Matt Royale

There was magic in this world once, but they stole it all away.
 
The brothers concluded that one of the points on the Gith map was more appealing than others. Rumors indicated that it was a pyramid constructed in honor of one known as Londrost. They resolved to return to town for additional spelunking supplies as well as mounts to have converted into more fearsome versions of themselves to pull their vehicles in the future: Skeletal Dire Pumas pulling a wrought iron carriage make for quite an entrance after all.
 
On the way back to Hunter’s Dream, the brothers ran into some trouble however. They were waylaid by another group of scorpions. These lesser creatures were this time accompanied by a pair of desert dwelling Scorpion-folk. There did not appear to be a colossal scorpion this time however, which was probably a bonus. They suggested that the Bandolier Brothers should pay a toll for the privilege of uninterrupted travel. The toll they requested was the sacrifice of whichever brother was the tastiest. Not one for being intimidated the brothers of course refused their request.
 
John suggested that the two of them even with their tiny scorpion friends would fare poorly against even one of the brothers. The scorpions mentioned that the yellow-skinned folks had felt the same way, but before the brothers could garner any additional information they decided to attack. Their hunger had gotten the best of them. Several more scorpion-folk rose from the sands as the battle began.
 
With lightning speed the smaller scorpions scuttled in to pester the brothers. Tage danced out of their way, then did not cut down one of the scorpion-folks’ pets. Korric stepped on one, then cut down the other. The Scorpion-folk decided to move forward with a measured caution, seeing how easily their pets were taken care of.
 
In tandem the scorpions charged brothers were not prepared to counter such a move. Tage countered with a dodge that left the scorpion striking at shadows. Yuttosk fended off some more scorpion pets who scurried out of the sands. Thy’lek skewered the two scorpions with well-timed rapier strikes. Korric swept the legs of one of the scorpion-folk out from under him and followed up with a killing blow. Yuttosk skewered one of them, indicating it was an illusion. The remaining scorpion focused all his attacks on Korric. His brutal attacks harried him, and a lucky stab with a stinger left Korric reeling for a moment.
 
John dispelled the final illusion, and Thylek moved in to the last scorpionfolk. Tage threw some shuriken into the fray, Korric almost missed with the final blow as it offered terms of surrender. His battle rage was not sated. The brothers elected not to attempt to track them back to their camp and returned to town without further incident. They resupplied in town and noticed a peeper. Tage ran off after them after fading into the shadows, but was not able to catch the suspicious fellow.
 
The brothers went about their business in town.
 
After investigating the available animal trainers John settled on “Darla Irvine’s Exotique Animal Boutique”. He was looking for a cat, a big cat. Purrrhaps a pair. She had heard tales of the brotherhood's exploits involving cockatrice eggs, some of which John was carrying on his person: Others had been left at their headquarters to establish a hatchery. A fresh shipment of exotic animals was to be coming in a few days, and though a buyer had been lined up they could be convinced to wait a bit longer if the price was right. It was.
 
With a reasonable down payment a pair of Dire Pumas would be the Brotherhoods in a few days time, and they would be made ‘more durable’ by their friends in Heypox. John also commissioned some special mithril barding from a local blacksmith. Price was no issue.
 
Korric, Thy’lek, and Yuttosk walked into the nearest actual building tavern: The Dusty Drawers. They gave mildly exaggerated tales of their exploits to fellow adventurers nursing their thirst. Speaking on the less-than-ideal beauty of human women and the hardships of a life on the road, the brothers present found some comradery as well.
 
Tage looked into a local meetup of like-minded thiefish fellows. Searching for the subtle sigils of the underground network he had contacted in Peshemi. He walked into an associate, who suggested he be less obvious. He went to the meetup spot at the indicated hour: a slum at midnight. The single building which appeared to be of tenement apartments from the outside was actually a single room on the inside: The shoddy wars of the poor quality housing torn down.
 
A human fellow seated a hookah was accompanied by three human guards. He indicated he was aware of the Bandolier brothers contacts with the underground networks of Peshemi. Tage elected not to partake of the Pesh offered, and mentioned he was in competition with the three humans present in terms of moving into the boomtown of Hunters dream. The smoker indicated his name was Gordon, and as he gestured towards the loudmouth attendant a shadow garotte pulled one of the perspective members up into the darkness above: Flailing for a minute before finally going limp.
 
He asked how much ‘stock’ he had on hand, and Tage had to admit he currently lacked high quality merchandise. Gordon lamented he had gotten rid of the wrong one, but Tage suggested some merchandise (potential slaves) could be easily obtained. Gordon mentioned the other candidates: One backed by the corporations with three dozen in stock and good to go. The silent one did not reveal anything, though according to a piece of paper slid to Gordon had plenty of stock on hand as well, involving rings of some sort. The only one with something to prove here was Tage.
 
He asked how Pyotr (their vampiric friend from Peshemi) was doing, and Tage indicated he was doing well, more of a night person as things go. He revealed an understanding of both the Brotherhoods goals (to investigate a pyramid) and orders (One pair of Dire Pumas coming in a few days). His mention of the Electrum mines to Tage was knowing. He asked that Tage give Pyotr “The Bishops regards”, assuring he’d know what that meant. He joked about the flavored cigarettes he was smoking: “They say these will kill me, but that ship sailed long ago.” Tage insulted the loud candidate, before pretending to leave.
 
He also set a timeline for a month from then for a new meeting to discuss new merchandise before vanishing into the shadows.
 
John asked about the scorpion-folk to help secure the trading caravans in the region, and most indicated that not a lot of survivors were around from the attacks. Perhaps the brothers could keep one alive to interrogate next time. The brothers embarked on their landboat, and moved towards the next location. Despite it being called a ‘pyramid’ by the Gith, it actually turned out to be a very strange area of coniferous forest in the desert.
 
The thick brambles and underbrush were almost impassable, and a delicious looking stream was quite enticing. Below the surface of the water was the remains of a stone bridge, no longer crossing the water. Korric immediately partook of the water, and the thick forest was quite robust despite the harsh desert conditions to be found all around it.
 
In the center of the forest, or so the brothers presumed, was located a large shrine covered in vines and brambles. A handful of statues as well as smaller mausoleums made a ‘garden’ of sorts around the shrine. The brothers cleared away the vines and brambles in an effort to the purpose, or story of the area.
 
Four statues and an old fountain appeared to have succumbed to the ravages of time. One statue had fallen, broken off at the legs. Another leaned over onto the ground facing forward. The third had a vague shape of a fellow with chainmail, a sword, and a small boat. The final statue was a rather weighty fellow with a rod, book, and balding pate.
 
The brothers took some time to clear the vegetation from the fountain and statues. A series of insciptions were revealed: “The elf king and forest friend “, “Robert Luthor: Red King of Kaomar”, “After the passing, Luthor: King and Father, protector of the realm - Bearer of Durendale” “His holiness archbishop Van Benwick Keeper of the Kings Seal”.
 
The center of the fountain was made of a different sort of marble, carved from a single piece of ‘Alomite’: It was worth a minimum of 5,000 gold pieces to the right collector.
 
The names mentioned were quite old indeed, vaguely recalled from legends of yore.
 
The brothers approached the mausoleum, finding great iron-bound brass doors and an insciption: “Do not pity the dead, remember them.”
 
As Tage approached the doors, they turned into a creepy face which loudly boomed that “Only those who can unravel the knot of riddles can enter the chamber of the noble-born dead. “
 
How can man without magic make the moon dance?
 
Tage exposed himself to the door, offering a ‘dancing moon’ of sorts. The door was not amused, having expected the answer of water: it begrudgingly accepted.
 
Whatever can it be, that can outrun a horse and without touching the wet cross the mighty sea? The wind of course. Tage responded with delight.
 
Answer me this what stands green upon the mountain, red in the home, and scattered black in the marketplace. Wood ya? Asked thy’lek, and the door continued!
 
Only ghosts walk alone, you have earned your entry into the shrine. Merely say the words after passing and the doors shall open for you. The brothers repeated the inscription of the statue about the king, and the doors swung noiselessly open. The musty smell of old stone and dirt spilled forth.
 
The brothers entered the entry hall.
 
A fancy sword stand and a cup holder were quite empty on the right.
 
The left side contained a small hole with black stains in and around it: clearly an inkwell. It was probably an area where folks could register attendance, and peasants could offer sacrifices before being recorded.
 
The way forward was not locked, and the brothers moved on into the musty smelling complex. A quiet weeping was heard within. A large black sarcophagus sat in the center of the next room as well as other sarcophagi in a multitude of metals, woods, and stones: Many of them precious. The cold air within as well as the knowledge of the festering corpses within the room brought a chill to the spine. Many of the graves were in various sizes, including smaller ones for children or smaller folks.
 
Detailed reliefs depict the deeds of the occupant of the central sarcophagus: Magical artisans made the pictures actually move. Apparently he has single-handedly slain a red dragon. His family coat of arms was a Silver dragon. The year referenced in his epitaph made little sense to the brothers. Seventeen sarcophagi were in the room: All members of the same family.
 
The crying had stopped, and the brothers noticed a head poking around one of the sarcophagi, apparently a ghostly human female. The brothers learned that her name was Vivian, and she was not at all aware of her current state of undeath, laughing off initial suggestions that she was no longer among the living. The brothers gently helped her realize she was not alive anymore. She had been a priestess who married the king to unite the kingdom, though he left afterwards. She has been waiting for his return for many years. Given the circumstances, a return seemed rather unlikely.
 
Suddenly, a presence appeared in the garden: Blooming with arcane power. He spoke in an antiquated tongue. “Who dares threaten me or mine? I have unmade gods!” His white wizard hat, silver robes, and wood/iron staff finally an eyepatch made him seem very fierce.
 
He immediately attacked the brothers with a lightning blast. The ghostly lady was distraught at this turn of events. Tage vanished into the darkness and moved from the others sipping a curative. Korric rushed up and hit an illusion, John burnt off the rest of the illusions, suggesting that although mistakes had been made (by the wizard), there was no need for this to be resolved so violently. Thy’lek rushed into the fray, ‘covering the ghostly lady from further harm’.
 
As he realized the brothers were apparently not here to steal all the treasures or assault the honor of the queen. Tage moved to Korric and put something into his mouth, tilting his head back to fill it with fluid. As he unwittingly swallowed the potion of gaseous form, his muscle billowed out into a harmless gas cloud rather than swinging a mighty strike at the side of the wizards head. He reappeared, muttering: “That was close.”.
 
The wizard indicated he had wrongly accused the Brothers, and that the Queen was not aware of what had transpired, and she had been lost in time due to her condition. Clearly this was remiss, and something had to be done. He had no idea how he got here, in this world without magic. It seems that the Queen conversing with someone had triggered his appearance.
 
The wizard was quite formidable. It was good that the brothers had successfully disarmed the situation. Clearly the queen needed to be put to rest, her eternal sorrow ended. The bandolier brothers offered their help.
 
He offered a tale to explain what was happening here: taking a moment to learn how long it had been since the events in the life of his king and queen. Apparently Hundreds of years ago. . . King Luther and his queen Wizuvian reigned together for sixteen years before he had to frequently leave to lead his armies against the enemies of his kingdom. He always returned triumphant, until he eventually did not return. He embarked upon a ship known as the Evening Swan were his last voyage, and she knew he would not return.
 
Eventually she died, as did his son and so they were lain to rest here. This sacred grove was removed from the realm to save it from vengeance caused by enemies of the king. Spells most powerful were lain to secure it, though it appears the death of magic caused those spells to no longer apply.
 
Yuttosk regaled him with his tale of the ‘Death of Magic’ firsthand, and he was slightly impressed. He offered the ‘Rune of Bekannt’, a spell which would allow one to see into the minds desires. Unfortunately this reward was not one which was especially useful, so he made a scroll of the spell to teach to their wizard companions at their convenience, since none of them seemed capable of using such knowledge just at that moment.
 
He snapped the ghost of the queen out of her catatonic state, and for a brief moment she stood regal and proud as she did many years ago ruler of the western lands. She asked for his ring as a token of his passing, which would of course lead her to her own rest at long last.
 
A voice boomed out: “Go into the wood and call ‘Daladan Orcbane’, for none know the ways to the sea better than he!” John uttered that apparently magical phrase, and a man riding a horse came galloping from the forest. A mounted elf sat on a thin, pale green horse which appeared to be in many dimensions at once. His style was slammin’. He had a sword his spindly limbs clearly could not wield.
 
Rive called out to the sword; his brother for only Korric to hear. His excitement was contagious.
 
“Who calls for Daladan, where is the mage, and why are you here in my forest?”
 
The brothers filled him in on the details of their encounter with the Queen, and the Wizard.
 
What happened to the king? He was apparently trapped on the Isle of Dreams. So they just had to go rescue, or force him to leave from that place since he was probably enjoying his wildest dreams there.
 
Just taking up the quest to save the queen earned the brothers his undying friendship. Maybe not Korric though. He offered ‘forest mounts’ to bring them to the Eastern seas. He also offered a beautifully marked magical horn, which would summon his son to bring a boat which could bring them to the Isle of dreams. He also offered a stick: ‘a Twig of the Banshee to summon a mans nightmare, and lead them to the isle of dreams. Once there, seek out the inn of three teardrops at the foot of the lone stone ridge. The bartender will lead you to the castle, and do not drink too much of his delicious juice for it’s quite potent. My steeds will join you shortly.
 
Tage noticed that the half-elf he had just talked to was also an alcoholic, and offered some delicious vodka. He partook. They talked at length about the state of the world(s). Korric disgusted him. Thy’lek was okay in his book. Korric exchanged swords for a moment with the elf, caressing the hilt of the red-blade. Sadly, the new sword did not talk to him. In fact it was not made of a similar material at all. Still, it was quite a sword. Clearly Daladan was not willing to trade swords.
 
Soon they’d gain their sweet inter-dimensional steeds, and who knows where this adventure would take them? Probably to the Eastern Sea, then the Island of dreams. But time would tell.