The Ingaran Adventures
Episode 67
“The death of Ordiss Ool.”
|
Lord Issic: Half
Human, Half Gold Dragon Warrior Cthaat Angartha: The first
Blood Owl |
After the grisly work of hiding the bodies of the guards was complete and the wagon hidden, Zografos retired to his mansion in Alisander. His mansion was a dark, forboding place that once belonged to Doctor Richard Dalby. He turned back toward Phaidon, “If I remember, I will bring you back a bow.” Phaidon nodded.
Phaidon spoke to the others as he watched Zografos and Faith head into the muddy, rainswept streets, “I cannot believe these fools were following Ares so blindly. It is a shame we cannot get Ares to back our army instead of Saud’s armies. Get him to pull his support of Ordiss Ool. Then, we would only have to deal with Ool and that bastard Larbius.”
“While, that would be much safer than fighting all three of them it would be unlike Ares to parley with us. As he and Athena are not on the best of terms.”
“But he is still a member of the Pantheon, correct? It might be worth a try to talk to him. Convince him that Ool is using him.”
Thunder rolled and the rain continued to pour down from the heavens above.
“I have thought about this and if it ever becomes more than a possibility I have planned for it. But I doubt it will.”
Phaidon nodded, “What are we going to do about the wagon outside? Other guards will come looking for it shortly.”
Zografos slid out of the shadows and asked, “Why aren’t we dressing up in the guards’ uniforms, taking the wagon and using that to get into the castle? Wasn’t that our apparant objective?”
Alexander nodded, “We, need to Disguise ourselves as these guards then hopfully we can sneak into the palace.”
Phaidon continued, “Ah. I had forgotten. Let us get to it, then.”
Issic questioned the rest of the plan, “What is the objective when we reach the interior of the castle?”
Alexander asked Zografos, “Are you not more skilled at disguising people as city guards than anyone else present?”
Alexander answered Issic in the midst of the melee of words, “It may be difficult to sneak you in, Issic. Once we are in the castle, we will find Nadam and information first if possible. If we are unable to do either of those things then we must be satisfied by overthrowing Ool. I am open to any other ideas if you have them.”
“I have no problems with that plan,” said Zografos. “I just want to be sure that is what we are doing?”
Phaidon spoke up, “Do you have knowledge of secret passages or the like in the castle, Zografos? Do we have any idea where Nadam might be held?”
“Of course! I know the entire castle layout.”
“Do you know where Nadam is currently located?”
“I know where they buried him.”
“He died already or they buried him alive?”
Alexander said, “I can’t divine anything inside the castle, it is blocked from any abilities I have.”
“My sources say he is dead,” says Zografos.
Alexander asked, “What evidence do they have?’
Phaidon continued, “Well, if the rumours are to be believed, we might still be able to get to him. If he is truly a vampire as some say.”
Zografos said, “I don’t think he is a vampire. I know a few. They aren’t aware of any others in the city.”
Phaidon shrugged, “Let us go find his body nonetheless. Then, we will take care of Ool.”
Alexander queried Zografos for more information, “Where was his body enturned?”
Zografos was puzzled, “What good would it do to recover his body? His body lies within the royal crypts beneath the palace.”
“Do you know of a secert way into them?”
“Yes, and no.”
Phaidon answered Zografos’ question, “I do not know. I thought saving him was the key to this whole thing. We will have to settle for taking care of Ool.”
Zografos continued, “Can you turn into a snake or a mouse?”
Alexander responded, “No.”
Alexander switched gears, “I looks like it is back to the wagon opition, if no one objects.”
Phaidon said, “I have no reservations, Alexander.”
Alexander commenced with his planning, “Issic, if you hid in the back of the wagon, I should be able to make the guards not notice you. The rest of us can dress up like guards. I have to concentrate on issic, however, can you handle any guards that we run into Zog?”
Zografos said, “Do you mean kill them, or keep them busy until you are past?”
“Hopefully you can talk them into leting us pass.”
“I was thinking maybe I would enter through the crypts and come up from behind in case you guys had any trouble.”
Cthaat
and
Alexander responded, “Can you fit in the wagon with Issic?”
Cthaat grinned, “Of
course we can fit!”
“Alright, lets hurry up then.”
Zografos handed Phaidon a bow. Phaidon nodded and said, “Thank you.”
“I found this on the wall at my mansion. I think it is a hundred years old, so be careful with it.”
“I will take great care of it.”
Alexander,
Phaidon, and Zografos dressed in the garb of the dead guards.
Phaidon said, “There are not going to be twelve of us to go in. We need to be prepared to explain that.”
Alexander summoned
forth the power of Athena and created an illusion over the wagon. He crafted it so that the wagon was full of
the previous dead bodies and also those of
Zografos said, “The others are out gathering bodies, then.”
Phaidon said, “Very good.”
Alexander responded, “No, they are in the back too. The Gauntlet and two others killed them before they ran.” He winked at Zografos. “They got spooked when their demon was killed”
“Excellent,” said Zografos.
Phaidon said, “I will drive the wagon, I suppose.” He nudged Zografos, “You do the talking.”
Into the rainy night they plodded. The rain spattered and poured down as they went clip-clopping down the cobbled streets of Alisander, in the night, in the dark. Lights poured out in squares on the street from occasional windows, but most of the city was dark. Lightning streaked across the sky occasionally, sending darksome shadows flittering across their path in splashes of contrasting darks and lights. A man came out of a house, dragging a dead body. He motioned for your wagon to stop.
Phaidon looked to Alexander and Zografos. Ever alert, Zografos whispered that there were people lurking in the dark buildings to either side of them.
Alexander whispered to Zografos, “Just tell him we just got attacked and don’t want to stop or that we are full.”
Zografos whispered back, “What if they attack us? They may be rebels.”
Phaidon whispered, “Guess we are between a rock and a hard place. Tell me when to stop.”
Zografos responded quietly, “Well, we are not going to stop.” He shouted ahead, “This wagon is full! Another will be on its way shortly.”
The man dropped the dead guy, who was suddenly on his feet with a sword in hand. “No, you thieving bastards will stop now!”
Several bats wheeled around in the dark skies overhead. Rats that were skittering along the dirty gutters stopped to watch.
Zografos whispered to Alexander, “You might want to think of something, quick. I am in the mood to just kill these people and I know there are some others around here that might do that too.”
Lightning flashed overhead.
Alexander opened up his mind and flooded the minds of the men with the power of Athena, “We are on your side. Attack us and you will be helping the enemy.”
The men frowned, uncertain. “W-who are you?” Their eyes flitted from side to side. Their swords trembled, suddenly afraid. Everyone could her the clopping of iron-shod hooves on a side street nearby.
Alexander continued his mental speech, “A friend, go back into your houses and pray for the saftey of the city. That is how you may aid the cause.”
Five city guards, wearing the livery of Ordiss Ool, mounted on horses, came wheeling around a corner.
“Ho!” the lead guardsman said. The men dispersed. The guards rode up. They saluted and said, “Do you need an escort?”
Zografos spoke, “Nah, we can handle the rabble around here.”
The guard nodded and they rode off.
Soon, they were
moving ever closer to the palace. The
wagon ride was rough on the cobblestones.
Within minutes, they stood before the front gates of the
A guard, wet in his grey cloak walked up.
“Whatcha want?” he said, annoyed. “Something da madda ad da charnel house?”
Zografos said, “What we want is to get out of this damnable rain and make our report of this excursion. We were attacked!”
“Eh? Make yer report ad da charnel house den. Ya can’t come in da palace. ‘Specially wid a bunch of dead dudes in yo wagon.”
“What I got to report is too important to wait fify blocks! What if we leave the wagon out here?”
The man
frowned. From beneath the wagon,
They clattered through the gate and the guard closed it behind them. Zografos acted hurried, pretending to rush Phaidon into parking the wagon. Phaidon played along. When the wagon was parked, Zografos ran up the fantastic marble stair case to the front doors. He was hoping everyone was following him, but he did not look behind himself to check. Alexander looked around cautiously and then motioned for Issic and the women to follow him. They all bounded up the marble stairs to the front door. A doorman opened the door. He stared in wonder at Issic.
Before the man could react, Alexander had him in the grips of a powerful spell. Alexander eavesdropped on the doorman’s thoughts and planted a powerful suggestion in his mind, “I suggest that you not tell anybody we have been here.”
He says to himself, “I saw nothing!”
The entry chamber was huge, and largely marble. Great tapestries hung from the walls, and a maid rushed up to them.
Alexander asked Zografos, “Which way now Zog?”
“We’ll go to Ordiss’ private chambers.”
The maid said, “May I take your cloaks?”
Zografos whipped off his cloak and threw it at her, “I’m sorry, my need is urgent!” He rushed on past her to a secret panel on the wall and pushed through it.
Everyone else followed Zografos through the secret doorway.
Once inside, Alexander had everyone stop and be quiet while he filtered through the doorman’s thoughts for information.
He was wondering if his wife will be able to
see him today. He was worried about
her. She couldn’t see or hear him this
morning. He was hoping it was a passive
illness. He was also wondering if he
could get some from the main. Then, he
mentally smacked himself for wondering that when his wife was so obviously ill. Then again, she had put on weight recently,
so he should be allowed to look and think of over women.
Alexander probed the mans thoughts for information on Ordiss Ool.
He seemed pretty sure Ool wouldn’t
mind if he slept with the maid. He started to wonder if Ool has ever slept with
her. Damn, he thought, it would be
awesome to have that much power. If it
were me, I’d sleep with everyone! Well,
women anyways. I’d make the women sleep
with women too. That would be cool. How do men in power like Ool ever get
anything done? The man wondered if Lord
Nadam would ever get better, or if Kamal was right –
Nadam was dead.
Alexander focused on Kamal, not knowing the name.
My friend Kamal
claimed to have helped bury Lord Nadam.
He has not been seen in days. I
wonder what it will be like when my wife dies.
Man, I could get other women. He
patted his belly and cursed his own increasing pudgyness. Nah.
Alexander focused on the part of the man’s mind that dealt with Ares.
The man swallowed and fear welled up in his
mind. Ever since
Ordiss Ool found that book. He
thought about what Kamal said about the book that
holds Ares here, forces him to do Ordiss Ool’s
bidding. Imagine being able to do that
to a god!
Alexander focused on the book.
Ares must not be a god anymore. That is what Kamal
said before he disappeared. What was it
he said about that book? Oh yeah... He said the book was an ancient, mouldering text stolen out of Khemt,
but written in a magical form of Ingaran.
Alexander probed for the location of the book.
I remember him telling me the book was
locked in a red room somewhere near Ordiss Ool’s
private chambers. I wonder what happened
to Kamal?
Alexander probed deeper to determine the location of Ares.
He wondered where Ares was, or if he really
existed, not having actually ever seen him.
He wondered what it would be like to see a god. He wondered if Ordiss Ool is really torturing
him.
Alexander perked up and focused on torture.
Yeah, he was being tortured. Damn, look at that maid! If that isn’t being tortured, being married
an all.
Alexander mentally rolled his eyes and focused on the location of Ool’s chambers.
He was thinking that one of these days he’ll
just walk down that secret passage there and go see his lord and master, just
like those guards and that monster did.
Probing ever deeper, Alexander tried to figure out where Nadam was supposedly buried.
I bet they buried Nadam in the crypts below
the centre of the heart.
Alexander queried about guards in this part of the palace.
He started thinking it odd that so many guards just rushed into the secret passage. Ordiss Ool kept very few guards in the actual palace. They were all out controlling the rebellious and tempestuous hearts of the subjects. Especially now that Yam ibn Saud was dead.
Rebels?
My cousin is one of those rebels. I wonder if he has been killed yet. He has a pretty daughter. I wouldn’t mind getting some from her too.
Prince Parma?
He couldn’t believe it when Prince Parma
brought in the corpse of Yam ibn Saud. Ordiss Ool proclaimed himself
god.
Alexander queried
the appearance of
He was a devilishly handsome man, he
thought. I’d like to look that
fiendishly good. Of course, he was
exiled when
Saud’s body?
Kamal said Saud’s body
was sacrificed in a gory ritual conducted by a Lizard Man named Iss’ul. I wonder why
my thoughts are meandering so much?
Iss’ul?
Iss’ul frightens him. He had a dream about a snake that told him
that Iss’ul would bring about a resurgence of serpent
people and their domination in the world
Zografos figured out there was no one else in the corridor, so he started transitioning to wererat form.
Phaidon noticed her and put his hand on her shoulder. He shook his head and whispered, “Now is not the time. We will deal with that later.”
Phaidon whispered, “I know you do. We cannot save the city if you kill him now.”
Phaidon sniffed
the air and whispered to
“Okay, Phaidon. I will trust you.”
Phaidon smiled at her as he squeezed her shoulder in reassurance.
After changing, Zografos used his enhanced wererat senses to continue to scout the hall.
Phaidon noticed Alexander seeming to come out of his trance, “You still with us, Alexander?”
Alexander relayed all of the information he learned to his comrades.
Phaidon said, “Well, at least we do not have to worry about Larbius right now. Sounds to me like we need to find that book fast.”
Alexander nodded, “I think we need to get the book and use it to talk Ares into helping us”
Phaidon and Alexander both said, “The doorman sees everyone that comes and goes.”
She continued, “He seemed awful detailed.”
Zografos was listening from up ahead, “Even I, who often use servants for information, am skeptical about this.”
Phaidon asked Zografos, “Do you know of such a red room, Zografos?” Phaidon thought to just follow the trend and call him Zografos. Although the man known as Zografos had been introduced to him as Lord Domnhall, he had picked up on the Zografos name through conversations within the group.
Alexander stated, “This passage should lead to it.”
Zografos answered Phaidon, “No, I don’t.”
Phaidon said, “It cannot do any harm to check it out, I suppose.”
Zografos continued, “As far as I know, it goes to Issul’s private chambers. My information comes from rats, and they are colourblind, so I can’t point out rooms by colour.”
Phaidon queried, “Well, how many rooms are directly connected to Ool’s private chambers?”
“Seven.”
“Well, why not use your power of shadow to investigate those rooms? Take a little peek.”
Phaidon crossed his arms, “If the information is valid, we need the book. If not, a plan will not help us.”
Alexander asked Zografos, “Have you spies seen any books in important books in any of them?”
Alexander responded to Phaidon about having Zografos peek around, “I don’t think we should do that yet, the rooms may be protect against teleportation
“This hallway,” said Zografos, “connects to his sitting room.”
Zografos corrected himself, “Well, it connects to Nadam’s sitting room. I am presuming he has taken over Nadam’s rooms.”
Phaidon wondered, “If Ool did sacrifice Saud’s body, he may well have the power of a God flowing through him now.”
Cthaat said, “Issic can take him!”
Alexander asked Zografos, “Well does this passage lead anywhere other then the sitting room?”
“No.”
Alexander continued, “Then that is where we were headed before this information, so I do not see that much has changed. The only difference is that we need to keep our eyes open for a book in a red room.’
Zografos said, “The room on the other side of the sliding panel smells of lizard-human sexuality. Now might be a good time to burst in.”
Cthaat hefted her sword.
Alexander said, “I could scry on the other side of the wall, but we might be detected.”
Phaidon said, “Let us not risk that.”
Alexander nodded, “If we are going to bust inside, we will be discovered anyway, so it isn’t that much of a risk. “Zografos, can you sneak inside the room as one of those small animals you mentioned before and then report back?”
Zografos replied, “Uh, they are reptiles. They eat rats.”
“Do they eat other reptiles?”
“I guess I could sneak in as a snake. Good idea.”
Zografos turned into a writhing, tiny viper and slithered off.
Zografos slithered under the sliding panel and vanished from sight.
Alexander
attempted to ease
“Although, I do not like it anymore than you.”
Inside the room Zografos saw a dark figure in a black robe. Several nude women laid strewn about the room. Zografos looked around and saw the man take off the Crown of Alisander - and shift into the form of a lizard man. The figure spoke in his uncouth language and two more coweled and caped men walked in from another room. They talked for a bit.
Iss’ul said to the man, “In the guise of Ordiss Ool, I have taken the reigns of power. Soon I shall reveal myself as Iss’ul, Lord of the Shadow Shoal. We will gather our armies and march on Ingara to unify all of Lamapacher under our flag.”
“Yesssss, my lord,” said the Yuan-Ti servitor. “What sssshall I do to prepare?”
Iss’ul said, “We must finish off Aresss. And we must find Alexander. I do not understand why he and his companions have become blind to me.”
“Blind?”
“Not a word of thissss to anyone!” hissed Iss’ul. “I cannot sssssee them. I cannot sssee them in the future, but neither can I sssseee my own future all of the sudden!”
“Not a word, my lord. Ssssshall I ssssumon my aids and warriors? Ssssshall I summon the traitor we have among Alexander’s own group?”
“Yessss. I
fear them. If they strike before
“We sssshall be prepared.”
“Good. And we sssshall keep our bargain and corrupt the daughter of Prince Parma, Lord Larbius.”
The Yuan Ti bowed and exited the room. Iss’ul started to leave the room through another door.
Zografos quickly returned and rapidly relayed all the information.
Alexander sighed and hefted Athena’s Wrath in his hand, “We have to move now!”
Zografos said, “Yes! Okay, good! Let’s fight! Alexander, you go first and lead the charge!” His eyes gleamed with delight, “Ool fears you more than all of us!”
Alexander responded, “I didn’t say attack. I said move. We go in subdue the women then check the next two rooms.”
“Okay,” said Zografos. “That is fine. Let’s go. You first.”
Alexander moved
forward, “
Zografos said, “If you want, I’ll go first.”
Alexander spoke, “Zografos, you are the quite one, lead the way.”
Zografos slid open the secret door and slinked in.
They stood in the room with all of the nude women. They noted two exits. Curtains covered both doors.
Alexander whispered, “Zografos, what is in the other rooms?’
Zografos pointed the way that Ool went, “That is the library. The other direction is a conservatory.”
Issic whispered, “A library would be the most obvious place for a book.”
Zografos nodded and moved in the direction that Ordiss Ool had gone. Zografos slowly, painfully slowly, pulled aside the curtain.
Alexander whispered and motioned to his friends, “Everyone stand by the door Ool just went into and prepare for anything.”
Not hearing the curtain moving aside, Ordiss Ool was within, looking at a map of Lamapacher on the wall. He was completely unaware of their presence. Wrapped up in his own schemes of conquest.
Suddenly, the yuan-ti re-entered the room from the other exit. Not expecting to see people in the room he stopped, stunned. Just as suddenly, the party was divided.
Cthaat whipped out the Holy Sword of Ghelord and Issic gripped the blessed holy sword loaned to him by Athena. Issic charged at Iss’ul and slashed at him. The slash severed the cloak that Iss’ul wore and drew blood from the lizardman. Iss’ul fumbled with the falling cloak as he swirled around to face his attacker. A look of surprise, confusion, terror, and complete hatred washed over his face.
Zografos pointed the shadow staff at Iss’ul’s room and summoned a creature from within the staff.
Alexander began the magic motions required to summon creatures of his own.
Iss’ul was still trying to recover from the first blow as Issic again brought Athena’s holy sword to bear on the lizardman. Issic drew yet more of the lizardman’s precious blood as he connected with two of his four strikes. Iss’ul hissed in anger.
Iss’ul now had his bearing again. His hatred of the half-dragon before him erupted in a flurry of slashes. Blood trickled from the mighty half-dragons chest as Iss’ul slashed him with a mighty blow.
The staff in Zografos’ hand flashed with a dark light and a horrible, horrible, horrible thing appeared. A Nightshade Nightcrawler, a gargantuan worm of shadow, appeared in the room and attacked Iss’ul. The shadowy creature bit and stung Iss’ul severely and the lizardman slumped to one knee from the force of the blow.
Unable to enter the room, Phaidon pulled out the bow that Zografos has loaned him and planted an arrow in the bloody chest of Iss’ul.
Four hound archons appeared in the room with Iss’ul. Alexander wasted no time and began summoning more help from the heavens. The hound archons attacked Iss’ul, but he masterfully evaded their blows even in his weakened condiditon. Yet, he knew he would not last much longer at these odds.
Issic hefted his sword aloft to strike the kneeling lizardman. Iss’ul spoke to Issic, confidence in his voice, “I will give you power and glory if you stay your hand. Alexander! I am willing to cut a deal!”
Issic sneered at the obviously cowering lizardman, “I already have both and will gain more with your death!” Issic struck Iss’ul time and again with mighty blows from his sword. Iss’ul somehow managed to stand and stagger backwards, blood flowing rapidly from grievous wounds all over his body. Issic reared back and with a final, deadly strike, removed the head of the vile Iss’ul, leader of the Shadow Shoal. Finally, Issic brought his sword downwards through the carcass of Iss’ul. Iss’ul’s rib cage ripped apart and his innards spilled out onto the floor in a spray of gore. Issic roared in triumph. What was left of Ordiss Ool’s body slumped to the ground.
Suddenly, a loud rumbling could be heard from the wall behind a bookcase. Then, they heard thunderous laughter, “Ha! I am free!”
Zografos turned to shadow and passed through the wall.
Alexander, knowing, proclaimed, “SHOW YOURSELF ARES! YOUR FELLOW GODS DEMAND THUS!”
Ares grasped the shadowed form of Zografos and crashed through the bookcase.
They were standing before the god Ares, and he held Zografos aloft. He was a large man with burning, hateful eyes and a scowl etched deep into his scarred face, the brutal personification of savage warfare. He tossed the shadow form of Zografos to the gruesome floor.
“I am here, son of Zeus. Although I owe you a debt, you have no right to command me.”
The mighty Issic, never afraid, narrowed his eyes at Ares, trying to gauge if he could take him in battle.
“I come offering a truce, Ares.”
“I am not interested in truces, Alexander. Although, as it happens, we are on the same side.”
“Do you wish to be left out when the Ingaran Pantheon is restored?”
Ares’ eyes narrowed and they burned into Alexander, “What do you mean, manling?”
“If it helps your ego you can think of it as a treaty. Ingara is going to be restored to its former glory by my hand. The other gods have all agreed it is to be so.”
A savage spear appeared in Ares’ hand. “I am not your enemy, manling. Not today. We have the same goal.” Ares peered down at Alexander, taking in Issic as well in his look.
“Then I ask for you to show an omen in the lands of Ingara. Let it be known that you do not support your supposed son and agree to no longer wage war against Athena w/in Ingaran boarders.”
Zografos wondered to himself if Ares could read his thoughts. Ares answered him in his mind, “Oh yes, manling. I like you.”
“I shall do it in payment of my debt, and it shall be paid in full. The head of Yam ibn Saud shall be displayed on a pike and presented to the ruler of Ingara with a suitable display.”
With a flash of dark sparkles, Ares vanishes.
Alexander sighed, “Now, for Nadam. Search the room and the bodies, people.”
As they finish cleaning out the palace of the last of Ool’s henchmen, the servants all tremble and bow as they passed by them. All of the female bodyguards once used by Lord Nadam were located, imprisoned in the dungeons beneath the palace. Zografos gladly freed the women.
It does not take the Champions of Athena long to navigate the rest of the palace and find the resting place of Lord Nadam. A stake was in his heart, his mouth was stuffed with garlic, and his head had been chopped off. He was buried in the crypts.
Zografos said, “Don’t you DARE take that crap out. Don’t you dare!”
Alexander ordered
that Nadam’s coffin be carefully moved from its
current location to the
The parade to the temple quickly
gathered followers and soon, all the inhabitants of Alisander were gathering in
the streets, headed for the
The
coffin was placed on the altar in the
The magic of Athena allowed all in Alisander to hear the conversation that was about to take place.
The voice of the dead wavered to their ears, sepulchral and distant. It was the voice of Nadam, and he said, “King Alexander, Lord of Talishar, Ruler of Alisander, Gauntlet of Athena, my time is past. I wish to rest. I ordain you with the last of my power as the King of Alisander. May you unite Lamapacher underneath you; may you defeat Al Nasim and bring about wisdom and a new age to Ingara.
The dead voice of Lord Nadam falls silent.
Cthaat and
Alexander spoke solemnly, “So be it.” Alexander summoned more of Athena’s power and blessed the body of Lord Nadam so that it might never again rise as one of the undead.
Alexander made
Cthaat and
Alexander notices that the entire crowd for as far as he could see was genuflecting.
Alexander addressed the people of Alisander and all in Alisander could hear him clearly, “People of Alisander…”
Issic
walked up and placed the Crown of Alisander on Alexander’s head. The people applauded, then
quieted, to listen to their King’s words.
They were looking forward to a new golden age of prosperity for all of
Lamapacher and for their city. Phaidon
and
Alexander
continued, “Reluctant I am to be your King, but if this is what you desire and
what the fates have woven then my objections are slight. And I swear the
unbreakable oath of the
The people cheered! “All Hail the King! Long live the King!”
Real Date –
Experience Awarded – 5,000