Date: Thursday, 19 Nov 1992 12:59:25 EST From: Mike Sander <344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU> Message-ID: <92324.125925344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU> Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: (REPOST) [DQ] Week 15: Waking Up from the Nightmare [ADMIN: Apparently, this post didn't make it out worldwide the first time . Here's a brief post order for the recent output: Week 14: A Life at Stake Week 14: The Green-Eyed Monster Week 15: Waking up from the Nightmare Week 15: True Sight Miro: Separate Points of View Kadrys: Going Hunting Hopefully, these sort of problems won't continue. If you (ever) have any questions, feel free to e-mail me!] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lancos wakes up in the middle of the night. He is drenched with sweat from many unspeakable nightmares. His mind calls for protection from them, and knows where he can find it -- the medallion. Yes, the medallion would protect him from anything. He reaches for it, but it does not seem to be where he left it. He flicks on a light, and sees it is nowhere around. A quick search of the room proves to be equally futile -- the medallion is gone; stolen. Lancos' mind races to find the culprit. Krastin? -- no, he couldn't touch the item. Noira? -- no, she was busy with the soul jar. Lord Raven? -- no, he wouldn't be that subtle. Vornik became his only real suspect. Grabbing his supplies, Lancos ran out of the room towards Vornik's lab. * * * * Vornik places the medallion in a magical field, which keeps it afloat and surrounded by a strange aura. He pulls out a book, deciding to record his findings: "The medallion contains an intelligence that is trying to stop my attempts at finding its origins and powers. My initial examination only produced information I had already known of: immunity to normal weapons as much as possible; an advanced speed and ease in attacking. A second wave will reveal more, after the field has softened its resistance somewhat." * * * * Lancos rushes thru the hall. The run helps clear his mind somewhat; allows Lancos' true thoughts to usurp the medallion's implants. He slows down a bit, adjusting to all that has occurred. Much of the recent events seem indistinguishable from the nightmares he had just experienced, and no more pleasant. He could only hope that they were equally fale. Lancos -- bit by bit regaining control -- places the stone 'Raelf had given him some time ago around his neck. It hadn't been "needed" while the medallion had been worn, but now it served as Lancos' best source of protection. * * * * Vornik paused, allowing his magical energies to restore themselves, and to write down more about what he had discovered: "The medallion is becoming more interesting, though not necessarily more useful. Its mindset resembles a beastial quality, focused on survival more than anything else, and it tries to force its wearer to follow the same path. It features an increased resistance to mental attacks, although obviously nothing as strong as the PyraCubic Diamond. It also has a strangely linked regenerative power. The medallion's resistnace is bending, and will without doubt soon break." * * * * Miro roamed the halls, reflecting on what he'd found out. Besides the Dark Master, only Vornik might have something to free the questers. But Miro had never been a proponent of fighting, and he was unsure if he could take on Vornik by himself anyway. Fortunately, he knew where to get help -- Lancos. Not immediately, but he felt the fighter would change his mind, once relayed the information Miro had "overheard": ... "Now that my discussion with the DemonMother is ended, time for a progress report." the Dark Master announced. "How are the prisoners corrupting?" "Well enough." Krastin answered. "They are slowly losing hope, becoming more usuable for your purposes." "Excellent! And Noira's work?" "Not at fast as expected -- her punishment is still affecting her somewhat --, but the overall process is running smoothly." "AND?!" Lord Raven asked impatiently. Krastin sighed. He hated being the bearer of bad news. "And, as feared, that is all the spirit will be useful for. You won't have the sufficient memories -- the knowledge of powers and skills -- that you requested." The Dark Master let out a curse. "And the sword's equally unsuitable. That only leaves four: the mage, the giant, the woman, and the bearded man. I'll need one more for my pentagram -- a substitute, obviously. And that substitute may just have to be..." Lord Raven say, turning towards Krastin. Krastin backs up slightly, fearful that the next word will be his own name. "...Lancos!" Lord Raven continues, not even noticing Krastin's relieved reaction. "I'll show HIM a thing or two about betrayal. And it WOULD be a show of loyalty!" he finished, grinning as wide as he was able. ... Still, Miro could only hope Lancos would be convinced, otherwise he would only be placing HIMSELF in more danger. Then Miro spotted Lancos, the fighter briskly walking past the Dark Master's throne room, and towards Vornik's chambers. Miro followed, easily catching up with him. Miro noticed the familiar predatory look, but saw that the man no longer wore the medallion. Miro briefly scanned the enemy's thoughts for menace, and found it, aimed at Vornik -- yes, Vornik had taken the medallion, and Lancos was obviously going to try to regain it. Miro still remained silent, however, deciding to aid Lancos only if necessary. Lancos found Vornik's door locked, and Miro thought over the idea of coming out of hiding, in order to pick the door. It soon became academic, as Lancos grabbed the knob, preparing to use his strength to bust through. * * * * Vornik stopped again. He didn't WANT to, but his magical energies needed recharging again. To pass the time, he continued his writings: "As far as I am concerned, the examination is complete, and now I shall try to make the medallion subserviant. Since it has this animal-like self- preservation instinct, a few 'beatings' should curb it to my will. If the medallion is so concerned about survival, a few threats to it should serve me well. "But what exactly to do with the medallion's powers is still in question. It seems to enhance, or perhaps even cause, the ability to transform oneself into one or more carniverous animals. Of course, for anyone not already skilled in the area -- like druids would be -- the change is essentially involunatary, and the person's action would no longer be their own to control, much like the early stages of lycanthropy. But while it doesn't restrict its 'usuability' to humans -- like lycanthropy does --, it DOES require the subject be living. That makes it somewhat useless in this plane. My best bet appears to be to control Lancos through it; using those tools to gain 'Lord' Raven's throne for my own. Once I have access to other realms, the boundaries are endless. "Lancos -- his case is unique indeed. I cannot be fully sure until I see the change firsthand -- since the medallion appears to be highly individualized -- but all signs point to the animal this device is trying to transform him into as being a ..." * * * * _BLAM!_ The door blasts open, setting off the fire trap upon it. Lancos files into the room, the magical stone taking all the damage. He raises his swords at Vornik in an unmistakable sign of hostility. Vornik tries to hide his surprise, tries to stall so his energies can recharge further, so he can plan his response. "Lancos! You DO realize that you shouldn't attack a prepared mage -- especially one with wight abilities?" "Give it up -- you won't do anything powerful for fear of hitting your own property, and you KNOW it." Lancos says, nevertheless advancing carefully. Vornik largely agreed with the statement, but did not show it. "That wouldn't mean anything even WERE it true." he says, mumbling a spell softly. "Besides, you really don't want to hurt me, do you?" Lancos shakes his head, and a grinning Vornik motions the man towards him. When the two are only about a foot apart, Lancos' scimitar suddenly lashes out, catching the surprised wight in the lower chest. "Did THAT hurt?" Lancos asks, grinning slightly, "Sorry!. Vornik was reeled back a bit, and angry that he had initially played with Lancos. He pulls out a wand, and fires small balls of force. The missiles hit Lancos. The stone absorbs them, but shatters after the last of them strikes, its effectiveness ended. Lancos curses, knowing that he has to end this battle quickly. He slashes Vornik's arm, knocking the wand out of the mage's hand, and causing a deep gash in the wrist. Vornik grows tired of the whole concept, and casts a spell that effectively paralyzes Lancos, who nonetheless struggles constantly to break free. "Tsk, tsk, that's NO way for a future servant of mine to act!" Vornik gloats. "I'll not be a servant to you, or your Dark Master!" Lancos cries out. "Oh, really?" Vornik queries, a bit surprised at the response. "Well, I'll have to fix that!" he says, heading for the medallion. Miro snaps to life. Before Lancos' words, he had not known whether interference was the proper course, feeling Lancos was as evil as Vornik, and that the two should destroy each other. But now he saw the true evil. He said a brief prayer, and took aim with blades of solidified holy water at the place where Vornik's kidneys used to be. The blades find the mark, and Vornik spins around instantly to see the elf fading from sight - his quick speel only showed him a faint outline where this unknown enemy lurked. Vornik prepared to advance, his mind focused purely on retaliation. A fatal mistakes, as his concentration falls from Lancos' situation. Lancos uses the opportunity to attack from behind, his strike sending the wight into unconsciousness. He stands over the wight, ready to finish it off, when Miro interrupts. "Wait -- killing's a bad idea in this realm, even one such as him. I've got a better idea -- I'll 'put him on ice', as 'Raelf might say." Lancos gives a puzzled look at the expression, until he sees ice starting to form on Vornik's body where it was impaled by Miro's swords. In the meanwhile, Lancos heads towards the medallion. He stops near it, and reads the notes left by Vornik, down to the last word. He tears off the pages and stores them in his backpack, not wanting anyone besides himself to see them. "That's done." Miro says, rising. "Now, are YOU all right?" he asks, picking up Vornik's dropped wand. "I'm better than all right -- I'm back to normal." Lancos says, using his scimitar to remove the medallion from the field. "Come here a second, and open your backpack." Miro complies, and Lancos turns the elf around. He then drops the medallion into the open flasp. "I want this around in case we need it -- for deceptive purposes or whatever -- but I think it'll be best if you had it for now." Miro nods, and begins leading Lancos to where the others are held. The two talk about all that's happened, and Lancos becomes slightly downhearted, finding out that most of the things he hoped were only nightmares were in fact all too true. "So, what's with the wand, anyways?" Lancos eventually asks. "It has the same force-shaping powers as the bonds that imprison the others, it should be possible to use it to free them." Miro answered. "Perhaps you should let me have it then -- if freeing them doesn't show my true heart... Well, I'll be willing to face the consequences>" "That would be fine, except what about Kadrys?" "What ABOUT Kadrys?" Lancos says shakily, afraid the worst of his nightmares was about to become reality. Miro opens the dorr, and exposes Kadrys' fate to Lancos' eyes. Lancos is speechless as MIro begins to free the others, his eyes fixed on the horrid sight before him. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Sander 344lwkc@cmuvm.csv.cmich.edu AKA Lancos Erredan