From alt.pub.dragons-inn Sun Feb 6 12:54:49 1994 Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!spool.mu.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!news.kei.com!ub!rutgers!psinntp!psinntp!isc-newsserver!ritvax.isc.rit.edu!ABB6731 From: abb6731@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Mr. Sinister) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [JOI - Segoi: Quest of Power] Message-ID: <1994Feb4.170340.8157@ultb.isc.rit.edu> Date: 4 Feb 94 17:03:40 GMT Sender: news@ultb.isc.rit.edu (USENET News System) Reply-To: abb6731@ritvax.isc.rit.edu Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology Lines: 219 Nntp-Posting-Host: vaxa-eth.isc.rit.edu [JOI - Segoi: Quest for Power] by Mr. Sinister... - Segoi Jen Clifford - Laurnth Synopsis: After landing on Valkeer, Segoi is pursued by the living dead towards a strange tower. __________ Segoi ran faster that he could remember having no wish to find himself in the midst of an ungodly battle with the dead. The tower loomed before him. Running up the few staris he threw himself at the door. There was a great thud as his shoulder struck the door. It rattled in its hinges but held firm. Looking up he saw a light in a window far overhead. He began pounding on the door. "Graflim!" he yelled, "Open your doors to me! I am in no mood to wait! Graflim do you hear!" Segoi turned to see how far the host was just intime to duck a spear thrust. The skeletol warrior stood before him mouth a gape. He thrust again with the spear. Segoi blocked, turning the spear away and snapping it with his other hand. Still spinning he lashed out knocking the soldier off the stairs. Above him a window opened. "Want you what?!" the voice was old and creeked. "Open you door!" yelled back Segoi. "I should why? Hmmm? There out undead, many are there!" "It is Segoi, you old fool, I am in need!" he fended off another attack. "Now open your door!" "Fool am I? Fool no am I! Fool are you, undead standing in midst of are you!" With that Graflim shut the window. Segoi felt his heart sink. Would he have to die here fighting undead of a long forgotten war while his companions were lost who knows where...The door opened behind him and a hand dragged him in. Segoi fell backwards into darkness. Segoi opened his eyes and saw nothing. He closed them again thinking the fall had effected his sight, then opened them slowly. Again nothing, but there was a familiar smell of herbs, dust and mold. "Graflim?" he ventured. "Ummm?" came a voice from directly infront of his face. Segoi all but bolted straight up from where he was laid out. He had not heard breathing, or felt the presence of a body. "Want you what?" repeated Graflim. "Graflim? Where am I?" "You all want that? Here you are. Home mine." Segoi strained to look around again. "Why can I see nothing?" "See can you nothing? You lucky. Nothing see tried I to, life my all. This try." A cloth was removed from somewhere and a small light appeared, dullish yellow. Segoi could vaguely see now his surroundings. He lay on a bed. Around him were shelves covered with bottles, books, and things he dared guess not what. Before him stood Graflim robed in dark grey burial robes. "You have changed not." commented Segoi. "Ever I do?" replied Graflim. "I need information about the Rod of Dominion, its where abouts, and the dangers that guard it. What can you tell me?" "Get I what for this? Hmmm? Much information is this, tell time long take." "My gratitude I suppose will not be enough." Segoi grimaced, he did not like dealings with Graflim, but none knew more about the artifacts of the world. "A flower of the yellow moon Serpent, just one mind! This I will give for your information...if it is good." "Me you not believe? You trust I do how? Hmmm?" "My word is my honor, and you know it!" "True." he shuffled over to a shelf and took down a book. Turning he threw it to Segoi. "Catch here! Knowlede here in is, take you and return flower with! Now leave." Segoi looked strangely at Graflim, he was not usually this easy to deal with. The need for the flower must indeed be great. "What of the undead?" Segoi questioned, not looking forward to fighting his way out again, even if he could. "Hmmm? Scared are you. Here through step, then quick! Tried I grow you of." Segoi saw a shimmering portal appear next to the bed, and wishing to stay in that horrid place no longer he threw himself into it. With a crash he landed on the floor of the cave where he had hidden the boat. Standing he looked around grogily shaking the darkness out of his eyes. The book was on the floor next to where he had landed, and he hurridly picked it up and tossed it into the boat. Dragging the boat down into the surf he left the island without looking back. Later that day after hours of sailing Segoi lashed the tiller and sat back to rest. His gaze travelled to the book on the floor of the boat. Reaching forward he picked it up and opened it to read. The time passed and the sun sank to the horizon. Segoi had rounded the island and again had been sailing west. The wind seemed to blow steadly from the east pushing his little boat on. The sky changed from blue to pink to red an at last to the deep blue of night. The stars came out and under them Segoi slept. He traveled 4 days on the open see, reading and fishing. Sometimes he swam alongside the boat, it never seeming to outdistance him, even if he floated for a moment still on the waves. On the morning of the forth day the came in sight of shore. There was something familiar about this land though he could not place it. About mid-day he came in sight of the beaches, white sands and palm trees. Sailing down the shore he came upon a sight that widened his eyes and caused him to forget about the steering of the boat. The twisted broken hull of a ship was cast up upon the rocks of one of the beaches. The tattered sails flew in the breeze, and a flag hung grimly to the main mast. He looked at this...could it be? Quickly he turned the ship for shore and beached it next to the ship, careful to avoid the rocks. Segoi jumped to the beach hauling the boat up quickly and ran to look at the ship. Was this the ship he had first set sail in some few months ago? Yes! There was the breach where the creatures had tried to sink it, and there the scores of grappling hooks left by that dread ship. This must be the island where he had in his rage left the company to go his own way. And were they still here? Segoi ran up the beach into the forrest along the trail they had first followed to the camp site. Would they still be there? He looked forward to seeing Elanon, and Kyar again. Rounding a turn in the trail he came into the clearing where they had camped by the river. There was no one in sight. Segoi stopped and listened. Nothing, only the sounds of birds. He walked about the camp, the ground was still black from where they had set their fire. He walked to the river to the spot where he had chosen to sleep for a while. With ease the leapt the 20 feet of the river to the other side and walked along to the tree that stood above the the inlet. Suddenly he froze. A familiar smell passed his nose, listening he made out the noise of breathing. He crept forward towards the inlet. There was a figure sitting in much the same spot as he had resting in Segoi's eyes opened wide in surprise. "Laurnth!!" he yelled. The figure started. "Who, wha..where.." it looked around and screamed. Segoi claped his hands over his ears at the noise. "Laurnth! It's me Segoi!" The figure stopped screaming and trying to draw her dagger. "Segoi? But I thought...I mean...the others...WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!!" Segoi cocked his head at this and looked strangely at her. "I must be missing something of your story, please elaborate." "Elaborate! Sure I will. First you go running off into the woods never to be seen again. Then this Peregrine person shows up. Then this creature attacks, and someone kills it, I still don't know who, then everyone leaves without me and I get stuck here. The rest of the sailors have gone to fine another port or villiage ...leaving me here...said they would not have a witchy female on board if they could help it....I've been on my own..." and she trailed off, looking away from Segoi, trying to keep her composure. Segoi looked embarassed and confused as he tried to comfort her, he did not know much about human females or their moods other than they change, constantly. "I am on a quest Laurnth, one that will help Elanon and the rest if successful. I happened upon this island by chance, thought I see now it may not have been. Come we must go." "Go..?" spluttered Laurnth, "Where...?" "To the great Western continent. To a place called the Misty Vale. Will you go?" "Well, considering my only other choice is to stay here, driven mad by the solitude." She paused for a moment, then continued "However, I would *not* mind seeing the rest of them again...to give them a chastisment they would not forget for a while." Laurenth looked in the direction she had last seen the party, grey eyes gone flinty as she fingered the moonstone amulet she wore. "No, not for a long while..." "Come then." Segoi led the way back to the boat, and after gathering much fresh fruit and sleeping the night on the beach, set sail the next day. Turning the boat's nose to the west Segoi let the worlds wind take them flitting across the open sea.