Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: williame@microsoft.com (William Erickson)
Subject: [traveller] III
Message-ID: <1993Sep28.234030.28533@microsoft.com>
Date: 28 Sep 93 23:40:30 GMT

Night had fallen over the city of Generica and 
the city streets were slowly lit by the lantern
master, or by the hushed words of wizards and
the prayers of the holy.  Still in some parts
of the city darkness held reign. 
 
Outside the city the light rain had changed into
a downpour.  Lightning flashed across the night
sky and thunder rumbled and echoed into the darkness.  

Far from the prying eyes of the city watch and far
from the city walls.  Three bolts of lightning
struck the ground.  The dry grasses and foliage
of the plain, dried in the long summer heat, 
caught fire for a moment before the rain quenched the
flames.

On the blackened earth where the lightning had struck
a moment ago, a gateway of light began to appear.
Slowly the light formed into two large iron   
doors with a key hole near the center.  The
Lightning flashed again illuminating the               
doors as they slowly opened.  No sound issued
from the gateway as they opened inward upon
themselves.   A cold gust of wind sprang up 
blowing leaves and loose scrub into the 
gateway.

The doors had opened completely upon themselves.
The gateway now appeared framed in a mist that
poured from above obscuring the view inside.

Within the swirling mist of the gateway a figure
moved slowly from within.  The lightning flashed
again and the figure could be seen for just a
moment as he strode out of the gateway.

Rood was dressed in green robes, a golden belt
around his waist.  His long black hair was pulled
back into a ponytail. upon his head was 
a green wide brimmed hat.  A golden band surrounded
its crown which laid back upon the hat.  Rood's
face was held in a scowl as the lightning flashed.

Around his neck was a large brass key held upon
a golden chain.  He turned toward the gateway        
and its curtain of mist.  He held up the key 
and pointed it toward the gate.  The mist slowly
parted and a humanoid creature came out of the
gateway.

It stood taller than a man, its arms hanging
below its knees.  Sharp spikes line its body so
it looked like a collection of blades and 
sharp projections.  It had a metallic look and
its eyes glowed red upon its elongated
head.  Its face.  If face it could be called,
was another collectin of blades and sharp
teeth.  It seemed odd that the creature moved
without cutting or impaling itself.  It sniffed
at the key and stepped back into the mist as
the doors closed and the gateway faded from
existence.

Rood placed the brass key under his robe and 
pulled a brown travelling cloak around him to
protect him from the downpour.  His brown eyes
searching the horizon looking for the traveller.

On the horizon he saw the city walls and the lights
which cut across the darkness and headed toward
the city

to be continued......