Another day in the Tavern

[Xavim]

The drawling gutteral language of the limitless abyss writhes and shifts before your ears as the librams magic takes hold. Quickly the figure's mutterings become legible to your ears.

"Mvuw ka jae ruti iq wvoy Egrad? U N'duffuc af wvoy ki-ad end of a prime world, and one with planar magics aswell?"

The figure pauses momentarily, almost as if listening to a reply.

"There's no reason to believe that there's any connection whatsoever to the re-ordering. But still you may have a point."

It is apparent that he, for the sound of the voice leaves no doubt, is conversing to someone named Egrad, however, you cannot make out any replies.

"Yeah thanks for the tip, do me a favour and keep working on finding a solution to why our powers went ary and sent us here? I'll see if I can learn anything from this half-life."

Finishing its conversation he shifts around under his cloaks and then resumes his watching. Seeming to take more than a passing interest in Seth's doings.

Looking over at Seth, he moves, ever so slightly, as if tasting the air and then dismounts from his chair and begins to walk towards Seth's location, his unbalanced gait hinting at some physical malformation or truama of his lower limbs.

 

[Xavim]

As the figure approaches you find ample opportunity to study his appearence in more detail than you cared to earlier.

Darkly cloaked he stands a little over four and a half feet tall, though his physical dimensions are hard to discern beneath the maze of cloth. You count at least 4 separate layers of heavy wool and leather, quite remarkable that he can even move without passing out from the heat, let alone seem perfectly at ease. The hems of each of his garments are frayed and weather stained. He has obviously traveled quite the distance to have worn the thick leather so. Though, with his walk its no wonder.

The movements of the cloaked figure are uneasy and awkward. He staggers slightly with every step, as if each movement was an extreme use of controled effort. With every step the hems of his costume sweep the floor with an audiable 'swoosh' kicking, or leaving its hard to tell with his outer cloak which is cleaner, the floor or the cloak, a small amount of dust around in his wake. With his hood pulled as it is, only the lower half of his face is clearly visible, but it is clear that he is not enjoying the act of walking.

Considering his height and the amount of wrappings he wears one can't help but wonder if maybe he's the victim of some horrible leperic disease, or perhaps ended up on the wrong end of an orcs axe. Although, despite his obvious disdain for and general difficulty, he does not use a cane or any other aid.

Nor does he carry any discernable weapons on his person, though any number of trinkets could be hidden away beneath the folds of his capes. You assume though that he must be armed, only a fool would wander about with such obviously hampered movements without the ability to defend themselves.

(Hope I didn't go out of line here in describing what you see Seth. I'm not sure of the policies of the use of the second person.)

 

[Agudo Archmage]

Looking at the dead

Artwork copyright © 2003, Gordon R. Quigley


The Archmage of Light, picked up his corncob pipe from off the table, and gently took a few long puffs. The sweet smelling smoke, swirled around in the air, as he considerd Kathryn’s question.

Then glancing at the one with the talking book, he leans closer to Kat as he takes out his long pipe.
“To be honest I am here to have a meeting with the local Halfling book merchant.
For I have published my fifth book Turning the Undead, back to Life. Mostly dealing with Vampires….But…”

He glances once more at the dark fellow and his unusual book, leading Kat’s eyes that way.

“But I may be able to demonstrate, my books insight, in dealing with all undead.”

Agudo taps his fingers on the table, as he returns he gaze at Kathryn.
“ Their kind…spread dizzies, and destroy all that is good and wholesome.
They are like rats, spreading the deadly plague, children and anyone to helpless to defend themselves.”

He leans back, as he tells Kat of his dealings with such filth.
“Do you no on my travel to the Eastern part of Faerun …. what I found?
Well listen to this…. The great forest of Rawlins-wood has fallen to a group of
Blight-lords…these..these”

He reaches for a drink, of Elvin Sweet Water that the Golem attendant has brought; with the rest of the food of cheese, nuts, and bread.
After taking a deep drink he continues.

“Walking evil dead, have nearly destroyed a once grand, lush, forest of nature.
Its despicable of what has befallen the animals, turned into poisoned undead. Attacking anything living, people have been changed as well, from druids to rangers.
It was heart braking to see such a loss-taking place.

Agudo looks down collecting his thoughts, allowing Lady Hoot to comment on the sad sight.
“I am afraid its even worse that Agudo says, for the Blight-Lords are led by a
Half-fiend; named the Rotting Man.
He is a follower of the evil deity of poison Talona. From my own research the Rotting Man may even be a chosen of this evil false goddess Talona.”

The Archmage of Light returns his stark glare back at the dead man.
“ Besides like an Elvin Queen once told me… A good doctor will take out the cancerous…to flesh to save the body.”


Lady Hoot felt that a fight would be unwise in this tavern full of people and some what changed the subject.

Agudo why don’t I show are good friend Kat your new book, she lays it out before Kat to see.



BOOK OF TURNING BY AGUDO

I have written this book, do the many questions I get on dealing with the Vampires and other Undead.
I will do my best in trying to answer them all.

Let me begin by saying this there are several ways to do so.
Not all of them are known by people, but I shall share with you my knowledge on the subject.”

The first way,… is killing the one who turned your friend or acquaintance, into a vampire.
Once dead, this seems to brakes the control over their enslaved vampires.
Also changing the bodies back to normal.

The question you should ask is why? I wont linger on about physical biology, do to the fact that you will take another book or two…

But I will say this…. once the mental connection is broken, for some reason the vampire plague seems to stop, in the others it has bitten. Probably do to a mixture of dark magic and mental energy, connecting everything together.
This of course was disrupted, with the death of the second to the last vampire that was bitten, or you could even go after the Head -Vampire.”

Its like the game of dominoes, a chain reaction takes place, freeing not only the ones bitten by the Head-Vampire. But freeing all others down the line, that were bitten by different vampires.

Now I know what your thinking…. Why not just do it…kill the Head-Vampire?
Well for one, these Head-Vampires or Queen or King Vampires, as they are sometimes called.
They are very hard to kill, it would be like going after a…well….an Archmage or even an army of Trolls.

That is why the most go for the easy way, of dealing with a friend who has been turned to a vampire… that you want to save.
You kill the one who changed her or him.”

Try to picture vampires like a tree or a pyramid.
If you use a tree as the example, the roots is the Head-Vampire and if you kill roots then all of the tree branches die.
That being the other vampires that grew from it.

Yet if you use a pyramid as an example…
then the Head-Vampire is in the heart of the pyramid; and the blocks of stone are its smaller vampire army.
You of course must dig through them, to get to the Queen/King vampire.

Now once again using this same pyramid and tree example..
if you only want to kill the one, who turned your friend into a vampire; then the hard part is finding that branch or block.”

In some ways its harder to find the smaller vampire, than the big one.
Of course that is more a Philosophical statement.

As far as the question of being born a vampire!….. well most of time when a woman is pregnant and is… bitten.
She becomes a dead thing, and the living baby inside her dies from lack air; plus normal food that the mother would have eaten, when she was alive.

Yet there has been rare moments, when a baby is born a vampire.
Most of the time it dies for it is more a half-breed, and its body rejects the dead half.
But on that very rare day that it is a whole vampire, it can still die.
Do to the fact that it cant hunt for its own food, and may not have its teeth yet.

I must say though, if a vampire feeds the baby, like in normal parent then its possible for it to live.

The results as far as turning the baby, it should be the same.
Kill the mother or the one who bit the mother.
Either way the baby will be free, or so it should!

For I have never seen it done, do to the rarity of it all.
Vampires have no need for love, normal food or sex, and they cant do either, for they have no blood or water in them.

Also what if your friend gets killed and as well the Undead creature, who turned her.
Well then may I recommend if you can get to it is…

An old temple, in the Realm of Faerun, about three days march, from the city of Athkatla.in the country of Amn.
It is best to go north from Umar Hills, for about a day and half, taking the rugged path into the forest.

There you will find the base, of what left of this foreboding place.

Never the less make your way down through several passages, until you get to an edifice.
Place the body of your loved one, and the dead black heart of the Vampire; in to the mouth of the edifice and….She or he should come back alive and well.

Apparently its some kind of reanimation device, I plan to write more about this another time.

If you have any questions on my book please contact me at my school humbly name
The Agudo school of Light and Magic.
Located on the Sword Coast, near the forest of Cloakwood , just a two days journey north of CandleKeep.

Sincerely the writer of this book
Agudo

Titles include:
Archmage of Light, Headmaster of the Agudo school of Light and magic,
Author of several books such as….
Agudo Travel Guide to the Realms 1& 2,
Agudo Book of Magic for beginners,
Agudo Tavern Names for Sale.
Agudo Book of Tunring.

 

[Agudo Archmage]

Looking at the dead

Opps see post above

 

[JasperDm]

The mortif begins to feel the world closing in...

*sitting at the table, watching the short figure approach, he wonders if it's a talking dark creeper, or maybe a shadow-tainted or fiendish halfling perhaps, but either way, he's sure it does not bode well, perhaps he was offended by the translation spell, alot of people do not like others peering into their darks*

*hearing the mage beginning to expound his opinions on the undead, he finds more of the prejudice that usually chases him, and he quietly contemplates drawing forth his innate connection to Negative Energy, and chill touching those who would harm him, but he restrains his urge, waiting to see what happens*

*the tome speaks quietly to him, swapping to Infernal*

"Seth...I know you're trying to master the art of non-feeling...but you might want to address the fact that the Primes are getting a bit passive-aggressive..."

*the book turns to the entry on Aggressive Necromancy, specifically the first page of Memory of Wounds, a combat necromancy discovered by the necromancer lords of Hollowfaust*

"I recommend keeping this one in mind."

 

[Xavim]

The figure comes to a hault then, obviously understanding the words of your Libram, and seems to chuckle to itself. Then moments late you feel a touch on your mind as the figures voice echoes amoungst your thoughts.

"You need not mantain such a guard as that half-dead. I mean you no harm, nor do I believe you've such an interest in drawing attention to yourself."

Ceasing its telepathic commune it staggers up to your table and climbs onto a chair, where it looks around once again. Then turning towards you, it switches back to its Abyssal tongue.

"Now I'll cut straight to the point. You've got the smell of a plannar about you, and I'd like to know how you got here. For I like you, do not belong here, and, unless I miss my guess, we've both ended up somewhere we didn't want to be."

 

[JasperDm]

*the mortif looks at the short telepath, black eyes glistening, and begins to slip into fluent Abyssal, thanks to the spell the book had cast upon him*

"Yes, I am a planeswalker, but I was actually born on the Prime. I'm looking to get back to Sigil, do you know the place? I seem to have ruined a good Planes Shift fork..."

*he holds up a broken tuning fork made of greyish steel, drawn from within the folds of his cloak*

"...trying to get back to the Cage, but until I can determine where this is in relation to Sigil, I cannot properly forge a new key to create a way back to a plane close enough to a portal back into the Cage. I've been trapped away from the streets of the Cage in a hellish place, and I must return to my brethren among the Dustmen."

*he closes the book, noting to himself the scroll of Memory of Wounds poking out from behind the spell's notes, and tugs it slightly out of the book, in easy grasp*

"Now then, stranger...how are you here, and what faction do you name to?"

 

[Xavim]

Turning to glance over the crowd once again the telepath speaks anew.

"It would seem that I arrived in a misshap similar to your own, although our circumstances are undeniably different."

Pulling back his hood slightly to allow you a better look at this features he adds the comment:

"For I'm not at all like you."

Looking at the telepath you are met with a visage neither alarming nor mundane, yet alien all the same. Mid-length green hair frames a gray-skinned angular face with piercing yellow eyes like that of a cat. The narrowed pupils slit rapidly when removed from the shade of the hood. You catch a glimps of pointed ears and then your eyes settle on his hands. Grey like his face his hands have only 3 fingers including the thumb.

You've never seen anything like it.

Returning his hood he continues.

"Last I remember I was moving with a patrol group through the Realm known as Glabhelror, the 383rd layer of the Abyss. When we encountered something hostle. The battle was joined, and I attempted to use one of my more potent powers to shunt my enemy out of the Abyss into Baator. Unfortunatley it would seem that the multiverse decided differently. The power went ary and I found myself here."

Sitting back the Abyssal folds his arms and sighs in resignation.
"Like you, I have no idea which prime world we are on, and like you, my very being tends to make the mortals testy."

 

[Leenaria The Pixie]

As I Enter Look Away From My Beauty

A woman opens the door to the tavern, upon doing so a gust of air blows up around her then quickly settles. Her eyes, the colour of blue sapphires, looks around at each patron there, the woman's eyes makes anyone who looks into them want to lower their gaze. As she walks her hair from the top has layers of colours, at her scalp purple, then to light blue, then a shine of white, small strip of green, more white, then orange which fades into red at the ends of her hair. The woman's skin perhaps an odd colour of a very light frosted blue, her lips black as a night without stars. Her dress, is very flattering as it is low cut around the chest and opens around one leg. As she walks to the bar to order a drink, her walk is very eloquent, very graceful in nature.

Upon reaching the bar she stops and thinks a moment, then speaks. "I would like a glass of sweet red wine." As she speaks her voice almost seems to sound like a sweet song sung by an angel. When handed the glass she lays down three gold coins and heads to an empty table, her back to where the wall is so she could keep an eye out around her.

Slowly she raises the cup to her lips, takes a sip, then slowly lowers it. A drop of wine runs down her cheek, she raises her other hand, and uses her forefinger to wipe it away, then sucks on her finger to get the wine off of her fingers. She then gently places the cup on the table and looks around again.

 

[JasperDm]

*the pale, smudged humanoid looks over the "abyssal" and sighs*

"Two planestouched stuck in some place where we are hated for our heritage by raw instinct..."

*he turns his head and watches the woman enter, a kind of bright antithesis to himself, both eye-catching, but where he is pale, she is radiant, where he is dirt-smudged, she is shining, where he is marked by the dead in his blood, her aura is marked by the celestial*

"...and the mortif and the tiefling get a aasimar to rub it in. Great Serenity, this day is getting worse by the moment."

*as his food and drink hits the table, he begins to eat quietly, rueing that while the unpopular blood in his veins may very well get him attacked for nothing here, the aasimar will probably find a man in her bed, and accolades and free gifts thrown to her feet*