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Vincent's Laboratory Notes and Footnotes (Updated December 30, 2007)
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<blockquote data-quote="Altalazar" data-source="post: 3392342" data-attributes="member: 939"><p>Notes – Chapter Seventy-One – Logan joins us, Sphinx joins us in fact</p><p></p><p> Overnight, I prepared my ritual desecration, making the ground fertile for my new friend. My research had reached a new pinnacle, and I used my new insight in the creation process. The werewolf’s body stirred and twitched, the gem in its mouth slowly melting into her brain cavity. Her muscles, formerly soft and withered, sprang back to life, and then filled out even larger than they were before. I made a new friend! And she was better and stronger than she was before. I named her Logan. She was a lovely ghoul. </p><p> We returned to the sphinx. He was quite impressed to see us still alive. We showed him that we had two of the three weapons. </p><p> “I see you made it back. You are the first to make it this far. You are the first to make it back with even one weapon.” </p><p> The Marshall spoke first, “Yes, we are. And we’ll get Blackrazor next. Why don’t you come with us. We have a keep, we have a mausoleum, you can take your pick of where to stay.”</p><p> The sphinx thought for a moment wistfully, “ah, to see open sky, to see the stars. I miss the stars. But I cannot go. If you get Blackrazor, I am freed from my task, but I am still not free to leave, if you know what I mean.” </p><p> “Your task complete, there is no reason to stay. And Keraptis will have no reason to keep you, if you know what I mean.” </p><p> The sphinx closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them again. “I accept your proposal. The way is clear, no more riddles need be answered. When you return with Blackrazor, I will return with you.” </p><p> Willow was disappointed. “I wanted another riddle!” </p><p> “Yes, a riddle for Willow,” I added. </p><p> “Very well,” the sphinx said, with some amusement in his eye. “One last riddle.” </p><p> </p><p>What does man love more than life,</p><p>Hate more than death, or mortal strife?</p><p>That which contented men desire,</p><p>The poor have, the rich require?</p><p>The miser spends, the spendthrift saves,</p><p>And all men carry to their graves?</p><p></p><p> Before the words were complete, I already had the answer. “Nothing.” Willow smiled, and we moved on down the corridor. </p><p></p><p> Notes – Chapter Seventy-Two – Hot dagger, new friends</p><p></p><p> The hall led to a corridor, still knee-deep with water, that had large copper plates on either wall, all the way down its length. Balor quickly discovered that standing between the plates caused all of his metal to heat up and burn him. He removed his dagger and sword and then methodically disarmed the plates all the way down the hall while I taught Logan how to play ‘Dead Man’s Cards,’ a card game popular with my other friends since they first gained awareness. </p><p> Once the hallway was safe, we traversed it to a room with stairs at the opposite end, and a hidden door on our end (found courtesy of Balor). </p><p> Balor opened the door and saw more creatures like Logan, and an apparition he had never seen before.</p><p> “Vincent!” he shouted, and the Marshall responded by ordering us all forward. We quickly filled the room with our presence, my ghouls out front. I stood by the door, ready to turn the corner, my skull in hand. </p><p> The apparition was something I had never seen before, but in the dim recesses of my mind, I recalled reading about it. It was known as a Quell, and it was known only for its ability to cut off a divine being from the divine. This quell seemed taken aback by the appearance in our party of ghouls similar to the ghouls it led. </p><p> Before it could react to me, I turned the corner and held aloft my skull, and made it, and two of its three ghouls, my friend. Pure peer pressure induced the final ghoul to join us, aided by expert diplomacy from the Marshall. The Marshall called that one ‘Blue,’ while I named the other two Stabler and Benson. The Quell was Irishdan, a name that floated down from on high. </p><p> Our party thus enhanced, we moved forward into the next room. </p><p></p><p> Notes – Chapter Seventy-Three – Sliding pits, Slashing Blades, Singing birds</p><p> </p><p> The next room was a very long and wide corridor, split by two large pits. We heard a siren’s song from ahead, and Balor and Selena heard its call and walked carelessly forward, into the pit ahead of us. At the bottom, they were met by whirling blades which slashed their flesh. I sent BR ahead to grab Selena out of the Pit, but could not stop Balor, who began walking up the opposite wall and along the corridor ahead, his slippers clinging to the wall of the pit as easily as the floor. </p><p> I sent Blackberry to ferry Stabler to the other side of the pit while Willow changed into a bird and flew ahead. Nothing seemed to happen at first, but then Stabler started slowly sliding forward to the second pit. The Marshall threw him a rope and he grabbed it, stopping his slide. Balor kept on walking. </p><p> Balor walked right through the opposite wall and vanished. The wall was not a wall at all. I sent Blackberry ahead with Selena and my three disembodied friends flew ahead, sapping the strength of the foe beyond. </p><p> It turned out that beyond the wall not a wall was a bird not a bird. It was a harpy. Soon it was a dead harpy. More treasure. Slightly gamey. </p><p></p><p> Notes – Chapter Seventy-Four – Floating river, and then a floating feast</p><p></p><p> There was an amazing sight in the next room. A river suspended above the floor, flowing through the walls. Balor scouted ahead, walking along the ceiling, and reported that the river flowed to another, similar room, where six men made camp. I quickly sent ahead Seamus, Seeka, and Irishdan to deal with them. A minute later, they returned, a new shade in tow, one of the former men. Then three of the men came on rafts from the opposite direction on the river, apparently attempting to flee the three shades that killed their friends. The sight that greeted them as they entered the room on their rafts, ostensibly to escape: The Marshall, his Sorcerer cohort, Willow and her large wolf Breeze, the mute bard, six ghouls, a zombie troll, a zombie black dragon, three shadows, one quell, and myself. I doubt they had time for it to all fully register before they joined their comrades. We ate well that day. </p><p> </p><p> Notes – Chapter Seventy-Five – Tiers of water and beasts</p><p></p><p> Though a hidden door and hall in the dead men’s room, we found another spectacle. This was an inverted ziggurat, each level filled with water, beasts, and peril. It looked like it would be one hellacious struggle to make it down through each level, fighting beasts even as we fought for breath underneath the water. It would be a struggle we would be lucky to survive, a struggle we would tell our grandchildren about. So I sent in the shadows to drain all of their strength and kill them, then we moved on. </p><p></p><p> Notes – Chapter Seventy-Six – Blackrazor and Friend, the Sphinx joins us in spirit</p><p></p><p> Beyond the ziggurat was a room with a halfling. The room looked luxurious. The halfling looked forelorn. He quickly agreed to join us out. He had Blackrazor under a divan, and he was very reluctant to touch it. The Marshall had no problems with it, and picked it up. It was a fabulous looking greatsword. I also noticed there was another greatsword in the room, of large size, hanging over the door. BR might want that, so I had him take it. It was not magical, which made it strange that it was there as decoration. </p><p> We made our way out of the complex, only to be stopped where the sphinx was, greeted by a huge being of fire and by Keraptis himself. The fur and remains of the sphinx filled the corridor. </p><p> “Very good. You’ll make excellent additions to my stable,” Keraptis said. “Now if you’ll just throw down your weapons and prepare for processing.” </p><p> “Where’s the sphinx?” We asked. </p><p> “Oh, I was watching it all. I can’t have my minions acting on their own. His purpose was fulfilled.” </p><p> I silently vowed that I would bring him back and he would see his clear skies. </p><p> The battle was joined. </p><p> It turned out that Keraptis was but an image, and the only real foe was the being of fire before us. And fire there was. A wall of fire filled the hallway ahead, and then filled the hallway we stood in as well, cutting us into four segments of creatures. My ghouls all were burned badly, and then BR was burned almost to death. I healed him, only to see him burned again. The creature kept turning to smoke and hiding in the flames before appearing again elsewhere. It quickly became apparent that we were at a great disadvantage in this cramped space, filled with overlapping fire. Willow dispelled one of the walls, and then I ordered my friends to leave. If the fire creature wished to follow us and fight in the open, we could kill him then, and if not, well, we had what we came for. </p><p> We exited the complex, and it did not follow. </p><p> We healed ourselves, then quickly returned, gathering up the bodies we had left behind, particularly the valuable ones. Then we headed for town, laden with bodies and loot, and three special weapons. I had the feeling we had not heard the last from Keraptis. Now where did that halfling go?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Altalazar, post: 3392342, member: 939"] Notes – Chapter Seventy-One – Logan joins us, Sphinx joins us in fact Overnight, I prepared my ritual desecration, making the ground fertile for my new friend. My research had reached a new pinnacle, and I used my new insight in the creation process. The werewolf’s body stirred and twitched, the gem in its mouth slowly melting into her brain cavity. Her muscles, formerly soft and withered, sprang back to life, and then filled out even larger than they were before. I made a new friend! And she was better and stronger than she was before. I named her Logan. She was a lovely ghoul. We returned to the sphinx. He was quite impressed to see us still alive. We showed him that we had two of the three weapons. “I see you made it back. You are the first to make it this far. You are the first to make it back with even one weapon.” The Marshall spoke first, “Yes, we are. And we’ll get Blackrazor next. Why don’t you come with us. We have a keep, we have a mausoleum, you can take your pick of where to stay.” The sphinx thought for a moment wistfully, “ah, to see open sky, to see the stars. I miss the stars. But I cannot go. If you get Blackrazor, I am freed from my task, but I am still not free to leave, if you know what I mean.” “Your task complete, there is no reason to stay. And Keraptis will have no reason to keep you, if you know what I mean.” The sphinx closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them again. “I accept your proposal. The way is clear, no more riddles need be answered. When you return with Blackrazor, I will return with you.” Willow was disappointed. “I wanted another riddle!” “Yes, a riddle for Willow,” I added. “Very well,” the sphinx said, with some amusement in his eye. “One last riddle.” What does man love more than life, Hate more than death, or mortal strife? That which contented men desire, The poor have, the rich require? The miser spends, the spendthrift saves, And all men carry to their graves? Before the words were complete, I already had the answer. “Nothing.” Willow smiled, and we moved on down the corridor. Notes – Chapter Seventy-Two – Hot dagger, new friends The hall led to a corridor, still knee-deep with water, that had large copper plates on either wall, all the way down its length. Balor quickly discovered that standing between the plates caused all of his metal to heat up and burn him. He removed his dagger and sword and then methodically disarmed the plates all the way down the hall while I taught Logan how to play ‘Dead Man’s Cards,’ a card game popular with my other friends since they first gained awareness. Once the hallway was safe, we traversed it to a room with stairs at the opposite end, and a hidden door on our end (found courtesy of Balor). Balor opened the door and saw more creatures like Logan, and an apparition he had never seen before. “Vincent!” he shouted, and the Marshall responded by ordering us all forward. We quickly filled the room with our presence, my ghouls out front. I stood by the door, ready to turn the corner, my skull in hand. The apparition was something I had never seen before, but in the dim recesses of my mind, I recalled reading about it. It was known as a Quell, and it was known only for its ability to cut off a divine being from the divine. This quell seemed taken aback by the appearance in our party of ghouls similar to the ghouls it led. Before it could react to me, I turned the corner and held aloft my skull, and made it, and two of its three ghouls, my friend. Pure peer pressure induced the final ghoul to join us, aided by expert diplomacy from the Marshall. The Marshall called that one ‘Blue,’ while I named the other two Stabler and Benson. The Quell was Irishdan, a name that floated down from on high. Our party thus enhanced, we moved forward into the next room. Notes – Chapter Seventy-Three – Sliding pits, Slashing Blades, Singing birds The next room was a very long and wide corridor, split by two large pits. We heard a siren’s song from ahead, and Balor and Selena heard its call and walked carelessly forward, into the pit ahead of us. At the bottom, they were met by whirling blades which slashed their flesh. I sent BR ahead to grab Selena out of the Pit, but could not stop Balor, who began walking up the opposite wall and along the corridor ahead, his slippers clinging to the wall of the pit as easily as the floor. I sent Blackberry to ferry Stabler to the other side of the pit while Willow changed into a bird and flew ahead. Nothing seemed to happen at first, but then Stabler started slowly sliding forward to the second pit. The Marshall threw him a rope and he grabbed it, stopping his slide. Balor kept on walking. Balor walked right through the opposite wall and vanished. The wall was not a wall at all. I sent Blackberry ahead with Selena and my three disembodied friends flew ahead, sapping the strength of the foe beyond. It turned out that beyond the wall not a wall was a bird not a bird. It was a harpy. Soon it was a dead harpy. More treasure. Slightly gamey. Notes – Chapter Seventy-Four – Floating river, and then a floating feast There was an amazing sight in the next room. A river suspended above the floor, flowing through the walls. Balor scouted ahead, walking along the ceiling, and reported that the river flowed to another, similar room, where six men made camp. I quickly sent ahead Seamus, Seeka, and Irishdan to deal with them. A minute later, they returned, a new shade in tow, one of the former men. Then three of the men came on rafts from the opposite direction on the river, apparently attempting to flee the three shades that killed their friends. The sight that greeted them as they entered the room on their rafts, ostensibly to escape: The Marshall, his Sorcerer cohort, Willow and her large wolf Breeze, the mute bard, six ghouls, a zombie troll, a zombie black dragon, three shadows, one quell, and myself. I doubt they had time for it to all fully register before they joined their comrades. We ate well that day. Notes – Chapter Seventy-Five – Tiers of water and beasts Though a hidden door and hall in the dead men’s room, we found another spectacle. This was an inverted ziggurat, each level filled with water, beasts, and peril. It looked like it would be one hellacious struggle to make it down through each level, fighting beasts even as we fought for breath underneath the water. It would be a struggle we would be lucky to survive, a struggle we would tell our grandchildren about. So I sent in the shadows to drain all of their strength and kill them, then we moved on. Notes – Chapter Seventy-Six – Blackrazor and Friend, the Sphinx joins us in spirit Beyond the ziggurat was a room with a halfling. The room looked luxurious. The halfling looked forelorn. He quickly agreed to join us out. He had Blackrazor under a divan, and he was very reluctant to touch it. The Marshall had no problems with it, and picked it up. It was a fabulous looking greatsword. I also noticed there was another greatsword in the room, of large size, hanging over the door. BR might want that, so I had him take it. It was not magical, which made it strange that it was there as decoration. We made our way out of the complex, only to be stopped where the sphinx was, greeted by a huge being of fire and by Keraptis himself. The fur and remains of the sphinx filled the corridor. “Very good. You’ll make excellent additions to my stable,” Keraptis said. “Now if you’ll just throw down your weapons and prepare for processing.” “Where’s the sphinx?” We asked. “Oh, I was watching it all. I can’t have my minions acting on their own. His purpose was fulfilled.” I silently vowed that I would bring him back and he would see his clear skies. The battle was joined. It turned out that Keraptis was but an image, and the only real foe was the being of fire before us. And fire there was. A wall of fire filled the hallway ahead, and then filled the hallway we stood in as well, cutting us into four segments of creatures. My ghouls all were burned badly, and then BR was burned almost to death. I healed him, only to see him burned again. The creature kept turning to smoke and hiding in the flames before appearing again elsewhere. It quickly became apparent that we were at a great disadvantage in this cramped space, filled with overlapping fire. Willow dispelled one of the walls, and then I ordered my friends to leave. If the fire creature wished to follow us and fight in the open, we could kill him then, and if not, well, we had what we came for. We exited the complex, and it did not follow. We healed ourselves, then quickly returned, gathering up the bodies we had left behind, particularly the valuable ones. Then we headed for town, laden with bodies and loot, and three special weapons. I had the feeling we had not heard the last from Keraptis. Now where did that halfling go? [/QUOTE]
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