The Ingaran Adventures
Episode 24
“The Guardian of the Bone – Part I”
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                                    Alexander: The Gauntlet of Athena

                                    Zografos: An Ingaran painter going under the name of Domnhall
                                    Flower: An Elven girl caring for a human child named Hannah.
                                    Issic:  Half Human, Half Gold Dragon Warrior
                                    India: A gypsy girl

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The Time: Summer, Nemed 12

The Places: Visaria- Visaria is a Lamapachan town of about 2,612 persons.  The town is most famous for the so-called "Singing Stones of Auti", a stone circle monument left from unknown times.  The people of Visaria believe that druids raised the monument, but the local druids say it predates them.

              Lotharia – Lotharia is a Lamapachan village of about 432 persons.  The village is a satellite of Visaria, and is under the protection of Visaria's lord, Doctor Richard Dalby.  Lotharia is renowned for its gargoyle-crafting industry.  Its stone masons and artisans specialize in the creation of fantastic gargoyles for castles, manors, mansions, dungeons, and other places.  Recently, the Lord's Tower was purchased from Dr. Dalby by Baron Villam Larbius III and was converted into a temple of Marush Hob.

      Alexander watched Goran head toward Visaria, to the local tavern.  Alexander shrugged and said, "I think we need to go find Issic."

      "Sounds good," said Zografos.

      "I think so too," said India. "Any idea where he is?"

      "Well, when we last saw him we were at the singing stones," said Alexander. "Let's go back there and look for half-dragon tracks."

      "I hope he didn't do too much flying, then," said India.  Ægelmon, the Drychtnothian Viking, followed behind, as did the twelve disciples of Alexander. They found Issic at the stones.  He was cut, bloody, and bruised. Thunder cracked overhead.  A light rain began to fall.

      Zografos looked at the dragon's wounds hoping to be able to help patch him up.  He asked India to help. India sang a light song of healing while touching the bruises along his muscular arms.  Several of the bruises cleared away, and a few of the smaller cuts closed.

      "What happened to you, Issic?" asked India.

      "Damn Demon let Gargoyles loose in the town!" said Issic. "I killed about twelve or fifteen."

      "Demon?  Gargoyles?"  She looked up into the darkening clouds, visibly impressed by the death toll.  She figured nightfall would happen in about two hours, but that it would get dark long before that.

      "I am going to kill her when I get my hands on her." 

      "Who?"

      "SSSHHHHHARYSS," hissed Issic.

      "Sharyss.  Who is that?"

      "She is a Demon that Issic has some history with," said Alexander.

      Zografos interrupted.  "Should we go into town and get a room for the night and get out of the rain?"  In a flash of lightning, out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a huge wolf staring at them from the woods.  A second glance revealed nothing.

      "A room sounds good, Zografos," said India.

      Ægelmon, the flesh golem, shook his head.  "Visaria is not safe for me.  Is this another of Dalby's children?"  He indicated Issic, who gnashed his fangs at the Viking golem at the mentioning of being one of Dalby's.

      "No, but it wouldn't surprise me if Dalby was Sharyss's servant," said Alexander.

      "Why is the town not safe for you, Viking?" asked Zografos.

      "Because when Dalby discovers I am missing, the town is the first place he will search, and the townspeople will inform on me."

      "Couldn't we disguise you?  It might me hard to disguise the dragon though. If the town isn't safe then we should probably get as far away from here as possible before dark."

      "I think we should go back to what the oracle told us," suggested Alexander. "'Only with a kiss of a child can the Ring and Finger truly harm Xathurst. What is the power of a finger if there is no hand to wield it?  Forget not the hand.  Forget not the lineage of blood.  Remember these things'."

      "So what child is going to give the Ring and Finger its power?" asked Zografos.

      India said the same thing, "Who is going to take the Finger and wield it, then?"

      "The only children we know are Flower and Hannah," said Alexander.

      "Yes," said India.  "But I hesitate to be the one to remove her real finger."  She continued to look at Issic's wounds, which were quite extensive.

      "I would too, but maybe she can use it with her `hand`."

      "I could use the Ring and Finger," offered Zografos.  "I have been researching it in the books I have.  I know the proper rituals to activate it. Do we have the mummified ring and finger from the priest of Set still?"

      "I believe so," said India.

      "All we need to put the Ring and Finger on is another ring and finger.  If we have those still then no one needs lose a finger."

      "That is an interesting idea, Zografos.  What about the rain?"

      "I think that maybe we should seek out Ammrah. Wasn't that the plan before we took on Xathurst?" asked Alexander.

      "We left Hannah with Ammrah," said India.

      "If nothing else she might be able to provide us with more information."

      "Aye.  What about this demon that has torn up Issic?"

      "What do you want to do about that, Issic?" asked Alexander.  Issic tried to stand, but his body was in agonizing pain. India put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down in his seat on the rock.

      "Where is this Ammrah and why don't we just get out of here and try to survive the night and figure out a plan in the morning?" asked Zografos, looking at the woods around them.

      "She is in the tower over yonder, and I intend on rooting her out!" exclaimed Issic, not realizing the subject had changed from Sharyss to Ammrah.

      Ægelmon said, "I believe he is referring to the town of Lotharia, which is a few miles to the west, through the woods.  A tower sits outside of that town.  It is governed by Dr. Dalby as well, though he rarely visits it.  I have heard that a true priestess has appeared there, and has been gathering disciples."

      "Let me pray for guidance in this matter," said Alexander. "I understand you desire Issic to destroy the she-demon, BUT I don't think we should let it endanger the group if we are not ready for such a task." He walked over to the stone with Athena's sign on it and prayed for guidance. An owl flew to the stone, then, after looking at the priest, flew to the west.

      "We are ready," said Issic.  "We have beaten her before.  Of course, I should mention that her two 'sisters' are supposed to reside in the tower as well."

      Zografos shook his head, "I guess we are going to the tower."  This is crazy, he thought, looking again into the dark woods to the west where he thought he saw the wolf earlier.  A glimmer of red eyes appeared in the depths of the misty wood, but vanished as he looked directly at them.

      "We could actually skirt the town and enter the tower," said Issic. "I am not yet recuperated enough for a confrontation with her just yet.  I need another couple of days or more help," said Issic with a groan.

      "I will help you on the way," said Alexander.

      "Are you coming with us, Viking?" asked Zografos.

      "No.  You have helped me escape, but I fear going to another of Dalby's towns.  Lotharia is known for its gargoyle-makers, and I have wished to see their creations, but this is not the day.  Thank you for your assistance, but I must leave and find my own way in life."

      "Hold a moment, if you please," said Zografos, who quickly scribbled down a note on a piece of paper. The Viking sat on a wet stone.  The rain drizzled down and thunder rumbled.  India hummed another healing song and closed up more of Issic's sore wounds.  Issic stretched.  His muscles ached, but he was feeling stronger.

      "Come with us Viking. I promise one day I will help you gain vengeance for what Dalby did to you!" exclaimed Alexander.

      Ægelmon said, "I appreciate that, but my path is not a path of vengeance."

      "Where will you go then?" asked Alexander.

      "What is it a path of?" asked Issic. Zografos handed the Viking the note he wrote and the Viking nodded in thanks.

      "I will go to the Oracle city of Deenent and join the armies of Athena that are building there.  Perhaps I can find purpose in a temple."

      "I am sure you will," said Alexander. "I hope to one day see you again."

      "How about purpose in the destruction of a temple?" said Issic.

      "Nay, winged-one.  All Dalby wanted me for was for destruction.  I shall see if there is another way in the world.  If all there is be destruction, then I will return to you and a more fearsome warrior shall never have been seen before me, I shall become an avenging angel of terrible anger, a blood letter of colossal proportions.  But until all other paths are proved closed for me, I shall pursue another road," said Ægelmon.  Issic looked at him as if to say 'excluding this half dragon'.

      "Let me give you something before you go, Viking," said Alexander.

      Flower whispered, "Go to the temple, but do not look for purpose inside the temple. Look for purpose inside yourself. Athena's face you will see and you will know it is 'the time'."

      The flesh golem said, "Thank you," and patted Flower on the head.

      Alexander wrote a letter to the priest of Athena that might be there and sealed it with wax and handed it to Ægelmon.   The flesh golem thanked him.  "I shall never forget you." He walked off into the misty rain.

      "Well, if we are going to this damn tower we might as well get it over with," said Zografos, still eyeing the darksome woods.  Suddenly, the Screeching Tome of Vulthois started to buck around in his pack.  Zografos pulled it out. The book flipped open to a page that had a picture of a tower.  Next to the tower drawing was a picture of a gargoyle, a black one.  The caption read, "Here I set the Guardian of the Ruined Bone."  The text accompanying the drawings said, "The Guardian of the Bone is a relic I found while researching the Art of Tenebrion.  I know not its origin, but I discovered some of its powers.  I hid it in this tower to keep it from the forces of evil."

      "Damn," said Zografos. "And a demon is supposedly in the tower now. Alright, tome, you have convinced me that the way to go is to the tower."

      "Let us move on then, before Dalby comes after us," said Alexander. Issic looked at Alexander expectantly, rubbing some of the unhealed wounds, of which there were still quite a few. India continued to sing and hum, and healed some more of Issic's wounds, this time closing up some of the more serious cuts. Issic gave India a kiss on the cheek and twirled her around in a little dance step. "Thanks," he said.  She smiled, trailed her hand down the side of his draconic face, down his neck, to his armored chest.  A bright flare of light erupted from her palm, and his wounds closed further.  A lot less achy, Issic stretched. 

      "Let ride hard everyone," said Alexander.  "We have lot of ground to cover and people we soon be on our heels."

      India mounted her horse and headed toward the dark woods to the west.

      From somewhere beside her, Flower heard Shanagra's voice.  "Flower," said Shanagra, "You must free the rest of my soul from Sharyss.  I cannot reincarnate, I cannot rejoin nature if she continues her hold on my soul.  Bring me rest, Flower.  Bring me freedom."

      Flower turned around and said in a bit higher pitch than normal, "I will free you.  We will go to the tower. Just hang on."  She called to Ammi, and the unicorn trotted up to her.  She gave it a blade of grass, tickling its nose with it. "We are coming for you Shanagra!" she said as she ran alongside the unicorn, following the others toward the tower.

      The rain continued down and the darkening skies cast long shadows among the woods.  A small wagon trail wound through the woods.  It was muddy, but it made the path clear.  Soon enough, after about half an hour, they saw the town in a clearing ahead.  It was a small village with a low retaining wall made out of sharpened logs.  An ominous tower loomed over the village, leaning slightly toward the center of the village.

      Several bat-winged humanoids were flying over the town.  The darksome tower that lurked beside the town was shrouded in rain-soaked mist.  The windows seemed to peer like unholy eyes. A red glow gleamed balefully out of one of the upper windows, and a female form stood silhouetted against that vomitous light. Shadows seemed to dance and play among the various projections and buttresses that decorated the cylindrical walls of the tower, shadows that were reminiscent of dark wings and pointed horns. The town itself, noted for its gargoyle manufacture, was strangely quiet.  No lights shone from the vacant windows, no smoke lifted gently from the darkened chimneys.  A dark cold seemed to settled over the entire village, a cold that makes you shiver even by looking upon it.   No birds were seen, although they did see several bats gliding over the silent town.

      "Bottom up or top down, Issic?" asked Alexander.

      "Why not start at the top if we can," suggested Zografos as he studied the shadows. "Would that not be where we would find the demon?"

      Flower looked at the figures flying around the tower. "I think if a demon be what you are looking for..."

      "Yea, but we will have to deal with those if we fly in," said Alexander, pointing to the dark shapes. "Inside they lose the flying advantage."

      "Can you fly?" Zografos asked Flower.  "I cannot."

      Flower said,  "Of course you can, Zografos. You just have to not believe you cannot."

      "I could get some of us to, but not all of us," Alexander said, looking at his twelve new followers.

      "Phffssy," hissed Flower. "I don't know how to tell you how to fly; it's the secret of the unicorn."

      Issic growled lowly.  "I am sure the town is deserted by now.  The townspeople have either died or fled by now."

      "Seems to me that flying over there would cause much more commotion than walking there and climbing," said Flower.

      "Why not fly up beside the tower?" asked Zografos.

      "Because the gargoyles are deadly in the sky," said Issic.

      Alexander said, "Issic, do low aerial recon at point, Zog and I will follow, Flower will follow us, and the twelve will protect our rear."

      Suddenly, they heard twigs snapping, a sound that was loud in the silence, and snapped all of their heads around.  A man, an old man, was scrambling quickly toward the group.  He was red-faced, busy-bearded, and watery-eyed.

      Issic grabbed him, shaking him a bit.  "What are you running from?"

      The hideous nonagenarian cried out in horror when he looked upon Issic.  he babbled incoherently for minutes, and urine dribbled down the legs of his pants.

      Alexander said, "India, stay near Flower."  India nodded, watching Issic terrify the old man.  Alexander noticed what was happening and he pulled the man away from Issic. "What are you running from?" asked Alexander, trying to calm the man. "It is okay, he is here to help."

      "I do not want to eat you old man.  I am full," said Issic. "What do you run from?"

      Flower whispered in the ear of Ammi, the unicorn, "Nothing as beautiful as you should be held to such a gloomy place. Go, and I will come soon to the woods and meet again. Yes?"  Flower had not seen the wolves and eyes in the woods, and did not know that even now she and the unicorn were watched from those dark depths.  Ammi trotted unknowingly into the woods.

      "Why am I runnin'?" the old man whispered, his voice a terrified croak.  "How'd ye like to be livin' in a town like this, with everything a-rottin' an' a-dyin'?  Boarded up monsters crawlin' out a black cellars?  How'd ye like to hear the howlin' night arter night from the Tower o' Sharyss?  Curse ye!  Don't start starin' at me!"

      "Can you show us how to get into the tower?" asked Alexander.  He got no sense that the man was evil.

      "I tell ye, Obed Zar ain't mad, not yet!" said Obed, the old man. "Aye, I kin show ye how to git into that accursed tower.  An even if I ain't told nobody nuthin' yet, I'm goin' to now!  I didn't do no pryin' mind ye, but I found out things just the same!"

      "Tell away," said Alexander.

      "Ye want to know what the real horror is?  It ain't Sharyss, nor is it her dark master that they call Larbius.  It ain't what them dug up and brought out of the cellar.  But when they git ready, oh boy, when they git ready.  I know what them things be.  I know what they be tryin' to summon.  EH - AHHH - AH! E'YAAHHHH!"

      "I aim to quiet that howling for good," growled Issic. "Quit telling us what it ain't and say what it is."

      Zografos scanned the area while he was talking.  He saw the unicorn vanish into the darkness of the woods, but nothing else.  Flower looked around also. 

      "What are they trying to summon?" asked Alexander. Obed's eyes, looking past all of them, were positively starting from his head, and his face was a mask of fear worthy of an Ingaran tragedy.  Presently, his voice came back in a trembling whisper.  "Git aout of here!  Git out o' here!  They seen us.  Git out fer your life!  Don't wait fer nothin'!  They know now!  Run for it, quick!  Ever hear tell of a Shoggoth?  E-YAAHHHH!... YHAAAAA!"

      Issic whipped around, drawing the dragon claw. He saw nothing but the rain about him.  The woods lurked darkly behind him, and the silent town lied dead before him.  The first of the moons was rising behind the woods.

      Flower helped the old man to his feet.  She wiped off his forehead, and felt his pulse and temperature as he spoke.

      "Let the man go," said Alexander. "Those things are bad news. Where are they trying to summon these Shoggoths?"

      "In that Tower!  In that Tower!" cried the old man. "That is where they are trying to summon it!"

      "How do we get in there?"

      "Avoid the cellars!  Avoid the cellars!  They dug up the Guardian of the Bone, and with it they brought the gargoyles to life, and with it they are gathering the means of the summoning!  Gain access through the private, secret door that faces to the south.  Turn the lion until it stares into the glare of the sun, and step on the feet of the titan!"

      Zografos whispered to India, "Does this seems like a big frickin' trap to you?"

      India nodded.  "Seems so, but I have begun to doubt my instincts of late."

      "It could be worse" said Alexander remembering the room full of thousands of mind flayers.

      Flower gave the old man water and told him to Calm himself.  "Athena's darkness will purify this place, the gauntlet is here," she said, looking up expectantly at Alexander. "Her darkness is pure.  Her light is spreading, bringing something, I know not what."

      The man looked up, "Be it true like the little one said?  Are you the gauntlet?"  He clawed at Alexander with bony hands.  "Ere you the Gauntlet?  Said she truly?"

      "Yes, I am. Why do you want to know?"

      "Perhaps we will be saved yet!  Perhaps!  Perhaps!"  He fell to the ground at Alexander's feet, his clawed, arthritic hands clutched around the priest/psion's ankles, his twisted body wracked with sobs.  "I have seen in a dream the owl that eats the gargoyle!  I have seen in the dream the gauntlet that smashes the tower!"

      They all noticed several gargoyles flying from the town to their location.

      "Can normal weapons hurt gargoyles or are they like were beasts?" asked Zografos.

      India shrugged.  She didn't know.

      "Like werebeasts, Zog," said Issic, hefting up his dragon-claw sword. "Remember magic to hurt them."

      "Run old man," said Alexander. "Run to safety and tell others that the gauntlet and Athena's champions have saved this town." The old man clambered to his feet and ran.  Alexander handed the Dark Athena to Flower, then began to cast Summon Monster IV. He prayed for a giant owl to aid them.

      "I don't know what good I am going to be then since I no longer have a magic weapon," whined Zografos.

      Flower said to Zografos, "Think and attack like an owl. A flying thing is hurt most by hitting the ground."

      "Hmmm," thought Zografos.

      A giant owl flew from the darkness and attacked the oncoming gargoyles.  As they came in, Issic lashed out savagely with his dragon-claw weapon.  One of the gargoyles fell into two portions, a spray of blood splattering through the misty wind like a red cloud.

      Zografos swung his grapple around, hooked a gargoyle, and pulled it down to the ground with a wet crash.  India jabbed into it with her shadow-rapier, slicing its shoulder as it rolled away from her.

      A gruesome gargoyle flew down at Alexander, slashing at him with tooth and claw, but Alexander's armor and reflexes kept him in good stead.  Another vile gargoyle landed behind Flower, and ripped into her with claws, teeth, and gored her with his horns, slamming the Elf-child to the ground as she held the statue of Dark Athena to her breast.  A trio of gargoyles charged Issic, but his quickness of eye and hand and foot was not to be matched by them.  They bellowed and flailed wildly, wasting strength and motion, while he smote in deadly silence and with deadly certainty.

      Zografos, with leaps, ducks, side-steps and parries, avoided the flailing claws, biting teeth, and ripping horns of the pair of gargoyles that decided to beset him.  However, India cried out in pain as she was ripped nearly to bloody shreds by the pair of gargoyles when she slid on the uncertain and muddy ground.  They reveled in her blood as it showered up in the air from their attacks.  Flower hit one with the statue. The gargoyle slammed up into the air and turned to stone, falling to the ground with a wet thud.

      The giant owl continued its attacks, wounding one behind its head and tearing one of its wings.

      "Athena will see to it that your weapon will hit if you see to it that your arm swings your weapon," said Alexander to Zografos, casting Weapon of the Deity on Zografos' sword.

      With both feet braced on the blood-soaked earth, Issic drove his weapon with the full power of mighty arms and broad shoulders behind it, and the gargoyle's head snapped off its body in a spray of blood.  Issic whirled around like a lion at bay, head lowered on his mighty breast, terrible eyes glittering, both hands gripping his dragon-claw weapon.  A gargoyle thrust viciously, but Issic evaded the horns with a twist of his huge frame and hacked in savagely.  The great claw struck under the gargoyle's armpit, crunched through the stone-like skin and bit deep into its ribs, coming out through the gargoyle's abdomen.  The gargoyle slid to the ground, his innards sliding out of the ghastly tear onto the wet soil, steaming in the cooler air.  He swung up his dragon-claw sword to parry a ruthless claw intended to slash his eyes out, then brought the heavy weapon down to dash out the third gargoyle's brains as a man kills a wounded snake. 

      Zografos called his shadow to attack alongside of him, and, independent of his movements, Zografos' shadow attacked the shadow of a gargoyle. His attack was too quick for that gargoyle even to comprehend, much less prevent.  Again and again his weapon sheathed itself in the gargoyle's black heart, and Zografos felt mad glee to see the stupid expression of incredulous surprise as he tore his sword free of the gargoyle and it fell, gurgling like a stuck pig, spouting blood between its clawing fingers.  The gargoyle behind Zografos sprang to catch the rogue, but its groping claws and gnashing teeth closed on empty air.  Zografos circled around the gargoyle, putting himself into position to attack again.

      Issic roared and split the head of a gargoyle as a man splits a melon, and its brains gushed sickeningly over the dragon-claw blade.  Issic's next stroke spilled the bowels of the next gargoyle.  Then a gargoyle moved in on Issic, flailing its claws and horns.  Issic caught its descending wrist on his edge.  The gargoyle's hand jumped from his wrist on an arch of crimson, and as it stared stupidly at the spouting stump, Issic ran him through with such ferocity that he pitched over it as it fell.  Spreading his wings, he landed on his feet and wrenched his blade free.

      India parried and dodged while she sang a mage armor spell.  She danced around their flailing attacks as she sang the spell, and the magic repelled their horns and teeth and claws. 

      Zografos, amid numerous leaps and side-steps, finally buried his magicked weapon to the hilt in a gargoyle's stomach, its business end pushing out of the gargoyle's back.  On wide-braced legs, sword trailing, Zografos reeled among the corpses.  He found that blood was streaming down his arm from a slash in the shoulder, and his cloak was in ribbons.

      Flower swung her deadly statue in an arc, declaring, " Things of shadow,  fall to dust and stone before the purity that I have been shown.   Athena help me this day!"  The dark statuette slammed into another gargoyle, which petrified and fell to the bloody mud with a sickening squish.  The landscape swam to her gaze, and the scent of fresh blood, swimming in the entrails of the slain, revolted her.

      Issic stepped in and crashed his dragon-claw sword down on another gargoyle as it attempted to bull-rush India.  The weapon ripped through a horn, crunched through the shoulder blade, and came to rest in the gargoyle's spinal column.  Issic put a foot on the corpse and yanked the weapon out of the dead gargoyle.

      Alexander, also covered in blood from cuts taken from the flailing claws of the gargoyles, leveled his sword and a searing ray of heat burned from it, cooking the side of the last gargoyle's head.  The gargoyle threw a hand up to the side of his head and fell away.  Zografos swung his sword around and removed the injured head from the gargoyle's neck.

      "Enjoy that blood, you bastard," said Zografos.

1500 experience points for the evening.