From: rhr9081@hertz.njit.edu (Ray Rich) Date: 3 Aug 92 19:48:06 GMT Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [DQ] Week 2 In article <92210.194510344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU> 344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU (Mike Sander) writes: >- - - "Enough. Is there info on the sea cave in that book?" "Yeah, it's the last chapter. It's all jibberish, tho. It was the last entry the guy ever made, shortly before they put him away." Valgar slammed a handful of shekels on the grimy desk and grinned. "I'll take it!" >- - - >CUT TO: The evening > SunStorm and Lathan returned to the Inn after their info-gathering. >When they got inside, Valgar, "Raelf and Kadrys were there, too. SunStorm >and Lancos went to the table, and SunStorm told everybody about what he >learned, which isn't much. Before asking the others for what THEY learned, >he asked LittleFair for a good meal. The reduced giant was literally >starving... > When it came to Valgar's turn to reveal what he had uncovered, he reached under his chair and produced a pair of books. "These contain maps that could be helpful to us. In addition to the surrounding lands, they contain maps of a network of sea caves just on the other side of Merchants' Hill. The scribe said that the explorer who found the caves went insane and was committed to an asylum by the Brothers of Issek. I hope that provides us with at least a few leads." Raymond H. Rich aka Valgar From: rhr9081@hertz.njit.edu (Ray Rich) Date: 3 Aug 92 20:34:50 GMT Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [DQ] The Power of the Pyramid A white sphere of light came instantly into existence just at the center of the plaza, causing the strange clapping sound. Just as the light receded, a geometrical shape appeared in its center, still floating, just above the ground, at head level. It was pitch black, with a purple glow all over it. The shape was very strange looking. Light around the object seemed to bend as if to go around it, making the image of objects behind it seem completely distorted and multiples. SunStorm stepped forward toward the incongruity in the very fabric of space, looking at it. SunStorm: "WHAT is that? It seems like a cube or something... no, it's diamond shaped... or maybe a pyramid.. it's... very....... s-t-r-a...n...g.........e....." Valgar stared at the thing in shock, absorbed by its non-Euclidian geometry. "It's none more black," he mumbled. "So black, a void... so..." His eyes tried to follow its myriad edges and contours, forever changing in perspective. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. That was along with Taryn, of course. His enslaved mind reeled back to his first meeting with her. She was a demure beauty, regal yet without haughtiness, proud but not arrogant. His father's reputation had earned him a place in the Palace Guard. There, he served loyally for a few years. Or so it seemed. "Eat up, Valerius," she said softly. "Don't be shy. You've earned it." His vision blurred and he was no longer seated. Instead, he stood in a bedchamber. Her bedchamber. "He doesn't love me, Valerius," she said, tears welling in her bright blue eyes. "I'm just another of his possessions. He's not mean or anything. He just doesn't love me. I need a man to love me, Valerius." He turned and found himself seated at the feast table again. "You've earned it," she said. He pivoted in his saddle. King Frederik patted him on the shoulder. "You're a fine young lad," he said. "You have not disappointed me. Your father gave me many years of fine service, and I expected the same from you. You have not disappointed me." Queen Taryn looked at him from her own steed, an expression of guilt evident on her face. He had already betrayed Frederik's trust and lain with his wife. The betrayal had only begun, however, and regret burned in his very heart and soul. "I need a man to love me, Valerius..." He found himself seated at a table in a ramshackle tavern. A cloaked figure sat before him. "You have stalled long enough," Kane whispered. "Kill him... Kill him..." He stood in the bedchamber once more, Taryn's beauteous form replaced by that of King Frederik's. The king lay unmoving. A crimson-stained knife fell from his hand. A scream broke the still. Taryn's scream. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry..." "Kill him..." he heard. Vision blurred, and there was an explosion of color, as he found himself brought back to his youth. Torches flickered in a subterranean cavern. A dark, armored figure threw him down. "Get up!" he said. "Quit yer whimpering. Yer a warrior now! Your fate may belong to the Beast, but your ass is mine!" He rolled over into a fetal position as the armored figure kicked him repeatedly. SunStorm and his companions sat around the table, contemplating a riddle. "Damn prophecies!" he thought. Kane consoled Taryn as he was carted off in chains. "If only she knew," he thought. "If only I could tell her." They loaded him on a ship that was to take him to exile. He later learned that Kane had no intentions of letting him ever set foot on land again. He rowed for what seemed to be forever. Lancos tried desperately to free Valgar from the pyracubicmid's thrall. He shook him violently and turned his blank face away from the black thing. He felt motion, and thought for a moment that a storm was brewing out on the sea. The ship rocked and he continued to row... and row... and row... Lancos cupped his hands near Valgar's ear. "Abandon ship!!!" he yelled. Valgar blinked. The sea stopped moving, and he tumbled forward onto the pavement. Lancos helped him up as he wiped tears from his eyes. All he could manage to say was "I'm so sorry." Angst all around, Ray aka Valgar