The EARTH story - August 21, 1372
Over breakfast, Aron asks Equinox, "I know this isn't the forest, but can your nature magic summon creatures that would help us on our journey?"
"I can summon creatures, or at least I can if any are around. But how would they help us right now?"
"Getting us through this snow. Tho I don't mind the workout, I think it's inhibiting our progress."
"I could certainly try to summon something," Equinox says, "but I would have to pray for the spell. I have not prepared that spell because I do not think it would serve any purpose for us in our current location."
Beth looks around at those with her. "So, anybody up for a refresher? Exactly what are we looking for? Just to make sure we're all up to date on all of the details, so that none of us forgets anything important."
Beth listens to the crickets for a few moments before sighing.
She feeds a few morsels from the table to the hawk that sits on her shoulder.
Finally, she looks up, "Right, the Sword. Three great artifacts of Saltar, the Sceptre, the Sword, and the Robe, and prophecy seems to indicate that if they can get all three together, they will be able to re-establish the dominance of that Empire. Which tends to give us the willies. Of course, we've never answered the question as to whether it's possible that this might re-establish the Empire as a force for Good.... But, suffice to say, we need to make sure that all three artifacts don't fall into the wrong hands. And if we control at least the Sword, perhaps we can call the shots. Maybe we'll be able to figure out a way to restore the Empire of Saltar in a way that will be good for us all. Nlad could sure use some help in their fight with Mestom! But that's to worry about later."
"We know a little more than that," comments Equinox, "We know that the Sceptre, at least, has already fallen into the 'wrong' hands and that our compatriots Occa and Zanax have had their souls stolen because of it. We also know that two other groups of adventurers are right now questing for the Robe and going to Hell to try to rescue Occa and Zanax."
"Do we know exactly who has the sceptre, or merely that it's somebody we would prefer didn't have it?" Beth asks. "We've heard the stories that the new Emperor of Saltar has shown up with the sceptre, but we've also heard speculation that the one he has is a fake."
"I don't know if the new Emperor of Saltar presented a fake or not," answers Equinox, "But the real deal was found by Kadlian's party, was stolen by Zanax, a member of that party, and then Zanax and the sceptre were taken by the not-Occa to Hell and given to a Daemon named Vrith who in turn apparently gave it to Hecate. Kadlian's group has gone to look for the Robe and Occa's old group has gone down to Hell to try to rescue Occa."
Equinox continues: "When we find the sword we have to be very careful to protect it against a theft by our own party. It appears that these items are so powerful that they make people do strange things. I think it would be wise to make Al here the custodian of the Sword, at least until we find out what we are supposed to do with it."
"If you trust him," Beth says. "I don't know Al well enough to know if I trust him or not. I liked the suggestion which Kelar made: take it over to Oerth-- since we seem to have found a way to get there-- and try to convince the Mage's guild in the city of Greyhawk there to take care of it. Taking it off of this world altogether will hopefully make it much more difficult for anybody else to track down."
"None taken, but why would it be safer on Oerth? If we can get there, our enemies can as well," Al says with a serious nod.
"We probably shouldn't discuss our plans concerning the sword at this point - never know who might be watching or listening through devine or magical powers."
Ayazin chews thoughtfully on a piece of the tent's magic fruit. "Somehow I don't see how Oerth would be safer than Earth. If we found our way to Oerth that easily, the entities looking for the Sword and Robe could too. This Lord Vrith, and I remember the name of Hecate in there somewhere, surely could travel there, or have agents who could. That fake Occa seemed pretty powerful too, and if Farad could do it, I'm sure there's others who can. I think it would be safer with Ray Jay, or maybe Yuri the Incredible."
Ayazin thinks a minute more. "Then again, maybe we ought to keep the thing as far away from Saltar's borders as we can."
"Yuri the Incredible?" Equinox asks incredulously while laughing at the name, "Who is that?"
"You've never heard of Yuri The Incredible??" asks Goodgulf, regarding the druid with clinical interest. "Where have you been all your life?"
"I got the impression that these folks I was talking to over in the city of Greyhawk were pretty impressive archmages," Beth says. "Some of their names are familiar, anyway: Tenser, Bigby. They've created spells we all know about. If they were truly allies, they might be as good of people to hold it as possible."
"I suspect that just finding it and hiding it won't be the end of the story. Hiding something like that is at best temporary solution. I suspect that somebody, perhaps us, is going to be involved in trying to figure out how one does ensure that a restored Saltar becomes a force for Good. But now I'm really putting the cart before the horse."
Looking thoughtfully to the side and rubbing her chin, Beth says, "I suppose another option might be to find somebody on one of the upper planes who's willing to hang on to it... that should make it much harder for it to fall into the wrong hands. Of course, we'd have to find a way to get there. Farad was very adept at astral travel, and is alas no longer with us."
"I can do that," comments Goodgulf.
"I have never been to Oerth. In fact, I have never left this world," Equinox replies, "And since I do not know anyone in or anything about Oerth, taking the Sword there makes me very nervous. But this discussion is probably unnecessary because we are just guessing. Since we can cast Commune any time we want, thanks to Al, and can find more out about what Thor wants us to do, I suppose our ideas and opinions are not all that important."
Beth hmms. "I hope you won't take offense at this, but I'm rather more interested in our own ideas and opinions than in Thor's. As for taking it to Oerth, I do know some people there. Before we did it, I would want to speak with Ray Jay further about what he might know about the mage's guild there."
"I certainly take no offense, and I hope I did not offend you. But I am a Druid of Thor, and I must take Thor's ideas and opinions quite seriously. I suggest we move on now instead of discussing this further. I am sure that by the time we locate the Sword we will have reached a decision that will please, or at least satisfy, everyone in the party."
Beth shrugs. "No offense - if your ideas come from Thor, that's fine by me. We will have to discuss this sometime however.... But, now, you're right, we should rest, and move on, following Jo-owrn's lead."
Beth looks over at Jo-owrn. "Do you have a sense how much longer the journey to this Bridge we're looking for will be?"
Equinox also looks over to Jo-Owrn for the answer.
"No," the ranger replies, "Because I don't know where it is. Not exactly, anyway. I have an idea of the area, though. if the weather holds and we can get by Slave Lake and Dorvar without any problems then maybe three weeks."
When you are ready you set off again. Outside it is sunny and warmer than it has been; the temperature is already above 0F.
The morning passes without incident.
Shortly before noon, however, Vardui the elf and Leslie the ranger suddenly appear out of thin air a short distance ahead of you and about 10' up in the air.
"Aaaa!" says the elf, as he drops into a snowdrift. "I hate it when that happens! Now I have snow down my neck!"
Leslie floats down to the surface of the Earth as the rest of you join them.
She unfolds a portable hole on the snow...
When Op Code, Rameen, Drinor, Jon, Laurie, Mikodin, Tully, Kithus, Sharone, Aldarin and Tracy climb out of the hole again they find that they are back outside with Devlin, Al, Grim, Beth, Goodgulf, Ayazin, Jo-owrn, Aron, Kelar and Equinox. It is a sunny August day, the temperature being a balmy 13F.
To the south are the snow clad peaks of the Northern Flank Range. To the north is forest. The road at this point is running west-southwest, along the edge of the mountains.
Once greetings are exchanged, the new arrivals don their snowshoes and you set out again.
As evening approaches you come to an intersection. A faint trail winds up into the mountains. There is a signpost:
Northeast: To The memorial Shrine of the Immortal Steele Family.
South: To Space Port
Southwest: To Maenaddwyn and the Valley Of The Trolls.
"One day I would like to visit this Space Port place," says Leslie.
"But not today," says Jo-owrn.
You press on for a few more hours, then make camp under a starry sky.