PAXLAIR - February 8, 1999 - Arik, Grandmaster Smith

Last night whilest in the town of PaxLair, Valen was speaking of the actions of "N" and informing the local citizens of his evil nature. These were the words from his song, a song that captivated all time and time again. As soon as I showed up to the mass of people, I was cursed at, spit at, and even threatened to be torn apart by the Black Knight Darius. At first he was simply a panther talking to me telepathically, but then he transformed to his hauntingly powerful human self.

After making quick apologies, I hastened away from the group but still within ear shot. Valen spoke of the Lycaeum holding a clue to a ritual being performed this eve. The mages from the CMT (Chesapeake Mage Tower, a new powerful group of mages) provided gates to the island of Moonglow. A monk was found and we spoke to him about N and were told that he had a map recently. When asked to see it, he promptly told us that the map had been stolen by the evil Dark Omen moments earlier, but that he had been copying it at the time. He handed us a partial map which held small clues. Four libraries were mapped and we felt certain that these held clues to the ritual planned for tonight. Visiting the libraries we came upon the following text:

"Shattered is the book, that holds the key. The parts were sown across the land to bear fruit one day again. My work was not in vain! The fault will not repeat itself and I will be redeemed. All will see how useful my work is, even Lord British!

Safety is of utmost importance, this time all will go well. I will wait for the right constellation of stars. When the planets align and the comet hits our sun, I will open the gate.

The maze I build around the gap to the netherworlds will prevent any of the servants to escape and the fence will hold the ambassador back. I will force him to give us the servants and bind them to my will!

With these hundreds, maybe thousands of servants, I will rebuild our world into a garden of joy and all will thank me! To prevent anyone from getting all the clues needed to open the fence, I put them all over the land. The map will remind me how to recover them when the time comes.

Constructor of a new age."

Four other passages were found, but I will explain those a little later. Reading that text had us believe that Relvinian's Maze was next to visit. Again the CMT gates us there and immediately we were attacked by swarms of undead (a tell tale sign of N's work). These skeletons, zombies, spectres, were led by three lich lords and a few lesser liches. 'Twas a dangerous battle with two friends falling in battle. I was almost killed myself if it weren't for the brave actions of Hume. He rescued me from that horrible fiend.

Alas, after the undead were slain (again), we went off in search of clues. To the far southwest we found bodies of Earth Elementals. Remembering one of the phrases: "Wound the earth with the only weapon it can be hurt. Burn it with the force of fire." We believed we needed to use a pick axe on the creatures and gather the ore from them. We then brought it to a forge that we had found just north at the Library. Saying the phrase, we smelted the ore.

The next phrase: "Forge the heart of the earth into a weapon. A weapon to defeat the very air itself." I then forged the metal into a razor shard bardiche, a weapon powerful enough to cleave the air in two, but yet quick enough to keep pace with it. Once that was done, we heard the calls of an eagle on the other side of the hedge. We thought we needed to use the bardiche on the eagle. One of the fighters hefted the weapon and brought it down crashing on the squawking bird. No blood came, but the beast lay still. On its body was an empty pitcher. As soon as the bird was dead, air elementals surrounded the party. They attacked ferociously but none of us were killed. They were dispatched neatly and swiftly.

Valen was there chanting another of the phrases: "Use the vessel of air to trap its sister. Bind the water to your will." He suggested we take the pitcher and fill it from the baths to the south. This we did chanting the phrase. I drank from the pitcher, not knowing the effect it would have. I felt compelled to do this. In front of us a water elemental appeared. It glared angrily at us then summoned more of its brethren to defend its resting place. Hard pressed we were backed into a corner but again we prevailed.

Valen chanted the next phrase: "Douse the flames with the blood of the water. The death of fire will tear down the walls." This we knew what to do. We went back to the forge where I forged the blade to cleave air. I chanted the lines and poured the water on the forge. It erupted with towering flames and was gone. In its place were dozens of fire elementals. Again I was brought to near death but the combined efforts of good managed to slay the beasts before I myself was burned to a crisp. Thank the gods for my long years at a hot forge, for I was able to endure their searing blasts for quite some time.

After that, the Library was seen to house the groups of Dark Omen and a Necromancer, Zerces Hrathmor... The Grand Liche. They began bickering and then The necromancer began chanting an unknown spell. The leader of Dark Omen bade him to stop or ill would come to them. N had apparently forbid them to use that spell. It was a summoning spell, but a summoning spell of what? The necromancer kept glancing at a book in the corner, A Book of Dark Magic...

N's voice appeared from the still air. Threatening them, goading them: "You had your revenge, necromancers, they will fear you now and maybe even respect you. Although i am not that sure you will enjoy your new popularity. *cackles* Yet, enough is enough. I warned you not to cast this part of the spell, for there are evils mortals should not meddle with... nor immortals. An Vas Rel Ort Por, An Vas Ort Bal-Lem!" With the last echo of N.s spell, many things happened at once. The gate to the netherworlds began to close, hindering the Great Evil from gaining access to our world, but with a last attempt to doom us, it spew out hordes of undead. I used that as my chance to redeem myself for my horrible deed committed months earlier. I begged him to release me, and laughter erupted. As the sealing spell finished, the fence weakened and I used my years of building strength to tear one from the hinges.

Dark Omen left, abandoning their once ally in the Necromancer to his fate. Demons appeared as N. finalized the last word of the spell. These were appearing quicker than we could kill them and many did die in this brutal final battle. Braving the spells all around and the hurled missile weapons, I reached the book to secure it from evil. Taking it in my pack I slid back outside. Sandler opened a gate back to PaxLair as the last demon was killed.

As soon as I stepped through, I began looking for Atlan, who I found at the benches in front of the Mage Tower. I spoke with him silently and handed him the book. We then went to his shop where he could copy it and begin working on it. He handed copies to me (to give to my brother Justarius) and others to powerful mages that accompanied us. The CMT will be working on translating it also.

After this there was much celebration. Many came up to me to state that I did good, and I had redeemed myself in their eyes. I thanked them but I felt I needed solitude to work out my own matters. As I was walking out the door, Atlan yelled "Arik, as easy as it is for us to forgive your deeds, you must know that only once you learn to forgive yourself, will you know peace of mind and heart. Nay be so hard on yourself, you art truly a good man. You were tricked, and thus was not acting on knowledge of the outcome. You didst simply not know what would happen. Forgive thyself, and thou shalt know peace."

To this day I sit in a church basement pondering those words, but can I truly ever know peace?

NOTE: This is part of a continuing PaxLair Player Quest, not a Seer Quest.