Prologue
"All is in readiness for the assault, my Queen," the Matron of House Mat'Lis'sk reported as she knelt before her goddess.
"Excellent! You have done well, my servant. Know that you are exalted over the other houses in Manatakloss," the Demon Queen of Spiders hissed. "The Town of Ascension will never know what hit them. Their militia of experienced adventurers will fall, as will their town and its connection to the Outer Planes. Once again, I will be free!"
"As you command, Dark Mistress, so shall it be done," the prostrate Matron intoned. "Our forces marshal in the Deep Wood just beyond Fox Ridge. Once we deal with the lycanthropes and beetle hordes in that area, we shall be well placed to move our forces through the Plains of War. From there, the Crossroads will prove no obstacle to the East Road that leads directly to the Town of Ascension."
"Make camp at the Crossroads," Lolth commanded. "I shall make preparations to face the best this town has to offer. What happened to the ranger that was found near our camps? I trust he has been dealt with in an appropriate manner?"
"Yes, my Queen," the Matron replied. "He was killed in Fox Ridge. Unfortunately, the lycanthropes prevented our scouts from recovering his corpse. Nevertheless, I trust that they will also prevent anyone else from finding it."
"How goes the Droghar breeding program?"
The Matron smiled in spite of herself. "The breeding of the Droghar is proceeding better than expected, my Queen. Many of the drow houses have volunteered their males for the breeding program in hopes this will elevate their status in your eyes. We are, even now, producing up to 20 viable Droghar a day. Our best magicians have made them stronger, faster, and more resilient. All are ambidextrous and wield twin scimitars in battle with great skill. Soon, we will have an army of Droghar with which to crush the town's defenders.
The Demon Queen nodded. "Impressive. Make sure that the longbowmen, skirmishers, and warmages are properly trained for the assault. I want you to lead the attack on the town personally, Matron. Failure will not be tolerated. Is that understood?"
"I am honored to obey, my Queen. House Mat'Lis'sk is yours to command."
"Soon, the Town of Ascension will be mine! And I will be free!" Lolth, the Demon Queen of Spiders, laughed and all within hearing trembled at the sound.
8-8-8
Chapter 1
The Dock of Ascension was smaller than he had expected though it was bustling with all sorts of commerce. Boards were everywhere with directions on where to go, who to see, and what to do in the Town of Ascension. Left of the dock itself was a tavern while up ahead was the Imperial Bank and the Temple of Tyr. Past the bank was the Temple of Lathander and, further down the road, the Altar of Legends. The gates to the town itself lay at the end of the road.
As Zed stepped off the boat onto the docks, he heard the captain shout his name. He turned to look. "Ah knoo yer jest startin' oot lad so let me give ye some advice. Check the quest board in town. Adventurin' parties lookin ta make names fer themselves usually post on the board if they be lookin' fer people. An' Rip's Wretched Brewery's always a good place to pick up on town gossip. Fair huntin' to ye!"
"Thanks for the advice, Captain!" Zed waved as the boat drew away from the pier. His renowned dwarven constitution was never meant for riding rough waves at sea. Dwarves normally hated ocean voyages as their dense bone structure tended to make them sink like stones in deep waters. Nevertheless, he had survived, thank the Gods.
Squaring his broad shoulders, Zed turned to face the dock. He was a young dwarf, by dwarven reckoning, and had red-brown hair and a short beard. His short (about four inches short of five feet) yet rock-solid stature was characteristic of most dwarves though no hill or mountain dwarf would mistake him for one of their own. His race was the result of a misguided (perhaps maniacal?) magical experiment that merged a Derro dwarf from the Underdark with a shadow demon, performed by the universally despised mind flayers. The new race came to be known as the Derrzagon. They were generally shunned due to their normally cruel, sadistic natures and slight tendency to go into a blind rage at the slightest provocation. Fortunately, Zed had been placed in the care of a kindly old cleric who had managed to suppress these racial tendencies in him through divine magic. The only sign of his race were his pupil-less eyes which he concealed behind a pair of reflective lenses.
Being a Derrzagon dwarf provided him with advantages and disadvantages. He was quicker on his feet than most dwarves and possessed an uncanny intelligence. He was also more resistant to magical spells, even by normal dwarven standards, and his pupil-less eyes (a legacy of his subterranean heritage) allowed him to see in even magical darkness. However, his infernal nature made him short-tempered and tactless in social situations. He was also quick to draw steel, not having the patience for diplomacy nor the strength of will for contemplation or study.
The journey by boat had forced him to pack light so he would have to purchase provisions in town. All he had with him was his leather armor, a small shield, a plain dwarven waraxe, some potions, and a small pouch of gold. Fortunately, the Imperial Bank provided transfer accounts for gold and items that he had deposited into just before his journey. Therefore, Zed was by no means impoverished, just temporarily undersupplied. First things first, he would re-equip at the bank before checking the quest board as the captain had suggested.
Zed emerged from the bank feeling almost human... rather, dwarven again. He had pretty much abandoned all his transitional gear in favor of equipment he had accumulated over years of adventuring. His magical dwarven waraxe, the Axe of Heralds, was one well-known among adventurers as the gold standard among dwarven defender weaponry. His tower shield was a Cormyrean Greatshield magically enhanced with powerful eldritch energies to be capable of withstanding almost all attacks. His armor consisted of magical mithril chainmail that allowed him free movement while providing outstanding protection. His helm, which he called Perfect Vision, gave him exactly that as it enhanced his mental capabilities and granted him True Seeing as the spell of the same name. Magical rings and a magical amulet completed the ensemble. His Defender's Seal, which marked him as a dwarven defender of standing within the dwarven community, dangled from his belt. Thus equipped, he went in search of the quest board.
"Quest board? What in the bloody hell are you talkin' about?" Exclaimed the first person he asked in town. "You want quests? Go to the Wandering Wyrm near the East Gate!"
With that, Zed proceeded to the Wandering Wyrm, an apparently well-known inn near the Eastern Gate of the town. From snippets he had heard while having a tankard of ale at Rip's Wretched Brewery, the Wyrm (as the locals affectionately called it) was the place where aspiring bravos and grizzled veterans alike gathered to swap loot and exchange tales. There were private rooms where parties could split loot in complete privacy as well as a makeshift market system where adventurers could sell their gains for gold.
Zed was slightly disappointed upon entering the Wyrm though. Instead of a roaring cacophony of noise and the sight of groups of adventurers drinking ale and celebrating after their last quest, the young dwarf was greeted by a somber atmosphere where clusters of adventurers huddled around tables whispering in hushed tones. His entry prompted a full five seconds of absolute silence as everyone there stared at him, seemingly sizing him up. Afterwards, the low buzz of conversation resumed with occasional peeks at the new dwarf who had just walked in.
Deciding that, in this case, prudence would not prove the better part of valor, Zed went for the bold approach. "I am Zed Steelblind, experienced dwarven defender! I'm looking for a group who will help me in my quest for immortality! If you feel there's a place for me in your group, I'll be at the bar."
At the bar, the innkeeper had a troubled look on his face even as he slid a tankard of ale toward the new dwarf. "You gave an interesting speech there, Zed Steelblind. New to the town? Just in from the docks?"
"Why, yes, actually," Zed replied in between gulps of foaming ale. "Why? Something I should know?"
The innkeeper sighed. "Indeed there is, Zed. Bad news from all over, actually. It's all these folk can do to keep the town and the docks monster-free. Even the normally unscrupulous types like that pale master over there," he waved his hand at a gaunt man holding a glowing staff looking morose as he sipped a glass of wine, "have joined the town's heroes to help out."
"Ascension is under siege then?"
"Not much of a siege since we have food supplies coming in all the time through the docks. The northern traders also bring in regular shipments of non-food supplies like weapons, armor, and magical items. The monsters don't attack the walls nonstop. Actually, they don't attack at all, really. They just wait for people to venture out of the gates. Once the gates open, they rush in to attack. If they don't open, they're content to wait things out, it seems. Just getting one party of people out requires two other parties to be at the gates to repel invaders. And the party going out has to contend with legions of monsters on each path. In the beginning, the adventurers loved being able to go out and bash heads all the time. Now, morale is low and people are leaving the town by the boatload." The innkeeper shook his head even as he refilled Zed's tankard.
"Any idea who's behind this so-called siege?" Zed asked. "From what you've told me, it takes a strong leader to organize these monsters into a siege of this town. Strong and smart, I'd have to say. Someone who rules by fear and force, but with cunning and a good grasp of tactics."
"You sure you're a dwarf?" The innkeeper was looking at him strangely. "For a while there, you almost looked… intelligent. Most of the dwarves in this town would just as soon go out and bash heads as think about who was behind the siege."
"Um… My old commander insisted we learn tactics and strategy," Zed replied quickly, his hand almost instinctively moving to the lenses that concealed his pupil-less eyes. "Said it would give us an edge in a fight every time."
"Well, your old commander was right, young Zed," the innkeeper noted. "My soldiering days are over but what you said was true. Monsters like those don't get organized like that without somebody they either respect or fear telling them what to do. Tell you what, you seem like a decent sort. You see that lich over there? The one with the fancy clothes and sparking staff? He used to be one of the most powerful wizards in this town. Since he became a lich, he's surpassed even those limits. If anyone's got a good idea what's going on out there, it's him. Beware, though, he's still a lich and will just as likely blast you where you stand as talk to you. His name, or what used be his name, is Cala Mari."
The lich formerly known as the wizard Cala Mari sat at a table alone. Being undead in a tavern full of living souls tended to have that effect. However, he was not here for sport or relaxation. Being undead, he had need of neither. His last attempt at divination had pointed him to be at this tavern at this time on this particular day. He had no idea why but if he wanted to be free of this town, he would do what needed to be done. Perhaps even cooperate with some of these so-called heroes.
"Do I have the honor of addressing Lord Cala Mari?" A dwarf was saying as he stood in front of the lich.
The lich, whose empty eye sockets burned with an unholy red fire, turned to look at the young dwarf. "Ah, the bold young dwarf with a penchant for making speeches in strange taverns has approached me. Perhaps he wishes to offer up his soul for my consumption? Is that why you are here, Zed Steelblind?" The lich's face had not moved. After all, his lips and tongue had long since rotted away to nothingness. Instead, Zed heard the voice in his head.
Instead of speaking, Zed decided to think his way through the conversation. While he was immune to mind spells, he had no idea how powerful this lich was. "I come seeking knowledge. I was told by the innkeeper that you were the most qualified in this town to have it."
"Your thoughts betray you, Derrzagon," Cala Mari's dry chuckle was easily heard in his mind though no sign of it touched the ancient lich. "You seek that which we all seek: immortality. This I have already achieved in undeath. Why should I help you?"
"Your undeath is a mockery of life, not true immortality," Zed thought even as he felt a chill run down his spine. The issue of his race remained a sensitive one. "Imagine never having to fear final death from paladins or clerics. Imagine never having to worry about where to place your phylactery to keep your soul safe from harm. Imagine being able to restore your old form and still retain the abilities you have now."
The lich's hollow laugh sounded in his head. "And you claim to know the secrets to immortality, young dwarf? You are young by the standards of your race. Slightly more intelligent than your other Derrzagon kin, true, though that is not in itself unusual. There are many in this town far stronger, smarter, or more experienced than you. Some here are the closest thing to the divine or the infernal we will ever hope to see in this lifetime. What makes you so special? The innkeeper and I used to be adversaries a long time ago. He finds it amusing to send aspiring young heroes to me so I can… manage their expectations. Tell me, young Zed, what makes you think you are any different from them?"
Calmly, Zed took off the helm that rendered his mind immune to domination. "Unlike all the other aspiring young heroes you have spoken to, or anyone else in this town, I am a fool. And fools never know when to give up or back down. Look into my mind and you will know this to be true."
Cala Mari the lich looked at him for a long time. Then the undead wizard nodded. "You are, indeed, a fool. Yet perhaps it is a fool who will find a way to break this siege. Especially since everyone in this town seems to have given up already." The lich seemed to sigh though there was an odd twinkle amid the dancing flames in his eyes. "Make no mistake, Zed Steelblind, I am an undead wizard who has made pacts with dark powers. Do not expect me to show mercy or give charitably. I will take what I can when I can. If the powers behind this siege offer me a better deal, I will likely take it. My vile nature is something that you and anyone else who wishes to journey with us will have to live with."
"I can deal with that," Zed thought even as he placed his helmet back on. "Now, to the heart of the matter, who do you think is behind this siege?"
"I don't know but I know where to start looking. East."