world of Oceana. The sun's warm rays
shine into an open atrium, bathing the broad leaves of a variety
of exotic heliotropic plants. Acolytes of the temple are busy
about on mysterious tasks. The floor is inscribed with a gold
design depicting the motion of Oceana and her sister planets.
From some unseen chamber you hear the soothing sound of running
water.
A gold curtain swings aside and a short, swarthy man enters the
chamber. He is dressed in blue robes inscribed with stars and moons,
and wears a pointed cap. It seems the man very much wants to look like
a wizard, but has no idea of what wizards actually look like.
"I am Mystalvision, High Priest of the Temple of the Sun," says
the wizard in a comically high and wet voice. "You are to be
commended for making it this far. I don't care that you cracked
out of Purgatory, but your behavior since entering my city has
been intolerable." Mystalvision snaps his fingers, and several
cruel gentlemen dressed all in black appear out of nowhere.
"Namtar's Stosstrupen would like to ask you some questions,"
Mystalvision sneers. "I should ask you to come along quietly,
but it will be more fun to do this the hard way " Back
to the top
67. This is an open-air slave market, filled
with the cry of flesh mongers and the laughter of a perfumed
crowd. Here men and women are for sale - people such as yourselves
- to the jaded residents of the Dilmun interior.
From the gate of the slave market you watch as several young men are
auctioned off. They seem less healthy than yourselves - maybe they've
been in the city longer than you. It seems a sad way out of this
place, to make yourself a slave...but isn't anything better than a
life of misery and slow death in the streets of Purgatory?
You scan the crowd, anxious to measure the character of citizens of
the Dilmun interior. Their faces seem cruel and aristocratic, with a
faint hint of the more-than-human. Here and there you spot a face that
seems kinder than most, but if you were on the block, what guarantee
would you have of receiving a kind master? Could you truly live with
yourself as a slave?
There is a long line of lost souls waiting for the auction block.
Nothing will stop you should you decide to join them. Back
to the top
68. The door to this hut is open, and from
within you hear someone singing. Entering the hut, you see a
simple room...a pile of straw serves as a bed, while a candle
bums on a large rock that passes as a table. Behind the rock
you see a sad man who seems very old. His eyes are empty sockets
and both his hands have been amputated at the wrist. You wonder
why a blind man burns candles when he's alone.
The man stops singing and swings his head in your direction when you
enter. "You must be the outsiders everyone's so excited about," he
says with a firm voice. "I can smell Purgatory on you. Please come in.
I'd like to see some new faces...provided I could see."
You learn the man's name is Carson. He was a sorcerer at the Temple of
the Sun, in Phoebus. "That was before Namtar rose from the Pit," says
Carson, pausing to spit. "Damn Underworld types should stay in their
own world."
You talk with Carson well into the evening, pumping him for
information. You learn that Namtar is either a demon or a man - Carson
seems to use the terms interchangeably. About a year ago Namtar
appeared at the court of King Drake in Kingshome, and was welcomed as
the court magician. Within a year, Kingshome had mobilized and began
making war on its neighbors. At the same time, Namtar announced a
general ban on magic, using his secret police - the Stosstrupen - to
enforce the ban. A great magical war ensued, which Namtar and the
Stosstrupen won handily.
"Now sorcery is all but dead in Dilmun," Carson continues. "Take a
look at me. Ten years learning Sun Magic and it leads to this! All the
old Masters are gone...Lanac'toor was finally driven over the edge and
shattered into a score of pieces; Zaton exiled to the deep wilderness;
and Mystalvision..." Carson is silent for a long time, then says, "I
can't prove it, but I always thought Mystalvision was wrapped up with
Namtar. He's the High Priest at the Temple of the Sun. Our Order fell
to Namtar so quickly...we must have been betrayed. Beware of
Mystalvision!"
You talk with Carson late into the night, but learn little else
of value. He is either unwilling or unable to teach you any
magic. Heeding his advice, you take your leave of the old man.
Back to the top
69. When no one is looking, you crawl into
an open sack filled with disgustingly fresh corpses. You lay
still as the sack is crudely sewed shut. The darkness of the
tomb descends upon you as the bag is closed.
None too gently, the entire sack is heaved onto the backs of the
slaves. Dead arms embrace you, long fingernails claw at your hair,
rotting grave mold seems to penetrate your body. There is a lurch and
a rasp as the bag clears the wall, and then you fall.
Your flesh crawls with anticipation. Will you meet your end, smashed
to death with a host of corpses on some unseen rocky spire? Or will
you splash into the warm waters of Oceana, at long last free from the
stinking hell of Purgatory?
You splash. You sink. You struggle. At last you win free of
the sack, and the dead hands that drag at you seemingly resentful
of the life you display. Lungs bursting, you break from the
water at the base of the harbor wall, and quickly clamber aboard
some debris you find floating close by and strike out for shore.
Back to the top
70. Mighty oaks intertwine above your head
to form a living gateway to this enchanted forest. A fresh coat
of sparking dew lays over everything, lending a fantastic quality
to the scene. The ground is covered with an inviting blanket
of green moss. Faerie lights glimmer from within the boles of
dark yet pleasant trees. This is a magical place. Back
to the top
71. Much to the garrison's dismay, the gates
of Byzanople prove little obstacle for you. The Kingshomer army
streams through the open gate and makes short work of the outnumbered
city garrison. Byzanople has fallen.
After putting the garrison to the sword, the victorious Kingshomer
soldiers gleefully get down to some serious pillaging. Buck Ironhead,
the commander of the Kingshomer siege camp, appears from the chaos.
"I've got to hand it to you," he says, "you really did a job on these
Byzanople jerks! Now Namtar's control of Dilmun is complete. I'm sure
the Beast From The Pit will want to thank you personally." Ironhead
smiles when you remind him of your bargain. "I haven't forgotten, I
assure you...but seeing as how you threw in with me so easily, I doubt
you have any real sense of honor. I wouldn't trust you clowns as far
as I could throw you!" Buck stands back as several of his soldiers
gather around. "Put these traitors in irons!" he snarls.
The guards close in. It's an epic fight, but no heroes can long
withstand sheer weight of numbers. Everything goes black as
the last of your party falls to the dust. Back
to the top
72. This shrine is formed from rocks and wood and moss
- it seems a profoundly natural thing, more an outgrowth of
this enchanted wood than a thing built by man. The divinity
worshiped here is none you recognize, but the feeling of the
place is one of harmony with nature.
Upon closer inspection, you see dried bloodstains on the rock.
The stains are not large - this shrine is not used for sacrifice
- but perhaps its resident god is awakened by a token gift of
life. Back to the top
73. This hidden glade is charged with magical
energy. The rocks marking this clearing form a ring of deliberately-placed
standing stones, the focus of which is upon the earth where
you now stand. You feel power rushing from the roots of the
earth and into your soul. Enkidu himself stands and regards
you. Back to the top
74. Old Jack's eyes grow bright when you show
him the signet ring. "His majesty..." Jack whispers. You sadly
shake your head, indicating Drake is dead. Tears form in Jack's
eyes as he sighs. "Me poor, poor king...I knew ye'd come to
nogood with that demon Namtar! "
After showing him your ring, Jack treats you like an honored guest,
forgiving all your misdeeds in the forest. "I'm a King's man, ye got
ta believe that," he says. "I love me King an' I never disobeyed him.
But I never like the looks o' that Namtar - he's a very devil, he is!
It must have been 'im wot killed old Drake." Old Jack pauses to spit.
"Someone's gotto bring Namtar down, and clear the way for young Prince
Jordan to take the throne. You've got the ring, so you're it!"
Old Jack solemnly hands you his bow. "This here's me bow, I call her
Nevermiss! Drake gave her to me when we were both boys, and she's
never failed me. Now I give her to you, to shoot down that foul
Namtar!" Jack is hesitant to release the bow, and even as you hold it
his eyes linger on the weapon. "She's like a lady, she is...you treat
her kind. You treat her kind."
Jack is abruptly eager to leave. He refuses to leave the forest,
saying it's his only home. He wishes you all good luck and melts into
the woods.
He will never be seen again. Back
to the top
75. After what seems an eternity, you locate
the source of the screaming. Nearly mad yourselves, you find
a city of the mad squatting on a desolate shore. Feeble huts
made of driftwood and debris huddle together in a feeble pile.
White-haired loons with wild eyes stumble to and fro, mumbling
to themselves or shrieking like cats. Crazed citizens of the
place wrestle with one another, seeming like writhing human
serpents. It's a madhouse, and the inmates are running the asylum.
Back to the top
76. A mad artist inscribes designs on the sandy
floor of his hut. "I don't have to do this, you know," he says
as you enter. It's uncertain if he's talking to you, or if you
walk in on him while he was talking to himself. "I can make
a good living as a tattoo artist!" he continues. "But I will
draw on you, mother earth, because everyone else draws from
you. You. Who. Moo. Moo?"
The artist jumps up and bounds about the hut. "Moo! Moo!" he
howls. "Don't you see? It's all so clear. At last! At last!
The poor man rushes past you and is quickly lost in the village
of the lost. Back to the top
77. Amid the ruins you come upon a remarkable
sight. A bonfire illuminates a shattered city square. Scores
of people cavort about the fire this is the greatest gathering
of people you've seen since arriving in Purgatory.
The occupants of the square constitute a cross-section of Purgatory's
citizenry. Blind beggars, mad poets, dog-faced children, and drunken
priests swarm about the fire like moths to a flame; drinking, singing,
loving, bleeding, brawling. Above them all, seated on a rude throne of
stacked masonry, you see the man you surmise to be the king of this
place. If he is a king, he is a king of thieves.
Astounded by this strange sight, you do not notice until it
is too late a score of scoundrels sneaking up on you. Surrounded
by rogues, you are urged toward the fire, where you come under
the gaze of the figure on the throne. "Outlanders!," the king
roars, teetering atop his perilous perch. "You've strayed far
from your homes, little does and kittens. This is the Court
of Miracles, gathered to pay homage to the King of Purgatory..."
the king pauses, awaiting the proper moment before continuing,
"...me, Clopin Trouillefou!" Back
to the top
78. A group of ragged unfortunates sun themselves
on this dismal coastline. They sit in folding beach chairs,
some beneath the shade of colorful beach parasols. All the men
and women are dressed in rags. Few have teeth; fewer still have
a proper tan. The day is cold and grey.
"Hail Namtar!" a woman cries. "Great is he to take such care of us!
What have we to want for?" A one-armed young man elbows you in the
ribs, and says with a sidelong wink, "Quite a little resort we got
here, wouldn't you say? Boy, that Namtar sure is a swell egg!" "This
is a ritzy place - nothing less than a king retired here!" cackles
another. Similar comments come at every turn. You find this place is
called Toxic Beach, and these poor lunatics think it's some sort of
beach resort to which they've been sent as reward for faithful service
to Namtar.
A few bloated dead rats have washed up on the bleached coastline.
An odd tumble of rocks marks the north end of the shore. The
rocks are covered with debris, as if the remains of a shipwreck
have washed up here. Back to the
top
79. There is a deep rumbling as storm clouds
gather. Abruptly rain begins to fall in relentless sheets, threatening
to flood the stone, the forest, the entire world.
A supernatural hush falls over the glade. Even the pelting rain seems
to fall silent. Suddenly you arc surrounded by animals - bears, dogs,
deer, ducks, and even a penguin. You turn and see still more animals
crowding outside the door to the shrine. You see a lion lay down
beside a lamb. The animals are waiting for something.
Above the stone appears the ghost of Zaton. The ghost speaks. "My
friends, I am forever in your debt for liberating my soul. By
restoring me to the world, the world restores itself. The natural
order is reestablished. Man and beast may again live in harmony."
The animals begin to excitedly roar, bark, and bray. "My time
in this world is done," Zaton says. "But for you brave adventurers
the task is just beginning. Namtar is evil! He must be destroyed!
To you I grant the boon of knowledge...use it well!" Back
to the top
80. The center post of these communal huts
shelters a secret chamber. A skeleton dressed in the royal colors
of Kingshome sits on a makeshift throne. Whoever this was, he's
been dead a long time. A royal signet ring gleams on one skeletal
finger. The ring seems both valuable and important. Back
to the top
81. A dwarf springs up as you enter the room.
He eagerly scans your party, then collapses in disappointment.
"No dwarves," he weeps. "Never are there any dwarves. Poor Josephina
is all alone." The dwarf has a woman's name, but it's bearded
and it smells and...well, no matter, Josephina is probably just
as crazy as everyone else in this silly town.
"The kingdom is broken," cries Josephina. "The great clan hall
is sealed, and all the dwarves slumber in the vaults. Namtar
stole the eyes from our icon and hurled them into the sea. Every
day I search the coast, but never do I find the eyes." Josephina
continues to weep, hardly aware of your presence. Back
to the top
82. Nisir, the Mountain of Salvation, rises
above you to an impossibly great height, seeming to rip the
sky. Although it is daytime, when you look up you can see stars
near where you guess the summit of the mighty mountain must
be. It seems to you the mountain must push through the very
atmosphere of Oceana to produce such a sight.
Ahead of you, a long line of pilgrims slowly files past the
sole gate leading from the harbor. Back
to the top
83. A prisoner lies babbling in the corner
. "A secret tunnel connects this prison to the Nisir", he says.
"When you find the swamp within the mountain, know you are near
Namtar!" Back to the top
84. The pilgrims stop one-by-one to kneel before
this elaborate shrine before continuing. The shrine depicts
the image of the Universal God, a faceless deity that looks
in all directions at once, and raises its arms to encompass
both earth heaven, and underworld. You note with relief that
not even Namtar has dared to undermine the basic faith of Oceana.
The pilgrims evidently expect enlightenment and salvation to
result from their visit to Nisir. You expect salvation of a
different kind - the sort that can come only from sending Namtar
to his doom. Back to the top
85. It is several days' sail to Nisir, the
Mountain of Salvation, but the route is easy to follow. The
great mountain Nisir seems to rise from the roots of Oceana
and reach to the heavens - it is easily the tallest mountain
on the planet, and you are in sight of your destination for
most of the journey.
The harbor at Nisir is clogged with pilgrim's vessels. Several
hundred robed figures crowd the docks, slowly passing through
the harbor's only exit into the interior. The great mountain
of Nisir looms above you, stem and forbidding. You sense a moment
of destiny is at hand. Back to
the top
86. You are pressed into service and sent directly
to the front. The army makes no attempt to provision or train
you - it's evident they consider you a band of cutthroats, and
that they like you just the way you are.
A troop ship conveys you to King's Island, where the walled city of
Byzanople stubbornly resists the enlightenment of joining the unified
Kingshomer Empire under Namtar and King Drake. Byzanople has been
under siege for several months, and the besieging Kingshomer army is
preparing to take the city by storm. You are to be among the waves of
unfortunates they wish to send over the wall. You may not take kindly
to this idea, but there are many more of them than there are of you,
and this is no opportunity to desert.
You are billeted in a siege camp located a few miles south of
the actual siege. Back to the top
87. Directly ahead you see the semi-permanent
camp of the Kingshomer campaign army. The army occupies a valley
between two mountain peaks. A wooden palisade has been erected
across the mouth of the valley, providing the camp with a measure
of protection against raiders from the south.
There is no evidence of an enemy army anywhere in the area. From the
looks of the camp, it seems likely this is a base from which the
Kingshomer army is besieging an enemy fortress or city.
Several guards lounge before the entrance to the camp. They
eye you with suspicion. Back to
the top
88. Within this building you find a group of
old men gathered around a table. They're playing dice and speaking
rapidly to each other in a dialect you can barely understand.
You are noticed and welcomed into the game.
The men play for the joy of it. There's a complicated wagering scheme
involved, but no money ever changes hands, and the men don't seem to
care if you're rich or destitute. After a while, you begin to make
sense of their speech.
It seems these men are residents of the Dilmun interior, displaced to
this island of outlanders by war and oppression. From them you learn a
little of recent events in Dilmun. The Dilmun interior consists of
several large islands, each of which is dominated by an autonomous
city-state. Warfare has been frequent between the rival cities, but no
single nation has ever been able to rule all the others. Each city
keeps a dragon captive somewhere within its walls - if total disaster
ever threatens, the dragon will be let loose. This would almost
certainly lead to the destruction of both sides, but it serves as a
deterrent to conquest.
Recently, the city of Kingshome launched a bid for empire. Kingshome's
imperialism was aided by a sorcerer - Namtar the Beast From the Pit.
Thanks to Namtar, all magical opposition was quickly overwhelmed, and
Kingshome made rapid gains. For some unknown reason, the conquered
cities never launched their dragons against Kingshome.
The youngest of the men arrived at the camp just a few months
ago. So far as he knows, nearly all of Dilmun's cities have
been conquered or lay in ruins. The city of Byzanople on the
King's Isle remains free, although it has been under siege for
several months. He also mentions a city called Freeport in the
Eastern Isles, but his companions scoff when he does, saying
Freeport is more myth than reality. Nevertheless, the young
man asserts he'll find Freeport someday - as soon as he can
find a ship bound for the Eastern Isles. Since the war, very
few ships travel the interior waterways, and it has become increasingly
difficult to use Dilmun's many bridges. Back
to the top
89. You restrain the hunchback and prevent him from
hurling the prisoner into the pit. Tears flow from the hunchback's
already swollen eyes. "Buth Gethtrude must eat!" he mumbles.
The dragon's thrashing intensifies, and the great beast begins
beating its head against the side of its pit, setting up a great
rumbling through the dungeon. ''Now thuh manue hath hit thuth
windmill!" the hunchback howls, trying to flee down the narrow
causeway to the edge of the pit. He doesn't make it...with a
great booming, the dragon lurches from his chains, bumping against
the platform on which you stand. The hunchback is hurled screaming
into the maw of the dragon...but now that beast is free of its
chains, no mere morsel can satisfy it!
You flee the scene as the dragon smashes at the supports of
the dungeon, and in so doing at the foundation of the entire
city of Phoebus. You find a crazy path to the surface uncovered
by the dragon's rage. You flee the vicinity of the city and
watch from a nearby hill as the dragon claws its way to the
surface. Before long, Phoebus is a flaming ruin as the dragon
takes its terrible toll. The city destroyed, the dragon slowly
rises into the sky, and flaps off to the east. Back
to the top
90. This is the office of the supreme commander
of the campaign army of Kingshome. General Buck Ironhead regards
you from behind his desk. Ironhead is a frightening sight. His
arms are a mass of scar tissue from a sequence of wounds too
tedious to list. His face shows no mirth. His hands continually
clench and unclench. His head is completely flat - you could
balance an egg on it.
"It's about time ya goldbricks showed up!" Buck snarls. "What do ya
think this is - a soggin' country club?? Ain't ya ever heard of
reporting to yer commandin' officer??" Buck doesn't wait for a reply.
"Now, I know you clowns are a pack of liberal adventurers. You don't
like Namtar, you don't like the army - kid's today!! Ungrateful
whelps! Well, I don't care about any of that. I'm here to give you a
second chance."
Buck comes out from behind his desk and hobbles around his office as
he continues. "You're in the army whether you like it or not, so you
might as well do this the easy way. You may think you've got this
thing licked, but I know damn well you can't tell your elbow from a
dragon's blowhole. You keep your nose clean and serve with some
distinction at the front, and I'll do what I can about gettin' you a
full pardon. Namtar's a megalomaniac, but he's also a businessman, and
he needs creeps like you!"
Buck dismisses you. "This is yer only chance. Namtar's gonna control
everything sooner or later, so you might as well join the winning
side. Namtar's promised a kinder and gentler Oceana, but he can't get
on with it until guys like you toe the line.
"Get outta here!!" Back to the
top
91. Some bandits were evidently holed up here.
Their campfire is still warm. Evidently they were eating a meal
when you showed up, as half-finished bowls of gruel stand all
around the fire.
They weren't very good bandits, or maybe they hadn't been at
it for long. There isn't much loot to be had in this camp. Maybe
they were adventurers such as yourselves, turned to crime in
these hard times. Back to the top
92. The magnificent stag lays dead. As you
kneel beside your kill, the shaft of an arrow buries itself
to the feathers in the sod between your feet. You look up and
see an old but very dangerous-looking man aiming yet another
arrow at you.
"This is the private preserve of King Drake," the old man says. "An'
you have been poachin'." He glances over your party before continuing.
"These bein' hard times, I imagine ye gots to eat...but that was a
prize animal ye just killed, and I've gots to do me job."
The man keeps his bow half-cocked and watches you closely. He
seems to be waiting for you to make the first move. Maybe it
would be worth winning his trust. Back
to the top
93. "BRAAAAAP!" Nergal is crude. "That was
delicious...l will hallucinate later, and imagine Irkalla working
for a living." Nergal shifts his ponderous mass on his throne,
leans forward, and leers. "And now you will serve Nergal!"
With impossible speed, Nergal grabs the volunteer with both slimy
hands. His jaw seems to drop down to his belt as the black maw of his
mouth is exposed. He quickly slips the volunteer's head into his
mouth, and clenches his jaw with a sickening crunch. The volunteer's
body stiffens, then goes limp, collapsing to the ground without a
head.
All is silent. Nergal smiles. Back
to the top
94. You recall learning of waters like this
during your mystic studies. The pool of water ahead fits the
description of Apsu Waters...waters of the world ocean that
underlies the surface of Oceana. Apsu Waters are coterminous
with the world of Oceana, the mystical Magan Underworld, and
dark dimensions where gods and devils reside. Back
to the top
95. The slave boss is relentless. He offers
you not a moment's rest, nor a drop of water, or even a scrap
of bread. All that matters is that the tunnel be completed.
No single man or beast may stand in the way of the project.
Night and day you are driven to finish your task, with the sharp
lash of the whip on your back, and the laughter of the cruel
slave boss ringing in your ears. Back
to the top
96. An old man leaps to his feet and lunges
for his bow when you enter the shack. "Glory be - ye got past
me snare! ! ", he exclaims. "That's quite a feat, but it still
don't do to go bargin' in on honest folks without so much as
a knock! "
"Me name is Old Jack," he continues. "I'm the game warden hereabouts."
Jack keeps his bow half-cocked and watches you closely. He seems
to be waiting for you to make the first move. Maybe it would
be worth winning his trust. Back
to the top
97. The long line of white-robed pilgrims ends
at this rocky shrine. One by one the pilgrims pass before a
huge and powerful image of the Universal God. There are no guards
here. None are required. The God keeps its own order beneath
its own roof.
Looking up into the faceless face of the god, you feel the hand of
destiny upon you. Namtar has not yet attempted to supplant Oceana's
primary religion...but can that day be far away? The gods risk
disaster when they come to the world in person - they must work
through champions to see their will is done. The Universal God seems
to need a champion, a legendary hero to serve the cause of Freedom.
Roba of Freeport was such a hero. Will you be another?
The God requires a sign. Back to
the top
98. You climb the Mountain of Salvation for
several hours, but the summit seems to draw no closer. Several
pilgrims drop from exhaustion along the path...the road to salvation
is not for the weak of heart.
But a fraction of the way up the mountain, the path abruptly
cuts into the rock. A level plain has been cleared in the side
of the mountain. This is evidently the place to which the pilgrims
travel. Turning around, you look out at the world of Oceana
from your lofty perch on the world's highest mountain. To your
alarm, you see you have long since risen above even the highest
clouds. The sky is purple and strange stars twinkle - the huge
bloated mass of the sun fully fills half the sky. Truly, this
place is close to God. Back to
the top
99. In this stuffy bedroom you find a journal.
From it you determine the master of this house was a man named
Mog, a rich aristocrat who made his fortune in the mining business.
By all accounts he was a crude man - wealthy but uncultured
- who fancied himself an artist. The journal is largely given
over to a remarkably frank account of Mog's failure as an artist.
Mog admits to experimenting with alchemy in pursuit of his art. At one
point he confesses using a potion to transform living flesh into
stone, but the artistic results were not satisfactory.
Near the end of the journal Mog mentions "acquiring an apprentice"
by supernatural means. It seems this apprentice was originally
supposed to assist Mog in his art. Toward the end of the journal,
Mog admits the apprentice has begun producing incredible works
of art which Mog displays in his garden and calls his own. Mog
hints that the apprentice demands a terrible price for his art,
and that he fears him. It is possible the apprentice might not
be human. Back to the top
100. Off the beaten path you find this is a
temple to the Magan Underworld. This seems a considerably older
place than the other structures on this plateau. The Underworld
was before there was a was, and doubtless it will still thrive
when all of Oceana has long since burned off into the void.
Back to the top
101. You receive a note with your feeble meal
for the day:
'I am Berengaria, Acolyte of the Temple of the Sun. Mystalvision
has gone mad. He punishes me and the others for no reason. He has been
corrupted by Namtar.
'We of the Sun serve justice; you must believe that. Mystalvision
has brought dishonor to our Order. These are dark times. You have been
unfairly imprisoned.
'I have unlocked your door, and made certain the jailor is drunk.
If you are cautious, you should be able to sneak past him and escape.
The jailor's room adjoins the cell block. Look for the secret door in
the south wall of the jailor's room - beyond is a passage that leads
to people who will help you. I regret I cannot give you a
weapon...just doing this much has placed me in great jeopardy.
'Should you escape, meet me at
the Icarian Triumph tavern in the northeast quarter of the city.
I'll have something for you. "For justice and the Sun, I remain
your friend -
-
Berengaria'
Back to the top
102. This is the jailor's room. The fat jailor
snores in a drunken slumber. He's slumped over his table, but
there is a rope tied to his hand, and a bell tied to his rope.
Should he stir, the bell will ring, possibly summoning guards.
The jailor is asleep, and doubtless very drunk, but turn-keys
are notoriously light sleepers. Back
to the top
103. These are the private chambers of the
master of the house. The curtains are drawn across the windows
permitting little light to enter the room. In the murk, you
can see that this room, like the others in the house, is strangely
devoid of wall hangings...and that no mirrors are present.
The Master is in, sitting in his favorite chair. He wears the
garb of an artist - specifically of a sculptor...and he wants
you to be his next masterpiece! Back
to the top
104. In the dark shadows of the dungeon you
find a pit, at the bottom of which is a frothing dragon. The
beast is constrained by a series of chains, but it seems to
you the saurian could hardly be bound by such puny restraints.
Suspended above the center of the pit is a wooden platform,
on which a demented hunchback struggles with a bound prisoner.
The hunchback is about to push the prisoner into the pit, evidently
intending him as a sacrifice to the dragon. The prisoner struggles
as best as he is able, but his hands are tied behind his back,
and he is weakened from long captivity. The dragon thrashes
back and forth, impatient to receive its meal. Back
to the top
105. There are evident signs this chamber was
formerly the lair of a beast or large animal. A pile of straw
in the corner indicates where a large creature could have slept.
The walls scraped with claw marks, and the room is pervaded
by an unpleasant odor. The room makes you feel instinctively
uneasy. Back to the top
106. This torture chamber is a vision of misery.
The walls are lined with chains for securing prisoners in place;
the center of the room is occupied by racks, iron maidens, a
fire pit, and other horrible instruments. In the corner is a
hole into which are hurled the grisly remains of stubborn heretics.
A dying druid is stretched on the rack. You have rescued him
from his torture...at the same time, it is evident he will soon
die. There is nothing you can do to save his life, but perhaps
you can ease his final moments? Back
to the top
107. This tower chamber is in very ill repair.
The supports are sinking, and half the floor is flooded with
inky blackwater. The contents of innumerable vials and potions
are emptied on the floor alongside the smashed vials that formerly
contained them. What was once a great magical library has been
destroyed by fire and water damage.
Amid a pile of debris you find the fragments of a journal. Much of it
is in some magic language you can't understand, but a small part is
legible. The journal is dated prior to the destruction of the City of
the Yellow Mud Toad. You surmise the journal was maintained by
Lanac'toor.
'The chicken remains animate, not that it matters any longer. That
pinhead Mystalvision has changed the rules again. Where will I find a
vole in this weather?...Have resumed expansion of my tower's basement,
using Soften Stone and Create Wall spells to clear rock, but this
whole damn building is sinking. I keep running into pockets of water.
Furthermore, I uncovered an entrance to Magan, and all manner of
berserk Underworld denizens are running amok in my tunnels...The hell
of it is that I've lost my spectacles that Utnapishtim the Faraway
gave me. I'll never see the entrance to the College of Magic without
them. They're buried somewhere in the rock. I don't know if I can
locate them at this late date, with Namtar's thugs loose and my name
on the hit list. I should prepare the city for defense, but I haven't
done my laundry in weeks, and it's beginning to smell.'
Such are the concerns of sorcerers. Back
to the top
108. You are led to a secret throne room beneath
the city of Byzanople. There Prince Jordan and several advisors
huddle around a map in a council of war. Jordan is stunned when
he sees his sister has brought you into the heart of his defenses.
Jordan's private guards tense as they lock eyes with you.
Prince Jordan recovers his composure and listens with interest to his
sister's story. He is very interested to learn you are infiltrators
recently pressed into service with the Kingshomer army. "You are not
native to Dilmun, I can see that, "Jordan says. "This isn't your war.
No Outlander reaches the interior without going through
Purgatory...and Purgatory is administered by Kingshome. I know because
my sister was formerly Governor of Purgatory."
Jordan invites you to sit and offers you wine. "My father is King
Drake of Kingshome," Jordan says. "I haven't seen my father in over a
year - not since Namtar rose from the Pit. My father is a peaceful
man, and he loves his children...but he has recently dismissed my
sister from her post at Purgatory, and then layed siege to me here at
Byzanople. My father loves me and the succession is not disputed. I
want to see my father die in bed - I do not covet his throne. There is
no reason for the King to make war on me. It must be Namtar's doing.
"My father is not perfect, but it was never his way to imprison
Outlanders for no reason. Namtar has stolen my father from me;
he has robbed you of your dignity. He is our common enemy. I
make you an offer - reject Kingshome and join me in my struggle
against Namtar. When my father is restored to the throne, I
will see you are richly rewarded." Back
to the top
109. Jordan smiles. He leads you to the map
he and his men were examining. You recognize it as a plan of
the Kingshomer siege camp. Jordan pumps you for information
concerning the camp and the size of the force stationed there.
"We'll attack them tonight," Jordan decides. "There is a secret
way from the citadel to the enemy camp - we will take them by
surprise." Jordan looks at you as he continues, "Feel free to
explore the city until we are ready to leave. Back
to the top
110. "The time has come," Prince Jordan says
as he meets you on the stairs. Together with several of Prince
Jordan's best fighters, you sneak away from Byzanople through
a secret passage. Only a skeleton garrison is left behind -
you realize Jordan is throwing everything into this attack.
Using a local guide, you pick your way through the mountains
surrounding the Kingshomer siege camp. The guide seems to lead
you through solid rock at times, and you soon have little idea
of where you are. Suddenly, from ahead, you hear Buck Ironhead
bellow orders to a pack of new "recruits". The battle is about
to begin! Back to the top
111. You enter the dusty and perhaps forgotten
ancestral crypt of Byzanople. The murky vault stretches off
into the darkness, harboring the remains of several generations
of royalty. Perhaps they were buried with treasure...?
If you listen, you think you can hear a faint rattle of chains,
and the raspy sound of a corpse drawing breath. Back
to the top
112. Deep beneath the live volcano, you find
the dragon hatchery. Here fantastic riches are free for the
taking. Your perilous journey across the northern desert, so
terrible in its undertaking, at last seems worthwhile. Back
to the top
113. The priests gratefully accept your knowledge
and help in restoring the temple. "Truly you are people of the
Toad,"says a priest. "Please accept these boots as our gift."
You are provided with several sets of oversized golden boots.
The boots are fashioned so as to resemble the flipper feet of
a toad. It will be difficult to walk wearing such thing. "The
owner of Magic Golden Toad Boots can leap great distances!"
the priest says with pride. Back
to the top
114. In the darkest heart of this palace of
the dead you find an incredible sight...the court of Nergal,
consort to Irkalla and King of the Underworld. The bloated white
mass of Nergal slouches on a throne of skulls, attended by a
score of pallid goblins. Worms squirm in his hair, bats nestle
in his loins, and rodents peer at you from within Nergal's mouth.
About his neck, on a silver chain, you see a large and ornate
key.
"Topsiders...in my Court!" Nergal roars. "Bad enough I am in
exile without fool clodhoppers barging in on me. Goblins! Ghoulies!
Bring them here!!" Back to the
top
115. "Haw! Most entertaining," Nergal laughs.
The hideous god raises one fist and his court of freaks - though
you just hacked them to pieces - lurch to their feet like puppets
on invisible strings. The goblins and ghoulies look ready to
fight again...it's evident the undead monsters will eventually
wear you down. "You have entertained me...but you must also
feed Nergal and serve Nergal before you can ask a boon of Nergal.
That is the law!"
Nergal looks at you expectantly. A ghoul titters. Back
to the top
116. Just as advertised by the blind juggler,
there was indeed a secret tunnel out of Purgatory. Beneath the
rock marked with the secret sign you find fresh armor and weapons...thus
armed, you are ready to seek revenge for your imprisonment.
Back to the top
117. Here in the open garden you find an unusual
statue. It is of an apparently wealthy man, if the quality of
his garments is any clue. He is in poor shape, and appears to
be afraid of something. The quality of the work is excellent,
but the statue is very unflattering. Back
to the top
118. A massive mechanical brass automaton stands
at silent attention in this chamber. It is a flawless piece
of engineering, massive yet agile, and heavily armed and armored
from head to toe. It would not do to run into this thing in
a dark hallway. Back to the top
119. This vault is filled with slumbering dwarves...but
if they sleep, it is the sleep of the dead, for the dwarves
have been turned to stone. The dwarves are frozen in all variety
of poses - sleeping, eating, working, and just a few while fighting.
It seems the dwarves were surprised by something terrible that
turned them to stone. Back to the
top
120. The Dragon Queen recoils when you show
the Dragon Gem. "Curse you!" she hisses. "The Dragon Gem marks
you as friend of dragons, and binds me to your will." The Dragon
Queen looms above you, seeming impossibly large. "I grant you
your life, and I dismiss you from my presence. When next you
use the Dragon Gem, I will respond...but the sacrifice you offer
must be sweet, or I will turn on you, and the Dragon Gem be
damned!!"
With a beat of her wings the Dragon Queen is gone. Back
to the top
121. Peals of hysterical laughter assail your
ears. You've discovered the secret under city of Lansk, and
where the city above is staid and conservative, this place is
a true party town. Citizens stagger about in drunken stupors,
angry soldiers wrestle with one another, women and animals run
through the streets. Back to the
top
122. This statue represents Irkalla the reigning
deity of the Magan Underworld. It is to her you must appeal
if you will long survive in the Underworld. She frequently wars
with her consort Nergal, sometime King of the Underworld. Back
to the top
123. Here is a statue of Nergal the cowardly
King of the Underworld. When he is not getting along with Irkalla,
Nergalis exiled to his palace in the Necropolis, a city of the
dead hidden on one of Dilmun's many isles. Nergal is a bloated
and ridiculous creature, but from the look in his eye you surmise
he might have a sense of humor. Back
to the top
124. This statue honors the Universal God,
the most popular deity of the surface realm of Oceana. The Universal
God is a faceless deity with multiple arms and hands. Each hand
is posed in a different signal, sending messages of hope and
fear to the faithful. The Universal God is said to offer power
to those who serve Freedom - it was a patron of the legendary
Roba of Freeport. An ancient shrine to the Universal God on
the mountain of Nisir attracts millions of pilgrims annually.
Back to the top
125. Here you find an image of Enkidu the beastman,
patron deity of animals and Druids. His worship is strong in
the wild places, but has declined in cities with the rise of
Namtar and the destruction of the Druid sect. Back
to the top
126. Here you find Lansk's dragon, perhaps
first glimpsed from the city square above. Up close the dragon
is not nearly so impressive. It is an old dragon - its fire
has gone out, and its teeth have been pulled. It is still a
powerful beast, but age or drugs seem to have robbed the beast
of its fighting spirit. The animal looks at you with something
close to sadness in its eyes. Back
to the top
127. The cave is much larger on the inside
than without. The interior of the cave is lined with thousands
of natural crystals that crazily reflect the light. After your
long dark journey through the Underworld, you are dazzled by
the sudden light, and become disoriented.
A voice rings in your ears. "You are the heroes of Oceana, and to you
has fallen the burden of this adventure. Listen closely, for this is
what you must do...
"The fair world of Oceana is sinking as the seas swell ever larger -
there is little to be done for this. The world has its span of life
like any man or beast. The pilgrim Isles of Dilmun have been usurped
by Namtar, a renegade demon from the realm of this Underworld. He has
disposed of King Drake of Kingshome and rules in the late King's name,
using the King's legions to pursue his path of conquest.
"Namtar must be destroyed. He has isolated his enemies, dispersed the
magical brotherhood of the world and taken control of the dragons.
"The Sword of Freedom must be found and reborn in its forge. A
reconciliation of sorts must be set between Irkalla and Nergal, for
without accord in the Underworld, there can be no peace on the
surface. When all is ready, seek the Mountain of Salvation - Namtar
must be returned to the pit of hell from which he came."
The voice fades... Back to the
top
128. You sprinkle the ashes on the dark waters
of the well, which abruptly begin to swirl. Although the night
of the Underworld is absolute, you think you see a reflection
of stars in the swirling black waters. The motion of the water
intensifies and the ashes are sucked into the depths.
You stand back as a ghostly apparition rises from the well. At first
the form is a shade, then a ghost, then a spectre, then a living
corpse. Gradually the shape takes corporeal form...blood, bone,
muscle, teeth, hair is restored.
The ashes are restored to life! Back
to the top
129. The meeting of the Dilmun Underground
is called to order. All those in attendance at the meeting are
cloaked in dark robes, and although you recognize a few voices,
no faces are visible. Back to the
top
130. Formerly the imperial court of King Drake,
this hall retains none of the splendor of ages past. Where once
hung brilliant tapestries, the walls are now bare. Empty pedestals
mark where renowned sculptures formerly stood. Blocks of marble
are missing in several places where materials have been removed
to construct fortresses for Kingshome's campaign army. This
is not the court of a king in residence. Back
to the top
131. This is a private bed chamber. A man wearing
a simple robe lays on a divan. He seems neither old nor young.
He has no distinguishing marks or characteristics...there is
no evil air to him, his eyes do not piece to your soul, his
brow has no spark of mad genius. He sits up lazily as you enter,
swings his feet to the floor, walks across the room, and shakes
your hand.
"I'm Namtar," he says. "I suppose you guessed that. You've given me
quite a lot of trouble." Namtar smiles. "Disappointed? Expecting
something more? Later - I promise you. Won't you sit down?" Namtar
offers you a chair.
Namtar looks sleepy. He keeps rubbing his eyes. "Administering the
conquest of the world is a bitch," he says. "If I'd known how much
work this was going to take, I doubt I ever would have started. Or
maybe I never had a choice. No matter. We need to talk.
"I am the son of gods. It is my destiny to rule men such as
yourselves. You don't have to like it - I sense you do not - but that
is the way of things. I have some grand plans, but I can't begin until
this futile resistance is quelled. It's just a matter of time. You
know that as well as I. Why don't you pack it off to the Isle of the
Damned - it worked for old Drake. You're not even native to
Dilmun...there's little reason for you to oppose me. Granted, that
episode in Purgatory was nasty, but into everyone's life a little
reign must fall. Ha ha. That was a pun."
No one laughs. Namtar sighs. "Ah well, I suppose we'll have to do this
the hard way. I'll be leaving now. If you're very dedicated, and very
lucky, we may meet again within the Mountain of Salvation. I will kill
you then. In the meantime consider yourselves to be living on borrowed
time. It's the least I can give you in gratitude for the entertainment
you've provided thus far.
"Oh...by the way. You can move again." Namtar's sorcery was
so complete, you did not notice you were under his compulsion
until he brought it up. "I wish you the worst of luck, my friends."
Suddenly Namtar is gone - no flash of light, no peal of thunder
- just gone. Back to the top
132. Aradrax screams as the first pint of blood
is pumped from his body. This is going to be a long night -
a single pint will never satisfy the Vampire Lord, but it seems
none of the blood is going to come easy. You check the machines
and see they function as advertised, but it still seems your
volunteer is experiencing needless pain. Back
to the top
133. "You're all right," the troll laughs,
wiping the froth from his lips. "We have many other strange
and wonderful customs of which you should partake. Meet me at
the crossed oaks when the moon is full, and you will have your
promised meeting with the king." Back
to the top
134. In the very heart of the valley you find
the sacred hive of the Dragon Queen. The Queen sits atop a mountain
of eggs, some of which hatch young saurians even as you watch.
The Dragon Queen is colossal - easily ten times the size of
any beast you've confronted thus far. She fixes you with a fierce
glare.
"You carve your way through my valley," she hisses, "destroying my
creatures, and now enter the presence of the Mother Dragon. You will
die for what you have done, but you will die slowly...as food for my
brood."
The Dragon Queen rears up and prepares to breathe a blast of
poisonous fire. Back to the top
135. "I trust you have read Poe " Namtar laughs.
"The best place to hide something is in plain sight. You paranoid
dolts would never consider that, would you?" Namtar slides another
rod into his arcane box. "Soon my work will be complete...soon
I will fulfill my destiny - and then you will rue the day you
laughed at me!!" Back to the top
136. The galleries are crammed with fools,
each exiled here for their inability to follow directions. The
fantasy is only so real as you allow it to be, and while at
times life may seem a fool's errand, it is only what you make
of it. There is little sense in cheating yourself at solitaire.
Back to the top
137. Bound in chains upon this lonely Isle
of Woe you find the dark queen Irkalla, Mistress of Magan. The
chains are made of enchanted silver, and she is unable to move.
"Topsiders!" she snarls when she sees you. "It's always the
same. The water level rises, your toilets back up and everyone
rushes to the Underworld for help! Well, I have problems of
my own, as you can see. That filthy half-breed Namtar chained
me here, and gave the key to the one creature who owes me no
favors."
Irkalla regards you. "Perhaps you could be of some use," she
says, her tone suddenly becoming incredibly seductive."Find
the Silver Key and set me free...you will be richly rewarded.
Namtar is our mutual enemy. Serve me, and I shall serve you
to defeat him!" Back to the top
138. You stand at the edge of the Isle of Woe
looking out across the dark waters, and are convinced nothing
is going to happen when a sudden flight of bats overhead heralds
the arrival of momentous events. An ominous ringing fills the
air. A few yards offshore the dark waters part, and offered
up from the depths you see the legendary Sword of Freedom. Forged
from dwarven steel in the fires of hell, powered by the essence
of the legendary hero Roba, and tempered in the Apsu waters
that underlie creation, the most powerful artifact Oceana has
ever known has been reborn! Back
to the top
139. The dwarf has the engine running in no
time. With a shudder and a cough, the ancient airship lumbers
aloft, and for the first time in centuries something other than
a dragon plies the airways of Oceana.
After several days journey to the west, you spot an uncharted
island. At the center of the island is an odd ring of standing
stones, and in the center of the ring you see... Back
to the top
140. You are up to see the dawn as the sun's
rays brilliantly spread across the waters of Oceana. Nights
on the trail have their own sort of beauty, but you can't hope
helping it won't always be like this. Someday you will no longer
be an outlaw. Someday you will sleep beneath a roof like other
people, and at last be considered a true citizen of Dilmun.
You won't always be poor - this is just a phase. Back
to the top
141. In the next chamber, you see fires identical
to the first. "Very good," the voice intones. "You have potential,
but I detected a flaw in your form. Please negotiate this wall
of fire for me, that I might study your finer points." Back
to the top
142. "Now you are learning. Not everything
is as it seems," says the voice. You enter a chamber occupied
by a stone gargoyle. The gargoyle's gaze is fixed on the door
through which you must exit the room. "To be seen by the gargoyle
is to know death," says the voice. "Yet the gargoyle sees the
exit. What to do, what to do...?" Back
to the top
143. "Now you have learned to listen. Excellent...you
are half-way home," says the voice. You detect genuine admiration
in its tone. "This college exists in the rarified atmosphere
of the true academic, but not everyone you will encounter appreciates
the Art. You must learn to deal with such ruffians." Out of
thin air, a huge warrior appears, wielding a sword in both hands.
"I'm gonna split yer lobe, highbrow!" he snarls. Back
to the top
144. "I'm sorry that was so brutal, but I had
to prove a point," the voice explains. "Some people can't appreciate
Art...in such times, you must rely on more direct measures."
You find yourself in a chamber over which is suspended a huge
block of granite. The block is hung by a cable...the cable trails
to a wall and down to the floor, where it stretches across the
floor as a trip-wire. It doesn't take much intelligence to figure
it would be unhealthful to trip on the wire. The voice is strangely
silent. Back to the top
145. "That was novel. I don't think I've seen
that solution before." Across the room you see your mysterious
host. "I am Utnapishtim, also called the Faraway. I have been
your teacher, now you must teach me something. I want to see
something novel and new. Give me your best shot...you go first."
The wizard waits for you to act. Back
to the top
146. This time it is Utnapishtim in the flesh
who greets you. "Well done!" he says. "Having learned to listen
to me, you've learned you don't have to listen to me. Lanac'toor
could not have done better." The old wizard shows no concern
when you tell him Lanac'toor is dead. "There's death, and then
there's death. I wouldn't worry about Toor."
Utnapishtim shows you to a cabinet, within which are three magic
items. "For completing my gauntlet, you may select one item.
I offer the Soul Bowl, the Laugh Staff, or the Sing Ring. Which
will it be, my friends?" The wizard looks at you with a hint
of impatience. From the way he introduced the items, you judge
he does not want you to select the Soul Bowl. Back
to the top
147. You emerge from a narrow pass and look
out on a hidden valley. The valley is narrow and wet and confined
on three sides by mountains and by the sea on the fourth. The
swampy mass of the valley floor at first appears to be moving...until
you look closer, when you realize the valley floor is covered
with a mass of living creatures, crawling one atop another as
far as the eye can see.
To venture into the Dragon Valley is to invite certain death.
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