Chapter 3: The Land That Time Forgot

[Starbeard]

Jeojand's hair bristles at the sound of the thunder. "I am in agrrrrreement. It would be best to wait until nightfall before apprrrrroaching."

He studies the landscape to see whether there is an approach that will allow concealment, such as along the river to the southwest.

[wolfpack]

I agree let us find a safe place to stay for the night and approach in the morning

My mind raced
And I thought, what could I do? (Thunder)
And I knew
There was no help, no help from you (Thunder)
Sound of the drums
Beating in my heart
The thunder of guns
Tore me apart

You've been - thunderstruck

[OGRE MAGE]

Chaka looks around for a nice place to rest nearby.

"Lightning is constant. Lights up entire sky. Chaka think we will be seen either way."

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo snorts at all the crouching going on. "Seems like the tallest thing around is that tower," he says pointing with his fork. He thinks a moment, then when he thinks no one is looking, lowers the fork to a horizontal position, instead of the usual vertical. No point in tempting fate he thinks. As the others talk about resting, he speaks up again. "It's miles away. shouldn't we press on bit? I think Chaka's right, we might be more noticeable in the dark with all the flashes."

[SpinwardMarch]

Tullia

Let's not debate too long. I, personally, would like to get a short rest before tackling that thing. If we are tired, we can make mistakes.

She hums an old tune to herself:Hello, darkness my old friend...

[Inferno]

The Towering Plateau, Forbidden Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Two. Late afternoon. March 26th, 912 CY
Hot, humid, partly cloudy







KRAK-KA-KOOM!

Another savage bolt of jagged, white hot electricity flies from the heavens and strikes the skyscraper's zenith.

Miles away, hair stands on end as the palpable power of raw electricity fills the air, charging it with fierce, crackling potential. Writhing, glowing lines of static electricity crawl and spark along the surfaces of iron armor, and Fiefo lowers his polearm.

Jeojand the feline sorcerer and Tullia the elf-blooded ranger scan the rocky, barren top of the immense mesa. It is as if the gods themselves had drawn a cosmic sword and, with one devastating horizontal stroke, cut away the top of a mountain. What remains is a blasted wasteland. There is no shelter from the lightning. The ground is level and all vegetation has long since burned away from the relentless barrage of lightning. The distant river bed to the west might help conceal an approach.

Chaka the ape-boy and Fiefo the rat-man want to make for the wizard's skyscraper now.
Ko-Nan the barbarian and Jeojand the cat-mancer advise that they wait for nightfall.
Adrock the priest of the past proposes making camp and approaching at dawn. Tullia also wishes to rest here, at least a while.


Actions?!


Island map, to date:

X = The adventurers' current position.





PC Status:

• Chaka: Ape-Boy Thief 3: Move: 12"(6"), AC: 6, HP: 14/17
  Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 18/20
  Jeojand: Cat-Man Magic-User 2: Move: 6", AC: 7, HP: 6/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 25/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 2, HP: 6/6, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 2: Move: 9", AC: 8, HP: 8/10, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 24/24

PC Magic:

• None currently

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[wolfpack]

I shall consult the great oracle of Tee-Emeez-Eee

He pulls forth his black crystal ball, rubbing it he recites his prayer.

Oh great Tee-Emeez-Eee we call upon your wisdom. What course should your humble servant take for the night.

Should we camp here for the night?

8ball.jpg (81.26 KiB) Viewed 3966 times

with the decision made Adrock begins preparing camp

[Urson]

Maskelyn

The illusionist gives the "oracle ball" a dubious look, but begins helping with the job of setting up camp.

[SpinwardMarch]

Tullia

She is also unimpressed with the oracle ball, but... whatever. Resting before a advance on the tower seems reasonable. But how to avoid the lightning, that is a different matter. Maybe putting up a rod to attract lightning away from the campsite, rather having a group member get zapped. Getting up to the building is going to be difficult.

She also wonders how the plateau come to be.

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo shrugs and begins helping set up camp. Once he's plopped down his stuff, he'll keep a lookout on the perimeter.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan sees others start to camp and figures here is as good as any on this barren plane. He looks for food keeping an eye on the evil looking tower...

[Inferno]

The Towering Plateau, Forbidden Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Two. Nightfall. March 26th, 912 CY
Hot, humid, partly cloudy





KRAKA-KOOM!



KRAK-KA-BOOM!

The shipwrecked seekers of the dead wizard's skyscraper spy no living thing atop the storm-savaged plateau.

SHA-KOOM!

After several hours, they realize that the ceaseless barrage of lightning and thunder will preclude restful sleep. (None will heal nor gain new spells)

KRAKA-BOOM!


Actions?!



Island map, to date:

X = The adventurers' current position.





PC Status:

• Chaka: Ape-Boy Thief 3: Move: 12"(6"), AC: 6, HP: 14/17
  Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 18/20
  Jeojand: Cat-Man Magic-User 2: Move: 6", AC: 7, HP: 6/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 25/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 2, HP: 6/6, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 2: Move: 9", AC: 8, HP: 8/10, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 24/24

PC Magic:

• None currently

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan flinches briefly at the shattering sky. "maybe we climb down off this cliff to find a night of rest"

[wolfpack]

Ko-nan that sounds fine, we move down to sleep for the night

[SpinwardMarch]

Tulla

This place is far too noisy to get any rest.Yeah, let's get off this rock before we become fritters.

There are some days I wish I had stayed home, then I remember that dweeb my parents found to marry me. Nope, just nope.
She starts looking for a suitable place to take a nap, somewhere that is not getting constantly zapped. Maybe there is a lower spot, so the group doesn't have to climb all the way down the plateau.

[Urson]

Maskelyn
The gnome mutters and grumbles, but gathers his gear and joins the others.

Maybe we should circle the plateau- tomorrow. A safer way to approach might present itself.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan considers "we could drop down the cliff then climb back up near that river and approach the tower in the morning"

[OGRE MAGE]

Chaka doesn't like the idea of climbing back down the plateau one bit.

"Chaka not wait! We go now! Find a door and go inside! Lightning can kill us tomorrow too!"

The monkey boy tries timing the lightning strikes to see if there is any pattern to them. He looks as though he is about to make a break for it across the plain to the edifice.

(Sorry folks, but I just had a character nearly die in another of Inferno's games because I simply went along with the group when they did something foolish. So, form now on, Chaka will be doing what he feels is right instead of following along blindly, even if it is wrong and he dies horribly. )

[Starbeard]

Jeojand purrs his agreement to Chaka, looking uncomfortable with his fur all puffed out from the electricity on the plateau.

"The sun is now lowering, and we will have cover of nightfall. Below us are beasts, and above us is lightning. Making camp in either place would invite destruction. The safest option is to find shelter, and there is only one place of shelter I can see. I will head to the Tower now if there are any of you to join me."

He looks nervously at the lightning, then places his daggers and other metal items in his backpack. With the pack tied to one end of his rope, he slackens it to twenty feet and ties the other end to his wooden ten-foot pole, so that he can drag his backpack behind him across the plateau. "If we are to cross, I would rrrrrather the lightning strike my possessions than strike me."

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan shrugs. "Go now, go later. It is all the same."

He's ready to cross the plane if folks are eager to do so. One step closer to seeing his quest fulfilled.