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Memoirs of a Lawyer turned Dungeoncrawler (Updated May 13, 2008)
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<blockquote data-quote="Altalazar" data-source="post: 2853142" data-attributes="member: 939"><p>Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Four –Resolve, Retreat, Regroup, Rest</p><p></p><p> Things looked somewhat grim. I felt secure in my person, but with Ee a statue of solid rock, a Coutl still incapacitated, and our resources much depleted in mind and magic, I decided a retreat was in order to rest and regroup, and perhaps solve our magically-induced problems. I signaled for my companions to gather together around Ee’s inert form. Krynyn gathered up the strength and resolve of his deity and lifted the Ee’s massive stone bulk off of the spongy ground and held him tightly. With a quick thought through my mind, I was standing amongst them, the lantern still grasped in my hand. A moment later, our forward progress thus stalled, we found ourselves back at the beginning, by the Citadel of Feathers. Just where we wanted to be. </p><p> Marcus, who was there waiting for us, called forth the power of his god, and attempted to remove any curses or hexes upon the Coutl. Much to our relief, he awoke. Much to our chagrin, he seemed poised to attack us, being somewhat out of sorts at his demon-plane-induced slumber. I pulled forth the most powerful weapon in my arsenal – my arguments, and I convinced him that we were on his side, that we helped him, that we helped his fellow Coutl, and that we would greatly appreciate it if he would, in turn, help us. The rage blinked from his eyes and he agreed to aid us, no matter where that might take him on this plane. I smiled, flush with the feel of victory won in a hard-argued case, put away my briefcase, and prepared to retire for the night. </p><p> We rested for the night, my mind refreshed, the healers’ powers renewed. Krynyn broke the enchantment on Ee, returning him to his normal, though no less stony in disposition, self. And we began, yet again, the long journey down the lantern-lit path of the Test of Resolve. </p><p></p><p> Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Five – Demons stink</p><p></p><p> After seven hours of travel over extremely familiar ground, we found ourselves ambushed yet again by two demons of the odorous variety. Unfortunately, the path I trod led right past them, requiring me to move at least fifteen feet toward them (and through their rather nasty claws) to keep from having to start all over again, yet again. </p><p> The two Coutls bravely charged forward, surrounding one of the demons. They did not seem to harm it much, however, and one of them was banished back from whence he came, leaving us down one friendly Coutl. </p><p> Even more unfortunately, they said a word of blasphemous evil that stunned all of us in our tracks, save Morwen, who was just out of its reach. Had she not run past me and grabbed the lantern to carry it forth, we would have had trouble. Later I grabbed it back from her, but I did not travel far enough afield to avoid another evil word and, this time, I was sent back, along with the Coutl, who stood near me unseen. </p><p> Before I vanished, however, Krynyn called forth the power of his god to raise a storm of pure holy righteousness, a storm that the demons could not resist and which sent them scurrying away from its center even as it rended their evil hides with its holy might. The demons kept their distance from the storm and my companions huddled in the warmth of its center as the demons sent forth their evil words and magics against them. </p><p> In the meanwhile, my friendly Coutl healed himself and promised to return us to whence we came. I tried to do so with the power of my own mind, but again, found my range lacking beyond the furthest point I could easily see. I instead readied myself for battle, wrapping my body with the protective powers of my mind, and I formulated a plan for when I returned. </p><p></p><p> Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Six – Demon storm</p><p></p><p> After several moments, I found myself back from whence I came, on the path lit by the lantern. I noted the storm still in full swing and the large demons that kept their distance from its holy embrace. I wrapped up the nearest demon in my mind into a swirling vortex of mental energy, twisting its body and wrenching it from its location in space to a new location of my choosing. And I chose to place it directly in the center of the anti-demon storm, much to its sorrow. My vortex rended its mind, the storm rended its flesh, and the demon wracked in agony as it felt its life slipping away, though it still stood its ground. </p><p> My companions continued their assault on the demons, and the demons sent forth more evil words, but this time too far from my ears. Before the lantern-lit path grew too distant for me to effect it, I grabbed the other demon with a swirling vortex of mental energy, and this time, I deposited it thirty feet in the air over the storm, and over the form of the other demon. Its body twisted in agony from my wrenching dimensional twist, then it screamed in agony as the tendrils of the storm ripped its flesh, and then it felt the cold, hard kiss of the plane as the ground broke its fall, narrowly missing hitting its demon companion. One further glancing blow from Morwen was all it took for that demon to be sent back to the abyss from whence it came. And its companion soon followed. </p><p> My companions looted the bulbous demon flesh while I continued my journey forward, reaching the strange and twisting path we found before, where Ee met his temporary destiny as sculptured art. </p><p></p><p> Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Seven – Demon of steel and fire</p><p></p><p> We did not travel long on the path before we encountered another monstrosity, this one entirely constructed from some foul magics of the demonworld, if my newfound stolen planar knowledge was accurate. Not wishing to take any chances about our returning to the start, I spent several moments adding protective thoughts to my form to avoid any unfortunate incidents stopping the forward motion of the lantern. My companions charged and parried with the beast, to no great effect, beyond the powerful blows dealt by Krynyn as he embodied the living strength of his god and grew to eight times his size. </p><p> As my path turned back toward the beast, I sent forth a massive bolt of electricity, which it seemed to like none too well. A final volley of blows from clerics large and small felled the beast and cleared the way for our final encounter with the proctor of death. </p><p></p><p> Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Eight – A final test </p><p></p><p> We reached the end of the path and found ourselves transported to another place, a fibrous forest, where the mummy lord proctor again congratulated us for passing a test, this time, the Test of Resolve. It warned us not to let distractions of treasure, friends, or foes keep us from the path – it seemed like rather late to give that advice. Then it offered the final test, that of Sacrifice, as led by our lantern. Wonderful. Just who, or what do we sacrifice? </p><p> We crossed the plane of cysts and found ourselves at a giant skull. Right on the steps of the entrance to the skull lay a raven-winged fallen angel, spiked to the ground with multiple large spears. As my companions began to debate the relative merits of rescuing a fallen angel, I offered my frank advice, “Aw, c’mon, let’s save the poor bastard.” With that, the spears were pulled out and healing was applied. As the final spear was drawn forth, I noticed Marcus’ pocket was glowing with that same strange glow that led us down this rather twisted path. </p><p> Saureya was his name, and he claimed to have been on this plane since it fell from Celestra and down into the abyss. Talk about a sentence of life. I had never before contemplated the legal penalty of planar banishment when a whole plane was what was to be banished. I wondered what court would hear an appeal of such a sentence. I imagined the contingency fees would be high and likely not of a monetary nature. </p><p> Marcus asked him, “How can I assist you in any way that I can? What can I do?” The fallen angel did not offer much, but some advice. He suggested that we leave, “unless you want to grow fur,” referring to the rakshasa and fire giant that staked him to the ground and left to take the final test. Apparently, if they pass, then they would control the plane and we would definitely not want to be there. They had ten minutes on us. </p><p> Saureya also let us in on a secret – the test that mattered was the final test. If you knew where it was, you need not even attempt the first two tests. The proctors were too dim to know the difference. </p><p> I asked him how he was thrown so low. Saureya said he broke Celestial law. My ears perked up. “What law did you break?” But he did not elaborate. </p><p> I pointed out to Marcus that his pocket was glowing, and he pulled out the stone. </p><p> “Hey, that’s mine,” the fallen angel exclaimed. “That is an artifact that has been in my family for ages.” We explained how we got it, and he said that his sister was the one who we met before. I could already sense the impending family reunion. Marcus handed him the stone and he was bathed in a glowing light for ten minutes. Arcs of lightning seemed to protect him from any touch. When the light show was complete, his wings were now white feathers rather than raven feathers, and he no longer looked fallen. He looked like an angel. And we all looked like ourselves again. </p><p> Marcus was still eager to sally forth for the final test. I decided to make a show of arguing with the angel to help us with it, but it was clear that it was not for us. I argued that the test was for those whose visages we had borrowed, and that our task was simply to rescue this angel. I certainly did not want to follow the path set forth for us by yet another evil demon employer who was likely to betray us if he ever saw us again. </p><p> Just for good measure, the angel informed us that we were too weak to control the plane even if we passed the test, and that we’d just be targets for every demon this side of the abyss who wanted to challenge us for supremacy of this plane. That was enough for me. “Ok, let’s leave.” Marcus was finally convinced when his god told him it was not a task he could complete. I held my tongue even as my thoughts rolled forth, “As if one needs to consult a deity to gather that little nugget of wisdom.” </p><p></p><p> Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Nine – Angelic reunion</p><p></p><p> We plane shifted back to whence we came, into the city of Cauldron. I think it was back to where it was before our little angelic interlude-on-a-celestial-plane-in-the-abyss. In return for our service, they magically identified all of the strange and wondrous items we had found, saving us the trouble of using the channels of commerce for such a feat. </p><p> Thinking back on all that I had seen and heard and had to kill, I contemplated a vacation. I began a search for information about pending criminal trials and another search about where one could find the best popped corn kernels for the occasion.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Altalazar, post: 2853142, member: 939"] Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Four –Resolve, Retreat, Regroup, Rest Things looked somewhat grim. I felt secure in my person, but with Ee a statue of solid rock, a Coutl still incapacitated, and our resources much depleted in mind and magic, I decided a retreat was in order to rest and regroup, and perhaps solve our magically-induced problems. I signaled for my companions to gather together around Ee’s inert form. Krynyn gathered up the strength and resolve of his deity and lifted the Ee’s massive stone bulk off of the spongy ground and held him tightly. With a quick thought through my mind, I was standing amongst them, the lantern still grasped in my hand. A moment later, our forward progress thus stalled, we found ourselves back at the beginning, by the Citadel of Feathers. Just where we wanted to be. Marcus, who was there waiting for us, called forth the power of his god, and attempted to remove any curses or hexes upon the Coutl. Much to our relief, he awoke. Much to our chagrin, he seemed poised to attack us, being somewhat out of sorts at his demon-plane-induced slumber. I pulled forth the most powerful weapon in my arsenal – my arguments, and I convinced him that we were on his side, that we helped him, that we helped his fellow Coutl, and that we would greatly appreciate it if he would, in turn, help us. The rage blinked from his eyes and he agreed to aid us, no matter where that might take him on this plane. I smiled, flush with the feel of victory won in a hard-argued case, put away my briefcase, and prepared to retire for the night. We rested for the night, my mind refreshed, the healers’ powers renewed. Krynyn broke the enchantment on Ee, returning him to his normal, though no less stony in disposition, self. And we began, yet again, the long journey down the lantern-lit path of the Test of Resolve. Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Five – Demons stink After seven hours of travel over extremely familiar ground, we found ourselves ambushed yet again by two demons of the odorous variety. Unfortunately, the path I trod led right past them, requiring me to move at least fifteen feet toward them (and through their rather nasty claws) to keep from having to start all over again, yet again. The two Coutls bravely charged forward, surrounding one of the demons. They did not seem to harm it much, however, and one of them was banished back from whence he came, leaving us down one friendly Coutl. Even more unfortunately, they said a word of blasphemous evil that stunned all of us in our tracks, save Morwen, who was just out of its reach. Had she not run past me and grabbed the lantern to carry it forth, we would have had trouble. Later I grabbed it back from her, but I did not travel far enough afield to avoid another evil word and, this time, I was sent back, along with the Coutl, who stood near me unseen. Before I vanished, however, Krynyn called forth the power of his god to raise a storm of pure holy righteousness, a storm that the demons could not resist and which sent them scurrying away from its center even as it rended their evil hides with its holy might. The demons kept their distance from the storm and my companions huddled in the warmth of its center as the demons sent forth their evil words and magics against them. In the meanwhile, my friendly Coutl healed himself and promised to return us to whence we came. I tried to do so with the power of my own mind, but again, found my range lacking beyond the furthest point I could easily see. I instead readied myself for battle, wrapping my body with the protective powers of my mind, and I formulated a plan for when I returned. Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Six – Demon storm After several moments, I found myself back from whence I came, on the path lit by the lantern. I noted the storm still in full swing and the large demons that kept their distance from its holy embrace. I wrapped up the nearest demon in my mind into a swirling vortex of mental energy, twisting its body and wrenching it from its location in space to a new location of my choosing. And I chose to place it directly in the center of the anti-demon storm, much to its sorrow. My vortex rended its mind, the storm rended its flesh, and the demon wracked in agony as it felt its life slipping away, though it still stood its ground. My companions continued their assault on the demons, and the demons sent forth more evil words, but this time too far from my ears. Before the lantern-lit path grew too distant for me to effect it, I grabbed the other demon with a swirling vortex of mental energy, and this time, I deposited it thirty feet in the air over the storm, and over the form of the other demon. Its body twisted in agony from my wrenching dimensional twist, then it screamed in agony as the tendrils of the storm ripped its flesh, and then it felt the cold, hard kiss of the plane as the ground broke its fall, narrowly missing hitting its demon companion. One further glancing blow from Morwen was all it took for that demon to be sent back to the abyss from whence it came. And its companion soon followed. My companions looted the bulbous demon flesh while I continued my journey forward, reaching the strange and twisting path we found before, where Ee met his temporary destiny as sculptured art. Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Seven – Demon of steel and fire We did not travel long on the path before we encountered another monstrosity, this one entirely constructed from some foul magics of the demonworld, if my newfound stolen planar knowledge was accurate. Not wishing to take any chances about our returning to the start, I spent several moments adding protective thoughts to my form to avoid any unfortunate incidents stopping the forward motion of the lantern. My companions charged and parried with the beast, to no great effect, beyond the powerful blows dealt by Krynyn as he embodied the living strength of his god and grew to eight times his size. As my path turned back toward the beast, I sent forth a massive bolt of electricity, which it seemed to like none too well. A final volley of blows from clerics large and small felled the beast and cleared the way for our final encounter with the proctor of death. Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Eight – A final test We reached the end of the path and found ourselves transported to another place, a fibrous forest, where the mummy lord proctor again congratulated us for passing a test, this time, the Test of Resolve. It warned us not to let distractions of treasure, friends, or foes keep us from the path – it seemed like rather late to give that advice. Then it offered the final test, that of Sacrifice, as led by our lantern. Wonderful. Just who, or what do we sacrifice? We crossed the plane of cysts and found ourselves at a giant skull. Right on the steps of the entrance to the skull lay a raven-winged fallen angel, spiked to the ground with multiple large spears. As my companions began to debate the relative merits of rescuing a fallen angel, I offered my frank advice, “Aw, c’mon, let’s save the poor bastard.” With that, the spears were pulled out and healing was applied. As the final spear was drawn forth, I noticed Marcus’ pocket was glowing with that same strange glow that led us down this rather twisted path. Saureya was his name, and he claimed to have been on this plane since it fell from Celestra and down into the abyss. Talk about a sentence of life. I had never before contemplated the legal penalty of planar banishment when a whole plane was what was to be banished. I wondered what court would hear an appeal of such a sentence. I imagined the contingency fees would be high and likely not of a monetary nature. Marcus asked him, “How can I assist you in any way that I can? What can I do?” The fallen angel did not offer much, but some advice. He suggested that we leave, “unless you want to grow fur,” referring to the rakshasa and fire giant that staked him to the ground and left to take the final test. Apparently, if they pass, then they would control the plane and we would definitely not want to be there. They had ten minutes on us. Saureya also let us in on a secret – the test that mattered was the final test. If you knew where it was, you need not even attempt the first two tests. The proctors were too dim to know the difference. I asked him how he was thrown so low. Saureya said he broke Celestial law. My ears perked up. “What law did you break?” But he did not elaborate. I pointed out to Marcus that his pocket was glowing, and he pulled out the stone. “Hey, that’s mine,” the fallen angel exclaimed. “That is an artifact that has been in my family for ages.” We explained how we got it, and he said that his sister was the one who we met before. I could already sense the impending family reunion. Marcus handed him the stone and he was bathed in a glowing light for ten minutes. Arcs of lightning seemed to protect him from any touch. When the light show was complete, his wings were now white feathers rather than raven feathers, and he no longer looked fallen. He looked like an angel. And we all looked like ourselves again. Marcus was still eager to sally forth for the final test. I decided to make a show of arguing with the angel to help us with it, but it was clear that it was not for us. I argued that the test was for those whose visages we had borrowed, and that our task was simply to rescue this angel. I certainly did not want to follow the path set forth for us by yet another evil demon employer who was likely to betray us if he ever saw us again. Just for good measure, the angel informed us that we were too weak to control the plane even if we passed the test, and that we’d just be targets for every demon this side of the abyss who wanted to challenge us for supremacy of this plane. That was enough for me. “Ok, let’s leave.” Marcus was finally convinced when his god told him it was not a task he could complete. I held my tongue even as my thoughts rolled forth, “As if one needs to consult a deity to gather that little nugget of wisdom.” Cordozo – Chapter Seventy-Nine – Angelic reunion We plane shifted back to whence we came, into the city of Cauldron. I think it was back to where it was before our little angelic interlude-on-a-celestial-plane-in-the-abyss. In return for our service, they magically identified all of the strange and wondrous items we had found, saving us the trouble of using the channels of commerce for such a feat. Thinking back on all that I had seen and heard and had to kill, I contemplated a vacation. I began a search for information about pending criminal trials and another search about where one could find the best popped corn kernels for the occasion. [/QUOTE]
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