The Adventures of The Unknown
Episode 35
"The Attack on the Thrall City"

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

Alexander: The Gauntlet of Athena.
Manderkarr: Dwarven master of Axe and Asskicking.
Flower: An Elven girl caring for a human child named Hannah.
Shanagra Darmal: A druid who is more than he appears.
Kotz Mad Axe: Dwarven adventurer who usually travels with Ammrah.
Hanako: Kara Turan Monk
Issic: Golden Half Dragon Warrior
Foalathin: Githyanki Psychic Warrioress
Nurhvivex:  Githyanki Monk/Psion
Grovisvaesthyr: Githyanki Psion
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Place: A tomb in Ingara, outside the capital.
The Time: Summer 2 Ankou, Sixth Year, Eighth Age.  

      After the Githyanki awoke, Alexander walked over to Foalathin, the apparent leader of these Astral denizens, walking past Hanako, who was tightly braiding her hair into two braids, putting them into tight buns to keep it out of the way. "The Elder Brain knows we are here; he tried to trick one of my party in to believing that  someone was trying to contact her for help."
      Foalathin said, "Interesting.  We must be cautious.  Which member of the party was so contacted?"
      "The elf child."
      Foalathin said, "Do you want one of my people to kill her, or do you prefer to have one of yours do it?  She is now a weak point that the Elder Brain can use to trap us."
      "Kill Flower?" asked Hanako, alarmed.
      "No!" exclaimed Alexander.  "If we know that the elder brain is trying to use her to get us to leave, then we know what the elder brain wants us to do and we can use it to our advantage."
      Nurhvivex, another Githyanki, shook his head.  "You humans are so weak, and it will get us all killed."  Foalathin raised a hand to silence Nurhvivex.  She nodded to Alexander.  "So be it."
      "Think before you speak, friend," Hanako said to Nurhvivex.
      "If there is away that we could temporarily make the elder brain believe we have left then we could regain surprise."
      Foalathin considered.  "Interesting idea.  How could we put that into action?"
      Nurhvivex said, "Send Flower away with illusions, but don't tell her they are illusory."

      Deep inside the illithid city, Issic was exploring his surroundings. Looking around, a vase grabbed Issic's attention.  It was crystalline with gold leaf inlaid upon it, and was stoppered.  Issic picked it up to study it closer, to see if it was worthy of his hoard.  It was a beautiful vase of Nyandarian manufacture.
      Issic shook the vase to see if there were something inside.  He heard something rattle, something that rustled, and sounded papery.  He opened the bottle.  Inside was a scroll with a metallic ring holding it tightly rolled.  Issic pulled the scroll out of the bottle, then out of the ring.  He checked the ring.  It had writing on it.  It said, "Silas".  Issic unrolled the scroll.  It revealed a stylized drawing of a man.  There was writing around the man, written in Draconic.  The writing said, "Here lies one who was unflattering to me.  T'was a sad fate for a bard with a smattering of bad taste."
      It was signed, "Sunathaeraux Geldor the Gold Dragon".  Issic wondered why the mind flayer had a scroll written in his native tongue.  Looking through the scroll, he found that the name of the bard was Silas.
      "Silas," said Issic.  Then, suddenly, Issic was not alone.  A man appeared next to him.  The man staggered and fell to his knees. "Oh, Noble Sunathaeraux, forgive me!  I meant not to compare you to the worm in my favorite liquor!  You are as the sun to my pit!"
      "Who are you?" asked Issic.  Silas looked at Issic in alarm.  He was in the midst of a lavish underground bedroom in the presence of a golden humanoid dragon.  He tried not to show any surprise. "Who are YOU?  Where is Sunathaeraux?" Silas was afraid.  He muttered, under his breath, "Please, gods, no more reptiles."  Silas got to his feet warily and looked around.  His hands were out in a placating gesture.
      Issic snarled, "Sunathaeraux is where he chooses to be.  I asked you a question!"
      "Why oh why did you release me from my imprisonment?  It looks as if you have lead me from my dreams to your nightmares."
      Issic said, "Put your hands down before I chop them off!"  Issic watched closely for magical gestures.
 
      "Well, you said this psi-gate could take us inside their city, correct?" asked Alexander.
      "Correct," said the Githyanki female.
      "Are there other such gates?"
      "Yes, there are."
      "Then we leave wait just long enough for the elder brain to notice and then use which ever psi-gate we are at to transport us into the city."
      Foalathin ordered the Githyanki to line up on either side of the dragon.  She walked up to the psi-gate.  Foalathin touched the psi gate and a bright burst of colored energy exploded outward, enveloping the red dragon and the Githyanki in turn. Kotz, not wanting to be left out, steps into the colored burst.  Alexander followed.  Hanako stopped and gaped in awe.  "Sugoi des ne!" she exclaimed.  She touched the gate, then stepped through it.  Manderkarr said, "Hells bells, fart and fire," as he stepped through.
      They had appeared in a jungle setting.  The whoops and calls of birds and monkeys resounded, echoing beneath the warm canopy of tree limbs and leaves above them.  The soil was moist, and the life around them multi-formed.
      "What an interesting climate," said Alexander.  Manderkarr let out a huge bellow, listening to it echo among the tree boles. An ear-splitting roar rang out in response to Manderkarr's primal challenge.
      "I've never seen a place like this before," said Hanako.  "This is very different than the bamboo forest in Kara Tur."
      The ground shook. The roar sounded closer. A dragon appeared in the distance, roaring in return and spreading its wings. Foalathin, the Githyanki, ordered the dragon to stand down, then touched the monolith and again the flash of colored light lit the area and they appeared in a darkened chamber deep underground.
      "May Athena bless us in the upcoming battle!" said Alexander.
      Foalathin said to everyone, "Remember, kill the thralls!" Hanako stepped into a meditative pose for a second, then entered a combat stance.
      "Shouldn't we try and cause the Thralls to revolt?" asked Alexander. "Wouldn't that cause more problems for the illithids?"
      Foalathin said, "No.  We kill them.  We will send in the dragon first, just like we discussed yesterday."
      Alexander said, "I want to go in with the dragon. The Great and wise goddess Athena will protect me."
      "Do these thralls follow one master or a central command?" asked Manderkarr.
      Foalathin said, "No.  They follow the dictates of their individual masters.
      "What about the idea of me infiltrating and taking out the leader?"
      "The leader is the Elder Brain, Dwarfling."
      "Then we shall kill the individual masters!" said the dwarf. "Well, if it's elder it will be feeble and will fall easily."
      "Please, Lets be wise about this," said Hanako.
      "Shanagra is down there," continued Alexander. "I want to go with the dragon."
      Foalathin said, "You are not a part of my troop, my commands do not concern you, so you must ask the dragon if he will allow it."
      "Excuse me, Sir dragon?"
      The dragon swiveled his wedge shaped head toward Alexander.   "I am Malsvirlaraekkepesk."
      "I was wondering if you would allow my humble self to accompany you when you 1st go into the illithid city"
      "It will be dangerous, but if you wish to witness the might of a dragon, you may accompany me."
      "Thank you very much, Malsvirlaraekkepesk. Are we ready?" Alexander cast Resist Elements (fire) on himself.
      "Keep an eye out for octiheads," said Manderkarr.
      Foalathin opened the gate, and the flash of light surrounded the dragon and Alexander, and they vanished.
      "Clangeddan let me in to fight in honor!" said Manderkarr, wanting to go fight.  He decided to destroy the gate, and brought his hammers down upon it.  The blows did nothing to the gate; the hammers merely rebounded.  "Cowards!" cried Manderkarr. "Come out and fight me!"
      "Calm yourself, Manderkarr," said Hanako.
      Manderkarr continued to strike the gate. "Hide behind your walls and gate, COWARDS!"
      "Shouldn't we be heading in?" asked Flower. "Won't the dragon get hurt?"
      Foalathin said, "Just wait.  Soon we will head in.  Of course the dragon will get hurt."
      "I'd much rather do the hurtin' to 'em!" said Manderkarr.

      Alexander and the dragon appeared in a gargantuan cavern. Thousands of passageways led off into the darkness, and four stone towers stood on the four corners of a squarish indentation in the ground. Within the indentation, which was 300 yards by 100 yards in size, there were huts and houses, and lots of dwarves milling around.
      The dragon reared back and takes flight, for such is the size of this cavern.  He opened his mouth and unleashed a hellish inferno upon the thrall city.
      The dragon flew and crisscrossed over the village, his flames destroying all in its path. Several illithid warriors appeared out of the four towers. Nimbuses of light flashed around the illithids, streaking toward the flaming dragon.
      Alexander summoned his energies and cast Concussion toward one of the illithids, knocking it into the dragon's blast.  Alexander saw Shanagra running from hut to hut, trying to get dwarves out of the blazing village.  The dragon swept around to aim for him as Alexander ran toward him.
      Shanagra saw Alexander and said, "Alexander!  Help!  We are beset by dragons!"
      Alexander said, "The party has allied our selves with a group of Gith! The dragon is on our side but they insisted that they attack the thralls. I did what I could, but the best I could talk them into was to let me come down here with the hopes of getting you."
      "Well, you have me.  Now what are you going to do with me?" asked Shanagra with a smile.

      Silas tried a soothing whistle directed at the dragon-man to fascinate him, saying, "Easy big fellow, I am no threat."
      Issic balled up his fist, shaking it at the man.  "Dreams! I'll give you dreams if that is what you want." Issic bared his fangs.  Silas back peddled, making calming gestures.
      "I asked who you are," demanded Issic.
      "Why, my name is Silas."
      "What is your purpose Silas?"
      "Purpose?  I have no purpose as I know."
      Issic's brow furrowed in confusion. "With no purpose why are you not just sitting at home?"
      Silas rolled his eyes at Issic.  "I was trapped by a dragon, obviously."
      "The dragon came to your house and trapped you as you were sitting there doing nothing?"
      "Well no.  I was a traveler.  Unfortunately, I happened to make up a small rhyme, nothing great mind you, but it wasn't bad for the tavern crowd I was playing for.  Sunathaeraux, just happened to catch wind of my work, and took offense at being immortalized in such a way."
      "What do you know about illithids?"

      In the underground thrall city, the dragon faltered and plummeted toward the ground.  Before he struck the ground, however, he vanished into thin air.
     
      Foalathin nodded to Manderkarr and the others.  "Now.  Are you ready?"
      "YES!" exclaimed the dwarf.
      Hanako said, "Ready as a blossom on a tree waiting to fall."
      A coloured glow surrounded Manderkarr, Kotz, Hanako, Flower, and the Githyanki, and they all appeared in the giant cavern previously described. They saw the flaming dwarven village, and lots of dead, burning, crispy dwarves. Flower looked for the dragon with ideas of helping him, but could not see him.  She did not see the dragon, but she did see dying dwarves who were obviously in a lot of pain, although they were bearing it stoically enough. 
      Alexander saw the arrival of the party. "Shanagra, go over there with the rest of the party." Alexander looked for a place that he could climb to so that people could hear him as Shanagra rushed toward their friends, as did several mind flayers.  One in particular rushed Manderkarr with a scimitar.
      Alexander climbed one of the towers, and Manderkarr threw his weapons at the mind flayer.  Manderkarr shouted, "Dwarven brethren, rise up and return the pain, join the fight or die and get out of the way!"
      Hanako executed a round house to a nearby illithid, then planted two sturdy kicks into its face in the blink of an eye.
 
      "Silas, are you deaf or just not answering my questions?" asked Issic again. "What do you know about illithids?"
      "Why I know next to nothing of these 'Illithids', as you call them.
      "I am beginning to see why Sunathaeraux imprisoned you.   What use are you?"
      "Do I have to be of a use to be respected?"
      "Yes."
      "Of What use are you?"
      "I am of use with this, and with this, and with this," said Issic, flexing his muscles, whipping out his sword, and pointing toward his head in turn.
      "I do not want to argue.  Do you mind if I tag along with you for a bit?  I am quite unsure where I am."
      "Walk with me.  Tell me what you know about Sunathaeraux the Golden."
      "I know only what is common knowledge, I really was not acquainted with him very long."

      From the top of his chosen tower, Alexander cried, "Those who would be free, throw off your chains and fight beside the chosen of Clangeddan and you will be free on the morrow!"
      The remaining dwarves roared and picked up stones and rushed toward the illithids. Manderkarr cried, "Taste the war axes of those you try and make slaves of, you bastards!"  His axe rose an fell, crushing the skulls and chests of the illithids who stood before him. Hanako's fists and feet flashed out and smashed into the mind flayers.  The mind flayers began to waver and the dwarves and Hanako couldn't be any sure where they stood any longer.  The illithids had activated their Displacement power.
      Undaunted, Hanako hit a mind flayer with three kicks placed in exactly the same place, crushing his rib-cage.  The mind flayers with their crystal swords pressed on and sword met axe with clang and ring. It was fighting at close quarters, and the undulating tentacles of the mauve illithids were an omnipresent danger.  The haze of battle erased mind and soul and the combatants ceased to be individuals, becoming mere fighting automatons.
      Alexander climbed down his lofty tower and thrust his pilum into the back of a passing Illithid.  He saw the Githyanki fighting fiercely with fighting lust upon them.  An illithid shattered the sword of Nurhvivex, so Nurhvivex chopped off the flayer's hand to gain its sword.
      Hanako whipped out her war-fan and slashed it around with deadly precision.  The battle started going toward the worse for the humans, dwarves, and Githyanki as their weapons kept slicing over empty space.  The Displacement confused and confounded those that fought them.
      Flower succeeded in touching one's tattoo.  The tattoo flowed off the illithid onto Flower.  Flower backed off, rubbing her skin, but the tattoo remained.  The illithid, surprised, wheeled around to attack Flower, but Nurhvivex was faster, and decapitated the squid-head of the mind flayer.
      The illithid fighting Manderkarr tried to mind blast him, but failed its concentration when the dwarf's axe clove its skull. Another flayer mind blasted Alexander.  Alexander emptied his mind and then cried, "Kneel before the power of Athena!"  The Ingaran stomped his foot on the cavern floor and waves of power shook the floor and the mind flayer fell to the ground.
      Hanako stepped back a few steps, took a meditative pose, focusing her energy, and healed herself of some of her minor wounds before she flung herself into battle again.
      Flower touched Nurhvivex, healing him of damage.  The Githyanki gave Flower a quick hug, then threw himself into the fray again.
 
      We walk and explore.   I want to make sure I know the way out when I kill the flayer that has enthralled me. Issic entered into your sitting room.  Issic told Silas there was a door here he was forbidden to open.
      "What door?  This?"  Silas approached and tried the door. The door opened.  A dark hallway extended from the room with four rows of dashes carved into either side of the walls.
      Silas glanced at the big warrior, "I am sorry I did not catch your name.  Where does this lead?"
      "My name is Issic. I am not sure where it leads.  That is why you opened the door."  Together, they passed down the hallway.  Soon, the pair arrived at a four-way intersection.
      "Let's go straight forward," suggested Issic.  Silas asked, "Would you like to lead the way?  You seem to have been here before."  Then they heard voices in their head from the left corridor.
      "Nope, never been here in my life," said Issic.
 
      Alexander summoned the lion from his armor.  In a flash of light, as lightning from the sky, a glowing lion leapt out from Alexander's armor, moving from immobility to tremendous speed in an instant.  The illithid that threatened Alexander was down before it even realized the danger.  The golden lions seized the illithid and mauled it, tearing it to shreds with its heavy claws and fierce leonine teeth.  Its roar echoed in the cavern as the illithid tried desperately to wrap its tentacles around the lion's muzzle, but, in the end, the lion feasted on the illithid's face.
      As the illithid struggled under the lion, Hanako slipped in and stole two of the mind-flayer's tattoos, ducking under the lion's sweeping claw attack when the lion perceived the Oriental.
      Manderkarr, Kotz, and the Githyanki continued their battles.  The head of an illithid arced into the air after a sweep of Manderkarr's axe.  Kotz smashed one's rib cage with a hard blow of his own axe.  The Githyanki fought mercilessly, striking like serpents with their swords, smashing one then another in turn.
      Shanagra entered into the melee and touched an illithid.  It reared back in surprise, then fell over, dead.  The glowing red eyes of the druid twinkled.

      Turning left, Issic and Silas came to a curtained doorway.  Lugrimalincorian and three other illithids were within, arguing. One said, "No, this scroll is not to be used now.  It is for later!"
      "But they may get through!" said another.
      Lugrimalincorian said, "I think you over-estimate their chances."
      Silas whispered to Issic, "If I distract 'em, can you kill 'em?"
      Issic whispered back, "You have to take care of that one." Issic pointed at Lugrimalincorian.  "I can take the other two. But you have to be sure to get that one quickly or he could hinder me."
      Silas said, "Hmm, I have no weapons, but I may be able to disrupt their concentration long enough for you to do great damage.  Attack that one first if he is important."
      "I have been hindered from doing such at this time," repeated Issic.
      "All right, let us observe for the moment.  Maybe a fortuitous chance will fall out way," said Silas. Issic reluctantly agreed.
      "We must hide the Shadow Scroll," said Lugrimalincorian, unaware of the eavesdroppers.
      "No," said the other illithids.  "We must use it.  Invoke its power and summon the shadows to our aid!"

      Alexander commanded the lion to attack another illithid.  He then cast spiritual weapon and used the glowing blade to help the lion.
      An illithid attacked Hanako and she ducked under its sweeping blade.  Manderkarr ran up from behind it and lopped off its head as he ran.  Flower used her innate powers to engulf one illithid in flame.  It squealed mentally, broadcasting its pain to everyone around it as it burned.
      A tear rolled down Flower's cheek as she watched it burn in pain.  She whispered, "I'm sorry."
      The lion ate the heart of his second kill, then returned to Alexander's armor. 
      The Githyanki stopped fighting as they watched the last illithid crawl on the ground, burning, writhing in pain.  The Githyanki knelt down and stole the tattoos from the illithids they had slain.
      "They will long for the peace that Tartarus would bring before we are done with them," promised Alexander. "Everyone, loot the bodies!"
      The fifteen surviving dwarves cheered loudly.
      Alexander smiled and said, "Be sure to take any tattoos that the flayers have on them, and lets go kill the elder brain!"
 
      "Can you use one of these?" asked Issic, indicating the greatsword he carried.
      "No, I am sorry to say, I could probably not even lift that."
      "Then use this,"  said Issic, handing Silas Piper's old dagger, Shiny Trouble.  "I want that back, though."
      "Now that is a bit more my size.  Much thanks."

      The Githyanki knelt down in prayer to their lich-queen as the tattoos and weapons of the illithids were gathered together.  Manderkarr looked for an entrance to the lower city levels.  Alexander asked the Light of the Oracle to show them the way to Issic.
      The oracle light shone bright and said, "You must go down into the inner city."
      Alexander asked, "How do we get to the inner city?"
      Foalathin said, "We must find out how deep it is, then teleport ourselves down, and hope we do not teleport into solid rock."
      Alexander asked, "Would one of the dwarfs know how deep it was since they have been here for a while?"
      "I think they's about ninety feet down, or just shy," said Manderkarr. 

      Issic asked, "Are you ready?"
      "Yes," said Silas. "Hold still for a second.  You will know when to begin."  Silas cast summon swarm into the room.
      A swarm of little critters carpeted the room with the illithids, viciously attacking the mind flayers.  The flayers jumped and thrashed their robes about, trying to escape the nasty little things.  Silas ran into the room, his dagger held out, running for Lugrimalincorian. Issic ran in and grabbed the scroll they argued over.  Lugrimalincorian vanished.  Issic grabbed Silas and thrust him out of the room.
      "Damn it!" cursed Silas. "If we don't finish them they will follow us!"  The other three illithids continued to fight off the insects.  Issic whirled around and brought out his greatsword.  He strode into the room, crunching on the insects that littered the floor.  Silas groaned and followed.
 
      Kotz said, "Let's go!"
      Foalathin said, "Take my hand and form a circle."  The remaining Githyanki took each other's hands and made room for the dwarves and humans. A nimbus of light surrounded everyone who was linked and they vanished.
      They all reappeared in a room.  In the center of their hand-clasped circle were three illithids, one half gold dragon, and a human. The room was filled with insects, both crawling and flying.
      "Attack!" said Alexander without hesitation.  Kotz and Manderkarr went in and killed one quickly, lopping off one of its legs, and then, as it fell, removing its head.  Silas chanted a battle hymn and Hanako kicked and struck with her bare hands for all she was worth.  Alexander's pilum punctured an illithid's lung from the back, and Hanako smacked her hand into that one's chest, shoving it entirely on the Ingaran's short spear until the pilum extended a half-yard through its chest.
      Shanagra attacked with his scimitar, slashing and wheeling among the insects and illithids.  Foalathin, striking with Alahamir, crushed the skull of the third one.
      Hanako put her hand on Issic's chest and gazed up into his inhuman, reptilian eyes. "We missed you Issic." She turned her gaze down quickly and turned around.
      "It is good to see all of you again as well," said Issic.
      One of the female Githyanki, Grovisvaesthyr, came up to Alexander and said, "You fought well.  I was impressed by the way you led the thralls into battle."
      "Thank you," said Alexander. "I was sure that we could put them to some use in our quest to destroy the illithids."
      "You did well.  I would like to know more about this Athena you speak of."
      Alexander asked Issic, "Issic what happened to you? Why were you in a different place then Shanagra?"

7,200 exp. for everyone.

Elsewhere in Inzeladun on this date: Due the quickness of the Guardian’s assault, Grindill stepped up his plans.  He cast the second spell in the series of seven that he needs to have cast by the last day of the Sixth Year.  He considers himself very fortunate that the Guardians left Indor.  Had they been quicker about attacking Catemar, he could have been terminally delayed.  Now he just has to keep them out of Indor again so that they don’t get a second chance.  Grindill gave the Latipac Device to one of his priests to control the weather around the Guardians so that they would have no more storms to use.  Disappointed in the Angels of Yam ibn Saud, Grindill was considering terminating the relationship he had with Yam ibn Saud.

Finished Campaigns in Inzeladun | Unknown 36 | Unknown34.doc | The World of Inzeladun