he welfth alisman
art 2 n orbion's lutches

Trimus looked shocked. "Morbion, that mage is Rintrah's bitterest enemy. He must have been captured." He turned to the others, "We must go to Glantri, rescue Rintrah and retrieve the amulet."
"Only if we can go via Specularum. I must take the lamp to my order." Said Colloran strongly.
"Lamp?" said Torvas.
"Yes, an item of evil purpose we recovered from Serraine." Replied the Paladin.
"May we see it?" asked Alasandri.
Colloran shrugged and retrieved the item from hi pack. He carried it to the table clasped between two sacks so that he did touch it with his hands.
Torvas passed his hands over the lamp, never quite touching it. A deep furrow appeared between his eyes as he concentrated.
"You are quite correct. This is an evil item. It can create and control various undead beings depending on the type of fuel that is being burnt. I advise you to destroy this item now."
"My order wishes to study it first, then it will be destroyed. That has been the advice of all who have seen it so far."
"Then we must get it too them as soon as possible. My dear Alasandri, would you please enlighten the gentlemen."
Alasandri bowed her head then handed Darkhawk a smaller version of the fiery ring that had brought them to the tower. "This will bring you pack here. All you need do is hold it in both hands and thing of me. That will open the portal in the sky for you to fly through. If you are ready I will open a portal near Specularum to speed you on your way." There were no more questions so they returned to the Phoenix and took off. Alasandri opened a portal in the sky and Ako guided the skyship through it. The portal took them to a point a few miles off of the southern coast of Karameikos, not far from the village of Marilenev. They flew inland and landed in a wood near the Westron Road. Rellan, Colloran and Ako took the lamp and headed for the temple in Specularum while Cain, Trimus and Darkhawk rested in the skyship.

Colloran and the others returned just before nightfall. Colloran's meeting with the head of his order had gone well he said as they ate a meal of fish and hot potatoes in an inn in Marilenev.
"He will investigate the lamp then have it destroyed, though how that will be accomplished is still to be decided." Said the paladin, licking grease from his fingers.
"He has allowed you to come with us?" asked Darkhawk.
"Yes. My order and the Celestial Knights have worked together in the past, but this is the first time in a generation that such a thing has happened."

The following morning they flew westwards, across the rolling hills of The Five Shires before turning north. They followed the Streel River as it flowed through Darokin before leaving it behind to skirt the mountains of the Broken Lands. Towards evening of the following day they crossed the border and landed in an area of woodland near New Alvar in Belcadiz. The next morning they made their way along the main road from Nyra to Glantri City. They had hired a coach in New Alvar and to made good speed along the fine roads. As they travelled they were passed by mages on flying carpets, groups of hastened warriors and other even more ornate coaches pulled by teams of strange beasts.

As they passed through the outskirts of the city Trimus started to point out important buildings. The citadel atop the hill at the centre of the city was clearly visible, light reflecting off of it's gilded dome. The summoning halls, the magic schools, numerous markets and narrow arcades of shops. The city guardsmen, dressed in their red and gold striped tunics with silver breastplates and tall plumed helmets were common sights, usually comprised of two warriors and a mage they stood on street corners and patrolled the markets. The coach deposited them at the entrance to The Wizard's Staff, a good quality inn near the city centre. Colloran tipped the coach driver and led the others into the man room of the inn. He, Darkhawk, Jodotha and Ako had decided to act as Trimus, Rellan and Cain's bodyguards for the duration of their stay in Glantri and Colloran was determined that nothing should go wrong. He strode up to the bar and demanded to see some rooms pushing a small pouch across the spotless bar counter as he did so. The innkeeper bowed deferentially and led them upstairs and showed them around a small but immaculate suite of rooms. Colloran gruffly accepted them and handed over another pouch.
"My master needs information regarding the mage Morbion. He needs to know his whereabouts." The paladin said in a low but forceful voice.
"I know nothing of this Morbion. But I will endeavour to find out what I can." Said Lumis, in an oily subservient tone.
"Do so. But tell nobody of this it is a matter of great importance."
The innkeeper nodded and left them in the rooms. A short while later a servant came up with a selection of savoury delicacies, a bottle of fine wine and a flagon of clear golden ale which he left on the large walnut table before leaving.

Trimus reclined in a chair and sipped the wine. "I think I am going to like this place." He said with a smile.
"Don't get too comfortable." Muttered Colloran. "I have no doubt that Morbion will hear of our enquires and take steps to thwart us. We must be alert and on out guard at all times."
"We should keep watches at night." Suggested Darkhawk, Colloran nodded.
"This is a respectable establishment." Said Trimus a little aggrieved.
"So? You know the power of wizards, Trimus. They could send in an invisible stalker like the one that nearly did for Rintrah and Grabthroat." Said Ako.
Reluctantly Trimus agreed and after finishing his glass retired to his room for the night.

During the second watch of the night. Colloran and Darkhawk heard noises coming from the ground floor. A floorboard had creaked, one that Jodotha had noticed on his exploration of the inn. Darkhawk shook the rogue awake and quietly explained what they had heard. Jodotha, alert in an instant, pulled on his clothes and silently moved down the stairs in the darkness. He visited all the public rooms before returning upstairs.
"I found nothing." He said to Darkhawk on his return. "It was probably Lumis or one of the guests looking for a privy."

Meanwhile Trimus had been awoken by a noise in his room. As he rolled over in the bed he looked up at the window and to his horror saw a figure crouching there with the shutter half open. As Trimus watched, hardly daring to breath, the figure extended an arm and shot away from the window. Trimus waited a heartbeat or two before rushing to the window. He looked down but could see nothing in the darkness then across the street where the blank dark face of another inn stared back. The setting moon cast little light and frustrated Trimus left the window to explain what he had seen to the others.

The following morning Lumis himself brought up breakfast. Flaky pastries stuffed with nuts and covered with a sticky sweet syrup, fruit and dry cured ham were swiftly devoured while the inn keeper gave them the information he had managed to obtain relating to Morbion.
"He has a dwelling on Primrose Way, a very well to do area of the city I may add. His home is a singled storied building set around a gravel courtyard. I have not been able to find out if he is at home or if he is accepting visitors at the moment."
Colloran thanked the innkeeper and gave him another small pouch which Lumis tucked away in his belt before bowing and leaving the room.
"Before we do anything dramatic I think we should pay Morbion a visit and ask for an audience." Said Trimus. "It would at least give us some idea of want the place looks like inside."
The others agreed and so after washing and changing into their best clothes they made their way to Morbion's home on Primrose Way.

Trimus and the others halted at the gate to Morbion's home. Ako cast a spell, making strange gestures with his hands as he did so. Trimus gave him a quizzical look.
"I'm trying to look like a mage." The cleric replied.
"Oh." Said Trimus with a grin. "Nice try."
Beside the tall wrought iron gate hung a bell pull. It appeared to have no connection to any bell or to the house itself but Trimus gave it a tug any way. No sound reached the ears of Trimus or the others but within moments a door in the building opened and a young man, an apprentice mage from his dress and bearing, approached and bowed towards Trimus and Rellan.
"Good day to you. How may I be of assistance?" His voice was heavily accented and at first Trimus had difficulty understanding what the young man had said.
"We wish an audience with your master, Morbion. It is a matter of great urgency and delicacy." Said Trimus at his most authoritative.
"My master is not here at present. He is away on business." Replied the young man, a little to swiftly. "If you would like to leave a card or a name and where you are staying he may contact you when he returns in a week or so."
"No thank you. We will just call again. Your master's loss may be another's gain." Said Trimus.

Once they had returned to the inn they made sure no one was listening at the door before deciding what to do next.
"We should wait until dark before going back." Stated Colloran.
"It is a shame that we could not get in to gauge the lie of the land." Said Jodotha. "I don't like going blindly into the house of a wizard, too many magical traps for my tastes."
"It cannot be helped." Concluded Trimus. "Tonight it must be, though if the apprentice was lying, and I feel he was, then Morbion already knows we are here and will be expecting us."

That night once darkness had covered the city with only the citadel aglow with magical lamps they approached the gates to Morbion's house once more. Jodotha knelt down, flexed his long supple fingers and set to work on the lock. To his surprise it contained no traps and was easy to pick. They then moved quietly across the flagged courtyard to the house where Trimus cast a spell of invisibility around himself while Colloran achieved the same effect by quaffing a magical potion. Jodotha made short work of the lock on the door and soon the companions were standing in a large hall. Plants in large bronze pots stood on a polished blue and white marble floor. A large chandelier hung from a stout iron chain above their heads bathing the whole room in a bright cool light. As Cain brought up the rear and quietly shut the door a voice shouted from a doorway at the far north end of the room.
"Let's get 'em!"

Back to my home page.
Back to the story's contents page
The Next Chapter

© 1997 / 1998 / 1999 / 2000alanderekjones@msn.com and robertvance@msn.com

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page