Path: usenet.ee.pdx.edu!fastrac.llnl.gov!s1.gov!overload.lbl.gov!dog.ee.lbl.gov!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!newsfeed.pitt.edu!uunet!not-for-mail From: guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de (Guido Roessling) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives Subject: STORY: Qelrik (part 31) Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc Date: 20 Jun 1994 10:27:51 -0400 Organization: UUNET Technologies Inc, Falls Church, VA, USA Lines: 121 Sender: smm@uunet.uu.net Approved: smm@uunet.uu.net Message-ID: <2u4917$i33@rodan.UU.NET> NNTP-Posting-Host: rodan.uu.net *************************************************************************** This story is a collaboration of seven people: one German, two Canadians and four Americans. Comments about particular characters should be forwarded to their character's "owners": Finn Ambrose - Sheryl Ann Galchutt* - fi48@sol.acs.unt.edu Gernodt - Guido Roessling - guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de or: dida@pu.informatik.th-darmstadt.de (preferred) Dahlarin - Brent Hughes - bhughes@student.business.uwo.ca Kyle - J.E. Mason - ** no current mail address ** Fox - Barbara French - bcfrench@mailbox.syr.edu Will appear in future chapters: Gladrial - Jennifer Immel - bhughes@julian.uwo.ca Sir Percy - Bret Rudnick - rudnick@cfatrw.harvard.edu For missing chapters etc., send a mail to guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de (If you don't get an answer within 3 working days, try it again -- my mail server sometimes ignores mails) *************************************************************************** Off to Kyle's farm ! ==================== The journey to Kyle's house did not take long. Finn, with her night vision, found the going easy, as did Kyle with his familiarity of the road. Dahlarin and Gernodt, though, found themselves stumbling occa- sionally over unseen holes and bumps in the road. Gernodt looked toward the overcast sky and muttered. Above, a light patch in the clouds revealed where the moon was hidden, and both Gernodt and Dahlarin hoped the clouds would thin to give them a means to see. When they were within sight of the farmhouse, the group stopped, and noticed Kyle approaching. With a relieved grin on his face, he told them that while his parents had not yet decided whether he could join them, they also had not forbidden it outright. In fact, they had sent him back to lead them to his parents' farm, so that they should have no problem finding it. After hearing this, Dahlarin began casting his spell. Gernodt noticed that the spell was cast without any of the dramatic gestures he normally associated with spellcasting. The only motion Dahlarin made was to draw an unknown substance from one of his pouches, and fling it in the air, where it promptly vanished. Dahlarin stopped the arcane words and concen- trated, releasing the final energy of the spell with a single word. Gernodt was startled by a quiet nicker at his side and turned to find himself staring at a horse that had appeared out of nowhere. A second glance showed four ordinary-looking horses gazing at the group. Kyle let out a small exclamation of delight, which he quickly suppressed, and went over to examine the horses. Finn raised an eyebrow in surprise. Even her extraordinary vision detec- ted no flaws in the illusion. Dahlarin was obviously more skilled than he cared to admit. Now, for the disg.. Her thoughts were interrupted as she glanced down at herself. Where before she was wearing unexceptional tra- vellers garb, she now found herself arrayed in the finest of clothing, complete with discrete amounts of expensive-looking jewelry. She patted it experimentally. It certainly felt real! Looking at Dahlarin, she found him equally well attired, with soft, white, wizard robes overtop to complete the appearance. "Stunning." he commented with a smile and a wink. Finn smiled. She liked this spell! It was so different from the raw power of the magic she had seen in her time on this world. Glancing over at Gernodt, she found he had just discovered his own attire. The brawny barbarian was now clad in gleaming plate mail, with leg guards, arm guards, and gauntlets, all well polished. As well, his face had been reconstructed to look as he likely had before his firey accident. She decided not to mention it to him, as he would likely not approve. He looked suspiciously at the armour and knocked on it curiously. It produced a metallic bong, and he gave a surprised look at Dahlarin. "I'm impressed!", he commented. "It _does_ look real!" Dahlarin smiled, "Just don't experiment too much. This is running my skill right to the limit. And don't make too much noise. It's the hardest part of the illusion to keep up. If you start tapping your armour while I'm not watching you, it won't make a sound, and you are likely to start seeing through the illusion." Gernodt resisted the urge to tap as Dahlarin turned his attention to Kyle. "The horses certainly seem real!", he exclaimed from atop a horse. Gernodt gasped. "Is the illusion supporting him??", he asked incredulously. Dahlarin chuckled. "No, actually it isn't. In reality, he is standing on the ground, with his legs bowed as if he were on a horse. The illusion makes it seem as if he is on the horse. Now Kyle, please dismount. That's another way of stretching the illusion past its limits." Kyle reluctantly climbed down, trying not to gawk at Finn in her new attire. "OK, let's go then... It's certainly a good idea not to keep my parents waiting any longer, what with it being quite late already, and their having to get up very early tomorrow..." With that, he went off back to his farm, followed by the rest of the group. The meeting with Kyle's parents went as expected. At first, they forbid him to go, telling him it was too dangerous. Kyle pleaded, however, and they reluctantly agreed to talk to the travellers. Dahlarin stood, quiet and serious looking, and Gernodt stood nearby, looking intimidating and holding the horses' reins. As agreed, Finn did all the talking, and her vampiric charm, coupled with a small bag of gold coins, soon won over the concerns Kyle's parents had. After many promises to keep him safe, a hasty packing of Kyle's belongings, and a fond farewell, the group left the farm with a very excited Kyle in tow. ************************************************************************** Next time: Into the forest... **************************************************************************