Chapter 6

Players:
Christian (M) /Isabelle (F) Pathfinder
Brett (M) /Owein (M) Paragon (dead)
Sandy (F) /Dacie (F) Corsair ; Sylph
Kathy (F) /Eric (M) Huscarl
Stephen (M) /Sayer (M) Incantist
Corey (M) /Elisa (F) Priestess

With the sun rising over the horizon, Dacie opened her eyes surprised to find that Isabelle had not moved from her position all night. After that long and terrible retreat from the crypt, dragging Owein’s body along the way, the party had finally found a place to hide. The plan had been for Isabelle to take the first watch, and then wake the others, however the Pathfinder had other ideas. No one expected to really sleep, from the terror of almost dying to the loss of their good friend but everyone except for Isabelle apparently crashed hard.

“You should have let me take the last watch.” Rubbing her eyes, the Sylph walked over to her friend and circled her arms around her. They held each other for a few minutes before Isabelle spoke.

“No, everyone needed the rest.”

“And you didn’t?” Dacie raised an eyebrow.

“I’m good for now, I’ll close my eyes later. “

Knowing better than to argue, Dacie found a comfortable spot by her friend. “So, what are our plans now, oh glorious leader.” Trying to put some humor into the conversation failed miserably however Isabelle gave her a half smile for her effort.

“Leader, right well I guess we should vote who should be the party leader, first.”

“Isabelle.” The Sylph sighed. “You saved all of us, trust me, everyone has been looking to you since we got our asses handed to us in that crypt. I’m sorry Isabelle, I should have…It’s my fault.”

“It’s not your fault, it’s no one’s fault. The fault lies in who transported us to Mercia. Our only fault as a group is not realizing that Owein did not take this experience as real. In his mind this was still a game, and he played at if it was such, not thinking of the consequences. Treasure and experience points sound fine on paper, but the reality is much different. In this world as in ours, dead is dead.”

Dacie made a face. “But our high level characters can restore life. Your other character, the priestess, has the power, correct?”

Isabelle shrugged. “You’re right Dacie, for the most powerful or those wealthy enough those prayers are available under certain conditions but as of right now, we are not even close to being that powerful.” Isabelle leaned over and whispered. “As it stands we don’t even know what dangers we may face inside the city. There is no Game Master to make sure that the dangers are equal to our level and there is no Game Master to help us if we get over our head.”

Dacie nodded, she knew that on occasion Philip fudged the roles if it appeared as if the party was going to have a really bad day. She never actually saw him do it rolling behind a cardboard GM screen most of the time, but it did make a certain kind of sense. Everyone getting killed, although it does happen, was not a lot of fun for anyone.

“It’s OK, Isabelle, you will get us home.”

“Why do you think that. Most likely I’m just going to do something stupid and get us all killed.”

Dacie reached over and held Isabelle close again. “No you won’t, I trust you. I know you will get all of us home safe.”

Later, no matter how hard Isabelle tried to make them change their minds, the others agreed that she should be the party leader. Not terribly happy about the whole thing but at least willing to give it a try, the Baroness started to pass out orders; the relief on the other’s faces was palpable.

Deciding to remain in place for the rest of the day to rest, the camp site first needed to be made secure. Everyone quickly began to work around the camp as if their life depended on it, happy to be given direction.

With their campsite hidden from plain view, a decision about Owein’s remains took place. Sayer, who spent the rest of the morning lost in his spell tomes, didn’t hear the conversation taking place.

“Do we bury Owein?” Elisa frowned. “Even the prayers to keep the body from decomposing are still out of my reach. Although it’s not terribly hot…” Wrapped in a number of cloaks, with his armor removed, the Captain of Dragoons lay in the shadow of a collapsed wall.

“We can’t just leave him, maybe we can find a high priest if we make it back to a larger city.”

Dacie made a face. “Problem is, Eric, the cost of bringing the dead back to life is horribly expensive. What’s worse, most prayers only work within a few days before the sprit crosses over into the realm of the dead. Even if we found a gate now, it might take weeks or even months for us to find someone.”

“What happens if it takes more than a few days?”

“Rise in price if nothing else however it also becomes harder to find someone with the ability.”

“Also just because a Priest or Priestess does have the power, even if there is plenty of coin on hand, doesn’t mean they will be willing. It might also require a service or quest on our part.” Elisa looked to the ground, hesitating before she continued. “Maybe, once we make it through the gate, we can bury him someplace safe.”

Eric frowned thinking how they were going to explain this all to Sayer. The boy already had it in his mind that the party was going to simply march into a town, and his brother would be brought back from the dead.

“Isabelle, I also don’t like that Owein was killed by one of Ilithar’s children. I hesitate to say this but you know that there’s a chance he will return in some other form.” As a long term player of the game, the priestess knew that the dead did not always remain dead. No one thought at the present time that it was a good idea to inform the Incantist that his brother might come back as a monster.

The Baroness rubbed her face with her hands. “I know, it makes me sick saying this, but I think we need to bury Owein as soon as we gate to the nearest town. Best would be in a blessed crypt. This way there should be no problems when we return to raise him. “No one argued with her about the chances of the party actually returning. “Elisa, will your prayers keep him in place?”

“I think so but I can’t really be sure.”

“What happens when we get home?”

Elisa looked at Eric lost in the question. “Oh, I see. I don’t know.”

“Do you think he is home now?” The Huscarl’s voice sounded a bit desperate.

Isabelle studied the Huscarl, trying to understand what he was asking. Did he really think if one of them died, they would suddenly appear back home or was it something else. “Who knows, it’s not like this has happened before. Perhaps we are all still sitting around the table right but do you really want to chance that?” Isabelle understood that Sayer wasn’t looking forward to explaining to his parents what happened to Brett. More than likely they would all be blamed for his disappearance.

“No but…” Eric dropped his head.

“I think we need to assume that this is real. If we die here, then we also die back home. Anything else will get us killed.”

Isabelle kicked herself, the conversation they were having should have taken place a few days ago. The last few days had been a blur as if everyone else had been running on autopilot. Did it really take the death of one of their friends to understand the seriousness of the situation? She was just as bad finally feeling normal, in a body that felt right, she forgot herself. Since they arrived a part of her understood what happened, she should have pressed this and not complacently followed Owein.

Eric reluctantly nodded.

Elisa reached over to touch him but brought her hand back quickly. “So what do we do now?”

“Find the tower.”

Dacie sighed. “Who is going to explain this all to Sayer?”

Isabelle grimaced, rising from the ground. She looked over at the Incantist who sat with his face in one of his books. “I’ll do it.”

With the promise to return, surprisingly the Incantist had taken the news of burying his brother fairly well. It should have calmed her fears; instead it made her more worried. Since Owein’s death, the Incantist had completely shut down. Once they were safe, it would be another thing they would need to deal with. Still they had a long way to go until they reached the safety of the tower, much less help Sayer or find someone powerful enough to bring life back to Owein.

Much later in the day, the Pathfinder’s sword slowly slide out of its sheath, Isabelle, moving silently as possible, continued to slide past the edge of a fallen wall. Crawling underneath, she found a better vantage point to study the creatures that blocked the road. Large man-like creatures, looking like a combination of a troll and a goblin, dressed mostly in thick hides, stripped the hide off a particular large lizard they just killed. She counted a dozen in the Urk hunter party though it didn’t mean a lot; Isabelle knew that hundreds more could be off in the distance.

The terrain in the upper party of the valley had helped hide their progress with its gentle hills, but now flattening out as they headed towards the center of the valley, was getting difficult not to be seen. Thankfully, there were still plenty of high grass and trees to keep them out of sight. If possible, the Pathfinder would try to find a better route around these creatures. Quickly returning to the party, Isabelle laid out her plan. Although the new path increased the distance travelled, it would keep them out of harm’s way.

“How many more Urks are we going to run into?” Elisa sighed.

“Baroness, why are there so many in the first place.”

Isabelle smiled the first in a while. “Remember those weird antelopes as you called them, Sayer, the Urks follow the herds. With the snows falling in the mountains to our north, those creatures move through the valley to the warmer lands to the south.”

Eric looked around. “Can you imagine living in this valley with hordes of Urks moving through every season?”

“So what now fearless leader?” Dacie asked.

“We go around them of course; if our luck holds we should be able to see the tower fairly soon.”

Nodding to themselves, happy not having to fight, the group understood under Owein’s leadership they would have fought each group of Urks as they came across them. Eventually the fighting would have brought down enough of the creatures that it would have cost all of them their lives. Dacie looked up at her friend impressed. They were all beginning to understand the decision to make Isabelle the new party leader was the correct one.

As the sun began to set, the party came across the first actual ruins of the city, and off in the distance stood a tall black tower surrounded by a grey wall. The ruins themselves, most thought would look like Pompey, with its obvious streets and buildings looked quite different. The elements had not been kind, since the city’s demise many hundreds of years ago. With most buildings collapsed, its appearance was more of a city of grass covered mounds not ruins. Some larger structures remained mere skeletons of their former glory but nature had taken a heavy toll. However the main thoroughfares through the city and some of the side streets remained free of weeds and grass. Obviously some residual magic kept them clear. The tower too, crafted of some unknown material, appeared untouched by age.

Isabelle almost collapsed at the sight of the tall black tower. All of their hopes lay in the fact of its existence. The view of the black spire immediately lifted everyone’s spirits. Isabelle decided they would move deeper into the city to spend the night, hopefully hidden from any prying eyes.

Since the incident in the tomb, the party had been able to move around dangers, their only objective to get out of the valley as soon as possible. Unfortunately, their luck did not hold. Due to lack of experience, or carelessness because their goal being so close or just plain old bad luck the party walked right by a large contingent of the savage looking Urks. Neither Isabelle, nor the Urks scouts came across one another. Only after the two groups passed, did Elisa look back surprised to find them so close. The Urks too were shocked but being Urks charged first.

The creatures should have run at first sight of the party. All the rage, the terror the grief of the last few days was poured into the attacking Urks. Half of them didn’t even reach the party, the rest were quickly dispatched by Eric and Isabelle.

Leaning down Isabelle wiped her blade off, amazed that everyone came out of the fight without a scratch. Retrieving her arrows, she noticed the others looked through the bodies for anything of value. Nothing was found of course, unless dried lizard meat was valuable.

“It’s not your fault.” Elisa interrupted her brooding.

Isabelle looked surprised; she didn’t realize that she was brooding. “I should have….”

“No, don’t start. You know as well as I, this will happen. Thank the goddess none of us were hurt and move on. We still have a long way to go before we reach the tower.”

The Baroness smiled at her friend. “You’re right.”

“Of course I’m right, I’m always right.” The priestess grinned for a moment then looked around sadly. “Such violence, it’s simple butchery you know that.”
Isabelle couldn’t help but agree.

With night now almost upon them, the group was now close enough to see the tall grey walls that surrounded the tower. According to Isabelle the Gate that would transport them out of the valley would be found towards the top of the tower. As not even Isabelle knew what dangers lay ahead, tackling the tower in the morning seemed prudent.

Elisa closed her eyes in prayer, feeling the loving touch of her goddess. While setting up camp for the night, the atmosphere was subdued. Thoughts of home drifted in everyone’s mind however passing through the gate was just one small step towards home.

Living as a woman even for this short time had been quite the experience. She understood that the ability to feel comfortable in this strange body was only because of her patron. The priestess wished that Eric could feel that warmth. She knew he was having a difficult time. It was bad enough switching genders but to be thrown into an unfamiliar place as well, it was pure luck the two of them had not been driven insane. Only Isabelle embraced the changed and that made her worry for her friend. How would she react to switching back to the male Christian? However it turned out, she would make sure that she was there for her.

“Sayer, how are you this evening.”

“Ok, I guess.” The Incantist looked up. “Do you really think that…?”

Elisa nodded; she knew what he was asking. “Trust me…Stephen; everyone here will try their best.”

Sayer turned. “Isabelle, she always keeps her promises doesn’t she?”

“Why do you say that?”

“I don’t know she just seems the type. She does though, right.”

The priestess nodded. “I have never known her to break a promise. Did she promise that we would be able to bring your brother back from the land of the dead?”

Sayer frowned for a second, the land of the dead sounded so alien but also very familiar. “No, it doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, well believe me, whatever she said that’s exactly what she will do.”

“We should have followed her instead of Owein.” Sayer dropped his voice barely above a whisper. He loved his brother but Brett never admitted to his own limitations. What happened in the crypt was typical of how things often worked out.

“What?”

“Nothing Elisa.” Reaching for his book, the Incantist was about to ask about what spells would work best indoors when Dacie let out a scream.

“Stay back.” She roared in terror. In the shadows, Owein walked into the moonlight. The body twisted, radiating evil, reached out for the Sylph. It was once thing to see such a creature in the movies, quite another to run into one in the flesh.

“Stop foul creature.” Elisa strode forward, her palm held up. “By Sylia golden light, return to the darkness from which you came.”

A beam of pure white light struck Owein in the chest. It did not just harm him but consumed the body whole. Bathed in white flame, the Captain of Dragoons turned to ash before the party’s eyes. The encounter was over in a second.

Elisa sobbed quietly in Dacie arms, as a very concerned Eric looked on. On the other side of the camp Isabelle spoke quietly with Sayer. The Huscarl knew that the boy and his girlfriend were on the very of having a serious breakdown.

“He wanted some time to himself but we all need to keep an eye on him.” Isabelle reluctantly returned to the group. “How are you…Corey?”

“It’s all my fault.” Elisa whispered.

Isabelle knelt down holding her friend’s hand. “No, it’s not.”

“I could have…”

“What? Chopped him to pieces while Sayer watched? As soon as he was embraced by Ilithar, Owein’s fate was sealed.” The Baroness said a little more forceful then she intended. She too blamed herself.

“When you come back from your games Elisa, you spend all your time explaining the wonders of the world. Is there no way to bring him back?”

Dacie stroked the priestess’ head. “Yes, but it’s no longer a matter of finding a priest or priestess, Eric. It would require a direct appeal to the gods themselves. Even at our highest level, we could never bring back anyone after they were embraced by the goddess of death.”

“What about mages?”

Elisa sniffed. “No, not even my Archmage has such power. Although there are tomes that say speak of those who lived in these lands held such power.”

“Is that true, Isabelle?”

“You’re asking me?” For a moment she looked confused forgetting that she indeed know more about this world than anyone else. “No, she’s right. At the height of their power the seven Archons who ruled these lands held such power. However, even the greatest of mages must have an intermediary to speak to the gods.”

“So we just need to find a god that’s willing to help us.” Eric shrugged.

Isabelle gave a small sad laugh. “We’ll work on that.”

The next morning, Isabelle made the party break camp as soon as the sun rose over the ruins. If they were going to make to the tower, she needed to make sure that they did not dwell on what happened the night before. While Dacie kept a close eye on Sayer, the Pathfinder took her place forward of the party.

With the tower in sight, the company moved quickly but cautiously, reaching the ruined wall that surrounded the Archon’s tower well before noon. Returning to the party after finding the entrance, Isabelle set out her plans. She and Eric would lead the party, while Elisa and Sayer in the second rank with Dacie a little bit forward ahead of the party.

“Why are you out to the front?”

The Sylph smiled, answering Eric’s question. “Traps, enchantments and other protections inside the tower, I will hopefully see first. Don’t worry; I’ll still be keeping close, as I have no desire to run into any dangers alone.”

Surprisingly, the courtyard surrounding the black marble like stone tower appeared as if the calamity that befell its owners did not happen. Cleared of all debris, the party easily crossed the courtyard heading towards a long white stairway that ended at a set of large bronze doors.

Dacie reached it first, kneeling down she realized that everything around the tower had a magical aura. It was going to be difficult, although not impossible to determine what magics were harmful and which ones were beneficial. Sayer’s ability to read the aura, although it required a spell, would prove invaluable. She half expected the stairs at least to be trapped magically. Unfortunately, the Sylph had no recollection of the adventure that took them to their tower originally.

“The stairs should be fine, Dacie, the doors about as well. However I would expect us to find some sort of guardians in a few of the rooms.”

Elisa looked surprised. “You actually remember the adventure Izzy?”

The Baroness raised an eyebrow at the name then smiled. “Mostly, as it was the first time my girlfriend played with us.”

Dacie turned away blushing. “Ok then, let’s find this magical gate of yours and get the hell out of this valley.”

The wide stairs were flanked by once beautiful stone statues, the veiled goddess who protected the land. Now little but her feet remained. The stairs, quickly taken, brought the party in front of a large set of bronze doors that were already opened. Once through Elisa prayed to her goddess, lighting up a large round room revealing an ancient bronze staircase leading upwards. Etched on the floor, a beautiful mosaic displayed the stars above. Although there were a number of doors exiting the room, they were ignored.

“How sturdy can a thousand year old staircase be?” Eric spied the stairs warily.

Dacie nodded. “Don’t worry; the magic in this room alone is impressive. Have you noticed that the tower has not the slightest sign of age? It as if the inhabitants just stepped out for a moment.”

Sayer closed his eyes. “Baroness, I don’t think we are alone.”

“Let’s move then, we can take the stairs at least to the floor below the gate room.”

The party had reached the top of the stairs, entering a floor with a number of hallways and exits. The founders of the tower made sure that unless you knew your way, finding the gateway would not be a simple matter.

Sayer stood before another door, although unlike the Sylph whose could feel the magical auras, his spells were more powerful. As an Incantist, he was often able to decipher the enchantment’s properties. “Not this door either, it will set off a series of alarms. “Turning towards Isabelle, he said. “Perhaps another door?”

Sayer looked towards the Priestess who was also lost in thought. “It’s different.”

“I agree.”

“Baroness?”

“Sorry Sayer, yes we need to go down the corridor further.” Before proceeding, she looked around once more. The corridors were made to be confusing, but somehow she knew exactly which ones to take.

“It’s as you say Elisa, it’s different from what I remembered. I still think we are going in the right direction.”

Another doorway later, the party entered a long rectangular room, at the end of the room a set of stairs led higher into the tower. Slowly they entered the room, prepared for any unwanted guardians. They were not disappointed. In front of the stairs a ball of energy began to glow, fingers of lighting touching the floor. From the ball of energy, a figure stepped through, a man like creature created out of black stone. With the creature now fully in the room, it was soon joined by another.

“Golems!” Dacie yelled, stepping forward the Corsair fired her Arcane pistol sending two balls of energy into the globe, destroying a third golem that had been materializing in the room. Collapsing upon itself, the magical field detonated with a burst of magical energy damaging the two golems in the room.

From Sayer’s hands, a bolt of lightning slammed into the closest of the guardians, pushing it back. Without a pause, Eric roared into the fight swinging his weapon in a wide arc. From Elisa, a prayer to her goddess settled about the room, bringing holy protection upon the party. Isabelle, with her blade now enchanted, now joined the fray, leaping back as the second tried to pummel her with two of its fists. Sweeping back, she slashed at an outstretched arm surprisingly enough shattering the creature’s wrist.

Eric grunted as a stone fist almost picked him off the ground. “How do we kill these things?”

“Keep hitting them.” Dacie yelled while sending two more arcane bolts into the same golem. “Enough damage will disrupt the enchantment.”

“We need to take them down one at a time.” Jumping back again, Isabelle, less armored than the Huscarl knew that a solid blow from one of the creatures could be devastating. “I’ll keep this one busy; take the first one down everyone.”

Eric opened his eyes, wondering why he lay on the ground again. Trying to move he stopped, everything seemed to hurt.

“Sit still babe, let me heal you.” Warm words began to flush away the pain. A touch, he so desperately needed from the one he loved.

“Corey?”

The priestess giggled. “Yes, well I don’t exactly look like him right now. Sit still.”

“How is he?” Another voice broke through the fuzz in his head.

“Kathy always had a hard head, nothing changed. Give me a few moments to get him back on his feet.”

Isabelle stood up, surveying the damage around the room. With the enchantments disrupted, the golems had eventually collapsed.

“Escaped injury again, I see?” Dacie said amazed. Once more, the Pathfinder walked away from a battle without any real injury. The Sylph besides being bruised in a number of locations walked around with a slight limp. Like the others less injured, she insisted it was nothing and that Elisa needed to deal with the others first.

“Just lucky I guess poor Eric keeps taking it in the chin though.”

Dacie dropped her voice. “Damn that Owein, we could really have used him in this fight. How much further?”

“Next floor.” Isabelle said thoughtfully, she could almost feel the gateway in the room above.

As Isabelle predicted, taking the stairs brought the party into a large round room. Embedded into the floor in the center of the room, lay a large silver circle.

“Sayer, I believe this is your party.” Isabelle smiled at the Incantist.

Dacie scratched her nose; the magic in the room was going to make her sneeze. “We need to take care; the room just reeks with magic.”

“Agreed.” The Baroness nodded to Elisa, who prayed to her goddess reinforcing her blessing.

Kneeling on the ground, Sayer studied the runes carved into the metal disk. From memory, he picked out a few familiar symbols. “It’s like a puzzle.”

Isabelle knelt next to him. While the two of them discussed what runes would take them into the Empire, Eric looked over with interest.

“It reminds me of Star Gate a little but lacking those other interlocking disks.”

“I thought you hated that show.” The priestess complained.

“Not true, you just made me watch it all the time.”

“Got it.” After some time, Sayer finally exclaimed. “It’s pretty simple; press the runes on the floor then charge the metallic ring with an enchantment.”

“Any spell?”

Sayer shrugged but looked to Isabelle for confirmation.

“Seems about right, problem of course is that the runes do not resemble any of our current Imperial cities.”

“Then how in the hell are we going to get back.” Eric grumbled.

Isabelle smiled, while pointing at the Incantist. “Because our dear friend here has some knowledge and recognized one of the symbols.”

“You know the rest of them don’t you?” Sayer gave Isabelle the eye.

“Well…err…yes. I just wanted…” The Baroness looked down embarrassed.
The Incantist leaned over and whispered thanks.

As the group stood in the center of the circle, Sayer began his spell. Slowly the ring began to turn. As it picked up speed it began to glow white, blocking the party’s vision of the room.

For a brief moment, they did know where the magical disk transported them. According to Sayer, the group should be standing in the center of the town of Colmar. Instead they all sat around the gaming table as if nothing happened.

“Man thanks again for that figure, you’re awesome.” Phillip came into the room, settling back into his chair as if nothing happened.

“What?”

“So, let’s get the game started.” The Game Master chuckled, actually oblivious to the shocked looks of those sitting around the table.

Stephen all of a sudden sobbed. “Brett.”

Phillip looked up from his Games Master screen confused. “Who’s Brett?

End of Book 1

Authors Notes: A special thanks to djkauf for a little elvish editing. If you like the story please leave a Kudos, if you have the time I would love to hear from you. Thanks to all for reading! - Elsbeth