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Chapter 1: A Darkness Gathering

Turn 35: Poison

Telemachos waved his hand at Calmer in a dismissive gesture. “Gentlemen, the way I see it is that my own quest in this town is complete, and I have no further need to be here.” The soldier glanced at Danton and the others before adding, “It is my considered opinion that these fools are willing to let evil overcome them before lifting the smallest finger on their hand to do anything about it. Look around you. Despite recent revelations, no one is marching to war. These people are suicidal fools.”

“They are willing to allow us outsiders to plunge into unknown evils at our own risk without even so much as a reward,” continued Telemachos. “I say good riddance to Hommlet. Why mine good uncle chose to live among these fools is beyond my understanding. If they at least offered us a substantial reward to help them, I might have considered it seriously. But I agree with Danton against taking these charity cases. I am concerned for them but I will only help them if they help themselves or if they could not help themselves. Neither is the case. This place is ruinous to my spirit. Let us depart and never return.”

Telemachos spun on his heel and began walking back towards the inn. Danton motioned for Nanoc to catch the fighter while he tried to placate Calmer and Elmo in the wake of the Furyondian’s tirade:

“Prithee, give us time for discourse. In sooth, you offer little, yet ask much. Yet, our services -- yea, our very lives -- have considerable value. Indeed, mine own is indispensible ... at least to me. While we are not base freebooters, we are -- speaking for mineself, at the minimum -- self-interested, and naturally so. Thus, we must needs discuss our various interests.”

Although both Calmer and Elmo were clearly unsettled by Telemachos’ comments, they agreed to walk down the riverbank a bit while the party discussed their proposal. Once the party was alone, Danton set out his own views:

“Let us not be too hasty, O Telemachos. You are right, and, if I doth say so mineself, I called it spot on: these Hommletians come hither, palm outward, offering danger with the promise of future reward alone. Yet -- and this is why I counsel patience -- not all that glitters is gold. Speaking for mineself, gold is a goodly thing to have around, and there is frankly never enough of it, but 'tis a mere means to an end. Here is mine own end, and I'll speak frankly, though p'raps only Nanoc has ever heard it said so plainly: I mean to return to Veluna, to reestablish mineself as a person of standing and property and also to reclaim mine cherished Vanessa.

I hath generally assumed that, to satisfy my desires, I'd need money to pave the way. Money buys many things, men included, to say nothing of property, titles and respectability. P'raps Mauser would dispute me on the philosophy underlying such declaration, but I shalt raise all of human history as evidence, and leave it at that. Even so, it occurs to me that, to use an expression carried over from the infamous Hardby feline-slaying of 416, there is ‘more than one way to skin a cat.’ P'raps this Viscount can make good on certain parts of his reward in the here and now ... while we are all still alive to enjoy it!

Nanoc, you seek, and deserve, I hasten to add, a bona fide magical greataxe, a bladed cudgel suitable for a strapping lad such as yourself. If the Viscount can't provide that, fine -- but surely a mage or cleric can enchant your current weapon temporarily or giveth over some scroll or unguent to wipe on your axe to approximate magical effect. Then, when this 'rich reward' comes, the Viscount can make good on the genuine article.

As for you, O Telemachos, you now have your magical feathers, but p'raps this Viscount can help gather information from afar -- from Furyondy -- to bring to you news of your mother or lost father. Any bit of information helpeth, surely, and politically connected folk are often the best to obtain it. Men of power in one country tradeth information with powerful men in other lands the way merchants tradeth salt or rugs.

This, then, might also avail me, in a way. I need not information, methinks. I know well enough the unhappy circumstance in Veluna. Rather, a Viscount might be able to make some political headway among the right officials in Veluna, to ease mine return. A good word delivered to the right man and spoken by a gentleman of some prominence goes a long way to realizing delicate political ends. Indeed, such words might be more precious than gold.

As for you, O Luger, I hath nothing to offer directly, for 'tis apparent to me only that you wish to smite evil. If you hath some other, unexpressed desire, p'raps the Viscount could aid you, as well.

Thus, in short, if it comes to accepting 'rich rewards' promised at an indeterminate future date and merely attributed to a Viscount -- who hath not with his own mouth, so far as we canst descry, even made such promises, I hasten to add -- and who may not even be able to make good on such promises, I say fie on it. If that is the only offer that the Hommletians can make, I say to hell with them. I hath been played lackey already by others more sly than they, and, forsooth, we hath all already delivered pro bono aid to these cheapskates. Indeed, forget not that the life of our erstwhile companion Xaod was lost in this 'charity' mission.

But if the Hommletians are willing to aid us in these other ways, 'twould be a sign of good faith that they do, indeed, intend to more fully compensate us ... and -- and this is the most important point -- the various assistance that they give us would itself be a 'front-loaded' form of reward.”

“I too have goals and aspirations of mine own,” said Luger. “Though I find smiting evil alluring, I did not come to this town looking for this trouble. Now that trouble has indeed found me, I will not cower from it. With this latest information, I especially would like to see the evil here put to rest once and for all.”

”I drew a blank at the mention of Tharizdun yesterday,” added the cleric, “but after thinking about it last night, I do remember a few things. Tharizdun is believed to be imprisoned, and the Scarlet Brotherhood seek to release him through the use of some great artifact. After my encounter with the obelisk, I believe it is the artifact they plan to use. We cannot allow this to happen. The release of this evil god will have repercussions across the all of the Flanaess and it is in the interest of all of us to ensure that does not happen.”

”Although few people know this, the Brotherhood murdered my father and abducted my mother in Greyhawk. They also seek to capture and likely kill Mauser and myself. Mauser was no doppleganger, but the experiments performed on my mother by the Brotherhood left my twin more than human, as you're all aware. To see Mauser in his true form, you might mistake him for some sort of doppleganger-human hybrid. Perhaps that is exactly what he is, but it is the Brotherhood that is responsible. In short,” concluded Luger, “I seek my brother so that we can save our mother and bring about the demise of the Scarlet Brotherhood. If the Brotherhood is involved here, then I am bound by principle to disrupt their operation. This cult must be stopped.”

Nanoc shook his head as if trying to clear if of the cobwebs created by Danton’s long speech the subsequent responses of the others.

“Now, c'mon fellahs,” he said finally. “I ain't through wit this place. Why me an Asya plan ta go check out that there ghost town and temple. I thoughts you alls would be comin' wit us. Now the ways I see it is that that there Calmer said the town does have a plan o' action. They is gonna take care o' the moat house and turn that woman over to Rufus and Burne, who ever they be. They is warnin' the town folk and gettin' them involved. So they is doin' somthin, and they is also askin' us for some help.”

”They are helpin’ us too! Why we already were given them there scrolls Luger has, plus they said if we need healin' it'll be free. Spugnior been a real help figurin' out what some o' this loot is and I couldn't stand the thought o' his little daughter endin' up on the bottom of a river. So they done gave us a little. We got more stuff that needs to be figured out, maybe there is another mage here that can look at it.

Calmer done said they want us to continue our invast-tee-gations how we done see fit. I'm thinkin' the fit way is to look into that there ghost town and temple. Now I ain't so bright but I also seem to remember somethin' Danton read about some Tal Chamish fellah that was given wagons to the cult in some place named Raptor or Rister or somethin' like that. Is that the name of that there ghost town??? If not, well I think we need to be talkin to this Tal anywho. You know Asya is learnin me to read, and I kinda see how it might be worth learnin' with that big clue about Tal we got. Anyway fellahs, Asya and I are checking out that town and temple. If we can stop the cult along the way and collect a reward, even better.”

“Good gentlemen, hold,” interrupted Danton. “We can debate human nature and the virtues of simple village folk at another time. We seem to be agreed that we will probably help these people but get something either of real or personal value for doing so. Indeed, I have not wandered these many miles to be a good mercenary doing deeds of charity for a pittance and word of ‘thanks’ the world over. Let us see what they will offer for the risking of our hides. Any thoughts on inviting along Erky?”

“I don’t think so,” said Nanoc, shaking his head ruefully. “Erky went wit’ me to Terrigan’s, but then with all the negative talk you all was given to him, it made him feel unwanted…sort a like how you all talk ‘bout the people of Hommlet. Nope, Erky done made up his mind, and travelin wit us weren’t his cup o’ tea…even I can figures that one. So I don’t thinks we need to be botherin’ ‘im.”

“Foolishness, utter foolishness,” said Telemachos dismissively to Nanoc. “But, good Danton, we can at least try your negotiation strategy. I will only agree to undertake this quest if the rewards are well . . . more than I can imagine, and I can imagine quite a bit. Shall you lead our negotiations? I shall chime in when I feel it is necessary. Perhaps we can play a bit of good constable, bad constable with these fools—you can be the good fellow with your bargaining and diplomacy, while I chime in with threats about leaving. And we should definitely keep Aseneth and good-hearted Nanoc out of the negotiations as much as possible. Nanoc may have us paying them to assault the Temple as a kind gesture!”

With the group as unified around a negotiating position as it was likely ever to be, Danton motioned for Calmer and Elmo to approach once again. He then set out the arguments and proposals he had first suggested to the party, emphasizing that the Viscount and the local authorities could make up for the lack of a major up-front financial payment to the party by using their political power and influence to aid the group in various ways (diplomacy: 7+6=13).

As Danton spoke with the militia captain and the cleric, Telemachos regularly interrupted the discussion with comments like:

• "The idea of negotiations is that you actually offer something to the other side. You have not yet truly done so. Let us be off, friends."

• "I'll tell you what I want - information about my father's whereabouts, information about Furyondy and the impending war."

• "Besides the reward and the proffered healing, we will need weapons, powerful weapons. We also keep everything we find of value. And, you offer some soldiers or magic-users to counter their forces." 

• "I guess we could just leave since you're barely lifting a finger in your own defense. How noble of you to guard the moathouse cleared of all evil ones! I commend your bravery!  Where were you when mine Uncle Jaroo was slaughtered?"

Elmo and Calmer listened attentively to Danton’s arguments, but when he finished setting out his position and they agreed to relay his points to the town’s top authorities, the Velunese was not at all certain that the messengers had found his arguments to be persuasive. And he had the sneaking feeling that Telemachos’ interventions had been entirely counterproductive. His impression (sense motive: 7+4=11) was that both Elmo and Calmer found the Furyondian to be boorish in the extreme.

Elmo and Calmer promised to get back in touch with the party later in the day, but as they were leaving, Luger approached Calmer regarding one other matter:

“When I touched the evil obelisk under the moathouse, I was momentarily transported somewhere and a voice I now believe was that of Tharizdun said, ‘Seek the heart of the four moons, Together they can sunder the walls of my prison. For now, eat of my fruit and be blessed.’ This black fruit then appeared in my hand,” he said, holding out the black spherical fruit he had been carrying for days now, “and I was transported back to the top of the obelisk shaft. If this obelisk is the artifact by which Tharizdun will gain his freedom, then it must be destroyed!”

“Might I take this fruit to the Canoness for examination?” asked Calmer.

“Of course,” replied Luger, “I want nothing more to do with it.”

Clearly not wanting to touch the fruit directly, Calmer wrapped it in a handkerchief he removed from one of his pockets, and then he and Elmo departed. By this time, Nanoc and Aseneth were already walking back towards the inn, but Telemachos motioned furtively at both Danton and Luger, urging both to remain behind.

“If I may have a moment of your time, my friends, I believe there is another matter we must address. Now, hear me out and do not take this the wrong way. Indeed, I am reluctant to even raise the issue, but it is grating on my fears. Nanoc, as each of us was at some point, is taken in by the wily female charms of our enchantress.”

Telemachos shot Danton a grave look, and the Velunese nodded.

”Nanoc is a kindly fellow by nature,” said Telemachos, “perhaps the most so I have ever met. I don't mean to demean him or your friendship, which is obviously strong and important to the two of you. But, provoked and charmed by some magic against us, he would become a most formidable foe. I do not relish the idea of fighting him in such a condition, magical battleaxe or not.

We do not know of Aseneth's real intentions. Clearly, we trust her not. If Nanoc is her lapdog, then I am sorry to say that I begin not to trust him either. This is more than just simply a passing love affair or case of puppy love. Whether she is employed by the cult or simply out for ill-will against us, I know not for certain, but something about her makes the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention. Be assured, I am not trying to sow the seeds of dissention among our fellowship. It is Aseneth I distrust, not Nanoc. But turned against us, he turns from trusted ally to fearsome enemy.

I don't know how you wish to proceed in case such a scenario plays out and we need some special magic or a plan of subdual. I will let you consider the possibility, but should Aseneth betray us in the Temple or elsewhere, we must be prepared to disrupt her spells and set upon her. I like not the idea of assaulting a woman, but we may have no choice. Perhaps it would also break whatever magical control she exercises over poor Nanoc.”

“I have seen no signs of any fell influence by the woman over the barbarian,” said Luger. “Indeed, until the she made clear her preference for Nanoc, I seem to recall you showing more than a passing interest in her as well.”

“Be not so hasty to rush to judgment, Luger,” said Danton. “I hath been suspicious of the sorceress for some time as well, fearing that she hath used some means of unnatural control, whether magic, psionics, threats or coercion of some nature, to bend him to her will. So far, I hath found no proof of such, but that doth not guarantee that such evidence does not exist. Nanoc is a most formidable warrior and tis obvious that he would make a most excellent henchman for an unscrupulous spell-slinger.”

Luger shrugged. “You two have known them both for longer than I, and I will defer to your judgment, but truly I believe you are mistaken. If Aseneth saw Nanoc as nothing more than a mindless lackey, would she really be teaching him to read?”

“I admit,” said Danton, “that doth seem to indicate longer-term, and perhaps more benign, plans on her part, but perhaps tis simply a strategem to draw him deeper into her clutches. Methinks we must needs be more certain.”

Luger sighed. “If it would make you feel better, there are certain spells I could use in an attempt to gauge her intentions. I could also simply talk to her and use both magic and my own perceptions to gauge her reactions.”

“I hath already attempted the latter,” said Danton, “but to little result. Whether it be due to her eastern origins, some subterfuge, or another factor altogether, I find her most difficult to read—and I fear you will find the same—unless your magic maketh a difference.”

“Very well,” said Luger. “I shall do what I can.”

“And I shall continue to use mine mundane methods to learn more of her as well,” said Danton.

“That’s nice and all,” muttered Telemachos, “but we better give some thought to a contingency plan too. Nanoc is not only a friend and a good soul, but he is also very big and formidable in the extreme—I do not relish the idea of having to face him should she set him against us.”

***

Once back at the inn, Danton joined several of the locals in the restaurant and unrolled the map he had drawn of Verbobonc and its surrounding regions. He then inquired as to the location of a town or village called ‘Rastor’ and how one might best reach the place (gather information: 19+8=27).

According to the locals at the bar, Rastor was located roughly a hundred and eighty miles southwest of Hommlet, as the crow flew, nestled between the southernmost of the Kron Hills and sitting in the shadows of the northernmost of the Lortmil Mountains. It was actually almost due south of the town of Woodstock, which Danton and Nanoc had visited months earlier, separated only by the mass of the Kron Hills.

There were two obvious routes to reach Rastor. The first would be to return to the region of Woodstock, Oakhurst and the Sunless Citadel and then to try to go directly south through the hills. In the past, this would have been by far the easiest way to reach Rastor, but with the gnomes of the Kron Hills in uprising against the authority of the Viscount of Verbobonc, all the roads through the hills had been closed and barred to outsiders.

The alternative route, now used by those few traders that still sought to reach the southernmost regions of Verbobonc beyond the Kron Hills, passed through the Welkwood, bypassing the Hills entirely, skirting the northern border of Celene, and then approaching Rastor and the other southern settlements from the east. This route has its dangers as well, for the elves of Celene were xenophobic in the extreme, and the Welkwood was a dark place with a darker reputation.

While Danton gathered information on Rastor and the routes the party might take to reach the place, Luger left the inn and spoke once more with the local clergy of both Pelor and St. Cuthbert, inquiring whether either group had heard the term ‘Temple of All-Consumption’ and, if so, had any idea where it might lie. Unfortunately, this name was unknown to either group of priests and Luger was unable to pick up any additional clues from them.

Nanoc left the inn as well, making his way to Spugnoir’s shop at the western end of town. He found the potion-maker hard at work in his laboratory, and passed an hour playing with Renne in the yard outside until Spugnoir was ready to take a break for lunch.

“Ya know, Spugnoir,” said Nanoc when the two had a moment of privacy, “I’m hopin’ you could do me a huge favor. You know Aseneth and I are kinda together now and I wanted to get her a present before we head out to the temple or Nulb or in search o’ more cultists. You know, in case somethin’ happens to me, she has somethin’ to remember me by. Well I can usually count to twenty or so, and Danton usually helps me when it comes ta shoppin’ but he is busy…so could you go to the jeweler wit me and help me pick somethin’ out. Renne is welcome to come too…she’d probably have a good eye for pickin’ somthin’ out.”

“Of course, Nanoc!” said Spugnoir, clapping the huge barbarian on the back. “It would be our pleasure.”

According to Spugnoir, Joman Dart at the Old Trading Post was the only merchant in town who traded in jewelry, so it was there that Nanoc, Spugnoir, and Renne went. At the advice of his two new friends, Nanoc eventually selected a long, thick onyx necklace with a silver half-moon pendant. Dart initially demanded 300 gold for the necklace, but Spugnoir cajoled and shamed the man into dropping the price to 150, which Nanoc gladly paid.

Thereafter, acting on the advice of Spugnoir, Nanoc returned to the inn, found Aseneth and asked her to join him, and then led her to a small tavern on the east end of town run by a woman named Telna. It was hardly the sort of fine restaurant that would have pleased Danton, for in Hommlet only the Inn of the Welcome Wench had such a dining room, but it was quiet and private, and the food was hearty, if somewhat simple.

“You know, Asya, I really likes you,” began Nanoc nervously when the main course had been served. “You takes the time to help me learn to read…why Justin’d like you just for that…anyways I did not thinks you’d do that unless you likes me to. I want to make sure you get what you is looking for to help your town, and I want to make sure you will always remember me if anything should happen while we is out at that there temple or ghost town.”

“Anyway,” continued Nanoc, “I got you this.” The barbarian carefully handed the sorceress the onyx necklace with the crescent moon pendant. “I hope you like it. Spugnior’s little girl thought it was real purty…they wents wit me to help wit my counting and make sure I got somethin’ nice. Well it is purty, but not nearly as purty as you Asya.”

“It is beautiful, Nanoc,” said Aseneth, taking the necklace from the barbarian. “You know black is always being my color—you must putting it on me.”

The sorceress stood up from the table and walked around it for Nanoc to put the necklace on her. He stood as well, nearly knocking the table over when he forgot to push his chair back before standing.

“Anways,” he said as she held her hair up out of the way and his fingers fumbled with the necklace as he worked the clasp, “I hopes you like it, and when you wears it you think o’ me.”

Nanoc had planned to give Aseneth a small kiss at this point, but she moved more quickly than he did, turning, standing as high on her toes as she possibly could, wrapping her arms around the back of his head, and kissing him passionately.

Nanoc’s head spun and his knees shook. He felt powerless to move as the scent of Aseneth’s hair and skin intoxicated him. Then she released him. He staggered briefly and nearly fell over as she reached down and removed a small silver ring shaped like a coiled dragon from one of her fingers.

“This is Torquann family ring. Is being much too smaller for your finger, but I will put on metal…string…and you can wearing it around neck. I am your witch now, Nanoc, and I will not allow anything bad happening for you. You are having great destiny and I will be part of it with you.”

***

Later in the afternoon, Aseneth and Nanoc visited Spugnoir together and the potion-maker, in between knowing winks at Nanoc, assisted the sorceress with identifying more of the magic items the party had acquired in its adventures. Among the items carried by Nanoc, Spugnoir determined that there were another bead of force, two potions of healing (cure light and cure moderate wounds) and one of water breathing, as well as a scroll that would dispel magic, which Nanoc gave to Aseneth, and something called a pearl of power, an aid to spellcasting that Nanoc also gave to the sorceress.

Additionally, Spugnoir was able to open the black tube the party had recovered under the moathouse. Although he determined that neither the tube nor the scroll it contained were magical in nature, he judged that it had radiated magic because of the seal someone had placed on it. Spugnoir broke the seal, removed the scroll, and handed it to Aseneth to read.

“This is about something very bad,” said the enchantress after perusing the text written on the parchment. “Is talking about something called ‘Black Cyst’ that is like bad place that only can going to with very strong magic, killing many people, and doing horrible things with bodies. Is like recipe for creating door to this evil place.”

“Mebee we should just burn that,” said Nanoc. “Sounds awful.”

“It is bad,” agreed the woman, “but maybe is also clue we or Danton would be wanting.”

Spugnoir also identified the various unknown magic items carried by Danton, which the Velunese had allowed Nanoc to take to the potion-maker for him on the condition that all were returned directly to him afterward. These included potions (cure light wounds, cure moderate wounds X2, water breathing, levitate), scrolls (animal messenger, stone shape) and a wand of magic missiles (20 charges).

***

When Nanoc, Aseneth, and Luger returned to the Inn of the Welcome Wench in the afternoon, they found Danton and Telemachos poring over the Velunese’s map and pointing at a spot just north of the Lortmil Mountains, far to the south and west.

“I am of two minds,” said Danton as the others sat down. “We can either search the nearby ghost town of Nulb and/or the abandoned Temple of Elemental Evil, which Xaod hath claimed contained naught but vicious hobgoblins, or we can travel to Rastor to find Tal Chamish and recover further clues on this Tharizdun cult.

As to the first option, I am uncertain as to whether it will pay dividends. Recent information makes it appear that the moathouse is the key to the Tharizdun trouble and not the temple. Further, the temple hath twice been laid waste and Xaod himself claimed that nothing of value was there. Of course, without the insights gained from the moathouse, Xaod may not have had any idea exactly of what would be ‘of value.’ Further, the hobgoblins might be in league with the cult, or they might simply have a goodly amount of booty for the snatching. Although I admit these possibilities, I am frankly skeptical. Indeed, the only reason I would go to Nulb or the Temple first would be to acquire booty or -- and this is the main point -- simply because it is within easy reach.”

”That brings me to the second option,” continued Danton. “Rastor—mine thought is that it might be the best route from the purest point of view of dealing with this cult. We have a name of a cult link there, and there could be clues worth gathering, some of which could be perishable, tracks that could vanish or people who could flee, such as this Tal Chamish. Indeed, if Rastor were closer, I'd advocate that option. But its great distance, not to mention the difficulty in getting there, giveth me pause. What doth the rest of you think?”

”200 miles!” groaned Telemachos. “I am not going to Rastor to deal with this cult and spend weeks of my life helping these folks out. If I do, they had better be willing to pay up front - a lot. And, offer some good information that will help my quest since it will put it back so far. We were not even sure about assaulting the Temple a day or two away and now we are traveling weeks out of our way! By the gods!”

“Huh,” mused Nanoc, looking at the map. “Until I heard how far Rastor is, I was thinkin’ we should go there first, but mebee it’d be better ta be sure Nulb and the Temple of Elemental Evil ain’t infested with cultists first-we’d be killin’ two or three birds wit’ one stone. We kin raid those place for treasure, wipe out any cultists there, and perhaps get more clues ta the overall plot o’ the cult. Plus we could posib’ly be findin’ magic stuff ta help Asya and her people…”

As the half-orc spoke, Danton could not help but notice how he smiled and his gaze drifted to the woman…and the thick onyx necklace she now wore.

Danton sighed loudly and said, “At bottom, it seemeth like their are only two courses of action upon which we -- or at least most of us -- are agreed. First, we will endeavor to strike the hardest possible bargain with the Hommletians. Second, we will explore Nulb and the Temple of Elemental Evil before any other course of action. Aseneth is hell-bent on going there, and Nanoc seems no less so. Luger plainly wishes to go there first. Telemachos hath indicated that, while he might not help the Hommletians at all if they are not more properly forthcoming, if he did aid them, 'twould be in exploring Nulb and the Temple of Elemental Evil.”

”Finally,” added Danton in a bitter voice, “I should point out that Aseneth, Nanoc, and Luger appear bent on going to Nulb and the Temple of Elemental Evil regardless of whether the Hommletians improve their offer. Thus, only Telemachos and I are hold-outs, and, if the Hommletians prove adamantly cheap, I might simply go to the Temple and Nulb merely to maintain our goodly fellowship and to gain a fair portion of loot solely for mine own purposes. Whither Telemachos would join us under such circumstances is not certain, at least not to me.”

“I’m in at least for that,” said Telemachos, “since we might find something of value and it’s not too far out of my way, but if they don’t pony up, that’s it for me. I’ll be off once again in search of my father.”

Danton nodded. “For my part, I too must needs add one final thing. If the Hommletians continue to vex me, I make not the slightest promise of mine own intentions following our foray to the Temple of Elemental Evil. I absolutely refuse to do any more pro bono work. I mean to pillage this wicked temple for mine own purposes. After that, I wilt be open to any suggestion -- from Telemachos or whoever -- for I am simply not, under any circumstances, aiding men who refuse to pay me what I deserve. Period.”

“And,” said Danton, pointing a finger at Nanoc, who had been drawing breath to speak, “I don't give a double damn if the whole Flanaess burns as a result. These Hommletians wilt come to terms or I shall await the apparent end of the world in comfort at a minimum, drinking wine, bedding women, traveling the highways and indulging in the high life. Every man hath his day to die, sooner or later, anyway.”

“C’mon, Asya,” said Nanoc, standing up and reaching out to take the woman’s hand. “I’ve sat around hearing enough insults ‘bout the good folks o’ Hommlet. Seems we all agree on headin’ out for Nulb an’ the Temple in the morning, but ‘till then I gots better things ta do than sit around listenin’ ta all this rot.”

The sorceress took the barbarian’s hand and he led her out of the restaurant.

“Is it really wise to provoke him like this?” asked Luger, getting up as well. “Perhaps he is a bit naïve, but his heart is in the right place. The two of you might give some thought to where your current actions are leading us all.”

***

It was late in the afternoon when Calmer and Elmo returned to the inn and found Danton and Telemachos sitting together in the restaurant, still grousing about life, the universe, and everything.

“Rufus, Burne and the Canoness have spoken with the Viscount,” said Elmo. All are agreed that if you can root out the cult as we discussed, the Viscount will make use of his power and influence to perform a single favor for each of you. This includes speaking on your behalf at the highest levels in Veluna,” he said, looking at Danton. “And it includes employing his intelligence services—and those of friendly countries—to seek information on your missing father,” he continued, looking at Telemachos. “As a sign of good faith, both of these efforts will begin immediately. What favors your other three associates may wish for is not yet clear, but so long as they are not excessive, they will be honored.”

Telemachos looked as if he were about to launch another anti-Verbobonc, anti-Hommlet tirade, but Danton cut him off with a glance.

“We go now to Nulb and the Old Temple—for our own reasons,” said Danton. “We shall use that time to decide whether your offer is acceptable, and you might use said time as well to consider ways the offer might be sweetened yet further ere we return with our decision.”

“I think it unlikely more will be offered,” said Elmo with a shrug. “But we shall see. In the meantime, tread carefully if you set foot in Nulb. While the ruined temple is filled with hobgoblins, whose flesh may be cut by blades, the spirits of past evils lie restless in Nulb, and they are not so easily struck down.”

***

When the party left Hommlet at daybreak the next morning, the sky was clear and the temperature warm. The group chose to take the main, better maintained road between Hommlet and Nulb, rather than the abandoned one that cut through the edge of the forest. Danton estimated that the trip would take approximately two and a half days.

As the party set out, the tension between its members was palpable. Nanoc and Aseneth kept their distance from Danton and Telemachos throughout the day. Only Luger, it seemed, was welcome with both groups, and the cleric did his best to smooth over the differences between the two.

Hoping to settle one issue, one way or another, on the first night out of Hommlet, when the party stopped and camped alongside the road and Nanoc went off in search of firewood, Luger went off a bit away from the camp, cast two spells (detect good, zone of truth) and then approached Aseneth, who sat on a log by herself, reading a book in the fading light.

“Mind if I join you for a bit?” asked the cleric, judging that Danton and Telemachos were far enough away that the two could speak privately.

“Of course not; please sit,” replied the woman, closing her book.

“I am sure you are perceptive enough to understand that the group is pretty sharply divided at the moment,” began Luger as he sat on the log, “and that this is dangerous, particularly when we are likely to face danger again in the coming days,” said the cleric.

“Nanoc is very angry—and sad—with Danton and Tel-makos,” agreed Aseneth.

“Yes,” said Luger, finding that his detect good spell was not providing him any information about the woman. “But there is more than that, I’m afraid. There is no polite way to say this, so I will just come out and say it. Frankly, the others find it a bit odd that a beautiful woman like yourself would be attracted to a half-orc, despite his obvious charms,” the cleric added hurriedly when a frown darkened the woman’s face. “They are concerned that you might be taking advantage of Nanoc. Personally, I think they’re out of line, but maybe you could tell me what your intentions are so that I could tell them and they would rest easier.”

“You are all so worried for Nanoc?” asked Aseneth, a dangerous tone in her voice. “You are thinking he is like boy and cannot making his own decisions? You all are little boys, not Nanoc!” she said hotly. “You know nothing of women! Nothing! You are priest—growing up in monastery—never being near women, I am sure!”

“Well, I actually only came to the priesthood pretty recently,” began Luger, but Aseneth cut him off.

“Then there is Danton,” she said. “He is like bad joke! He is writing love letters in silly little book to this Vanessa, but at same time is….is…” Aseneth paused for a moment, uttered a guttural sounding word that Luger did not understand, and then continued, “…with every cheap…”—another unintelligible word followed—“he meets! And this Tel-makos? Please! Pining away for his mother? We have story in my country about boy obsessed with mother—and is not pretty story let me telling you! If father is ever coming home, he is maybe not liking what he is finding.”

“Nanoc is only real man here!” continued Aseneth, her voice rising in volume. “He is good and strong and sweet and is never giving up and that is what woman wants—not pretty boy like Tel-makos! Now, you getting away from me and go telling Danton and Tel-makos both go to hell!”

Luger stood up, apologized, and backed away quickly, with Aseneth saying something else to him in her own language as he went. Luger did not know what she said, but he was fairly certain it wasn’t very polite.

***

“So,” said Luger, summing up later when he was alone with Danton and Telemachos, “neither of the spells worked—I don’t know why. As you could hear all the way across the road, she was pretty animated and her, shall we say strong, reactions seemed genuine to me (sense motive: 20+4=24), but I couldn’t get any kind of magical confirmation. What that means, I don’t know. It could be cause for alarm or it could just be that she’s a wizardess and her mind is shielded somehow. I just don’t know.”

Danton sighed. “If she tells Nanoc what you said, I hesitate to think how he might react.”

“This just gets better and better,” muttered Telemachos.

“There is poison growing amidst this group,” said Luger. “If we do not find a way to root it out soon, I fear for us all.”

“I can think of a way to root it out,” spat Telemachos, looking across the road at Aseneth.

“That is not what I meant,” replied Luger, “but the fact that you jump to such a conclusion is indicative of the problem.”

“Yeah, whatever,” said Telemachos, kicking his feet in the dirt and then stalking off into the dark.

“Resolve this,” said Luger, looking Danton in the eye, “or it will end badly.”

***

The weather remained pleasant on the second day out of Hommlet, but once again, the party encountered no other travelers on the road. The party passed endless fields and rolling hills to the west, while the expanse of the Gnarley Forest drew ever closer to the east. That night, Aseneth and Nanoc once again camped on the opposite side of the road from the others. Luger once again went back and forth between the two camps, but was unable to bridge the divide.

On the morning of the third day, the road finally turned east and then south. Although the sky had been clear in the morning, as the hours passed and the party drew ever closer to Nulb, clouds gathered. When the group finally crested a low hill and looked down on the deserted hamlet at last, a cold rain began to fall.

Dark and disgusting, Nulb seemed a direct counterpart to Hommlet. The Imeryds Run flowed through both settlements, but otherwise they could hardly have been more different. The roughly three dozen structures that made up Nulb were made of sod, mud bricks, crude logs, or used timber—probably taken from boats or other buildings. Many of them were collapsed. All were overgrown with vegetation, the woods slowly swallowing up the filthy, foul place as if it never existed.

A hundred yards from where the party stood, the road led to a bridge over the river, and the bulk of the collapsing buildings of Nulb were on the far side. It appeared that the road split after passing through the town, one fork turning south towards the Temple of Elemental Evil, while the other headed due east, towards the nearby expanse of the Gnarley forest. By far the largest intact building, and the only one with a second level, sat just across the bridge directly on the road through town.

Aside from the ruined buildings, several wooden boats of various sizes were visible, most of them in a small inlet at the northeast end of the abandoned hamlet. Most of the boats had long since sunk or capsized, but a particularly large riverboat, run aground at some point, sat half in the water and half out, mostly intact.

Although it was only early afternoon, the clouds and rain made the sky dark and somehow it seemed much later in the day. Despite the lack of sunlight, shadows flitted about between the rotting buildings in the town below, just visible in the corner of one’s eye, disappearing when one tried to look upon them directly.

________________________________________________________________

Notes for turn 36:

Please send postings for the next turn by the end of Thursday, December 14.

Current date/time: 22 Lipanj 592; approximately 1300.

Items gained this turn: newly identified items listed below

Undivided Loot previously gained: none

Items used/lost/destroyed/sold this turn: black fruit given up by Luger, some gold used to pay Hommlet inn bill

FOES DEFEATED:

Active party members listed in green.

This Chapter:

Entire Campaign:

Current Status of the Party:

Note: known magic items listed in bold.

Nanoc

AC: 17

Hit points: 47/47

New XP: 0

XP total: 9078

XP needed: 10,000

Equipment: masterwork great axe, silver-plated short sword, masterwork studded leather armor, 69 arrows, 2 quivers, backpack, waterskin, 16 days trail rations, bedroll, 2 sacks, 2 flint & steel, bearskin, tent, 50’ rope, 1 sap, masterwork mighty composite shortbow, masterwork shortsword, 6 iron triangles with inverted ‘Y’, three black cones made of some unknown substance, a black scepter decorated with a half dozen violet gems, a bead of force, metal scroll tube, a set of ochre robes and a set of black ones, a black cloak, two inverted ziggurat pendants; ochre robes, a spare suit of full plate mail, 2 potions of bull’s strength, potion of cure light wounds(X2), potion of cure moderate wounds (X3), potion of water breathing, House Torquann dragon ring.

Gold: 768

Silver: 220

Danton

AC: 15 (16 vs. one opponent)

Hit points: 19/19

New XP: 0

XP total: 9078

XP needed: 10,000

Equipment: rapier, 6 daggers, light crossbow, studded leather armor, quiver with 33 bolts, bedroll, backpack, flint & steel, thieves picks, waterskin, 9 days trail rations, hooded lantern, gold ring engraved with the name Karakas, 1 sap, 1 metal key from Yusdrayl, Everburning Torch,scrolls with pyrotechnics and melf’s acid arrow, old journal, 6 iron triangles with upside down ‘Y’ inside, 1 protection from fire scroll, 5 scrolls of cure light wounds, 2 scrolls of cure moderate wounds, new journal, notebook, pen, ink, parchment in sealed waterproof box, pipe, tobacco, metal box, whetstone, six packets of tinder for lighting fires, gold inlaid dagger, Journal of Geynor Ton, a folded piece of parchment with a note addressed to someone named Festrath, spider pendant, a wand, tattered black cloak with burning eye emblazoned on it, disguise kit, letter to Master Dunrat, ochre-colored robe, bead of force, potion of cure light wounds (X2), cure moderate wounds (X2), scrolls of animal messenger and stone shape, wand of magic missiles (20 charges).

Gold: 978

Silver: 0

Telemachos

AC: 20

Hit points: 41/41

New XP: 0

XP total: 9078

XP needed: 10,000

Equipment: full plate mail, short sword, 2 daggers, longbow, quiver and 33 arrows, large steel shield, backpack, large sack, flint and steel, 19 days rations, waterskin, bedroll, tent, 1 sap, Shatterspike (Longsword +1 with special properties), 2 iron triangles with upside down ‘Y’ inside, 2 quall’s feather tokens, 1 potion cure moderate wounds, 1 potion cure light wounds.

Gold: 731

Silver: 210

Luger

AC: 19

Hit Points: 25/25

New XP: 0

XP total: 4528

XP needed: 6000

Equipment: longsword, heavy mace, light x-bow, dagger, 20 bolts, chainmail, large steel shield, 3 belt pouches, large bag, 50’ rope, 5 torches, hooded lantern, 3 oil flasks, flint & steel, 8 days rations, silver holy symbol of Heironeus, 3 flasks holy water, 2 healer’s kits, backpack, cleric’s vestment, traveler’s clothing, waterskin, bedroll, iron triangle with upside down ‘Y’ inside, eight cockatrice feathers, scrolls of cure light wounds (2), cure disease, neutralize poison, potion cure light wounds.

Spell Selection:

Level 0(4): Detect Magic X2, Read Magic, Purify Food&Drink
Level 1(3+1): Summon Monster, Detect Evil, Detect Good, Domain: Protection from Evil
Level 2 (2+1): Hold Person, Zone of Truth, Domain: Spiritual Weapon

Turn Undead attempts left on current day: 6

Gold: 736