# The Adventures of the Knights of Spellforge Keep are now COMPLETED



## Dr Midnight (Jun 6, 2003)

_Circles and rings, dragons and kings 
Weaving a charm and a spell 
Blessed by the night, holy and bright 
Called by the toll of the bell _
*-NEON KNIGHTS, Black Sabbath *

This is the ninth and final ENboards Knights thread for this campaign tale, formerly known as the Knights of the Silver Quill. There's only one chapter left, but I wanted to start a new thread so people could continue to chat about the story rather than editing all the feedback out of the old thread.

To read the entire story (up until Session 47, at least)  click here. 

Volumes I-III on the old ENboards should be back sometime...?... with reader commentary. 

Volume IV (on ENboards with reader commentary) can be read here.

Volume V (on ENboards with reader commentary) can be read here.  

Volume VI (on ENboards with reader commentary) can be read here.  

Volume VII (on ENboards with reader commentary) can be read here.  

Volume VIII (on ENboards with reader commentary) can be read here.  

THE CHARACTERS (as of Session 56): 

BROLDEK
Broldek is a troll. He's not gruff or smelly or dumb or vulgar, though... he's just a troll. He's actually quite well-mannered, clever, and aside from occasionally sleeping under bridges and taking bites of things he shouldn't, he's a perfect gentleman. With an enormous greatsword.

KIZZLORN SPELLFORGE
"Little Kizz," the daughter of two heroes of the Knights of the Silver Quill, has proven a born leader. She has an innate sense of what is right and wrong, and treats people fairly. With her pseudodragon (posing as a cat) Snooky, she leads the Knights into whatever troubles the world cares to throw at them.

DARTAN "THE GODLESS"
The last remaining member of the original adventuring party, Dartan is a bitter fallen paladin of Heironeous. His soul is dark but his actions speak of his bravery. He has little tolerance for activities that don't involve destroying those that oppose him.

EDGE
This reserved halfling monk came to the group with his own motivations, and seems to keep them to himself. He doesn’t care much for friendship, and doesn’t mind stealing from anyone he meets, as long as he doesn’t believe they’re a threat. He clings to the shadows and seems to be hiding something about his inordinately long incisors…

MYRAMUS and MENEROUS MAXIMUS
The brothers Maximus have returned from the dead. They traveled with the Knights years back as holy men in Pelor's service... then died. Now, it Greyhawk's greatest hour of need, the Shining One has sent the unflappable brothers back down to Oerth to conquer the darkness. 

SPELLFORGE KEEP
Kizzlorn’s father, Rafflorn Spellforge, won this grand castle pulling from a Deck of Many Things twenty years ago. It sits at the borders of the ruined city of Verbobonc. A graveyard lies out back, beneath a huge willow tree. In the front, the skeleton of a defeated white dragon serves as a playplace for local children. Inside, various artifacts and treasures beyond count line the walls. Each tells a story the Knights have lived through. Horacio the chef will be happy to make you a meal in the dining hall, and you can relax in one of the many guest suites. 

RECENTLY:
The world is ending. Crow, Jamison's evil twin (well... duplicate) has over the last twenty years been orchestrating the end of everything by pulling together the resources to release the dread titan Thuriaq. The Knights have been challenged to come and try to stop him, and they have made their way to where it all began...


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## Dr Midnight (Jun 6, 2003)

_Here on Oerth, under the stars, encased in fear, entombed in fire
The final rage of sword and spell and claw and consequences dire
His faithful few, the Knights, had traveled long and walked the reaper’s wire
To meet and fight the sickened one, his beasts, and their abyssal choir

The war on life and good and all will soon be waged and soon be done
Thuriaq may rise at last and shatter here the hateful sun
Yet he did not, we know, because we lived to hear this tale be sung
So listen closely, child, and learn of how the Knights of Spellforge won.

Here on Oerth, where faith is called upon in all except for one. _

*PROLOGUE*

“Bad things brewin’.”

“We knew that.”

“Just sayin’.” Mallick spat on the ground. The wind blew the wheatstalks all to one side, where they fought with one another in a rippling pattern. The wind was very uneasy tonight. The moon was far too large, and it loomed over them all like a man’s face over a fishbowl. It gave Mallick Hucrele the most repellent feeling. He shifted his axe to his other hand and waited.

“Stop fidgeting,” Helmut grunted. The fur-clad northman frowned at Mallick in the moonlight. “You’re irritating Helmut. Helmut must remain focused so that he might drive the giant back into the ground when it arises.”

Mallick huffed. “Helmut must think he’s a great deal more powerful than he is to believe he can any chance of defeating Perysion the Ululating Horror.”

“Shut up, the both of you.” The small dwarven woman in black sharpened her knives against a whetstone, stopping only to glare at the two bickering men. “You’re like children.”

Mallick slumped against a tree and let some of the breath in his lungs escape. It frosted in the air as he mumbled. “I’m sorry. Just nerves, is all.”

Helmut shifted his weight. “Helmut is sorry as well. He is only troubled by the terror we will face. What will it resemble, again, small one?”

Figfim the Great adjusted his glasses on the tip of his large gnomish nose and squinted. “I am Figfim, not ‘small one’. And Perysion will be a towering mass of tentacles and eye stalks, if the scrolls are to be believed.” He bent over the scrolls again, studying the monster foretold to rise on this night in this portion of the world. “It will reave and devour, leaving only death in its wake. What troubles me most is this final passage: _’And his kind will mark the way of the rising beast.’_”

“What does that mean?” Mallick asked.

“I’ll tell you what it means,” Figfim sighed. “It means, if I’m not mistaken, that Perysion is one of many monsters to come to our plane tonight, and act as heralds for a greater evil.”

“What?”

“Perysion the Ululating Horror is a pawn. Something worse is rising tonight.”

The dwarven woman shivered and sheathed her knives. “Moradin help us. What can this greater evil be?”

“I have no idea, Runhilde,” the gnome replied. “I only hope someone is there to fight it, as we are here to fight its herald.”

Helmut drew his sword and tested its blade with his thumb for the twentieth time. “Someone will.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“It is simple. We live in a world of heroes.”

They quieted and listened to the wind blow as they waited for their titan to rise.

*SESSION 56
5th of Suns’ebb
THE END*

“Gorgoldand,” Dartan gasped. “That’s him. Quickly, shatter the mirror.”

“It doesn’t break,” Edge grunted as he bashed his fists against the looking glass. In its reflection, they saw Gorgoldand, the emaciated wizard, chained to the wall. His once-proud white beard was matted and filthy. 

“You must solve the puzzle,” the skull chattered behind them. “Yes, that is the way.”

Broldek turned on it. “For a thing that claims to not remember anything, you certainly do know everything about this place that may lead us to a sorry end. This stinks of a trap. It was too easy. I don’t trust you.”

The skull floated there. Its feminine voice sounded hurt. “Why do you attack me? I can only recall small things, one at a time. I don’t know why I know about the Gauntlet. I don’t enjoy knowing everything but the solutions to your puzzles, and I am troubled to know you do not trust me. What harm can I do?”

Dartan put a hand on Broldek’s shoulder. “Leave Bree alone.”

The troll turned. “But…” He stopped when he saw the look in Dartan’s steely eyes. “Dartan, don’t be a fool. It’s not your friend.”

“Maybe she isn’t. Not really. I’ll be the judge, and until she gives us reason to believe she’s on Crow’s side, don’t do a thing against her.”

“Dartan, this doesn’t…”

“Don’t. Touch. Her.” Dartan’s eyes flashed, and the muscles beneath his brow twitched. The message was clear, and Broldek backed down, though he felt something crawling inside his gut.

“Thank you, my old friend,” Bree said. “What of the mirror?”

Dartan sighed and looked at it again. “Tirianisporitius. I don’t suppose you know the solution to this do you?”

“No. I wish I did.”

Kizzlorn was studying the fallen skeletal warriors. She took a key from one’s neck and added it to the others. “Eye. Eye… the letter I. Two flowers of the same kind.”

“Irises,” Edge said. “They’re Irises.”

“Hmm. You can spell ‘Iris’ twice with the letters in ‘Tirianisporitius’. Take them away, and you have… ‘Tanpotiu’. Take away an I for an ‘Eye’ and you have ‘Tanpotu’.”

Myramus rolled his eyes. “Nonsense words. What fun.” 

Snooky curled his tail thoughtfully as he sat on the ground. _Not nonsense. It’s a command word. It will allow us into the mirror._

“Nonsense, like I said,” the canine angel huffed impatiently.

Menerous couldn’t help himself. “Oh, stop it you two. You fight like dogs and cats.” He giggled to himself.

“I, brother, am a hound archon, a celestial servant of our lord Pelor.”

_And I am a polymorphed pseudodragon. _ 

“Well,” Menerous said. “That put me in my place.”

_Tanpotu… Tan… Pot! That’s it, the other skeleton had a pot on his breastplate. _ Snooky jumped up into Kizzlorn’s arms, and she kissed his fuzzy little head. 

“Tanu,” Kizz said, and the mirror flashed. They stepped through the mirror’s glass toward Gorgoldand, and the mirror shimmered like a rippling pond in their wake. 

“Gorgoldand,” Dartan called to the chained form as they entered the room where he was imprisoned. 

He looked up at them. “No.” The mirror behind them froze as the last of the Knights left it. The chains fell from the old man’s wrists, and he stood. He changed. He became something larger. A huge cloaked form, vaguely female, with hands that trembled as the last of the illusion melted from them, revealing hideous clawed hands with orange-gold fur.  “It’s an honest mistake, though,” the voice croaked menacingly as it pulled its cowl back. “It must be the resemblance.” The sneering thing’s face was a hideous combination of an ogre’s broad face and sparse golden dragonscales. The eyes were a cruel yellow-orange, and seemingly lit from within. Large fangs were set in the grinning jaw. The ears were bat wing-shaped, webbed crescents of gold jutting from an ogre’s matted hide. 

Snooky hissed in horror. Dartan and Kizzlorn gasped, and Myramus held up Starfire. Broldek drew his sword and readied to fight. “Where is he?”

“Elsewhere. Safe. I am Glamgorthea, and I am pleased to bring you your end, here in the Gauntlet.”

“You’re half dragon,” Edge said, with his fists at the ready. At Kizzlorn’s command he would unleash his fury.

“Yes,” she chuckled.

Snooky growled. _You’re his daughter. _

“Yes.”

Dartan’s sword was prepared to stab the thing through the heart. “Gorgoldand had no daughter.”

“That he knew of. I’m afraid it’s a long story, but the short of it is that mother took advantages of his frailties and drugged an ale one night at the Foamy Head tavern in Poddleton, long, long ago. Let’s just say mother always claimed he’d never acknowledge me, because he wouldn’t remember fathering me.” She laughed.

“Lies!” Dartan plunged his sword forward, but Glamgorthea raised her hand and sent him rocketing backward to smash against a wall. He crumpled to the ground, and his sword landed with a clang. 

“Hard truths. Mother was interested in creating a new breed of ogre-mage beasts with the blood of dragons. I was- shall I say- an experiment. I was raised to follow her plans and breed a superior race of ogres… but I had ideas of my own, and decided to go my own way the day I ripped her throat out.”

Kizzlorn slowly put Snooky into her backpack, to free her hands for spellcasting. “What is this way?”

“I found and joined my brother, Crow, who had deliciously evil ideas of his own. Profane in every way. Gloriously evil and calculating, he is, and more powerful than even I am. He said I could have you to destroy while he worked on freeing Thuriaq. He should be done soon.”

Dartan stood, shakily, wiping blood from his mouth. His sword’s blade scraped on the stone as he picked it up. “He is evil, isn’t he? Evil, brilliant, and vain.”

She raised her hand again, and it started to glow bright green. “Yes. Oh yes.”

“You know what the problem is with evil, brilliant, and VAIN archvillains?”

“Tell me, Godless.”

“They want to see their enemies’ faces as they are destroyed.”

“Yes, so?”

“Crow knows we can beat you.”

“What?” She laughed.

“You said it yourself: Evil… gloriously evil and calculating. He told you to meet us here so that you could kill us, but he will want to see us die, laughing over us, having had the final word. He isn’t here.”

She furrowed her brow. “So what?” 

“So- he lied to you. You’re but one more monster in our way, and he knows your power isn’t great enough to stop us completely. He WANTS us to reach the end, so that we can fail there- and only there.” Her lips parted, and her teeth bared. She trembled, and her fury and fear were plain on her face. Dartan continued to slowly walk toward her. “Evil, brilliant, and vain archvillains do not share their glories. They only use their lackeys, and discard them when they’ve outlived their usefulness. How does it feel to realize you’re a henchman? A simple cog in a large machine. That must hurt.” She growled, eyes wide, and slowly lowered her arm. She seemed to deflate as she gave in to despair. "We are meant to beat you." Tears squeezed from her eyes, and she shook with rage.

“There is an alternative,” Broldek said. “Join us, and add to our strength. We will save the world, and you will have revenge on your brother.” She stared at them. “There is no other way. Join us or we fight you now, and you will die a pawn in Crow’s scheme.” She sobbed, paused, then nodded. She was broken and she knew it.

“Good,” Kizzlorn said. “Where is he?”

“Below. There is a lower level, and there is a passage to Thuriaq’s gate.” 

Myramus stepped forward. “Kneel, Glamgorthea, and renounce your evils. Swear to Pelor that you will not turn on us once our mission is done, and that you will mean Gorgoldand or the people of Greyhawk no further ill. Swear it.”

“I… I do. I renounce evil, in Pelor’s name.” She kneeled on the floor and bowed her head in misery. “I do so swear that I will abandon wickedness, and not turn on you when Crow is defeated. Nor will I attempt to destroy my father. I will join the light. Oh, I… ahuh ahuh huh…” She wept into her hands.

“Pelor has heard your plea, child, and will judge you.” He raised his sword. “Right now.” He brought Starfire down through her neck, severing her head and killing her instantly. Her hulking body disappeared in a flash of white light, and then she was no more. 

Bree the floating skull’s jaw dropped open in amazement, and Myramus sheathed his sword. “I must say, Snooky old chap, that worked marvelously.”

_Thank you. _While Glamgorthea had extolled the virtues of Crow’s plan, Snooky had telepathically spoken to the Knights and suggested that Dartan shake her confidence by pointing out that Crow had betrayed her. Then, Myramus would strike her down in her moment of greatest weakness. _I’m surprised. I didn’t think you’d go through with it, Myramus, _Snooky said. _Killing her as she pledged an oath to Pelor. It doesn’t seem sporting. _

“A painless death and a deathbed conversion. We don’t have the convenience of taking her at her word, so I ended her life here. We did ourselves- and her- a world of good.”

_What if she were telling the truth, though? _

“Then Pelor will know it and judge her truly, as I told her. Her soul may well have been saved. For now, though, we have things to do, and we couldn’t be bothered to worry about her. You were right.”

_I’m glad to hear it. Shall we move on?_

“Let’s.”

They left through the now-funtioning mirror.  Kizzlorn scratched Snooky behind his ears as they went. “Good thinking, Snooky. I’m glad you’re here.” The pseudodragon purred in her arms as they made their way downward, back through the Gauntlet.

When they reached the first floor again, Edge and the Maximus brothers began searching the walls and floors. Snooky got out and sniffed around, looking for ways downward to the lower level Glamgorthea had spoken of.

 The skull floated close to Dartan as they waited. “Thank you for your help. The troll might have smashed me in his rage.”

The warrior shook his head. “Broldek may be big and stinky, but he’s really very level-headed. At best I think he was trying to intimidate you.”

The skull teetered in midair, nodding. 

Dartan took a breath to speak. He paused, then said “Bree.”

“Yes?”

“Do you remember anything about death? I mean, I know you can’t recall much about your life… but… ”

“Oh.” The skull floated in the air silently for a moment. “I do. I remember death. You’ve been dead before, haven’t you?”

“Yes, but I’m resurrected before long, always. I’ve never died and stayed dead. What’s it like?”

Bree spoke quietly. “Cold. Cold and empty.”

This surprised Dartan. “What?”

“There’s just the grave and you. You’re barely aware you exist, but you do know that you’re cold, alone, and you’ll never again see any of the people you ever cared about. Just cold, wet gravedirt, moss, and a kind of half-dreaming despair.”

“You were a cleric of Ehlonna. Why would a god allow its servants to rot in their graves? It doesn’t make sense. There’s a heaven for people like you.”

“No. There’s no heaven. Gods don’t care… I learned that after I died. When you’re of no more use to the god, the god throws you aside like the husk you are.”

Dartan’s jaw clenched tightly. “That’s impossible.”

“It’s true. Gods use mortals for their faith, to gain power. When you get to the other side, all you find you’ve ever prayed for were empty promises… because who can hold gods accountable?”

Shaking his head, Dartan said “No, that can’t be right… my wife…”

“Is dead. Pelor used her and then she died. She lies in her grave now, only knowing that you aren’t there, and that she is very, very cold. I’m sorry Dartan.”

“What about Myramus and Menerous? They’re proof that Pelor loves his followers. They’d been dead for quite some time.”

“What are they proof of? They look and talk like your old friends, certainly, but do you know that they are? Can you PROVE they’re who they say they are, if Pelor wants you to believe they’re the brothers Maximus?” Dartan sat silently, thinking. Bree went on. “Gods don’t care. One way or the other you’re going to spend an eternity only in the Oerth, only in despair, ever.“

Dartan got up and walked away, facing the wall where the others could not see. He felt his eyes stinging and his throat closing up. _Don’t cry, you old fool,_ he told himself. _You knew this all along. Since Heironeous abandoned you, you’ve known you had no one to count on but yourself. The universe is empty while the gods eat us like apples, throwing the cores away when they’re done._ He felt sick. He leaned on the wall and breathed. _Bree could be lying. It might not even be Bree._ It certainly sounded like her, though… and it confirmed for him what Dartan had privately believed for years. _Gods are bastards._

He took out the letter he’d been given. Myramus had said it was from his wife. He opened it with shaking hands and read again. 

_Dearest Husband

My beloved. I miss you so. Even here in the rays of the sun, in Pelor’s blessing, I feel sadness in that we are not together. I do not yet have your arms to hold me again, and even in the thrall of bliss, it makes me feel incomplete. The only thing I could ask for in heaven is you… because this is not heaven without you. 

It will never be heaven unless you come here. It is for this reason that I am sending this letter down to you with Myramus. I see you, every day, choking on anger… feeling only pain and rage. You needn’t feel this way about my death. I died for the Shining One. I knew what I was getting into. You felt betrayed that Pelor had let me die, and you shut him out. You’re dooming yourself, my husband. Your anger for losing me will cost you an eternity with me in the end. You must let go of your feelings and give yourself to Pelor’s grace. It is the only way we can be together. Without faith, you will die and your soul will wink out like a candle. Open your heart to Pelor, however, and your soul will shine like the sun itself. You will feel His love, and when you die, we will be complete. Nova and Blaze will join us when it is their time and we will be a family again. Please, it is the only way. 

You will play an important part in the coming war. You may not survive it. I beg you. If you ever loved me, swear yourself to Pelor and let his hand guide you.

In the name of the Shining One
I remain your devoted and loving wife
~Arlen   _ 

“Dartan, are you deaf?”

Dartan looked up, blinking. “What?”

Kizzlorn sighed. “I said we’ve found the way down. Come on.”

“Yes. Of course.” He refolded the letter and placed it inside his pack. The letter had been a beaming thing of hope only moments before, but now doubt clouded his heart. He didn’t know why he was believing Bree. The talking skull of a long-dead childhood friend is nothing to take the word of… yet it had told him what he had held to be true for a long time. He felt his arms and legs grow heavy with sorrow. He felt like sitting down and giving up. What was the point of carrying on? His armor clung to him like so much dead weight. _No,_ he thought. _This cannot be. If there’s even the most remote chance that this will bring me to my wife when I die, I must take it. I must._ Dartan breathed deeply and prayed to Pelor. _I believe,_ he thought. _I believe in you and let you into my soul. Please show me my wife was right. I am a tired old man who has been wrong about most things. I only want to be with her. Pelor, take me as your servant and fill me with your light._

He paused at the top of the trapdoor, looking down on his friends who were descending the ladder beneath him, ignorant of his problems. He waited. Nothing. There was no change. He didn’t feel light and love flow into him. He cursed himself for a fool and stifled the sob he felt building in his chest. Dartan put a foot upon the top rung and began climbing down the ladder. _Bree was right,_ the Godless thought. _I knew it._

He climbed down, stone-faced, suffocating the urge to weep. Weeping was for weaker men. He was Dartan, and he’d only confirmed what he’d known all along. 

“I’ve got a question,” Edge announced. “Why is Crow leading us to him, when he’s busy with the rite to free the beast? Won’t he be too busy to fight?” 

“He assumes he’ll kill us, then free Thuriaq,” Dartan said. 

“But… why leave his only known accomplice behind to die? He should know that no one mage has had any luck standing against us.”

“He must have some plan.”

“Or he really can beat us one-on-one.”

“No chance,” Kizzlorn said. “I toppled one of his precious titans with one spell. One man will go down easily, no matter how powerful he thinks he is at spellcasting.”

Dartan added “Which is why he’ll have a plan. He’s too smart.”

The ladder ended and they dropped down to a horizontal passageway which led north for about twenty feet before sloping down in a clockwise direction. They readied their weapons and started walking. 

Broldek snarled under his breath. “Anything you’d care to tell us about this area, ‘Bree’?” 

“My memory… remains foggy. Do take care, though.” The troll did not seem comforted. 

After turning the corner, the passageway began a steep slope downwards, curving off to the right. The corridor is roughly rectangular in shape with rounded edges along the floor and ceiling. There was a glint of metal along the left side of the wall, about fifteen feet down the passageway.  “Oh, I like the look of this,” Broldek muttered.  

“Calm down,” Edge said. “I’ll have a look.” He skirted away, keeping to the shadows, avoiding obvious places to step, warily looking about as he went. 

The hulking troll shrugged. “Sorry. Just… nerves. You know.”

Edge came back. “Doors, along the left side of the corridor, all the way down. There’s one every twenty feet or so.”

Kizzlorn nodded. “What’s behind the doors?”  Edge opened his mouth to reply, closed it, and turned bright red. Kizzlorn looked up and saw that the barred window looking into the door was at least five feet off the ground… far too high for the little halfling to see into. “Oh. My apologies, Edge, I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

Menerous snickered. “You could ride on my shoulders…”

Myramus turned on him. “Brother, that is not kind. Mocking another’s physical disabilities. And from YOU, a big fat oaf.”  

The portly Maximus brother frowned. “I’m not fat! I’m a little large. Mother always said that I was just made large so that I could hug better.”

“Yes, and in the meantime, you barely fit down this corridor. Shall I smear you with some oil of slipperiness, brother, so you can squeeze through this hallway safely?”

“I’ll not stand here and be insulted by a dog-faced stupid-head!” Menerous lunged, and the Maximus brothers were soon rolling on the floor, wrestling and shouting names. 

“Stop it, both of you,” Dartan said. He looked down in disgust on Pelor’s champions. “Get up.”

The brothers stood, brushing themselves off. Myramus laughed. “I apologize, brother!” 

“Apology accepted, brother!” They bumped fists together, grinning. 

A voice came from down the hallway. “Is… is someone there?” The Knights froze and listened. “Please… help…” 

“Keep talking,” Kizzlorn said. “Lead us to you.” They began to walk quickly towards the voice. It seemed to be coming from behind one of the iron doors further down the corridor.

“Please,” the voice said. Its owner sounded piteous and frail. “So cold. Please.”

“We’re coming!” Kizzlorn moved quicker and got to the door, pressing her face close to the window to look inside. “Who are…” she stopped and whispered “Oh, no…”

“What is it?” Edge asked. 

“An empty room.”  The cobbles beneath her feet gave way to her weight and sank down about two inches. A muted  clicking noise was heard, and the sounds of large, hidden mechanics shifting boomed all the way up the corridor they’d walked down. 

Edge yelled through his clenched teeth. “TRAP!!” They began running from the rumbling sound, coming from the way they’d come. Behind them, something monstrously large was grinding its way down the thin hallway. Edge, who was at the rear of the group, looked back to see a gigantic stone wheel rolling down at them, gaining speed. There was no space at either side for even him to hide. At the top of the twenty-foot high wheel, however, there was maybe five feet of clearance between it and the ceiling. He saw cobwebs whip back as it passed them, violently displacing the air in the corridor. 

The halfling quickly made a choice and dropped to the ground. His foot swept out in an arc and clipped Kizzlorn in the ankles, causing her to fall backwards with a cry. He spun completely around and stood, and she fell neatly into his arms. Edge may have been a few inches under four feet tall, but his strength was mighty and his courage true. He crouched briefly and leaped up into the air, towards the stone wheel. Kizzlorn screamed as they passed through the empty space between it and the ceiling. With a twist and a bend, they landed on the other side as it continued to roll down their friends. 

Edge put Kizzlorn down and cupped a hand to his mouth. “THERE’S ROOM AT THE TOP! FLY OVER, OR JUMP, HOVER, SOMETHING!”

Kizzlorn, Edge, and Snooky watched as Bree the skull floated over the lumbering thing. Then, Broldek’s face and arms appeared at the top of the wheel. He looked like he might make it, then he landed… on the wheel. His arms clutched at it and his mouth was shaped like an O, and then he was gone. The stone wheel shuddered, and it left behind it a vast, very flat puddle of viscous black goo. It twitched as it gleamed in the torchlight. 

On the other side of the wheel, Dartan and the Maximus brothers were running out of time. The brothers’ wings had melted away after they’d landed on Oerth, so they couldn’t fly over as Bree had. They were each running while wearing armor, and the wheel was closing in. “To me,” Myramus yelled, stopping in the center of the corridor. He pulled out Starfire and it shone in the darkness. The others clutched closely to him and he used his sword to create a passage through the stone wheel as it passed over them. 

It had been a grand plan, for something at such short notice, but what Myramus hadn’t known, what none of them knew, was that the wheel wasn’t solid. It couldn’t be, for the beholders to levitate it into place, so Crow had made it hollow and filled it with an alternate substance in the event that it be broken or pierced, as it was just now. 

As the wheel passed over them and the glaring sword made the space for them to stand in, the liquid green slime center of the wheel was released and it gushed out at them, to their horror. The pure sunlight emitted from Myramus’ sword Starfire burned it to ash as it neared them. The wheel passed by and rolled away, smashing at some unknown end of the spiraling corridor some way down. The trembling three stood frozen. It was only by luck that Starfire had happened to save them from the slime, and the near-death experience left them shaken. It would have eaten through their weapons, armor, and their very bodies in moments. 

“This,” Myramus said, “Is a good sword. Thank you Pelor.” He kissed it and resheathed it. 

Menerous clapped a hand on Dartan’s shoulder and said “The Shining One is merciful, eh?”

Dartan shook off the friendly hand and composed himself. He glowered at Menerous for a moment, then walked back up to Kizzlorn and Edge. “That was very close,” he said. 

Myramus, behind them, began to scrape the black paste that was Broldek into a small sack. He was regenerating quickly, but he was by no means in a good mood. The paste formed a mouth. “Hurt,” it groaned. “Ow.” His potions and breakables were smashed beyond repair, but Broldek himself was only momentarily injured. He’d be back to his old self within the hour.  

“Curse me for walking us into such a trap,” Kizz muttered. 

Edge put a hand on hers and looked up at her. “You didn’t know,” he said. It was supposed to be comforting. She replied by clearing her throat and pulling away. “Anyway. It won’t happen again.”

“Is someone there?” a quavering voice called from the cell beside them. The iron door’s window showed only darkness beyond. No one approached it to look within. 

“I’m not falling for this again, Crow,” Kizzlorn said, mostly to herself. 

Everyone jumped when a face shot up at the window and bony hands reached out for them. “Please,” it said. “Please, get me out of here!” It was a girl. Not a day older than seventeen, by the look. She might have been pretty, but her eyes writhed in her sockets like trapped animals and her cheeks were pale and gaunt. Her hands scrabbled at the iron surface of the door as she called to them. “Get me out. Out.”

Edge examined the entrance to the door before anyone was allowed to step there. When he was convinced there was no trap there, Kizzlorn stepped forward. “Who are you?” she said warily. 

Bree floated close and said “Don’t be fooled.”

The girl said “B. Beckamy. My name. Beckamy. Out.”

“Why are you here?”

“Please, let me out. Out. Now, please.”

“We’re not letting you out until we’re convinced you’re not here to hurt us. Now tell us what we ask of you.”

The girl sobbed and said “I’m here for food. I’m his food. He drinks. Drinks me. His food. Out.” Kizzlorn saw the wretched marks at the left side of her neck, where something had bitten her, many, many times. “Says I’m food. He says I’m food.” She started crying desperately, pulling at her cheeks with her nails. 

“Easy, easy. We’ll let you out. Edge?”

“Don’t,” Bree’s skull warned. “This one is not what she seems. This one stinks of death. Do you smell it?”

Kizzlorn considered for a moment. “Menerous, is she evil?” 

The angel closed his eyes for a moment and said “I can’t tell. There’s a field on this door. It blocks my telling whether or not she’s evil, or undead. She could be either, or both.”

“I’m not,” the girl moaned as tears rolled down her face. “I’m not.”

Bree growled. “She is. Leave her.”

“Everyone back,” Kizzlorn said. “Be ready. Edge, open the door.” Edge went to work.

The floating skull said “Are you mad? She’ll kill you all! Don’t you know not to free attractive women you meet in dungeons? She’s a monster!”

“We don’t know not to take the company of  talking skulls of dead friends,” Kizzlorn observed. “Shut up.” The skull floated back, sullenly. 

The door was opened and Edge jumped back. The battle-ready Knights watched as Beckamy collapsed onto the corridor floor before them. She was dangerously thin, wearing filthy rags spotted with dried blood. She crawled forward weakly, then lay still, breathing shallowly. 

“She’s not evil,” Menerous said, kneeling by her. “And she’s not undead. She is, however, dying. We must help her. Brother!” Myramus came near, and together they healed the girl’s wounds and nourished her with potions and water. Her mind, though, was still shattered. 

“Muh. Get out. We have to get out. Go home. No more food.”

“Where do you live? We’ll take you there.”

“P. Poddleton. Take me to my father.”

“We don’t have time to waste,” Edge said. He caught Kizzlorn’s disapproving glare and blushed again. “By that I mean, this is a good thing, but have we the time, Mistress Kizzlorn? And will we be amply repaid for our services?” He didn’t catch himself in time to stop from saying that, and he bit his tongue, cursing himself. 

“We will take her. It will take a few moments. Broldek is still healing, besides,” she said coldly to Edge. “Come.”

Together they teleported to the mouth of the Gauntlet, then again to the center of Poddleton, where the girl was returned to her grieving family. “Becka?” her father called. “BECKA!!” He wrapped his arms around his daughter and wept. The hysterical family hardly noticed the Knights at all until Beckamy introduced them. “You have our undying thanks,” her father said. “I thought my girl had been surely doomed at the hand of that monster. A vampire, did you know? Wretched thing! It’s plagued our town for too long, but we are too weak from its attacks to fight back!” He made a fist and shook it angrily. 

“A vampire, you say,” Myramus murmured.

“Yes. Unholy thing. Wears all black, comes into town as he pleases and plucks our children from their beds. He is far too powerful for us to fight. All our defenses have been for naught. He is ungodly fast, and he wields the powers of the shadow.”

“All in black,” Kizzlorn said. “Supremely powerful. Alone.” The father nodded and she turned to the others. “Gods, could Crow be a vampire?”

“It might explain a lot,” Dartan said. 

“Yes… Crow. A vampire. Damn!”

The father’s brow furrowed. “Crow, did you say? I don’t know the creature’s true name, but it’s an elf… Calls himself  Nightwalker. Tall, thin, with a longbow and not a devil’s care for all the good in the world. ”

“Erasmus,” Dartan grumbled as they left the village. “I was wondering where he’s been.”

Kizzlorn thought for a moment and gave him a look. “Who is this ‘Erasmus’?”

“Do you remember when I told you about Jamison’s corruption? How there were two of us who spontaneously turned evil, and turned on us? Jamison was the first… Erasmus was the other. He was alive at the time… vampire hunter. Archer. Deadly. Could shoot a tossed pebble from the air at a hundred paces.”

“And he escaped?”

“Helped Jamison attack us, then fled. Never heard from him again. I looked for him, for a time, before I met my wife. Never found a thing.”

Myramus sniffled. “Now the vampire hunter is a vampire, and has joined the side of darkness.”

“Hmm,” Broldek murmured. The troll was mostly regenerated now, and only needed to regrow a few patches of skin. His face was half-covered, but the other half was an inky black mess of troll blood and twitching, glistening muscles. His yellow, unlidded eye glared about at everyone. It was most unpleasant to look at.   “There’s an odd poetry in that.” 

“That’s not poetry,” Myramus replied sharply. “It’s a sickening blot on your world’s history, and it will be stamped out with the rest.”

Dartan frowned at the hound archon. “’Your’ world?”

“Yes. The mortal realm ceased to be mine when I died. I’m merely here to help you defend it. Mine is the sun-blessed cirrus meadow of heaven.”

“By Pelor’s light, we will return there soon,” Menerous said piously.

“By Pelor’s light,” Myramus agreed.

Dartan spat. “There’s for Pelor’s light. Take us back to the Gauntlet, we’ve got work to do.”

They teleported. Back in the curving and circular hallway, there were no more cries of distress to be heard. Bree the skull waited here for them. “Let me guess,” she said coldly. “You returned the girl to her grateful parents. She sobbed and hugged them, and didn’t leap for anyone’s throats at any time.”

“That’s right,” Kizzlorn replied. “It would appear that you lied to us. I don’t think even Dartan doubts your treachery now.”

“Fools. Why would she attack now, with you there? She waited until you left, and is now probably feasting on the blood of her family. She was made undead and unclean, and you released her, wasting precious time in the bargain.”

Myramus drew Starfire. “I’ve had a bellyful of this skull. You’re not helpful in the least, lest ‘helpful’ means leading us into traps and ignorance of the truth.”

“Not helpful, am I?” The skull shouted indignantly. “I got you this far. I gave you the clues. I don’t know why I’m here, but I do know that I remember my childhood friend. Dartan, can you have forgotten our time together, growing up? Can you have forgotten our time playing with stick-swords and pretend wands? How can you let them destroy me?”

“I…” Dartan the Godless paused and thought. “It cannot be said that I truly trust you, but I do believe we should let you live.”

“That is enough, I suppose,” she said with a hurt voice. “In time perhaps you will come to understand my worth. For example… I can tell you that the way lies through the door at the end of the hallway.” They turned and looked down the hall, seeing a large stone door. It had a number of keyholes. “There’s a hole for every key you’ve taken. They will open the door. It is trapped with a spell, but I’m certain your thief will be able to deactivate it.”

“I’m not a thief,” Edge said. He cautiously moved up to the door and examined it. After a moment, he said  “She’s right. Lightning trap. Tough to spot.” He dismantled it. 

Kizzlorn knotted her brow and glanced at the skull. “All right. What’s beyond that door, then?”

“Everything. It’s coming quickly to me now… This is the gate to Thuriaq’s prison door. The room where Crow is laboring to release the fiend. He is accompanied by his minions. I think he will be done soon…”

Kizz turned to the others. “Okay. We have to trust to this. Let’s form a quick strategy and move in, taking down what we can as fast as possible. Myramus, you move in quickly with that sword of yours. Broldek and Dartan, follow him, stay hidden from any spells or missile fire, and crack some skulls when you get close enough. Edge, try to dart in and stick to the shadows. Menerous, you and I will try to provide them with distracting targets, under protection of shield spells in the rear. Lots of lights and sound, understand?” Menerous nodded. “Does anyone have anything to say?”

The Knights drew their weapons and readied. “May the hand of Pelor guide us,” Myramus said. “May the Shining One lend his grace to us in this, our deadliest hour.”

Dartan laughed. “May your Shining One choke on the souls he devours.” The Maximus brothers looked hurt at this, but didn’t answer.

Broldek smiled. “I’ve got nothin’ to say. Let’s go in there and start swinging, for the good of the land.”

Snooky said _I just want you all to know how proud my master would be, if he could see you now. If the gods are good he will be able to tell you this himself, in a few moments. _

Edge’s ears were red. He cursed softly. “Hell with it. Kizzlorn… for good luck.” He jumped up and planted a quick, gentle  kiss on her lips. “And because I might not live to do it later.” He turned away in his embarrassment. 

Kizz stared after him, shocked. She’d known of the halfling’s feelings for her, but she never thought he’d dare to be so bold. She opened her mouth to say something scathing for the offense, but decided against it. Instead, she collected herself and said “May our swords and spells strike true. Let’s go.”

They placed each of the keys in a hole, and turned them. When the last key was turned, the door clicked.  Myramus kicked the door in and they ran inside. 

What happened next was unexpected, even for the Knights, who were expecting something bizarre and deadly. An arrow took Myramus in the arm from the moment he was exposed to the room. He cried out and Starfire clattered to the ground. Then, the whole party was awash in bright blue flame. Laughter came to their ears as they scrambled into the room, burning, looking for cover and watching for oncoming attacks. 

“Welcome!” a voice called. It sounded like the hissing of a knife being scraped along a block of ice. Another _twang!_ noise was heard, and an arrow thunked into a chink in Dartan’s armor, where his breastplate and shoulder plate met. The Godless grunted through clenched teeth and looked for somewhere to hide. There was no place to run to. The room they’d entered was a vast hall with far walls, high ceilings, no furniture or cover to hide behind whatsoever… it was a perfect spot  for a master archer. Erasmus Nightwalker stood at the far end of the hall, behind a waist-high stone wall. He was firing arrows at them at an incredible speed. Menerous took an arrow in the belly and he shouted, more in surprise than pain. 




“FIGHT! MOVE IN AND FIGHT!” Kizzlorn was holding an arm back to hurl a fireball spell. “HIT THEM HAR-“ her words caught in her throat when she saw the figure standing behind Erasmus. A tall, thin wraith of a man wearing white dragonhide  armor and a skull for a mask. A vast crimson cape hung from his shoulders and his bony hands clutched a powerful broadsword. “Vek,” Kizz whispered, the wind taken out of her. The spell in her hand fizzled away as her concentration blew apart like leaves before a gale. _Vek, oh gods, Vek, he’s back and he’s on their side HE’S ON THEIR SIDE…_ She watched in horror as he walked forward, brandishing his sword. 

Dartan ran forward to meet it and an arrow struck him in the kneecap. The force of the arrow’s flight punctured his armor and plunged into the tensed ligament beneath. He didn’t scream as he stumbled. “DARTAN, THAT’S VEK, LOOK OUT-“ Vek raised his sword and swung it down against Dartan, who blocked the blow, kneeling on the ground in a spreading pool of blood. 

“No,” Dartan said as he counterattacked. His sword stuck straight through the undead’s chest and drove him back two paces, pushing all the way in to the hilt. “It’s Metus.” The death knight’s eyes glowed sickly red in his skull as he bore down on the warrior. 

Edge was quicker. He bounded across the room in two leaps and ran up the wall, dodging arrows as he did. He flipped to the ground and landed on the balls of his feet, behind Metus. He prepared a devastating wyvern fist attack, that would surely shatter the thing’s brittle ribs… but he froze, then screamed. He fell to the ground clutching his head in agony. 

Broldek was stepping forward, one foot at a time, holding his greatsword with one hand and trying vainly with the other to beat out the flames that enveloped him. The troll inferno walked slowly and surely towards the cloaked figure at Erasmus’ right side, who continued to cover him with fire from afar. A jet of flame shot from Crow’s hands, never once ceasing to bathe Broldek in fire, and the troll never once ceased walking forward to kill him. 

“Milady!” Menerous coughed. Three arrows were stuck in him. “They were ready for us. They knew our strategy. We must pull…” as his mouth formed the word _back,_ an arrow plunged into his eye socket and he choked once, then fell, and lay dead. 

“BROTHER!!!” Myramus leaned down to pick up his sword with his other hand. It was invaluable to him, and one of the party’s greatest assets in combat. The sword skittered out of his reach, however, and flew away, to slap into a waiting hand. Crow held it, smiling. With his right hand he covered Broldek in flame, and his left held Starfire. On his right hand was a glittering gold ring- one of many- this one marked with dozens of tiny gems in all colors. It was a Ring of Dragon Madness, and it was crippling Edge’s senses. 

“Fall down,” Crow said, bemused, to Broldek. The troll took two more steps, then one, then paused, and dropped his greatsword. He crumpled to the ground, a smoldering husk. 

Kizzlorn cast spell after spell from the rear of the room, watching her friends lose. Dartan was quickly being driven under by Metus’ sword blows. Edge was screaming, both nostrils bleeding slow rivers. Myramus ran forward in rage, barely thinking of how to attack. Erasmus let him come within five feet before he shot him through the throat with a particularly barbed arrow. “No,” Kizzlorn sobbed. “We were close.”

“You were!” Crow said. “Sadly, you made the mistake of allowing us to see your every weakness before you arrived. I’m afraid we had help. Erasmus, cripple her and show her what I mean.” As quickly as that, two arrows thunked into her arms, and she screamed, falling to her knees. Something floated past her shoulder. She looked up, and through the tears she saw Bree fly over to Erasmus, who clutched it from behind and made it speak, as a puppet might. 

“Thank you so very much for believing in me, Dartan,” he said mockingly through the skull. “I guess you’ve still got some blind faith left in you, eh? Also, thanks for letting me study the weak points in your armor through the corpse of a childhood friend. That was kind of you.”

Dartan, dying from a dozen wounds, bared his teeth and forced one leg up from kneeling. He caught Metus’ sword in a gauntleted hand. It cut him deeply, but he ignored the pain and ripped it from the death knight’s grasp, then smashed him in the face with its pommel. He stood shakily, dropping the sword. “You fiend,” he wheezed. “I hate you.”

“Hate’s all you ever do, Dartan. Be a good sport and lie down, won’t you?” Erasmus put an arrow through Dartan’s chest, but he didn’t fall. He walked forward as Erasmus fired shot after shot into him. 

“Kill you. Gonna… kill you.” Dartan reached up and snapped an arrow off, gripping it in his fist. He rained blood on the ground as he walked. He stumbled up to Erasmus and yelled, plunging the arrow through the large iron circle he wore, into his chest. The vampire stood and smiled at him. Dartan looked down and saw that the arrow’s broken tip protruded from his back, but did not pierce his flesh. The arrow had disappeared through the iron ring, which acted as some kind of gate, allowing the arrow to pass harmlessly through his body. Dartan stared in horror, and died there. He fell down. 

Metus had found his footing and raised his sword to kill Edge. The halfling’s legs kicked weakly, and he looked at Kizzlorn over the blood and bodies. “I love you,” he said before he was killed. 

Kizzlorn’s head lolled against her chest as she cried. Her shoulders shook from the sobs, and she made no sound. Her tears rolled down her cheeks and fell on her arms where the arrows had struck her. They mingled with the blood. She closed her eyes and wept as she heard Crow’s boots step closer to her. She looked up at him. Her chin trembled. 

He looked down and smiled sadly. “Dartan said it himself, a few hours ago. ‘He WANTS us to reach the end, so that we can fail there- and only there.’ True enough. Now that you’re here, you’ll make a fine welcome home gift for father. Erasmus, bring the mirror.” 

Kizzlorn saw Erasmus carry a gilded mirror from behind the stone wall. In its reflection was a tired looking old man with a white beard, frozen in time. He set it at the front of the room, overlooking the bodies of all the Knights. Kizzlorn also saw that the very far wall, where her enemies had attacked from, had a large circle made of milky white orbs half-embedded in the stone. Only one orb was missing. Six orbs lined the wall, one was absent from a hemispherical keyhole. The gate of Thuriaq, with six of the keys in place.  

Crow circled Kizzlorn, listening to her pained breathing. “You came to die, and die you did. Very well, I might add. That Dartan doesn’t go down without one hell of a fight, does he? Thuriaq will rise, in a moment,” he pulled from his sleeve the seventh orb. It shimmered in the torchlight. “and he will smite the world. Then, when it is done, I will wake him and he will fall from his mirror, to see that his brave young heroes died trying to save it all. He’ll rush to the surface of Oerth, some distance overhead, and see the black ash of the landscape. Nothing alive. Everything dead.”

“Dead,” Erasmus smiled.

”Dead,” Metus croaked.

“Then his heart will break and I will have won. I will come to him and destroy him. It will be easy… there will be no fight in him. Then, I can kill myself and be done, having done the vilest deed ever known.” 

He walked to the back wall, holding the orb. “This has been a long time coming, Kizzlorn, and I must say it’s been incredible. I’m only sorry you and your friends won’t be alive to see the world die.” He placed the orb in the seventh hole and all seven lit up, glowing brightly, white-hot. They flushed yellow, then red, then stopped glowing and turned black. A crack smote the center of the ring and a deep rumbling was heard in the ground. 

“It is done. Several hundred of the fiercest imprisoned titans are now free. Thuriaq is released. He will rise some miles outside of Greyhawk, from where he is imprisoned. We must go and watch. Have you anything final to say?” Crow, Erasmus, and Metus watched her.  

She broke. The last sob went from her, and her head hung down. She mumbled “Just kill me. Please, kill me.”

Crow waved a hand. “Erasmus?” He raised his bow and put an arrow through her head. “Come, gentlemen. We’ve got the end of everything to enjoy. Let’s be off.” The black wizard teleported them away. 

The Knights of Spellforge Keep all lay dead. The room was silent. In a moment, something rustled. Snooky the cat slowly crept from Kizzlorn’s knapsack. He’d heard everything, and was in the absolute blackest despair the little pseudodragon had ever known. It was all he could do to approach Gorgoldand’s mirror and weep, silently begging forgiveness for failing him in the end.

Above, in the world of men, the ground shook. Thunder rumbled everywhere. Lightning forked over Greyhawk, and the air smelled like blood. In a field where nothing ever grew, the dirt churned and smoked. The trees nearby burst into flame, and the clouds overhead boiled. A monster the size of a castle clawed its way up from the ground. Its lungs thundered like titanic bellows working a pit of coals the size of a lake. Thuriaq raised his black horns into the sky and smelled the night air.  The Tarrasque opened its jaws and screamed. 

Kizzlorn’s eyes fluttered and opened. 

She inhaled deeply, then coughed the dust from her lungs. She sat up. Discarded arrows and blood lay all about the floor, but she was unharmed, and glowing white. The glow faded, and left. Her last memories came to her and she looked about for Crow, eyes wide. The fear and pain of her dying moments came home to her, and she was haunted. Worst was the end, when she had broken. Spirits are hardy things, and Kizzlorn’s among the most defiant on Oerth, but the sorceress found herself empty inside when all she met was death at the end of the quest. _Death,_ she thought. _ I died… I remember. I did. why am I here now?_

She looked around again, this time seeing the mirror with the frozen dragon wizard within. She saw all of her friends dead on the ground… save for Dartan, who was sitting with his back to the wall, reading a piece of paper. He looked up at her. Snooky sat in his lap. “Dartan,” Kizz gasped. “What happened? Why are we alive?”

His eyes went back to his paper. He seemed oddly numbed, she noticed. The paper was the note he’d been given, supposedly from his wife. “It was all a lie. She was lying the whole time,” he said quietly.

“Who? Your wife?”

“No… Bree.” He looked back at her, eyes wide and hands trembling. “Bree was lying about it all.” 

“What…” She shook her head and tried to come to her senses. She repeated herself. “Dartan, why are we alive?”

“The soul-beings. When we defeated Ashardalon. The glowing soul-beings came and gave us a gift. ‘Should you die… you will be reborn, immediately, at full strength. Then shall the gift be spent, and you will live on’ We forgot about it. Crow didn’t even know. Now we’re back.” He folded the paper, placed it in his belt-pouch, and stood. Snooky jumped from his lap as he rose and ran to Kizzlorn, who hugged him fiercely.

“We’re back,” Kizz said. 

Nearby, Edge shuddered as he gasped and coughed, glowing white as Kizz had, and Dartan before her. He sat up and touched the place on his chest where Metus had stabbed him through. The skin was whole. “What… Kizzlorn, we… Where? Oh gods…”

Broldek’s corpse began to glow, and the blackened crust fell away from him in a rain of ash as he shifted. His entire body was whole again, and he awoke with the same confusion the others had. Kizzlorn comforted the two as best she could, and explained why they yet lived. Like herself and Dartan, they’d forgotten all about the gift of the Soul Children in the Bastion. 

Now, they stood and noticed that Myramus and Menerous- who had, of course, not been along for that adventure- were still laying dead on the ground. As only the two of them had the ability to resurrect the dead, none of the living Knights had any means to bring them back… the brothers Maximus would have to remain dead for the time being. Time, of course, was of the essence… Thuriaq was awake, and walking the Oerth above. They could feel the tremblings beneath their feet, even from here. 

“What now,” Kizzlorn asked nervously.

“The mirror,” Snooky said. “Gorgoldand. We must free him.”

They all looked at the tall mirror, and the white-bearded man frozen within. Kizzlorn approached the mirror and touched the glass. “Yes. How do we free him?”

“Jamison freed Acessiwal by shattering his mirror, some time ago,” Dartan said as he drew his sword. “Stand back.” The others crowded behind him, and Dartan swung his sword into the mirror. 

What they didn’t know was that a protective spell had been placed on this mirror. Crow knew Gorgoldand’s imprisonment was worth insuring, so he’d likened the mirror’s hardness to a crystal shard, and hidden that shard deep within a dark place in the world. So long as the shard came to no ill, the mirror would be nearly impossible to destroy. No one knew where it was, and no one cared, as long as no one even knew it existed. When Crow had conquered the Oerth, he would recover the crystal and destroy it, thus allowing him to free Gorgoldand and fulfill his evil plans. 

What Crow didn’t know was that only an hour before, a small group of adventurers had come upon the shard and mistaken it for long-lost treasure. Grumbar, Horacio, and Meepo had delved deeply into a cavern, believing Crow to have been there some years past, based on the testimony of a nearby villager. They’d fought and slain many foul creatures, and in the end found the crystal shard. 

Meepo’s eyes had grown large with greed. “Ooooh, shiiiiiny!”  

“Shut up, that’s mine,” Grumbar had said. “I was the one that beat the big monster.”

“You don’t eeven know what kind of monstair eet was,” Horacio’d argued. “Let me have eet!”

They’d fought over the shard, and it was passed quickly from hand to hand. Meepo had bitten Grumbar’s ankle, who’d screeched and dropped the crystal, which was caught by Horacio, who was tackled by the other two. This went on for some time, until the combative compatriots discovered that in the fray, they’d smashed the crystal to dust from their roughhousing. 

“Oh, NO!” Grumbar had cried out. “The treasure!”

Meepo sat on the ground and wept. “We, the Impossibly Invincible Knights of Kobold Fury and Kitchen Mastery and Bread, set out to beat up bad things on night when bad things rise. What good have we done? We fight over treasure, not kill many beasties, and Meepo get splinter.”

Grumbar then picked the kobold up and hugged him. “It’s alright. We did good, I think.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Remember that goblin you killed? He was fierce! I think you may have helped save the world tonight.”

Horacio rolled his eyes. “You two are patheteek.” Then, the fighting had started anew amongst the Impossibly Invincible Knights of Kobold Fury and Kitchen Mastery and Bread. May their tale someday be told…

Now, in the cavern beneath the Oerth where the Knights stood around Gorgoldand’s mirror, Dartan’s sword connected with the glass. It burst apart into glittering fragments that seemed to light the air with a thousand tiny stars for just a second. The glass crashed to the stone floor and Gorgoldand fell to the ground. He breathed and lay still as the dust settled about him. 

Snooky jumped out of Kizzlorn’s arms and approached his master. _Gorgoldand. Welcome back. _ 

The old man turned his head slowly and looked at the cat. “Who?” he said as his mind came back to life from over two decades of being trapped in the mirror. He reached out and petted his old friend. “Snooky. What… where am I? I don’t remember a thing.” He looked up and saw the Knights. Surprise showed on his face. “Dartan? Is that you? You look so old.” He sat up and the cat curled in his arms happily. 

“I’m still not as wizened as you, old man, “ Dartan said with a smile on his face. “It’s good to see you.”

Kizzlorn knelt by Gorgoldand. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir. My name is Kizzlorn Spellforge. I have come a long way to see you. We all have.” She gestured back towards her friends. “This is Edge, and the big one there is Broldek.”

“I don’t remember any of this,” Gorgoldand said, sounding tired. “What has happened? The recent past is a cloud in my mind.”

“There is a lot to tell, and a very short time to tell it in,” Dartan said. He began talking. He spoke of Jamison’s fall to evil, which of course saddened the wizard greatly. He told of how Gorgoldand had been imprisoned by Jamison in a mirror for over twenty years and hidden, while his fiendish plots developed. He spoke of Thuriaq, the grandest titan, and of how Crow had plotted to raise him just to destroy his adopted father after ruining the Oerth’s life. Finally, he told how they had come to free him, and how the destiny of the entire world rested in tonight’s doings. 

It was all briefly summarized for the wizard, and when it was done, the heartbreak on his face was clear. He’d spent his life doing good and raising others to a position where they could do good. The very idea that his beloved son had turned evil, and that the good part of him died, was more terrible than anything they could have told him. His head hung against his chest in despair, and not even Snooky could properly console him. 

“Thuriaq, by the gods,” he said. “And my son did it all.”

Kizzlorn put a hand on his shoulder. “He’s not your son, now. He’s a dread agent of evil. Your son went to the next world. This ‘Crow’ is merely a poor shadow of what he was. Soon, all will be lost… but it’s not too late. Thuriaq is freed, but it’s never too late.”

Gorgoldand knotted his brow. “You are right, Kizzlorn. I’m glad Dartan had the good sense to take on such sensible companions. It’s never too late. Crow locked up the one thing he knew was a real threat to his plot. The one real threat to the elder Tarrasque, Thuriaq.” He stood up. “That threat was me, and I am released.” Grim hunger burned on his face. He brought the brothers Maximus back to life once more, and they crackled with new energy. The astonished and humbled brothers bade Gorgoldand many thanks, and then spoke their usual introduction, followed by a bopping of fists in the air. The wizard seemed to like their fiery spirit. 

“I’ve found something,” Edge called from the low wall where Erasmus had stood. “Over here.” He lifted a large sack.

Myramus said “Edge, who cares? We need to ACT.”

“You’ll care about what’s inside this.”

Gorgoldand walked over and looked inside the sack. “By the gods,” he whispered. “We may well win this yet.” He turned to the others. “Friends! All is not lost. Come!” He took the sack from Edge and held it. 

Then, in the vast stone cavern, Gorgoldand changed. Sparkles of magic danced in the air around him. His elderly human form rippled and distorted, and he grew, turning golden in color. Edge jumped back to avoid being squashed as the wizard transformed, growing ever larger. His neck elongated, his arms grew claws, and scales bubbled all over him. His wings folded behind his back, and Gorgoldand the dragon stood before them with orange eyes glowing like torches. He was, by far, the largest dragon any of them had ever seen… save for Dartan and Snooky, of course, who had seen him in his true form before. 

*I AM GORGOLDAND, MASTER OF DRAGONS, AND I SAY WE ARE NOT DONE. THE TIDES OF WAR ARE UPON US, BUT WE ARE NOT DROWNED. NOT YET! WE WILL FIGHT!!.* The Knights screamed their war cries and lifted their weapons. *CLIMB INTO MY ARMS, AND STEEL YOURSELVES. * They did as they were told, and Kizzlorn covered them with a protective magic shell. The immense dragon clutched them closely and turned his head upward. He blasted the cavern’s ceiling with magical fire, hotter than any blaze on all of Oerth. The ceiling’s stone melted almost immediately, or became so hot that it shattered to dust from the sudden energy. Then, the dragon coiled his legs and rocketed upwards, shearing through layers of the planet’s crust. He turned the sack upside down and allowed its contents to plummet down beneath them. Even through the crashing the dragon made through the stone, he heard what he had freed from the sack, screeching and fluttering. Bedrock, frozen ground, and soil alike were ripped through easily as the dragon breathed and burrowed upward. 

Suddenly, they flew up into the night sky above the Greyhawk countryside. The moon was large and yellow like old bone. Beneath them, dozens of dragons were shooting up from the hole they made. Dragons erupted from the ground like a geyser, and arced up into the air, screaming for freedom. Hundreds of dragons, now, of all different colors. Blue, white, silver, copper, green, black, orange, yellow, purple, steely-gray, and even a few large reds and golds. The dragons of Greyhawk, captured by Crow over the course of two decades, and held prisoner in a sack of mirrors as possible threats against the titans he was freeing all over the world tonight. 

None was so large as Gorgoldand. *BROTHERS!! *the great gold dragon cried. *HEAR ME! I KNOW YOU ARE CONFUSED. YOU HAVE SPENT TOO LONG IMPRISONED, AND NOW ARE FREE, THIRSTING FOR VENGEANCE AND FIRE. YOU SHALL HAVE IT! ALL OVER THE OERTH, AT THIS MOMENT, YOUR CAPTOR HAS RELEASED HUNDREDS OF TITANS. THURIAQ, HIMSELF, IS FREED.*

A large green spoke. *THURIAQ? THE TITANS? GOOD… THEY WILL CRUSH THE HUMANS AND RID US OF THE SQUEALING PINK THINGS THAT IMPRISONED US. I SAY LET THEM HAVE DONE.* Several dragons murmured agreement.

*NO, *Gorgoldand said. *ALL THE HUMANS ARE NOT TO BLAME FOR THE CRIMES OF ONE. THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE TRUE REVENGE ON YOUR CAPTOR IS TO UNDO HIS PLAN!*

A magenta dragon stroked his tendril-like whiskers. *WHAT WILL YOU DO, IF WE ARE TO DESTROY THE TITANS?*

*I WILL TAKE THE FIGHT TO THURIAQ HIMSELF. IF WE DO NOT FIGHT TONIGHT, MY FRIENDS, THE TITANS WILL GROW TOO POWERFUL FOR EVEN US. THEN, THEY WILL OVERRUN US, LEAVING THE ENTIRE WORLD DEAD IN ITS WAKE! I WILL NOT HAVE THIS, NOT HERE, IN THIS WORLD I LOVE! *The dragons growled together. *FLY, AND FIND THE TITANS. FIND THEM WHERE THEY RISE, AND FIGHT. THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE- GO! FLY! * Gorgoldand flapped his wings, rising before the moon. *TAKE BACK THE WORLD!! FLY!!! * 

Each dragon roared and flew. The dragons spread outward from the area at a demon’s pace to all the corners of the world. They spewed flame and lightning as they went, looking like shooting stars from the ground as they shot across the night sky. 

Gorgoldand himself turned east towards the city of Greyhawk. He put the Knights on his back, who clutched at his back-spines and felt the wind on their faces. 

Menerous turned to Menerous. “Pelor is good, brother!”

His brother laughed and they smashed fists together, agreeing. “Pelor is good!” 

On the horizon, something huge and black was moving across Greyhawk’s high skyline. Smoke and fire rose from its path. Gorgoldand flew harder, and the wind screamed past their ears as Greyhawk loomed larger. There, they looked upon Thuriaq, the horned demon-god thrown out of hell.  It was taller than any building it stood amidst, and its eyes shone pale yellow as it devoured and destroyed. 

Erasmus, floating high above the devastation with Crow and Metus, looked westward when his eye caught a glint of something. “What is that?”

Crow glanced up and his eyes flew wide. “No.” He screamed. “NO!!!”

The dragon in the distance screeched and bellowed fire as his wings pumped him on. The Knights of Spellforge Keep were riding Gorgoldand, ready for war, shouting oaths with their weapons held high.

_*MORE TO COME…*_


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 6, 2003)

GO KNIGHTS !!! 

Oh, and GO DOC !!!


Your story hour still rules them all, although (or maybe because) you DO tend to give your readers some VERY scarry moments.


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## Broccli_Head (Jun 6, 2003)

> The soul-beings. When we defeated Ashardalon. The glowing soul-beings came and gave us a gift. ‘Should you die… you will be reborn, immediately, at full strength




That's very funny!

Did you remember that, Doc, or did the player's remind you?


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## Ave Rage (Jun 6, 2003)

Wow.  

I just hope that now, with the aid of a Gold Dragon, they'll be able to atleast take down one of the three!  :/


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 6, 2003)

Me thinks that Gorgoldand will engage the Tarrasque - and leave the three badies to the knights.

Hopefully they were prepared...


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## Elemental (Jun 6, 2003)

Doc.....you da man.

Something else. When all the dragons were discussing their next move, I was half expecting Edge to go "Oh, hi mum / dad."


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## Lela (Jun 6, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *WOW !!! I can't believe that we all forgot about the free resurection stuff (especially you, Lela)  .
> *




Aw, NK, but you forget.  Remember the fateful page 23?

Here, I'll help:



			
				Lela said:
			
		

> *So Doc.  When's the next update? *




And Doc, I'm sure, being the wonderful guy you are, we'll be seeing stats for the Magenta dragon soon.

*Ducks with hands over head*


And Doc, you being a Buffy Master and all, I've got a question.  Is the term BBEG a Buffy reference?


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## Felix (Jun 7, 2003)

Daaayum

It's nice to come back from vacation and see a big fat Doc M update staring back at you. Only, I wish I hadn't opened that other page to the last post and saw: "Ewww, TPK, pretty nasty Doc" before I read the update. Heh.


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## Breakstone (Jun 7, 2003)

Wow... page nine...

This has been a great trip, Doc, and I'm looking forward to the end as much as I enjoyed the travel. There've been moments when I thought it was over- Dartan killing the baker, the white dragon defeating the original knights, and this latest total party kill... but I'm glad all of you have persisted.

It's been a great story so far, Doc, and I'm sure the ending will outshine it all...


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## fenzer (Jun 8, 2003)

I'll add my name to the list of readers who forgot about the free resurrections.  Nothing like a little insurance to help you save the day.  

Great writeup Doc.  What a sight to behold!


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## Nail (Jun 9, 2003)

It's the 3.5e Tarrasque, right?  Otherwise it's meat.


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## Breakstone (Jun 9, 2003)

> It's the 3.5e Tarrasque, right? Otherwise it's meat.




Just remember guys, this isn't just a Tarrasque, it's Thuriaq the Titan King, Destroyer of Words.

And this isn't just a re-telling of a game with rules and and rolling... this is a story hour...


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 9, 2003)

Tsunami said:
			
		

> Thuriaq the Titan King, Destroyer of * Words.*



Damn Thuriaq, leave them words alone 


Yeah, and Gorgoldand mentioned it is an *Elder* Tarrasque...


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## Darklone (Jun 9, 2003)

Prolly a tarrasque with epic class levels and some more nifties...

MEEPO MEEPO MEEPO!


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## wolff96 (Jun 9, 2003)

Keep in mind, too, that the Tarrasque is one of the few (the only?) monster in the MM that doesn't have a cap on HD advancement.

How far do you want your Tarrasque to go today?


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## Breakstone (Jun 9, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> Damn Thuriaq, leave them words alone
> 
> *




Just one of the many words Thuriaq has destroyed!


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## Mathew_Freeman (Jun 11, 2003)

Still enjoying this hugely, Doc. 

And honestly, please, please, please finish it soon!


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 14, 2003)

Damn, this thread belongs to page 1 !!!

Hurry, Doc, I don't know how long we can bump this for...

_* bump *_


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## Nail (Jun 17, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *...I don't know how long we can bump this for...
> *



For quite awhile, I imagine.......


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## Dr Midnight (Jun 18, 2003)

Hi all-
Sorry again about the delays. This week you can blame Buffy Season 4, which has been sucking down my free time like nothing else.

I will try to get it done soon, depending on when Buffy releases me from her delicous episodes. Sooooo goooooood. 

Hang in there, anyone who's still out there!


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## Gumby (Jun 18, 2003)

*T-T-TRIPLE POST!*


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## Gumby (Jun 18, 2003)

*T-T-TRIPLE POST!*


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## Grim (Jun 18, 2003)

*D-D-DOUBLE POST!*


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 18, 2003)

OK, Doc. Feel free to buffy yourself up for the last chapter. Thank god there are only so many episodes...


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## Talix (Jun 18, 2003)

Yay!    Man, am I glad it didn't end with TPK - the end of the Knights of the Silver Quill was depressing enough already!  

Hopefully the Knights will use actual... what's that word again?... oh yeah, TACTICS!!!


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## Dursk Starkfire (Jun 20, 2003)

Hey Doc,
not to send pesty, but wow, this is taking a long time. perhapds we could get some HeroClix outcomes to tide us over?
Not even Wee Jas around to poke and prod the Buffy out of him.


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## JDragon (Jun 20, 2003)

Ok, good I didn't miss anything.. thought I had lost you for a little while there.  

Keep up the good work Doc.

JDragon


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## Dr Midnight (Jun 20, 2003)

I plan to write tomorrow. I'd be writing now, yes I DO have the time this instant, but it's just too nice outside. Tomorrow it rains... tomorrow I write. Hopefully I'll finish everything up in one last go.


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## fenzer (Jun 20, 2003)

Excellent.


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## Lela (Jun 20, 2003)

fenzer said:
			
		

> *Excellent. *




What he said.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 21, 2003)

Hubba, hubba


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 21, 2003)

_* lurk, lurk *_

Oh, nothing here yet...

_* bump *_


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## Celtavian (Jun 22, 2003)

*re*

Doc,

Where is the update? You're killing me making me wait this long to find out what happens. For the love of Pelor, please update.


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## Dr Midnight (Jun 22, 2003)

The Knights flew up off of Gorgoldand, spreading out through the air. The dragon pumped his wings harder. Menerous and Kizzlorn cast a number of protective spells. Crow, Metus and Erasmus readied themselves… Erasmus drew his bow and nocked an arrow. Metus unsheathed his vorpal sword and Crow readied his new sword, the one he’d taken from the dog-faced Pelor follower. It was powerful, he felt- but he also felt that it did not want to work for him. “Your sun god has no power here, and you are a piece of steel. It is night in Crow’s world, and no god can stop me.” He felt the sword’s will to disobey weaken somewhat, and he gripped it readily. “Good. Now work for me, or I’ll throw you to Thuriaq as another thing to be eaten.”

The rushing of wind around Gorgoldand’s wings was like the tearing of a distant peal of thunder. The Tarrasque looked at him from his place amongst the ruined buildings and smoke, and roared. It raised its arms and clawed at the air, an invitation to fight. Its scream was a titanic bellow: deep, long and feral. Gorgoldand roared back, and it was the deep, keening, echoed cry of a king of dragons. 

Gorgoldand smashed into Thuriaq and the two colossal beasts tumbled down amongst the smashed buildings, tearing at each other and screaming their hatred. The sound of their collision shook the air- everyone for miles around felt their chests tremble from the enormous boom. 

Crow shot a red beam of burning light through the air towards Kizzlorn, who met it with a pale green beam of her own. The two wizards concentrated, each trying to push the other’s beam back. Kizzlorn’s face twisted as she maintained the effort. Crow pushed hard, and she barely had time to dodge as the beam won past hers and almost burned her. She flew around and readied for another attack. Edge, nearby, said “Keep him distracted!”

Erasmus began firing arrows at a blinding speed. Dartan and Broldek were flying straight for him. The arrows shattered in the air before their faces. A spell had given them a forward-facing invisible shield, it seemed. Not an uncommon practice against archers. “Can most archers do this, though?” Crow wondered aloud with a smile. He pulled a special arrow from his quiver and sent it flying. It flew far around the air, darting up and over them. It came down at Dartan, who spun in the air and cracked it from its flight with his sword. 

Myramus and Menerous shouted prayers as they rocketed toward Captain Metus, the death knight. They overcame the waves of fear rolling off of him, and Menerous attempted to crush him with the holy might of Pelor. Metus’s armor crumpled briefly before the spell failed. The beast surprised them by flying towards them, meeting them in the air as they tried to cast. His vorpal sword cut the air beneath their chins as they staggered back. “Brother, we may have chosen the wrong opponent,” Menerous said. “We are not well-armed.” He pulled out his longsword, which was not as powerful as Metus’s, which would sever their heads easily, or Myramus’s, which was in Crow’s hand right now. He tried to meet Metus’s attacks. 

“Brother,” Myramus replied. “We couldn’t have chosen a better opponent. He is undead.” The hound archon flew back and called down a blessing to turn Metus into dust. White light burned around the death knight, and he grunted in pain but kept fighting. The light glinted off the wickedly sharp edge of his sword. 

Menerous was never much of a swordsman. He knew that if he kept at this, he could not last long. Metus, however, was quite skilled with his weapon. “DO think of something else, brother!” 

On the ground, the Tarrasque and the gold dragon rolled to their feet and rose. They stood of the same height, on hind legs, several hundred feet tall. They towered over the high rooftops of the city of Greyhawk. The fires lit them from below, and they growled at each other, ready to fight. Thuriaq opened its mouth and blew out a line of fire so hot it was bright blue. It washed over Gorgoldand, who was immune to its heat. Gorgoldand responded by breathing a cloud of gas out over the thing. The Tarrasque roared. It wasn’t hurt by the poisonous cloud, but it was blinded. Gorgoldand lifted an abandoned building from the ground and brought it down over Thuriaq’s head with as much force as he could. The stone shattered and the building crumbled around the dread titan, who roared again and lashed out with its right claw, bashing the right side of Gorgoldand’s head. 

Crow fired a volley of tiny, burning bees. They screamed en masse as they swarmed through the air toward Kizzlorn. Her hands leapt up as if to ward them off, but they cut into her, burning horribly. She cried out. “Such a delicious sound,” Crow laughed. “I enjoyed watching you break once. I’ll enjoy it again.”

Kizzlorn’s face darkened and she bared her teeth at the mention of her recent death, and how she’d begged him to end it. It was her worst moment. Enraged, she began casting. The air around her swelled and rippled with brightly twirling orange ribbons of light. They twirled geometrically and curled into a ball, that pulsed and grew. Crow furrowed his brow. What was this spell she was casting? He knew almost every powerful spell that ever had been, and this one was puzzling him. He watched in detached amusement, then shouted in pain when his back spasmed violently. 

Edge had flown far around, circling behind him, while Kizzlorn held his attention. Kizzlorn’s spell vanished. It was something she’d learned in her first months of sorcery… a simple illusion. “You’ve been powerful too long, Crow,” she chuckled. “You’ve forgotten the roots of your stolen wizardry.” 

Edge had plunged a small dagger into a cluster of nerves in Crow’s back, and now was punching and kicking violently. The wizard turned, and Starfire swooshed through the air. Edge ducked beneath it and flew back. “Vile creature,” Crow hissed. He held up his hand and commanded the ring he wore to cripple the dragon half of Edge once again. Nothing happened… his ring was gone. He cursed in dismay. Edge, flying back, held the ring up and smiled. 

Kizzlorn had used this opportunity to come up behind Crow. She placed her hand on his head a spell went off. Crow screamed in pain as his brain tried to boil. 

Erasmus was flying backwards in looping patterns, easily outdistancing Dartan and Broldek. The vampire was firing arrows at them as they spread out. A fire arrow struck Broldek’s invisible shield and exploded around him, washing him in fire. Arrows of light blinded Dartan, and arrows of cold froze him. None of his arrows, however, actually struck the Knights. They were too well prepared for that. They could not reach him, though… he was firing as he flew, and neither Dartan nor Broldek could seem to catch him. “What’s the matter,” Erasmus laughed. He spoke in the voice he’d used when speaking through Bree’s skull, and it was a perfect imitation of the Bree Dartan had known in life. “Grieving for your poor dead wife again, Dartan?”

“We are losing,” Broldek grunted as another fire arrow bathed him in searing heat momentarily. 

“We are NOT losing,” Dartan said with a grim voice. “We just need for him to slip up once. We only need to catch up to him.” They kept at it. 

Metus’s vorpal sword whickered and cut through the air, ringing off of Menerous’s sword and armor as he tried to fly back. Myramus prepared another blessing, and this time a far more powerful spell lit the death knight aflame. “Feel the holy word of Pelor, fiend!” Metus hissed as he felt divine might commanding him to return to the plane of Death. He shuddered, then broke free of it and swung again with his sword. It cut through Menerous’s arm, and it fell, sword and all, to the burning streets below them. 

Menerous screamed from the pain. “Take heart, brother! The battle is not done yet!” Myramus urged. “Keep flying, keep dodging, keep praying!” 

Thuriaq bulled into Gorgoldand with its claws and fangs flashing. The two battled violently, each roaring and trying to rip the other’s throat out. The gold dragon’s tail whipped upward and wrapped around the Tarrasque’s neck, then flung him aside. The beast smashed several buildings into dust as he landed. The dust rose up and further clouded the air. Gorgoldand thundered forward, determined to end it while the titan was down. A huge clawed hand shot from the cloud of dust and gripped Gorgoldand’s throat. Another hand shot out and struck him so hard that one of his gilded horns broke free and flew away from the force of the blow. Gorgoldand reeled, stunned. The Tarrasque rose fully from the street and bellowed as it lifted the dragon into the air above its head. He hurled the dragon down, and Gorgoldand smashed head first into the warehouse district. He rolled through it, turning buildings to powder as he went, and gasping in pain. His wings twitched. Thuriaq beat its chest, threw its head back, and roared proudly.

Crow turned and bashed Kizzlorn away with a stone fist. Smoke rose from his black hair, and his eyes were dark with ache, but he was alive and very, very angry. Kizzlorn looked up to see him cast a spell. Black tendrils of smoke shot from his hand and thickened into tentacles. They wrapped about her cruelly, squeezing and crushing. She grunted as the breath went from her. 

Edge shouted and returned to rescue her, but Crow was ready this time and with his other hand still clutching Starfire, cast backwards. Chains curled around Edge and held him. They wrapped about him so many times that his head and feet were covered, and he became a floating sphere of iron chain, suffocating him and weighing him down. “That should keep you busy,” Crow muttered as a thin line of blood drew down from one nostril. “Now for you, my dear… time to kill you again.” He raised Starfire up and grinned. The black tentacles crushed her horribly, and the breath went from her. She grunted and choked. “Would you like to beg me to end it all, once more? I’ll make it quick if you do.”

Kizzlorn used all her strength to pull in a breath. “No,” she shuddered. “Never again.” Her eyes blazed with defiance. 

Crow shrugged. “Pity.” He brought the sword down at her- and it stopped in midair, inches above her face. “Ehh?” He reached back and swung again, harder, and again it stopped. The sword’s will was acting against his own. Crow’s face twisted with rage. “I warned you about disobedience! Curse you. Well, I don’t need you to kill her! THURIAQ, A TREAT!” He hurled Starfire through the air. 

The Tarrasque opened its jaws greedily as the sword flew towards it. It had eaten many weapons and sharp things in the dark millennia it had been alive, and never enjoyed them so much as when they were holy or meant something special to someone. Starfire spun in the air towards Thuriaq’s maw. 

Myramus, watching, held his hand up and moved it slightly upward, watching his sword.

The jaws readied to clamp shut about Starfire and smash it to pieces- and it turned in the air, altering its path. _THWUCK!!_ It plunged between Thuriaq’s eyes, buried to the hilt in the center of the Tarrasque’s knotted forehead. White light shone from the wound in bright rays, and a great line of lightning came down from the sky into the sword. Thuriaq screamed as the lightning and the sword pierced its mind and body, wracking it with holy power. 

Myramus flew straight towards the beast and ripped Starfire free. He held it above his head, feeling its power as it was returned to its master. _”STARFIRE!!!”_ he cried. The sword blazed. The holy light of the sun radiated from it, and blinding daylight filled the world around them. “Now, the battle is turned! NOW, WE SHALL WIN THE DAY!!”

Erasmus screamed in pain as sunlight washed over him. He dropped his weapons and flung his hands up to ward off the hateful light. In this moment, Dartan and Broldek caught up with the disoriented vampire. “Die.” Dartan shouted through clenched teeth. Broldek cut Erasmus’s right arm away, then his left arm. Dartan reared back. “Die DIE *DIIIIE!!!!*” He put his sword through the vampire’s neck, and body and head floated in midair for a moment, before tumbling down to the ground and wisping away to dust in the sunlight. 

Crow’s jaw hung open. Kizzlorn closed it for him when her fist shot from the mass of tentacles and punched him in it. The distracted wizard fell back, and the tentacles released Kizzlorn. She flew up, clutching her ribs with one hand and readying a spell with the other. The corners of her mouth were bloodied, and her eyes were filled with fire. 

The Tarrasque was still scraping at the wound in its head that was not closing and groaning in pain when Gorgoldand stood. The dragon ran forward and began to tear savagely at the titan with tooth and claw. Thuriaq growled and forgot its injury, rejoining the fight. The beasts’ claws ripped at each other and their blood rained on the ground from above. 

Myramus flew toward Metus with Starfire in his hands. The death knight met him and their swords threw sparks in the air as they clashed. Metus began to glow darkly, and an aura of unholy fire enveloped them both. Myramus grunted and bulled on, barely able to see the oncoming sword through the pain, barely blocking its cut each time. A hand reached down from above. The forgotten Menerous plunged two fingers into the empty eye sockets of the death knight, gripped, and pulled upward. Metus’s head was turned upward. The death knight’s jaws opened and hissed before Starfire sheared through his neck’s bones and dried tendons. Myramus then whirled his sword back, spun it, and plunged it into Metus’s chest. “UNCLEAN BEAST, I GIVE YOU TO THE LIGHT!” This time, the holy word of Pelor blasted through Metus and turned his undead bones to ash. The empty armor that Vek Mormont had once worn slipped from the end of Myramus’s sword and fell to the ground, hundreds of feet below. It disappeared into the smoke and flames. 

Crow was enraged. He blasted Kizzlorn with a gout of searing flame. She held a hand up and the fire parted around her, singing her somewhat but not killing her as it would have otherwise. The wizard turned to fly away and found Broldek coming up on him. 

“Hello,” Broldek said as he slashed at Crow’s face. Crow managed to pull back, but not far enough. The sword opened a deep gash in his right cheek. The troll swung again, and cut a deep wound in Crow’s belly. The wizard threw up his hands reflexively and acid washed over his attacker. It plumed from Crow’s hands in a cloud, and Broldek cried out, falling back as the gas ate away at him. 

Something flew straight up at Crow from beneath. It was Edge, who’d managed to get free of the chains. He was holding a length of the chain, and he smashed Crow with a wicked uppercut. Edge then whipped the chain around Crow’s neck, where it coiled and held. Edge spun closely and bashed his face with a fist, holding the end of the chain with his other hand. The half-dragon monk breathed on his end of the chain, and a line of lightning leapt into the iron, traveling the distance to Crow, who twitched as the electricity washed through him. Edge readied himself to punch again, and Crow cast his hands outward, and the chain exploded. Links of hot iron burst all about him, pelting the halfling viciously. Edge was thrown back in pain. 

Crow turned and Dartan plunged his sword through his gut. Dartan pulled it out and kicked Crow in the face, downward. The wizard fell. 

Gorgoldand leaned back, dodging a swipe of Thuriaq’s talons. He then leaned forward, turned his head, and plunged it under the Tarrasque’s chin, into his armored throat. The dragon’s teeth crunched down, piercing scales and thickened skin. He then whipped back his head, ripping the titan’s throat out. He spat it to the ground as Thuriaq clawed at his throat. The wound was already closing. Gorgoldand stepped forward and plunged both claws into the Tarrasque’s chest while it was distracted. Roaring, Gorgoldand spread his arms, and Thuriaq was ripped in half. Its two halves fell apart. 

* “I WISH,”* Gorgoldand said, * “THAT YOU BE DESTROYED.”* The _Wish_ spell glimmered as the dragon spoke the words, and Thuriaq the Dread Titan died. His wet pieces shriveled on the ground, twitched, and were consumed in a quick blaze of ugly yellow flame. 

On the ground, Crow was kneeling, trying to keep his insides from spilling out onto the ash-blackened cobblestones. He was covered in blood and cuts. Dartan’s wound had almost killed him, and the fall had almost finished the job. His head swam with the pain as he tried to think of a way to escape. 

The Knights descended from the sky, slowly, to stand around him at a distance. Dartan walked forward with his bloodied sword. “Ha,” Crow coughed. “Come to do it, then? Let’s have it.” He spat out a mouthful of blood and grinned up at Dartan. “I’ve always wanted to see the Abyss.”

Dartan stood there, looking down at him.

“Do it,” Crow grimaced. “Make your empty victory speech and do it, coward.”

“I would,” Dartan said. “But you’re not my kill.” He stepped aside and looked back, gesturing to Crow. 

Kizzlorn nodded and limped forward. She stopped and leaned over to pick something from the rubble. It was the sword that had fallen from Metus’s hand. She walked forward again. Menerous stepped forward and touched her sword, mumbling a prayer. He winked at her, smiling, and watched her approach Crow. 

Crow chuckled and coughed. He began to speak a final taunt. “Well, w-“

Kizzlorn interrupted him. “This is for my family, you son of a bitch.” She cut his head off. 

She looked down at the body, spat on it, and dropped the sword. She turned and took two steps, stumbled, and fell to her knees. Edge went to her and held her. She sobbed silently into his chest as the Knights stood around them. 

The flames burned in Greyhawk and the smoke reached up to the heavens.


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## Olgar Shiverstone (Jun 22, 2003)

Nice.

Needs a "The End" ... or is there an Epilogue?


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## Dr Midnight (Jun 22, 2003)

There is an epilogue... I just thought MORE TO COME... would be misleading.


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## fenzer (Jun 22, 2003)

Great finale Doc.  Nicely done.


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## Lela (Jun 22, 2003)

I am deeply moved here.  Wow.

Very well done Doc.  Very Epic.

And Kizz, that rocked.  No mercy whatsoever.  He dies and is killed by she whom he most wronged.


Knights of the Spellforge Keep, may your names live on in the legends you truely earned.  And, with the darkness beaten back again, may your coming years be filled with peace and miner mopping up.

And now I await the final tail of Dartan the Godless, he who, in spite of relying solely on mortals, has pulled through every trial, evert battle, and every storm intact.  What, dear friend, great savior, and mighty warriar is your fate?


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 22, 2003)

> The two wizards concentrated, each trying to push the other’s beam back.



A little dragonballesque, but I like it  




> "THURIAQ, A TREAT!” He hurled Starfire through the air.



He dunnit himself, the stupid wizard!!! 


Nice ending, Doc, nice. Now that the positive outcome has been confirmed, it's time for a really kinky epilogue. 

Thanks for your story!  And the question we are all asking ourselves: Will there be a happy ending for Dartan - for tragic heros, there almost never is...


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## Elemental (Jun 22, 2003)

Bravo. That Vorpal Sword has sure changed hands several times, hasn't it?

I've always had a strange fondness for this campaign. Not despite the many fatalities, the dysfunctional relationships or the odd veer into nonheroic behaviour, but because of that. The characters feel authentic, and there's a nice underlying tension from the 'safety' being off that fiction often lacks.

I joined this roundabout Temple of Elemental Evil time, and it was a jolt to see half the party get wiped out in the first few pages. It would be easy to lose any sense of continuity or story with as many fatalities, but the plot somehow twists to incorporate things like the RtToEE bloodbath. Kudos to Doc for working things like Jamison going evil, and the White Dragon into the plot, and coming up with new and interesting sidetracks off of that.

It's been a long trek. Thanks for to the players for producing such an interesting game, and thanks to Doc for telling us all about it in fine style.


And for the record, my favourite moments. The bits that I'd put in a trailer for this story:

10: Vek's self-restoration after being disintegrated.

9: Dartan turning up again as the wild, crazy man of the woods.

8: Metus decapitating himself. Critical misses, don't you hate them?

7: The conversation between Accessiwal and Vek. "Lich." "Wyrm."

6: Dartan rejoining the group. "Still godless?" "Still godless."

5: Accessiwal's revelation about Jamison's past.

4: Gryph turning on the party, and Jamison's subsequent shattering of the mirror. In a few paragraphs, everything goes topsy-turvy.

3: Defeating the T-Rexes by sending a horde of lions in for them to eat. There's that wonderful streak of adventuring realpolitik.

2: Vek's destruction at the hands of his goddess.

1: The group resurrection after getting trashed by Crow and his undead henchmen--a real hand-to-forehead moment. I wasn't the only one to forget about those.


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## Felix (Jun 22, 2003)

> NWK
> A little dragonballesque, but I like it



I was thinking more like Big Trouble in Little China, but yeah, I like it too. 

Doc, well done. Very well done. I'd shake your hand if I could.


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## Breakstone (Jun 22, 2003)

...

...

whoa...

...


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## Ave Rage (Jun 22, 2003)

How can a single item be so deadly?  Arn't there spells that can block a vorpal weapon?  Maybe one that allows a body to reconnect like the blood demon from the movie Blade?

How did starfire spin around and plunge in on it's own?  Did it roll a critical or was that part just story telling?

Makes me want to see a video of the group playing with all the table side comments and dice rolling.

I can't decide which is more thrilling:

The jaws readied to clamp shut about Starfire and smash it to pieces- and it turned in the air, altering its path. THWUCK!! It plunged between Thuriaq’s eyes, buried to the hilt in the center of the Tarrasque’s knotted forehead.

or

Player1: I make the sword head between his eyes!
GM: roll for it
Player1: *roll* 20!
other players: Allright!
GM: roll again
Player1: *roll* Confirmed!
other players: yes!


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## Olgar Shiverstone (Jun 22, 2003)

I, too, would love to have seen some of these epic fights from tableside.  Lots of stuff going on, especially in these high level fights -- we could learn a lot of good DM technique from Doc.


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## Celtavian (Jun 23, 2003)

*Re*

Great ending Doc. This is the story I follow the most on these boards and you wrapped it up nicely. You have your own story telling style, and it is definitely entertaining.

Great job. I can't wait to see the epilogue.


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## Darklone (Jun 23, 2003)

*Applause!*

Wanna see the epilogue too with Dartan watching the ocean from a little hut and throwing his sword ... Uhm, wrong movie.


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## Elemental (Jun 23, 2003)

Ave Rage said:
			
		

> *How can a single item be so deadly?  Arn't there spells that can block a vorpal weapon?  Maybe one that allows a body to reconnect like the blood demon from the movie Blade?
> 
> *




For a +5 ability, I'd be disappointed if it wasn't deadly. As for countermeasures, you could make yourself immune to critical hits (invest in Armour of Medium or Heavy Fortification) or be a plant, undead or construct. Don't quote me on this, but I think Damage Reduction that completely negates the damage or Regeneration would be effective against it's effect, too.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 23, 2003)

OK, inspired by Elemental's Top Ten, here are mine:

1. Dartan surviving it all.
2. The Knights fighting with safety off! (Kings Games).
3. The Knights come back to life, after having been slaughtered by Crow. (End Game)
4. Vek dies at the hand of his goddess. (Bastion of Broken Souls)
5. Jamison and Erasmus turn evil and kill half the party (especially poor Hannah). (RttToEE)
6. Jamison comes back without a memory. (Party reunion)
7. Dekker loses Bree and joins her in the end (RttToEE)
8. Vek kept Kyla as a skeleton and Kizzlorn finds out. (Glacier Season)
9. Gryph (as a red dragon) listening: Flap, flap and finding a real red dragon crashing down on him and later turning slave to a bee. (Forgot name of funny module)
10. Edge & party rob a helpless dwarf in his sleep and refuse to give back the gems. (Glacier Season)


This is just based on the fun I had reading, the suspense, the surprise and, yes, the kinky stuff.


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## Ave Rage (Jun 27, 2003)

"Dartan flew down, readying his sword for the fateful blow. He looked down at his dwarven friend and swung. The sword's hilt had taken frost from the dragon's attacks, and it flew from his grasp. "No," he said as he watched it spin away through the air. It thunked into the ice wall fifty feet away. "NO!!!" He moved for it. Without his sword, Dartan the Godless was just another civilian with a surly attitude. "

That has to be my favorite moment.  All of his effort and he couldn't even save a friend when all he needed was a finger.  Shows how no matter how much training, hard work, spirit you have sometimes fate works against you in the cruelest way.  This may or may not have something to do with my paladin being killed by a 'slay living' spell X(


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## Dr Midnight (Jun 27, 2003)

Posting the conclusion, the very end, in a few minutes.


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## Dr Midnight (Jun 27, 2003)

*EPILOGUE*

All over the world, titans were fighting and dying. 

In the Lendore Isles, near the breaking waters of Spindrift Sound, the Order of Valor were fighting the Sodded Lord-  an enormous mountain made of mouths released from its prison. The Order had taken one death so far, but otherwise morale remained strong and in the end the intervention of Merdinach the black dragon helped to win the day. The Unearthed One died screaming as it sank back into the dark waters of Spindrift. Raelin and Kyler, Blaze and Nova all  raised their weapons and screamed victory to Pelor. 

Far beyond the boundaries of the vast Sultanate of Zeif, Onkgrgm the Sky-Eater was destroyed. The silver dragon Halaezes had arrived in time to rescue The Piercing Eye, the adventurers fighting the titan. The great stone creature collapsed into dust and a vast pile of rock that shook the earth. Chin Pak Meadowsong, the party’s half-elf leader, thanked Halaezes with deep bows and many thanks. It was in this way that the two began their lifelong friendship. 

In to the north of the continent, in the Forlorn Forest, Perysion the Ululating Horror fought and died against the White Sword. Figfim the Enchanter lay dead on the ground, and Mallick Hucrele had thought all was lost when Aisszh the Green swooped down into his home of old and turned the tide. Runhilde the dwarf had regained her spirits at the new ally’s coming and bellowed a cry to Moradin as she attacked with renewed vigor. When Perysion was destroyed, Mallick attempted to thank him. The green dragon glared at him and flew up into the sky. 

Everywhere on Oerth, the sky was red with fire and combat. Hell and Heaven were at war on the plane of man. Titan fought man, man was joined by dragon, and man and dragon beat back the titan in almost every battle.  The sound rumbled in the air, carried by the clouds. 

Nowhere on Oerth was the din of war not heard. When the war was done, just before morning, nowhere on Oerth were the cries and shouts of celebration unfelt. 

*21st of Suns’ebb*

“Are you sure you have to go?”

 “Yes. We’ve been too long here in the world of the living. It’s time for us to return to the Shining One’s side.”

Spellforge Keep was a very happy place. The Knights had been feasted and toasted every night since the Eve of Ruin, as it came to be known. They’d relaxed and healed their wounds. Never had any of them felt as at ease… even Dartan was seen more often smiling than not, with a twinkling eye that suggested a taste for merriment and mirth he’d seldom known. 

Kizzlorn had dreaded this day. She’d known that as soon as one of the party announced they were departing, the others would soon follow. Indeed, the Maximus brothers’ intentions to leave had triggered a round of sighing and agreement, followed by somber packing. Kizz didn’t want her friends to leave. She would have Nanny, Grumbar, Meepo and Horacio, of course, but without the castle filled and buzzing with activity, she didn’t know what she’d do with herself. 

“I wish you’d stay a bit longer.” She folded her arms sadly.

Menerous smiled. “I know. We would, if we could. Rest assured we shall feast endless days in Heaven, when you arrive.”

“Provided you begin worshiping the right god,” Myramus added. Menerous shushed him and punched him in the arm. 

The Knights all walked outside in the sunshine, and around to the back, near the large willow tree and the graves of the other Knights. The Maximus brothers’ wings unfolded from their backs and let the sun warm them. 

“It was nice meeting you,” Broldek said with a kind grin. 

“Likewise,” Myramus said. They shook hands. “I must say, you really are a great representative of your people. You don’t hold up to the stereotypes at all.”

“Well… I do hold up to a few. For example, I’m going to use my wish to create an enormous bridge to live under. It’ll really be more of a castle than a bridge, but still, it’ll be very bridg-ey.”

“Ahh. Well, enjoy it- you’ve earned it. You all have.”

On winning the battle of the Eve of Ruin, Myramus’s eyes had gone white and he spoke with the voice of Pelor. In a deep and booming tenor he’d thanked them for saving his world, and in turn granted Kizzlorn, Edge, Dartan and Broldek one wish each- to be used in the interest of good, of course. These wishes were not the small things that could be done with spells… these were true wishes. With a  true wish, you could bring almost anything imaginable to the world. With a true wish, you had a miracle at your command. The Knights had discussed over many a late-night tabletop just what they would use their wishes for. No one had really decided… save for Broldek, who loved the idea of his bridge. 

Dartan approached Menerous. “May I speak with you?”

“Of course, Dartan.”

Dartan led the angel beneath the willow tree, away from the ears of the others. The Godless looked slightly nervous. “I wanted to ask you something,” he said. “Before you go.”

“Yes?”

“Bree said… I mean, Erasmus speaking as Bree… said many things that rang true with me. About Pelor. About Pelor using his followers as pawns and abandoning them when they died. About my wife being a shell in the ground and no more. I just want to hear from you- is this true?”

Menerous wrinkled his brow. “You sound like you’ll believe it, whether or not I tell you what you want to hear.”  Dartan was silent at this. Menerous sensed in him a black confusion. “Dartan, faith isn’t something you can be told about. You can’t believe in a god’s love because you were told it exists. Faith is a blind thing. You have to know it in your heart. You have to let Pelor in, sight unseen.”

“I did that,” Dartan replied coldly. “In the Gauntlet. I despaired and asked Pelor to save me in a moment of desperation. You know what happened?”

“Nothing.”

Dartan blinked. “That’s right. How… why would you say I should let Pelor in, when you know that I felt nothing at all on asking for his salvation?”

Menerous said “Because you didn’t truly believe. That wasn’t faith. That was as you said it was- despair in a moment of desperation. To find the blinding glory, you have to _believe_, and that’s more than just reciting some words as a means to be certain of a kind afterlife. Faith is a leap. You can’t leave one foot on the ledge.”

Dartan looked to the horizon, thinking. “So. My wife…”

“Is awaiting your return to her, in due time, in the infinite goodness of Heaven.” He paused. “This is just what I tell you, however… you won’t know for yourself. Not in this lifetime. You have to either wholly believe, or continue disbelieving. The choice is yours and nothing I say can help you.”

“Brother,” Myramus called. “The time has come, let us fly!”

Menerous saw Dartan’s pensive expression, and smiled at him. He clapped a hand on Dartan’s armored shoulder. “Well, I must leave you now. Please take my words to heart, and weigh them carefully.”

Dartan looked up at him and nodded. “I will. Thank you.”

Myramus and Menerous Maximus began to fly back up into the sky towards the heavens. “Take care, mortals,” Myramus shouted happily. “If your way should go darkly, or the dread forces of the Abyss rise once again, just call to the sky above and you once again may survive thanks to…”

“Menerous,” Menerous yelled.

“And Myramus,” Myramus added.

“MAXIMUS!!!” The two celestial brothers bashed their fists together, and were lost in a ray of sunlight, then gone from sight. The sound of their cry echoed off of the Kron hills, some miles away, rolling through the green land of Verbobonc. 

Broldek shielded his eyes as he stared upward, shaking his head. “They certainly do love their dramatics.” 

“That they do,” Kizzlorn agreed. 

The troll hugged her and lifted her up, where she laughed and kicked and begged to be put down. “Gotta go. Things to do, bridges to wish into existence, you know?” He winked and lowered her gently. 

“Thanks for everything, Broldek. You know you’re always welcome here.”

“I’ll visit often. I promise. Dartan, Edge… I’ll miss you too of course. Don’t be strangers.”

The troll shook hands with the halfling. Edge smiled up at him. “I won’t miss feeling this short.”

“Ha ha… Well,  you could use your wish and get yourself a pair of stilts or something.” The two chuckled. Broldek turned and shook hands with Dartan. “It’s been great fighting with you. You swing one mean longsword.”

Dartan smirked. “Thanks. It’s been a pleasure swinging swords at your side.”

“We’ll do it again someday,” Broldek said. He turned. “Well, I’m going to say goodbye to the boys in the kitchen, and I’m off. Fare thee well.”

“Good travels,” Kizzlorn said as she waved. Broldek walked away, leaving Dartan, Edge and Kizzlorn on the lawn of Spellforge Keep. 

Edge sighed. “Well. I guess I’m next.” He looked up at Kizzlorn, and she saw the trembling in his eyes. She didn’t like what it might mean. The halfling had strong feelings for her- this had always been apparent. What he might say now could only lead to an awkward parting. Kizzlorn had decided long ago that she did not and could not love Edge as anything more than a brother. He cleared his throat. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. What was the significance of the sword?”

“The sword?”

“The sword you killed Crow with. You picked it up out of the rubble, when there could have been any number of ways to do him in. Just something I’ve been wondering.” He’d had a suspicion, but he wanted to hear her say it. 

“That. That sword belonged to someone… Someone I loved. He died just before you came to us. It was very hard on me, and taking his sword back from our enemies was almost like having him there.”

“I see.” The halfling shuffled his feet, and Dartan said nothing. “Why… uh… if he’s dead, why don’t you bring him back? You have the power, certainly. I mean. If you’d want to.”

“I wanted to, of course. He turned it down from beyond. He’d died many times, and the effort of returning had weakened him horribly. That last time, he would have been so weak… he didn’t want to return as half a man.” 

Edge looked down. He mumbled into his chest. “No, who would want to be half a man.”

Kizzlorn stammered and turned red. “I… Oh, Edge, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know.” He shifted his weight, looking uncomfortable. “Uh, look, I’d better go. Unless you can give me a reason to stay.” He looked up, and in his eyes was a question. Kizzlorn looked back, and as gently as possible, she let her eyes tell him no. He nodded and took a deep breath. “Dartan,” 

“Edge.” The two shook hands, and the halfling turned and walked away, towards the main road out of town. 

Kizzlorn watched him go. She felt so cruel, so small. She couldn’t bring herself to make him happy, though she knew he’d pledge his life to her. Her heart wasn’t in any of it. Often, she dreamed of Shade, and the brilliant eyes that had seemed to smile at her so many times in the midst of the darkest troubles. 

Dartan said “It’s a shame that you can’t give him what he wants. Poor little fighter…”

Kizzlorn’s eyes widened. “Of course,” she said. “Why can’t I?” She closed her eyes and mouthed her wish to Pelor. 

Dartan stared at her, confused. “What did you do?” 

She sighed. It was done. “I’ve made another me. A twin, almost. A me. For him. One that will love him. One that does already. He can be happy, Dartan.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Dartan was visibly touched with the act of generosity on Kizzlorn’s part… and touched isn’t an emotion that Dartan the Godless ever really displayed unless the circumstances were truly incredible. “A twin of you… to love and be loved by him. Amazing.”

“Well… ALMOST a twin, I said.” She smiled and winked. “She’s a halfling.”

Dartan laughed then, and she joined him. The two laughed long and hard. When Dartan straightened, he hugged her. “It’s been good, Kizz.”

“Really good. Please come anytime.” 

“I will. For now, though, I want to see my sons, and more of the world. I’ve stayed in one place for too long.”

“Give my brothers my love.”

“Count on it. Goodbye, little Kizz.”

“Goodbye, Uncle Dartan.” She waved and watched as Dartan walked towards the road, then up it, towards his next adventures. Kizz sighed and walked into the castle, feeling the waning sunlight on her shoulders as she walked across her lawn. 

She crossed the drawbridge and shut the portcullis behind her, and the door after it. She stopped in her dining hall and looked around. Silence. The castle was empty and free of bustle and conversation, clanking mugs of mead, laughter, tales of adventure, footsteps, friends. It made her very, very sad. She rubbed her arms and walked to the fireplace. Above it was mounted Shade’s vorpal sword. It had been passed through many hands after his death, but now it was hers, and hers it would remain. She touched it, sighed and walked away. 

The doorbell rang. One of her friends had forgotten something, most like, and she rushed to the door. The loneliness she felt made her eager at the thought of one more moment in the company of any of the Knights.

Kizzlorn’s gift to Edge had been something wonderful and selfless. A wish for his happiness. Two miles away, he was walking hand in hand with his halfling Kizzlorn and just feeling as if the entire world was filled with the goodness of life and light. “I’ve never been this happy.”

“I know.” Halfling Kizzlorn kissed him on the cheek and hugged his arm with both of hers as they walked. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Kizzlorn. Have for a long time.”

“We have forever. Don’t waste a minute of it not telling me that.” The two walked happily on the road for a moment in silence. “What will you wish for?” she wondered aloud.

“I’ve made my wish already,” he grinned. “It’s a good one.”

Kizzlorn opened the door of Spellforge Keep. “Did you forget something, Dar-” Her heart stopped. 

“’Ello, luv,” Shade said with that familar, gentle smile.

The day was wearing into evening. Dartan walked up the North Road, out of Verbobonc. He stopped and watched the last bit of sun disappear behind a mountaintop. Frowning, he thought back on his life, and the choices he’d made. He’d failed as a paladin of Heironeous. He’d been led that way by his parents. Had he succeeded as Dartan the Godless, which was his own choice? He wasn’t sure. His life was two parts despair and cold hate to one part contentment. Even in the best of times, he felt like a walking corpse, waiting for that lucky sword or arrow to pierce him and end it all. A dead man waiting to die. No afterlife, just coldness in the grave. 

He decided on his wish then and there, because he knew that the worst thing in his life was the doubt. It tainted everything he was, like a black sack of poison at the bottom of a well. His wish would tell him if that poison were real or not… once and for all. He closed his eyes.

“I wish to _know._”

In the flash of an instant, he was filled with the truth. He breathed in deeply, and opened his eyes again. Everything was different. He knew.

“It’s real,” he gasped. “Oh, it’s all true.” His legs wobbled, and he steadied himself against a tree. “Pelor, I believe in you and let you into my soul.”

Dartan’s heart was filled with light. All doubt was washed away. All the mistrust disappeared in an instant. True faith bloomed in him like the most gorgeous thing he’d ever known, and Dartan the Godless was godless no more. 

He would fight evil until he died, as before… but now he knew that he’d be with his wife when he went, and that made all the difference.  He took a shaky step. Then another. Soon, he was walking.

In Poddleton, the sun had set. The sky was still a bright rosy hue at the western half, and filled with the stars that winked into sight like candles in the gloaming. Here, a the small village of farmers and commoners were putting away their field tools and heading out for a drink at the foamy head, or perhaps just staying home and enjoying the company of loved ones. 

Gorgoldand stood on the stoop of his new home, watching the people walk by and the night settling onto the landscape.  

From behind him came an echo in his mind. _How do you feel? _

“Good, Snooky. I feel good.”

_Tomorrow we open? _

“Yes. First day of business. I can’t wait.” The old man stood there for a while longer, then heard the kettle whistling on the little stove. He straightened, took one last glance at the sky, and closed the door.

The sign above, reading THE SILVER QUILL, waved in the breeze. 

--------------------------

_Here on Oerth, among the graves, among the men and women still, 
Among the dragons, beasts, and servants grim who now are safe from spell and ill
The blackened wizard is no more, his Oerthly body here was killed
His soul lives yet, but not in Hell, for Pelor’s vengeance was fulfilled

The killer’s soul was cursed- The blade that cut his neck was duly steeped
By Pelor’s blessing, Crow’s above, and damned in death to scream and weep
Forevermore, in heaven’s cell, where goodness, light and truth flow deep
For Crow, this is his private hell, he’s sown, this is the prize he reaped. 

Here on Oerth, where all things fell and foul are once more doomed to sleep 

Here on Oerth, we toll the bells to bless the Knights of Spellforge Keep

Here on Oerth, where all is well, we thank the Knights of Spellforge Keep._

*THE END*


------------------------------------------------------------


THE KNIGHTS:
Joshua
Melissa 
Doug U.
Doug H.
Lou 
Steve 
John 
Jill 
Matt
Christian

THANKS TO
Alan Moore
Joss Whedon
George R. R. Martin
The players
The readers
Eric Noah
Kevin Kulp
Russell Morris
Barak Blackburn

Thanks for reading, everyone.
-Dr Midnight (For Justice!)


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## Grog (Jun 27, 2003)

Congratulations on an epic finish to the campaign, Doc! Congrats to the Knights, too.


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## weiknarf (Jun 27, 2003)

yay


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## Gumby (Jun 27, 2003)

Great finish.  Good beginning, too.  Stupendous middle.  Excellent climax.  Wondrous denoument.  And that little side thing you had going, with the gizmo and the whatsit?  Darn nifty.


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## e3_Jeb (Jun 27, 2003)

Absolutely beautiful... Thank you for writing this fantastic tale...


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## Ave Rage (Jun 27, 2003)

Need to print me out a copy of the whole thing so I can read over again.


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## e3_Jeb (Jun 27, 2003)

Yeah I'd love to find the complete thing... Without having to go and hunt it all down... I'd even pay for it... 

(I think it was easily that good)


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## Lela (Jun 27, 2003)

*Filled with Awe and Wonder*


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## Darklone (Jun 27, 2003)

*clapclapclapclapclap*


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## Sammael99 (Jun 27, 2003)

Doc,

Just wanted to say *Bravo * as we Frogs often do. Not only for running this great epic and writing it down, but most especially for managing to bring it to a satisfying end. That's often the hardest thing to do...


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## Immort (Jun 27, 2003)

Now THAT was an ending worth waiting for.

-Immort


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 27, 2003)

!!! stands up, claps hands !!!

Doc, a great ending for a truely great epic! Thanks for letting us share this with you and your players & thanks for taking so much time and patience to write it!


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## Rybaer (Jun 27, 2003)

Beautiful.  Wonderful.


Uh...er...now what am I going to read?


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## Celtavian (Jun 27, 2003)

*Re*

Awsome ending Doc. Truly one of the best story hours on this board, probably in the top 3 IMO, and it was my favorite. You really grew as a writer as you went on. What a great job of blending the absurdities of D&D into a tale with excellent character and story development, especially Dartan. 

Dartan is my favorite Knight. You really outdid yourself with his character development. For a straight sword fighter, his exploits were very interesting and entertaining.

Great job Doc. I hope you write another story sometime soon.


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## Dr Midnight (Jun 27, 2003)

Hi all- I've put up a pimp in the General RPG forum, trying to snag more readers: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=968683

Feel free to come by and either recommend the story or hiss your derision. 

Man, feels good to be done. Kinda like ending high school. This burden you've had for a long time, and now it's gone... where to go to now? Hmmm... might have to complete a certain other story hour I left unfinished long ago.


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## Wee Jas (Jun 27, 2003)

WOOT!


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## Olgar Shiverstone (Jun 27, 2003)

Nicely done.


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## rigur (Jun 27, 2003)

Well done! Thank you for a wonderful story, both DM and players.



So when does the new campaign start?


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## sparhawk (Jun 27, 2003)

Great story Doc. I loved reading it. Thanks to you and your players for a wonderfull story to read.
 I am going to miss it. I hope you start another with one soon.


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## Alejandro (Jun 27, 2003)

Woot! Great story! I hope Dartan's player is happy with your depiction of his character, as he truly is the one constant that kept me reading. Congratulations, and thanks for all your devotion!


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## Talix (Jun 27, 2003)

Yay!!! Happy happy, joy joy.  

What a great ending.  Thanks, Doc!  I think it's the fact that I believed very strongly that your story could end in heartbreak that made it all the more powerful when everyone ended up happy.  

*/me is all smiles*


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## LuYangShih (Jun 27, 2003)

Impressive.  Most impressive.  Though, I would like to point out that since the Wish used by Dartan was granted by Pelor, would not the God twist it to whatever he wanted Dartan to see?  But I suppose Dartan deserves the happy ending.  A tale most worth reading, from beginning to end.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 27, 2003)

LuYangShih said:
			
		

> *I would like to point out that since the Wish used by Dartan was granted by Pelor, would not the God twist it to whatever he wanted Dartan to see?  But I suppose Dartan deserves the happy ending.*




That's why it was a True Wish - no twisting 

And, yes, Dartan deserves a happy ending, after all he's been through...


----------



## Conaill (Jun 27, 2003)

Ah... like putting down a great book. Fulfilling, yet a little sad that the journey is over. Great work, Doc!


----------



## Mathew_Freeman (Jun 27, 2003)

Many, many thanks, Doc. A fantastic end to a great tale.


----------



## Breakstone (Jun 27, 2003)

Whoa.

Terrific, Doc.

Just plum terrific.

The epilogue truly brought everything together, and I couldn't help the silly grin that spread across my face for most of it.

How long has this story hour been going for?

Not only has this been an awesome story- inspiring, emotional, and whoa-inspiring- but the threads have created a community of fans. Lela, Horacio, all the knights themselves posting... it was more of an interactive experience than just a great read.

And Vek named his horse after me.  

Anyways, Doc, thank you for perservering in this story hour endever. I know there were many moments when the story seemed like it would end, but you've kept it going. Some of your greatest writing came from when you were making the story up- the years between the Silver Quill and Spellforge Keep campaigns, the many prologues and the many epilogues- but I've also got to thank the players for providing us with many heroic (and sometimes startilingly un-heroic) deeds that kept the thread going. The discussions here were fun- was stealing from the "Nazi scientist" dwarf a good or bad thing to do?

Thanks again Doc, Doug, Doug, Joshua, Melissa, Lou, Steve, John, Jill, Matt, and Christian.

Even if you only play the occasional super-hero game from now on, keep us in contact! You're like a gaming group to us!


----------



## Rybaer (Jun 27, 2003)

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Man, feels good to be done. Kinda like ending high school. This burden you've had for a long time, and now it's gone... where to go to now? Hmmm... might have to complete a certain other story hour I left unfinished long ago. *





*cough*

Six in the Barrel II - HONG KONG BLOODBATH 

*cough*


----------



## Lela (Jun 27, 2003)

Crow's prison is absolutely perfect.  I think I love that most of all.


----------



## Kaodi (Jun 28, 2003)

*Ending*

I really liked how the Kitchen Staff saved Oerth. That was fun.


----------



## Dakkareth (Jun 28, 2003)

Truly an epic ending of an epic tale. Incredible.

Now ifI only knew, who Shade was ... There have been so many persons, so many deaths ... Ah well, that means I have to read it again 

The thing I like most about the ending is, how everything seems to have gone a full circle. 

The seed planted by Gorgondland (?) long ago has grown continously despite being almost cut off several times and has now come to an end setting things right and bringing back the original cause for its own existance.

The Knights of Spellforge Keep, themselves part of a long succession of differently composed groups starting out from the Knights of the Silver Quill might be just another link in a chain of groups formed by G. to save the world.  Given the extraordinary long lifespan of dragons one could imagine, that the golden dragon G. has done this for a long time ... kind of like a watcher over Oerth serving the forces of good in giving them the weapons in the fight against evil by training young adventurers and setting them on the right way.

Now this is the kind of thing epic tales are made of.

Dakkareth bows deeply

-Dakkareth


----------



## fenzer (Jun 28, 2003)

A fantastic ride!  Thanks Doc.

I will miss this story hour.  It seems like I have been reading it for years.  I don't know quite what to do without being able to read a story about the the Knights.

Thanks players for all the great moments and fantastic characters.

I'll be here Doc waiting for the next great adventure.  Let's do this again real soon.


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone (Jun 28, 2003)

So when's the "DM's Cut" version of the story come out?  You know, the one with inserted DM commentary that tells us what was going on at the table?


----------



## Breakstone (Jun 28, 2003)

And the special deleted scenes, such as Jamison shooting lighting out of his fingertips at Kizzlorn, only to be thrown down the core of the Death Star by the dying Dartan?

Or Vek riding on his undead warhorse Tsunami on the beach, looking up at the statue of liberty, and cying, "It was Earth all along! You bastards! You blew it up!"

Or, y'know, any other scenes stolen from famous movies?


----------



## Neverwinter Knight (Jun 29, 2003)

BTW, Doc, 

what are you doing with all that free time of yours now?


----------



## handforged (Jun 29, 2003)

I think a good use of the free time would be to start writing about Pelor's newest Oerthly champion...

Dartan the Knowing, Epic level Paladin!!!

But seriously Doc, great ending.  I really loved it.  It would be a shame to see the only character that survived it all to have an end to his story now.  Who better to spread the light of the Shining One to new doubting peoples than the ex-Godless.

The last scene with Kizzlorn and Jamison reminded me of the end of the Italian Job where Charlize Theron slapped the guy.  Too bad she didn't have a vorpal sword!!!

~hf


----------



## Metus (Jun 30, 2003)

Great ending, Doc.    I've really enjoyed reading along.  Seems like it was forever ago that the group was in RttToEE.  I thought the players were great, and I hope everyone gets together for another adventure run by you.  In the meantime, I'll keep an eye out!


----------



## Darklone (Jun 30, 2003)

Doc... what are you guys going to play now???


----------



## Viktyr Gehrig (Jun 30, 2003)

Hell of a ride, Doc. It's been a Hell of a ride.

And my hat is off to you.


----------



## Nail (Jun 30, 2003)

Thanks, Doc!

(Mumbles: wish Vek had made it to th' end.....)


----------



## Ziona (Jul 2, 2003)

Thanks _a lot_, Doc! 

You made me get all teary-eyed at my desk here at work! Maybe it's the high-strung-overly-emotional-state that I'm in at the moment, or maybe it's the fact that you just did a damn good job writing the ending.  I gasped when I read "Elo, Luv."  That was a very touching moment.

But, don't think I didn't catch other things like "That put me in my place" or the relevance of the vorpal sword. It was all great!  Awesome job. Just awesome.

/applauds Doc
/bows with a blush


----------



## Neverwinter Knight (Jul 2, 2003)

And thanks, Ziona, for providing Doc with such an interesting character. Kizzlorn was always a very enjoyable part of the story. She had her temper on the one hand, but always kept the group together. The knights would not have made it without her.

As for the *high-strung-overly-emotional-state that you're in at the moment* - what's up with that?

Regards,

NWK


----------



## Lela (Jul 2, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> As for the high-strung-overly-emotional-state that you're in at the moment - what's up with that?
> *




Dare I get my hopes up?


----------



## Ziona (Jul 3, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *As for the high-strung-overly-emotional-state that you're in at the moment - what's up with that?*






> _Originally posted by Lela_
> *Dare I get my hopes up?*




Depends on what your hopes are...
if you're hoping that Xaltar & I are expecting our first baby, then HUZZAH!  A new gamer will be added to the family in March!!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight (Jul 3, 2003)

I suspected, but didn't want to ask too directly. 

Congratulations, you two !!! I hope you don't name him/her after dnd characters, though.


----------



## Elocin (Jul 3, 2003)

Ziona said:
			
		

> *
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Well damn, congrats to the both of you!!!!! 

 

Oh yea, great ending doc you are an awesome writer!!!!!  You almost made a tear fall from my eyes as well while I was reading the ending


----------



## Ziona (Jul 3, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *Congratulations, you two !!! I hope you don't name him/her after dnd characters, though.  *




HA! We've actually gotten teased about this already.  But rest assured, there will be no Kizzlorns or Zionas, nor Xaltars or Shades running around.  We save those for the game & story hours.


----------



## sparhawk (Jul 3, 2003)

Congratulations to you Ziona on your first baby. Enjoy the time and fun of raising him/her it goes very quickly.


----------



## Breakstone (Jul 3, 2003)

> But rest assured, there will be no Kizzlorns or Zionas, nor Xaltars or Shades running around.




Hey, she didn't mention Vek... or Dartan... or Broldek!

...yup... this is what I'm left to posting when there's no more updates to look forward to...


----------



## Neverwinter Knight (Jul 4, 2003)

Don't worry Tsunami, I'm sure we haven't heard the last of Doc & Co. When they broke off playing the last time, we got that amazing Starwars SH! 

BTW, Doc, you won't be picking that up, by any chance?


----------



## Lela (Jul 4, 2003)

Ziona said:
			
		

> *
> 
> HA! We've actually gotten teased about this already.  But rest assured, there will be no Kizzlorns or Zionas, nor Xaltars or Shades running around.  We save those for the game & story hours.  *




YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I won't tease you about names (I'll leave that pleasure to others).

Instead I'll ask about gender.  Do you know, do you want to know, will you tell us when/if you know?


----------



## Richards (Jul 5, 2003)

First of all, apologies for the lateness of my comments, but I've been involved in a move halfway across the continent and I'm just now to the point where I can grab an hour or two on the library Internet and do some catching up on what all I've missed at EN World.

Xaltar and Ziona, congratulations on your imminent parenthood!  You've no doubt heard it before and you'll hear it again, but having a child changes everything.  I hope you have as much fun at it as my wife and I have had raising our two sons.

Doc, it's been an excellent run, and you finished off the storyline in as marvellous a manner as we've all come to expect from you.  I hope you'll be entertaining us with the exploits of your next campaign before too long.

And, seeing as the campaign is now at an end, I suppose this is my last chance to perform my self-appointed, unofficial duties as the Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ campaign.  To that end, I have prepared a final parody song highlighting some of the events throughout this fantastic Story Hour.  Since I built the song around Alanis Morrisette's "Thank You," I didn't even have to worry about making any of the words rhyme!  (Hmm, maybe that's why I'm the soon-to-be-unemployed Bard of Spellforge Keep -- cutting corners!)  In any case, here goes nothing:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*THANK YOU*

How 'bout that time the Knights fought in the arena?
How 'bout fighting without the safety on?
How 'bout them pissing off old Acessiwal?
How 'bout that ever elusive Meepo?

Thank you Doc Midnight
Thank you Dartan
Thank you Sir Vek Mormont, lich
Thank you Myramus
Thank you Menerous
Thank you Jamison Crow

How 'bout when we learned who killed Kizzlorn's parents?
How 'bout Vek enjoying his undead army?
How 'bout how good it feels to once more reread you?
How 'bout reading the whole thing at one time?

Thank you Doc Midnight
Thank you Jettok
Thank you Tenchi Foxfingers
Thank you Gryph Greycloak
Thank you Angelique
Thank you Dekker Roughfoot

The moment I clicked on the link
Was the moment I got more than I could wish for
The moment that I finished it
Was the moment I cried "More!"

How 'bout when Wee Jas granted Vek his last gift?
How 'bout dismembering old Ashardalon?
How 'bout unabashedly bawling for Hannah?
How 'bout using the Deck of Many Things?

Thank you Doc Midnight
Thank you Silver Quill
Thank you Knights of Spellforge Keep
Thank you Gorgoldand
Thank you Snooky, too
Thank you thank you Addicts, yeah yeah
Whoa whoa whoa...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign
In his Farewell Performance


----------



## med stud (Jul 6, 2003)

Seems like a good time to de-lurk 

Congratulations for making one of the best story hours on the boards (and probably out of the boards too), Dr Midnight and the rest of you! 

If I have to single out one in the group that I want to give special congratulations, it has to be the player of Dartan, who was the reason I read this story hour from the beginning to the end.


----------



## drnuncheon (Jul 6, 2003)

Great job, Doc.

I can only hope my own Story Hours end this well.

J


----------



## Lela (Jul 6, 2003)

drnuncheon said:
			
		

> *Great job, Doc.
> 
> I can only hope my own Story Hours end this well.
> 
> J *




Of course, this implies an update.


----------



## Plane Sailing (Jul 10, 2003)

Hi Doc,

I'm glad you pimped the ending of this storyhour in the general forum, because it prompted me to come and look at it again - I'd followed the knights of the silver quill, but I'd never had a look at the knights of spellforge keep.

Having (eventually!) read through it all, I'm very impressed by the grand finale - it looked and felt epic in every sense of the word. I really appreciate the epilogue too, giving an appropriate sense of closure.

One question, I suppose - the Bastion of Broken Souls seemed strangely easy - the sword Dragonhammer seemed a deus ex machina item, and several parts of that adventure seemed glossed over, or the creatures dying foolishly without using most of their powers. It made me wonder whether you started running it but decided that it wasn't really going to fit in with your campaign so you'd get it over with quickly or something?

Anyway, apart from that I loved the story and the adventure. Well done!


----------



## Dr Midnight (Jul 10, 2003)

Plane Sailing said:
			
		

> *Having (eventually!) read through it all, I'm very impressed by the grand finale - it looked and felt epic in every sense of the word. I really appreciate the epilogue too, giving an appropriate sense of closure.
> 
> One question, I suppose - the Bastion of Broken Souls seemed strangely easy - the sword Dragonhammer seemed a deus ex machina item, and several parts of that adventure seemed glossed over, or the creatures dying foolishly without using most of their powers. It made me wonder whether you started running it but decided that it wasn't really going to fit in with your campaign so you'd get it over with quickly or something?
> 
> Anyway, apart from that I loved the story and the adventure. Well done! *



Hi Plane Sailing, welcome back- 
Thanks. I tried to give the end a nice epilogue, but I'm afraid I went a bit heavy-handed with the Dartan resolution. I was very tired when I wrote all of that. Did it come across as too much? I know so many of you were hoping he'd be Godless forever, but otherwise?

The Bastion? Oh yeah. Everything was glossed over, really, and for one good reason: I stink at the high-level stuff. I mean I really suck. I was trying to balance everything at once, failed, and it comes through here. I miss the old 1st-5th level stuff... which, of course, I want to play now. 

I am NEVER running a high-level game again. I'm not a computer.


----------



## Plane Sailing (Jul 10, 2003)

I didn't find the Dartan resolution heavy handed at all, to tell the truth - in particular, it sort of "closed the circle" and tied in nicely with Gorgoldand setting up his new "Silver Quill".

One aspect of the high level game which I think you carried off really well was the "Acessiwal playing cat and mouse" angle, which was excellent (even if it was only backstory!).

In my campaign the highest character is 11th, and the highest magic user is (checks) 7th... so I've not had to deal with the plethora of spells problem... but I have to admit that even now I find it hard to balance encounters. Four of the five most recent adventure sessions has had a party death and I wasn't even trying hard to kill them* 

As an interesting semi-parallel to Dartan, it is the chap whose mostly fighter who has been the best survivor to date.

One of the things I've  noticed about 1st-5th levels - it is quite common for PC's to get wounded and lie there bleeding, but still be saveable. As they reach higher levels that 0 to -10 buffer gets mighty small, and tends to get zapped all in one go.

I bought Bastion, but I don't think I'll ever use it as I can't see how I won't kill all the PC's!

Cheers

* and this is WITH my houserule that says when you go past -10hp, you are allowed a Fort ST (DC= amount below 0) in order to survive hanging there at deaths door. It used to work great, but recent deaths have been facing DC30+ ST's and just can't manage to roll those 20's.


----------



## rbingham2000 (Jul 11, 2003)

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Man, feels good to be done. Kinda like ending high school. This burden you've had for a long time, and now it's gone... where to go to now? Hmmm... might have to complete a certain other story hour I left unfinished long ago. *




Damn straight!

We've already been through two major fights in the second installment of SIX IN THE CHAMBER (minus the battle that broke out in the theater!), and it's been a while since we've read the exploits of Chen Yau, Chai Tong, Chef Tso, Cuddly Jack and the rest of the SIX IN THE CHAMBER crew.

So far, the Captain is dead, Chef Tso's restaurant blew sky high, a whole cart load of mooks in both the restaurant and the amusement park ended up with thoroughly kicked butts, Wang Sing-Yi is dead, and Positive Lam got away.

And along with Positive Lam, the crew still have Iron Violet and the Marshall to contend with!

We're still waiting!


----------



## Dr Midnight (Jul 11, 2003)

rbingham2000 said:
			
		

> *it's been a while since we've read the exploits of Chen Yau, Chai Tong, Chef Tso, Cuddly Jack and the rest of the SIX IN THE CHAMBER crew.
> 
> We're still waiting! *



Dude, check the date on the last update. It was last week. 

Hey, sorry goes out to Richards for my not commenting on his new, and most tear-jerking song. Fantastic stuff, makes me a little choked up. I'm rereading the whole thing myself now, and am currently mired around the Crater Ridge Mines. I shiver at the crappiness of my earlier writing style... ugh.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight (Jul 11, 2003)

Doc, I'm sure you're the only one who notices something there. Remember, you got us hooked long before !!! 

BTW, any news on a new campaign? Maybe Star Wars - T'ek Nova's Revenge (or something like that) ?

Regards,

the KNiGHT


----------



## Lela (Jul 12, 2003)

I'll admit I noticed the poor writing style (only because I was reading your Star Wars campaign at the same time).  But it really doesn't take long to fade into brilliance.


----------



## Dr Midnight (Jul 15, 2003)

Gorgoldand vs. Thuriaq! Oh no, we must fleeee!


----------



## Beretta (Jul 16, 2003)

*Compiled story*

Hey Doc,

Any possibility of a Story Compilation, or the updating of your site? I've read through Parts 1 & 2 and was hoping you might compile Parts 3+... any chance of that? Wading through the threads that detail the remainder of your SH is a bit of a daunting prospect...

Great story by the way - looking forward to finding out how it all turns out!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight (Jul 16, 2003)

Nice picture, Doc. I think the size of those beasts really comes across !!!


----------



## Lela (Jul 16, 2003)

Now that's what a dragon's head should look like.  It always surprises me how many "Artists" just can't seem to do it right.


----------



## Look_a_Unicorn (Jul 17, 2003)

De-lurking to add my thanks & praise to the rest of your minions/fans 
Would have praised earlier but it's taken me this long to recover from my grief that the story hour is now over *sniff*

Quick question: I am currently in a RTTOEE campaign, and we're grinding through the Crater Ridge Mines circle- did you or your party get thoroughly bored with the repetitive nature of raid, raid, destroy temple, raid raid, destroy bridge, raid raid etc?


----------



## Dr Midnight (Jul 17, 2003)

Look_a_Unicorn said:
			
		

> *I am currently in a RTTOEE campaign, and we're grinding through the Crater Ridge Mines circle- did you or your party get thoroughly bored with the repetitive nature of raid, raid, destroy temple, raid raid, destroy bridge, raid raid etc? *



YES. That part of the module is far, far too long, at least in my opinion. Ugh... we were so bored.


----------



## Breakstone (Jul 17, 2003)

Nice picture, Doc!

I noticed, but never really mentioned, the Godzilla-like battle that Gorgoldand and Thuriaq went through, what with the smashing of buildings, blue fire breath, and rubber suits.

Er... forget that last one.


----------



## Lela (Jul 18, 2003)

Hay, anyone happen to know of a good pic featuring a broom-weilding skeleton.  I need that for an avatar (first time I've wanted one since the boards changed).


----------



## Richards (Jul 19, 2003)

I'll bet you could probably use Photoshop (or similar program of your choice) to slap a broom onto a skeleton.

Johnathan


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## ellestar (Jul 28, 2003)

Ok, this thread is way down in page 2, but I can't resist posting this.

Short version: Damn. You totally rule Doc Midnight. Thanks!

Long version: Truly, great is the stretch of time indeed since a story, words woven together, moved me like this. The very bricks which build my essence shift and reel as I now, after two days of intense reading from start to finish, with a deep sigh realize that this story is over. 

With the (extremely limited, might I add) powers I hold, I declare you wordsmith of the highest degree.

I am, truly breathless, when my gaze aligns to the very excellence of this story and at the eloquent nature you portray the characters.

Truly, thanks to you Doc Midnight and thanks your players. 

I don't have much negative to say about you and your players creation, but there is one thing which would have made this story hour come close to the easily abused term of absolute brilliance. The world. Where were the Circle of Eight? What hand did the Scarlet Brotherhood have in all this? etc. etc. 

Ah well, I should go to sleep, this was probably a thousand times more incoherent than I meant for it to be.

Edits: Well, I was correct on the issue of incoherency.


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## Lela (Aug 1, 2003)

*A wonderful piece of Doc art.*

Well, he did it and did it well.  Take a look at Lela, the Broom-Weilding Skeleton (and my new avatar.

Thanks Doc.  Excellent work, as always.

And, I can't resist saying it, You Rock.


----------



## Celtavian (Aug 1, 2003)

*re*

LOL!!! Cool Avatar Lela. Great picture Doc. Finally we see Lela.


----------



## Dr Midnight (Aug 1, 2003)

Lela keeps the place clean. 

It was very tempting to have Lela switch over to the "opposing" team with Metus... Kinda like "I sweep for THEM now, so nyah." In the end I just decided all minor undead would have been destroyed at Kizz's command.


----------



## Lela (Aug 2, 2003)

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> It was very tempting to have Lela switch over to the "opposing" team with Metus... Kinda like "I sweep for THEM now, so nyah." In the end I just decided all minor undead would have been destroyed at Kizz's command. *




Aw, so, I'm really dead then.  I had tought she had just thrown everyone out (including Lela).

Regardless, it's not the first time I've died.  I'll be back.


----------



## Breakstone (Aug 3, 2003)

I'll always wonder what happened to Tsunami...

Was he destroyed by Wee Jas' undead mount?


----------



## Lela (Aug 3, 2003)

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *I'll always wonder what happened to Tsunami...
> 
> Was he destroyed by Wee Jas' undead mount? *




Which rasies the question, can un undead horse commit suicide?  Any ideas?


----------



## Breakstone (Aug 4, 2003)

Well, he obviously couldn't killed, because it's impossible to beat a dead horse (as we've already concluded).

Speaking of beating dead horses, how long do you think this thread will go on for before it finally dies?


----------



## Lela (Aug 4, 2003)

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *Well, he obviously couldn't killed, because it's impossible to beat a dead horse (as we've already concluded).*




Well, what if the horse is trying to kill itself?  Could it beat itself?  And, if it couldn't, how would this conundrum finally work out?  It's the whole immovable object meets unstoppible force issue.

Nuclear Explosion?


			
				Tsunami said:
			
		

> *
> Speaking of beating dead horses, how long do you think this thread will go on for before it finally dies? *




Well, I'm going to keep beating it as long as I can get away with it.  It's like BUMPing, only more fun and a little different.

[Edit:What the heck was that?]


----------



## Wee Jas (Aug 4, 2003)

Hey all!  Want to bump? Heck, join me in convincing Doc to start his new Saturday adventure!

We know how persuasive (annoying) I can be... but it might not be enough.

RALLY TO MY BANNER!


----------



## Lela (Aug 4, 2003)

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Hey all!  Want to bump? Heck, join me in convincing Doc to start his new Saturday adventure!
> 
> We know how persuasive (annoying) I can be... but it might not be enough.
> 
> RALLY TO MY BANNER! *




Start DMing it or start writing it up?

C'mon Doc, Start the Saturday adventure!  Especially if it's going to involve more cool stuff for us to read.


----------



## belasco (Aug 4, 2003)

Yes.

DMing.. then writing.


----------



## Wee Jas (Aug 4, 2003)

I have an idea for a kick-butt monk.






*Dorian Dragonfist* 

Sorta like Andy Bogard meets Neo from Matrix reloaded.

He would start Lvl 1 as a human fighter:  Power attack, cleave, dodge but by level 2 he will fully realize his martial arts talents and forever more continue the path of the monk.

How cool would it be to be cleaving into people with your fists?!


----------



## Lela (Aug 4, 2003)

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> How cool would it be to be cleaving into people with your fists?! *




Not just fists.  Elbows, feet, knees, head.  Every part of your body can cleave someone.  Very cool.

Whirlwind attack would be fun too.  Imagine the ultamate spinning kick.


----------



## ellestar (Aug 5, 2003)

Ooh, ooh! More story goodness from the Doctor! What can you tell us of the campaign, Wee Jas?


----------



## Dr Midnight (Aug 5, 2003)

*TEASERS!*

I'll tell you a few things, because we all know how much I like to tease. 

I'll be running two games, and writing two story hours. 

Details are very early, and subject to change:

The first will be with the normal group, and weekly or bi-weekly (haven't decided yet) in a campaign world of my own creation. This will be the big, serious campaign.

The second will be with a small group of friends, including everyone's pal Chronosome of ENboards fame. It'll be once a month or whenever we can get together to play, and it will be the campaign I let slide, writing-wise, if I really need to buckle down on the main campaign. It'll be surplus campaign, if you follow me. It will be set in the Scarred Lands. 

Both will be run at low levels, with a number of similarities. I've been reading Sepulchrave's story hour, and am taking a lot of inspiration from it... mostly in creating a big, detailed world where politics can crush a man as easily as a big beastie. Probably far less dungeon-based. 

The Scarred Lands campaign should start sometime this month. The (?) campaign should start next month, maybe. I have to work some things out first.

Like I said, all this is subject to change. This is just a loose teaser.

Yes, it seems I'm getting the D&D bug again. It came back faster than I thought it would.


----------



## Metus (Aug 5, 2003)

Hehe, you can't resist, Doc.  Woooo!  I'm jazzed.  I wouldn't mind hearing both adventures, but I defintely want to hear of the trials and tribulations faced by the group of players everyone has come to know and love.  As soon as you start running it, you'll have to get posting.


----------



## Wee Jas (Aug 5, 2003)

NEXT MONTH?!

I say we assemble the League of Extrodinary Gamer-men and make up characters!


----------



## Celtavian (Aug 5, 2003)

*re*

Sounds good Doc. Don't let your writing skills atrophy. You had really developed a knack for leaving people wanting more, so I can't wait to see you give more serious adventuring a shot. Just don't go too far off the beaten path, you have a certain writing style that is very entertaining yet different from a writer like Sepulchrave.


----------



## ellestar (Aug 5, 2003)

Shagadelic! 

I will be starting new studies now, moving to a new place, establishing myself there with my female better-half. If I've timed all this correctly, the first story hour should have manifested about the same time as I'm ready to begin to peruse it. 

Again: Shagadelic!


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## Breakstone (Aug 5, 2003)

Hey, I'm glad you're starting again, Doc!

And if you want to stay in those low levels, you could slow down the experience gain by either increasing the needed experience cost for each level or just giving out less experience for the monsters and such.

Or just put them against a ton of level-draining monsters...


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## Wee Jas (Aug 6, 2003)

> Or just put them against a ton of level-draining monsters...




Tsunami!  Bad horse!  Bad!


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## Neverwinter Knight (Aug 9, 2003)

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *Or just put them against a ton of level-draining monsters... *



Yeah, with heavy damage resistance and no magic weapons...


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## Wee Jas (Aug 15, 2003)

Doc should start a new campign thread to keep himself motivated.

On the other hand.. to keep me motivated (and entertained) I need help building my new character!

How about  Sir Kev Tnomrom?  

Doc said we are doing 3.5 which I know nothing about...  I liked the monk Idea but lets just face it... I need a menacing dark brooding Ant-hero to strike fear in the hearts of my enemies (..and party).

Everything seems like it's been done before...  I'd love to play a cleric again butI need to stay away from that.  I asked Doc about Psionics and he didn't say no but he didn't say yes either.

C'mon Storyhour fans DELURK and help me make up my mind!


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## Conaill (Aug 15, 2003)

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *How about  Sir Kev Tnomrom?*



Hmm, sounds a bit like a CN Paladin, doesn't it? 

If you feel like "everything's been done before"... this might be a good time to ask the rest of your roleplaying group what *they* think would make an interesting roleplaying challenge for you. You may feel like you've tried all the possible variations, but you've probably been staying away from certain archetypes. Time to flex those RP muscles a bit...


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## Spatula (Aug 15, 2003)

Psionics is in kinda an odd place if you're using 3.5, since a lot of powers are based off of spells and the spells have been drastically altered.  In some cases it's easy to see how to fix the psionics version (psi _poly self_ is the same as the magic _poly self_), but in others it's not.

What's the flavor or dominant theme of the new campaign?


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## ellestar (Aug 15, 2003)

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *... I need a menacing dark brooding Ant-hero to strike fear in the hearts of my enemies (..and party)...*




Well, if you want an ant-hero, how about a young promising Formian Worker? Ha ha ha. Couldn't resist.

Now, a good anti-hero? Hard to come up with any original ones, how about the gritty no-nonsense poison using dwarf? ("As long as you get the job done, I don't care.") A meaner version of the infamous Wulf Ratbane?

For psionics, with some work it can be done, but as Spatula mentioned, lots of things have changed in 3.5 and will need to be worked at.

Well, I'll chime in with more creativity when I'm more creative.
When is the story coming, anyway?


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## Richards (Aug 15, 2003)

Hey, if you want to try something that hasn't been done before in the Knights of the Silver Quill/Knights of Spellforge Keep, then you must run...a gnome PC.

Think about it: of all the PCs in the past campaign(s), was there even ONE gnome?  I think not.  There were humans, at least one dwarf, an elf, some halflings, Hell, even a troll and a half-dragon, but a gnome?  Gnope.

You want an anti-hero?  A gnome's about as far away as you get from the mental picture conjured up by the word "hero."

Go ahead, Wee Jas, I dare you: play a gnome.

Johnathan


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## Felix (Aug 15, 2003)

For some reason the thought of Wee Jas playing a Gnome Illusionist lich makes me laugh... 

It's a lich, run away!

But it's a GNOME! 

You could be a gritty, no-nonsense, godless figher... and you'd have the feats Dartan never did!

Maybe a cowardly Abjurer?


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## Lela (Aug 16, 2003)

What about a bitter halfling monk?  His family slautered by a rogue band of half-gnomes, his lady love lost to a slave caravan, and his only moments free from the pain of watching his mother die are when he's crushing something's skull with his bare hands.

But even that respite is fleeting and, ultamately, unsatysfying.

Then again, if you want to be taken seriously, you might just go with elf.


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## Celtavian (Aug 16, 2003)

*re*

I think you should play a brooding elf Fighter/Wizard Eldritch Knight whose family lost a kin war. He is now adventuring  to become powerful and collect wealth so that one day he can return home and retake his birthright by force if necessary.

He is generally arrogant and quiet. He thinks of the other party members as adequate companions, but doesn't feel particularly close to them. He constantly broods and seeks to destroy all those who stand in the way of his ultimate goal. 

Is Doc making you stick with the standard D&D races?


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## Wee Jas (Aug 16, 2003)

Yeah.. whats up with everyone wanting me to play a short race?  How can I be brooding that way?!  lol.   Celts pretty close to what I was thinking...

I decided to stick to something close to my original idea.

I'm going to be..

Dorian the Red

Half-elf Ranger (Mancatcher) aspiring Monk
Favored Enemy:  Humanid (Humans)

Dorian was born into a life of crime.  His parents were bandits.  His father was a human fighter and his mother was a dashing elven rogue.  They belonged to group called group of scoundrels called the Crimson Cowls.  

Despite his rugged upbringing Dorian was a happy child.  His father was a semi-famous boxer and the little half elf loved to watch his father fight.  He would study his fathers moves and the reactions of his opponents and write everything he saw down in his little leather journal.  Every morning he would wake up to meet his father away from the camp of snoring cut throats to practicce those very moves.  When he wasn't doing that he was learning various languages from his mother for she did not want her child to pursue the life they had led.

All that changed one cold winter night.  as the Crimson Cowl lay sleeping a new group of vicious bandits decended on them determined on eliminating their competition in the land.  The Cowl was caught completely off guard and many were slaughtered before they had a chance to react.  Dorian watched is parent die before he was hit by a stray sling bullet....

More to Come!


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## Celtavian (Aug 16, 2003)

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Yeah.. whats up with everyone wanting me to play a short race?*




I think they like the way Doc Midnight draws Halflings. 




> Dorian the Red
> 
> Half-elf Ranger (Mancatcher) aspiring Monk
> Favored Enemy:  Humanid (Humans)
> ...




Sounds like it may be interesting. He doesn't sound like the usual tactical minded brooding charismatic anti-hero that was Vek.

 I still think you should build a character that wields some kind of magic. Melees are just too limited to really come off as powerful in a story, especially against super grappling creatures and evil mages who can fly. Vek wasn't cool just because he was brooding, but also because he was powerful. He could load up on deadly spells and go to town. 

Make some kind of mage or cleric so Doc can write about all the cool spell combinations you come up with.


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## Wee Jas (Aug 16, 2003)

> Make some kind of mage or cleric so Doc can write about all the cool spell combinations you come up with.




Yeah,  I struggle with that a lot.  I'm a real spellcaster type but like I said.. it's all been done before.  


....

Dorian woke hours later.  He crawled back to camp and found only the smoldering embers of campfires and the slaughtered remains of his family and friends.   He stuffed some rations hastily into a sack along with his leatherbound journal and paid his last respects to the departed.  Although he wished to stay longer and bury his parents he knew that the carnage would draw the lands predators.  He ran blindly into the night away from the visage that would haunt him for years to follow.  He ran until he collapsed yet again into darkness.

Dorian spent years in the wild alone.  He survived the only way he knew how, as a bandit.  Slipping quietly into passing wagons to steal food and drink he managed where any other adolecent would have given up.  Eventually he was caught and taken to a nearby city.  At thirteen summers old they really had no way to punish the half-elf and they couldn't send him back to the wild to fend for himself but all the families already had too many mouths to feed.  The captain of the guard gave the boy a room in return for keeping the prisoners cells clean and doing most of the barracks chores.  Dorian found that he liked the catpain greatly but a large portion of his men were jealous of people with elven blood. Many years passed with the young elfling studing much about law enforcement.  As soon as he was old enough he joined the city watch but found it difficult to bond with the cadets because of his race.  He was fast and his study of his father's fighting techniques made him brutal in sparring.  Dorian often knew his opponents move before his opponent did! The other watchmen became oven more envious and whenever something went wrong Dorian was blamed. Eventually they drove him away.  He decided he would walk the path of law alone and he became a bounty hunter and adventurer.


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## Spatula (Aug 16, 2003)

Celtavian said:
			
		

> * I still think you should build a character that wields some kind of magic. Melees are just too limited to really come off as powerful in a story,*



One word: Dartan.


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## Richards (Aug 16, 2003)

So, let me get this straight...Dorian tortures cats?







> Dorian found that he liked the catpain greatly



Just checking.

Johnathan


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## Richards (Aug 16, 2003)

Okay, this might be a bit premature, since you haven't even started playing with this character yet, but let me put on my anagram hat and see what I can come up with.

Dorian doesn't happen to like snacking on dessicated insects by any chance, does he?  I only ask because...

*DORIAN THE RED = A DRIED HORNET*

Of course, maybe he likes capturing insects to eat himself.  Possibly even bees...

*DORIAN THE RED = DARE HIT DRONE*

It's a pity that his parents got killed like that.  Especially his elven mother.

*DORIAN THE RED = HER DEAD INTRO*

What color is your PC's hair?

*DORIAN THE RED = REDHEAD NITRO*

And Wee Jas, you're one of the ones in Doc Midnight's group that's into anime, aren't you?  Just be careful that you don't let your outside interests carry over to your new PC, or you could put him into a few embarrassing situations...

*DORIAN THE RED = ERR ODD HENTAI*

Of course, perhaps your PC will enjoy such things, maybe even going as far as to attain a "doctorate" of sorts...

*DORIAN THE RED = DR. HENTAI-DOER*

What are his stats?  If you give him a really low charisma he could get caught up in looting and rioting...

*DORIAN THE RED = NERD-HEAD RIOT*

Or, maybe he just likes paying dorky women for sexual favors...

*DORIAN THE RED = TRIED A NERD HO*

If it worked out, and he got some...

*DORIAN THE RED = RIDE A HOT NERD*

On the other hand, perhaps he'd rather go out with relatives of the actor who plays "Worf"...

*DORIAN THE RED = HE TRIED A DORN*

Or, if he plays his cards right, maybe he could hook up with one of those aquatic babes...

*DORIAN THE RED = RAD HOT NEREID*

Maybe you'll give him a low Intelligence instead, and when he can't figure his way out of a jam, you can just demand that the DM tell you what to do...

*DORIAN THE RED = ORDERED A HINT*

If he's really good looking, but incredibly stupid...

*DORIAN THE RED = A HOT DIRE NERD*

What kind of armor will he wear?  You could try one of those leather chaps deals with his butt hanging out...

*DORIAN THE RED = DON'T HIDE REAR*

Or stitch little bits of metal all over your clothes...

*DORIAN THE RED = THREADED IRON*

Have you thought about taking the Leadership feat later on?  Maybe you could get an interesting cohort...

*DORIAN THE RED = ED, A  THIN DERRO*

Or he could pay a dire rat to be his friend...

*DORIAN THE RED = HIRED A RODENT*

What if he sort of named his unusual riding mount after Dartan?

*DORIAN THE RED = DARTO, DIRE HEN*

Hey, he's a forest bandit, right?  Maybe he lives in a cave, where he keeps the loot he's stolen from tea merchants...

*DORIAN THE RED = HORRID TEA DEN*

If he steals enough fine clothes and other fopperies, he could pass himself off as a nobleman...

*DORIAN THE RED = DANDIER OTHER*

Of course, his nickname might preclude him from being paid to join any adventuring bands...

*DORIAN THE RED = DON'T HIRE A RED*

If he can't make it as an adventurer, perhaps he could reply to advertisements looking for someone to assist rhinoceroses out of the high branches...

*DORIAN THE RED = TREED RHINO AD*

Or he could be instrumental in preventing frogs and toads from taking over the world...

*DORIAN THE RED = TOAD HINDERER*

Maybe he could get a job as an exterminator, specializing in half-fiend rodents...

*DORIAN THE RED = DIE, HORNED RAT!*

Maybe he could steal items hidden in the chairs of royalty...

*DORIAN THE RED = RAIDED THRONE*

Or give Santa's Reindeer some needed assistance...

*DORIAN THE RED = AID NORTH DEER*

If he really needed money, he could get work as a "fluffer" in a book company...

*DORIAN THE RED = HARDEN EDITOR*

If he did get that last job, you know what his boss would always say...

*DORIAN THE RED = "DO IT, HARDENER!"*

Or maybe he'd just keep trying to get that opera job...

*DORIAN THE RED = DIEHARD TENOR*

Or become a drug dealer...

*DORIAN THE RED = TRADED HEROIN*

Too bad this won't be a PC for a d20 Modern game.  He could keep submitting applications to various motorcycle dealerships... 

*DORIAN THE RED = RETRIED HONDA*

Of course, in a d20 Modern game, he might not really be what he seems...

*DORIAN THE RED = ANDROID THREE*

Of course, you live in the same state as Dr. Midnight, right?  Maybe all of this nonsense has something to do with that tiny state you guys live in.

*DORIAN THE RED = A RHODE I. TREND*

Okay, that's enough for now.  My brain hurts!  

Johnathan


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## Celtavian (Aug 17, 2003)

Spatula said:
			
		

> *One word: Dartan. *




Dartan was cool, but not anywhere near as powerful as Vek. He had personality, and for a fighter he was tough and could take alot of punishment, but when it came down to destroying the bad guys Vek could lay it down like no one else save for perhaps Kizzlorn.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Aug 17, 2003)

Richards said:
			
		

> *DORIAN THE RED = A DRIED HORNET*




Speaking of dried hornets, what's up with poor Gryph?   


Wee-Jas, you should get Doc to start on his pro-logue/introduction now. Since it's a world of his own creation, it would be nice to have some info about it beforehand !!!

Everyone agreeing post "Aye".


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## Wee Jas (Aug 17, 2003)

> Wee-Jas, you should get Doc to start on his pro-logue/introduction now. Since it's a world of his own creation, it would be nice to have some info about it beforehand !!!




AYE!

He said he was working on his campaign last night... My characters all made up.. I'm just waiting on Doc


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## Dr Midnight (Aug 17, 2003)

I'd love to post something, but I encountered a major roadblock in the setting creation- turns out a FEW of the main arcs and political ideas I made up are almost identical to some arcs and ideas in the SCARRED LANDS. Argh, I say. ARRRRRGH! That's frustrating, but at least I did some research and caught it before putting it out. 

I'm not even done with the worldmap yet, but when I am, I'll post a teaser image of it.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Aug 17, 2003)

That sounds great. BTW, Doc, you don't have to be original to be original...or something like that ?!?


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## Lela (Aug 17, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Speaking of dried hornets, what's up with poor Gryph?
> 
> ...




Aye


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## Dakkareth (Aug 17, 2003)

Aye


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## Metus (Aug 17, 2003)

Aye.  And I'm also wondering what happened with Gryph.


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## Felix (Aug 18, 2003)

Aye-aye.


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## ellestar (Aug 19, 2003)

Aye!

Edit: Can you believe it? I typoed "Aye!" that's a feat!


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## Ziona (Aug 19, 2003)

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *I'm going to be..
> 
> Dorian the Red
> 
> *




Dorian?  _DORIAN??_
That's what we're planning on naming the baby if it's a boy. 
(Dorian Alexander to be exact). So, if he comes out with red hair like Xaltar, he'll be Dorian the Red, too!!


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## Breakstone (Aug 20, 2003)

Richards... that was just amazing...

I rather like the idea of Dorian the Red, the intelligent bandit (both in and out of combat).

And Doc, what would you say eventually happened to Gryph? Maybe you could add it as, y'know, "extra DVD footage."

By the way Doc, are you going over to 3.5, or sticking with 3.0?

Oh, and "Aye!"


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## Neverwinter Knight (Aug 20, 2003)

Hi Ziona,

I know you said you were not gonna name your kid after DnD characters, but I guess naming a DnD character after you kid is ok...


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## Wee Jas (Aug 20, 2003)

Hey now.. my character is already made while the kid is still got fins and gills! 

Still .. Zionas baby could be born before docs campaign.. CAUSE DOC IS A SLACKER!


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## Dr Midnight (Aug 20, 2003)

I'm the slacker, here? Care to start up another one of your dead-before-it-started campaigns? SILVER AGE SENTINELS, ANYONE?


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## Wee Jas (Aug 21, 2003)

http://www.arkyst.com/

Xaltar is on the ball!

Hey.. most of you gave up the superhro business!

"I'm not tough enough.... wahhhhhh"


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## Wee Jas (Aug 24, 2003)

I got new minis today.. I doubt I'll end up being Dorian after all.. lol..  anyway. Doc is a wicked slacker so I don't even know why I'm stressing character concepts...  

Doc.. You aren't M you aren't anybody!


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## Neverwinter Knight (Aug 24, 2003)

You make your character decisions based on minis ???


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## Wee Jas (Aug 24, 2003)

> You make your character decisions based on minis ???




Yeahup, A lot of us do.. lol.  Either that or we go out and buy minis that suit our character.

Vek: I bought a mini online and had it sent to me.  
Belasco: I used a warhammer Darkelf with a pole arm.. broke the polearm off and glued on spiked chains from a dnd mini.  Actually in the original story (Directors cut) Belasco became a were-tiger and I ordered a mini for that too.

I love playing undead and werecreatures. If its a 'normal' campaign like Docs going to run I'll play a dark goth anti-hero type.  Xaltar lets me get a lil more whacky.  My last character was a mummy from Savage Species.  Very fun.  I got the ghostwalk campaign and would love to play one of those.

Anywat, Doc's buffy game is today so you story hour crack fiends have something to look forward too...


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## Dr Midnight (Aug 24, 2003)

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> I love playing undead and werecreatures. If its a 'normal' campaign like Docs going to run I'll play a dark goth anti-hero type.  *



Yeah, pretty odd quote from someone who recently said "Everything seems like it's been done before..."
Dude, try something different! I've never seen you do anything but a human/elf/half-elf, and then, always something that a fourteen year-old anime fan could come up with. "I'm dark and cool and darkly cool, and I have a thord!" The whole dark and brooding thing doesn't work, because you're always cracking jokes at the table. I'll admit it worked for Vek...

Try something different. Dwarf barbarian. Gnome sorcerer. Half-orc ranger. Halfling comic relief. Something that's not the cookie cutter goth guy! Punk.


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## Richards (Aug 24, 2003)

> Try something different...Gnome sorcerer...



I _DOUBLE DOG DARE_ you to play a gnome!  

Johnathan


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## Lela (Aug 25, 2003)

Richards said:
			
		

> *I DOUBLE DOG DARE you to play a gnome!
> 
> Johnathan *




And, in support of both, I _TRIPPLE DOG DARE_ you.


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## Wee Jas (Aug 25, 2003)

An EVVVILLL Gnome Sorcerer?


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## Wee Jas (Aug 25, 2003)

Well, Xaltar's Campaign  I decided to be a Dwarven Cleric!







Rex Redbeard at your service m'lads.  I be a Cleric of the Titanos the  Stormlord.  Why would ya be needing a Cleric of Storms on yer ship?!  Well its good luck fer starters.  Titanos won't be sinking a ship with one of his own on it will he?!  Besides, I be good with me hammer and I like to crack the skulls of the scurvy dogs who be trying to steal our booty!


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## Lela (Aug 26, 2003)

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> Rex Redbeard at your service m'lads.  I be a Cleric of the Titanos the  Stormlord.  Why would ya be needing a Cleric of Storms on yer ship?!  Well its good luck fer starters.  Titanos won't be sinking a ship with one of his own on it will he?!  Besides, I be good with me hammer and I like to crack the skulls of the scurvy dogs who be trying to steal our booty! *




I played a Druid of the Tiki god of Storms once.  Being an Aquatic Elf, I hated the surface scum and wanted to plunge them all into the sea.  Of course, that all changed when the DM wanted me to be less, well, evil.


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## Richards (Aug 26, 2003)

Oy, Rex Redbeard - that beard o' yer's looking a bit PINKISH in places ter me!  Whaddaya say ter that, eh?

Johnathan


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## Breakstone (Aug 26, 2003)

Richards said:
			
		

> *Oy, Rex Redbeard - that beard o' yer's looking a bit PINKISH in places ter me!  Whaddaya say ter that, eh?
> 
> Johnathan *




Rex USED to be known as "Whitebeard," but...

Y'see, there was just this one time when he washed his hair with a red shirt, and, well...

The rest, as they say, is history.


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## Lela (Aug 27, 2003)

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Rex USED to be known as "Whitebeard," but...
> 
> ...




This, of course, is why you'll rarely see a Dwarf in red anymore.  Browns, grays, and tans are the way to go.


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## Wee Jas (Aug 27, 2003)

Lela said:
			
		

> This, of course, is why you'll rarely see a Dwarf in red anymore.  Browns, grays, and tans are the way to go.




Well either the japanime look is in or my work monitor is a lil off color and I'm too lazy to fix it.


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## Richards (Sep 13, 2003)

I thought I'd just mention that if anyone is interested, the adventure "White Queen's Gambit" that Doc Midnight ran his players through as part of this Story Hour is now available in issue #2 of Mongoose's new monthly magazine, _Signs & Portents_.  Of course, it's a tad different than the version that Doc used, as the adventure was originally written for 3rd-level PCs and he bumped it up to 13th level for the Knights of Spellforge Keep.  The magazine version is the 3rd level one, so there's no "Giant Orc-Titan Who Goes Down After One Lousy _Flesh To Stone_ Spell" at the end like there was in the Story Hour.    (Although that was one of Kizzlorn's finest moments.)

But thanks again to Doc and the gang for the modified playtest.

Johnathan


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## Lela (Sep 13, 2003)

Richards said:
			
		

> I thought I'd just mention that if anyone is interested, the adventure "White Queen's Gambit" that Doc Midnight ran his players through as part of this Story Hour is now available in issue #2 of Mongoose's new monthly magazine, _Signs & Portents_.  Of course, it's a tad different than the version that Doc used, as the adventure was originally written for 3rd-level PCs and he bumped it up to 13th level for the Knights of Spellforge Keep.  The magazine version is the 3rd level one, so there's no "Giant Orc-Titan Who Goes Down After One Lousy _Flesh To Stone_ Spell" at the end like there was in the Story Hour.    (Although that was one of Kizzlorn's finest moments.)
> 
> But thanks again to Doc and the gang for the modified playtest.
> 
> Johnathan




Aw, yes, the infamus session of riddles.  This is where Jamison wacked the gong himself and, afterword, Dartan had him killed.


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## Wee Jas (Jan 20, 2004)

Got to pimp the new story hour...

Some of the KoSK's players have returned to the boards!

Jamison 
Kizzlorn
Vek
.. are back with NEW characters you will love to hate and hate to love!

What are they up to this time?  TPKs, Betrayals, thievery, MURDER?!

Go find out:  CLICK HERE


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