Date: Friday, 30 Oct 1992 10:52:28 EST From: Mike Sander <344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU> Message-ID: <92304.105228344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU> Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [DQ] Week 12 Lancos: Games people play [ADMIN: In article Stephen Hutchison says: >centuries in Mother's tender care. But Sander began to realize, something ^^^^^^ Probably just a slip --a hazard of working with me for too long :-)! But hey, while I'm here, don't forget that the "poll" for Who Will Turn Against the Other DQers {tm} is still on, and I want your votes, please!] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Given a choice, this was not the situation Lancos would have opted for. But that was the ironic part --the DQers didn't HAVE a choice. None besides what would amount to direct surrender to the Dark Master, at least. It wasn't even bad that they were sailing for an unknown time to an unknown place --in fact, it might have been the most bearable part. Lancos had spent some time on boats, enough at least to prevent being seasick or reacting heavily to the ship's movements. But sitting --for almost fear of standing and falling through-- on a slowly deteriorating deserted ship over a dusty, deadly sea could not be considered enviable in any sense of the word. The party didn't even know how long they'd been on the ship --time had lost any menting, with seconds, hours, and days impossible to distinguish. Lancos could see the depression weigh upon the questors, along with an inescapable sense of anxiety. While Lancos could not cure the situation, he could at least help lighten the mood. He carefully made his way to where 'Raelf was standing. The mage was transfixed on the sea, showing a sort of longingness towards it. Lancos debated on interrupting 'Raelf's stare when he himself is interrupted by a voice from behind. "What's up with you two? See something?" Miro quandried. Lancos turned around. "Nothing that helpful, I'm afraid." 'Raelf barely seemed to notice either presence. "I was just looking for some conversation, and a chess partner." "I can provide that. Best offer I've received since I've been in Ak Ir'neg anyway." "Good enough. I WAS teaching 'Raelf the game, but he's acting like a... a... oh, what's his phrase?..." "'Space cadet'?" "Yeah. Whatever that's supposed to mean!" The two sat down and set up the board. The others also reacted, either gathering near or starting their own activities. Miro noted the pieces and board looked fairly well used. "Had this thing for a while, eh?" he said, picking up a chipped pawn. Lancos sighed. "Only perhaps a week before we came here. Yet another effect of the plane. I also see it slowly happening to our clothes --at least those not fashioned by 'Raelf, which seem to be neither improving nor degrading-- and armor." Miro: "The Dark Master's an equal opportunity destroyer. Absolutely nothing here could be considered a pleasure, not unless you're evil, and sometimes not even then." "At least we can see why so many vampires have tattered clothing!", William says, an apparant attempt at humor that veered slightly off the mark. Kadrys ignores the comment. "You might be better served concentrating on the game, Lancos." he announces, motioning as Miro captures a piece. Alita interjected, "Oh, come now, any distraction is welcome, even if it involves a task a little less _physical_ than I might wish. So, what say you, my crimson-coifed duo, want to play king to my queen instead?". As she says this, she picks up the appropriate pieces and places one on top of the other. The two made no verbal reply, Lancos shaking his head in a rather disapproving manner and Miro giving a rather stunned glare. Alita: "Perhaps later then. In the meanwhile Lancos, I hope you appreciated my note." Then in a slightly lighter voice, "Note? What did I mean by that? Oh, well..." Lancos flashes a flustered look, but Miro is too dumbstruck to comprehend the words. Finally, Miro speaks. "I wonder what her problem is? She's always given this rant about being cursed -- and what with the blue skin and being stuck here and all, it's at least partly believable. But I've never seen her to act like she has been recently." Lancos raises his eyebrows in interest. A curse might explain some of the things about Alita. He says nothing further at the time, preferring to continue the game and think about it to himself. A few moves afterwards, they watched as 'Raelf suited up and headed off the ship and onto the dusty sea. Miro sighed, "Always playing games," and moves his chess piece. "Check." Lancos didn't hear the ironic statement --he was busy pondering 'Raelf's action-- but the check announcement snapped him out of his daze. "Sometimes I wonder about him." he states, moving a piece to block the check. "First he gives a lecture of worry over me --and a lesser one over Kadrys-- and now he's alone on a sea of death." "He'll be fine." "Oh, I realize THAT. I just wonder at his earlier mood..." ShockWave offered, "He was probably just concerned about the riddles." Lancos sighed. "Not them again!" "Listen, I've had time to think about them --not much else SAFE to do for me-- and the first two have already come true." "What ARE you talking about?" "Just listen: >"A Book, A Rook, a Crook and a Nook, > A Cave, A Grave, a Grief and a Thief, > One contain a Secret, Steals it, Binds it, > And the Other contains only a Promise of Fear." "The riddle was solved in the cave that led to this place. We found Valgar's book, the theif/crook who stole it, and a grave hiding a secret door. The nook was the shape of the rope bound around Ali... er, I mean our ex-companion's neck, and the grief was for her. The rook must have been that bird we saw, and obviously this place is the promise of fear." Miro: "Death by hanging -- nasty. I feel sorry for her." "Yeah, you would have liked her.", William says, trying to suppress an ironic smile. >"When you look at the Impossible, many Things are Possible. > The Self is Balance, and Balance is Change. > And Change is a Quest in itself, so that One may See. > And That is the Key: To Get to the Other Side." ShockWave: "The impossible item --and no remarks about nothing being impossible, Lancos-- is the 'PCD' we've all-too-often encountered, and the change must be from Generica to 'the Other Side' --here." Kadrys silently remarked that the riddle might have more to do with his side adventure. It certainly had brought about a necessary change, one that allowed him to see that even his wildest dreams might occur, if only for a while. >"Beware the Vampyre. Alone one can't hope to survive against him. > Even one such as you. Because one can't kill what *IS* Death. > You need one who knows your Enemy because he Lived his Life, > You need one who knows the Way Out, and knows Magic also, > You need one much like you, because you'll protect each other, > You may need a few Others, like maybe One who Knows the Dark in Itself, > You'll need to Fear your Fear, and You'll be Betrayed by a Brother." "It's well established that the first two lines refer to the Dark Master, although fortunately SunStorm's far from alone. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th lines are felt to refer to Kadrys, 'Raelf, and Lancos respectively. The sixth line was never determined --maybe someone we never met. And the last --well, I think the last line is the source of 'Raelf's recent behavior." Lancos: "You see, SunStorm doesn't HAVE a --live-- brother, in fact, I'm not sure any of us do. So Valgar suggested it might be a brother-in-arms --one of us. Pure folly, in my opinion." But inwardly, he realized ShockWave might have a point. As the game wore on, the back part of his mind concentrated on who that traitor might be, if only to prove how laughable the idea was. 'Of course, I get to eliminate myself right away. Not that much of the blame couldn't be laid at my feet, but it's ONE bonus... Alita? She IS cursed, after all. And she acts so indifferent to our situation --as if she doesn't care, or knows what's coming. Kadyrs? He SHOULD have been cured. But this place isn't a haven for vampires because of its good food. And he just ANNOUNCES this is the correct route --obviously SOMETHING'S in his mind. Miro? An unknown quantity. I sort of hate to automatically accuse the newest person, but it's hard not to. He's the only one that hasn't proven himself, at least not to me. 'Raelf? He's been rather accepting of the entire ordeal also. Is all that worry an attempt at finding out if WE'RE turning evil also? And how come the biggest stumbling block he's encounterd was when William accidently hit him with a fireball? And even THAT didn't slow him. ShockWave? He HAS been acting unusually authoritative recently, And overaggressive, wanting to virtually go to the DM's front door and all. Valgar? He's certainly gone through some unexplained changes, and he's always seemed too quiet. At least Kadrys and I have some experience with our ungood features --his vampirism and my amulet--, enough at least to control them. I have to wonder if he can handle what's occurring. William? Well, can't ignore the increasing distraction from sanity he seems to be experiencing. And what about his underconfidence? A front, a personal barrier, or what?' However, the stumbling block was simple: "Why?". Why would any of them do such a thing, and why would it succeed, with so many others around to counteract the event? There was no ready answer, which only furthered his feeling that the riddle was folly. Eventually, 'Raelf returned. Lancos silently resolved that as soon as the game was over --and it was shaping towards a draw quickly-- that he would talk to 'Raelf, and perhaps some of the others, about EXACTLY where their future might lie. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Michael Sander 344lwkc@cmuvm.csv.cmich.edu AKA Lancos Erredan SAQ: "Welcome to where time stands still/No one leaves and no one will"-Metallica