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Sniktch's Story Hour - City of the Spider Queen (Updated 04/25)
- Thread starter Sniktch
- Start date
Dungannon
First Post
I'll have a word with Jeff about revoking your Internet access at work for a week or so, would that help?Sniktch said:More like if you could get me to stop taking on other projectsI've hit a bit of a lull due to a combination of things, but please bear with me and I'll get back on track before much longer.
Sniktch
First Post
The Archmage of Szith Morcane (or, an offer that can't be refused)
So sorry about the delay; I hope I haven't lost you all I've been in a bit of a slump with my writing these past two months but the cobwebs are starting to clear from my mind at last. Our next session is this Saturday and I will definitely try to have the SH caught up before we play again - should only take one or two more updates to describe the furious battle that follows this post:
*****
Artimas rode the wraith spider into the cave just after Tierak had disappeared into it and skidded to a halt. Before him Tierak stood with her hands slightly raised, a semi-circle of drow wizards in purple robes were arrayed in a small chamber, wands gripped tightly and pointed towards the heroes as they entered the room. Behind them stood a cruelly handsome drow with cropped, upswept hair and opulent black and silk robes, wearing a small fortune in precious jewelry. He regarded the necromancer with a sneer and stated, even as the companions continued to pile into the room, “Excellent! You have done well to make it this far, but now this little farce comes to an end, I’m afraid. I am Solom Ned’razak, Archmage of Szith Morcane, and you stand no chance against me. However, I do not yet desire your deaths; indeed, I believe I can find use for your skills, so do me the courtesy of laying down your puny weapons that we may speak.”
Artimas curled his lip and send his thoughts streaming to Higreld’s mind across the telepathic bond they still shared, “More damn drow – come in fighting.”
Gnish, standing just behind the mage, heard the communication and silently yelled, “Nooo! Artimas seeks to get us killed. Let us hear the dark elf’s proposal before we make any rash moves.”
“I hate to agree, but the gnome is right,” Tierak interjected. “Solom does not idly boast when he calls himself the Archmage of Szith Morcane – he has been head of the Wizard College for at least two centuries.”
Artimas was enraged. He had had his fill of dark elves and would at this point happily slay every last man, woman, and child in the entire city if given the opportunity. “I don’t care what he has to say,” he mentally snapped. “I have seen enough drow to last a life time and I am not working for or with the filthy cretins. All before us are spellcasters – should you enter and summon your ogres in their midst we shall have them.”
“Wisdom speaks the gnome and priestess, Artimas,” came the reply as the Loathegrot floated calmly into the cave. “By fighting have we nothing to gain at this time except swift destruction. At least hear the proposal let us. Obligated to accept it we are not.”
The necromancer’s face paled with rage and his hands shot up, tracing patterns in the air as a stream of guttural sound burst from his lips. He completed the spell and a ray of pure negative energy shot from his extended hands towards the archmage…
And passed right through him! Solom saw Artimas’ look of anger fade to bewilderment and tilted his head back, roaring with laughter. “Idiot!” he spat. “Did you think I would sully myself by exposing my person to your presence? You are not worthy to breathe the same air as me!
“Nevertheless, I will forgive this one transgression, for you may still be worthy to complete the task I present you with. Do not think to attack my apprentices or myself again or I will make you wish that I had killed you. Will you hear me out?”
He waited for several moments, his chest puffed up and an obvious look of satisfaction on his face. The entire party had assembled within the cave now, but all of them waited silently for the archmage to continue, hardly even daring to move.
“Good; I’m glad to see that you can all be made to see reason. My proposal is simple. You seek to eliminate the followers of the Pale Lady and I seek to rule Szith Morcane the way that it should be ruled. Too long have we of the Wizard College labored beneath the insipid female priestesses of Lolth and the other gods. I seek to set up a magocracy, with myself at the head of course, and your arrival and the silence of Lolth have presented me with the perfect opportunity to realize my ambition.
“You have greatly weakened the forces of your enemy, and my enemy, but yet you are no closer to achieving your objective. I am sure that you are all great warriors, but if you continue this battle of attrition my people will bleed you dry. Whenever presented with such a large foe, you must cut off the head of the beast to kill it. In this case, that head is Dorinna T’sarran, the bitch of Kiaransalee. I will help you slay her if you will then leave Szith Morcane and trouble us no more.
“I will grant you several minutes to discuss this, but decide quickly or my patience will wear thin."
The group huddled together and a heated debate began. Artimas, on the one side, did not wish to make any sort of deals or bargains with the drow and was still in favor of attacking. “I do not like or trust this situation,” he argued. “We should treat all of these people as our enemies and attack immediately.”
Everyone else was in favor of accepting the offer, considering their current desperate condition, but they felt that it was vital that Artimas be fully on board before agreeing to work for Solom. It was Gnish who finally convinced him. “You know, accepting the offer he gives us now does not rule out betraying him once the task be complete.”
Artimas face lit up at the suggestion and at last he caved in. “Very well,” he said, turning back to Solom. “We will do this task for you if you will help us as you’ve suggested.”
The archmage nodded and a moment later the sounds of spellcasting filled the small room. A wave of white light washed over the companions, healing many of their wounds. Next, one of the apprentices approached Gnish and sprinkled a handful of glittering dust over his head. The powder collected on the gnome and bonded with his skin, giving it the strength of diamond. A second apprentice cast a spell and touched Zooky and she faded from sight, gifted with invisibility, while a third enhanced Higreld with magical celerity for the coming struggle. Last, Solom ordered the group to gather in the center of the chamber and began casting again. As he completed this final spell there was a flash of light and then the companions had disappeared, leaving only the drow in the chamber.
Solom turned to his apprentices with a wide smirk and together they burst into raucous laughter.
*****
“What is happening, sister? Is it time for us to launch our assault?” Zedarr had returned to the scrying room with the other drow leaders as he had been commanded. Now the pair of drow leaders had been joined by a pair of vampire nobles, a pair of drider vampires, and Velasta T’Sarran, cousin to Velina, the drow priestess that had been destroyed in the initial clash between the forces.
Dorinna hissed in frustration and looked up from the pool. “It is probably too late for us to join in the attack now. They have entered the Inverted Tower and I do not expect them to last very long against Solom and his minions. Unfortunately, the whole blasted tower is warded against scrying and I can no longer see what is happening.
“I do know that the invaders were badly hurt and even if they do somehow manage to overcome Solom and the other mages, our remaining forces will be more than enough to defeat these fools, especially once we join in. But truly I expect that Solom has already added their statues to his glass menagerie.”
Zedarr scowled and twirled his shining blades in his hands. “I must say that I hope you are mistaken, dear sister. My blades thirst for blood and you have held me back throughout this engagement, keeping me from the fun. You know as well as I that if I had been allowed to pursue the intruders when they first attacked our city that their flayed skins would already be hanging from the walls, and we would not be having this conversation."
Dorinna started to utter a sharp retort but was interrupted by a sudden burst of light in the room. The assembled dark elves cried out in pain and blinked rapidly to restore their vision. As the spots in front of their eyes faded away they looked up to see that the intruders had suddenly materialized in the midst of the chamber with them!
“Treachery!” screeched Dorinna as she realized what Solom had done. “Destroy the interlopers!” she commanded. “I will have Ned’razak’s head on a pike for his betrayal!”
The sounds of chanting and clashing steel filled the room as the companions were once more hurled into conflict…
Next: The battle for Szith Morcane resumes. Higreld the Dispeller makes his mark.
So sorry about the delay; I hope I haven't lost you all
I've been in a bit of a slump with my writing these past two months but the cobwebs are starting to clear from my mind at last. Our next session is this Saturday and I will definitely try to have the SH caught up before we play again - should only take one or two more updates to describe the furious battle that follows this post:*****
Artimas rode the wraith spider into the cave just after Tierak had disappeared into it and skidded to a halt. Before him Tierak stood with her hands slightly raised, a semi-circle of drow wizards in purple robes were arrayed in a small chamber, wands gripped tightly and pointed towards the heroes as they entered the room. Behind them stood a cruelly handsome drow with cropped, upswept hair and opulent black and silk robes, wearing a small fortune in precious jewelry. He regarded the necromancer with a sneer and stated, even as the companions continued to pile into the room, “Excellent! You have done well to make it this far, but now this little farce comes to an end, I’m afraid. I am Solom Ned’razak, Archmage of Szith Morcane, and you stand no chance against me. However, I do not yet desire your deaths; indeed, I believe I can find use for your skills, so do me the courtesy of laying down your puny weapons that we may speak.”
Artimas curled his lip and send his thoughts streaming to Higreld’s mind across the telepathic bond they still shared, “More damn drow – come in fighting.”
Gnish, standing just behind the mage, heard the communication and silently yelled, “Nooo! Artimas seeks to get us killed. Let us hear the dark elf’s proposal before we make any rash moves.”
“I hate to agree, but the gnome is right,” Tierak interjected. “Solom does not idly boast when he calls himself the Archmage of Szith Morcane – he has been head of the Wizard College for at least two centuries.”
Artimas was enraged. He had had his fill of dark elves and would at this point happily slay every last man, woman, and child in the entire city if given the opportunity. “I don’t care what he has to say,” he mentally snapped. “I have seen enough drow to last a life time and I am not working for or with the filthy cretins. All before us are spellcasters – should you enter and summon your ogres in their midst we shall have them.”
“Wisdom speaks the gnome and priestess, Artimas,” came the reply as the Loathegrot floated calmly into the cave. “By fighting have we nothing to gain at this time except swift destruction. At least hear the proposal let us. Obligated to accept it we are not.”
The necromancer’s face paled with rage and his hands shot up, tracing patterns in the air as a stream of guttural sound burst from his lips. He completed the spell and a ray of pure negative energy shot from his extended hands towards the archmage…
And passed right through him! Solom saw Artimas’ look of anger fade to bewilderment and tilted his head back, roaring with laughter. “Idiot!” he spat. “Did you think I would sully myself by exposing my person to your presence? You are not worthy to breathe the same air as me!
“Nevertheless, I will forgive this one transgression, for you may still be worthy to complete the task I present you with. Do not think to attack my apprentices or myself again or I will make you wish that I had killed you. Will you hear me out?”
He waited for several moments, his chest puffed up and an obvious look of satisfaction on his face. The entire party had assembled within the cave now, but all of them waited silently for the archmage to continue, hardly even daring to move.
“Good; I’m glad to see that you can all be made to see reason. My proposal is simple. You seek to eliminate the followers of the Pale Lady and I seek to rule Szith Morcane the way that it should be ruled. Too long have we of the Wizard College labored beneath the insipid female priestesses of Lolth and the other gods. I seek to set up a magocracy, with myself at the head of course, and your arrival and the silence of Lolth have presented me with the perfect opportunity to realize my ambition.
“You have greatly weakened the forces of your enemy, and my enemy, but yet you are no closer to achieving your objective. I am sure that you are all great warriors, but if you continue this battle of attrition my people will bleed you dry. Whenever presented with such a large foe, you must cut off the head of the beast to kill it. In this case, that head is Dorinna T’sarran, the bitch of Kiaransalee. I will help you slay her if you will then leave Szith Morcane and trouble us no more.
“I will grant you several minutes to discuss this, but decide quickly or my patience will wear thin."
The group huddled together and a heated debate began. Artimas, on the one side, did not wish to make any sort of deals or bargains with the drow and was still in favor of attacking. “I do not like or trust this situation,” he argued. “We should treat all of these people as our enemies and attack immediately.”
Everyone else was in favor of accepting the offer, considering their current desperate condition, but they felt that it was vital that Artimas be fully on board before agreeing to work for Solom. It was Gnish who finally convinced him. “You know, accepting the offer he gives us now does not rule out betraying him once the task be complete.”
Artimas face lit up at the suggestion and at last he caved in. “Very well,” he said, turning back to Solom. “We will do this task for you if you will help us as you’ve suggested.”
The archmage nodded and a moment later the sounds of spellcasting filled the small room. A wave of white light washed over the companions, healing many of their wounds. Next, one of the apprentices approached Gnish and sprinkled a handful of glittering dust over his head. The powder collected on the gnome and bonded with his skin, giving it the strength of diamond. A second apprentice cast a spell and touched Zooky and she faded from sight, gifted with invisibility, while a third enhanced Higreld with magical celerity for the coming struggle. Last, Solom ordered the group to gather in the center of the chamber and began casting again. As he completed this final spell there was a flash of light and then the companions had disappeared, leaving only the drow in the chamber.
Solom turned to his apprentices with a wide smirk and together they burst into raucous laughter.
*****
“What is happening, sister? Is it time for us to launch our assault?” Zedarr had returned to the scrying room with the other drow leaders as he had been commanded. Now the pair of drow leaders had been joined by a pair of vampire nobles, a pair of drider vampires, and Velasta T’Sarran, cousin to Velina, the drow priestess that had been destroyed in the initial clash between the forces.
Dorinna hissed in frustration and looked up from the pool. “It is probably too late for us to join in the attack now. They have entered the Inverted Tower and I do not expect them to last very long against Solom and his minions. Unfortunately, the whole blasted tower is warded against scrying and I can no longer see what is happening.
“I do know that the invaders were badly hurt and even if they do somehow manage to overcome Solom and the other mages, our remaining forces will be more than enough to defeat these fools, especially once we join in. But truly I expect that Solom has already added their statues to his glass menagerie.”
Zedarr scowled and twirled his shining blades in his hands. “I must say that I hope you are mistaken, dear sister. My blades thirst for blood and you have held me back throughout this engagement, keeping me from the fun. You know as well as I that if I had been allowed to pursue the intruders when they first attacked our city that their flayed skins would already be hanging from the walls, and we would not be having this conversation."
Dorinna started to utter a sharp retort but was interrupted by a sudden burst of light in the room. The assembled dark elves cried out in pain and blinked rapidly to restore their vision. As the spots in front of their eyes faded away they looked up to see that the intruders had suddenly materialized in the midst of the chamber with them!
“Treachery!” screeched Dorinna as she realized what Solom had done. “Destroy the interlopers!” she commanded. “I will have Ned’razak’s head on a pike for his betrayal!”
The sounds of chanting and clashing steel filled the room as the companions were once more hurled into conflict…
Next: The battle for Szith Morcane resumes. Higreld the Dispeller makes his mark.
Broccli_Head
Explorer
well...you haven't lost me!
now I'm wondering who will betry who first!
now I'm wondering who will betry who first!
Dougal DeKree
First Post
so? what happened?
When will we get more of this? Please?!
Dougal
When will we get more of this? Please?!
Dougal
Mathew_Freeman
First Post
Hey Sniktch ol' buddy ol' pal of mine...
WHERE'S OUR UPDATE!? How could you leave us on "Higreld the Dispeller makes his mark"?!
I know you've been working hard, this is just a friendly reminder...
WHERE'S OUR UPDATE!? How could you leave us on "Higreld the Dispeller makes his mark"?!
I know you've been working hard, this is just a friendly reminder...
Sniktch
First Post
I'm very sorry, Donalbain and evryone else. I'm still here, but have been combatting an increased load at work plus a fair bit of 'burnout' and have been forced to take a hiatus from updating. I'm very, very sorry, but I just need to take some time off. I've been working off and on on the next update and hopefully I will have more soon, but between work and home right now the going is very slow...
