From alt.pub.dragons-inn Wed Mar 30 18:18:30 1994 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:7167 Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!pacbell.com!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!sdd.hp.com!col.hp.com!csn!news.usafa.af.mil!cadetmail.usafa.af.mil!CONRARDYSE%CS36 From: CONRARDYSE%CS36@cadetmail.usafa.af.mil (SHAUN CONRARDY) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [Call of Evil] Mortis : Setting out Date: Wed, 30 Mar 1994 03:57:22 GMT Organization: United States Air Force Academy Lines: 112 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.236.136.103 [ADMIN] I'm back from break, so now it's back to studying and back to the adventures of Mortis. Let me know if you want to join the thread. This post is Copyright 1994 by Shaun Conrardy. Rights to archive and distribute this post, by any means, are granted. All other rights (if there are any) are reserved. The story so far: Vin'Tosk, king-priest of the god of strife, has created a powerful scepter that gives him control over the undead. Far away, Mortis senses the power of the scepter and feels a pull to seek out the one who commands the scepter. **************************** Mortis paused momentarily outside the inn. He felt he must begin his journey immediately, but he wondered if it was the power he sensed which was causing his sense of urgency. A small group of people were making their way to the inn from across the street. Mortis ceased his ponderings, pulled his hood farther over his head, and walked briskly off into the night. ============================ Black clouds hung low in the sky and lightning flashed outside of the king-priest's keep in Nosrac Tik. The foul weather matched the thoughts, but not the mood, of the king-priest himself. "Flawless! My creation is flawless!" Vin'Tosk howled in triumph, not for the first time that evening. "Cleric Tessmacher! Has a suitable container been created for the scepter?" A tall, thin man hurried into the laboratory from another room. "Yes milord," the pale cleric answered. "I believe you will find the receptacle pleasing." "Fool! I will decide if it pleasing! Do not assume what you do not know!" Vin'Tosk rumbled in anger. The cleric was fortunate that the king- priest was in a good mood. "Show me your creation." The cleric led Vin'Tosk out of the laboratory and down the hall to a smaller workshop. As the king-priest entered, several acolytes bowed low and left the chamber hurriedly. In the center of the room was a large oaken table. Upon the table lay the corpse of the maiden who was sacrificed to give the scepter its power. The body had a few gems inset here and there, and the chest had been hollowed out and lined and padded with the finest crimson silk. "We have cast preservation spells upon the body," the cleric explained. Vin'Tosk's eyes glittered with pleasure. "Fantastic! Have the receptacle placed in the throne room. Now, I must rest. For tomorrow, we begin the conquest of Tinsara!" =============================== Mortis left the store with the few items he thought he might need to get started on his journey. Now, the final task that lay before him was to find passage to Tinsara. He was sure that was where he needed to go. The next several hours Mortis spent going from tavern to tavern, subtly making it known that he was in need of transportation over land and sea, and he would pay handsomely for the service. As he walked absently down a back alley, he thought of the time it would take to procure the service he needed. Unfortunately, it was the only way he could go about finding passage. People usually do not react well when a skeleton asks to purchase their services. Right in the middle of his musings, Mortis heard a soft bang and felt a gentle push on his chest. A voice whispered from thin air. "I have what you seek," the voice said. "What? Who are you," Mortis demanded. "Show yourself." "That would not be in my best interest right now." A bone scroll tube appeared and floated in the air before Mortis. "Take this," the voice whispered harshly. "It is a scroll of teleportation. I know you have some magical ability, so it should not be too dangerous for you to cast." Mortis picked the scroll tube from mid-air. "And what is your price for this," he asked skeptically. "Surely it is beyond my means at the moment to pay." "Do not worry about payment," the voice grew a little softer. "I will be in contact with you at a later time to discuss the 'price' of the spell. Fare thee well, man of bone." "Wait! I have only heard your voice. How will I know who you are?" "You won't." A small gust of wind signified the mysterious wizard's departure. Mortis opened the scroll tube and examined the scroll. "Well, there's no time like the present." Mortis checked his equipment, held the scroll out and recited the arcane words. The scroll began disintegrating with the casting, and Mortis concentrated on the land he had not been to for so long. Disorientation swept over him and a sudden, jarring crash to the ground knocked him senseless. He got to his feet and shook his head. He hadn't really expected it to work, anyway. It may be longer by ship, but a ship was something solid and tangible. He turned to leave the alley, only to discover that the alley was no longer there. Large trees towered over him in the starlit sky. Odd, the stars seemed to be in different positions... Mortis threw back his hood and looked around. The spell had worked. He was somewhere in Tinsara. He was home. *********************** Main Characters: Mortis --- living skeleton Vin'Tosk --- king-priest of Mjolnir (god of strife) Invisible wizard --- ??? -- Shaun Conrardy ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you place the blame." -- Anonymous e-mail: conrardyse%cs36@cadetmail.usafa.af.mil -----------------------------------------------------------------------------