Alternate Realities

From: jefyoung@pawl.rpi.edu (Jeffrey Young)

Date: Fri, 17 Nov 1989 21:47:05 +0000

There is a brief moment of uneasy silence, and then Luagha speaks,

"Your statement is correct, your Highness."

Hachiro then steps forward.  "Greetings, sir," he says, "my name is
Hachiro and yes, we were sent by the Guardian to assist you. Exactly what is
going on ehre, and what is our part in it?".

After Hachiro, both Kelso and Shuitsu address Gwydion, Shuitsu bowing as
he asserts "I do not wish to speak for my companions as they are their own
masters but I will say that I am honored to help you in your time of need."
Kelso follows suit, stating "I am Kelso Redwing.  At your service until this
evil is defeated."

At this point, Gwydion assumes that no one else wishes to speak, and he
sets forth in his discourse--

"Before the Dark Times, R'lyeh was a peaceful land.  We had no true
enemies, just the random monsters that would occcasionally wander in from the
wilderness.  Our fighters tested each other in tourneys, and our mages
studied long and hard from the tomes of Old.  We neglected, however, to study
what has become known only as The Prophecy.

Then, 200 years ago, while under the reign of King Alendus II, there was
a revolt.  For no apparent reason, the citizens took to the streets and
removed Alendus from power.  The castle itself, in the remains of which you
are now standing, was ransacked completely.  Gone now are the tomes of Old,
the tourney lists, and most of The Prophecy.  The monarchy was replaced by a
council, the descendant of which you see before you.  However, things were no
longer peaceful.  The random monsters that once appeared from the wilderness
began to appear with much more frequency, and no longer were they easily
defeatable.  The citizens of R'lyeh began to live in fear of leaving their
homes at night,  for the fabled spooks and spectres of the night had become
terrifyingly real.  Then the weather began to change.  No longer was it sunny
and beautiful.  The grass turned brown, and the trees withered into twisted,
evil masses.  The sky grew grey, and the air grew heavy.  Slowly but surely,
the greatest of the fighters and mages were eliminated by the intruders from
the wilderness.  Finally, in order to attempt to rid ourselves of this
menace, the Council then turned to The Prophecy.  In the only passage we were
able to decipher, and the one which I will read to you presently, it spoke of
the return of a dead king, and subsequently the return of the Forces of Light.
Through an immense study of what little remained of past history, and through
the thoughts of the village Elders, the Brothers of Brie, a group of
reclusive monks who were set to studying the old scrolls, decided that this
king must be the revered King Llymelyn the Just.  Upon receiving word of this,
the Council decided to attempt to return Llywelyn from the Land of the Dead.
The Council has always consisted of 4 High Mages, and 3 Royal Knights, and
the training was passed down by the Council members to youths that they felt
were exceptionally fit for the job.  In an attempt to thwart the Council, the
Evil One sent His minions into the towns and villages of R'lyeh.  The
Messiahs of Doom recruited followers, and currently there are to be no
successors to the Council.  This did not thwart us completely, so during one
of our meetings, the Soldiers of Evil suddenly appeared, and the voice of
their Master echoed throughout the ruins of the entire castle.  He spoke in
a voice that sent anyone listening into spasms of horror, and He cursed anyone
who dared oppose His control of the land.  Then whole of person, and perhaps
the best apprentice swordsman the Council had ever had, Ruenic stepped forward,
drawing his blade, and challenged the Ancient One to "Show yourself o'coward
who hides behind a shadowy voice and an army.  Come forth and face me in
honorable combat!"   The Followers of Hate then attacked Ruenic in force.
Even as several of them flew away, missing limbs and heads, he lay on the
floor amongst them, his life's blood draining upon the stone.  The Lady
Wearenth, apprenticed to the Council in the arts of Magic, and who had been
hiding behind the ajar doors, then ran into the room.  She cradled his injured
body in her arms, and begged the Ultimate One not to let him die.  Just as she
had given up, and collapsed weeping on the floor, the Evil One responded to her
request.  Ruenic and Wearenth became one, each half of what they had been.
They had been the last hope of the Council.  With his skill and her talent
combined at full strength, together they could have opposed the Evil that
enveloped the land.  Now they are together, but powerless against the Forces of
Darkness, as are we....."

He pauses here, and takes forth a scroll, which he reads to you....

"This is The Prophecy:

WITH SIX HANDS OF LORING THE LOST UPON THE WHEEL OF TIME, AT THE
MOMENT BAZEL MOUNTS HIS CHARIOT TO DO BATTLE WITH THE SEVEN DAUGHTERS, THE
DEAD KING SHALL RISE TO SEIZE THE TRIAD WITH HANDS THAT CANNOT GRASP AND EYES
THAT CANNOT SEE.  ALL WARDS BROKEN AND THE MYSTIC BARRIERS PIERCED WITH
MATING SWORDS, THREE SAINTS AND SINNERS WILL STRUGGLE IN THE DUST, BOTH AND
NEITHER TO TRIUMPH, AND WHILE THE SUNDERED EARTH SPEWS FORTH THE DREGS OF
CENTURIES, A NEW ORDER SHALL COME UPON THE LAND.

The only parts we can understand are the following:

Loring was the twelvth king of R'lyeh
                   Bazel and the Seven Daughters are constellations,
                    and they periodically move together as if going to battle

And of course, Llwellyn.

After you have rested here, you will be sent in two parties in the first part
of the quest, the Search for the Wheel of Time, to discover if it is in fact
the right time to attempt to raise Llwellyn.  We have decided after much
discussion that two parties will increase our chances of getting this done. it
will not be a competition, but rather a strategical manuever, as the Evil One
already knows of your presence here and will try and counter you in some way."

With this, Gwydion steps back and pulls a bell cord.  Several servants enter,
placing down several tables and chairs (12 to be exact)  A fine meal is then
brought in, and the Council members motion for you to be seated.  At this time,
the Lady of the Council gets up in a swirl of white robes, and offers each of
you a vial of a clear potion, with instructions to pour it into the wine and
drink it all.

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The dinner table is open for discussion both amongst yourselves and with
the members of the Council, who are now introduced to you:

Sir Pellham, Royal Knight, Instructor of
                         Mounted Combat    (plate mail)

Silevran, Royal Mage, Specialist in the Art
                         of Magical Combat (hooded, in silver)

Sir Widdershim, Royal Knight, Jack of All Trades
                         (i.e. he's a thief) (mail shirt)

Gwydion, whom you've already met, High Mage, Seneschal
                          of the Council, King of R'lyeh, scholar

Sir Arwyn, Royal Knight, Master of Sworded Combat on
                          Foot     (chain mail, wearing the council's device)

Laisir, High Mage,  Psychic  (also hooded, in grey)

and last,     Lady Jenelle, High Mage, Mistress of Medicine and the
                         Arts of Healing
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please add     Marin [rye@attunix.alt.com] to the list of players (sorry :)

Next move will be Sunday, November 19

Sorry this one is late, I didn't think it would be this long...

Jen
raven@pawl.rpi.edu

"Welcome to where Time stands still.  No one leaves here, no one will."

------- End of Forwarded Message

--
"You are blue, Unicorn.. the Blue of clear, cloudless days where
everything seems like it's going right and nothing could go wrong..
and the Blue of despair and lonliness."
                                       jefyoung@pawl.rpi.edu

References

AR--New Portal
raven@pawl.rpi.edu (Jennifer Lynn Piatek)
Mon, 13 Nov 1989 00:24:44 +0000