From: pcalvert@economics.adelaide.edu.au
Date: 28 Aug 92 02:29:18 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [KQ]...sage [Fire] Thk's Trident ... part 2

Characters : ...sage, Aq'i'baal (NPC)

The place : the treasure room in the tower of the Efreet Aq'i'baal
The time  : hell, in this newsgroup, what does it matter :)
The reason: Thk's Trident

It lay in its protective elemental envelope, nestled amid the fire opals
with silver tines sparkling in the ruddy light. A thing of water, trapped
on a plane of fire, with no rescue in sight.
[shift scene]
Outside the tower of Aq'i'baal, lord of the province of Khi'sans, a black
square, 3 metres to a side, opened in thin air and a slight figure wrapped
in a mottled green cloak stepped through and out onto the Plane of Brass.
The square remained as the figure looked around, white skin glowing red
from reflected light.
"Sunblock SP15" muttered ...sage "Economy pack from the Arkham Supermarket
and boy am I glad I bought it now."
He walked to the tower and pulled on the large chain hanging outside.
		CLANGGGGGGGG
An imp appeared at a hole in the entry portal and leered at the mage, then
quickly asked "state your business".

..sage replied simply "trade" and pulled a hand out from beneath his 
cloak, clutching a large ceramic jar.
"Tssss" yelped the imp, when he recognized the efreet bottle, but ...sage
quickly assured him "its already in use".
[shift scene]
..sage stood before the Efreet Aq'i'baal as the being of fire sat on his
obsidian throne.
"And why should I trade, and what are you after" Aq'i'baal said, 
directing his question to the mage, but keeping his eyes on the bottle,
"and why shouldn't I just blow you away?"

..sage's eyes widened as he looked directly at the Efreet, and revealed
to the lord the defensive measures that he had employed.
"The Trident you found' he said. 
The Efreet was puzzled. This puny mage had very tight defenses, and was
obviously of good alignment, yet he did not try and challenge the Efreet
as so many had done before (and failed of course). He came also was 
willing to trade a trapped Efreet for an item of water, which the Efreet
couldn't use anyway. Oh he'd tried, but all indications were that if he
had actually used the Trident, it would turn him into a fish and cause 
him to plunge himself in the ocean. The Efreet shuddered at the thought.

"What guarantees do you offer, that you will not use the Trident against
me, nor summon me to your plane, and that the Efreet that you would give
me is worth my while?" growled Aq'i'baal.

"None" replied the drow, smiling slightly and once again proferring the 
ceramic jar.
"Ahhh!" roared Aq'i'baal with delight "a true scholar of our ways!"
"How often are we forced against our nature into situations by the 
words and deeds of petty mages. True, you may seek to deceive me, but
I like your style, and that counts for a lot here. Release the trapped
one and his first task can be to bring you the Trident."
..sage paused for a fraction of a second, but then tossed the jar to the
Efreet on the throne and stood still.
"Wise move." said Aq'i'baal with a grin, twisting the top off the jar
at the same time.

A red figure coalesced before the throne, from smoke that rose from the
open mouth of the jar.
The Efreet that took form looked around hungrily, then upon seeing that
he had been freed by another Efreet, the light in his eyes died and he
slumped ever so slightly.
To be release by one of your own meant eternal slavery, for an Efreet
would never release another who had become his slave.
"Yes master, " the Efreet said, "your wish is my command."
"Fetch the trident from my treasure room and bring it to my guest"
said Aq'i'baal, "then you and I will get better acquainted."

With a puff of black smoke, the Efreet vanished, only to return a second
later, dropping the Trident in front of ...sage and nursing his badly
chilled hands.

"And now that we know who is master, we have some more things to discuss"
said Aq'i'baal to his new slave.
Turning to ...sage he said "take it and go. You have my thanks, but that
is all, and I advise you to stay away from here in the future."

"If I can help it." said ...sage as he picked up the Trident.
"It's been a pleasure" with a wry grin and he found himself once more
outside the tower.
He turned and climbed through the square opening, which closed after him,
also shutting off the screams from his ears as Aq'i'baal's new slave 
learnt what the future had in store from him.

				TBC

						...sage