From: xenograg@aol.com (Xenograg)
Date: 17 Jan 1998 23:06:44 EST
Xenograg opens his eyes, smiling triumphantly. After almost of fortnight of long days he had finally located the portal to Middle-Earth! It was literally under his feet -- deep below Rhydin City itself. That was why it was so hard to find; the many magical fields in the vicinity masked the portal's otherwise obvious energy signature.
Xenograg stands and strides over to his worktable. There lie the components for his next spell: an etching knife; a small stone mortar filled with crushed diamond powder; and a special arrow made with his own hands, with a head of pure gold and rare feathers for fletching. Xenograg picks them up and returns to the magic circle. Sitting down again, he rearranges his items as needed. With the etching knife Xenograg slowly begins to carve an
exact sequence of symbols into the delicate wood of the arrow's shaft. The work is difficult only because of the thin diameter of the wood.
It takes half an hour to carve the two rows of runes. Xenograg now takes the knife and deliberately cuts a short line into his left palm. He annoints the runes with his own blood before carefully sprinkling the diamond powder into them. Lastly he grips the shaft tightly in his left hand, sealing the spell with spoken evocations. One, two, three drops of blood run down over the gold arrowhead to drip onto the floor. The spell is complete.
Xenograg now opens his hand, the red arrow across his palm. Focusing his eyes and mind upon the arrow, he easily levitates it above his palm. The arrow begins to twist in mid-air through all three dimensions, quickly orienting itself to point down and slightly to one side. Xenograg nods with satisfaction; the 'compass' works. Now he can find the portal physically.
After bandaging his hand and putting his sorcerer's tools away, Xenograg activates the magic mirror that is his portal home. He steps through.
Right under his feet
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From: xenograg@aol.com (Xenograg)
Date: 01 Feb 1998 17:43:05 EST
"You want me to go where?!" Amaltea yelps as two of Xenograg's turkomen manhandle the sewer drain open. "You've got to be kidding. There is no way I'm going down there, and what in Hell is that smell?!" Xenograg knew his wife would object, so he had not told her how he was going to get into the catacombs beneath Rhydin City.
"It is the most direct way to go, Amal," he explains now.
"Is there another way?"
"Probably, but it will take several hours to find. I am sure of this route." Amaltea peers down, the smell being worse than foul. One of the turkomen drops down through the hole.
"Can you at least do something about the smell?" Xenograg simply looks at her. She sighs. "I know, I know. I wanted to come along. Fine." She starts walking to the opening but stops and turns. "How long will this take?"
"An hour, maybe more," is Xenograg's estimate. "I'll go first, okay?" Amaltea closes her eyes and sighs again.
"Oh well. If we have to...." A tiny whimper is soon heard echoing through the sewer tunnel.
Date: 01 Feb 1998 17:43:05 EST
"You want me to go where?!" Amaltea yelps as two of Xenograg's turkomen manhandle the sewer drain open. "You've got to be kidding. There is no way I'm going down there, and what in Hell is that smell?!" Xenograg knew his wife would object, so he had not told her how he was going to get into the catacombs beneath Rhydin City.
"It is the most direct way to go, Amal," he explains now.
"Is there another way?"
"Probably, but it will take several hours to find. I am sure of this route." Amaltea peers down, the smell being worse than foul. One of the turkomen drops down through the hole.
"Can you at least do something about the smell?" Xenograg simply looks at her. She sighs. "I know, I know. I wanted to come along. Fine." She starts walking to the opening but stops and turns. "How long will this take?"
"An hour, maybe more," is Xenograg's estimate. "I'll go first, okay?" Amaltea closes her eyes and sighs again.
"Oh well. If we have to...." A tiny whimper is soon heard echoing through the sewer tunnel.
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From: xenograg@aol.com (Xenograg)
Date: 10 Feb 1998 09:20:07 EST
Xenograg, Amaltea, and the two turkomen guards plod through the narrow sewer tunnels for almost two hours thanks to a mistaken turn into dead end. Amaltea was not pleased.
Eventually the man-made sewer dumps into an underground stream. Xenograg stops and holds forth his divining arrow. His hand is pulled downward as expected then to his left.
"We go upstream now," is his announcement to the group.
"Are you deliberately taking the most difficult route?" is Amaltea's waspish reply.
"Would you rather we waste more time going in the wrong direction, love?" is Xenograg's carefully worded rebuttal. Amaltea frowns but says nothing more. Xenograg wades into the thigh-deep water and over to the far wall. There he slowly presses his palm against it, fingers spread, and focuses his will through his hand. After a few seconds he is done.
"At least this water is cleaner than the sewer. Cold, though," comments Amaltea as she steps into the stream. "Why did you check the wall?"
"I just made a mark here using sorcery. It is invisible to anyone but other mages. This way we don't get lost coming back out."
"Ah, good idea, love," she says, kissing him as a small reward for thinking of that. "Now can we go before I freeze to death?"
"Yes, love."
The four start wading upstream.
Date: 10 Feb 1998 09:20:07 EST
Xenograg, Amaltea, and the two turkomen guards plod through the narrow sewer tunnels for almost two hours thanks to a mistaken turn into dead end. Amaltea was not pleased.
Eventually the man-made sewer dumps into an underground stream. Xenograg stops and holds forth his divining arrow. His hand is pulled downward as expected then to his left.
"We go upstream now," is his announcement to the group.
"Are you deliberately taking the most difficult route?" is Amaltea's waspish reply.
"Would you rather we waste more time going in the wrong direction, love?" is Xenograg's carefully worded rebuttal. Amaltea frowns but says nothing more. Xenograg wades into the thigh-deep water and over to the far wall. There he slowly presses his palm against it, fingers spread, and focuses his will through his hand. After a few seconds he is done.
"At least this water is cleaner than the sewer. Cold, though," comments Amaltea as she steps into the stream. "Why did you check the wall?"
"I just made a mark here using sorcery. It is invisible to anyone but other mages. This way we don't get lost coming back out."
"Ah, good idea, love," she says, kissing him as a small reward for thinking of that. "Now can we go before I freeze to death?"
"Yes, love."
The four start wading upstream.
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From: xenograg@aol.com (Xenograg)
Date: 19 Feb 1998 09:25:01 EST
Xenograg and his party had left the river behind two hours ago. Their clothes are dry now, though dirty. They are in catacombs now.
"This is remarkable," Xenograg voices with surprise. "Such a vast network of tunnels. We could get lost down here very easily."
"Let's not," says Amaltea. "You should leave more palm prints."
"I agree," he replies, and moves to touch the wall. It takes but half a minute to leave the sorcerous mark.
"Which way now, Xeno?" she asks, gesturing to the fork in the passage ahead.
"Let's ask the arrow," is his humorous answer. The enchanted shaft points down but also gives a subtle pull to the left. They proceed same. Xenograg feels something else, too. The portal is close, almost straight down. After another hour of working their way down, Xenograg stops the group.
"Guard the passage," he tells the two turkomen. "Amaltea, I'm going to look for the portal now using sorcery. Guard my body while I do, please."
"I always guard your body, love," she says with a impish smile. Xenograg smiles, too, then sits cross-legged on the stone floor. Breathing in release, breathing out control. Breathing in focus, breathing out sensory input. Listening to his heart beat. Quieting the cacophony within his mind. No action, no thought. Then with action of thought only, Xenograg's consciousness floats up and out of his body. Amaltea is still watching her
husband's physical body, unaware of his astral form now hovering beside her. Knowing his body is safe here, Xenograg dives headfirst through the stone floor.
Xenograg does not have the divining arrow with him, but the portal is close enough to sense without it. He passes through another level of tunnels as he descends. The portal is very close now. Hopefully it is within a tunnel and will not require digging to access it.
The journey through the oppressive rock ends abruptly. Xenograg's astral body floats near the ceiling of an immense cavern. There is light here, which puzzles the Darelir for a moment. Then he sees, and is afraid.
Date: 19 Feb 1998 09:25:01 EST
Xenograg and his party had left the river behind two hours ago. Their clothes are dry now, though dirty. They are in catacombs now.
"This is remarkable," Xenograg voices with surprise. "Such a vast network of tunnels. We could get lost down here very easily."
"Let's not," says Amaltea. "You should leave more palm prints."
"I agree," he replies, and moves to touch the wall. It takes but half a minute to leave the sorcerous mark.
"Which way now, Xeno?" she asks, gesturing to the fork in the passage ahead.
"Let's ask the arrow," is his humorous answer. The enchanted shaft points down but also gives a subtle pull to the left. They proceed same. Xenograg feels something else, too. The portal is close, almost straight down. After another hour of working their way down, Xenograg stops the group.
"Guard the passage," he tells the two turkomen. "Amaltea, I'm going to look for the portal now using sorcery. Guard my body while I do, please."
"I always guard your body, love," she says with a impish smile. Xenograg smiles, too, then sits cross-legged on the stone floor. Breathing in release, breathing out control. Breathing in focus, breathing out sensory input. Listening to his heart beat. Quieting the cacophony within his mind. No action, no thought. Then with action of thought only, Xenograg's consciousness floats up and out of his body. Amaltea is still watching her
husband's physical body, unaware of his astral form now hovering beside her. Knowing his body is safe here, Xenograg dives headfirst through the stone floor.
Xenograg does not have the divining arrow with him, but the portal is close enough to sense without it. He passes through another level of tunnels as he descends. The portal is very close now. Hopefully it is within a tunnel and will not require digging to access it.
The journey through the oppressive rock ends abruptly. Xenograg's astral body floats near the ceiling of an immense cavern. There is light here, which puzzles the Darelir for a moment. Then he sees, and is afraid.
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From: xenograg@aol.com (Xenograg)
Date: 26 Feb 1998 20:19:58 EST
'Stab its eyes!' Xenograg curses in his thoughts. The portal is in a dragon's lair, of all the jests of fate. Not a noble serpent either but a crude, animalistic wyrm. An eating machine. Xenograg surveys the room for many minutes, noting its size, the location of the glowing portal within it, and the various exits.
'Entrances,' he reminds himself. Luthien has to come here. The dragon seems completely unaware of Xenograg's disembodied form, which would confirm the baseness of the creature's geneology.
'It is sure to be resistant to sorcery, as all dragons are,' comes the tactical judgment of the Darelir's military mind....
"Xeno, wake up," whispers Amaltea frantically. She resists the urge to shake him but wants to. One of the turkomen had heard noises down one corridor and went to investigate. Amaltea still doesn't know what trouble could be coming, and she and the guards have a language barrier.
"Put...out...light,...lady," speaks the remaining guard with hesistant translation. Amaltea knows it wasn't supposed to be an order but still chafes at the disrespect. The guard's suggestion is a good one, and she nods in agreement. The small group is plunged into total darkness, hundreds of feet beneath the earth -- and they are not alone.
Date: 26 Feb 1998 20:19:58 EST
'Stab its eyes!' Xenograg curses in his thoughts. The portal is in a dragon's lair, of all the jests of fate. Not a noble serpent either but a crude, animalistic wyrm. An eating machine. Xenograg surveys the room for many minutes, noting its size, the location of the glowing portal within it, and the various exits.
'Entrances,' he reminds himself. Luthien has to come here. The dragon seems completely unaware of Xenograg's disembodied form, which would confirm the baseness of the creature's geneology.
'It is sure to be resistant to sorcery, as all dragons are,' comes the tactical judgment of the Darelir's military mind....
"Xeno, wake up," whispers Amaltea frantically. She resists the urge to shake him but wants to. One of the turkomen had heard noises down one corridor and went to investigate. Amaltea still doesn't know what trouble could be coming, and she and the guards have a language barrier.
"Put...out...light,...lady," speaks the remaining guard with hesistant translation. Amaltea knows it wasn't supposed to be an order but still chafes at the disrespect. The guard's suggestion is a good one, and she nods in agreement. The small group is plunged into total darkness, hundreds of feet beneath the earth -- and they are not alone.
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From: scadicca@aol.com (Scadicca)
Date: 17 Mar 1998 11:53:41 EST
Rather than risk torch smoke worsening Luth's condition, Turi continued to let the dancing will o' the whisps lead them. Occationally one of the darting lights would travel beyond view, or sometimes they circled the two women as though to urge them faster. Whenever they did, Turi would murmur to them in a strange tongue and send them off again.
They were taking a meal break when the lights came swirling back, all of them, flickering and blinking agitatedly. Turi rose quickly, a gesture pooling the whisps to a single faint glow in her hand. "Seems we've company ahead, Luth. Ye res' a bi' more while I see wha's ta be done, all righ'?" She left the faint light with Luth and made her way down the tunnel.
Infravision came to the fore when she was well away, but there were no heat sources in this section of the tunnel and she had to move by touch. No side passages or pits opened before her searching hands and feet; good in that it made travel safer, bad in that if she and Luth had to avoid the others ahead they had no place to duck aside.
The passage turned, and suddenly Turi could see a figure crouched ahead. She ducked back quickly, hoping she'd not been spotted, then edged foreward just enough to look. Only one, but beyond it was a brighter glow that indicated more people beyond another turn, maybe even firelight. The figure didn't move, and it was hard to judge form or size from the hunched red haze. An orc possibly, Turi decided. It didn't seem large enough to be a troll.
At least, she hoped it wasn't large enough. Orc's Luth might still be in a condition to help against. She made her way back, moving more quickly. Once she tripped in the darkness, sending a small scattering of stones into the wall with pings which sounded far too loud in her ears. Hoping the sound had not carried too far back, she risked a faint light and hurried.
Date: 17 Mar 1998 11:53:41 EST
Rather than risk torch smoke worsening Luth's condition, Turi continued to let the dancing will o' the whisps lead them. Occationally one of the darting lights would travel beyond view, or sometimes they circled the two women as though to urge them faster. Whenever they did, Turi would murmur to them in a strange tongue and send them off again.
They were taking a meal break when the lights came swirling back, all of them, flickering and blinking agitatedly. Turi rose quickly, a gesture pooling the whisps to a single faint glow in her hand. "Seems we've company ahead, Luth. Ye res' a bi' more while I see wha's ta be done, all righ'?" She left the faint light with Luth and made her way down the tunnel.
Infravision came to the fore when she was well away, but there were no heat sources in this section of the tunnel and she had to move by touch. No side passages or pits opened before her searching hands and feet; good in that it made travel safer, bad in that if she and Luth had to avoid the others ahead they had no place to duck aside.
The passage turned, and suddenly Turi could see a figure crouched ahead. She ducked back quickly, hoping she'd not been spotted, then edged foreward just enough to look. Only one, but beyond it was a brighter glow that indicated more people beyond another turn, maybe even firelight. The figure didn't move, and it was hard to judge form or size from the hunched red haze. An orc possibly, Turi decided. It didn't seem large enough to be a troll.
At least, she hoped it wasn't large enough. Orc's Luth might still be in a condition to help against. She made her way back, moving more quickly. Once she tripped in the darkness, sending a small scattering of stones into the wall with pings which sounded far too loud in her ears. Hoping the sound had not carried too far back, she risked a faint light and hurried.