Orlon and Tracey are studying the glories of Thor together in a room in the castle, when suddenly Darian and someone with the head of Al and the body of Occa appear out of thin air.
The new arrivals both sport nice tans.
"Good grief!" says Tracey, looking at Al/Occa in horror, "What abomination is this?"
Darian chuckles. "Yeah, it's hard getting used to. But it's not so bad... After all, it the head may look a lot better than the previous one, but it's still Occa inside."
"You sure?" asks Tracey.
"Yes, ma'am, I am. Orlon can probably convince you better than I, though."
Occa sighs, "Yes, Tracey...I have been cursed with the face of Al. It is the regenerative powers....when my face was restored it came out...like this!" (Occa is near tears at this point)
Orlon chuckles, "This will teach you to mess around with that arcane stuff."
Tracey nudges Orlon.
"Wait'll the real Al sees this!"
"Do you suppose Al will demand copyright payment from Occa for use of his looks?" the cleric laughs.
"Sure, rub it in!"
Darian chuckles. "Maybe he's got Occa's head!"
"Is Al here?"
"Not right now," the young cleric replies.
"Anyway, we are here seeking Hardball or Hardtack or Hardcase...something like that. A monk, anyway. Do you know where he is? We have some business to do with him."
"There's no monks here, Occa."
"Hmm, is he not here? Where is he? Is there anyone here with a name that starts with Hard?"
"His name is Hardboard. I don't think we ever said he was a monk, though..."
"Oh, he's around. Shall I fetch him for you?"
"Please, Tracey."
"We will go with you."
She nods, and off you go. Orlon comes with you.
You are apparently in a castle. She leads you through many winding passages and corridors. You occasionally pass other people, such as Arrrgh!, Luann and some other followers of Op Code's. They are unpacking stuff. You also see a number of others, performing repairs.
"Where is this place?"
"This is Demon's Neck," says Tracey. "At least the town is. Orlon, Al and Stiff bought this castle for the value of the taxes outstanding on it when the last owner vanished. I think it was 100gp. Pretty cool, huh?"
"Where is Demon's Neck? I have never heard of it before."
"It's near Eagle Nest."
"I thought you folks were following us with all the possessions and followers. Is this on your way?"
"No."
She giggles.
Occa says, "It will make a good base of operations."
He smiles.
Tracey leads you up a winding staircase and into a room atop a tower...
Hardboard and Phil are up in the tower room when Tracey and Orlon walk in with Occa and Darian.
The latter two see what is obviously a magic user's laboratory/study. A door opens out onto a crennelated battlement, overlooking a town. Another open door - also in the outside wall - reveals only blackness.
"Here he is!" says Tracey. "Hardboard, these guys are looking for you."
Occa says to Hardboard, "Hail Hardboard. Our quest has led to you. I was given a vision of a space base you visited a few years ago. The nernal there has pointed us to you. It seems we are in need of a fully functional Nernal in order to save the world. Since we know you have one, we have sought you out."
Occa awaits his reaction to this news.
Hardboard looks at Occa for awhile, his expression hard to read. At last he replies.
"You know," he says, "I haven't got a clue as to what you're talking about. I visited a space base? A nernal? What's that? Are you sure you've got the right incredible magic user?"
Darian looks at Occa and scratches his head. "That's what Robert said. He said that some monk named Cain found a spaceship and took off in it. He said when we returned years later although he claimed only a few days had passed. When he left the party, Robert said he gave you the medallion that he used to communicate with the ship. Hardboard, Robert was fairly certain it was you. If it wasn't do you know how received the medallion?"
Occa says, "Yes, that is right....Cain..sorry. We need that medallion."
"Oh, that. Yeah, I've got it."
Hardboard pulls out a small plain disk that hangs around his neck by a silver chain.
"I've never used it much. Technology and magic, you know, don't really mix. Can't trust technology. It's too...unpredictable."
Darian says, "May I see it, please?"
Hardboard holds up the medallion on its chain, but it remains around his neck.
"Nernal, are you there?"
No answer.
"Hmmm.. Hardboard, would you address the Nernal and see if you can get it to respond? Maybe it only answers the wearer of the medallion."
Hardboard says, "Spaceship, are you there?"
"Hello, Hardboard," says a voice, "I am here."
"I guess that's the answer. Would you be willing to give the medallion to Occa? He seems to believe that this is one of the things needed to saving the world."
"Of course not," says Hardboard. "But I'll come along with you."
Darian shrugs and looks at Occa. "I've no complaints about having another mage along. Especially when Stiff isn't with us."
"Perhaps he can see to my mage training since you seem to be busy with other things Occa."
"Sounds good to me."
Occa grabs both of them, gives Tracey a kiss and teleports out of there and back to the ship.