by M J Sweeney
With just over 50% health, I wasn’t doing too badly, my healing spells having recovered me a little. When I waded in again, the creature gestured at one of the misshapen sitting beside it… and it exploded. Fire and bones spread rapidly, the overheated razor-like shrapnel piercing through my armour, almost shredding it.
“Argh!” I cried out as I was flung back. The necromancer’s shield only flared briefly; it was clearly immune, but I was not. Smacking into the stone pews, I felt one rib snap with a sickening crunch.
Elz was still behind the throne, in the best blind spot in the whole room, avoiding all of the damage and abuse I’d taken so far. It seemed the slow debuff on him had also finally expired.
But when he cried “I’m out!” I started to despair.
Once more, I flung myself at the necromancer, my back and ribs protesting horribly. 30% health. If this is the end, I thought, at least I know I tried my best. Four more misshapen were coming out of the still burning doors, and probably soon enough, four more after that. There’d certainly been enough enchanted bones in there for twenty or more of the things.
Elz and I were both now hacking at the necromancer with maximum effort and minimal finesse; it was reeling, and for a moment unable to get off a spell.
And then another of the misshapen exploded, while two more breathed flames upon us. This time, I managed to stay on my feet, dodging about madly, but I was down on 10% health, gasping and straining from the pain. The necromancer was facing Elz now, and launched about twelve fire missiles into his back—Elz ran back a little to gain some distance, stumbling and almost falling over from the impacts, then dropped his shortswords. I hoped that was on purpose. With a last curse and heave, I sidestepped a couple of the hell-hounds, and managed to gain some distance.
Charging at the evil overlord, I struck into its chest, right as Elz leaped and bore down on its head with his great club. As more flames engulfed us both, I felt myself falling, sinking into blackness, with no way to climb out.
Chapter 39
I came to completely bewildered and disoriented. Was I dead? Where was Tree? But I was lying propped on a cold stone floor, with my bedroll for a head rest. A terrible howling filled up the whole place—like all the spirits above and below were crying for release from their torment and not letting up, not even for a second. I had an absolutely raging headache.
Then I saw Elz come into view, looking pretty badly burned himself, and clearly slathered with most of my healing balm. He had both hands over his ears, grimacing at the noise. I don’t know what prompted me, but I exerted some will and thought at the cursed spirits, Calmly. Your release is at hand.
More howling.
I thought on Anthul, and feeling his presence, I repeated once more, Your release is at hand. Quiet this fervour. Gradually the noise subsided, at least back to the normal soft sighs and creepy groans.
I appeared to be in the necromancer’s alchemy lab, the double doors now wide open. “What happened, Elz?” He helped me up into a sitting position, and despite my raging headache, I forced myself to stand up. I wobbled a moment as Elz propped me up. Okay, doable. Eventually my eyes seemed to uncross, and I could focus again.
Seeing as how Elz was still quite badly damaged I cast Breath of Life on him. That used the last of my mana, but the rest wasn’t coming back.
/ Debuff from burning, blood loss and unconsciousness—no health, mana, or stamina renewal until full bed rest / -25% Total Stamina
“Thanks, boss,” Elz replied. “Old bones is dead. Dead, deceased, done for.”
He smiled at me, looking a little dazed.
“We did it, eh?” I replied, with a tired little smile myself.
He nodded. “Yeah. I dragged you here with a lot of choking.” He pointed his chin toward the throne room. “Didn’t want you to die from the smoke…”
“Right. Thanks mate, you done good. Let’s go have a looksee now, eh?”
Staggering back into the large chamber, I could see the smoke was trailing out the open doors now, slowly clearing from the room.
Down by the throne lay the twisted corpse of the necromancer. It looked smaller and a lot less threatening like that—all the life force, or whatever animated it, having fled, leaving the ancient body as a decayed, empty husk. Its head looked like a squashed melon, Elz had certainly done a number on that. The misshapen were also scattered about. Their dull, faded bones were lying in several piles. It was clear they had deanimated once their maker’s essence had fled.
The creature still held its long, gnarled staff, clearly magical—plus the orb or eye or whatever it was had rolled free. I picked it up. It was smooth to the touch and warm, but solid like a stone. There was the hint of an eyelid along one side, but it was shut for now. The necromancer also wore mage armour—boots, leg-guards, bracers, and chest-piece. I tried using Identify on the orb, but nothing happened. I would have to try again later. I couldn’t Identify the other equipment either, so based on my lore skill, it looked like most of those were rare magic or better.
It seemed like there should be more. The place seemed eerily dead and deserted now that it was done. Elz was looking at the elven runes inscribed behind the throne. I began the grim task of cutting the necromancer’s head off. It was tough and sinewy, but fortunately contained no blood or gross body fluids. The life had literally been sucked out of it. I wrapped it in a cloth and bundled it into my Bag of Holding. I also pulled all of the necromancer’s gear to one side.
One magic staff, one magic orb, a magic cloak, some magic armour, and two magic rings.
“Uh, boss?”
Elz seemed to be peering at the runes. “You can’t read old alfar, can you Elz?”
It would have shocked me if he’d said yes. “No boss, come look.”
He had his dagger out and was scratching at the edge of the inscriptions. It looked like a large piece of the stone had come loose. Slowly, he prized his dagger further in the gap, and the whole piece suddenly shifted and slid out, swinging open.
“What the—?”
“Secret door,” said Elz, and did a little skip-dance. “Sneaky dead elf!”
“Yes,” I agreed.
“But now dead-dead elf, hey?” He looked concerned, and clearly wanted my support.
“I think so, Elz. Its corrupted spirit has departed. Your parents and brother are now avenged.”
“Good. Grzbloks yentiked for good.”
I nodded and gave Elz a short bow.
Beyond the secret door was a semi-circular chamber, the same shape as the alchemy lab on the other side of the throne room. Inside was a white marble altar with a massive stone top and a couple of long stone benches to either side. It was dusty from ill-use, with two golden candlesticks atop and cobwebs extending between them. We cleared the cobwebs and examined the altar.
“Spooky boss,” Elz said, his pale face scrunched with concern.
“I’m not sure about it either, but I think it’s important. Can you… check it for traps and whatnot?”
“Hnf. Yes. Look for little chiggerz, and stop the nashgarnz.”
He looked it over first, got out his oh-shit, and carefully tapped around the edge of the altar, under the stone top, and where it joined the floor. When nothing happened, he then checked with his hands, now curiously devoid of all tremors and twitching. He felt around the surface, putting the candlesticks to one side, and then began pressing on the top.
“Nothing on top, boss… no traps. But here,” he pointed at the side, “I think it’s hollow, small hidden door.”
I couldn’t see anything. He touched the stone, and the bottom half neatly slid out. Inside lay a few scrolls all rolled up, and a black velvet-covered spell book. We couldn’t sense anything wrong with this lot, so I put them carefully in my Bag of Holding. Elz was still tapping around the inside of the open stone drawer.
“Maybe more inside, boss.”
“Hollow? Maybe the stone top is a lid?”
He nodded.
“Do
you think we can move it?”
“Let’s try.”
We both got on one side of it and gave a big push. Nothing—or not much. We tried again, and it suddenly screeched and shifted a few centimetres. We pushed again, and it teetered and toppled to the floor with a crash. The inside was clear and clean, with a simple silver urn resting in the middle.
I reached in to pick it up, then hesitated. I was nervous. What if it contained some evil spirit? Recalling my quest, though, I had to hope it was a good spirit. I picked it up.
Suddenly, I felt an urge to be outside amongst the trees and under the clear sky. Knowing it was the right thing to do, I asked Elz to gather up the rest of the necromancer’s gear, and we walked back up to the upper ruins. There were no more skeletons about—we’d been down there longer than three hours, so clearly the force animating them had also departed.
Elz told me Sacheen and Renniti were waiting in their old camp, on top of the ruins on the hill. With prisoners. We’d have to get to that later.
Elz and I went over to the oak tree, and I placed the urn down. I looked at Elz briefly, but he just shrugged. I unstoppered it. Nothing happened for a moment, until I could see a ghostly figure beginning to form above it. It looked male and tall, but insubstantial—maybe a human or an elf.
“Noble warrior… noble warriors. You have freed me. An age… an age has passed.” Its voice was soft and eerie, but also in the simple trade tongue.
“What… who are you?” I asked.
“I am Danireth Gan’Escow. I am—I was a Ranger of Lindane. I was high priest at the start of the third age, some two thousand years ago.” It looked to the sky a moment and seemed pleased. “The expanse is good,” it murmured. “I was trapped in the underworld after our group’s failed quest, until Ulgorrim and Krazaacht devised this cruel punishment. I have been under the thrall of the necromancer of the fourth house ever since.” It pointed at the gear Elz was carrying. “The eye in your possession is called the Orb of Lindane. May it serve you well as it once did for me. As a further boon for freeing me, I offer you this gift.” I heard a ding from my interface. “I go now to my final resting place. My lord… I am coming, my lord…” it murmured and slowly faded.
I looked at Elz. He was a little wide-eyed; I think he’d also heard those dings and trumpets.
Entry added
/ Quest of the Elven Quadrinity / Part One (of Four) Completed / Free the Elven Spirit
/ Explore the Ruins of Eragdas Alfar / Part Three (of Three) Completed
/ Find the Arch of Agrippa / the Burial Chamber of Bronze / the Valley of the Dead / Parts Two, Three, and Four
/ Bonus Experience, Bonus Ability granted for freeing Danireth’Gan’Escow /
/ Choose one the following active abilities /
[Tier I: Pinning Shot, Light
Tier II: Stoic, Group Heal
Tier III: (Multi-shot), Word of Recall]
/ Choose one of the following passive abilities /
[Tier I: (Longbow AP), Meditate
Tier II: Light Efficiency
Tier III: Divine Foe, Divine Incarnation]
/ Help Elz to Destroy Elabrille Achanor the Immortal Necromancer / Completed
/ Congratulations! You are now Level 37! /
Well! Two levels! But I had more to do, so I ignored all that for now. My work was still not yet done. We went down to the second level of the ruins, where I sat on the table of the largest dining room—amidst the greatest concentration of spirits—and played my lute. Slowly, I could feel the presence of my God work its way into my spirit. I could also feel the presence of the trapped elven brethren, cursed to suffering and anguish. But now that the necromancer had perished, they would no longer be forced to linger.
“Anthul… please, free them. Let them depart and take what precious things remain here with them. Let them have peace at last, and grant ease to this cursed place.”
I felt my silver holy-aura expanding, fuelled by the God’s presence, and spreading out to include all within. It unravelled the curse, dissolving it until it was gone. Slowly the air in my lungs felt free and light. I could breathe again. But I was also sweating profusely—a strange kind of transcendence had come upon me. Awareness of time, space, and harmony… my consciousness expanded for a brief blissful moment. My interface dinged again. The God’s presence departed, and I felt mortal once more. I was deeply, deeply tired.
/ Quest of the Elven Quadrinity / Part One (of Four) Completed / Complete the Quest with Divine Favour—gain Bonus Experience
/ Congratulations! You are now Level 38! /
The spirits took their loot with them, they needed it more than I. All that was left were two gold candlesticks and the two fossilised chairs. I was glad of that, at least. The chairs were heavy, and undeniably precious. From centuries of exposure to the ghostly presences, the wood had transformed into ghost-wood—a strong and malleable substance that had many uses and could be repurposed and crafted into almost any shape and size. A rare find, but one I knew just the use for. We lugged them upstairs.
“So, Elz…” I began.
“Yeah?”
“Well… what are your plans? Now that your folks are avenged, do you want to go back to Bolgas Dizzini?”
His face screwed up in distaste. “Fuck.”
“Okay, that’s a no. So what’s next for you?” I wondered what he wanted to do. I hoped he would still like to tag along with me, but…
“Let’s go eat? Let’s go have a feast with Papa Jayvar and Sacheen and Renniti…”
“Sure, why not? Me, I need a proper bath and shower…” I fingered my plait gingerly, it had gotten more than a little greasy to the touch.
I took a breath, a bit of a wicked gleam in my eye. “Then maybe raid a mountain hideout called Argngung, eh?” The brotherhood was on my hit list. Those fuckers were going down.
He frowned a moment, considering, and rubbed at some sparse stubble on his chin. Then he sniggered. “Maybe Elz can nick their other lockbox?”
I laughed and clapped him on the back. “A good plan, mate, a good plan.”
***
THE END
***
APPENDIX
www.aworldcalledmemory.com
Character Notes
/ Cordaen Sequoia / Level 38 Warrior-Priest /
STR 27
INT 42
AGI 58
VIT 56
CHA 36
LCK 28
Health: 1680 (+50%)
Mana: 966 (+15%)
Stamina: 1090
Active Abilities (16 - 6 spare points)
Heart of Oak 2 (free)
Identify 1 (free)
Frenzy 2
Breath of Life 2
Charge 2
Holy Smite 2
Stoic 2
Passive Abilities (16 - 4 spare points)
Holy Aura 2 (free)
Staff-Spear 2 (deflection)
Light Armour 2 (dodge)
Toughness 2
Two-Hander 2
Meditate 2
Willpower 2
Combat
Staff-Spear Skill: 69 (49 skill, 20 ability)
Accuracy: +71% (35 skill, 7 strength, 29 agility)
Damage: +88% x1.2 (35 skill, 18 strength, 15 agility, 20 weapon, +20% more two-handed)
Critical Hit Chance: 15% (5 base, 7 accuracy, 3 luck) (x2)
(Critical Hit Chance can double or triple if a foe is distracted/vulnerable or stunned, but can also be halved or more if foe is alert, mobile and defensive)
Attack Speed: +49% (17 weapon skill, 10 weapon speed, 10 weapon, 7 movement, 5 bracers) +20% Frenzy
Movement Speed: +28% (10 wood elf, 18 armour)
Dodge: +83% (20 base, 29 agility, 20 armour passive, 14 movement)
Deflection: 25% (10 staff, 10 Df ability, 5 weapon) +10% defence mode
Leather Armour (Elven/Master)
71 Skill (51 base skill, 20 from armour specialisation)
(+20% for Albino-Leather Q
uality, +20% for Matching Set)
= 111% bonus
Elemental Resistance: 18 x1.11 = 20% +5% = 25%
Movement Speed: 12 x.1.11 = 13% +5% = 18%
Damage Resistance: 6 x.1.11 = 7% +1% = 8%
Resistances
Slashing Resistance: 8% (armour)
Crushing Resistance: 8% (armour)
Cleaving Resistance: 8% (armour)
Fire Resistance: 35% (25 armour, 20 ring, 10 ring, -20 wood elf)
Storm Resistance: 55% (25 armour, 20 ring, 10 ring)
Frost Resistance: 55% (25 armour, 20 socks, 10 ring)
Interrupt / Slow Resistance: 7% (7 strength) +50% Frenzy
Mental Resistance: 26% (11 intellect, 10 willpower, 5 armour)
Poison / Disease Resistance: 34%? (14 vitality, 20 ring, ?)
Leech Resistance: 28% (9 charisma, 19 aura)
Regeneration
Health: .25 per round per Vitality over 50
Mana: .5 per round per 1 Charisma
Stamina: .25 per round per 1 Athletics Skill
Vitality 56
Health 1680
Base Regen: 25% Vitality over 50 = 6x.25 = 1.5 per round
Breath of Life: 20 per round
Heart of Oak: 1% per round = 16.8 per round
Total Health Regeneration = 38.3 per round or 12.8 per second (when both spells are active)
Intellect 42
Charisma 36
Mana 966
Base Regen: 50% Charisma = 36x.5 = 18 per round